Introduction to Writing and Publishing Nonfiction Books

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$599 AUD

Quick Facts

Delivery Method Online
Professional Certificate
24hrs Suggested Study Time
3 Months Access
Tutor Support
Study On Any Device
2121 Students

Advance your career by learning the basics of writing, editing, and publishing nonfiction books of all types.

One of the great things about nonfiction book writing is that you're 10 times more likely to get published than you'd be if you wrote fiction. Whether you dream of becoming a full-time author, writing books to advance your career, or penning your memoir or family history, this fun and information-packed course will teach you the basics of planning, researching, writing, editing, and publishing your masterpiece.

We'll start with planning and strategy. You'll find out how to choose a topic and size up the competition—developing a perfect, one-of-a-kind book concept that will stand out to agents and editors. Then you'll learn how to immerse yourself in your subject and get the information you need from research, interviews, and observation techniques.

Next, we'll get into the heart of writing and editing. You'll see how to choose a writing style, structure, and slant that will appeal to your unique audience and keep readers hooked. You'll also get great ideas for editing your work and soliciting feedback from readers. Perhaps most important, you'll get invaluable strategies for setting a writing schedule, banishing writer's block, and actually finishing your book!

Finally, we'll delve into both traditional and nontraditional publishing, helping you determine the right path for you and your book. You'll discover exactly how today's traditional publishing industry works and what techniques you can use—such as crafting standout query letters and proposals—to get noticed by editors and agents. You'll also master nontraditional publishing options such as self-publishing, on-demand publishing, and e-publishing. By the end of this course, you'll have all the tools at your fingertips to get your book completed and published using any method you choose.

Courses are delivered to you through expertly executed lessons, online instruction and interaction with like-minded students. Our courses are designed to deliver all of the benefits of studying in a classroom whilst giving you the flexibility to study at a time and place to suit your needs.

This course has a 3 month duration. You can access your classroom 24/7 from any device with an internet connection. You’ll complete comprehensive lessons, quizzes and assignments before submitting your final exam at the end of the course to achieve your certificate. Courses must be completed within the 3 month access period.

If you think nonfiction is nothing but facts and figures, think again! From travel books to memoirs, we'll look at some of the most intriguing and top-selling nonfiction genres. In addition, you'll learn why nonfiction is such a good choice for first-time authors hoping to land a book contract. Then you'll jump right in and get to work, transforming your interests and passions into a compelling book idea. Welcome to the exciting world of nonfiction books!

Now that you have a book idea, it's time to start sleuthing. Today you'll learn how to use the Internet to research similar books—either existing or upcoming—that might compete with your own idea. Then you'll get some handy tips for differentiating your book concept and making it stand out from the competition. You'll also get a crash course in traditional and nontraditional publishing—what they are and how they work—that will get you thinking about your publishing options as you craft a descriptive statement that encapsulates your book idea.

Are you still thinking of your book simply as "my book"? If so, it's time to bring your idea to life by giving it a name! In this lesson, you'll determine the best audience for your book and write a working title that reflects the unique angle that you bring to your topic. After that, you'll take the first steps toward choosing your writing style.

Ready for more detective work? Today we're going to talk about gathering the facts, opinions, and observations you'll need to write your book. First, you'll learn handy tips for doing traditional research in the library or on the Internet. Then you'll delve into some fun techniques that will help you get the best out of the people you interview. And finally, you'll find out how to get inside your topic using a fun technique called immersion.

You've finished your research—it's time to write! In this lesson, you'll discover how to begin the writing process without feeling overwhelmed. First you'll learn how to break your content into manageable chunks and choose an overall organization scheme for your book. Then you'll explore the pros and cons of outlining and free writing and decide what path you want to pursue. Finally, you'll get tips for writing each portion of your chapter—whether you choose a traditional nonfiction format with a beginning, middle, and end, or a storytelling format written in scenes. Either way you'll learn to write captivating leads that will snag the attention of readers and publishers!

Today we'll delve into some writing techniques critical to nonfiction writers. You'll learn to use precise vocabulary and make your points clearly and accurately so readers never get lost. You'll also decide what role you, as the author, will play in the text—will you be a constant presence in your book, or will you play a more inconspicuous role and let your content shine? You'll finish this lesson by learning how to use quotations and paraphrasing correctly and exploring how to integrate facts and descriptions into your book in a fluid way that keeps readers fully engaged.

