non fiction book review template

Lesley Ann McDaniel

Real Life~Pure Fiction

How to Write a Nonfiction Book Review

May 13, 2013

Do you love reading nonfiction books? Why not try your hand at reviewing them.

What is a nonfiction book review?

A book review is a critical evaluation of a book. It isn’t just a summary, but gives commentary that will be uniquely yours as the writer of the review. The difference between a review of fiction versus nonfiction is that with the latter, the reviewer will evaluate the piece not so much on its entertainment value as on whether it fulfills its promise to solve a particular problem or deliver certain information.

Why write book reviews?

Reviews help books get noticed and gain credibility. Writers want to receive reviews to show readers that their book is widely-read and well-received.

Where are reviews posted?

These days, the answer is ‘lots of places.’ Many reviewers post book reviews on their own blogs. You can also post reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, library websites, or submit them to other people’s review blogs. If you really want to get serious, there are a lot of literary journals that accept freelance reviews.

How long should a review be?

That will depend largely on where you are planning to submit your review. Check for guidelines, and assume that you will write anywhere from 100 to 1500 words. Be succinct, but give enough to serve the purpose of the review.

Points to Consider:

●What if you really don’t like the book? Always write your reviews with integrity. If you honestly don’t like a book, write your review as if you are in a critique session with the author. Use positive words and avoid sarcasm.

●Take time to read reviews written by other readers, but keep in mind that many of them are not trained reviewers.

●Review the book that has been written, not the book you think the author should have written. It isn’t fair to criticize an author for failing to achieve something he or she never intended to achieve.

Nonfiction Book Review Template:

Opening statement: Include title and author.

What does the book promise to deliver to the reader? Another way to look at it is, what problem does this book promise to solve?

Does it accomplish what it sets out to accomplish?

If so, how?

If not, what could the author have done differently?

What makes this author uniquely qualified to write on this topic?

What is the tone of the book? Is it humorous and easy to relate to, or is it more dry and academic?

Overall impression: This is where you give your personal take on the book.

Suggested points to include:

Was the book written in a way that you as a reader could easily relate to?

What was your favorite part of the book?

Do you have a least favorite part of the book?

If you could change something, what would it be?

Are there photos or illustrations? If so, are they effective in enhancing the book’s message?

Would you recommend this book?

What type of reader would enjoy this book?

There are so many wonderful nonfiction books out there. Have a great time reading and reviewing!

Have you written any nonfiction book reviews?

If you enjoyed this post, you might also enjoy How to Write a Fiction Book Review .

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She Seeks Nonfiction

A skeptic's quest for books, science, & humanism

How to Write a Nonfiction Book Review

Next week, I will be writing my 50th nonfiction book review on this blog. Learning brings me great joy, and when I learn fascinating things in my books, I can’t help but share them with you!

With Nonfiction November coming up, I know that many fiction book bloggers will try their hand at reading and reviewing nonfiction, and that many people aren’t used to it. There is often no character development, plot, setting, or allegory to critique, so what is left? Well, there is actually a lot to talk about, and I think reviewing nonfiction books is a lot of fun! I hope that through this post, my passion for writing nonfiction book reviews can inspire the unsure to give it a try.

There is not one correct way to write a book review. I write mine for fun, as a way to make blog posts that entertain me and hopefully my audience. Reviews make reading more fun and they help me to better engage as I read. They can even make it more bearable to finish a book I hate, because I know that my review will be interesting ! Regardless, here are some tips that help me write book reviews that I am proud of.

Mark up your book

I’ll start off with the obvious: I think that underlining and taking notes in nonfiction books is a great way to remember what you read and get ideas for your review as you go. My husband is adamant that my constant marking up of brand new books makes me a crazy person, and I can’t blame him for that. Some people can’t stand it.

If this is you— or if you read library books —then don’t worry! You can still use sticky notes or keep a separate notebook handy. I actually do this when I read books that are so old I would not dare deface them. Of course, e-readers make this easy; you can highlight and add notes without vandalizing anything. Finally, I know that a lot of people like to listen to nonfiction audiobooks, but I can’t imagine that you would absorb the information enough to make a review that way. But hey, if you can, more power to you!

Answer these three questions

I believe that each review will be as different as each book is, but there are a few questions that I attempt to answer no matter what.

Does it accomplish its goal?

First, I critique it according to its own criteria. Does the title promise that the book will deliver something specific? Is it meant to persuade you or inform you, and if so, how does it do? If a book’s title starts with “How to,” then you know exactly what the goal is. For example, How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi did exactly that; Kendi repeatedly began sentences with, “To be an antiracist is to…” which is about as straightforward as it gets. On the other hand, How to Argue With a Racist by Adam Rutherford might sound like it gives responses to specific points you’d hear in an argument, but it doesn’t. (It was still a great book though!)

(Now that I’m on the topic, Let the People Pick the President: The Case for Abolishing the Electoral College by Jesse Wegman does give line-by-line responses for arguments, which I thought was a great approach.)

There are more ways that a book can express its goal. Maybe the introduction lays out why the book exists at all. This is one thing I really appreciate about Richard Dawkins’ books. My feelings about the book as a whole are mixed (and my feelings about Dawkins as a person are lacking), but in the preface of The God Delusion , Dawkins lists out exactly how he is going to make his case for atheism. He promises to meet different readers where they are. “Do you believe X? Well, I explain this exact thing in Chapter X.” The man knows how to make a promise. Obviously, a preface does not need to be this explicit to make a book good, but it definitely made my review easier. This was especially great for me, as The God Delusion was only the second book I ever reviewed.

Do I like it?

Even though Adam Rutherford’s How to Argue With a Racist did not teach me how to argue with a racist, I still gave it a rave review. That’s because the second question I set out to answer is a simple one: Did I like the book? I’m the one writing the review, so I decide whether it’s a positive or negative one. This is when book reviews get really subjective, and why I love when there are many of the same book. No two people will have the same exact opinions about it. Many times, I have admitted that a book was probably good , but that I don’t think I was the right audience for it.

Does it speak to a target audience?

This brings me to the third question: do you know the book’s target audience? If there is no clear audience, then there’s a good chance the whole book is moot. Take this post, for instance. My intended audience is primarily fiction book bloggers who are trying out nonfiction book reviews for November. Hopefully other people will find something useful or entertaining out of it, but if you don’t care about books or reviews or blogging at all, then this post probably isn’t for you.

Decide whether you want to stick to a formula

If you have never written a nonfiction book review before, it can be easier to follow a formula and always know what you want to include in your review. A great example of this is fellow nonfiction book blogger Paula Ghete ‘s book reviews such as this one of Cosmos by Carl Sagan ( which you can compare to mine to see how greatly our styles vary). Her book reviews are structured this way:

Title: Cosmos Author: Carl Sagan Category: Non-fiction, Science Rating: 5/5 10-Word Summary: We can understand the Universe only if we study it. About Cosmos [short summary] What I like about Cosmos [list with bullet points and descriptions] What I don’t like about Cosmos [list with bullet points and descriptions]

In other book reviews, such as this one , Paula also included the following sections:

Quotes from The Idiot Brain [lists eight relatively short quotes] Should You Read The Idiot Brain? [succinct, defined answer]

Admittedly, her reviews are clearly written with SEO and readability in mind. Search engines love to say, “The more headlines and the shorter the sections, the merrier,” so that they know what the post is about. This also helps the reader to get Paula’s big ideas even if they don’t wade through the – gasp – paragraphs !

On the other hand, my review of Cosmos described how it left me speechless, why it was virtually unreviewable, why it made me almost cry watching the launch of NASA’s Perseverance, and why Sagan is so beloved in the atheist community .

Something fun about me is that I pretty much write whatever I feel like writing, which might make you think that I would not be the most qualified to tell you how you should write your own book reviews, but there I go again, writing whatever I feel like which includes this review-tutorial. Look, I’m just here for a good time.

How my own book reviews take shape

As I said earlier, each review can be as different as each book. This is more true for someone like me than for someone who is a little more organized like Paula Ghete, because I don’t really abide by any restraints. I don’t write only book reviews, so if a review takes me to another topic that I care about anyways, I’ll just talk about that. I love when a book simply inspires me to share what I’ve learned from it, or gives me the opportunity to ponder something I wouldn’t have thought of if I hadn’t read it.

The Gnostic Gospels by Elaine Pagels was a pretty informative book about—you guessed it—the Gnostic Gospels and Gnostic Christianity. I honestly didn’t have much to say about the book itself, but it caused me to compare early Gnostic Christianity to modern-day Progressive Christianity, list the similarities and differences, and pose the question to my Progressive Christian audience what they think of it.

My review of The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism by Katherine Stewart had a similar fate. An actual review of the book was definitely present throughout my post on it, but it was a great chance for me to delve into my own experiences learning about Christian Nationalism , inside and outside of Stewart’s book. I also found myself comparing The Power Worshippers to Andrew Seidel’s The Founding Myth: Why Christian Nationalism is Un-American and explaining why the two books complement each other.

When I’ve read two or more books by the same author or on the same subject, I love to compare and contrast them or explain how they go together. I’ve done that with these, as well as books by Ibram X. Kendi , Ian Tattersall , Carl Sagan , and the two most famous works in the atheist community .

Final thoughts

As is the case with many of my book reviews, there is a lot more I could say. And like those, I often have to stop myself from rambling on ad nauseum . When this happens with a review , I have to just give the big idea, some fun facts, and then tell my audience that you really ought to read it for yourself. So I’ll do that here. I hope that my advice has helped you to see nonfiction reviews as a little less scary, and I encourage you to try writing them yourself! I’m so excited to read them!

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25+ Book Review Templates and Ideas to Organize Your Thoughts

Danika Ellis

Danika spends most of her time talking about queer women books at the Lesbrary. Blog: The Lesbrary Twitter: @DanikaEllis

View All posts by Danika Ellis

When I was a kid I loved reading, but I hated book reports. It felt impossible to boil a book down to a few lines or even a page of writing. Besides, by the time I had to write the report, I had already forgotten a lot. It never ceases to be painful to try to pull my thoughts and opinions out of my head and put them on the page, especially in a coherent way.

As an adult, I continue to usually find writing book reviews painful . And yet, I maintain a book blog with reviews of all the (bi and lesbian) books I read. Why? For one thing, I want to raise the visibility of these books — or, in the case of a book I loathed, warn other readers of what to expect. It helps me to build community with other book lovers. It’s also a great way to force myself pay attention to how I’m feeling while I’m reading a book and what my thoughts are afterwards. I have learned to take notes as I go, so I have something to refer to by the time I write a review, and it has me notice what a book is doing well (and what it isn’t). The review at the end helps me to organize my thoughts. I also find that I remember more once I’ve written a review.

Once you’ve decided it’s worthwhile to write a review, though, how do you get started? It can be a daunting task. The good news is, book reviews can adapt to whatever you want them to be. A book review can be a tweet with a thumbs up or thumbs down emoji, maybe with a sentence or two of your thoughts; it can also be an in-depth essay on the themes of the book and its influence on literature. Most are going to fall somewhere between those two! Let go of the idea of trying to create the One True Book Review. Everyone is looking for something different, and there is space for GIF-filled squee fests about a book and thoughtful, meditative explorations of a work.

