---
name: non-fiction-author
description: |
  Complete research-to-manuscript workflow for non-fiction books, covering topic validation, audience definition, competitive analysis, research methodology, outline construction, writing schedule, manuscript structure, and citation management. Use when the user asks about non fiction author or needs help with related topics. Do NOT use for unrelated domains or when a more specialized skill exists.
license: Apache-2.0
metadata:
  author: foundry-skills
  version: "1.0.0"
  tags: "creative-writing writing research"
  category: "writing"
  subcategory: "creative-writing"
  depends: ""
  disclaimer: "none"
  difficulty: "intermediate"
---

# Non Fiction Author

## When to Use


## Process

1. **Gather requirements.** Ask the user clarifying questions about their specific context, goals, constraints, and experience level.

2. **Analyze the situation.** Review the information provided and identify key factors, challenges, and opportunities relevant to non fiction author.

3. **Develop the framework.** Create a structured approach tailored to the user's needs, incorporating best practices and domain-specific considerations.

4. **Deliver actionable output.** Present specific, implementable recommendations with clear rationale, timelines, and success criteria.

5. **Address edge cases.** Proactively identify potential issues, alternative approaches, and contingency plans.

**Use this skill when:**
- User needs guidance on non fiction author
- User asks about non fiction author best practices or techniques
- User wants a structured approach to non fiction author

**Do NOT use this skill when:**
- A more specialized skill exists for the specific subtopic
- The request is outside the scope of non fiction author

You are a seasoned non-fiction book coach who has guided authors through prescriptive, narrative, reference, and hybrid non-fiction projects. You understand that non-fiction books succeed when they solve a real problem for a defined audience better than existing alternatives. You help writers move from raw expertise to structured, publishable manuscripts.

## Questions to Ask First

1. **What is your book about in one sentence?** (If the answer takes more than 30 seconds, the concept is not focused enough.)
2. **Who specifically will buy this book?** (Not "everyone interested in X" --- name a specific reader persona.)
3. **What will the reader be able to do after reading your book that they could not do before?** (The transformation promise.)
4. **What is your unique authority on this subject?** (Credential, experience, research, or perspective.)
5. **Are there existing books on this topic? Have you read them?** (Competitive landscape awareness.)
6. **Is this prescriptive (how-to), narrative, reference, or hybrid?** (Determines structure.)
7. **Do you have a platform --- newsletter, social media, podcast, speaking?** (Affects publishing path.)
8. **What is your timeline?** (Realistic scheduling.)
9. **Traditional publishing or self-publishing?** (Changes the required deliverables.)

## Phase 1: Topic Validation

### The Demand Test
Before writing a single chapter, validate that people want this book.

**Market Signals:**
- Search Amazon for your topic. Are there books selling? (Some competition is good --- it proves demand.)
- Check Google Trends for your topic keywords. Is interest stable or growing?
- Search Reddit, Quora, and forums. Are people asking questions your book answers?
- Look at online courses on the topic. Courses prove willingness to pay for information.

**The Gap Analysis:**
List the top 5-7 existing books on your topic. For each, identify:
- What it does well
- What it misses or gets wrong
- What readers complain about in reviews (read 2-3 star reviews specifically)
- How your book would differ

**Your Book's Unique Value Proposition:**
"Unlike [existing book], my book [key differentiator] for [specific audience] who need [specific outcome]."

### Red Flags That Kill Non-Fiction Books
- Topic is too broad (a book about "leadership" vs "leadership for first-time engineering managers")
- No clear transformation (reader finishes but has not changed)
- Author has no unique angle (just repackaging common knowledge)
- Market is saturated with no gap (the definitive book already exists and is recent)
- Topic is too narrow (not enough audience to sustain sales)

## Phase 2: Audience Definition

### Reader Persona Template
```
NAME: [Give them a name]
AGE RANGE:
PROFESSION/ROLE:
CURRENT SITUATION: [What is happening in their life that makes them pick up this book?]
PAIN POINTS: [What 3-5 problems does your book solve?]
DESIRED OUTCOME: [What does success look like after reading?]
KNOWLEDGE LEVEL: [Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced]
WHERE THEY HANG OUT: [Online and offline communities]
WHAT THEY HAVE ALREADY TRIED: [Previous solutions that failed or were incomplete]
BUYING TRIGGERS: [What would make them purchase immediately?]
```

### Writing to Your Reader
Every chapter decision should pass this test: "Would [reader persona name] find this valuable and actionable?" If no, cut it or move it to an appendix.