No matter how brilliant your wordplay, you'll succeed as an author only if you make time to write. So in this lesson we'll cover the practical steps you can take to write regularly and finish that manuscript. We'll start by discussing the essential tools you need to create and back up your work. Then you'll learn how to develop a consistent and realistic writing schedule that takes your writing preferences and other obligations into account. Finally, you'll get some solid techniques for blasting away procrastination and writer's block. This lesson will give you the practical foundation you need to commit to your book project and see your manuscript to completion.

Beautiful words don't always come easily. But put in a little blood, sweat, and tears—in other words, editing—and you'll get your manuscript in great shape! Today we'll cover how to edit and evaluate your work before seeking publication. You'll get tips for editing your writing and determining whether you should do your own proofreading or seek out a professional. Then you'll learn how to solicit feedback from a few lucky reviewers who can help you evaluate and improve your book. When you've completed these final steps, you'll be ready to begin the publishing process.

It's publishing time! You'll start this lesson by analyzing your reasons for wanting to publish a book and use that information to help you decide between traditional and nontraditional publishing. Then you'll learn more about the advantages of agents and kick-start your search for either an agent or a traditional publisher by finding those best suited to you and your book.

Submitting your work the right way is the key to getting published. So in this lesson, you'll learn how to craft winning query letters and proposals that will make your book irresistible to agents and publishers. You'll also discover how to track your submissions, what to expect from literary contracts, and how to work best with agents and editors once you seal the deal. Finally, we'll cover some valuable shortcuts that can get you straight to an agent or editor and save you tons of time (and even money!).

Want more control over the publishing process? If so, nontraditional publishing may be perfect for you. Today we'll delve into all the steps required to publish your own book. First we'll explore the differences between Print on Demand (POD) publishing and full self-publishing, helping you decide which path is right for you. Then we'll go through each of the tasks required to get your book in print: editing, cover design, layout, setting your book's price, choosing the right printer or POD publisher, and more. We'll end with a discussion about easy-to-publish e-books.

Once your book is in print, how will anyone know it exists? Even authors of traditionally-published books need to help with publicity, so today we'll cover some creative ways to sell and promote your masterpiece. You'll start by looking beyond the traditional bookstore to uncover other profitable places you can sell your book. Then you'll delve into the world of promotions, learning how to create press materials that grab the attention of newspapers, magazines, blogs, and radio and television stations. You'll also learn how to create a Web site for your book and how to make the most of listings on Internet book-selling sites like Amazon.

Frequently Asked Questions

Once you've made the payment, we'll send you a confirmation email with a link to start your course. Feel free to get started whenever you're ready!

You'll have 3 months access to your course. In that time you are free to study at your own pace. The course duration is 24 hours.

Online learning is a flexible way to study that fits around your schedule, giving you the freedom to learn at your own pace from anywhere in the world. You'll have 3 months to complete the course and can take the multiple-choice questions and final exam whenever it suits you.

If you need help, you can contact us anytime. You can also join the discussion area where you can interact with other students. The discussion area for each lesson is open for the entire duration of the course.

Of course! We offer a 7-day money back guarantee. As long as you haven't completed the course, you can get a full refund within 7 days of enrolling.

We do not offer extensions or transfers for this self-paced course. However, you will have 3 months to complete the course, and if you need to cancel within the first 10 days of enrolment, we offer a money back guarantee.

What people are saying about our courses

This class was one of the best online classes I've taken. It flew by. The information was extremely valuable and your comments and experience priceless. Thank you for facilitating and for your positive responsiveness!

Verified Student

Over the past six years I've read a few books on writing, written many ideas down, and have strongly considered doing my own book. This course has given me the courage and knowledge to get the job done.

Verified Student

Thank you so much for all the detailed lessons that you have prepared for us. It was an incredible journey to walk with you and the rest of the class through the writing, editing and publishing process. At this point I am totally inspired!

Verified Student

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The Learning Environment

From the moment that you enrol in the Introduction to Writing and Publishing Nonfiction Books you will become an integral part of our learning community. You'll find yourself with the freedom to learn at a speed that suits you, on any device, from anywhere in the world. Achieving your career goals no longer has to mean compromising family and work commitments.

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We believe in personalised learning. That's why we provide all the tools and support you need to succeed at your own pace. With flexible learning, you'll stay motivated and retain more information. Plus, you can balance your studies with work and family commitments to make your dreams a reality.