This post offers a variety of book reviews elements that you can mix and match to create a book review template that works for you. Before you get started, though, there are some questions worth addressing.

Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Book Review Template

Where will you be posting your book reviews.

An Instagram book review will likely look different from a blog book review. Consider which platform you will be using for your book review. You can adapt it for different platforms, or link to your original review, but it’s a good starting point. Instagram reviews tend to be a lot shorter than blog reviews, for instance.

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Will you be using the same template every time?

Some book reviewers have a go-to book review template. Others have a different one for each genre, while another group doesn’t use a template at all and just reacts to whatever each book brings up.

Heading or no headings?

When choosing which book review elements to mix and match, you can also decide whether to include a header for each section (like Plot, Characterization, Writing, etc). Headers make reviews easier to browse, but they may not have the professional, essay-style look that you’re going for.

Why are you writing a review?

When selecting which elements to include in your review, consider what the purpose is. Do you want to better remember the plot by writing about it? You probably want to include a plot summary, then. Do you want to help readers decide whether they should read this book? A pros and cons list might be helpful. Are you trying to track something about your reading, like an attempt to read more books in translation or more books by authors of color? Are you trying to buy fewer books and read off your TBR shelf instead? These are all things you can note in a review, usually in a point-form basic information block at the beginning.

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Book Review Templates and Formats

Essay-style.

This is a multi-paragraph review, usually with no headers. It’s the same format most newspapers and academics use for book reviews. Many essay-style reviews use informal categories in their writing, often discussing setting, writing, characters, and plot in their own paragraphs. They usually also discuss the big themes/messages of a story. Here are some questions to consider when writing an essay-style review:

What is the author trying to do? Don’t evaluate a romance novel based on a mystery novel’s criteria. First try to think about what the book was attempting to do, then try to evaluate if they achieved it. You can still note if you didn’t like it, but it’s good to know what it was aiming for first.

What are some of the themes of the story? What big message should the reader take away? Did you agree with what the book seemed to be saying? Why or why not?

How is this story relevant to the world? What is it saying about the time it was written in? About human nature? About society or current issues? Depending on the book, there may be more or less to dig into here.

What did this book make you think about? It may be that the themes in the book were just a launching off point. How did they inspire your own thinking? How did this book change you?

A Classic Book Review

This is probably the most common kind of book review template. It uses a few criteria, usually including Setting, Writing, Characters, and Plot (for a novel). The review then goes into some detail about each element, describing what the book did well, and where it fell short.

The advantage of this format is that it’s very straightforward and applies to almost any fiction read. It can also be adapted–you will likely have more to say about the plot in a mystery/thriller than a character study of a novel. A drawback, though, is that it can feel limiting. You might have thoughts that don’t neatly fit into these categories, or you could feel like you don’t have enough to say about some of the categories.

Pros and Cons

A common format for a Goodreads review is some variation of pros and cons. This might be “What I Liked/What I Didn’t Like” or “Reasons to Bump This Up Your TBR/Reasons to Bump This Down On Your TBR.” This is a very flexible system that can accommodate anything from a few bullet points each to paragraphs each. It gives a good at-a-glance impression of your thoughts (more cons than pros is a pretty good indication you didn’t like it). It also is broad enough that almost all your thoughts can likely be organized into those headings.

This is also a format that is easily mix and matched with the elements listed below. A brief review might give the title, author, genre, some brief selling points of the novel, and then a pros and cons list. Some reviews also include a “verdict” at the end. An example of this format:

The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O’Neill

🌟 Fantasy All-Ages Comic 💫 Adorable pet dragons ✨ A diverse cast

Pros: This book has beautiful artwork. It is a soothing read, and all the character are supportive of each other. This is a story about friendship and kindness.

Cons: Don’t expect a fast-moving plot or a lot of conflict. This is a very gentle read.

Another approach to the review is not, strictly speaking, a book review template at all. Instead, it’s something like “5 Reasons to Read TITLE by Author” or “The # Most Shocking Plot Twists in X Series.” An advantage of this format is that it can be very to-the-point: if you want to convince people to read a book, it makes sense to just write a list of reasons they should read the book. It may also be more likely to get clicked on–traditional book reviews often get less views than more general posts.

On the other hand, listicles can come off as gimmicky or click-bait. You’ll have to decide for yourself if the book matches this format, and whether you are writing this out of genuine enthusiasm or are just trying to bend a review to be more clickable.

Your Own Original Rating System

Lots of reviewers decide to make their own review format based on what matters to them. This is often accompanied by a ratings system. For instance, the BookTube channel Book Roast uses the CAWPILE system:

CAWPILE is an acronym for the criteria she rates: Characters, Atmosphere, Writing, Plot, Intrigue, Logic, Enjoyment. Each of those are rated 1–10, and the average given is the overall rating. By making your own ratings/review system, you can prioritize what matters to you.

My favorite rating system is Njeri’s from Onyx Pages , because it shows exactly what she’s looking for from books, and it helps her to think about and speak about the things she values:

A “Live Tweet” or Chronological Review

Another format possibility is live tweeting (or updating as you go on Goodreads, or whatever your platform of choice is). This has you document your initial thoughts as you read, and it’s usually informal and often silly. You can add what you’re loving, what you’re hating, and what questions you have as you go.

This is a fun format for when you’re reading a popular book for the first time. That way, other people can cackle at how unprepared you are as you read it. This requires you to remember to always have your phone on you as you read, to get your authentic thoughts as they happen, but it saves on having to write a more in-depth review. Alternately, some people include both a “first impressions” section and a more in-depth analysis section in their final review.

Get Creative

There are plenty of book review templates to choose from and elements to mix-and-match, but you can also respond in a completely original way. You could create a work of art in response to the book! Here are some options:

Writing a song , a short story, or a poem
Writing a letter to the author or the main character (you don’t have to send it to the author!)
Writing an “interview” of a character from the book, talk show style
Making a visual response, like a collage or painting
Making a book diorama, like your elementary school days!

Mix-and-Match Elements of a Book Review

Most book reviews are made up of a few different parts, which can be combined in lots of different ways. Here is a selection to choose from! These might also give you ideas for your own elements. Don’t take on too much, though! It can easily become an overwhelming amount of information for readers.

Information

Usually a book review starts with some basic information about the book. What you consider basic information, though, is up for interpretation! Consider what you and your audience will think is important. Here are some ideas:

The title and author (pretty important)
The book’s cover
Format (audiobook, comic, poetry, etc)
Genre (this can be broad, like SFF, or narrow, like Silkpunk or Dark Academia)
Content warnings
Source (where did you get the book? Was is borrowed from the library, bought, or were you sent an ARC?)
Synopsis/plot summary (your own or the publisher’s)
What kind of representation there is in the novel (including race, disability, LGBTQ characters, etc)
Anything you’re tracking in your reading, including: authors of color, authors’ country, if a book is in translation, etc

Review Elements

Once you’ve established your basic information, you’re into the review itself! Some of these are small additions to a review, while others are a little more time-intensive.

Bullet point elements:

Rating (star rating, thumbs up/down, recommend/wouldn’t recommend, or your own scale)
Who would like it/Who wouldn’t like it
Read-alikes (or movies and TV shows like the book)
Describe the book using an emoji or emojis
Describe the book using a gif or gifs
Favorite line(s) from the book
New vocabulary/the most beautiful words in the novel
How it made you feel (in a sentence or two)
One word or one sentence review
Bullet points listing the selling points of a book
BooksandLala’s Scary, Unsettling, and Intrigue ratings, for horror
World-building, for fantasy and science fiction titles
Art, for comics
Narration, for audiobooks
Romance, for…romance
Heat level, for erotica

Visual elements:

Design a graphic (usually incorporating the cover, your star rating, and some other basic info)
Take a selfie of yourself holding the book, with your expression as the review
Make a mood board
Design your own book cover
Make fan art

Elements to incorporate into a review:

Quick/initial thoughts (often while reading or immediately after reading), then a more in-depth review (common on Goodreads)
A list of facts about the book or a character from the book
Book club questions about the book
Spoiler/non-spoiler sections
Research: look up interviews with the author and critique of the book, incorporate it (cited!) into your review
Links to other resources, such as interviews or other reviews — especially #OwnVoices reviews
A story of your own, whether it’s your experience reading the book, or something it reminded you of

This is not a complete list! There are so many ways to write a book review, and it should reflect your own relationship with books, as well as your audience. If you’re looking for more ways to keep track of your reading, you’ll also like 50+ Beautiful Bujo Spread Ideas to Track Your Reading .

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How to Write a Great Book Review: 6 Templates and Ideas

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Whether you’ve loved or hated your recent reads, writing book reviews can be a fun and satisfying process. It’s a great way to unpack messages and information from a story, and it also helps you remember key elements of a book for much longer than you usually would. Plus, book reviews open up some interesting and exciting debates between readers with different opinions, and they also help others decide which books to read next .

Table of Contents

Where Can You Post Book Reviews?

Back in the old days, book reviews were reserved for leading publications and journals, but now, anyone can create their own book reviews, and they’re popping up almost everywhere.

Social Media

Bookworms have taken over social media, with hashtags like # bookstagram drawing in millions of readers from around the internet to share thoughts, ideas, inspiration, and of course, reviews.

Book blogs are also blowing up right now, and plenty of avid readers are making a solid income by writing and sharing their book reviews this way. You can either create your own from scratch or write guest posts and reviews for already established blogs.

Goodreads is the undisputed online home of books. It’s a great place to find inspiration for your next reads, browse other people’s book reviews, and of course, add your own reviews, too.

If you post a review of a popular book on Goodreads, it’s bound to be seen by a huge audience. Plus, it’s a great way to advertise your blog if you have one, as the Goodreads guidelines allow you to insert a link within the body of your review.

The world’s largest bookstore gets an incredible amount of traffic, so it’s one of the best places to get your reviews seen by the masses. But bear in mind that there are more rules and regulations for Amazon book reviews than on some of the other platforms listed here. Make sure you familiarize yourself with the guidelines first, or your submission could be rejected.

Booktube is a Youtube community dedicated to reviewing, discussing, and recommending books. If you’re comfortable in front of a camera, vlogging your book reviews on Booktube is an excellent alternative to the more traditional written book reviews above. It’s also a great way to get noticed by viewers around the world.

Some Booktube reviewers make their entire income from their channel, so if you’re passionate about reviewing and want to turn it into a living, this is a great avenue to explore.

Get Paid for Your Book Reviews

Some of the platforms I’ve listed above, like Booktube, Instagram, and blogging , allow you to get paid for your book reviews if you generate enough traffic, but getting to that level takes a lot of dedication, time, and patience.

Thankfully, there are plenty of websites that pay reviewers on a freelance basis. Here are three of the most popular:

Remember, each site has strict submission guidelines and requirements that you’ll need to check carefully before writing and submitting a review.

Kirkus Reviews

The Kirkus Reviews magazine, founded in 1933, is one of America’s oldest, most respected book reviewing companies.