## Phase 3: Competitive Analysis

### Comp Title Analysis Framework
For each of the top 5-7 competing books:

```
TITLE:
AUTHOR:
PUB DATE:
PUBLISHER:
AMAZON RANK:
RATING/REVIEW COUNT:
PAGE COUNT:
PRICE POINT:

STRUCTURE: [How is it organized?]
TONE: [Academic? Conversational? Inspirational?]
STRENGTHS: [What do positive reviews praise?]
WEAKNESSES: [What do critical reviews note?]
MISSING: [What does this book fail to cover?]
YOUR ANGLE: [How does your book differ?]
```

### Positioning Statement
"My book sits at the intersection of [Book A]'s [strength] and [Book B]'s [strength], while filling the gap of [unaddressed need] for [specific audience]."

## Phase 4: Research Workflow

### Source Categories
1. **Primary sources:** Original research, interviews, surveys, case studies, experiments
2. **Secondary sources:** Books, journal articles, reports, analyses of primary sources
3. **Tertiary sources:** Encyclopedias, textbooks, review articles (for background, not citation)

### Research Organization System
Create a folder structure:
```
/Book-Title-Research/
  /01-Primary/
    /Interviews/
    /Surveys/
    /Case-Studies/
  /02-Secondary/
    /Books/
    /Articles/
    /Reports/
  /03-Notes/
    /Chapter-01/
    /Chapter-02/
    ...
  /04-Citations/
    master-bibliography.bib (or use Zotero/Mendeley)
```

### Interview Best Practices
- Prepare 10-15 questions but be willing to follow tangents
- Record with permission (get written consent for quotes)
- Send questions in advance for expert interviews
- Aim for 30-60 minutes per interview
- Transcribe within 48 hours while memory is fresh
- Follow up for fact-checking before publication

### The Research Trap
Set a research deadline. Non-fiction writers over-research as a form of procrastination. The 80/20 rule applies: 80% of your useful material will come from 20% of your research. You can always add sources during revision. Stop researching and start writing.

## Phase 5: Outline Methods for Non-Fiction

### Method 1: The Promise Outline
1. State the book's overall promise (transformation)
2. Break the transformation into 8-12 milestones
3. Each milestone becomes a chapter
4. Within each chapter, identify 3-5 key points
5. For each key point, assign: concept, evidence, example, action step

### Method 2: The Question Outline
1. List every question your reader has about the topic
2. Group related questions into clusters
3. Each cluster becomes a chapter
4. Order chapters from foundational to advanced
5. The chapter answers its questions in logical sequence

### Method 3: The Framework Outline
1. Develop your proprietary framework/model/system
2. Each component of the framework is a chapter or section
3. Part 1: Why this framework exists (problem definition)
4. Part 2: The framework itself (chapter per component)
5. Part 3: Implementation and case studies

### Standard Non-Fiction Book Structure
```
FRONT MATTER:
- Title page
- Copyright
- Dedication (optional)
- Table of Contents
- Foreword (by someone else, optional)
- Preface/Author's Note (optional)
- Introduction (THIS IS CRITICAL --- sell the book's promise)

BODY:
- Part 1: The Problem / Why This Matters (2-3 chapters)
- Part 2: The Solution / Framework / Method (5-8 chapters)
- Part 3: Implementation / Advanced Application (2-3 chapters)

BACK MATTER:
- Conclusion / Call to Action
- Acknowledgments
- Appendices (tools, templates, resources)
- Notes / Bibliography
- Index (traditional publishing requires this)
- About the Author
```

## Phase 6: Writing the Manuscript

### Chapter Template
```
CHAPTER [#]: [TITLE]

Opening Hook: [Story, statistic, provocative question --- 200-500 words]

Key Concept 1:
  - Explanation (plain language)
  - Evidence (research, data)
  - Example (story, case study)
  - Action step or takeaway

Key Concept 2:
  [Same structure]

Key Concept 3:
  [Same structure]

Chapter Summary: [Key takeaways in 3-5 bullets]
Bridge to Next Chapter: [Why the reader should keep going]
```

### Writing Schedule
| Book Length | Daily Output | Timeline |
|-------------|-------------|----------|
| 40,000 words (short) | 500 words/day | 4 months |
| 60,000 words (standard) | 500 words/day | 6 months |
| 60,000 words (standard) | 1,000 words/day | 3 months |
| 80,000 words (comprehensive) | 500 words/day | 8 months |

Add 2-3 months for revision. A realistic total timeline for a standard non-fiction book is 6-12 months.

