styles of non fiction writing

TRY OUR FREE APP

Write your book in Reedsy Studio. Try the beloved writing app for free today.

Craft your masterpiece in Reedsy Studio

Plan, write, edit, and format your book in our free app made for authors.

Guides • Perfecting your Craft

Last updated on Apr 21, 2021

Nonfiction: 24 Genres and Types of Fact-Based Books

Many readers think of nonfiction as a genre in itself. But take a look through your local bookstore and you’ll see dozens of sections devoted to fact-based books, while fiction titles are sorted into just a few broadly defined genres like ‘Fantasy/Sci-Fi’ and ‘General Fiction’!

To give nonfiction books the recognition they deserve and help authors choose the right category for their work, here’s a list of the 24 most common genres of nonfiction along with their identifying features. 

Expository nonfiction

Expository nonfiction aims to inform the reader about its subject —  providing an explanation for it, be it a historical event, natural phenomenon, fashion trend, or anything else. 

1. History 

History books are not to be mistaken with textbooks. Rather than cherry-picking details to be memorized about a person, an event, or an era, these nonfiction titles are more like cross-sections in time. They provide readers with as much of the social and political contexts of events as possible with the use of rich primary and secondary sources, so as to better understand their causes and their legacies. 

Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond Tapping into geological, agricultural, and biological evidence, Diamond challenges perception of genetic differences and contextualizes the history of human development using various external, environmental conditions.

Leningrad: The Epic Siege of World War II, 1941-1944 by Anna Reid The Eastern Front of WWII is not as well-discussed as the Western one, though it's just as important. To balance the viewpoints out a little, Anna Reid explores life in Leningrad (now St Petersburg) during one of the longest, costliest, and deadliest military blockades in history. 

2. Philosophy 

This is where the big questions get asked. While ‘philosophy’ conjures up the image of impenetrable books written by Nietzche and Confucius for the enjoyment of beard-stroking academics, that isn’t the be-all-and-end-all of this genre! Contemporary authors have taken care to make their writings more accessible without sacrificing depth of analysis.

Think: A Compelling Introduction to Philosophy by Simon Blackburn An introduction to life’s grandest topics (ethics, freedom, self — all that jazz) as told through the prism of history’s greatest philosophers. Suitable for curious readers who don’t know their Aristotles from their Kants.

How to Think Like a Roman Emperor by Donald Robertson The author smuggles in a history of the great philosopher king by presenting it as a self-help guide. By showing his readers how Marcus Aurelius’s beliefs can apply to modern life, Robertson appeals to readers who wouldn’t otherwise pick up a copy of Meditations from the library.

A Grammar of the Multitude by Paolo Virno See how philosophy has evolved in today’s international world through Paolo Virno's perspective. He advocates for the understanding of people as "multitudes" (courtesy of Dutch Enlightenment thinker, Spinoza). It's recommended that readers go into this book with some previous knowledge on classic philosophical paradigms. 

FREE RESOURCE

Book Proposal Template

Craft a professional pitch for your nonfiction book with our handy template.

3. Religion and Spirituality

Books about religion and spirituality can take many forms. Some are theory-based, some are written from personal experience, and some are structured like a self-help book, with the end goal of helping readers find their spiritual home. Oftentimes, each book focuses on a particular belief system — there are even Christian publishers who are solely dedicated to publishing books about their religion. 

📚 Examples 

Waking the Buddha by Clark Strand An interesting cross between a historical research and a personal spiritual exploration, this book details the rise and continued influence of the Soka Gakkai, an international Buddhist organization that works towards egalitarianism and social justice.

The Power of Now by Ekchert Tolle This self-help-style book brings readers closer to spiritual enlightenment by acknowledging how our mind focuses on the past and the future rather than the present. It's the first step on the path toward mindful connection with the joys of the moment. 

Find the right genre fit for your book

Professional editors and marketers on Reedsy are here to help!

Learn how Reedsy can help you craft a beautiful book.

Science books, or  “Science & Maths” books — as Amazon would categorize them — can get quite technical. Most of the time, they’re reporting on scientists’ academic research. And so, science books tend to be well-organized and follow academic conventions like referencing and indexing . But while they sound dry, the intriguing questions that they address can always be presented in ways that keep readers coming. In any case, readers can always choose to scan over the complex mathematical proofs, or authors can put all that into the appendix.  

A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking See the concept of time through the logical and characteristically witty eyes of this world-renowned scientist. It doesn’t make for the breeziest read, but it will give readers a very in-depth understanding of this arbitrary but ever-present concept. 

Origins: Fourteen Billion Years of Cosmic Evolution by Neil deGrasse Tyson and Donald Goldsmith Neil deGrasse Tyson takes readers on a tour of the universe's transformations through the years, introducing concepts of moons’ orbits and expanding stars along they way. All of this is a sturdy stepping stone to the complex realm of cosmology. 

5. Popular Science 

Is this type of nonfiction just academic science books but repackaged for laypeople? Why yes indeed. Popular science books take complex research and processes and get rid of most of the jargon, so that your average Joe can pick them up and learn something new about our universe. They’re almost like Vox videos, but that you read instead of watch. 

A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson Bill Bryson isn’t a scientist or an anthropologist, but he’s brought together knowledge from various disciplines to create this digestible, comprehensive exploration of the universe and the human race. 

Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson Tyson’s expertise as a science communicator shines through with this armchair-expert version of astrophysics, which he claims can be read on noisy buses and trains without much headache. 

6. Politics and Social Sciences 

With the ongoing social and political tumult across the world, there has been a rise in both the reading and writing of this kind of book. Some political and social science books are based more on anecdotal evidence, others are on par with academic papers in terms of depth of research. Either way, they usually pick out a specific feature or structure in society to analyze with a critical eye. 

Why Nations Fail by Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson Discover why some nations are stuck in poverty traps with these economists. Using empirical data, they compellingly demonstrate the importance of inclusive institutions in fostering growth. Their writing continues to inspire development theories and strategies worldwide.  

Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge It started with a blog post which the author wrote to express her frustration toward the domination of white people in discussions about racism. It became a tour-de-force work on the experiences and realities of deep-rooted racial discrimination in society. 

A book of essays is a collection of themed pieces of writing written by an author, or multiple authors, who often has some sort of authority on or personal experience with the subject matter. While they sound incredibly serious, they don’t require as much research as the types of nonfiction we’ve mentioned above. They’re often quite introspective and personal, like op-ed pieces or magazine articles. In fact, many essay books are made up of articles that were previously published in newspapers or magazines.

Notes of a Native Son by James Baldwin A collection of articles published in Harper’s Magazine , Partisan Review , and The New Leader , in which Baldwin discusses representations of Black people in the media, as well as his experiences as a Black man in Europe. 

The Good Immigrant , edited by Nikesh Shukla 21 writers of color come together to talk about their lives in the UK, and how they're sometimes made to question their sense of belonging despite being born and raised there. 

8. Self-Help 

Out of all the non-fiction genres out there, this is probably the most popular one. The name itself is explanatory: a self-help book provides you with some guidance and actions through which you can solve personal problems. Self-help books can be research-based, or they can be reflective — like an extended blog post. Note, though, that while the latter kind may read somewhat like a memoir in style, if you choose to write a self-help book , you must explicitly advise the reader. 

Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell What makes a person successful? Gladwell argues that it’s hardly just luck — even prodigies aren’t guaranteed recognition. Pulling from various examples and sociological studies, he identifies several factors, beyond genetics, that anyone can optimize to boost their chances. 

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson Sometimes what you need is for someone to give it to you straight. That’s when conversational, hilarious, blog-style books like this become handy. Mark Manson’s self-help book is all about accepting what you’re given and not allowing expectations ruin your happiness. 

9. Business and Economics 

While this a broad category that may include volumes with a journalistic flavor, business books tend to be guides to entrepreneurship and management. It’s a medium for those who've had experience in the workplace or the market to share their tips and tricks (and also a good tool for authors to bag guest-speaking events). In this sense, this kind of book is like self-help, but specifically for entrepreneurs and business managers. 

Profit First by Mike Michalowicz Master the art of financial management through real-life case studies and a four-principle system with which can be applied to any business. It's straightfoward and has enough examples to demonstrate its success. 

The Big Short by Michael Lewis Lewis makes the mess of the financial crisis of 2008 that little bit easier to wrap your head around in this darkly humorous book. He follows the stories of ordinary people who fell victim to the American financial sector, revealing the precariousness of this ever-expanding industry. 

10. Health and Wellness

There's no shortage of health and wellness books out there — what do we care about if not a long and healthy life, right? These books cover many different topics, from diets to sleeping habits, from stress management to dealing with anxiety. Most are written by researchers and doctors, who have the technical knowhow to offer sound insight and advice. 

Lifespan by David Sinclair Drawing from his knowledge as a geneticist, Sinclair gives readers the scoop on the ever-popular topic of aging. He assures us that for a long, healthy, and happy life, we should enjoy our chocolate and wine (in moderation, of course).

This Is Your Brain on Food by Uma Naidoo Food provides more than just nutrients for sustenance and growth — what you eat also impacts your mood and mental health. Dr. Uma Naidoo is a psychiatrist, nutritionist, and a professional chef, so you can trust she knows what she’s talking about. 

11. Crafts and Hobbies 

Once upon a time, before Google became the omniscient engine that held the answer to all our questions, people relied on craft books to teach them how to pick up a new hobby. Origami, crochet, calligraphy, gardening — you name it, there’s a book about it. Nowadays, books like these appeal to the audience not solely because of the skills but also the author. Authors are usually someone with an online presence and authority when it comes to the craft, and their book's tone and interior design usually reflect a bit of their personality. 

By Hand by Nicole Miyuki Santo Beautifully designed with plenty of samples with which readers could practice their own calligraphy, Santo’s guide is a meditative exercise book. It’s also a great avenue for her followers on Instagram to come closer to her art by practicing it themselves.  

Alterknit Stitch by Andrea Rangel For knitters who have already nailed down the basics and want to experiment with new patterns, this is the book to get. It demonstrates ways to have fun with this cozy hobby by defying the conventions of knitting. 

12. Travel Guides

Again, the internet seems to have taken over from books when it comes to helping travelers and tourists discover new places. Still, travel guides are a lot more comprehensive, keeping everything you might need to know about budgeting, languages, places to visit (or avoid), and much more, in one place. Ebooks are the perfect format for these guides — they’re easy for travelers to refer to on the go, and they’re not as costly to update to include the latest information. 

The Lonely Planet series This collection has been growing since the 1970s, and it now holds plenty of books with various focuses. There are guides solely on helpful phrases in foreign languages, and then there are regional, country-level, and city guides, all made with contributions from locals. 

The Time Out series While also written by locals, these books focus only on cities (mainly in Europe and the US). As with the magazine of the same name, the content of the books is all about local haunts and hidden shops that tourists may not be aware of. 

13. Cookbooks

Cookbooks make up another type of nonfiction that’s evermore popular, and not just because we’re cooking more and more at home nowadays. They’re increasingly beautiful, and to write a cookbook is to have a vision in mind about what kind of mouth-watering photos (or illustrations!) it would offer alongside easy-to-follow instructions. They also tend to have cohesive themes, i.e. desserts for vegans, at-home experimental fine-dining, or worldly culinary adventures from your kitchen.

In Bibi’s Kitchen by Hawa Hassan and Julia Turshen Grandmothers from eight different Eastern African countries show readers both hearth and heart through the familial stories associated with their food. Beyond the loving taste of traditional homecooked dishes, readers will also get to learn about life in the villages of Africa. 

Ottolenghi Simple by Yotam Ottolenghi Israeli-English chef Yotam Ottolenghi is the owner of several branches of restaurants, bakeries and food shops in London, but you can get a taste of his cuisine with this collection of 130 Middle Eastern recipes that can be made within 30 minutes. Who says simple cooking couldn't be adventurous?

Midnight Chicken: & Other Recipes Worth Living For by Ella Risbridger A slightly different take on cookbooks, Midnight Chicken is a manifesto for an joyful life, built on homemade food. Her recipes are simple and homely, just like the illustrations of her book, so that anyone can make them even after a long and tiring day.

14. Parenting and Family 

Parenting is anything but easy, and since Supernanny is not always on air, a little help from experts and those who've had experience dealing with children is the next best thing. From understanding with the psychology of young minds to finding the best environments and ways to nurture them, parenting books with sound academic backing provide useful insights and advice to help readers become better guardians and caregivers. 

Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids by Laura Markham Based on the latest research on brain development and clinical tests, Markham emphasizes the importance of the emotional connection between parent and child in development. When parents understand their own emotions, they can raise their children with empathy, set healthy boundaries, and communicate with clarity. 

Unequal Childhoods by Annette Lareau Beyond the home, there's a complex world which parents don’t have control of. Annette Lareau sociologically examines the social and political contexts in which children would be exposed to (if they live in America) and how childrearing can be affected by it.

15. Children’s Nonfiction 

 Explaining the world to children, even on a limited scale, can be incredibly difficult, as it’s hard to keep their attention. Luckily, a bit of assistance from an illustrator can do wonders. As a result, many children’s nonfiction books are in the style of picture books and chapter books. Topics covered include short historical accounts and biographies, or stories that explain scientific phenomena and how they are studied. For a more detailed breakdown of children’s nonfiction, check out editor Melissa Stewart’s system of classification .

The Little Leaders series by Vashti Harrison Read about exceptional men and women of various ethnic backgrounds throughout history, and enjoy their adorable portraits in this series. There’s hardly a better way to help children embrace differences than through nonfiction books about diversity such as this.

There Are Bugs Everywhere by Britta Teckentrup Open young minds up to the natural world through this colorful elementary guide to the insect world. Answering questions about where insects live or how they find and store food with engaging drawings, it’s a great educational tool for parents and teachers. 