They accept reviews around 350 words in length, and once you’re assigned the gig, you have a two-week submission deadline.

Kirkus is always on the lookout for new book reviewers, but you’ll need to prove you have experience and talent before they’ll accept your submissions. The best way to do this is to create a professional-looking portfolio that showcases your previous reviews, both paid and unpaid.

Booklist is a subgroup of the American Library Association. They feature all kinds of book reviews, both fiction and non-fiction, and publish them online and in print.

They pay their reviewers on a freelance, book-by-book basis. Their rates aren’t going to make you rich (around $12- $15 per review), but it’s a great way to gain some professional experience and build your book review portfolio without having to work for free.

Booklist has various publication outlets, such as their quarterly in-print magazine, a reader’s blog, and top book lists. Plus, they also accept pitches for book-related news and author interviews.

Online Book Club

This free-to-access community of bibliophiles has been going for over ten years, with a million active members and counting.

To join their professional freelance team, you’ll first have to submit an unpaid review to help them to determine if you’re worth hiring. If your review makes the cut, then your next submission is paid at a rate varying between $5 and $60, depending on the book’s length, the quality of the review, etc.

One of the major stipulations of Online Book Club is that your reviews are in-depth and honest. If you don’t like the book, never put a positive spin on it for the sake of it. ( The same goes for any book review platform you post on. )

It’s also worth noting that with Online Book Club, you’ll never pay for the books you review. So even if they reject your submission, you’ll still get a free book out of it.

How to Write a Book Review?

Book reviews can range from a simple tweet to a full-length essay or long-form blog post and anything in between.

As I mentioned above, some book review sites and platforms have strict guidelines and parameters to follow. But if you’re writing a book review for social media, your own blog, or any other purpose that lets you take the reins, then the following ideas will give you some help and inspiration to get started.

But before we dive in, let’s take a look at four key elements that a comprehensive book review should contain.

1. Information about the author and the name of the book

You might want to include any accolades that the author has received in the past and mention some of their previous notable works.

Also, consider the publication date; is the book a brand-new release, a few years old, or a classic from another century?

2. A summary of the plot

Writing about the plot takes skill and consideration; if your description is too thorough, you risk ruining the book for your audience with spoilers. But on the other hand, if you’re too vague on the details, your review can lack depth.

Consider your audience carefully, and if you feel like your book review contains even the slightest hint of spoilers, always add a warning at the beginning so people can decide for themselves whether to read on.

3. Your evaluation

This is the part where you get to describe what you feel about the book as a whole and give your opinion on the different elements within it. But, again, don’t be tempted to fall into the trap of positively evaluating books you didn’t actually like; no one wants to read a false review, so if you didn’t like it, explain why.

4. Your reader recommendation

Who might the book appeal to? Is it suitable for all audiences? In your opinion, is it a universal must-read, or should people avoid it?

Keep in mind that the purpose of most book reviews is to help the reader decide whether or not they would like to read it themselves. What works for you might not work for others, so consider this when writing your recommendations.

6 Book Review Templates and Ideas

1. the traditional approach.

Most traditional fiction reviews, like the ones found in newspapers and other popular publications, are based on the following format…

Introduction

The introduction is a paragraph or two which includes:

Key information that the reader needs to know. For example, the book’s title, the author’s name, the publication date, and any relevant background information about the author and their work.
A brief one-sentence summary of the plot. This sets the general scene of what the book is about.
Your overall opinion of the book. Again, keep it brief. (you can delve deeper into what you liked and disliked later in the review).

This is the main body of your book review, where you break down and analyze the work. Some of the key elements you might want to examine are listed below. Approach each element one at a time to help your analysis flow.

The characters
The setting
The structure of the story
The quality of the writing

What did you notice about each one, what did you enjoy, and what did you dislike? Why?

The conclusion is usually the shortest part of a traditional book review, which usually contains:

A summary of your thoughts about the book as a whole
Your reader recommendation

Remember that unless you’re writing a book review for a pre-existing publication, there are no rules that you need to follow. This traditional format can be adapted to suit your own style, the book you are reviewing, and your audience.

2. Social Media Book Reviews

Book reviews posted on social media tend to have a more relaxed tone than a traditional book review. Again, there are no set rules, but here are a few guidelines and suggestions for posting reviews on platforms like Instagram and Facebook.

Include an eye-catching image

This is essential on Instagram, but whatever social media platform you’re posting on, including a great photo will draw people in to read your review.

In the Instagram world, photos of books taken directly from above are called ‘flat lays.’ You can keep it simple and just snap the front cover, or you can get creative and shoot your book flat lay against an interesting backdrop or include items related to the story.

Break up your review into short, bite-sized paragraphs

This rule applies to most web content, but it’s even more important on social media, where everyone competes for your reader’s attention.

Big blocks of text are much harder to follow and a sure-fire way to lose your reader’s attention before they even get started. Instead, stick to short paragraphs of one, two, or three sentences, and include spaces between each one.

Know your character limit

At just 280 characters, Twitter is by far the stingiest of the major social media platforms when it comes to the length of posts. That’s why most people choose platforms like Instagram or Facebook for book reviews. That being said, you can still use Twitter as a way of linking to them once they go live.

Instagram is considerably more generous with its 2,200-character limit, but if you have a lot to say about the book you’re reviewing, it can still be limiting.

If you want to post a more comprehensive review on social media, Facebook is your best bet; they have an upper limit of 63,206 characters.

Whichever platform you post on, remember to factor any hashtags into your character limit too.

Keep it succinct

Book reviews on social media perform better when sentences are concise. This helps to combat the character limit issue I mentioned above and gets your point across quickly, without the fluff.

Readers on platforms like Instagram and Facebook flit from post to post, so if you don’t say what you mean in as few words as possible, you’ll risk losing your audience altogether.

Don’t be afraid of emojis.

Love them or hate them, emojis convey mood and emotion where words can sometimes fail us. They also add an extra visual element to a post, help to break up blocks of text and keep the tone informal.

Of course, there’s no rule that you have to include emojis in your social media book reviews, but if you’re already comfortable using them elsewhere, consider incorporating them here too.

Add a star rating

Star ratings instantly tell your audience whether you loved the book or not before they read a single word of your post. It’s also another visual element to help draw your audience in to find out more.

Avoid spoilers

I’ve already touched on spoilers above, but it’s essential to avoid them on social media book reviews. That’s because unsuspecting users are scrolling from post to post on these platforms with no way of knowing what’s coming next. As a result, it’s very easy to read something you can’t unread.

Consider tagging the author and publisher.

But ONLY do this if you enjoyed the book and your review is favorable. It’s not good online etiquette to tag in the creators if you’re posting a scathing critique; it’s mean-spirited, and it could lead to a social media squabble, which the internet has enough of already.

3. Goodreads and Amazon Book Reviews

Both Goodreads and Amazon allow anyone to upload a review of any book, so they’re great places to get started if you’re new to the reviewing world. Plus, you can post more in-depth and lengthy reviews than you can on social media platforms.

There are endless ways to write reviews for sites like these, but if you’re looking for a bit of inspiration, here’s a good template that will help you to flesh out your ideas.

Star Rating

Sites like Goodreads and Amazon usually ask for a 1-5 star rating before writing your review. 3 is your baseline which translates to “pretty good.” It can be tempting to rush straight in for a 5 star if you loved a book, but where possible, try to reserve this rating for books that really blow you away.

A Brief Synopsis

Reviews on these sites appear directly under the book listing, so generally, there’s no need to mention the author, title, or publishing details. Instead, you can dive straight into a quick overview of the plot, using the official publisher’s summary to help you if needed.

Avoid revealing any significant details or spoilers, but include enough to outline the story and give context to the rest of your review.

Talking about how the book made you feel is a good place to start. Did you learn something you didn’t know before? Was it a page-turner or a hard slog? Were there any twists you did or didn’t see coming? Mentioning the existence of a plot twist is usually deemed ok, as long as you don’t reveal what it is.

Next, examine the book’s various elements, including the characters, setting, and plot, using examples. You might even want to include some direct quotes from the book, as long as they don’t give too much away.

Just like the traditional book review format, conclude it with a summary. Are you glad you read it? Who might enjoy this book, and who should avoid it?

4. Listicle Book Reviews

Listicles are articles and blog posts structured like a numbered list. An example from the book review world is “10 reasons why you need to read X by X”.

These types of reviews are particularly well suited to blog posts, as they’re an excellent way to encourage people to click on your link compared with a less attention-grabbing traditional format.

That being said, listicle book reviews tend only to work if your feedback is positive. Using this format to review a book you hated risks alienating your audience and coming across as harsh and judgemental. Less favorable reviews are better presented in a more traditional format that explores a book’s different aspects one by one.

5. An Essay Style Analysis

An essay-style review isn’t technically a review, as it delves much deeper into the work and examines it from multiple angles.

If you’re not limited to a word count and want to dissect an author’s work, then an in-depth essay-style analysis can be a great addition to your blog. Plus, they’re generally written for people who have already read the book, so there’s no need to worry about spoilers.

But when you’re writing more than 500 words about a book, it can be easy to ramble or go off on a tangent. Here’s an example format to keep you on track:

Include the author’s name, the title of the book, and the date of publication.
Is the book a standalone novel or part of a series?
What made you choose this book in the first place? Have you read any of the author’s previous work?
Describe the cover. Does it draw you in? Is it an appropriate representation of the book as a whole?

Set the Scene

Include an overview of the plot.
Did you have any expectations or preconceived ideas about the book before you read it?

Your Review

Discuss the following elements one at a time. Use quotes or direct examples when talking about each one.

Describe the geographical location, the period in time, and the environment.
Is the setting based on reality or imagination?
How does the setting help to add mood and tone to the story?
Give an overview of the main characters and their backgrounds.
Discuss the significant plot points in the story in chronological order.
What are the conflicts, the climaxes, and the resolutions?
How does the author use literary devices to bring meaning and life to book?
For example, discuss any elements of foreshadowing, metaphors, symbolism, irony, or imagery.
What are the overall themes and big ideas in the story? For example, love, death, friendship , war, and coming of age.
What, if any, are the morals within the story?
Are there any underlying or less prominent themes that the author is trying to portray?

Your Opinion

Which elements were successful, and which weren’t?
Were the characters believable? Did you want them to succeed?
In the case of plot twists, did you see them coming?
Are there any memorable scenes or quotes that particularly stood out to you? If so, why?
How did the book make you feel? Did it evoke any strong emotions?
Did the book meet your preconceived expectations?
Were you satisfied by the ending, or did you find it frustrating?
Summarise the plot and theme in a couple of sentences.
Give your overall opinion. Was the book a success, a failure, or something in between?
Include a reader recommendation, for example, “this book is a must-read for anyone with a love of dystopian science fiction.”
Include a star rating if you wish.

6. Create Your Own Book Review Template

If you plan on becoming a regular book reviewer, it’s a good idea to create your own unique template that you can use for every book you review, whether you’re posting on a blog, website, or social media account.

You can mix and match the various elements of the review styles above to suit your preferences and the types of books you’ll be reviewing.

