10 common mistakes non-fiction authors make

It doesn’t matter if you’re writing your first non-fiction book or your fifth. You want it to be a success and leave a lasting impression on your readers. But like most things, it’s easier said than done.

When you’re in the process of writing a book, it’s easy to doubt yourself, lose focus or fall prey to the curse of knowledge. This makes it hard to see common mistakes that can weaken your book and, sadly, lose potential readers.

Over the last 16 years, I’ve worked on dozens of non-fiction books – from history and biography to personal development and true crime – and I see the same mistakes again and again.

Luckily, they’re easy to address if you know what to look for. In this article, I’ll share some common mistakes non-fiction authors make and how to avoid them in the future.

10 common mistakes I see in non-fiction writing

These mistakes are by no means the only ones, but they're the ones I see the most. Of course, some manuscripts may only have a handful; others may have more. It all depends on the author and their writing expertise.

Note: I haven't included grammar, spelling or consistency errors. These are mechanical and easily remedied by a good editor. My focus is on big-picture mistakes that can derail a book and weaken its impact.

# 1 Unclear message

Some non-fiction books cover too many topics and don’t have a clear focus or point of view. This can make them disappear in a sea of similar titles – or lose impatient readers. Before you start writing, think about your book’s core message and make sure each chapter serves it.

# 2 Unclear target audience

Most non-fiction books struggle because the author hasn’t fully clarified who the book is for and what problem it solves for them. If you’re writing a book on nutrition, it may be tempting to say it’s for ‘everyone’, but that’s rarely the case. Be specific about your target audience, and make sure you call them out in your title/subtitle, blurb, introduction or publicity.

# 3 Lack of differentiation 

In case you hadn’t noticed, the book market is saturated. There are oodles of self-help books, biographies and cookbooks. And many of them wind up on the remainder shelves. So how do you stand out? Through differentiation.

The best way to do this is through market research, which should happen well before you start writing. Once you identify a gap in the market or a rising sub-genre, tailor your book to those readers.

# 4 Lack of cohesion

This usually becomes obvious once the book has been finished. Despite your best efforts, the content may not hang together. Perhaps you jump from one topic to another without providing a connection. Or you repeat the same ideas. Or there are gaps in your arguments. Whatever the reason, make sure each chapter has a focus, supporting evidence and clear transitions.

# 5 Inconsistent tone and depth

Books are never written in one sitting, which is why tone or depth can vary. In fact, these can change depending on your energy levels and focus. Review your writing regularly to ensure the tone (e.g. authoritative, conversational) and depth (e.g. deep analysis, light commentary) are consistent. Shifting from one tone or style to another can be disorienting for readers, so keep things on an even keel.

# 6 Weak structure

This can happen when you write your book without a plan. For example, arguments may be in the wrong order, content may be repeated and key ideas may be missing. Or maybe you’ve exceeded the word count (because you want to include everything) and don’t know what should stay and what should go.

To keep your audience engaged, make sure your chapters follow a logical structure (this is where a draft plan comes in), and that your stories, supporting evidence and statistics serve your book's goal.

# 7 Disregard for genre conventions

Whether you’re writing a cookbook, business manual or memoir, you need to follow genre conventions to be taken seriously in that space. For example, a business book often includes multiple lists, subheadings and activities to make its content accessible and actionable.

If you don’t do this, the book won’t be as appealing to general readers. That’s not to say you can’t push boundaries, but it’s best to stick to genre convention (at least until you’re well known) or you may risk losing your audience.

# 8 Unengaging voice

Just because you’re writing about a serious topic doesn’t mean you should sound stuffy or academic. In fact, dry topics can often benefit from a more relaxed writing style, particularly if you’re trying to reach a broader audience.

This means adopting a more conversational tone, with shorter sentences, contractions and colloquialisms. Once you channel your real voice, or your audience’s voice, you’ll win their attention – and trust.

# 9 Not enough storytelling

Many non-fiction books – except for true crime and memoirs – are full of fascinating ideas but few stories. This is a shame, because those ideas would come alive if they were illustrated by hypothetical or real-life examples. (To understand more about this, see Why inspiring stories make us react: The neuroscience of n narrative.)

If appropriate, start an introduction or chapter with a personal anecdote, case study or analogy, or pepper these throughout. They’ll add much-needed colour and make your book a lot more memorable for readers.

# 10 Insufficient self-editing

Sadly, this is all too common – and perhaps the most overlooked mistake. Even if you’ve researched your book thoroughly and put it through a bunch of grammar apps, you still need to revise and self-edit. And not just once.

But don't do it straight away. The key is to put your manuscript aside for a period (preferably a few weeks), which allows you to see issues that aren’t obvious when you’re writing. For more on how to do this, see How to self-edit your non-fiction book.

Why do capable writers make these mistakes?

These common mistakes don’t mean you’re a bad writer. It just means you’re human. And that the creative process is imperfect. Mistakes happen for a range of reasons:

• You’re thinking like an expert, not a reader.

• Your book evolved organically rather than being planned.

• You write what you ‘think’ readers want to hear.

• You’re afraid to write in your real voice because you might not be taken seriously.

• You’ve got a tight deadline, leaving little time for self-editing.

How can you avoid these mistakes?

You can avoid these mistakes by thinking about them before you start writing. It’ll save you a lot of frustration, angst and late-night rewrites. But if you’re well into the process, below is a checklist to keep you on track:

1. Have a clear message.

2. Know your audience.

3. Differentiate yourself.

4. Make sure your ideas hang together.

5. Ensure consistent tone and depth.

6. Follow a planned structure.

7. Follow genre conventions.

8. Make your voice engaging.

9. Tell more stories.

10. Self-edit a few times.

Final thoughts: 10 common mistakes non-fiction authors make

Writing an impactful non-fiction book doesn’t just require expertise. You also need to know your book’s goal and target audience, how to differentiate yourself and what you need to do to engage, persuade and inspire readers.

If you follow these best practices, you’ll be well on your way to writing a book that stands out for all the right reasons! However, if your non-fiction book has been derailed by poor planning or unclear goals (no judgement!) and you want a professional editor to get it back on track, I can help. Get in touch via my contact page or request a sample edit.