16. Educational Guides 

Many educational guides as the YA version of nonfiction books. These are targeted at final-year high-schoolers and young college students, with the aim providing them some guidance as they reach that strange age where independence is desperately craved but also a bit scary. Unlike popular YA fiction , this is still definitely a niche, yet, as rising study-with-me YouTubers would show you, there is potential for growth. Other than that, there are also learning guides for older audiences as well. 

The Uni-Verse by Jack Edwards Sharing his experience in preparing for and being at university, Edwards hopes to ensure readers that they, too, could emerge from univeristy happy and successful. From how to take lecture notes to how to get along with your roommates, this guide is full of helpful advice for anyone who’s feeling a bit overwhelmed. 

Beginners by Tom Vanderbilt Education doesn’t have to be limited to the classroom, as Tom Vanderbilt shows us in this call-to-action for life-long learning. As testament to the value of learning as an adult, he tells the stories behind his journey with five skills: playing chess, singing, surfing, drawing, and juggling. 

17. Textbooks 

We’ve all had our fair share of poring over these books: each comprehensively puts together information about a specific subject (and sometimes even the subject of teaching itself). The content of textbooks also include questions that stimulate learners, encouraging them to reflect on certain matters. As they are meant to accompany a curriculum, textbooks have to be written with a good overarching grasp of the subject and solid understanding of pedagogy. Given all this work, textbook writers deserve more appreciation than they get!

Oxford’s Very Short Introduction series by Oxford University Press This popular series offers a short and concise introduction to just about every topic out there. Breaking big concepts and lesson outcomes into bitesize definitions, they make great overviews or quick refreshers before an exam.

Letting Go of Literary Whiteness by Carlin Borsheim-Black and Sophia Tatiana Sarigianides This textbook is made not for students but for teachers. Based on experiences and examples from their own classrooms, the authors supply advice, and real-life scenarios in which they apply, on how to be anti-racist in schools. 

18. Language Books 

Language books can be general guides as to how to learn any language, or they can go into the nitty-gritty of a particular language. Some of them aren’t even about learning to use and communicate in a language; instead, they take a dive into the origins and inner workings of these complex systems. Regardless, because of the complexity of the subject, these nonfiction titles require expert knowledge from the part of the author. 

Through the Language Glass by Guy Deutscher Linguist Guy Deutscher (a perfect name for the profession) makes the case for the connection between language and culture in this volume, opening up a whole new perspective on language learning beyond the practicalities. 

How to Speak Any Language Fluently by Alex Rawlings This book does what it says on the tin: it gives you the tools to pick up any language you want. Rawling's advice is as fun as it is helpful, so everyone can learn their language of choice with extra enjoyment! 

Many of them are memoirs of comedians and talk show hosts, others are written by celebrated essayists and journalists. The celebrity profiles of authors in the genre explains humorous nonfiction's popularity. While form may vary, most of these titles are penned as social commentaries that candidly talk about issues that are often overlooked.

Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell A witty exploration of the legacies of presidential assassinations in America, which notes how they’ve been used for political and commercial purposes that ridiculously undermine their historical importance. It’s history and politics, but with a healthy dose of sharp humor. 

Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh Bill Gates says it’s “funny as hell” , and that’s all the advertising it needs. Taking the unconventional form of meme-worthy comic strips accompanied by texts to provide context, Brosh’s memoir is a candid reflection on both hilarious and bleak moments she's been through. 

20. Arts Books

The arts section is a fun mix — to name a few, there are photography collections, art catalogues, books on theory and critique, and volumes that teach artistic endeavors. With nuggets of wisdom from industry experts and often great attention paid to design details these books really are like pieces of artwork themselves. 

The World of Art series by Thames & Hudson This collection offers a variety of art styles and their hallmark pieces from across time and space. You could pick any one of them and feast your eyes on not only the art itself, but the wonderful interior design — courtesy of Adam Hay .

Women Artists by Flavia Frigeri In a now seminal feminist art history text written in the 70s, Linda Nochlin raised a provocative question: “Why have there been no great women artists?” Well, this addition to the Art Essentials series answers the question by showcasing 50 women artists throughout history, proving that the problem lies not in the lack of female artists, but in the failure to give them the recognition they deserve. 

Narrative nonfiction 

While narrative nonfiction books are still factual, they're written in the style of a story. As such a book's chapters have a flow — a story structure , if you will — rather than being systematically organized by topic. 

21. Memoirs and autobiographies

Memoirs and autobiographies are books about the writer’s life. The former covers a shorter time period, focusing on a particularly noteworthy moment, such as experience in a certain industry, or an unconventional childhood. It’s thus often written by younger authors. The latter follows a longer timeline, going through a whole life, like a personal history. As such, while anyone, with or without a public presence, can write a memoir , autobiographies are always penned by well-known figures. Autobiographies are also often used by politicians and activists to share their journey and views.

Gone: A Girl, a Violin, a Life Unstrung by Min Kym Prodigal violinist Min Kym was the youngest pupil at the Purcell School of Music, though her life wasn't a bed of roses. While struggling with the theft of a 17th-century Stradivarius in her possession (which made national headlines in the UK in 2010), she came to realize with incredible clarity that she had lost much more on the journey to meet the expectations of her teachers, her parents, and the world. And all of it was beautifully recorded in this memoir. 

A River in Darkness by Masaji Ishikawa Masaji Ishikawa's life in Japan is just like any ordinary person’s life, but to have gotten there, he’d undergone the challenges of escaping the totalitarian state of North Korea. His experience with this totalitarian state and his subsequent escape makes for a memoir readers can't put down. 

Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela The man at the heart of one of the biggest, most publicised international movement against racial discrimination and for political freedom shares his journey from being an activist to his 27 years in prison in this autobiography. 

22. Biographies

Take note, biographies are different from auto biographies in a very crucial way, even though both are basically life stories. While autobiographies are written by authors about themselves , biographies are written by an author about somebody else . If the subject is alive, their consent should be acquired for ethical purposes (though this isn’t always done). A biography could also be penned long after its subject’s death, presented as a history book that’s focused solely on the life and circumstances of one person. Many of these have gone on to inspire award-winning movies and musicals.

Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow Ron Chernow is truly the master of biographies, and any of his titles would be a great example of his brilliance as a writer and researcher. This Pulitzer Prize winner on America’s founding father is recommended for its nuanced portrait of a legendary figure. Chernow took four years to research and an additional two to complete the manuscript — it was no easy project!

A Beautiful Mind by Sylvia Nasar Perhaps more famous for its movie adaptation starring Russell Crowe and Jennifer Connelly, Sylvia Nasar’s biography provides a window into the turbulent life of schizophrenic mathematician and economist John Nash. While it challenged ethical practices by not consulting with Nash even though he was alive, the book was still very well-received. 

23. Travel Literature 

Some call them travelogues, others call them travel memoirs — either way, travel literature books straddle the line between informing on the many cultures of the world and self-reflection. Books that fall into this genre are usually quite poetic and insightful (unlike practical travel guides). They’re all about personal journeys that are meditative and eye-opening, and can be about a specific place or a series of places. 

Full Tilt: Ireland to India with a Bike by Dervla Murphy In 1963, Dervla Murphy kept a daily diary of her trek “across frozen Europe and through Persia and Afghanistan, over the Himalayas to Pakistan and into India.” After the trip, she published the diary and invited readers to join her on this remarkable feat, whether from their couch or as they start their own journey.

Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson Focusing on the place and not the journey, Bill Bryson documents his “farewell tour” of the UK as he prepared to return to America after almost two decades of living across the pond. Mixing cultural insights with a healthy dose of humor, he wraps his travel notes in social commentary to both satirize and praise the idiosyncrasies of the British. 

24. Journalism

Follow investigative journalists as they uncover ugly truths. Other than doing justice by in-depth and sometimes even dangerous investigations, this type of nonfiction also enthralls readers with the twists and turns of real events and details of actual underground operations, conspiracies, and court dramas, to name a few. 

All the President’s Men by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein Journalists Woodward and Bernstein's reports in The Washington Post won them a Pulitzer Prize and led to President Nixon’s impeachment. In this book, they recollect the process behind their famous exposé on Watergate.

Catch and Kill by Ronan Farrow On his trail to investigate Harvey Weinstein’s alleged sexual assaults, Farrow discovered a systematic mechanism which favors offenders with big pockets and silences the voice of victims. His book is thus an exposé on the journalism industry itself.

Voilà! Those are 24 of the most popular types of nonfiction along with some typical exmaples. And keep in mind that as more and more titles get released, the genres will expand beyond this list. It goes to show how expansive this side of the publishing world can be. If you’re writing , publishing, or marketing a nonfiction book , hopefully this list has clarified the purpose, styles, and formats of each genre so that you can find the perfect fit for your own work.

Join a community of over 1 million authors

Reedsy is more than just a blog. Become a member today to discover how we can help you publish a beautiful book.

Which famous author do you write like?

Take our 1 minute quiz to find out.

1 million authors trust the professionals on Reedsy. Come meet them.

Enter your email or get started with a social account:

• Get Published

The 12 Non-Fiction Writing Styles for Authors

Often, we explore these styles alongside our authors with the goal of helping them choose the ideal “formula” for their non-fiction book.

Whether you are getting started in storyboarding your next hit or brainstorming ideas for your first published work, let this article serve as a guide for you to determine the type of style that will suit your book best.

Elliot Neff – A Case Study in Time

Elliot Neff is a busy man. He is the father of seven children, CEO of a growing company called Chess4Life, and spends most of his productive hours traveling the world to speak at chess tournaments.

It is difficult to imagine how a man such as Elliot could possibly squeeze out the time to write a book! Even when Elliot does find time to write, he is unclear on what to do. Thus, his rare block of free time for writing and sharing his ideas is under-utilized.

But, after Elliot selected a specific writing style for his non-fiction work, the daunting question of how to write his book vanished instantly!

Now possessing a clear-cut writing plan, Elliot’s time for writing is both productive and structured . He is making smooth progress on his manuscript!

Does Elliot’s story sound familiar? Authors often struggle to make maximal use of their writing time, due to not knowing how to lay their ideas out. By learning about the 12 different non-fiction styles, you can take the guesswork out of writing your next book.

Now, choosing from one of these styles by no means makes your book templated .

Rather, having a defined style simply tees you up with the appropriate framework and allows you to make it unique with the one thing that your audience craves: your experience .

The 12 Non-Fiction Writing Styles

These are the 12 non-fiction styles for authors to use as a framework in writing their books.

Problem / Solution

This is the most common style of non-fiction books. Here, the author presents a problem, usually summed up by a “story question,” (like our story of Elliot) and then offers the solution.

To be persuasive, the author may present multiple possible solutions and demonstrate why they will or will not work to address the posed problem.

The classic “this or that” non-fiction work.

In this style of book, one thing gets compared to another. This could be a comparison between service-based businesses and product-based businesses, or even two styles of leadership in an organization.

Non-fiction works like these are ideal for helping the reader evaluate the choices at their disposal.

How-To books are simple and straightforward. They take a non-fiction idea and typify it into an instructive style of writing.

Books such as these are meant solely to impart wisdom from writer to reader.

Telling a fictional story in the form of a parable is an effective manner in which to convey a message.

Art or Photography Book

This book is often referred to as a coffee table book.

Books such as these allow imagery to be the focal point for the reader and have their text merely serve to enhance the imagery. This prompts the author to make their own profound conclusions.

An art or photography book can be incredibly compelling when executed correctly.

Article Compendium

Article compendium books offer the reader a collection of curated articles within a given topic. These articles are meant to be easily digested and call the author to a conclusion.

They can also vary tremendously in length. For example, an article compendium titled “10 Things You Didn’t Know About Starting Your Own Business” might be as brief as 5,000 words, or even as long as 10 full-length chapters.

If you possess a breadth of statistics to share, a non-fiction book might be the best way to get your message across.

Books such as these take data-rich material and make it more user-friendly, with lots of charts and graphs. When a book like this is user-friendly, it aids the audience in understanding the information quickly and retaining what they read.

Outlining the relevant facts and statistics in an engaging and organized manner helps your audience see the perspective you want them to see.

Books about People

Writing a book about yourself or another person can focus on transformational events in the author, narrator or central character’s life. This form of writing is typically close to the author’s experience. Using your experiences to express advice on improving the human condition makes a powerful book.

Letters & Journals

Personal thoughts, reflections, articles and blog posts can be incorporated together to form the foundation of a book.

The life story of someone written by another author.

Autobiography

The writer’s own account of his/her life experience.

The writer’s record of experiences from his/her own life.

Creating Your Own Style

The final style of non-fiction writing is the one that you choose for yourself. While many of these writing styles are tried and true, there is always the potential for the author to create something distinct and new.

Knowing Exactly Where to Start

By now, you should be much more familiar with the possibilities at your disposal for non-fiction writing. Choosing a style that is right for you is a highly personal decision. Let us know if we can help in making that decision for your future best-seller.

7 Types of Nonfiction Books

by Joe Bunting | 2 comments

Want to Become a Published Author? In 100 Day Book, you’ll finish your book guaranteed. Learn more and sign up here.

While people have been telling stories and delivering speeches for thousands of years, the history of nonfiction book writing is fairly brief. Still, over the last 500 years or so, patterns have begun to emerge, tried and true ways of writing nonfiction books, depending on the author's goals.

Nonfiction encompasses a variety of kinds of books, from travel guides to business books to how to approach creative writing or historical nonfiction. Each nonfiction category approaches information differently. By studying and applying the lessons of these structures, you can write a better nonfiction book in much less time. 

Need a step-by-step process for planning and writing your book ? Check out my comprehensive article on how to write a book .

In this post, I'm going to share the seven main types of nonfiction books. We'll also talk about how each of these types of nonfiction writing is usually structured. 

Which type of nonfiction book are you writing?

