Nonfiction Ink

Genre (noun); a loose set of criteria for a category of composition.

A book’s genre helps inform a potential reader what to expect emotionally, structurally, and intellectually.  Genre, then, creates a set of expectations and it’s your job as the writer to know what those expectations are and deliver them to the reader.

The most effective way to understand nonfiction genre is to peruse complimentary, as well as competitive, books in the same genre as your book idea.  Analyze the books in your niche and note:

1. The Layout – do most contain sidebars, case studies, anecdotes, photos or charts?

2. The Structure – number of chapters and sections, and overall book length

3. The Delivery – is the style casual or formal, is the tone fun and motivational or sincere and cautionary?

4. The Content – is the manuscript packed with hard-hitting information, statistical / technical overload, complex theories, or detailed historical accounts or does it contain simple step-by-step instructions, home-spun advice, basic processes, or easily understood philosophy?

5. The Purpose – is it to educate, motivate, expose, entertain, convince, inspire, or connect and share the human experience?

HOW-TO
How-To books outsell every other nonfiction genre.  Within the how-to niche the best selling categories are:  Business/Leadership/Career, Parenting, Sex, Money/Finances, Dieting/Weight Loss, and Health/Fitness.  Most how-to books are filled with instructions, valuable information, tips, suggestions, examples, and illustrations.  Information is presented sequentially with each chapter supporting the overall concept.  These books conclude with the “goal”.
Starting on a Shoestring: Building a Business without a Bankroll, Scrapbook Basics, WordPress for Dummies

SELF-HELP
Self-Help books encompass the realm of psychology and, no surprise here, the most popular category is Relationships.  Self-help books usually have more examples than how-to books.  The author’s style is often casual, as if conversing with an old friend.
Surviving the Breakup, From Panic to Power, Overcoming Depression

TRAVEL GUIDES
Travel guidebooks are always in demand, especially if they cover a location that hasn’t been done-to-death or take a fresh spin on a topic (The Top 100 Romantic Places to Kiss).  Travel guides require detailed research and must provide all the necessary information and tips to help the reader successfully plan a trip to the destination.
Away for the Weekend, Europe on $50 a Day

COOKING AND FOOD
Hundreds of new cookbooks are published each year.  To succeed in this competitive genre you’ll need a distinctive theme that captures the reader’s attention.  Cookbooks incorporate vibrant photos, systematic detailed instructions, and a casual ‘you-can-do-it’ style.
Almost Vegetarian, The Complete Book of Bread Machine Baking, Grilling Madness

INSPIRATIONAL / RELIGIOUS / SPIRITUAL / METAPHYSICAL
These books uplift reader’s spirits and require an author who is closely attuned to the readership – who they are, what they assume, their “language” – and has a full understanding of the history of the subject.
The Purpose-Driven Life, Conversations with God, The Case for Faith

REFERENCE
Successful reference books never go out-of-date.  Authors can simply update the content every 5 to 8 years.  Popular reference categories include Computer and Internet books as well as Directories.  “Coffee table” books also fall under this genre (Architecture, Art, and Photography are popular subgenres).
The Quotable Star Wars, 35,000 Baby Names, Crossword Puzzle Dictionary

HUMOR
Humor books are usually given as gifts.  They’re short, funny, and have an identifiable audience (cat owners, golfers, married women).
If Dogs Could Talk, The Women’s Daily Irony Supplement, Unusually Stupid Americans

MEDICAL & SCIENCE
Science books can be successful sellers (think of Stephen Hawking’s A Brief History of Time or The Physics of Star Trek).  They require extensive research, interviewing and fact checking and often incorporate charts, graphs, illustrations, and a thorough glossary.

STAY-TUNED: In my next post I will cover narrative nonfiction genres.

Related posts:

1. Five Steps To Understanding Your Niche (Nonfiction Genre, Part 2)
2. Five Steps to Highlighting Key Ideas
3. 10 Strategies to Write a Bestselling Nonfiction Book

Tags: nonfiction genre, reader expectations

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