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Education should be accessible to anyone who wants to learn. That's why we offer some of the most competitive prices in the industry with payments plans for just $25 per week. Investing in your future is a smart choice and doesn’t have to break the bank.

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Introduction to Writing and Publishing Nonfiction Books

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Microsoft Word 2010 Intermediate

Quick Facts

Delivery Method Online
Professional Certificate
24hrs Suggested Study Time
3 Months Access
Tutor Support
Study On Any Device
3012 Students

Master the more advanced features of Microsoft Word 2010 and learn how to create an index, build a list of figures, design a table of contents, do desktop publishing, perform a mail merge, and use timesaving shortcuts.

Microsoft Word 2010 is a powerful and popular program, yet most people use only a fraction of its features. In this course, you'll learn Microsoft Word's more advanced features, which can make writing easier, faster, and more fun. You'll improve your creativity and efficiency at the same time!

In the first part of the course, you'lllearn how to perform a mail merge, and we'll explore shortcuts, styles, and templates. Shortcut keys and macros let you type repetitive words and phrases quickly and accurately at the touch of a button. Styles let you save text formatting. Templates let you create documents that contain predefined formatting and text, making it a snap to create documents that look right every time.

In the second part of the course, we'll cover how to use Word as a simple desktop publishing program to create signs, flyers, menus, brochures, and even newsletters. You'll learn how to insert different types of graphics in a document including digital photographs from your own camera, clip art images provided by Microsoft, and different types of charts such as bar, line, or pie charts.

Next, you'll find out how to wrap text around graphic images and divide a page into columns and text boxes. Both columns and text boxes give you different ways to display text beyond the traditional appearance of text that fills an entire page.

Finally, in the last part of this course, you'll learn about printing labels, making form letters, and creating an index, table of contents, and list of figures automatically. If you need to create long documents, you'll appreciate Word's ability to keep track of page numbers for your chapter headings or index entries.

Whether you need to produce a short letter, flyer, report, or book-length manuscript, this course will teach you how to get the most out of Microsoft Word 2010!

This course has a 3 month duration. You'll complete comprehensive lessons, quizzes and assignments before submitting your final exam at the end of the course to achieve your certificate. Courses must be completed within the 3 month access period.

We've come a long way since the days of the typewriter. What used to take hours can now be done in seconds with Microsoft Word 2010. And the less time you spend typing, the more time you can spend being creative and having fun. In this lesson, you'll learn shortcuts in Word that can help you create documents faster and more accurately than ever before. Not only will these shortcuts save you time, but they'll help you create letters and reports more easily than you might have thought possible.

What you write is half of communication. The other half is getting people to read what you write. One way to make your writing more appealing is to make it look presentable with formatting. Of course, formatting text is easy, but applying different types of formatting over and over again can get tedious. That's why today you'll learn a fast and easy way to format chunks of text quickly and consistently using something called styles. You'll find out what a style is, how to apply it, and more important, how to create and save your own styles to use in any document. By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to make any document look presentable with just the click of your mouse.

If you've ever baked cookies, or even just watched someone else do it, you know how difficult it can be to make all the cookies in a batch look exactly alike. Some turn out big, some small, some gooey, and some burned! However, if you use a cookie cutter, you can make identically shaped cookies every time. That's the same principle you'll learn in this lesson, instead of using a cookie cutter, though, you'll use something called a template. A template stores the formatting of a document so you can apply it to another document. Templates let you format entire documents as easily as formatting a single word. Word offers lots of convenient templates stored right on your computer or available over the Internet, and you'll also find out how you can create your own.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so what better way to spice up your documents than by adding pictures? Today, you'll learn how to add your own digital photographs to a document so you can show everyone your vacation pictures, family holidays, or just interesting sights you've captured with your own camera. In addition to adding your own photos, you can also add clip art from Word's massive library of free graphics. And you'll find out how to resize, rotate, and style your pictures, as well as wrap your document text around them. By the end of this lesson, you'll see why Word documents are about much more than words!

Digital photographs and clip art are just the beginning of what you can do with graphics in Word. Today, you'll discover how to add a variety of informational graphics, including charts, graphs, and WordArt, which allows you to display text as a graphic image. Not only will you learn how to add these graphics, but you'll also find out how to edit them when your data changes. We'll finish off the lesson by seeing how Word allows us to format documents with multiple columns—a handy skill for creating newsletters and publications!