1. How-to Books and Self-Help

How-to guides and self-help books guide people to solve a particular problem or achieve a particular goal in their lives. This is an extremely popular category of nonfiction book. 

Most how-to and self-help books will have chapters that flow through the following pattern:

• Problem OR Promise. What problem is your reader experiencing? Or what promise do you offer if they apply what you're going to talk about in this book?
• Story . The story either illustrates the problem and/or promise, or it acts as a solution story for how the solution to the readers' problem was discovered.
• Principle . Finally, a universal principle or process is shared that will solve the readers' problem.

Here are some other features found in How-To and Self-Help books:

• Introduction focuses on the problem or promise, solution story, and principles or steps will be covered in book
• Chapters focus on 5-12 principles or steps
• May have caveats/objections/applications section
• Conclusion focuses on exhortation and/or a promise
• Will have straightforward language designed to reach a general readership with a specific problem

Examples of a Self-Help Book:

• The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss
• Whole Brain Child by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson
• Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Dr. Stephen Covey

2. Investigative

Investigative nonfiction books are trying to understand what is really going on in the world, historical events, or in people's lives. They may share some universal principles or solve people's problems, but the primary aim is to better understand one aspect of the world. Sometimes they cover controversial topics or aim at cultural criticism, but in the end, they all begin with curiosity about something. 

True crime or forensic psychology books follow this structure, but it's also used by writers like Chip and Dan Heath and Malcolm Gladwell .

Investigative books will have chapters that flow through the following pattern:

• Story . The story brings up an attention grabbing or misunderstood subject for investigation.
• Investigation or Analysis. Next, the author delves into what's really going on with this subject.
• Principle or Result. Finally, a universal principle or the result of the investigation is shared. Sometimes, this result may be applicable to the readers' lives or work.

Here are some other patterns found in investigative books:

• Introduction focuses on the topic of investigation, who the book is for, and what principles will be covered
• Chapters organized by questions
• Often includes principles but not steps
• Conclude with “here’s what have we learned”

Examples of Investigative Books:

• Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
• Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath
• Freakonomics by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner

3. Reference

Reference books collect definitions, terms, and practices for a specific field or subject matter. Examples of reference books include dictionaries, recipe books, craft books, and even many writing guides.

Reference books will have chapters that flow through the following pattern:

• Define . Define the term or focus for the chapter, e.g adobo street tacos or nonfiction book types.
• Expand . Give context on that term, either through a story, illustration, history, or some other way.
• Process, Steps, or Tips, if applicable . What steps, process, or tips will help the reader better understand the subject or reproduce its results.
• Examples . Share examples, if applicable.

Examples of Reference books:

• The Personal MBA by Josh Kaufman
• The Write Structure by Joe Bunting (that's me!)

4. Inspirational/“How to” Memoir

Inspirational or “How-to Memoir” is a book type similar to how-to/self-help but with a greater emphasis on narrative and story telling and exhortation. They can rely on personal experience or collect other true stories to explore their themes. 

Most inspirational books will have chapters that flow through the following pattern:

• Story. The story either illustrates the problem and/or promise, or it acts as a solution story for how the solution to the readers' problem was discovered.
• Problem . What problem is your reader experiencing? Or what promise do you offer if they apply what you're going to talk about in this book?
• Exhortation . The exhortation not only solves the readers problem but exhorts them to go solve it.

Examples of Inspirational books include:

• Real Artists Don't Starve by Jeff Goins
• Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis
• Most religious books

The riff is a type of nonfiction book usually by an expert in a field that may combine pieces from each of the above book types in varied patterns and lengths.

For example, On Writing is everything Stephen King thinks about the craft of writing. Or New Seeds of Contemplation is everything Thomas Merton knows about prayer and God.

It may combine stories, exhortation, problems, and principles, but does it in a varied pattern and with chapters of various lengths.

6. Biography

Autobiography is a particular style of narrative book that often combines personal stories and historical context to tell the story of one person's life from their own perspective. It's the author's take on their own life. 

Examples of autobiography include:

Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing  by Matthew Perry

Educated by Tara Westover

Biography includes books about people written by someone other than the subject. The story of one person's (or entity's) life will center around real events which may or may not include historical events. It must be true, and it usually contains the complete life story, from birth until death (or the person's life thus far, in case they are still alive). Biography will be written by someone other than the person who the book is about. 

In all but rare occurrences, biographies are written about notable people and celebrities, which differs from memoir (see below).

Biography is usually organized chronologically, following a person from their key early experiences to death (or current time period if still alive). 

Examples of biography include :

The Grimkés: The Legacy of Slavery in an American Family by Kerri K. Greenidge

King: A Life by Jonathan Eig

American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin

7. Academic

Academic books are informational books designed to give specialized knowledge on a tightly defined topic. The structure will vary based on the field of study, but academic books can include textbooks, field manuals, and other reference books. The main difference in this category is the target audience: academic books are typically written by and for experts and for students studying in a particular field. 

Not included here: Memoir

Memoir is a specific style of nonfiction writing that is based on the writers' own life but much narrower in focus than autobiography. Thus, memoir has much more in common with the novel than most nonfiction books, and most writers will benefit more from learning about the types of story here than nonfiction book types.

However, some memoirs are more instructional and inspirational focused, and if so, these writers will find the Inspirational book type most useful.

These are seven of the most common types of nonfiction books, and hopefully you identified the one that best aligns with your project. Looking through a few books in your genre or category can always help you with both structure and content. 

Which nonfiction book type are you writing? Let us know in the comments below.

For today's practice, choose the type of nonfiction book that most interests you from the list above or that best describes your current project. If there is a pattern to the chapters listed, set your timer for 15 minutes and write out the strongest story or principle that guides your book. When finished, share in the Pro Practice Workshop and leave feedback for a few other writers. 

Not a member? Join us ! 

Join 100 Day Book

Enrollment closes May 14 at midnight!

Joe Bunting

Joe Bunting is an author and the leader of The Write Practice community. He is also the author of the new book Crowdsourcing Paris , a real life adventure story set in France. It was a #1 New Release on Amazon. Follow him on Instagram (@jhbunting).

Want best-seller coaching? Book Joe here.

Good morning Joe! I am a novice writer and am planning a family history blog. I am telling stories about ancestors (non-fiction of course) and using the 6 plot elements fits quite nicely. So, describing how a 3x Great-Grandfather fought in the Civil War and returned makes a good story. My question is this: I want to have a few episodes/blogs where the county where my ancestors lived be the main character. How should I go about using plot elements to make those “books” work? The goal is that I want to be able to describe how where my relatives lived shaped their lives.

Ron, I love this idea. What a gift to your family. If you’re asking how to make the setting a character in its own story, I wonder if it might be better to reveal the setting AS you tell the family stories instead of separately. The reason is a setting doesn’t make choices like a character, so it’s hard to use plot to move the reader through it. (And your idea to use plot elements to shape the memoir or history is really smart– will keep readers engaged and you focused as a writer) You could also tell stories of other people in the county that your family members grew up listening to as a way to help readers understand the history. Just an idea. Good luck!

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Submit Comment

Join over 450,000 readers who are saying YES to practice. You’ll also get a free copy of our eBook 14 Prompts :

Popular Resources

Book Writing Tips & Guides Creativity & Inspiration Tips Writing Prompts Grammar & Vocab Resources Best Book Writing Software ProWritingAid Review Writing Teacher Resources Publisher Rocket Review Scrivener Review Gifts for Writers

Books By Our Writers

You've got it! Just us where to send your guide.

Enter your email to get our free 10-step guide to becoming a writer.

You've got it! Just us where to send your book.

Enter your first name and email to get our free book, 14 Prompts.

Want to Get Published?

Enter your email to get our free interactive checklist to writing and publishing a book.

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Creative Nonfiction: An Overview

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

The Creative Nonfiction (CNF) genre can be rather elusive. It is focused on story, meaning it has a narrative plot with an inciting moment, rising action, climax and denoument, just like fiction. However, nonfiction only works if the story is based in truth, an accurate retelling of the author’s life experiences. The pieces can vary greatly in length, just as fiction can; anything from a book-length autobiography to a 500-word food blog post can fall within the genre.

Additionally, the genre borrows some aspects, in terms of voice, from poetry; poets generally look for truth and write about the realities they see. While there are many exceptions to this, such as the persona poem, the nonfiction genre depends on the writer’s ability to render their voice in a realistic fashion, just as poetry so often does. Writer Richard Terrill, in comparing the two forms, writes that the voice in creative nonfiction aims “to engage the empathy” of the reader; that, much like a poet, the writer uses “personal candor” to draw the reader in.

Creative Nonfiction encompasses many different forms of prose. As an emerging form, CNF is closely entwined with fiction. Many fiction writers make the cross-over to nonfiction occasionally, if only to write essays on the craft of fiction. This can be done fairly easily, since the ability to write good prose—beautiful description, realistic characters, musical sentences—is required in both genres.

So what, then, makes the literary nonfiction genre unique?

The first key element of nonfiction—perhaps the most crucial thing— is that the genre relies on the author’s ability to retell events that actually happened. The talented CNF writer will certainly use imagination and craft to relay what has happened and tell a story, but the story must be true. You may have heard the idiom that “truth is stranger than fiction;” this is an essential part of the genre. Events—coincidences, love stories, stories of loss—that may be expected or feel clichéd in fiction can be respected when they occur in real life .

A writer of Creative Nonfiction should always be on the lookout for material that can yield an essay; the world at-large is their subject matter. Additionally, because Creative Nonfiction is focused on reality, it relies on research to render events as accurately as possible. While it’s certainly true that fiction writers also research their subjects (especially in the case of historical fiction), CNF writers must be scrupulous in their attention to detail. Their work is somewhat akin to that of a journalist, and in fact, some journalism can fall under the umbrella of CNF as well. Writer Christopher Cokinos claims, “done correctly, lived well, delivered elegantly, such research uncovers not only facts of the world, but reveals and shapes the world of the writer” (93). In addition to traditional research methods, such as interviewing subjects or conducting database searches, he relays Kate Bernheimer’s claim that “A lifetime of reading is research:” any lived experience, even one that is read, can become material for the writer.

The other key element, the thing present in all successful nonfiction, is reflection. A person could have lived the most interesting life and had experiences completely unique to them, but without context—without reflection on how this life of experiences affected the writer—the reader is left with the feeling that the writer hasn’t learned anything, that the writer hasn’t grown. We need to see how the writer has grown because a large part of nonfiction’s appeal is the lessons it offers us, the models for ways of living: that the writer can survive a difficult or strange experience and learn from it. Sean Ironman writes that while “[r]eflection, or the second ‘I,’ is taught in every nonfiction course” (43), writers often find it incredibly hard to actually include reflection in their work. He expresses his frustration that “Students are stuck on the idea—an idea that’s not entirely wrong—that readers need to think” (43), that reflecting in their work would over-explain the ideas to the reader. Not so. Instead, reflection offers “the crucial scene of the writer writing the memoir” (44), of the present-day writer who is looking back on and retelling the past. In a moment of reflection, the author steps out of the story to show a different kind of scene, in which they are sitting at their computer or with their notebook in some quiet place, looking at where they are now, versus where they were then; thinking critically about what they’ve learned. This should ideally happen in small moments, maybe single sentences, interspersed throughout the piece. Without reflection, you have a collection of scenes open for interpretation—though they might add up to nothing.

Matador Original Series

16 Nonfiction Forms and How to Write Them

NONFICTION describes communicative work (typically written, but also including diagrams and photos) understood to be fact . Implicit in this, however, are the varying degrees to which the writer’s subjective interpretation of facts, and/or selective presentation (i.e., withholding, distorting) of facts end up making a “factual” work less true.

Given this, an interesting way to delineate nonfiction forms is to look at them in terms of how accurately they reflect the writer’s experience, beliefs, and emotions in real life (IRL).

The above diagram is intended to be a kind of visual take on how this applies to typical forms of nonfiction. Below are notes and further explanations on different forms, along with tips on how to write them.

Advice Columns

Advice columns range in truthfulness from extremely close to fact (such as most sex writing, which we’ll get to later) to the kinds of financial, lifestyle, parenting, gaming, social media, and other advice articles and blogs that seem to have, at best, only tangential relationships with the writer’s actual experience IRL. These are the articles where titles implore you to do things like “Dress Up That Turkey Sandwich!” while, on the same homepage, also promise to explain “Why You’re Not Losing Weight.”

Tips : The key is volume. Use the Google Keyword Tool to create article ideas around keywords searched by the biggest potential audience, but with the fewest websites targeting those same keywords (i.e. low “competition”). Factor in your approximate knowledge of the subject vs. how long it would take you to copy / paste and then remix text from a similar article. Avoid subjects in which you’re emotionally invested. Employ a “detached but friendly” 2nd person POV (example: “Or if you’re feeling a little south of the border, top it off with some cilantro and roasted red pepper,”) which allows you to effectively obfuscate your own reality, such as writing an article on “healthy relationships” while in the middle of an affair / divorce / custody battle over children. Submit to: About.com, your own websites.

Copywriting / “Advertorial” / Ad copy

Copywriting is nonfiction that uses rhetoric to persuade readers to consume products / ideas / viewpoints. It’s often factual in only a nominal sense, and uses a variety of linguistic and psychological tactics to effectively remove the entire context of “true vs. false,” creating a kind of vacuum around the subject, a universe unto itself where no other time or space or culture or even logic seems to exist except for that which is suggested to and potentially “consummated” by the reader. Examples: signs advertising real estate saying “if you lived here you’d be home already,” or like “Cedar Ridge: Mountain Clusterhomes from the low 250s,” or comings attractions for kids’ movies that begin “From the magic within our hearts, to the adventure beyond the horizon, there is only one: Disney.”

Tips : Devise ways to suggest things that seem to come from an omniscient as opposed to personal POV. Study what motivates people to buy shit, and how this consumption expresses their personal brands. Submit to: your professor, the creative team for whatever marketing company you work for.