Creating a template unique to you helps build your authority as an independent reviewer and makes writing future reviews a lot easier.

Writing book reviews is a great way to get even more out of your reading journey. Whether you loved or hated a title, reviewing it will help you remember and process the story, and you’ll also be helping others to decide whether or not it’s worth their time, too.

And who knows, you might fall in love with writing book reviews and decide to pursue it as an additional source of income or even a new career!

Whatever your book reviewing plans and goals are, I hope the templates, tips, and ideas above will help you get started.

Do you have any advice for writing a great book review? Let me know in the comments below!

MSL Book Review

Sample nonfiction book reviews.

Nonfiction Reviews

Bomb The Race to Build – and Steal – the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon is an engaging non-fiction book which had me from the first page. The book begins with a Prologue: May 22, 1950 the FBI arrives at Harry Gold’s door; Harry, still in pajamas, stares at two agents with a search warrant for his home as they are investigating his spying activities from the 30s and 40s. The jig was up and Harry declares “There is a great deal more to this story. It goes way back, and I would like to tell it all.” Thus begins the tale of the Manhattan Project from its inception. Even though we know the outcome of the race and understand the destruction, the excitement of the academics working on the bomb is felt.

This is an intriguing story of WWII, the atomic bomb, and the historical figures who played major roles in the development of atomic power. Many pictures and excellent source notes, quotes notes, and index make this a well documented book. Included in the Epilogue is the original letter from Albert Einstein written to F.D. Roosevelt, advising that a new energy form had been discovered by splitting the atom and that it needed to be monitored. This book is an excellent companion book to the fictional Green Glass Sea, which is set in Los Alamos and is the story of children and wives of the men working on the Manhattan Project.

Author Steve Sheinkin crafts a compelling thriller about the development of the atomic bomb in his book, Bomb: the Race to Build – and Steal- the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon. Sheinkin, using effective narrative techniques, introduces readers to the major personalities involved in the Manhattan Project as the Americans raced to construct an atomic bomb while keeping the knowledge from the Germans during World War II. The book takes us from the US to Great Britain, Norway, Germany, Russia, and Japan where scientists, politicians, and spies are all engaged in winning the war (and becoming a world power) through the creation of the “ultimate weapon.”

This volume will be especially useful for middle and high school students conducting research on World War II weapons and war strategy, as well as those looking for biographical information on the Manhattan Project scientists. Along with a detailed index, the author provides copious source and quotation notes. Black and white photographs of the important personalities and bomb testing site are sprinkled throughout. An essential purchase for American history and science collections.

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50 Free Templates For Book Review

Explore our curated collection of book review templates to effectively articulate your thoughts and critiques. Perfect for academics, literary enthusiasts, and casual readers seeking structured frameworks for insightful analysis.

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Tips For Using Book Review Templates

1. Summarize without Spoiling Provide a brief synopsis of the book's plot, but avoid giving away any key twists or the ending. Keep the reader intrigued without ruining the experience.
2. Analyze the Core Elements Discuss the book's key elements such as theme, character development, and writing style. Mention how these contribute to or detract from the overall story.
3. Offer a Balanced Opinion Ensure your review includes both what you liked and what you didn’t. Be fair and explain your reasoning to provide valuable insight to prospective readers.

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Book Review Examples

Posted by Stephanie Chandler | Dec 5, 2019 | AMAZON OPTIMIZATION - MEMBERS ONLY , Blog , MARKETING - MEMBERS ONLY , Nonfiction Book Marketing | 0

We’ve rounded up some real-world examples that demonstrate well-written book reviews. Feel free to share this post with people from your own tribe who can benefit from studying how simple reviews should be written on Amazon and beyond.

Book Review Examples (From Amazon and edited/modified as needed)

Educated is a moving and powerful memoir. The author grew up in a survivalist family in Idaho, as the youngest child. She was not homeschooled—instead, she simply didn’t go to school at all, due to her father’s mistrust of public schools. In an effort to escape abuse, she decides to go to college, and by her force of will, does well enough on the ACT to get into Brigham Young University. This memoir is a story of her internal struggle—to believe her own version of her life and to have the strength to break away from her past. It gives a glimpse into a way of life that most of us will never know, and it’s an inspiring story of one woman’s ability to change her future. Read this book now!

Rising Strong by Brene Brown is a thorough and thought-provoking page-turner. This book takes a seeker on a journey to self-discovery; not only by providing helpful tools that encourage curiosity and introspection, but by also taking the reader’s hand and walking step-by-step through real life examples. The author’s willingness to be candid and vulnerable throughout allows for a beautifully relatable transformation. She shares knowledge, understanding and experience in a masterful book that can enrich readers’ lives in many ways. Don’t pass this book by; it’s well-worth your time.

Jim Collins’s Good to Great shows how American companies struggle to get out of the “B zone” of mediocracy and become the best. He compares and analyzes good companies against the great ones with data, charts, and graphs. He also shows how “Level 5” leaders respond to chaos when monopolies become exposed to competition, and gives readers practical tools for responding to a wide variety of challenging business situations. There are many lessons to be discovered here and I believe that everyone in business should read this book.

Jenny Lawson is the voice so many of us have been looking for years. In Furiously Happy, she is brutally and unflinchingly honest. You will cry with her, not only because the stories are heartbreaking, but because you see yourself or someone you love in her words. You will laugh with her to the point that you are cackling out loud and people think that you’re insane. But the most important message she teaches readers is that it’s okay to be broken. It’s okay to not be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel because everything will eventually be okay. There is a whole tribe of people out there just like you, and she is their leader. Read it. Pass it on. Buy it for a friend. Seriously, you will love this book.

James Clear’s Atomic Habits is different because it covers an enormous amount of ground in the larger area of self-improvement while seamlessly tying all these ideas back into the central theme of habits.One of the core concepts in Atomic Habits is to focus on the small improvement. The impact a 1% improvement per day can make may appear negligible at first, but Clear makes a compelling argument that in the case of habits, thinking small produces the biggest results over time.

“Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement,” explains Clear. Over the months and years, the accumulated effect of small habitual daily behaviors is staggering. Clear’s book is intensely practical, giving you a huge toolkit of organized and named strategies you can apply immediately to create and strengthen positive habits and stop the negative ones. The book is conversational, and includes many interesting stories, making it easy to read – and hard to put down (I read it cover to cover in one day). It’s possible this might become your most highlighted personal improvement book because every page is packed with memorable and quotable gems of advice. Highly recommended.

If you’re looking for a better understanding of how your mindset affects your opinions , self-worth, outlook on the world, personal limitations and the trajectory of your life, read Carol Decker’s Mindset now. There are many case studies in the book about celebrities, corporate leaders, and sports legends displaying the different mindsets, and these real-world examples make for a fascinating read. If you want to learn more about yourself and those around you, this book will be a great investment in your success.

Have you written a review for a book you’d like to share with us? We’d love to see more examples in the comments below!

About The Author

Stephanie Chandler

Stephanie Chandler is the founder of the Nonfiction Authors Association and Nonfiction Writers Conference , and author of several books including The Nonfiction Book Publishing Plan . A frequent speaker at business events and on the radio, she has been featured in Entrepreneur, BusinessWeek, and Wired magazine. Visit StephanieChandler.com to learn more.

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Best Non Fiction Book Review Blogs in 2024

Showing 81 blogs that match your search.

Author Anthony Avina's Blog

http://www.authoranthonyavinablog.com

The only genres I don't accept are erotica and religious books. I accept eBook, Paperback and Audiobook copies. I also offer author email interviews, guest blog posts and more promotional opportunities for free.

Blogger : Anthony Avina

Genres : Non-Fiction

🌐 Domain authority: 30

👀 Average monthly visits: 800 p/mo

💌 Preferred contact method: Website contact form

⭐️ Accepts indie books? Yes

Avalinah's Books

http://avalinahsbooks.space

As for reviews, my preferred genres are general fiction, fantasy and scifi, as well as nonfiction on important topics like equality, disability, fair treatment of individuals. I also love middle grade reads.

Blogger : Evelina

🌐 Domain authority: 31

👀 Average monthly visits: 3,000 p/mo

The Roarbots

https://theroarbots.com/

The Roarbots is a celebration of geek culture, representing a diversity of voices that covers a broad swath of the nerdy landscape.

Blogger : Jamie Greene

🌐 Domain authority: 40

💌 Preferred contact method: Social media

Mru's Books and Reviews

https://mrusbooksnreviews.com

Exclusive recommendations, lists, bookish merch & more. I am a software consultant by profession: a mom and an avid reader by choice. My job's 9-5 grind bored me to death. That's when I was inspired to break the monotony. I discovered book blogging. Through my blog, I would love to promote my passion for reading and to read as many books as I can.

Blogger : Mrunal Natu

🌐 Domain authority: 20

👀 Average monthly visits: 3,500 p/mo

💌 Preferred contact method: Email

karl's book blog

https://www.karlcalagan.com/

Karl's book blog features reviews of mostly horror, historical, mystery, thriller, and queer literature. All are welcome!

Blogger : Karl Khumo Calagan

🌐 Domain authority: 5

👀 Average monthly visits: 100 p/mo

⭐️ Accepts indie books? No

The Bookish Elf

https://www.bookishelf.com/

The Bookish Elf is a site you can rely on for book reviews, author interviews, book recommendations, and all things books.

Blogger : Mitul Patel

👀 Average monthly visits: 30,000 p/mo

KellySchuknecht.com

https://kellyschuknecht.com/

Kelly Schuknecht is a marketing director with a background in the publishing industry. She is passionate about all things related to books. Her blog includes posts about book marketing, book reviews (typically non-fiction and women’s fiction but occasionally other genres as well), author features, and more!

Blogger : Kelly Schuknecht

🌐 Domain authority: 23

👀 Average monthly visits: 1,500 p/mo

The Literary Edit

https://thelitedit.com/start-here/

Welcome to The Literary Edit! I’m Lucy, founder and editor of The Literary Edit, and a long standing bookworm with a passion for brilliant books, independent bookstores and literary festivals. Based between London and Sydney, The Literary Edit will bring you the best in all things bookish – from weekly book reviews, to beautiful bookstore features, to literary city guides and beyond.

Blogger : Lucy

👀 Average monthly visits: 10,000 p/mo

💌 Preferred contact method: Mail

Likely Story

https://likelystory.blog/

I started Likely Story to share my love of books with the world. I have been known to stay up until 3am, lost in a book and I decided I wanted to spread the word and share as many of them as I could with other readers. Happy reading!

Blogger : Alex

🌐 Domain authority: 8

👀 Average monthly visits: 5,000 p/mo

Independent Book Review

https://independentbookreview.com/

Independent Book Review is a celebration of small press and self-published books.

Blogger : Joseph

🌐 Domain authority: 21

👀 Average monthly visits: 2,500 p/mo

The Perpetual Page-Turner

http://perpetualpageturner.com/

Simply put, The Perpetual Page-Turner is a book blog that has no boundaries. I read and review young adult literature of all genres, adult fiction (of most genres) and non-fiction (mostly travelogues and memoirs). Think of it as sitting down with a friend (with some margaritas and chips & guac) and just talking back and forth about the latest book you just read or want to read.