Do you often create long documents? If so, you'll appreciate this lesson, which shows you how to divide a large document into parts called sections. Sections allow you to format part of a document a certain way without that formatting effecting the rest of your text. For example, you may want headers and footers to appear on some pages but not others. Sections make this easy! We'll also spend some time inserting footnotes and endnotes in a document. If you need to write research papers or other academic content, Word makes it a snap to add and format these previously pesky notes!

If you've ever seen a spreadsheet, you know how rows and columns let you organize numbers and text on the screen. Well, tables do the same thing in Word. In this lesson, you'll see how to create tables of all different sizes right in a Word document! We'll cover how to modify tables, too. And don't think Excel users get to have all the fun—you can even enter formulas to perform calculations in your tables, sort them, and style them for a customized look. Your data has never looked so appealing!

You probably print most of your documents on standard letter-size paper. While this is great for ordinary letters or business reports, sometimes you may want to get creative with your paper sizes. But then there's the trouble of printing. In this lesson, you'll see how you can define the dimensions of the paper you're using so Word will print everything correctly. You'll also learn how to print names and addresses directly on envelopes of any size. After this lesson, you won't feel confined to boring 8 1/2 x 11-inch paper anymore!

As you've probably already figured out, Word can do more than write letters. It can also function as a simple desktop publishing program for creating greeting cards, calendars, or newsletters. Today, you'll find out how text boxes are the key to simple desktop publishing, and you'll see how other elements come into play in customized documents. Along the way, we'll look at business cards and greeting cards to get a feel for how desktop publishing works. If you've always wanted to create a document that combines text and graphics in an artistic or visually appealing way, you'll find out how to do that and much more.

With the basics down, it's time to take our desktop publishing skills to the next level. Today, you'll discover the magic of linked text boxes that give you the power to move your text anywhere you want on the page and keep it flowing. You'll see how to create, position, resize, and group text boxes so you have total control over your text.

Did you ever get one of those "personalized" letters from a company in the mail? You can be sure that nobody typed the entire sales letter from scratch. Instead, the company used a form letter and something called mail merging. In this lesson, you'll learn how to store long lists of names and addresses that you can use over and over again in a form letter. Just create a document once, leave blanks for inserting information such as names and addresses, and let Word personalize each letter for you. Now you, too, can create personalized letters for business or personal use, such as sending out holiday greetings to family members and friends.

Look in most books, and you'll find a table of contents at the beginning and an index in the back. Often, these are the last components added to a document, since they need to have accurate titles and page numbers. But Word takes a lot of the tedious work out of creating these components. In this final lesson, you'll see how you can use Styles to make creating a table of contents a snap, and we'll explore how to tag index terms so Word knows what page they're on, even if they move later. Word can also help you keep track of any figures, such as charts, illustrations, or graphs, in your document. By letting Word worry about the details, you can create an accurate table of contents, index, or list of figures with very little extra effort on your part. These finishing touches will make your most important documents shine!

Wallace Wang

Wallace Wang is the author of over 40 computer books including "Microsoft Office 2007 For Dummies." In addition to writing computer books, he has also co-authored "Breaking Into Acting for Dummies" and ghost written several books about investing i... Read more

Read Wallace Wang's Profile

Frequently Asked Questions

Once you've made the payment, we'll send you a confirmation email with a link to start your course. Feel free to get started whenever you're ready!

You'll have 3 months access to your course. In that time you are free to study at your own pace. The course duration is 24 hours.

Of course! We offer a 7-day money back guarantee. As long as you haven't completed the course, you can get a full refund within 7 days of enrolling.

What people are saying about our courses

I really liked the course and the instructor. It was definitely more challenging than the introductory course. I would recommend this course to others if you really want to dig in to Microsoft Word and learn more about what it can do.

Verified Student

Thanks for providing a means of learning that is convenient, thorough and easy to understand!

Verified Student

This is the first online course I have ever taken and I liked it a lot. The teacher was thorough and made me feel like he really wants his students to get something out of it. Thanks!

Verified Student

See More Reviews

The Learning Environment

From the moment that you enrol in the Microsoft Word 2010 Intermediate you will become an integral part of our learning community. You'll find yourself with the freedom to learn at a speed that suits you, on any device, from anywhere in the world. Achieving your career goals no longer has to mean compromising family and work commitments.