Creative Nonfiction

The label “creative nonfiction” can apply to various categories of writing, including food, travel, memoir, personal essay, and other hybridized forms. The defining characteristic of CN is the use of literary techniques to create a sense of artfulness in the language, character development, and story, all of which tends to drive the narrative “inward.” CN work also tends to focus on transformational events in the narrator’s or central character’s life. CN generally seems closer to the truth of the narrator’s experience than other forms of nonfiction, as revealing the narrator’s experience / emotional consequence of the experience often seems the implicit “goal” of the work.

CN sometimes ends up sounding “crafted” or “poetic,” however (example: “In an instant, the city was back to its normal self, yawning in the dawn haze,”), to the point where it can be difficult not to question whether a work really reflects what the writer actually felt / experienced or if he/she is more just attempting to showcase a certain brand of writing skills.

Tips : Write about events to which you have strong emotional connections. Write in present tense “I’m on a bus in Tel Aviv,” even though you’re actually at the library. Avoid any usage of your own common vernacular / slang / accent in your writing voice. Construct “closeup” scenes around images of ordinary household items – a fork, a shoe, a hanger – to give dark subtextual cues which eventually give rise to emotionally shattering conclusions. Compensate for lack of ground-level knowledge of terrain / vegetation / architecture by using poetic terminology (“canted ridges’). Use codified / cliched expressions for physical features (“unruly” or “a shock of” or “luxuriant” hair), movement (“braving a potholed road”), and weather patterns (clouds “scudding”) as these are commonly used by masters of the genre. Submit to: Creative Nonfiction , Best American Essays .

Experimental Nonfiction

From Koko, the “Talking” Gorilla

“Experimental” isn’t so much a form but a label often applied to various works not recognized as traditional nonfiction forms. This can include things like fragmented or nonlinear narratives, “flash” nonfiction, prose poems, work incorporating graphic or multimedia elements, and even, possibly, work that’s traditionally structured but which examines something to a degree or in a way not actualized by mainstream writers.

In other experimental works, the condition of the writer during the work’s composition is itself a central element, and can be deliberately manipulated via things like sleep deprivation, ingesting drugs and/or alcohol, etc. Depending on how much the work is a catalog of the writer’s inner world vs. a narrative of events IRL, this type of work sometimes falls into the old-school category of “navel-gazing.”

Much experimental work seems about creating an immediacy / proximity to the the writer’s experience and subconsciousness (check Blake Butler’s series “ I am drinking gin & wrote about 7 songs as they came up on random in my itunes while they played “), that the form uniquely expresses. In some way this can make for the truest of all nonfiction writing; however, there often seems to be an element of “performing” inherent in much experimental work that makes it come off feeling less true a reflection of the narrator’s experience, almost in the opposite way of creative nonfiction’s being overly crafted. It’s as if there’s still just as much editing and crafting behind the scenes to make experimental work appear unadulterated and raw. Maybe in the future we’ll have new forms (Google Wave had established this technology, actually) where you can see a “recording” of a work as it’s created in real time.

[For “flash” nonfiction]: Recreate scenarios where thoughts or realizations arose seemingly independent of external stimuli, while juxtaposing descriptions of the stimuli in a way that creates rich metaphorical possibilities and meaning for the reader. Isolate the thought / stimuli juxtaposition from any memories or sense of one’s connection to place / culture / family, as well as any personal interpretations of the “meaning,” so that the work seems to exist like its own self-contained universe, almost a kind of advertisement for this particular moment in your consciousness. Submit to: your twitter.

[For fragmented or nonlinear essays]: Overwhelm the reader with descriptions of external stimuli presented in short, rapid sentences so the overall effect is disorientation . Don’t be afraid of using sentence fragments. Add quotes and bits of dialogue without attributing them to “s/he said.” If a travel piece, create sense of expertise / authenticity via cultural references or phrases in other languages that 95% of you readers won’t understand. Go for a “sense of time passing” feel. Submit to: Brevity .

[For “altered states” work]: Catalog / narrate an event so seemingly superficial (ex: watching 80s-era Bones Brigade skate videos on YouTube), that it provokes the reader, instigating preconceptions and judgements re your writing or brand, only to then undermine / leverage those preconceptions with a demonstration of perspicacity, self-awareness, sensitivity, and philosophical, logical, and etymological references in an all out assault so complex and divergent and yet so coherent that you’re actually getting off on the writing, contextualizing the whole process as an act of self-affirmation. Points for using hip hop vernacular as if you grew up speaking that way. Submit to: HTMLGIANT .

Feral Journalism

This term was invented, as far as I know, by Daniel Britt , while traveling overland from Iraq through Iran and into Afghanistan on a German motorcycle with a leaky carburetor and living hand to mouth filing reports and selling photos to various media companies about the US Armed Forces’ withdrawal from Iraq (and deployment in Afghanistan), along with various fucked up juxtapositions of local people, contractors, soldiers, kids, dogs, and just the day to day life in a place where there’s generalized death and mayhem. At one point we had a skype chat from the US Army base in Shah Joy Afghanistan that went:

[2:23:27 PM] daniel c. britt: hey were getting mortared [2:23:47 PM] daniel c. britt: just one [2:23:55 PM] daniel c. britt: pussies [2:30:12 PM] david miller: damn [2:30:21 PM] david miller: like the base is getting mortared? [2:30:23 PM] david miller: wtf? [2:30:53 PM] daniel c. britt: one shell [2:31:04 PM] daniel c. britt: just inside the hescos [2:31:19 PM] daniel c. britt: dood we didnt even loose internet [2:31:26 PM] david miller: hell yeah [2:31:48 PM] david miller: dude did you get hooked up with body armor? [2:33:30 PM] daniel c. britt: yeah we found a dealer in kabul , totally ripped us off, its US interceptor gear though so itll stop a .762 round, supposedly point black. anyway tomorrow im going to start looking for ieds or possibly go on a mission to clear a weapons cache [2:34:22 PM] daniel c. britt: which ever i get illl stick with it for the next five days [2:34:29 PM] daniel c. britt: and that will be my story

Feral journalism follows from the same gonzo paradigm established by Hunter S. Thompson, only in a modern global context where you’re dealing with potentially getting kidnapped / beheaded / blown up by an IED. As the impact of a feral journalism piece often relies on the level of concrete detail and sense of the narrator’s authenticity, this type of nonfiction is typically very close to actual fact / experience.

Tips : Cultivate your narrator’s persona as having low bodyfat (though not via exercise, but heavy smoking / drugs, while, paradoxically, still retaining a high fitness level in terms of 100-yard dashes or other evasive parkour-like skills), and a zealous commitment not to some greater recognizable “cause,” but to documenting ground level struggles of local people in spots 87% of Americans could never identify on a map. Align yourself with other “crackpot” indie photographers and filmmakers. Submit work to: Matador , Guernica .

Field Notes

Raw, unedited field notes often contain the most veracious writing, only to have the images / intensity mollified when the work is prepared “for publication.”

Tips : Focus less on how to write your notes, and instead learn how to draw so you can share art + notes together. Submit: myMoleskine.

Food Writing

Along with sex, food writing should theoretically be the most veracious of all nonfiction forms. And it usually is. What acts reveal more about us than how we eat and how (and who) we fuck? Fans of Jason Sheehan or Jim Harrison would know this. Food writing diminishes in truthfulness, however, to the degree it becomes about the writer playing the role of a critic.

Tips : Remember that, as Wendell Berry said, eating is essentially an “agricultural act.” Create metaphorical vectors between, say, Malbec grapes grown in the Andes, Colorado grass-fed beef, and the need for a palliative meal post breakup with your girlfriend. Submit to: your local alt. weekly.

People still do live person to person interviews a la Truman Capote-style (ex: San Quentin ), which have traditionally been about revealing candid moments (although this in and of itself doesn’t make an interview factual). It seems, however, that the “interview” as a form is becoming just a way for one writer (or artist / musician / whatever) to align his or her brand with another’s and/or create easy content via email conversations. Gchats often seem realer in that they’re live and you can see how much time goes by before each person responds. Not sure.

Tips : Ask questions about what the subject will be doing after the interview, or has just finished doing, focusing on quotidian things whose answers reveal the subject’s life as existing in a continuum, not just as a chain of projects / goals / accomplishments orbiting the internet. Submit to: The Nervous Breakdown .

Nature Writing

Although wikipedia’s list of contemporary nature writers includes authors (Rick Bass, Barry Lopez, Linda Hogan, John McPhee, and Gary Snyder) that have been important to me at different times of my life, I feel like as a genre, most nature writing seems to follow a tradition set forward by Thoreau where everything, even moments of the apparent suffering, are rendered in pastoral language (or something), which pushes it farther from fact than say, Big Boi rhyming about collard greens.

Tips : Isolate yourself in a wilderness area with field guides for all relevant flora and fauna as well as natural histories and any first hand accounts of indigenous people who once lived there. Either (a) leave out any mention of descendants of those native peoples or other people who might still exist in the area (such as in nearby trailer parks), and the truth of whose day to day existence might undermine your portrait of “place,” or (b) objectify / romanticize their “condition.” Have epiphanies. Submit to: Orion .

News reports

News reports are among the least factual of all nonfiction forms. Particularly with mainstream media companies, news reports are often team projects – each team tasked with creating news “packages” around current events. These packages often rely on old / recycled stories whose research and fact-checking may or may not be accurate. What seems to matter is that the delivery is on brand, professional, and “timely.”

Tips : Practice your skills at personification, so that famines are described as “stalking” the Horn of Africa, or torrential rains are “sweeping” / tornadoes “ripping.” Use “BREAKING” in all caps to your advantage. Type fast. Submit to: your section editor / Huffington Post.

Op-ed / Social Commentary

Whereas social commentary and op-ed traditionally used rhetoric to promote change, in a modern (or more accurately, post-modern) context, social commentary tends to be truthful to the degree in which it reveals the narrator’s experience and emotions without necessarily suggesting any kind of change.

Tips : Subvert traditional forms such as “how to’s” or “top 5” articles by using hyperpersonal information and narrative that’s theoretically impossible to “follow,” and yet is still presented as advice. Remember that it’s always easier to sound smart when you’re criticizing something. Submit to: Thought Catalog .

Round-ups / Top 10 lists / “Best of” Lists

As demonstrated by David Letteman, ESPN, and now what seems like 68% of all websites, roundups draw attention by creating a sense of anticipation in the reader or viewer. Along with news reports, roundups are the least veracious of all nonfiction forms.

Tips : Identify potentially divisive content areas, that “pit” one person’s opinion against another, for example, “Barbecue Sauce,” then collect barbecue sauce information via internet, rounding up and ranking info either arbitrarily or according to SEO / keyword traffic, crafting the title (“Top 5 Barbecue Sauces in America”) so that people within the relevant geographic / subject area wonder if their preferences are either being (a) validated, (b) rejected, or (c) ignored, and thus compelling them to read / comment.

Sex Writing

Sex Writing (ex: Dan Savage ) is among the truest of all nonfiction forms when the writer essentially removes or frees him/herself from any sense of holding back information / emotions due to cultural taboos. Conversely, this level of truth seems to diminish when the work seems deliberately about manipulating these taboos to “shock.”

Tips : Not sure, except for allowing people to ask questions anonymously.

Travel Blogs

As a form it seems like the more popular the travel blog, the more it reflects not truth, but a writer’s effectiveness at reducing complex, nuanced elements of culture and place and packaging them in “travel-sized” bits. I can’t ever read “popular” travel blogs without a sense that the writer is withholding 95% of what actually happened or how s/he felt about it because it would alienate his / her followers.

Discover Matador

Adventure travel, train travel, national parks, beaches and islands, ski and snow.

• Group Program Members Area

4 Different Styles of Writing for Nonfiction Books

by The Book Professor | Feb 3, 2021 | How to write a book , Nonfiction Writing , Select Uncategorized , Writing Nonfiction , Writing Tips | 0 comments

How to choose between different types of writing styles for your nonfiction book.

Before you put pen to paper for your nonfiction book, you need to know the different styles of writing used for nonfiction and pick the style that best suits your project.

When we say “style,” what we really mean is writing voice. How do you “sound” inside the reader’s mind as they read your book?

Nonfiction authors tend to gravitate toward one of four distinct writing styles—but only one is the best fit for most nonfiction projects.

The AUTHORITATIVE Writing Style

What is it? This writing style sets you up as the expert imparting knowledge to your reader. It’s heavily fact-based and may use jargon or other special terms unfamiliar to most readers.

When to use it: Textbooks or peer-reviewed academic journals.

Some writers believe that to establish credibility with readers, they must sound like an expert with lofty language and plenty of facts. They may use multisyllable words in every paragraph and take a “just the facts, ma’am” approach to their material.

This works well in textbooks or peer-reviewed journals. However, for other types of nonfiction—books of advice, books on business strategy, memoirs, etc.—the authoritative style falls flat. It hides the author’s personality from the reader, and readers want a connection with their author.

In addition, complicated words and jargon can make readers believe they don’t know enough about your field to be part of your audience. If a reader has to look up the definition of a word, you’ve lost them.

The LYRICAL Writing Style

What is it: The lyrical writing style uses descriptions and flowery language to evoke a beautiful mental picture for the reader. Imagine the imagery-dense poetry you read in high school English.

When to use: Novels and poetry

Authors gravitate towards this style because of the frequent adage “Show, don’t tell.” If you’re supposed to help your reader experience something rather than simply tell them about it, then descriptive language should form the bulk of your writing. Right?

Not so fast. Lyrical writing can slow down your story. Even novels must balance lyrical writing with narration and dialogue or readers get bored.

Nonfiction readers, when faced with a long passage of descriptions, may skip ahead to the next bit of dialogue or the next moment of forward momentum in the story. If they do this too often, they’ll get frustrated and put your book down.