Blogger : Jamie

🌐 Domain authority: 45

👀 Average monthly visits: 9,200 p/mo

Fueled By Chapters

https://fueledbychapters.com/

Fueled By Chapters mainly features reviews and discussions about books, lifestyle, and other pop-culture topics.

Blogger : Inah

🌐 Domain authority: 3

👀 Average monthly visits: 1,600 p/mo

Bibliofreak.net

https://www.bibliofreak.net

A book blog written by English writer Matthew Selwyn, Bibliofreak.net has been providing content for over 10 years. Featuring in-depth reviews on an eclectic range of books, there is plenty of content to explore.

Blogger : Matthew Selwyn

🌐 Domain authority: 25

👀 Average monthly visits: 15,000 p/mo

One Book More

https://onebookmore.com/

One Book More is a blog for lovers of all things bookish and includes reviews, author interviews, memes and more. As a life-long bibliophile and ex-English teacher, I read a wide variety of literature including romance, fantasy, young adult, science fiction, women's fiction, non-fiction, historical fiction, mysteries, classics, poetry, and more.

Blogger : Julie Petitbon

Gut Reaction Reviews

https://gutreactionreviews.com/

While I read ebooks, I do prefer printed books. I read both fiction and non-fiction. In fiction, I read most genres with the exception of romance, fantasy, science fiction or young adult. If you write in those genres, then I am not the reviewer for you.

Blogger : Don

🌐 Domain authority: 12

So you want to find a book blog?

If you’re a voracious reader, you might think of a book blog as an oasis in the middle of the desert: a place on the Internet that brims with talk about books, books, and more books.

Well, good news — we built this directory of the 200 of the best book blogs to satiate your thirst. Take a walk around, use the filters to narrow down your search to blogs in your preferred genre, and feel free to bookmark this page and come back, as we do update it regularly with more of the best book blogs out there.

If you’re an aspiring author, you might see a book blog more as a book review blog: a place where you can get your yet-to-be published book reviewed. In that case, you’ll be glad to know that most of the book blogs in our directory are open to review requests and accept indie books! We expressly designed this page (and our book marketing platform, Reedsy Discovery ) to be useful to indie book authors who need book reviews. If you’re wondering how to approach a book blog for a review request, please read on.

You’ve found a book blog. Now what?

Let’s say that you’re an author, and you’ve found a couple of book blogs that would be perfect fits to review your book. What now? Here are some tips as you go about getting your book reviews:

Be sure to read the review policy. First, check that the book blog you’re querying is open to review requests. If that’s the fortunate case, carefully read the blog’s review policy and make sure that you follow the directions to a T.
Individualize your pitches. Book bloggers will be able to immediately tell apart the bulk pitches, which simply come across as thoughtless and indifferent. If you didn’t take the time to craft a good pitch, why should the blogger take the time to read your book? Personalize each pitch to up your chances of getting a response.
Format your book in a professional manner before sending it out. Ensure that your manuscript isn’t presented sloppily. If the book blogger asks for a digital ARC, you might want to check out apps such as Instafreebie or Bookfunnel.
Create a spreadsheet to track your progress. Wading through so many book blogs can be troublesome — not to mention trying to remember which ones you’ve already contacted. To save yourself the time and trouble, use a simple Excel spreadsheet to keep track of your progress (and results).

Looking to learn even more about the process? Awesome 👍 For a detailed guide, check out this post that’s all about getting book reviews .

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Table of Contents

Book Outline Template

Step 1: Brainstorm the Chapters for Your Book

Step 2: create a table of contents, step 3: fill in the outline structure, the simple way to outline a nonfiction book [with free template].

Your book outline is the structure of your book, and thus incredibly important. If you start writing without a good outline template, the writing process will take forever and your book will be haphazard and incomplete.

Worse, having no outline often leads to not finishing your book at all.

The outline is also your best defense against fear , anxiety, procrastination, and writer’s block . With good positioning and a good outline , the actual writing of the book becomes fairly easy.

What I am about to teach is not the outline template you learned about in school. It’s an unconventional approach. But it’s the process we developed to give our authors the best chance of actually getting their book done.

Download the free non-fiction book outline template here, and then let’s get started.

Download Non-Fiction Book Outline Template

You can download in Google Docs or Microsoft Word.

Why You Should Use Our Book Outline Template

Start with the numbers: at Scribe we’ve helped outline (and write) more than 1400 books. That number includes some of the biggest and best selling authors in the world (like David Goggins, Tiffany Haddish, and Nassim Taleb).

But the deeper reason is that this outline process is superior to anything else we’ve ever seen. The outline process you know was developed for school. The school outline method is about showing your work. It’s about grades. We don’t care about grades–we care about writing a great book .

What makes our book outline different is it’s designed to help you write your book. After working with all those authors, we know what successful authors need in their outline to get their book written. The basic idea is to use the book outline as a roadmap to help you know what to write in each chapter .

I know, this is simple, but it’s different than most book outlines. We don’t focus on story structure, there’s no mention of turning points or character arcs or subplots for a main character or any of the typical devices that are used primarily in novel writing. It’s not that this is wrong.

This book outline is just designed for non-fiction books only.

If you want a novel outline template, I recommend this post .

Ready to write your book but need more support? Scribe’s proven process provides everything you need to write, self-publish, and market your book. Schedule a consultation with one of our Author Strategists to learn more.

How To Outline A Book In 3 Steps

The first step to create your outline is to brainstorm what the chapters are for your book.

What’s a chapter? It’s basically a single cohesive idea, fully explored. Depending on how you organized your book, it can be a step in the process, or one of several principles, or anything like that.

Keep working your list of chapters—adding, subtracting, moving—until you have the major points you want to explain, in the basic order you want to explain them.

Don’t worry too much about the order at this point, they will probably change in the next step. All you want to do here is figure out exactly what your chapters are.

If you have trouble brainstorming, here are the frameworks that we’ve found work best:

Brainstorm Framework 1: “Workshop Presentation”

This framework works very well for people used to formally presenting their knowledge. Just imagine that you are giving a speech , presentation, or workshop to go over your material.

What would be part 1?

What would be part 2?

How would you break up the days?

Basically the structure of the workshop or presentation becomes the chapters of the book.

Brainstorm Framework 2: “Teach Your Book”

For this model, begin with your ideal reader, someone who is in your primary audience that you described in your positioning. Now, imagine teaching them everything in your book.

What are the major lessons?

What is step one?

Step two? Write it all down.

If you get stuck in this model, your ideal reader is your motivator. Picture your ideal client, friend, or student in your mind: how would you explain your process to them?

What would they get confused about?
What points do they struggle with?
What lessons have you conveyed to them?
What did they find particularly helpful?
What questions do they ask you?

The beauty of “teaching your book” is that it’s an excellent frame to articulate the knowledge you have that you may take for granted.

Brainstorm Framework 3: “What Needs to Be Said?”

Write down the main ideas, concepts, arguments, and principles that you want to make in your book. Don’t get too granular—this is not about fleshing out every detail. This is about getting down the major points.

Warning: We’ve seen authors begin to write the book at this stage, producing pages and pages and getting frustrated.

Don’t go down that rabbit hole. Your brainstorm list of key points and arguments shouldn’t run longer than a couple of pages.

If you’re writing a bunch, you’re getting in too deep too soon. Keep your descriptions to short phrases or single sentences so you’re forced to stick to main points.

Don’t worry about capturing all the details that come to mind. You won’t forget what you know. Instead, this is about clarifying what you know, down to the basics that you want to describe to your reader. The point here is to find the major ideas and themes—the chapters. You can always come back and change things later if necessary.

Helpful Note: When you are brainstorming your chapters, have a section of your page called the “parking lot.”

Put all the good ideas you have that don’t seem to fit, into the parking lot. It’s a place for you to keep those ideas without having to throw them away. This also helps you free your mind and keeps you focused on the main idea of your book, while still retaining the seeds of your future books.

Once you have what you think are your chapters, then put it in your Table of Contents. Then write the key takeaway for each chapter, which is called a thesis statement.

A thesis statement is a short summation of the main point you want to make in the chapter. It should be one or two sentences, that’s it.

Example Table Of Contents:

How many chapters should there be.

If there are at least 5, and no more than 15, that’s normal. If you have less than 5, or more than 15, that is not necessarily wrong, but it is very unusual.

If you do that, you’d better have a good reason, one that makes a lot of sense to the reader.

Using the Table of Contents you created, now fill in the template for each chapter outline.

Remember: Don’t write the book in the outline, the outline is to tell you what to write.

Below is the outline structure we recommend. It lays out the various elements you’ll need for each chapter. Just fill in the information, which you will use as your guide to write the book. Below this, we show you two chapter summary examples.

Chapter X: [INSERT WORKING TITLE]

This should be a personal story, historical anecdote, question to reader, shocking statement, or anything that draws in the attention of the reader and sets up what is about to come in the chapter.
Do not be intimidated by this—all you really need to do here is tell a good short story or anecdote or introduce a fact that is engaging. It might not even be longer than a great tweet.
The best chapter hooks tend to be emotionally intense, or some sort of mistake (which is usually emotionally intense).
The best way to start a chapter is by “coming in late.” Begin with a scene or a quote or something that jumps right into the point you are making.
I talk more about hooks in the post on Introductions .
Once you have a chapter hook, then you plainly state what will be taught/discussed in this chapter.
Essentially, you tell them what you’re going to tell them.
This should be the same as the key takeaway in the Table of Contents.
List all the key points/evidence for argument/factual content/plot points.
This is the bulk of the section. You can do this quickly and succinctly, but the outline of the chapter should be laid out fairly well.
Don’t go too in-depth by writing every detail, but do be specific and thorough. You are creating an outline, after all. If you see you’ve written paragraphs, you’re getting ahead of yourself.
Make sure these are ordered in a logical way so that they’re building their point or argument like a pyramid, providing the basic foundational information first, then building up from there.
Make sure you look at this section from the vantage point of your reader, rather than your own. Your reader is not the expert, you are, so this section needs to be tailored to them.
This is where you list the stories you think you want to tell in this chapter. Effective stories are crucial to the success of a book. They are a great way to make the book and its specific takeaway points more memorable. Many readers forget facts after they read a book, but anecdotes and stories stay with them. They’re often more “sticky.”
Make sure your stories are specific and highly relevant. You are not looking for a generic story in these points; rather, this should be a story that fits precisely here and demonstrates the message you want to convey.
This does NOT mean that in your book, you write your supporting evidence, and THEN your stories. Of course you will integrate stories and supporting content.
We recommend separating them in the outline, simply because it’s not always clear which stories you want to use and where. Listing these separately allows you to figure this out as you go. This gets you writing faster, which is the optimal way to outline.
This should be the summary at the end of the chapter. It clearly lays out what the reader needs to know from this chapter.
Essentially, you tell them what you just told them.
This is an optional section, but most books benefit from tying the end of the chapter back to the hook, and then giving some sort of segue to the next chapter.

Chapter Examples:

Question: why not structure chapters like you’ll write them.