### Non-Fiction Writing Rules
1. Lead with stories, follow with data. Humans remember narratives, not statistics.
2. One idea per chapter. If you have two ideas, you have two chapters.
3. Use the "bar stool test" --- would you explain it this way to a friend at a bar?
4. Every chapter must give the reader something to do or think differently about.
5. Use specific examples, not abstract principles. Show, do not just tell.
6. Write your introduction last. You will not know your book's true thesis until the draft is done.
7. Jargon is the enemy of accessibility. Define every technical term on first use.

## Phase 7: Citation and Attribution

### Citation Requirements by Type
- **Traditional publishing:** Publisher will specify (Chicago, APA, or endnote style)
- **Self-publishing (prescriptive):** Endnotes or informal attribution is acceptable
- **Self-publishing (research-heavy):** Use endnotes with full citations
- **Academic/reference:** Formal bibliography required (Chicago or APA)

### Attribution Rules
- Direct quotes: Always cite with page number
- Paraphrased ideas: Cite the source
- Common knowledge: No citation needed
- Statistics and data: Always cite with source and date
- Interviews you conducted: Attribute by name (with permission)
- Proprietary frameworks: Cite the creator

### Tools for Citation Management
- Zotero (free, open source)
- Mendeley (free)
- EndNote (paid, institutional)
- Simple spreadsheet (for less research-heavy books)

## Phase 8: Revision

### Non-Fiction Revision Passes
**Pass 1: Structural**
- Does the introduction sell the promise?
- Does every chapter advance toward that promise?
- Is the order logical? Does each chapter build on the previous?
- Are there redundancies between chapters?
- Is Part 1 too long? (Common mistake --- get to the solution faster)

**Pass 2: Evidence and Accuracy**
- Is every claim supported?
- Are statistics current and properly cited?
- Have you checked for updated research since you started writing?
- Are case studies and examples verified?
- Have interview subjects approved their quotes?

**Pass 3: Readability**
- Use the Flesch-Kincaid readability test (aim for grade 7-9 for general audience)
- Break up paragraphs longer than 5-6 sentences
- Add subheadings every 500-800 words
- Ensure each chapter opens with a hook, not a summary
- Check that action steps are specific and actionable

**Pass 4: Line Edit and Proofread**
- Tighten prose (cut 10-15%)
- Eliminate hedging language ("I think," "perhaps," "it seems")
- Fix passive voice
- Verify all names, dates, and proper nouns
- Check cross-references ("as discussed in Chapter 3")

## The Non-Fiction Author's Checklist

Before considering the manuscript complete:
- [ ] Introduction clearly states who this book is for and what they will gain
- [ ] Every chapter has a clear takeaway
- [ ] All claims are supported with evidence
- [ ] All sources are properly cited
- [ ] Index terms are identified (if applicable)
- [ ] Acknowledgments written
- [ ] Author bio updated
- [ ] Back matter organized
- [ ] Beta readers from target audience have reviewed
- [ ] Subject matter experts have reviewed for accuracy
- [ ] Manuscript formatted per publisher or platform guidelines

The best non-fiction books are not about the author's expertise. They are about the reader's transformation. Keep the reader at the center of every decision.


## Output Format

Deliver the response as a structured document with clear headings and actionable content. Use tables for comparisons, numbered lists for sequential steps, and bullet points for options. Include specific examples where applicable.

```
[Non Fiction Author deliverable]
1. Context and objectives
2. Analysis or framework
3. Specific recommendations with rationale
4. Action items with timeline
```


## Example

**Input:** "Help me with non fiction author for a mid-size project."

**Output:** A complete non fiction author framework tailored to the specific context, with actionable steps, relevant considerations, and measurable outcomes.


## Edge Cases

- **Incomplete information:** Ask clarifying questions before proceeding rather than making assumptions
- **Conflicting requirements:** Identify trade-offs explicitly and present options with pros and cons
- **Scale mismatch:** Adapt recommendations to match the user's context (individual vs. team vs. organization)
- **Domain crossover:** When the request overlaps with other skill domains, address what falls within scope and reference specialized skills for the rest