You might choose to use moments of lyrical writing sparingly, particularly in memoirs, which share many traits with novels. Be aware, however, that your overall authorial voice should not be lyrical.

The CONVERSATIONAL Writing Style

What is it: Conversational language means that you write how you talk, including incorrect grammar and inefficient wording.

When to use it: Books written to teens, novels or short stories, poems.

Write how you talk. That sounds like good advice for connecting with readers—but is it really?

The goal of writing is to make the absorption of your ideas as smooth as possible for readers. Our everyday speech, on the other hand, is riddled with incomplete sentences and throwaway words like “just” and “actually” and “like.” As we talk, we don’t always arrange our thoughts in the most logical way. When written verbatim, our daily dialogue doesn’t make for quick, efficient reading.

Which one of these paragraphs is easier to read?

• I actually didn’t have all the ingredients after all, so I just went to the store to just pick them up. It was really busy at the store and I kept thinking I’d be late to the party. Or maybe miss it altogether.
• I didn’t have all the ingredients, so I went to the store. The store was busy and I worried I’d be late to the party or miss it altogether.

In example 2 with throwaway words removed, grammar corrected, and word length shortened, the meaning of the sentence is more clear.

You may use a bit of conversational language in dialogue to make your dialogue sound more realistic. Additionally, you might use conversational language more often if your book is written to teens. Teenagers connect with a casual style that sounds closer to the way people talk. Even in these instances, you don’t want to overuse the conversational style.

As with the lyrical style, conversational language should be used as a seasoning, not a main ingredient, in the recipe of your book.

The ACCESSIBLE Writing Style

What is it: Accessible writing uses everyday language and realistic examples to connect with your reader, and communicates clearly with good grammar and crisp, efficient words.

When to use: Business books, self-help books, memoirs, etc.

For most nonfiction writers, the accessible writing style will best serve your audience. It solves all the problems inherent with the previous three.

The accessible writing style won’t put readers off with unfamiliar five-syllable words on every page.

It moves your story along at a brisk pace and compels your readers to turn pages.

It cuts extraneous language to make every sentence a smooth experience. This helps readers better grasp and digest your ideas.

Remember: the best writing is when the reader doesn’t realize they’re reading. If you’ve done your job, your reader will immerse himself or herself into the story and flow with your ideas.

Your Voice is Unique

Remember, however, that choosing a style does not define your entire authorial voice. When you offer knowledge, advice, help, and hope that readers need, they want to feel connected to you. You can only do that if you allow your writing to sound authentically “you.”

So be unafraid to include your own personal story in your work, if it’s relevant. Allow your sense of humor, your outlook on life, and your sensibilities to enliven the prose. You can write something true to your voice and still make it accessible to readers.

Need help perfecting your writing style?

Here at The Book Professor®, we help authors find their true writing voice every day. We also help authors adhere to an accessible writing style while telling their story.

Our coaching programs grant you access to professional writing coaches and a cohort of other aspiring authors just like you who are perfecting their respective writing voices.

Contact us today to learn more about our coaching program.

How can we help?

• Author Tools
• Autobiography
• Book Design
• Book Marketing
• Book Writing Software
• How to publish a book
• How to write a book
• Life Coach Book
• Nonfiction Writing
• Online Writing
• Public Speaker Book
• Published Authors & Books
• Select Uncategorized
• Self Help Book
• Self Publishing
• Social Media for Authors
• Storytelling
• Write a business book
• Writing Inspiration
• Writing Nonfiction
• Writing Tips

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, understanding the 4 writing styles: how to identify and use them.

General Education

A piece’s writing style can help you figure out what kind of writing it is, what its purpose is, and how the author’s voice is unique. With so many different types of writing, you may think it’s difficult to figure out the specific writing style of a piece or you'll need to search through a long list of writing styles.

However, there are actually just four main types of writing styles, and together they cover practically all the writing you see, from textbooks to novels, to billboards and more.  Whether you’re studying writing styles for class or trying to develop your own writing style and looking for information, we’ve got you covered.

In this guide, we explain the four styles of writing, provide examples for each one, go over the one thing you need to know to identify writing style, and give tips to help you develop your own unique style of writing.

The 4 Types of Writing

There are four main different styles of writing. We discuss each of them below, list where you’re likely to see them, and include an example so you can see for yourself what each of the writing styles looks like.

Writers who use the narrative style are telling a story with a plot and characters. It’s the most common writing style for fiction, although nonfiction can also be narrative writing as long as its focus is on characters, what they do, and what happens to them.

Common Places You’d See Narrative Writing

• Biography or autobiography
• Short stories
• Journals or diaries

“We had luncheon in the dining-room, darkened too against the heat, and drank down nervous gayety with the cold ale. ‘What’ll we do with ourselves this afternoon?’ cried Daisy, ‘and the day after that, and the next thirty years?’    ‘Don’t be morbid,’ Jordan said. ‘Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.’ ‘But it’s so hot,’ insisted Daisy, on the verge of tears, ‘and everything’s so confused. Let’s all go to town!’ - The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

You can quickly tell that this passage from the novel The Great Gatsby is an example of narrative writing because it has the two key traits: characters and a plot. The group is discussing eating and drinking while trying to decide what to do for the rest of the day.

As in this example, narrative writing often has extended dialogue scenes since the dialogue is used to move the plot along and give readers greater insight into the characters.

Writers use the expository style when they are trying to explain a concept. Expository writing is fact-based and doesn’t include the author’s opinions or background. It’s basically giving facts from the writer to the reader.

Common Places You’d See Expository Writing

• Newspaper articles
• Academic journals
• Business memos
• Manuals for electronics
• How-to books and articles

“The 1995/1996 reintroduction of gray wolves (Canis lupus) into Yellowstone National Park after a 70 year absence has allowed for studies of tri-trophic cascades involving wolves, elk (Cervus elaphus), and plant species such as aspen (Populus tremuloides), cottonwoods (Populus spp.), and willows (Salix spp.). To investigate the status of this cascade, in September of 2010 we repeated an earlier survey of aspen and measured browsing and heights of young aspen in 97 stands along four streams in the Lamar River catchment of the park’s northern winter range. We found that browsing on the five tallest young aspen in each stand decreased from 100% of all measured leaders in 1998 to means of <25% in the uplands and <20% in riparian areas by 2010. Correspondingly, aspen recruitment (i.e., growth of seedlings/sprouts above the browse level of ungulates) increased as browsing decreased over time in these same stands.” -”Trophic cascades in Yellowstone: The first 15 years after wolf reintroduction” by William J. Ripple and Robert L. Beschta

This abstract from an academic journal article is clearly expository because it only focuses on facts. The authors aren’t giving their opinion of wolves of Yellowstone, they’re not telling a story about the wolves, and the only descriptions are number of trees, streams, etc. so readers can understand the study better.

Because expository writing is focused on facts, without any unnecessary details or stories, the writing can sometimes feel dense and dry to read.

Descriptive

Descriptive writing is, as you may guess, when the author describes something. The writer could be describing a place, person, or an object, but descriptive writing will always include lots of details so the reader can get a clear and complete idea of what is being written about.

Common Places You’d See Descriptive Writing

• Fiction passages that describe something

“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or eat: it was a hobbit hole and that means comfort. It had a perfectly round door like a porthole, painted green, with a shiny yellow brass knob in the exact middle. The door opened on to a tube-shaped hall like a tunnel: a very comfortable tunnel without smoke, with panelled walls, and floors tiled and carpeted...” - The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

This is the opening passage of the novel The Hobbit . While The Hobbit is primarily an example of narrative writing, since it explores the adventures of the hobbit and his companions, this scene is definitely descriptive. There is no plot or action going on in this passage; the point is to explain to readers exactly what the hobbit’s home looks like so they can get a clear picture of it while they read. There are lots of details, including the color of the door and exactly where the doorknob is placed.

You won’t often find long pieces of writing that are purely descriptive writing, since they’d be pretty boring to read (nothing would happen in them), instead many pieces of writing, including The Hobbit , will primarily be one of the other writing styles with some descriptive writing passages scattered throughout.

When you’re trying to persuade the reader to think a certain way or do a certain thing, you’ll use persuasive writing to try to convince them.  Your end goal could be to get the reader to purchase something you’re selling, give you a job, give an acquaintance of yours a job, or simply agree with your opinion on a topic.

Common Places You’d See Persuasive Writing

• Advertisements
• Cover letters
• Opinion articles/letters to the editor
• Letters of recommendation
• Reviews of books/movies/restaurants etc.
• Letter to a politician

“What General Weygand called the Battle of France is over. I expect that the battle of Britain is about to begin. Upon this battle depends the survival of Christian civilization. Upon it depends our own British life, and the long continuity of our institutions and our Empire. The whole fury and might of the enemy must very soon be turned on us. Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this island or lose the war. If we can stand up to him, all Europe may be free and the life of the world may move forward into broad, sunlit uplands. But if we fail, then the whole world, including the United States, including all that we have known and cared for, will sink by the lights of perverted science. Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves, that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, ‘This was their finest hour.’ - “This was their finest hour” by Winston Churchill

In this excerpt from his famous “Their finest hour” speech, Prime Minister Winston Churchill is clearing trying to convince his audience to see his viewpoint, and he lays out the actions he thinks they should take. In this case, Churchill is speaking to the House of Commons (knowing many other British people would also hear the speech), and he’s trying to prepare the British for the coming war and convince them how important it is to fight.

He emphasizes how important the fight will be (“Upon this battle depends the survival of the Christian civilization.” and clearly spells out what he thinks his audience should do (“Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties…”).

Common Writing Styles to Know

Each of the four main types of writing styles has multiple subsets of styles within it. Here are nine of the most common and important types of writing you’ll see.

Narrative Writing

Character voice.

Character voice is a common writing style in novels. Instead of having an unknown narrator, the audience knows who is telling the story. This first-person narrator can help the reader relate more both to the narrator and the storyline since knowing who is telling a story can help the reader feel more connected to it. Sometimes the narrator is completely truthful in telling what happens, while other times they are an unreliable narrator and will mislead or outright lie to readers to make themselves look better. 

To Kill a Mockingbird (Scout is the narrator) and The Hunger Games (Katniss is the narrator) are two examples of this writing style.

Stream-of-Consciousness

This writing style attempts to emulate the thought process of the character. Instead of only writing about what the character says or does, stream-of-consciousness will include all or most of the characters thoughts, even if they jump from one topic to another randomly or include incomplete thoughts.

For example, rather than writing “I decided to take a walk to the ice cream shop,” an author using the stream-of-consciousness writing style could write, “It’s pretty hot out, and I feel like I should eat something, but I’m not really that hungry. I wonder if we have leftovers of the burgers Mom made last night? Is Mom staying late at work tonight? I can’t remember if she said. Ice cream would be a good choice, and not too filling. I can’t drive there though because my car is still in for repairs. Why is the repair shop taking so long? I should have listened when David said to check for reviews online before choosing a place. I should text David later to see how he is. He’ll think I’m mad at him if I don’t. I guess I’ll just have to walk to the shop.”

James Joyce and William Faulkner are two of the most well-known writers to have regularly used the  stream-of-consciousness writing style.

Epistolary writing uses a series of documents, such as letters, diary entries, newspaper articles, or even text messages to tell a story. They don’t have a narrator, there’s just whoever purportedly gathered the documents together. This writing style can provide different points of view because a different person can be the author of each document.

Well-known examples of epistolary writing include the novels Dracula  (written as a series of letters, newspaper articles, and diary entries) and Frankenstein (written as a series of letters).

Expository Writing

You’ll find this style in textbooks or academic journal articles. It’ll focus on teaching a topic or discussing an experiment,  be heavy on facts, and include any sources it cited to get the information. Academic writing often assumes some previous knowledge of the topic and is more focused on providing information than being entertaining, which can make it difficult to read and understand at times.

Business writing refers to the writing done in a workplace. It can include reports, memos, and press releases. Business writing typically has a formal tone and standard formatting rules. Because employees are presumably very busy at work, business writing is very concise and to the point, without any additional flourishes intended to make the writing more interesting.

You’ll see this writing style most commonly in newspaper articles. It focuses on giving the facts in a concise, clear, and easy-to-understand way. Journalists often try to balance covering all the key facts, keeping their articles brief, and making the audience interested in the story.

This writing style is used to give information to people in a specific field, such as an explanation of a new computer programming system to people who work in software, a description of how to install pipes within a house for plumbers, or a guide to new gene modifications for microbiologists.

Technical writing is highly specialized for a certain occupational field. It assumes a high level of knowledge on the topic, and it focuses on sharing large amounts of information with the reader. If you’re not in that field, technical writing can be nearly impossible to understand because of the jargon and references to topics and facts you likely don’t know.

Descriptive Writing

Poetry is one of the most challenging styles of writing to define since it can come in many forms. In general, poems use rhythmic language and careful word choice to express an idea. A poem can be an example of descriptive writing or narrative writing, depending on whether it’s describing something or telling a story. Poetry doesn’t need to rhyme, and it often won’t follow standard grammatical or structural rules. Line breaks can, and often do, occur in the middle of sentences.

Persuasive Writing

Copywriting.

Copywriting is writing that is done for advertising or marketing purposes. It’s attempting to get the reader to buy whatever the writer is trying to sell. Examples of copywriting include catalogs, billboards, ads in newspapers or magazines, and social media ads.

In an attempt to get the reader to spend their money, copywriters may use techniques such as descriptive language (“This vanilla was harvested from the lush and exotic island of Madagascar"), exciting language (Stop what you’re doing and learn about this new product that will transform your life!”) and exaggeration (“This is the best cup of coffee you will ever taste!”).

