Are non-fiction lines declining?
Vanessa Grossett shares how sales of non-fiction books are on the decline and provides insight on how writers can achieve success writing non-fiction
I recently read an article stating that sales in non-fiction titles have dropped dramatically. There were many reasons why this is the case.
One theory said it was due to financial difficulties within the publishing industry. Another was people wanting escapism, which is why fiction books are more popular and why podcasts have taken over.
Though these reasons may be the case, no one mentioned the possibility that publishers were choosing popularity over manuscripts that readers actually want.
Whenever I present non-fiction to publishers, the main reason they get turned down is because they believe the author is not popular not enough on social media; they don’t even care about the manuscript.
Also, when I asked one publisher what type of manuscript she is looking for, this was her response:
It is not about the content; rather, if they are well known in their area and have a good following.
However, a person can have a million followers, but it doesn’t mean every follower is genuine and will buy the author’s book – especially if the creator is not interested in their community and just cares about the views. People will eventually stop supporting.
There is also too much reliance on celebrities. I believe the celebrity culture is diminishing, and no one is really that interested in celebrities anymore, especially when they can access them through social media – unlike before, where you didn’t have access to information about their lives. Also, nowadays, anyone can become a celebrity when their posts go viral on the internet.
People want genuine non-fiction manuscripts they can relate to, written by people they can relate to. This is what some publishers are not seeing. They are not making publishing decisions on what readers actually want; rather, they are following trends and popularity, which can be short-term. Once the trend and popularity are no longer there, what happens? A decline in book sales.
Now, if you are a non-fiction author, you may be thinking, If sales of non-fiction are declining, what chance do I have. Shall I still write my book?
Yes, still write your non-fiction book, but remember the following:
It needs to have commercial value: Your non-fiction book needs to be relatable for the mass market. You need to think of something that is relatable to everybody, like self-help, relationships… even dietary books and cookbooks.
This is why books like Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill sell well to this day. It was written decades ago – first published in 1937 – and it is still relevant.
Even though there are some faith elements in the book, it nevertheless appeals to a mass market, because it is about self-improvement, as well as how to grow wealthy, which is universally relatable.
Now, you may want to write a book about your childhood or about surviving abuse, you can still write that, but remember it doesn’t have commercial value, as not everyone has had traumatic experiences. I do agree that people want escapism, this is why writing hard-hitting non-fiction may not appeal to the mass market.
You want to write a book like Napoleon Hill, which can appeal to the mass market, have commercial value, and be read for decades.
Aim to use a narrative non-fiction writing style: Narrative non-fiction is written like a fiction story; the difference is that the non-fiction is based on true events. This type of writing style is very popular and will hook people into reading into your book.
Narrative non-fiction is particularly useful for memoirs. Many writers have approached me, wanting to write their memoir, but they are unknown.
Writing your memoir in a narrative non-fiction style can increase chances of commercial value. But remember, as an author starting out, you will need to market and self-publish to gain your credibility.
Even if you are writing self-help and you use examples, try and aim for a narrative non-fiction style of writing to keep the audience’s attention.
Experience vs research: You may be interested in writing about a topic that you believe has commercial value, but you’re not an expert in that field. What do you do?
You can interview people who do have experience in the field, and let them know you will be including them in your book. It is not uncommon for authors to do this. Just have a great marketing plan.
Happy writing.
VANESSA GROSSETT
Literary agent at The Authors Care Agency Ltd
www.theauthorscareltd.co.uk