Like we told you, we don’t structure our outline in the traditional way, like this:

There are a few reasons we don’t recommend this style of outline:

1. It doesn’t work well

We’ve found that the traditional outline style doesn’t work well with most authors. There are several reasons we think it doesn’t work that well (the main one is detailed below), but why it doesn’t work almost doesn’t matter.

The fact is, it does NOT work. We developed our style of outlining after testing dozens of different iterations and realizing what actually produced the best books in the shortest time.

2. Most authors can’t get to that level of detail until they start writing

For most authors, they have problems actually understanding ahead of time precisely how to lay their books out. This is understandable; writing and structuring an entire book is hard and very foreign to people who haven’t done it before.

We find that the traditional outline structure gets people lost in the outline, and that the best way to actually get people to writing is to chunk up the chapter into sections. Then have authors write down enough so they understand what they are trying to say and what they need to write, and then figure out the details as they write.

Basically, what they need is a road map, not a detailed excel spreadsheet.

3. This style keeps the author moving forward, instead of getting stuck

The conventional way of outlining forces the author to get very deep into their knowledge at a stage where some of the ideas may not be worked out yet. Most people do not do well with a long detailed outline, but do better by writing their way to understanding.

This process allows for either approach—you can go detailed if you really want, or you can just get the bullets down that you need, and then figure the rest out as you write.

Should I Use Special Outlining Software?

If you already use and love Scrivener , then great, keep using it. But in our experience, for most first time authors, it is a huge waste of time to learn and use.

The Scrivener templates are fine, but nothing you can’t do in Google Docs or Microsoft Word . Scrivener is really good for fiction writers.

Completed your outline but need help taking the next steps? Consider joining the Scribe Guided Author Program. We’ve designed a proven process that provides everything you need to write, self-publish, and market your book with the help of expert coaches. Click here for more details . Or, schedule a consult with our one of our Author Strategists.

The Scribe Crew

Writing About Non-Fiction Books

TIP Sheet WRITING ABOUT NON-FICTION BOOKS

At some point in your college career you may be asked to review a non-fiction book to enable you to learn more about some aspect of your course work. The assignment is demanding because you are required to describe and evaluate an author's contribution to a subject that you may know little about. How should you proceed?

Your instructor will usually offer some guidance, such as a suggested list of books or some guidelines to follow in selecting a work. Generally, you should try to find a relatively recent work of about 200-350 pages on some aspect of the course that particularly interests you.

Describe and evaluate You are expected to describe the book, that is, to summarize some major points of interest, and to evaluate it, that is, to make judgments about it. The areas to address include the following:

Description

Information about the author
Background information about the book
Author's purpose-to inform? Entertain? Persuade?
Author's thesis
Organization
Other reviews
Scholarship
Strengths and weaknesses

Later you may decide to omit some of these points. Their order may be changed, with more important or striking matters appearing first. Usually the descriptive section appears first in non-fiction reviews, especially in scholarly journals. All these organizational decisions are subjective and can be revised as needed.

While reading the book, take notes of the passages and their page numbers that relate to how you can describe and evaluate the work. In particular, be on the lookout for thesis statements, chapter summaries, striking quotations, discussions of methodology, conclusions, and author's recommendations. If you question whether or not to take a particular note, remember that it would be wiser to err on the side of having too many, rather than too few. You can always eliminate notes that appear unnecessary.

Points of description Information about the author may appear on the book jacket or may be obtained or inferred from what is written in the preface. In order to determine to what extent the author is an authority on the subject, you should do some library research into the author's present position, background, experience, and qualifications. Biographical sources such as the Biography Center in the GaleNet database will help you find this information. It need not be much, perhaps just a sentence; at most, it might consist of a short paragraph.

Background information about a book consists of the historical, sociological, economic, scientific or other circumstances that may have influenced or contributed to its publication. This information may have some bearing on the book's importance or interest.

Often the author's purpose –to amuse, inform, persuade-will be apparent from the preface or introduction.

The thesis or central idea of the book will probably be stated in the introduction or the conclusion. To gain an overview of the book that will help you realize its purpose and main ideas, read the preface and the introductory and concluding chapters first.

The organization of non-fiction depends partly on what kind of non-fiction it is-philosophy? Biology?–and partly on the author's purpose. History, for example, might be organized either chronologically or around central issues. Or, if the author's purpose is to challenge a widely-held position, he may choose to refute ideas point-by-point. Look at the table of contents and, as you read, refer back to it.

Because so much depends on your audience, the summary may be one of the most difficult parts of the review to write. Are you writing only for your instructor who has probably already read, or is familiar with, the book? Are you writing for your classmates who have not read it? Or are you writing for other people who are not in the course and are therefore unfamiliar with the subject? Your instructor can tell you what audience the paper should address. Then you will be able to judge how thorough your summary should be and whether or not terms should be defined and points explained in detail.

Points of evaluation At the same time that you gather information to describe the work, you should be thinking about your evaluation of it. Read a few other reviews of this book to inform your own opinion–what points did other reviewers address? Were professional reviewers unanimous in their evaluations, or did their opinions differ? Of course, any ideas or quotations obtained from these reviews should be attributed to their owners in your paper. To consult published reviews of the book, ask the reference librarian to help you find an appropriate index, or check an online database. Following is a partial list of the databases available to Butte College students:

Proquest Direct–for general disciplines including health, humanities, sciences, social sciences, arts, business, education, women's and multicultural issues.
SIRS Researcher–for topics including science, history, politics, and global issues.
Wilson Web–for biographies, obituaries, science, education, current events, and social science.
GaleNet–for biographies, authors, history, science, and literature.
Health Reference Center–for topics in health, medicine, and nursing.

Some online databases offer full text articles; others offer abstracts (summaries) and information on how to find the full text in other publications; you can quickly scan abstracts to determine which articles are most likely to be useful to you. Advanced search features allow you to search using Boolean operators (and, or, not) for either full texts or abstracts. You can also narrow your search to scholarly journals for better search results. (From the Butte College home page, http://www.butte.edu, use the library links-search For Articles and select a database from the alphabetical list.)

The print-version Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature (in the Butte College Library, 1959 to the present) may also be helpful. This index also summarizes and tells you where to find the texts. The names and dates of the publications in which they appear are listed, and you should be able to refer to your selected reviews with little effort. The different indexes are usually organized by year, but keep in mind that a work published late in the year might not be reviewed until the following year.

You may find it difficult to judge the scholarship of a work or an author's expertise because of your limited understanding of the subject. But it does not require highly specialized knowledge to note what sources the author uses (look for the notes or bibliography sections), how much and what kind of evidence he provides, or how he analyzes data and justifies his conclusions. Read carefully to identify omissions, discernible bias, or unsupported generalizations. For example, someone reviewing a work entitled War in the Falklands would have little difficulty pointing out that this account of the 1982 war between Britain and Argentina is pro-British, containing little information about the Argentine politicians, participants, and purposes.

When considering a book's strengths and weaknesses , discuss the following points:

The tone and style of the writing
The importance of the book in its field
The value of the book for its intended audience
The effectiveness of the author's argument
The soundness of the author's conclusions
The practicality of the author's recommendations.

Your discussion the book's strengths and weaknesses may overlap with your discussion of scholarship. Plan to sort this out when revising your review so that your paper concludes with your general reaction. If your overall evaluation is favorable, admit the book's few weaknesses first and conclude with its many strong areas. If unfavorable, name the book's strengths first and conclude with its numerous weaknesses.

Mention any particularly interesting or memorable points or passages, and support your opinions with references to the book, but use quotations sparingly.

In your evaluation, you might reflect on how the book relates to your course. Consider what issues, ideas, or institutions the author criticizes or defends. Note the methodology and evaluate how it shapes or restricts the topic. Also, evaluate how well the author has added to your knowledge and understanding of the subject, particularly how it supplements the ideas in the textbook and the views of your instructor.

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Non-fiction writing templates – 8 of the best worksheets for KS1 and KS2 English

Give primary children a good guide to writing with these worksheets and templates for book reviews, newspaper articles, non-chronological reports and more…

1 | Report templates

When children are struggling to get their thoughts down on the page, a little structure can work wonders, this is why writing templates are so very useful. They help inexperienced writers get started and to write for a variety of purposes and audiences.

This KS1 and KS2 writing template pack contains a range of templates to support children with written work, namely report research and report plan, but it also includes a mind map, story map, storyboard template and comic strip pages.

Get this resource pack here.

2 | Book review templates for KS1, LKS2 and UKS2

Create a love of reading in your school by using this set of fantastic book reviews.

There are three templates provided suitable for KS1, Lower-KS2 and Upper-KS2, all of which could be used to create a class or school collection of book reviews to encourage discussion about book choices and develop a love of reading.

Also included is a ‘Fantastic Reads!’ bookmark, designed to be written and placed inside books displayed in the class or school library. This will highlight books to pupils that are recommended by their peers and create a real buzz around reading in your school.

Check these out here .

3 | Book review template for KS1

Writing book reviews enables pupils to offer opinions based on first-hand experiences. Naturally, pupils shouldn’t be expected to review every book they read, but from time to time encouraging them to reflect on their reading is a useful activity.

In this pack, Rachel Clarke prepared six writing templates – two each for use in KS1, lower KS2 and upper KS2. And because not all children are the same, three of these templates (one for each age-group) are differentiated.

The other KS1 worksheet provides pupils with an image of children playing in a paddling pool, along with a list of key words for them to write a descriptive passage about the scene.

Best of all, the pack is free, so even if you only need the KS1 resources, you’re not losing out.

Download the whole pack here , plus browse more book review templates .

4 | Film/book comparison template

This template encourages structured comparison between a book and its film adaptation.

It covers the opening, plot, ending, characterisation, themes and summary, with question prompts for each and space to write about how the book and film deal with these areas.

Download the PDF free here.

5 | Newspaper front page template

Our free newspaper front page template is perfect for both primary and secondary newspaper report writing activities and can help you cover eyewitness reports , journalistic bias and direct and indirect speech, as well as many more learning opportunities.

Download and print here.

6 | Postcard template

Taken from the OUP primary literacy resource series Project X Origins , you can use the postcard template on this worksheet to write a message from one or more characters in a story to another.

Or, of course, you can just use it as a blank postcard template.

Get this resource here.

7 | Book jacket template

This handy resource contains all the information needed for students to design their own book covers, front and back.

If you have a Teach It Primary account you can download the editable, Word doc version. But if not you can get a free PDF version. It just might require a bit of work to get around each section having the template words in place where you need to write the blurb etc.

8 | Non-chronological report template

No bells and whistles here. This simple worksheet printout lets children write a non-chronological report on whatever they want (or whatever you ask).

Print it here.

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A great nonfiction book can inspire and educate, influence, and heal — but the process of crafting your own nonfiction work can seem intimidating if you’ve never done it before (and sometimes even if you have!). Luckily, there are tried and true steps to guide you from first inspiration to final publication. And when it comes to sharing your work with the world, BookBaby is your one-stop-shop for everything from cover design to book distribution . Read on to discover the seven easy steps to creating your own nonfiction book.