Opinion 

People write opinion pieces for the purpose of stating their beliefs on a certain topic and to try to get readers to agree with them. You can see opinion pieces in newspaper opinion sections, certain blog posts, and some social media posts. The quality of opinion writing can vary widely. Some papers or sites will only publish opinion pieces if all the facts in them can be backed up by evidence, but other opinion pieces, especially those that are self-published online, don't go through any fact-checking process and can include inaccuracies and misinformation.

What If You’re Unsure of a Work’s Writing Style?

If you’re reading a piece of writing and are unsure of its main writing style, how can you figure which style it is? The best method is to think about what the purpose or main idea of the writing is. Each of the four main writing styles has a specific purpose:

• Descriptive: to describe things
• Expository: to give facts
• Narrative: to tell a story
• Persuasive: to convince the reader of something

Here’s an example of a passage with a somewhat ambiguous writing style:

It can be tricky to determine the writing style of many poems since poetry is so varied and can fit many styles. For this poem, you might at first think it has a narrative writing style, since it begins with a narrator mentioning a walk he took after church. Character + plot = narrative writing style, right?

Before you decide, you need to read the entire passage. Once you do, it’ll become clear that there really isn’t much narrative. There’s a narrator, and he’s taking a walk to get a birch from another man, but that’s about all we have for character development and plot. We don’t know anything about the narrator or his friend’s personality, what’s going to happen next, what his motivations are, etc.

The poem doesn’t devote any space to that, instead, the majority of the lines are spent describing the scene. The narrator mentions the heat, scent of sap, the sound of frogs, what the ground is like, etc. It’s clear that, since the majority of the piece is dedicated to describing the scene, this is an example of descriptive writing.

How Can You Develop Your Own Writing Style?

A distinctive writing style is one of the hallmarks of a good writer, but how can you develop your own? Below are four tips to follow.

Read Many Different Styles of Writing

If you don’t read lots of different kinds of writing, you won’t be able to write in those styles, so before you try to get your own writing style, read different writing styles than what you’re used to.  This doesn’t mean that, if you mostly read novels, you suddenly need to shift to reading computer manuals. Instead, you can try to read novels that use unreliable narrators, stream-of-consciousness writing, etc.

The more you read, the more writing styles you’ll be exposed to, and the easier it’ll be able to combine some of those into your own writing style.

Consider Combining Multiple Types of Writing Styles

There’s no rule that you can only use one style for a piece of writing. In fact, many longer works will include multiple styles. A novel may be primarily narrative, but it can also contain highly descriptive passages as well as expository parts when the author wants the readers to understand a new concept.

However, make sure you don’t jump around too much. A paper or book that goes from dense academic text to impassioned plea for a cause to a story about your childhood and back again will confuse readers and make it difficult for them to understand the point you’re trying to make.

Find a Balance Between Comfort and Boundary-Pushing

You should write in a style that feels natural to you, since that will be what comes most easily and what feels most authentic to the reader. An academic who never ventures outside the city trying to write a book from the perspective of a weathered, unschooled cowboy may end up with writing that seems fake and forced.

A great way to change up your writing and see where it can be improved is to rewrite certain parts in a new writing style.  If you’ve been writing a novel with narrative voice, change a few scenes to stream-of-consciousness, then think about how it felt to be using that style and if you think it improved your writing or gave you any new ideas. If you’re worried that some writing you did is dull and lacking depth, add in a few passages that are purely descriptive and see if they help bring the writing to life.

You don’t always need to do this, and you don’t need to keep the new additions in what you wrote, but trying new things will help you get a better idea of what you want your own style to be like.

The best way to develop your own writing style is to expose yourself to numerous types of writing, both through reading and writing. As you come into contact with more writing styles and try them out for yourself, you’ll naturally begin to develop a writing style that you feel comfortable with.

Summary: The 4 Different Styles of Writing

There are four main writing styles, and each has a different purpose:

If you’re struggling to figure out the writing style of a piece, ask yourself what its purpose is and why the author wants you to read it.

To develop your own writing style, you should:

• Read widely
• Consider mixing styles
• Balance writing what you know and trying new things

What's Next?

Literary devices are also an important part of understanding writing styles. Learn the 24 literary devices you must know by reading our guide on literary devices.

Writing a research paper for school but not sure what to write about?   Our guide to research paper topics has over 100 topics in ten categories so you can be sure to find the perfect topic for you. 

Are you reading  The Great Gatsby for class or even just for fun?  Then you'll definitely want to check out our expert guides on the biggest themes in this classic book, from love and relationships to money and materialism .

Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Improve With Our Famous Guides

• For All Students

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points

How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section:

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading

Score 800 on SAT Writing

Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section:

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading

Score 600 on SAT Writing

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For?

15 Strategies to Improve Your SAT Essay

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points

How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section:

36 on ACT English

36 on ACT Math

36 on ACT Reading

36 on ACT Science

Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section:

24 on ACT English

24 on ACT Math

24 on ACT Reading

24 on ACT Science

What ACT target score should you be aiming for?

ACT Vocabulary You Must Know

ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

Is the ACT easier than the SAT? A Comprehensive Guide

Should you retake your SAT or ACT?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Stay Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Looking for Graduate School Test Prep?

Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here:

GRE Online Prep Blog

GMAT Online Prep Blog

TOEFL Online Prep Blog

Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!”

How to Use All 4 Writing Styles to Create an Exciting Nonfiction Book

by Bennett R. Coles

In the world of book writing, there are four well-defined writing styles:

Expository:

In simple terms, this style is used to inform and educate the reader (without expressing your opinion).

Descriptive:

This style is used to paint a picture in the reader’s mind.

This style is used to bring the reader along your character’s emotional journey.

Persuasive:

This style is used to convince the reader to side with you and your beliefs.

Most book genres tend to rely on one or two styles. For example, fiction books tend to focus on the descriptive and narrative styles. Poetry and travel books tend to be written in the descriptive style . Political books or books centered on activism use primarily the persuasive style, and cookbooks, textbooks and research or scientific journals use the expository style.

But there’s one genre which is perfectly suited to take advantage of all four styles concurrently: nonfiction written by business people, professionals or consultants in order to solve a deep-seated problem with their audience.

By taking advantage of all four styles, you’ll be able to craft a book that hits all the major chords with your readers:

• You’ll be able to use the expository style to convey well-researched findings to back up your solution in a way that establishes you as an expert in their eyes.
• You’ll be able to use the descriptive style to paint vivid pictures in your audience’s mind of someone like them before and after they apply your solution.
• You’ll be able to use the narrative style to take your audience through an emotional journey from problem to solution as lived by the characters in your case studies.
• You’ll be able to use the persuasive style to convince your audience why your solution will be different than any other than they might have tried in the past.

Problem-solving nonfiction is ideally suited for the use of all four writing styles like no other genre is.

What Are the Four Types of Writing Styles?

Before we get into the details on how to apply each style to your book, let me introduce their unique characteristics.

Expository Writing style

The expository writing style is used to build your credibility as an expert. You’ll achieve this goal by presenting facts, statistics and other data required to back up your solution (it’s also important for this style that you quote your sources).

Also very important in this style is the use of diagrams, charts and other illustrations to provide different views of your data to enhance your presentation.

What Is the Main Goal of This Style?

To educate your audience about the background information required to support your unique solution.

What Are Some of Its Techniques?

• Use of facts
• Illustrations

What is it Not Used For?

The expository writing style is not used to express your opinion or to influence your reader. Try to stay away from “loaded words” that carry a high emotional charge, since they’ll create a conflict with the factual nature of the style.

What Are Some Common Applications?

How-to books, textbooks, instruction manuals, cookbooks, business articles, professional and scientific journals and books about hobbies and interests.

Descriptive Writing style

As the old adage says, a picture is worth a thousand words, and this is where the descriptive writing style comes in handy. One of the best devices to engage your reader’s senses is to paint a clear picture of how your solution will work in their lives.

Descriptive writing is not only used to engage your audience’s five senses but also their feelings. Your goal is to engage your reader so closely that they feel they’re actually “there.” This is a powerful literary device used to great effect in the fiction genre and you’ll be borrowing from it for your nonfiction book .

To engage your reader’s imagination so they can feel as if they’re experiencing the events in your book themselves.

• Adjectives used to descriptively enhance nouns
• Adverbs used to descriptively enhance verbs
• Focusing on small details
• Using the 5 senses

This style is not used to narrate. In other words, the descriptive style is never used to tell a story or to give insights into the thoughts or the emotional state of characters in your book.

Novels, poetry, journal writing, travel books and music lyrics.

Narrative Writing style

Narrative writing can be used very effectively in problem-solving nonfiction through the power of story telling. Nonfiction books without any story telling are not as engaging as they could be.

Use stories to create an emotional connection with your readers by making them become invested in characters that they can relate to – characters that also “feel their pain.” They could be about yourself, past clients, or fictional characters that combine the experiences of multiple clients.

To offer readers insights into the thoughts and feelings of characters going through a similar emotional journey than they’re going through themselves.

• Address the 5 W’s (what, when, where, how and why)
• Describe a sequence of events leading to a climax
• Include a description of the characters, settings, dialogue, conflict and resolution

Narrative writing is not used to introduce facts and figures and it’s not used to influence or persuade your audience.

Novels, poetry, short stories, screenplays and movie scripts.

Persuasive Writing style

The persuasive writing style can be used to great effect in problem-solving nonfiction books. Your goal is not just to communicate and teach new skills, but also to persuade your reader to take action and implement your solution in their lives.

You want to persuade readers by appealing to them on an emotional level and using your connection and your credibility as an expert to convince them to side with you. The aim of persuasive writing is to align your reader’s goals with your own.

To influence, to persuade, to convince.

• Emotive words
• Inclusive language
• Exaggeration
• Rhetorical questions
• Metaphors and similes
• Sarcasm (used tactfully)
• Logical arguments

Doing anything that takes your reader out of the plane of reality – such as by going into a detailed description of places, circumstances or events or into a deep narrative.

Academic papers, opinion pieces, newspaper editorials and books by political figures.

How Do I Apply the 4 Writing Styles to Enhance My Nonfiction Book

Now that we’ve covered all four styles let me show you an example of each so you can get an idea of practical applications.

Example of the Expository Writing Style

“The fundamental question of work and leisure raised by Weiss is particularly relevant as a generation called Millennials moves firmly into the workforce. I know many Millennials and in general they’re hard-working, passionate young men and women who are eager to work, but they want to enjoy and draw meaning from their jobs.

Most are sensible enough to have a day-job to pay the bills, but many have a “side hustle” – a hobby or a business idea into which they pour their passion and hope to one day monetize.

Weiss recognizes this trend in workers, but an interesting disconnect between Weiss’ article and today is the discussion of self-employment. Weiss notes that self-employed workers are generally most satisfied even if they earn less, but also makes the observation that self-employment has significantly declined.

In this example the author is using expository writing to present and analyze research findings by a recognized expert in the field.

Example of the Descriptive Writing Style

“Coming down to Bridge Park had been a good idea, he decided. Leaving the crowded mass of the city behind he’d ridden the train south, through the razed land and out onto the delta.

Rice paddies stretched to every horizon, blurring the line between land, river and sea. And then, in the shadow of the ruined supports of the bridge, the park rose like a garden oasis above the lowlands.

He obviously wasn’t the only person with the same idea today, and the park was lifted by the shrieks of children playing on the bridge replica fun zone behind him.”

In the above passage, the author is using descriptive writing to paint a picture in the mind of the reader by using specific adjectives and adverbs that appeal to the reader’s senses.

Example of the Narrative Writing Style

“ Christopher Reeve was one courageous person who fully accepted an unexpected change in direction in his life. The icon of superhuman strength in the 80’s, he was the quintessential Superman. An actor of great appeal and talent, he represented the ideal combination of manliness, strength, seeker of justice, and savior of humankind.

In May 1995, he was riding his horse and had a serious fall. The accident damaged his spinal cord such that he was left a quadriplegic and had to use a machine to help him breathe. The accident sent shockwaves around the world. How could Superman be rendered a quadriplegic? It was unfathomable.

After many months of grueling physical therapy, he learned how to function in this new altered state. The emotional toll was great as he and his family struggled with the changes this accident brought into their lives.

Within a year, however, he had founded a charitable organization called the Christopher Reeve Foundation in order to raise money for research on spinal cord injuries and made it his mission to find a way for all victims of these devastating injuries to walk again.”

Here the author is using narrative writing to portray the dramatic fall in the fortunes of a celebrity after a traumatic life event, and how he resolved the conflict in his life to become a real-life superhero in the eyes of his followers.

Example of the Persuasive Writing Style

“‘ I’m too old’ or ‘It’s too late to change’ are nothing but limiting beliefs. Like any other beliefs, they’re fully under your control and are totally replaceable. In the end, you’re the one who truly runs the show, as much as you’re taught to believe the opposite. When it comes to making changes in your life, you have the ultimate say. If you end up doing what others think you should, it’s only because on some level you’ve made the decision to believe that their ideas are more worthy than your own.

If you want to change, you have to start believing in what you want to do, no matter what other people’s ‘opinions’ are. And you have to believe that the changes you want to make are worth it, regardless of your age or your circumstances.

Life consists of a collection of ‘moments.’ This very moment and every moment after it are what your life is made of. If you live your life worrying about the future, regretting the past or even living how others tell you to live, then you aren’t living ‘your’ moments.

All it really takes to become in charge of your own life is to simply decide to do so. Your process of reinvention is 100% yours. Don’t be afraid to use it fully to our advantage. Don’t be afraid to think big thoughts. Remember, you can make a difference: you are the difference!”

In this example, the author is using persuasive writing to influence readers to take action by changing their belief system through replacing limiting beliefs with empowering ones.

Now you know what the four key styles used in writing are and how to apply them to your nonfiction book for maximum effect. But here’s a word of caution: if you lean on one style much more than the others, you risk being pigeonholed into a genre that doesn’t serve your message.

