Can I Make Money off My Non-Fiction Book?

non-fiction HORSE TRAINERA reader sent in this question: I saw the blog about Page publishing, I’m thinking about writing educational equine books (as I broke my foot and can no longer train horses I would like to write about it) but wondering if there is any money in writing? It sounded from the blog that you need thousands of dollars to get published and that there is no profit in writing. I’m wondering if it is realistic to expect a profit?”

Dear Horse Trainer,

I’ve only written one non-fiction book (plenty of fiction), and here’s my take on making a profit in writing: not right away. In order to write a successful book on horse training, first you have to give a whole lot. Continue reading “Can I Make Money off My Non-Fiction Book?”

When a Novelist Writes Non-Fiction

Marcia Gates Angel of BataanRecently our own Big Al wrote a post about non-fiction and how it is largely missing in the annals of IU. True enough, most of our emphasis here is on fiction. Some of us, however, have waded into the cool waters of non-fiction, and I for one found the experience totally different than crafting a novel.

One thing I’ve learned is that fiction and non-fiction have very different roles. Broadly speaking, fiction’s purpose is to provide entertainment while non-fiction’s purpose is to provide information. These two things are not mutually exclusive, of course. If you read the novel Congo, you no doubt learned quite a bit about extracting data from digital video. By the same token, a non-fiction book like American Sniper is certainly entertaining in a dramatic, thought-provoking way.

Non-fiction, like fiction, can be broken down into several sub-genres. Continue reading “When a Novelist Writes Non-Fiction”

Sneak Peek: A Promise Fulfilled

Today we have a sneak peek from the memoir by CJ Rock: A Promise Fulfilled.

A Promise Fulfilled is about a triumph of the human spirit, of overcoming obstacles that can prevent the realization of dreams. Possessed with maternal instinct and facing the uncertainty of infertility, CJ Rock risked everything for her dream of motherhood. Adversity and losses in her life were so devastating and overwhelming that her obsession with having a child became a catalyst for a long, difficult, and often painful wrestle with faith. A Promise Fulfilled is a compelling story about the pitfalls of adoption and the international adoption of a special needs child. Love can conquer all.

A Promise Fulfilled is available from Smashwords and Barnes and Noble.

And now, an excerpt from A Promise Fulfilled

Continue reading “Sneak Peek: A Promise Fulfilled”

Sneak Peek: Overlay

Today we have a sneak peek from the memoir by Marlayna Glynn Brown: Overlay – A Tale of One Girl’s Life in 1970s Las Vegas.

Fans of The Glass Castle will appreciate this extraordinary tale of the author’s turbulent yet triumphant childhood in 1970s Las Vegas.

Born into an ongoing cycle of familial alcoholism, the author develops a powerful sense of self-preservation contrasted by the people entrusted with her care. She explores the personalities of the bizarre characters who populate her life as she moves from home to parent to friends’ families and ultimately to homelessness as a young teen.

From her remarkable resources emerges an inner strength that will captivate readers, remaining in their consciousness long after the last page has been turned.

Overlay – A Tale of One Girl’s Life in 1970s Las Vegas is available from Amazon.

And now, an excerpt from Overlay…

Continue reading “Sneak Peek: Overlay”