Nonfiction Book Writing

Draft your manuscript with the help of a professional book packager and agent

Nonfiction Book Writing
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WHEN 8 weeks, Tuesdays, February 3 - March 24, 6:45-9:45 pm

WHERE New York (Midtown East)

LEVEL Intermediate

PRICE
$499 ($475 for )
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Course Details

You know how to write and what you want to write about but you aren't sure where to go from there. Even experienced writers can balk at having to fill hundreds of pages with tens of thousands of words. Learn how to manage the tricky process of writing a nonfiction book from an instructor who has overseen the development of nonfiction titles of all kinds. In this class, we will focus on the craft of nonfiction writing. With the guidance of a publishing professional, writers will develop their manuscripts and revise them down to the finest details until their material is ready to show to editors and publishers.

Find out where to start, how to stay motivated, how to write for a specific audience, and how to establish the perfect tone. You'll get guidance on these topics while receiving invaluable feedback on your writing by an industry professional and your peers.

The class will be a combination of lectures and weekly manuscript workshops. Lecture topics include: Who's going to read my book? How do I manage the roller-coaster of a long-term project? What do I do with my finished pages?

In this class, you will learn:

  • How to research your topic efficiently and effectively
  • How to create a comprehensive structure for your book
  • How to find and sustain the right voice
  • How to distinguish your book in a crowded marketplace
  • How to be critical of your own work and to look at it from a reader's point of view
  • Insights into the publishing industry that can affect how and what you write

By the end of this class, you will have:
A working draft (75-100 pages), a full outline, and a plan for the completion of your book

Admission Requirements
Please submit a letter of interest (including a brief work history) and a writing sample (less than 2,000 words).

Nonfiction Book Writing (PDF)
View a sample syllabus for this class here.

Related Courses

Tell me when courses like this are scheduled.
Nonfiction Book Proposal Writing – New York (Class starts January 21)

Instructor Bio

Christa Bourg's Courses

Nonfiction Book Writing – New York (Class starts February 3)

Christa Bourg
Christa Bourg is a professional book packager and agent. Her work involves developing books for major publishers (a book packager is to publishing what a producer is to the movies: if she believes in your book, she can make it happen). She has worked on numerous books in nearly every nonfiction category, including humor, business, lifestyle, memoir, food, art, parenting, home, reference, etc.

Some recent titles include Dress Your Best, French Cats Don't Get Fat, The Dysfunctional Family Christmas Songbook, The Great American Citizenship Quiz, Haiku U., Latin for All Occasions, The Booklover's Repair Kit, I've Got Your Back, At Home With Art, The Junior League cookbook series, and many more. Christa is also a freelance writer, editor, and proposal doctor. She is co-author of the book The Education of a Very Young Madam, which will be published in 2009.

Testimonials


This class made the daunting process of crafting a book proposal so much more manageable. Weekly writing assignments kept me on track moving forward. And regular in-class feedback helped hone and shape my idea into a solid, marketable proposal. -- Jessica DuLong

"Thanks to Christa's teaching skills as well as the friendly group dynamic, I was inspired to write a complete, polished proposal for my book. By February I had signed on with the Zachary Shuster Harmsworth literary agency, and I'm well on my way to finding a publisher!" -- Joyce Hanson, author

"Christa was able to guide us through each section of our proposals and workshop them thoroughly with us. She encouraged a really helpful class atmosphere and the support and interest from the group was incredibly useful. I came out of the class feeling confident in my proposal and happy that Christa gave us tools to help us navigate the business." -- Elise MacAdam

"Christa's class brought my book project to a new level. She coached all of us into a better, more enlightened, place in our writing. Without Christa my manuscript would still be gathering dust in a forgotten file drawer." -- Lisa Peterson

"Being part of a group of people that are all making the same commitment makes writing a book much more enjoyable -- and less daunting. I had an opportunity to workshop a piece that will be published soon in a magazine, and the feedback and structure improved my work significantly!" -- Judy Kamilhor

"Christa was impressively informative and so very inspiring. I absolutely appreciated the experience of having someone so down to earth yet profound as my instructor!" -- Philana Marie Boles, author of Little Divas, In the Paint, and Blame It on Eve

"Christa was excellent! She has been in the industry for many years, so she was extremely informative and helpful. Christa has a great personality -- she's confident, patient, and thoughtful." -- Al Hazan
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