For example, too much narrative style will make your book feel more like a novel or creative nonfiction , and your persuasive message will be diluted.

Too much persuasive style will make your book feel dogmatic or proselytizing, and will break the connection of trust with your readers.

Too much descriptive style and your book will be too detached from reality, which will impact the expository techniques that are required to back up your findings with facts and data.

Too much expository style and your book will be too dry and mechanical, making you lose the connection with your readers.

Make sure that you create a good balance of expository, descriptive, narrative and persuasive writing skills in your manuscript and you’ll have an exciting nonfiction book in your hands.

If you enjoyed this article and are in the process of writing a nonfiction book, be sure to check out my free nonfiction success guide , drawn from years of experience editing books for bestselling authors (including a New York Times bestseller) and ghostwriting for CEOs and politicians. Simply click here to get instant access .

Leave me a comment below if you have any questions or a specific need that I can help you address – I operate an author services firm that specializes in helping entrepreneurs, professionals and business owners who want to publish books as a calling card for prospects, to establish their status as an expert or to generate additional leads for their businesse s.

Here are some related articles I highly recommend:

The 10 must-have writing skills for nonfiction authors, how to write a compelling book in 12 steps: a must-read guide for nonfiction authors.

Hey, this is a great article! Very informative and helpful, thank you.

Glad I was able to help!

FANTASTIC ARTICLE!! VERY INFORMATIVE!!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Same Cascadia, New Management!

by Harry Wallett

Publishing for Peace: Author Ben JS Maure Inspires Canadian Peacekeepers

Unleashing Literary Flames: Award-Winning Author TK Riggins Keeps Readers Coming Back for More with 7-Book Series

Author Ray McGinnis Reaches an International Audience with 100+ Interviews in 2 Years

Get our free definitive guide to creating a nonfiction bestseller here.

COACHING + PUBLISHING

FORMATTING + DESIGN

FREELANCE COMMUNITY

• Powerful Onomatopoeia Examples in 7 Different Types of Writing

Erin Duchesne

Onomatopoeia examples in different types of writing 

4 onomatopoeia examples in fiction, non-fiction, 2 onomatopoeia examples in non-fiction, 2 onomatopoeia examples in poetry, 9 onomatopoeia examples in songs, children’s literature, 3 onomatopoeia examples from children’s literature, marketing content, 6 onomatopoeia examples in advertising and marketing content, instagram captions, 5 onomatopoeia examples from instagram, onomatopoeia examples in titles .

An onomatopoeia is much simpler than it sounds. It is a word that imitates a sound like whack or meow . So if you are trying to find a new way to make your words pop off the page, try incorporating more onomatopoeia examples into your work.

This is not just for fiction and children’s book writers, onomatopoeia can be easily and effectively used in all kinds of writing. So whether you are a copywriter, blogger, or poet you can absolutely benefit from using this literary device.  

Writers from all genres can benefit from infusing sound into their work to captivate readers. Here we will look at onomatopoeia examples in fiction, non-fiction, poetry, songs, children’s literature, marketing, and social media content to see the different ways it can be done. 

Fairy tales and general fiction are where onomatopoeia thrives! Adding the imagery of sound creates depth and a sense of realism that helps immerse readers into the story. 

“If they keep quiet they can hear it in the distance: Bang-bang-bang. Bang. Bang …This is a hockey town, and there are plenty of things you can say about those, but at least they are predictable. You know what to expect if you live here. Day after day after day. Bang .” pg. 10 Beartown by Fredrik Backman

“I thought I’d wake up one day and look her in the eyes and then it would click , like that mythical puzzle piece had finally snapped into place.” pg. 453 Verity by Colleen Hoover

“In all its weighty, two-volume splendor, our old professor William James’s Principles of Psychology —these and more were dropped on our desks, producing loud, ponderous booms .” pg. 158 The Alienist by Caleb Carr

“You are currently a citizen of a hospital. A machine is breathing for you. Regularly spaced chirps indicate that you are still alive. You are not awake, but you are not asleep either.”  pg. 624 Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

Just like in fiction writing, it is important to paint vivid descriptions in non-fiction texts to engage readers. Incorporating onomatopoeia into non-fiction writing can transport readers to real events and places. 

“Well, they don’t really make that ‘ zip ’ noise. There are two-by-fours nailed to the back of these sliding doors and two guys pull them open and closed.” pg. 166 Pufnstuf & Other Stuff: The Wonderful World of Sid & Marty Krofft by David Martindale

“It is a bit like old age, when our bodies become creaky and stiff.” pg. 237 The China Study by T. Colin Campbell and Thomas M. Campbell II

Poets know how to use the power of onomatopoeia to not only tell a story but also add rhythm and musicality to their verses. 

“I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence:  Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—  I took the one less traveled by,  And that has made all the difference.” “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost

“His acts being seven ages. At first the infant, Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms; And then the whining school-boy, with his satchel” “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost

Musicians, lyricists, and songwriters are masters of sound. You can find onomatopoeia examples sprinkled throughout a lot of your favorite songs. 

• “ Ding, dong, ding, dong Christmas bells are ringing” (“Caroling, Caroling” by Nat King Cole)
• “ Pop , six, squish , uh-oh, cicero, Lipschitz” (“Cell Block Tango” from Chicago )
• “I’m on that supersonic boom , y’all hear that spaceship? Zoom ” (“ Boom Boom Pow ” by The Black Eyed Peas)
• “ Tick tock on the clock but the party don’t stop, no” (“ Tick Tock ” by Kesha)
• “ Boom clap , the sound of my heart” (“Boom Clap” by Charli XCX)
• “Louder, louder than a lion ‘cause I am a champion, and you’re gonna hear me roar ” (“Roar” by Katy Perry)
• “ Splish splash , I was taking a bath” (“ Splish Splash ” by Bobby Darin)
• “ Beep-beep , beep-beep , yeah” (“Drive My Car” by The Beatles) 
• “While the honeybee hums and the cricket fiddles , the donkey brays and the pony neighs and the old gray badger sighs …listen to the bass, it’s the one on the bottom where the bullfrog croaks and the hippopotamus moans and groans with a big t’do and the old cow just goes moo ” (“Place in the Choir” by Bill Staines)

Onomatopoeia is particularly engaging for younger readers. So much so that you’ll be hard-pressed to find a picture book without a gluttony of sound words . 

“Back in their sleeping bags, Cairo, Benny, and Miles closed their eyes and listened to the shhh shhh , the plonk plonk , and the ting ting of the wind chime.”  Everybody in the Red Brick Building by Anne Wynter

“ Zoom-zoom , zim-zam , clip-clop, hip-hop, what a trip–don’t stop!” Joy by Yasmeen Ismail

“He might be small but Little Hedgehog has a big appetite. Sometimes he walks a whole mile in one night… sniff-sniff-sniffing for things to eat.” Prickly Porcupine by Jane McGuinness

Guess what marketers and copywriters ? This applies to you too! Onomatopoeia has the unique ability to grab readers’ and audiences’ attention to create memorable names, slogans, tag lines, and jingles. 

• “Snap! Crackle! Pop!” (Rice Krispies)
• “Plop plop fizz fizz, oh what a relief it is!” (Alka-Seltzer)
• Boom Chicka Pop (popcorn)
• Cap’n Crunch (cereal)
• Slurpee (7-11 drink)
• Pop rocks (candy)

Attention-getting posts are king on all social media platforms. Instagram bios , stories, and photo captions need to be carefully crafted and by adding onomatopoeia you can liven up your content. To hook your audience and stand out in a crowded feed, sometimes you need to be loud! 

• “Still buzzing about the new project that we launched last February…” (@carlossainz55)
• “Zingbot is back and better than ever in tonight’s episode! Tell us your favorite zing of all time down below…” (@bigbrothercbs)
• “ Swish with Listerine Cool Mint Antiseptic Mouthwash twice daily for a cleaner, healthier mouth!” (@listerinecanada)
• “Let’s raise the woof this #WorldTheatreDay” (@the_globe Instagram)
• “The Great Gatsby roars into their Broadway opening night curtain call!…” (@broadwaycom)

Onomatopoeic words not only add depth and engagement to writing content but they can also be used to create an interesting title. Titles that use this sound symbolism can instantly hook readers and evoke a sensory experience, making them more memorable. 

• Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (by Bill Martin Jr.)
• Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (by Ian Fleming)
• Click (2006 film)
• Click , Clack , Moo : Cows That Type (by Doreen Cronin)
• Huff (2004-2006 TV series)
• One Flew Over the Cuckoo ’s Nest (by Ken Kesey)
• Puff the Magic Dragon (1978 film, song by Peter Paul & Mary)
• The Ring (2002 film)
• Splash (1984 film)
• Splat the Cat (by Rob Scotton)
• Tick , Tick … Boom ! (Musical by Jonathan Larson, 2021 film)
• Under the Whispering Door (by TJ Klune)

Onomatopoeia is a versatile literary device that makes a great addition to any type of writing.

Playing with sound can amp up your writing style and increase memorability, engagement, and interest in your words. So next time you sit down to write your next masterpiece or your next Instagram caption, try using some of these onomatopoeia examples and don’t be afraid to make some noise! 

Previous Post

9 imagery examples: bring your writing to life with imagery, related posts.

You can find imagery examples everywhere. From centuries-old Charles Dickens novels and Shakespearian plays to modern-day blogs and advertisements, imagery remains one of the most commonly used writing techniques. 

50 Euphemism Examples + Why You Should Use It In Your Writing

In this article, we will be exploring various ways to use euphemisms in your writing and give some euphemism examples.

Exploring the Best Remote Freelance Jobs: 10 Places to Find Work

In this article, we explore some of the best remote freelance jobs for writers and editors, along with tips on how to thrive in these roles.

7 Common Errors in Writing + How to Fix Them (With Examples)

Table of contents

Yona Schnitzer

We’ve all made errors in our writing — from simple spelling and grammar mistakes to larger structural issues. While we’ll likely make mistakes again (we’re human, after all!), the good news is that we can learn to spot them and keep our writing as polished as possible. 

But to do that, we have to identify them first. 

That’s where I come in. As a professional writer, I’ve made — and corrected — plenty of writing mistakes over the years. 

In this blog post, I share seven common errors in writing and explain how to fix them using handy before-and-after examples. 

What are the different types of writing errors? 

Writing errors can be divided into several categories, including: 

• Spelling errors: These occur when words are misspelled — e.g., “bisness” instead of “business.”
• Grammar errors : These are mistakes in sentence form or structure, such as writing an incomplete sentence like “Because of the snow.”
• Punctuation errors: These involve using punctuation incorrectly or not using it at all — like writing “Let’s eat Dad” instead of “Let’s eat, Dad.” 
• Structure errors: These occur when the ideas in a piece of writing are unclear, not well-organized, or repetitive.
• Style errors: These happen when a writer doesn’t follow language and style rules — e.g., using passive instead of active voice.

7 common errors in writing (and how to fix them)

Now that you understand the categories of writing mistakes, we can look at specific examples. Below, I cover seven common errors and how to fix them. 

1. Run-on sentences 

A run-on sentence is a grammatical error that occurs when two independent clauses (complete thoughts) aren’t properly joined. This kind of sentence makes it difficult to see where one idea ends and the other begins . 

Two common types of run-on sentences are fused sentences and comma splices. 

Fused sentences

A fused sentence joins two independent clauses without using a punctuation mark or coordinating conjunction (e.g., “and” or “but”), as seen below: 

❌ Kel loves orange soda it’s his favorite drink. 

You’d correct this sentence by inserting a semicolon between the two complete thoughts: 

✅ Kel loves orange soda ; it’s his favorite drink.

Another option is to use a period to divide the clauses into two sentences:

✅ Kel loves orange soda . It’s his favorite drink. 

Comma splices 

A comma splice uses a comma between two independent clauses but forgets the necessary coordinating conjunction . 

For example: 

❌ Margaret went to Lenox Mall , she bought a new dress. 

To correct this sentence, simply add a conjunction after the comma. 

✅ Margaret went to Lenox Mall, and she bought a new dress. 

2. Passive voice 

Passive voice occurs when the receiver of the action (object) becomes the focus of the sentence rather than the one performing the action (subject). 

Passive voice:

The decision was made by the jury. 

Here, the focus is on the decision being made (object) instead of the jury making the decision (subject). As a result, the reader spends more time processing who is doing what . 

To rewrite this sentence in active voice , put the subject at the front of the sentence. That way, the jury becomes the focus and performs the action, as shown here: 

Active voice:

The jury made the decision.

This sentence is easier to understand because it follows a straightforward structure: subject (“the jury”) + action (“made”) + receiver of the action (“the decision”). 

3. Subject-verb disagreement

Subject-verb agreement means that a singular subject (one person, place, or thing) takes a singular verb , and a plural subject (two or more people, places, and things) takes a plural verb . 

For example, in the sentence “ Nancy eats popcorn,” “Nancy” is a singular subject, and “eats” is a singular verb. 

Meanwhile, “ Nancy and Rodney eat popcorn” pairs a plural verb (“eat”) with a plural subject (“Nancy and Rodney”). 

Notice that when you use a third-person singular subject (e.g., “Nancy,” “he,” “she,” and “it”) in the present tense (the tense for action happening now), you add an “s” at the end of the verb . 

Ignoring this rule results in subject-verb disagreement, meaning the subject and its verb don’t match. 

For example:

❌ Nancy eat buttered popcorn. 

✅ Nancy eats buttered popcorn.

That said, you don’t add an “s” to the end of the verb when using the subjects “I” (singular), “we” (plural), and “they” (plural), as this would also lead to subject-verb disagreement. 

❌ I eats buttered popcorn. 

❌ We eats buttered popcorn. 

❌ They eats buttered popcorn. 

To correct the error, simply remove the “s” from the end of “prefer” for these subjects: 

✅ I eat buttered popcorn. 