Table of Contents: • Step 1: Find your niche • Step 2: Do your research • Step 3: Develop a robust outline • Step 4: Craft your first draft • Step 5: Enter the revision phase • Step 6: Get feedback • Step 7: Publish and promote

Step 1: Find your niche

New nonfiction books are published every day, so before you start writing, focus on a very important question: What do you have to say that’s new and different?

A big part of this is being honest with yourself about your interests, hobbies, and areas of expertise. If you can hone in on a focused topic that you feel you could talk about and explain for hours on end, that’s a good indication that you might have a winner. Another important aspect is making sure that there’s going to be an audience for the book you’re preparing to write. Is the area of theoretical mathematics you’re looking at so obscure that only three other people in the world will know what you’re talking about? Is your love of green tea so broad that it will get lost amidst every other book about green tea published in the last century?

There’s no perfect answer here — just try to focus in on a niche that you’re truly excited and knowledgeable about, and one where you think there’s at least a small population of potential readers who are as intrigued by it as you are. Identifying your book’s target audience before you start writing can be very helpful.

Step 2: Do your research

When it comes to most nonfiction writing, it’s rare that you’ll be able to just write off the top of your head and have your book become a success. Instead, thorough and diligent research can lay the foundation for a strong and well-received nonfiction work. A few tips to get you started:

Look at every available medium

Sources can range from magazine clippings to reference books, podcasts to infographics, hand-written letters to personal interviews. Don’t limit yourself to only one type of research resource. Gather the information you need from wherever you can find it.

Use dependable sources

News stories or history books published by organizations that at least try to be thorough and unbiased, for example, are a better bet than websites you’ve never heard of (ones that clearly exist to advance a certain agenda).

Use multiple sources

It’s best to gather information and perspectives from several different sources you trust, then draw your own conclusions from there. When writing nonfiction, research in books should look at both sides of the coin to gain valuable insight. Link to How to Add Research in Books for Your Next Project blog when it’s live

Always fact-check

Even the most reputable sources and experts get things wrong every now and then, and sometimes inaccuracies that are shared in one place can be echoed elsewhere. Stay vigilant to make sure you’ll craft your book atop solid ground.

Step 3: Develop a robust outline

You may think of book or chapter outlines as something your teacher makes you do in middle school, but countless great nonfiction writers rely on detailed outlines to guide them to success. A strong and detailed book outline can help you:

Organize your thoughts
Budget your writing time effectively
Focus in on what you’re really trying to say
Structure your content in a logical and engaging way
Make sure you’re not leaving anything important out

Add link to chapter outlines blog when it launches

A key part of forming your outline is making sure that your goals and deadlines are realistic and achievable. The last thing you want is to set the bar unfeasibly high, get discouraged, and burn yourself out before you’ve even started gaining writing momentum.

To start, try breaking down your writing process into small tasks that you know how to do, and can accomplish in a predictable amount of time. The more you see the act of crafting your nonfiction book as a series of manageable challenges — rather than a huge, daunting monolith — the more likely you’ll be to complete the project with grace.

Step 4: Craft your first draft

Sometimes the first words are the hardest when it comes to book-writing. If you find yourself intimidated by the blank white page, start by giving yourself permission to write something that could be amazing, could be horrible, but will most likely fall somewhere in the middle.

The goal of a first draft is to get everything that’s in your head out and in writing so you can see what your book idea actually looks like fully formed, then revise your draft to perfection from there. The main way to get there? Just keep writing. Even if you’re not thrilled with a particular turn of phrase or feel that one transition isn’t as smooth as the next, don’t let yourself get caught on relatively minor hiccups. There’s always the revision process, where you can iron out issues. Remember: your first draft is beautiful ( even if it is a beautiful mess ).

Staying focused can be tricky, as can bouts of writer’s block , but developing a consistent routine can help. Through trial and error, try to figure out how many hours each day you can devote to writing without starting to feel wiped out or distracted, and try to make your writing into a consistent practice every day. That way, even if you only get one or two sentences done, you’ve still shown up and moved your project incrementally forward. And chances are, the next day will be much more productive.

Remember that nonfiction books don’t have to be words alone. Illustrations, graphs, and diagrams can help you communicate complex ideas to your readers. If you’re not sure where to start integrating graphics into your first draft, BookBaby’s design team can help with book formatting .

Step 5: Enter the revision phase

Revisions are a key part of writing a book. Writers of all sorts regularly tweak and revisit their work multiple times until it’s just right. To get a fresh perspective on your work, try giving your brain a break by taking a walk, taking a vacation, getting exercise, reading a work that’s completely different from yours, or doing anything else that breaks you out of writing mode. Then, when you return to your manuscript, you may be able to see fresh solutions to old problems — and new issues you might have previously missed.

It can be helpful to keep a log of the areas or subjects you feel need the most attention, so you can stay on track and make your revision as efficient as possible. Make sure to stay mindful of using clear and consistent language from your first page to the last.

As you revise, keep in mind that there’s no shame in asking for help. BookBaby offers comprehensive book editing services that include line editing, copy editing, and proofreading. If you hit a wall in your revisions and need assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out to a professional book editor.

Above all else, remember that you’re not a failure if you find yourself having to revise several times. To the contrary, you’re doing the hard work needed to make sure your book is tight, accurate, compelling, and ready to share with the world.

Step 6: Get feedback

Writers rarely go from inspiration to publication in a vacuum, and even the most prolific and talented nonfiction authors ask for help when they need it. Seeking feedback from people you trust is a key part of the process, and one you shouldn’t overlook. Outside readers can help you:

Gain perspective on whether your book is as educational, convincing, or inspiring as you want it to be — and if not, what needs to be done to get it there
Identify parts that may be obvious to you as the writer, but need to be made clearer for your audience
Figure out if there are errors in your writing or overall storytelling that need to be addressed
Make your final revision and editing processes as focused, efficient, and effective as possible

First, think about who your target reader is before seeking out beta readers . If you’re writing about the history of goldfish, for example, you may want to search for people who love marine biology. Or if you’re making an argument about the future of public transit in rural areas, you might want to look for folks whose lives would be affected by the changes you’re proposing. It can also be helpful to seek out other authors and offer to critique their drafts in exchange for them reviewing yours.

Step 7: Publish and promote

Many writers will choose to research and chase agents, send dozens of book proposals and pitch letters, wait weeks or months for a response, and then sign away their independence to a publishing house for a fraction of the proceeds. And for some nonfiction authors, the reach and prestige of traditional publishing houses can be worth it.

But for more independently minded authors, BookBaby is here to help. Self-publishing lets you keep control over the distribution, marketing, design, timeline, and editing processes — plus, you get a much larger royalty percentage of every book sold. No matter what you need to bring your nonfiction book to reality, it’s all right here at BookBaby.

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Best AI for Writing Non-Fiction Books: Top 5 Expert Picks for 2024

See how the latest AI writing tools stack up to one another

AI has had a MASSIVE week with OpenAI's (the team behind ChatGPT) latest updates. Their models can now translate languages in real time and interact with the world through voice and video. And these are just the updates they've shared with the public—there's no telling what's on deck.

Here's what that means for publishers:

Going from idea to execution in a fraction of the time
Having more control and power throughout the publishing process
Generating even more recurring income and royalties as you build out your published library

There are already tons of AI writing tools out there, specifically tailored for non-fiction writers and publishers, but this blog post covers the top 5 that are making waves.

See what's possible with just a laptop + a free Amazon account. Stop by our no-cost publishing training and discover the formula that's already generated millions of dollars in royalties for total beginners with no publishing, writing, or tech experience.

Can You Legally Publish a Book Written by AI?

We've answered this question multiple times across our blog because it's one of the biggest concerns we hear among newbie publishers. The short answer, is YES, you can definitely publish a book written by AI.

Now, here's the long answer...

The laws surrounding purely AI-generated content are still evolving, but as of now, there are no legal barriers to publishing a book written or assisted by AI.

Any new technology is automatically going to have some resistance to it because that's how we humans are. We're usually not too fond of change. But at the end of the day, using AI like a co-pilot is really no different than hiring a ghostwriter. You still have to put in the critical thinking and creativity to make the final product worth your readers' time.

Amazon has started testing a new policy that requires self-publishers to declare if their content is AI-generated or AI-assisted, but this is strictly for educational purposes. It is NOT punitive despite some rumors you may have heard online.

What Is the Best AI for Writing Non-fiction Books?

When it comes to selecting the best AI for writing non-fiction books, the "best" tool is really going to boil down to personal preferences and the extent of the work you're looking for help with.

These are 5 recommendations for AI tools that have been gaining a lot of popularity on the publishing scene:

Publishing.ai

#1: Publishing.AI: Best AI for Writing Non-Fiction Books

Although Publishing.AI is currently exclusive for members of Publishing.com's student community, it is a gamechanger for the industry. This powerful tool is specifically designed to cater to non-fiction authors and serve as a one-stop-shop to all things publishing.

Best Use Cases:

Customer Research Reports: Gather essential data about your audience to actually tailor your content (most AI's fall completely short here).
Comprehensive Text Generation: Capable of producing well-structured 30,000-word books from scratch.
Book Descriptions and Marketing Copy: Helps create compelling descriptions specifically formulated for Amazon's KDP to reach more readers and boost your book sales.
Detailed Research: Provides in-depth audience AND competitor insights.
Structured Content: Generates comprehensive and well-organized text (which is also fully editable).
Marketing Support: Optimizes book descriptions with SEO analysis already built-in!
Built for KDP: Designed with Amazon's publishing guidelines in mind and offers helpful reminders so you can make sure your manuscript stays compliant.
Exclusivity: Must be a Publishing.com member to gain first access.
Limitations: The AI tool can't actually publish or market your book for you (...yet), so you'll still need to put in the 10% of work to bring your book across the finish line.
Visit the Publishing.AI website for pricing updates.

#2: ChatGPT

ChatGPT has come a LONG way since its earlier versions, and it's still constantly being updated. Premium subscribers should already have access to its 4.o version, which is even faster and smarter than GPT 4, 3.5, and so on.

Outline Draft Creation: Helps in setting up a clear and detailed book outline.
Overcome Writer's Block: Unlimited idea generation for your chapters based on market research (though it might not always be completely up to date).
Research Assistance: Suggests sources for further research or generates citations based on your preferred style (APA, Chicago, MLA, etc.). Just keep in mind that ChatGPT has been known to "hallucinate" facts, figures, and sources, so triple-check everything!
Quick: You can get instant answers to practically any question on your mind.
Accessible: The free version is open to anybody with a computer!
On the Go: They also offer a mobile version, and there are rumors that future iPhones will all be automatically integrated with ChatGPT!
Learning Curve: May require some practice to get used to prompting and providing the AI with feedback.
Niche Limitations: Might not be perfect for every subject area, requiring manual edits.
Free or $20/month for Premium Subscribers

#3: Scrivener

Scrivener is perfect for those who love having everything in one place. It lets you manage your research, notes, and first drafts, all from the same dashboard (just like Publishing.ai).