✅ We eat buttered popcorn. 

✅ They eat buttered popcorn. 

AI tip: Wordtune’s Editor can identify subject-verb disagreement and offer suggestions on how to correct it.

Get Wordtune for free > Get Wordtune for free >

4. Incorrect word choice

Many writers confuse one word for another or misuse words in their work. This often happens with homophones — words that sound the same but have different meanings or spellings, such as “weather” and “whether.”

❌ The whether is lovely today.

The word “whether” means a choice between alternatives or indicates uncertainty. However, in this sentence, it’s used like the homophone “weather,” which refers to the state of or changes in the air or atmosphere (e.g., sun, rain, etc.)

Therefore, the word “weather” is the correct choice for this sentence:

✅ The weather is lovely today.

Now, let’s reverse the context: 

❌ I don’t know weather I should read a book or watch a movie. 

The word “weather” is incorrect here because the sentence focuses on the speaker’s inability to choose between two options: read a book or watch a movie. 

Therefore, you’d use “whether”:

✅ I don’t know whether I should read a book or watch a movie. 

Pro tip: The best way to avoid incorrect word choice is to use a memory device. For example, you could remember that “we a ther” refers to the “ a ir” or “ a tmosphere” because all three words contain the letter “ a .”

5. Vague pronouns

A vague pronoun is a pronoun (e.g., “he,” “she,” or “it”) with more than one antecedent (the person, place, or thing that a pronoun refers to). Using vague pronouns confuses readers because they don’t know who or what you’re referencing. 

For instance, this sentence about Mitchell and Mike (antecedents) doesn’t clarify who the pronoun “he” refers to: 

❌ Mitchell and Mike went to the football game after he finished work. (Who finished work, Mitchell or Mike?)

To fix this issue, you could restate the subject (for instance, “Mike”) so readers know who you’re talking about:

✅ Mitchell and Mike went to the football game after Mike finished work.

A less redundant option would be to rewrite the sentence so the pronoun (“he”) is closer to the subject it replaces (“Mike”): 

✅ After Mike finished work, he and Mitchell went to the football game. 

6. Dangling modifiers 

A modifier is a word, such as an adjective, or phrase that describes another part of the sentence . 

For example, in the sentence “Lex is an English professor,” the word “English” modifies the word “professor.” Additionally, in the sentence “After watching TV, Hunter went to sleep,” the phrase “After watching TV” modifies the word “Hunter.”  

However, when a modifier describes the wrong thing because the intended subject isn’t in the right place, you get a dangling modifier. 

❌ While standing in the freezing outdoors , thoughts of hot chocolate consumed Louise . 

In this sentence, the phrase “while standing in the freezing outdoors” modifies “thoughts of hot chocolate.” However, that’s incorrect because “thoughts of hot chocolate” don’t stand outdoors.

Instead, “While standing in the freezing outdoors” is supposed to modify the person having the thoughts — the intended subject, Louise.

To correct this error, place the subject being modified immediately after the modifying phrase :

✅ While standing in the freezing outdoors , Louise was consumed with thoughts of hot chocolate. 

Now, the modifier describes what it intended to all along: the person thinking about hot chocolate, not the thoughts themselves. 

7. Missing or misplaced apostrophes

An apostrophe is a punctuation mark that forms a contraction (e.g., turning “you are” into “you’re”). It’s also used to indicate ownership . For instance, the apostrophe in the sentence “Lily’s cell phone went off in class” shows that Lily owns the phone. 

Writers often forget to include apostrophes, or they use them in the wrong place. 

The following sentence is an example of a missing apostrophe :

❌ Its hot outside.

This example uses a possessive pronoun (its), but the context of the sentence doesn’t indicate ownership. Instead, the sentence is trying to say that “it is” hot outside. 

Therefore, we need to add an apostrophe to create a contraction for “it is”:

✅ It ’ s hot outside. 

As for misplaced apostrophes , writers often make this error when dealing with plural possessive nouns. These nouns indicate that something belongs to more than one person — e.g., “the teachers’ lounge” belongs to more than one teacher. 

❌ Lane heard laughter coming from the girl ’ s locker room.

Here, the apostrophe is misplaced because the locker room doesn’t belong to only one girl (singular noun). It belongs to a group of girls (plural noun). 

So, we’d correct the sentence by adding an apostrophe after the letter “s” to make “girls” a plural possessive noun: 

✅ Lane heard laughter coming from the girls ’ locker room.

Common writing errors include run-on sentences, passive voice, subject-verb disagreement, incorrect word choice, and dangling modifiers. Many writers make these mistakes, and the first step in correcting them is knowing what they are and when they happen.

By using the information and tips in this guide, you can better understand these errors and how to fix them in your writing. 

For even more actionable advice on improving your work, read our guides on writing better sentences and making your writing flow smoothly . 

What are grammar errors in writing?

Grammar errors in writing are mistakes writers make when constructing sentences. These mistakes include subject-verb disagreement (e.g., “I eats” instead of “I eat”), run-on sentences (e.g., “Lisa was thirsty she drank three water bottles”), and inconsistent verb tense (e.g., shifting from past to present tense). 

What are common errors in writing essays?

Common errors in writing essays are grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes. These include using dangling modifiers, spelling words incorrectly, and forgetting to use an apostrophe to form a contraction (e.g., writing “its” for “it is” instead of “it’s”). Essays may also feature structural errors, such as disorganized sections or redundant arguments.

Share This Article:

Eight Steps to Craft an Irresistible LinkedIn Profile

How To Prepare For Studying Abroad (From Someone Who’s Done It)

Strategic Negotiation: How to Ask For A Raise Over Email

Looking for fresh content, thank you your submission has been received.

The challenge of being a creative person once you’ve created a person

A very tired parent’s tips for writing a book while also doing all the other things.

Eight or nine years ago, an old friend called seeking advice. She was trying to write a novel, but she was also a new mom with a full-time job, and she was exhausted. I, who had breezily published a couple of books by then, offered my best wisdom. You have to push through, I told her sternly. You have to take your own writing seriously, or nobody else will. Set aside two hours every night. Put on the coffee and push through the exhaustion. You can and will do it.

Years passed. Then I, too, had a baby. Then I, too, set out to write a book while also being a mother with a full-time job. And somewhere in the middle of this endeavor, I called my friend and asked whether my advice had been as bad as I was beginning to sense it had been. No, she told me cheerfully, it had actually been much worse. The callousness of it had shocked her, she said, until she decided that I simply hadn’t known any better and that, when I did, I would apologize.

God, I’m so sorry.

My first post-baby book came out today, and I have been thinking, almost nonstop, about the relationship between creativity and motherhood. I used to love reading articles with titles such as “The daily routines of 10 famous artists,” until I realized that Leo Tolstoy may have finished his masterpieces by locking his study doors to ensure uninterrupted productivity, but, like, what were his 13 children doing while he was in there? Did anyone check in on Mrs. Tolstoy? For the women I know, there is no setting aside a few hours at the end of the workday. The end of the workday is the beginning of the parent day. The end of the parent day is never, because 2-year-olds wake cheerfully at 5 a.m., and strep throat comes for us all.

Where, in this schedule, was the life of the mind? TikTok would not stop showing me videos of mothers showing off their “realistic beauty routines,” but what I really wanted were realistic creativity routines: the mothers who didn’t give a crap about heatless curlers, but had somehow composed a cello sonata while working five days a week as a dental hygienist.

In my bleariest days of early parenthood, I met a woman at the playground who had just finished doing something extraordinary (Triathlon? Solo art exhibit?), and when the rest of us asked her how she’d found the time, she shrugged and said, modestly, “Oh, you know.” But the point was that we didn’t know, and we were desperate for her to tell us. (Live-in grandparents? Adderall?)

The bigger point is that we weren’t really trying to figure out how to compete in triathlons. We were trying to figure out how to be people.

When you have a baby or a toddler, reminding yourself that you are a full person with your own dreams and needs can feel both completely vital and completely impossible. But being a full person is a sacred legacy to give to a child. My own mother is a folk artist. When I was growing up, she made Ukrainian eggs in the frigid concrete sunroom, a space heater at her feet, and her works were shown and sold at galleries around the Midwest. I knew then, and I know now, that my mother would die and kill for me. But I also knew that she loved other things, too. She had loved those things before she ever knew me. She had secrets and wisdom to pass on.

Her work had nothing to do with me, yet it was a gift. It paid for my brother and me to go to summer camp. It went on display at the Art Institute of Chicago, and we visited it, as well as the Seurats and the Hoppers, and ate granola bars. When my mother dies, I will carefully unwrap the tissue paper surrounding the astonishing works of art she gave to me over the years, and I will sob.

I want that for my own daughter. I want her to know that motherhood doesn’t have to atrophy personhood; it can expand it.

And in wanting that, desperately, I came up with a routine that allowed me to maintain a grip on the parts of me that were me before I was a mother. A realistic creativity routine, if you will.

I write between the hours of 10 p.m. and midnight, unless it turns out that I write between the hours of 2 a.m. and 4. I write 300 to 400 words every time I am on the Metro; I write 30 to 40 words each time I pick my daughter up from day care, in the three-minute gap between when I ring the outer bell and when a teacher’s aide comes to let me inside. I write badly. I write very, very badly, vaguely remembering a quote I’d once heard attributed to author Jodi Picoult, about how you can always edit a bad page, but you can never edit a blank page.

Does it look like the routines of Tolstoy, or Virginia Woolf, or anyone else I may have once read about in an article about the routines of famous artists? It does not. But the bad pages get edited, and then they get good.

Pursuing creativity as a working mom means, in other words, letting go of any romantic notions of what creativity means or looks like.

It means not waiting for inspiration to strike, but instead striking inspiration, bludgeoning it upside the head and wrestling it to the ground. Inspiration is a luxury, and once you realize that, you can also understand that the ability to create something through sheer force of will — without inspiration, without routine, without time — is a far more creative act than relying on a muse.

If my old friend called me now, I think that is what I would say to her. That, and:

You will not be Mark Twain, summoned by a horn when it’s time to eat the dinner someone else has prepared. You will not be going on Tchaikovsky’s vigorous two-hour walks through the countryside or spending the morning shopping for inspiring objects like Andy Warhol.

But you will create something. Not by pushing through the exhaustion so much as living alongside it, and then peering beyond it, and then stopping, and then starting, and then having superhuman discipline, and then eating a whole package of Oreos, and then finishing something beautiful at 2 a.m. and sneaking into your child’s room to see another beautiful thing, and then thinking about how the things that make us the most tired are the things that give us reason to create at all.

Site search

Sf creative writing institute to offer week-long summer camp, announcement details, announcement message.

In this one week-workshop style summer camp, teens will write stories, novel excerpts, nonfiction, and poetry in a fun, inclusive environment. 

Our goal is self-expression. Our methods are learning by doing, teaching young writers to find their unique voice, try out different styles in their writing, and follow the artistic process to see where it leads. 

Taught by working artist and college English instructor.

Ages: 

Date: .

Aug. 12-16, 2024

Time: 

12 p.m. to 5 p.m. 

Location: 

Harvey Milk Center for the Arts 

50 Scott Street 

San Francisco, Calif. 94117

Cost: 

Use code SAVE50 to get early bird discount of 50 percent off before July 1. 

SFUSD neither endorses nor sponsors the organization or activity described in this announcement. This distribution is provided as a community service.

Announcement Links

• Utility Menu

GA4 Tracking Code - DO NOT REMOVE

Site name and logo, harvard divinity school.

• Prospective Students
• Give to HDS

Graduate Profile: Sama Shah, MTS '24

Favorite Class or Professor 

There are too many courses and faculty to list! Professor Jocelyne Cesari challenged my writing and analytical abilities; she pressed me to think deeply about Islam, politics, violence, and peacebuilding. Professors Jacqueline and Homi Bhabha at the Kennedy School and FAS, respectively, gave me the theories and practical knowledge to pursue my own research on gender and migration post-graduation. Professor Muhammad Habib took my broken and shy Arabic and turned me into someone who can confidently hold a conversation with a native speaker.  

Finally, to Diane Moore, Atalia Omer, Hilary Rantisi, and Salma Waheedi – taking Narratives of Displacement and Belonging in Palestine/Israel was a blessing. I have never felt so heard and held by a teaching team. Thank you. 

Message of Thanks  

My mother – If I have done any good in these two years, if I have known any measure of success, it is due to her constant prayers and deep love. 

My husband – I could not have done half of what I did if I did not have the love and support he provided at home.  

My siblings and friends for the ways in which they have pushed me, carried me, and brought joy to my life. The HDS DIB Office – Melissa, Steph, and Matt – for witnessing me in all my chaos and supporting me through it all. The HDS RPL Office, and especially Diane Moore, Hussein Rashid, Hilary Rantisi, Susie Hayward, Judy Beals, and Atalia Omer, for possessing the kind of intellectual and personal bravery this university so needs. Ann Braude, my advisor, who approved my course plans no matter how insane they started looking. Katie, who has held and sustained us with much more than just food (although the food was always appreciated). The HDS Muslim community for all its diversity and poetry and dance and pride in our beautiful tradition. 

All Harvard students in solidarity with Palestine – what an honor it has been to know you. 

What I Hope to Be Remembered By 

Oh my gosh, I’ll be happy if I am remembered at all! I feel like I spent most of my time in class or studying. If anything, I hope I am remembered as someone who was intellectually curious, introspective, and kind. 

Future Plans 

This summer, I’ll be working with Al-Haq through RPL’s Religion, Conflict, and Peace Initiative. Then, in September, I’m headed to Amman, Jordan, to begin a nine-month research fellowship on gender and migration with support from Harvard and the Refugees, Displaced Persons, and Forced Migration Studies Center at Yarmouk University. 

• Public Events Calendar
• Harvard Divinity Bulletin