Project Management: Organize your entire book project, from research to final draft, all in the same place.
Detailed Outlines: Create comprehensive outlines with multiple features that let you really customize your experience.
Multi-Format Support: Easily format your manuscript for various publishing platforms.
All-in-One: Combines writing, research, and organization tools.
Flexible: Supports various writing styles and project types.
Distraction-Free Mode: Helps you stay focused while writing in Composition Mode.
Learning Curve: Can be complex to learn initially.
Not AI-Powered: Doesn't generate content or ideas for you; it's more of a management tool.
Scrivener is available for a one-time fee of $59.99 for macOS and Windows , and $23.99 for iOS .

#4: WriteSonic

WriteSonic is another decent AI-powered writing tool for creating non-fiction books. It uses advanced machine learning algorithms (like ChatGPT) to generate content through chat-based prompts.

Content Creation: Ideal for writing eBooks, articles, and other non-fiction content.
SEO Optimization: Built-in SEO tools help your content rank better in search engines.
Branding: Teach the AI what your preferred brand voice is, and it will automatically apply that feedback to future prompts.
Multiple tiers: Choose which plan best suits your budget and content needs.
Tool Suite: Also offers image and voice capabilities through Audiosonic and Photosonic.
Versatile: Suitable for various types of writing projects (not just manuscripts).
Not Perfect for Everyone: May not meet all writing needs and may not be as in-depth as other tools.
Not Specific to Publishing: This is more of a general AI tool than a manuscript-specific one.
WriteSonic offers a free plan and individual plans starting at $16 per month.

#5: Squibler

Squibler is a versatile writing tool known for its user-friendly interface and more comprehensive feature set, making it a great choice for fiction and nonfiction authors, writers, and publishers.

Fast Drafting: Helps you quickly draft your non-fiction book, novel, or screenplay quickly.
Collaboration: Supports real-time collaboration, perfect for co-authors or editors.
Templates: Offers a variety of templates to kickstart your writing process.
User-Friendly: Easy to navigate and use, even for beginners.
Collaboration Tools: Allows for seamless teamwork on your writing projects.
Goal Tracking: Keeps you on track with word count and chapter goals.
Limited Advanced Features: The free version only allows 6,000 AI words generated per month.
Genre Limitations: Its nonfiction writing capabilities are mostly specific to memoirs.

Squibler offers a free plan or a $20 per month plan for premium subscribers.

How Do You Know Which AI Writing Tools Are Worth Trying?

Here are some things to look out for when you're comparing AI writing software:

Accuracy and Reliability

In a perfect world, AI will always be accurate and reliable.

That includes things like:

Context Understanding: The AI should get what you’re saying and keep the flow consistent.
Error-Free Text: The tools should produce clean, polished content that doesn't require rewriting from scratch.
Regular Updates: A good AI gets regular updates to stay sharp and current (look out for knowledge cutoffs, which are usually disclosed in the terms and conditions).

User Interface and Experience

Publishing takes a lot of focus and planning, so a smooth user interface can make a world of difference.

Clean Layout: A cluttered dashboard isn't going to help produce a clean, organized manuscript.
Intuitive Navigation: You want something easy to navigate without a ton of instructions and training videos required just to get started.
Personalized Assistance: Look for tools that adapt to your writing style and needs.

Support and Community

Good support and an active community can be lifesavers, especially when you find yourself hitting a mental roadblock.

Look for companies that provide these things on top of the AI writing tool:

Active Online Community: A place to share ideas and get tips from other users.
Comprehensive Documentation: Helpful guides and FAQs that make using the tool easier.
Responsive Customer Support: Quick, helpful responses when you need help.

Cost and Value

Ghostwriters, editors, and graphic designers start to add up, so your AI tools should help you get the best bang for your buck.

Think about:

Pricing Plans: Compare different tools and see whether you can save money on an annual plan or whether the free plan is actually sufficient for your content needs.
Value for Money: Look for tools that offer more holistic features to help you across multiple steps of the publishing process versus just writing or editing.

Use Cases and Practical Applications

There is always something new to learn about AI—even for those of us who have been using it for years.

Here are some practical ways to put these new tools to good use:

1. Research and Outline:

AI tools like Squibler and Publishing.ai can simplify your research process, gather valuable information, and create a detailed outline for your book.

2. Content Generation and Improvement:

Tools like ChatGPT and WriteSonic can speed up your writing by offering suggestions to improve your storytelling and convey information in a different way.

3. Editing and Proofreading:

Scrivener can help you organize and manage your writing process, making editing and proofreading more efficient.

4. SEO Optimization:

AI tools like WriteSonic can help you craft content that's already optimized for search engines to improve your book's online visibility.

5. Language Translation:

WriteSonic and ChatGPT are already testing out translation, which can be a great way to add an additional income stream and reach new book markets. (In our opinion, these capabilities still aren't completely perfect, but they're definitely on their way there.)

Which AI Writing Tools Offer the Best Value for Money for Non-fiction Writers?

Publishing.ai does things a little differently than most AI writing tools . For one, it's specifically designed for DIY publishers and authors, and the main goal is to simplify the publishing process as much as possible.

From just one dashboard, you can generate:

-Unlimited book topic ideas

-Hefty customer and market research reports

-Optimized book outlines

-First-draft manuscripts based on your ideal chapter count ready for polishing and editing

See how Publishing.ai is changing the publishing industry!

Are There Any Free AI Writing Applications Suitable for Non-fiction Books?

If you're a non-fiction writer balling on a really tight budget, ChatGPT's free plan is the way to go.

Most blogs are going to recommend ChatGPT because it's so accessible and easy to practice with.

Sure, its output isn't always going to be perfect, but even if it can help you save a few hours of research time, that's ultimately more freedom over your time and schedule (which is why most people want to start publishing in the first place).

Ready to Take Off on Your Publishing Journey? Join the 7DPC

Our public 7-Day Publi$hing Challenge officially kicks off at the end of May, and the best part isn't even that THOUSANDS of people have already committed to publishing their first book...

The best part is that the challenge is completely 100% FREE!

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Non fiction writing template

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Blog - Posted on Thursday, Nov 11 The Only Book Review Templates You'll Ever Need Whether you're trying to become a book reviewer, writing a book report for school, or analyzing a book, it's nice to follow a book review template to make sure that your thoughts are clearly presented.. A quality template provides guidance to keep your mind sharp and your thoughts organized so that you can ...
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Be succinct, but give enough to serve the purpose of the review. Points to Consider: What if you really don't like the book? Always write your reviews with integrity. If you honestly don't like a book, write your review as if you are in a critique session with the author. Use positive words and avoid sarcasm.
How to Write a Nonfiction Book Review
A great example of this is fellow nonfiction book blogger Paula Ghete 's book reviews such as this one of Cosmos by Carl Sagan ( which you can compare to mine to see how greatly our styles vary). Her book reviews are structured this way: 10-Word Summary: We can understand the Universe only if we study it.
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Design your own book cover. Make fan art. Elements to incorporate into a review: Quick/initial thoughts (often while reading or immediately after reading), then a more in-depth review (common on Goodreads) A list of facts about the book or a character from the book. Book club questions about the book.
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Nonfiction Reviews. Example #1. Bomb The Race to Build - and Steal - the World's Most Dangerous Weapon is an engaging non-fiction book which had me from the first page. The book begins with a Prologue: May 22, 1950 the FBI arrives at Harry Gold's door; Harry, still in pajamas, stares at two agents with a search warrant for his home as they are investigating his spying activities from ...
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Book Review Template 50. Page: 2. Size: 41 KB. Rating: 4.5. Download For Free. Check and download 50 free and high-quality forms and templates for Book Review with examples to enhance your project efficiency.
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Part 2: Plot Summary: 3-5 paragraphs. If you're writing a review that must include all aspects of the plot, be sure to include a spoiler warning. Summarize the plot in no more than 3-5 paragraphs. Add 3-5 key takeaways (for nonfiction only). One of the most important components of a book review is the plot summary.
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Use this lovely book review template to inspire your children to reflect on the non-fiction books they have read. With sections including illustrating the front cover, sharing their favorite fact and noting down new vocabulary and their meaning, this worksheet is a great way to scaffold children's thoughts about a variety of non-fiction texts. This sheet is perfect for an independent ...
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Use this lovely book review template to inspire your children to reflect on the non-fiction books they have read. With sections including illustrating the front cover, sharing their favourite fact and noting down new vocabulary and their meaning. This worksheet is a great way to scaffold children's thoughts about a variety of non-fiction texts. This sheet is perfect for an independent ...
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Help students better understand the nonfiction books they are reading with our In-Depth Nonfiction Book Review Writing Template. This template will provide students with thought-provoking prompts about their nonfiction book. Students will reflect upon new information learned from the book as well as how they felt about the book. Show more. book ...
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Use this lovely book review template to inspire your children to reflect on the non-fiction books they have read. With sections including illustrating the front cover, sharing their favourite fact and noting down new vocabulary and their meaning. This worksheet is a great way to scaffold children's thoughts about a variety of non-fiction texts. This sheet is perfect for an independent ...
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Rising Strong by Brene Brown is a thorough and thought-provoking page-turner. This book takes a seeker on a journey to self-discovery; not only by providing helpful tools that encourage curiosity and introspection, but by also taking the reader's hand and walking step-by-step through real life examples. The author's willingness to be candid ...
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TIP Sheet. WRITING ABOUT NON-FICTION BOOKS. At some point in your college career you may be asked to review a non-fiction book to enable you to learn more about some aspect of your course work. The assignment is demanding because you are required to describe and evaluate an author's contribution to a subject that you may know little about.
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Use this lovely book review worksheet to inspire your children to reflect on the non-fiction books they have read. With sections including illustrating the front cover, sharing their favourite fact and noting down new vocabulary and their meaning. This worksheet is a great way to scaffold children's thoughts about a variety of non-fiction texts. This sheet is perfect for an independent ...
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Book Review Bundle. 4 Different Book Reviews 2 Page Book Review for an in-depth review. Standard Book Review - use it every time. Book Review for Non Fiction Book Review with snazzy pencils to rate that book! was £3.50. A useful book review template to use when exploring non fiction. Sections include: Title Author Rate it Subject Matter ...
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Download this Non Fiction Book Review Template Design in Word, Google Docs, Apple Pages Format. Easily Editable, Printable, Downloadable. Business Download Template. Word. Google Docs.
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WriteSonic is another decent AI-powered writing tool for creating non-fiction books. It uses advanced machine learning algorithms (like ChatGPT) to generate content through chat-based prompts. Best Use Cases: Content Creation: Ideal for writing eBooks, articles, and other non-fiction content.
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Non fiction writing template
Non fiction writing template. Subject: English. Age range: Age not applicable. Resource type: Worksheet/Activity. File previews. docx, 25.45 KB. This template can be used for explanation texts, non chron reports. However you like. Creative Commons "Sharealike".
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How to Write a Nonfiction Book Review

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How to Write a Nonfiction Book Review

Mark up your book

Answer these three questions

Does it accomplish its goal?

Do I like it?

Does it speak to a target audience?

Decide whether you want to stick to a formula

How my own book reviews take shape

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