Nonfiction Writing Archives

Are You a Writer?

August 29, 2023

Wondering if You Are a Writer? Give yourself one point for each of these that sound like you: You love to read: Maybe you hide a flashlight under your bed so you can read under the covers, late at night. You probably tuck a book in your book bag, so you’re never without reading material. If without a book or magazine, you’ve been known to read ingredients on a can of food. You love to write: You might write poetry or essays or stories. You might keep a journal. We each have our own types of reading and writing that

Honoring an Ancestor: Nathaniel Couch

June 16, 2023

As Independence Day 2023 approaches, I’m attempting to honor my ancestor, Nathaniel Couch, who played a key role in the founding of the United States. This includes fighting in the Seven Years War (French and Indian War) for the British and building Fort Couch in today’s western Pennsylvania to provide protection for the community. He then fought in the Revolutionary War for the Colonies and provided shelter for the rebel forces during the Whiskey Rebellion. That’s a lot to pack into one lifetime! For the past couple of days, my two sons and I visited forts, museums, and a cemetery

How to Write a Query Letter to a Magazine Editor

September 5, 2022

The Query Letter (Today, Likely a Query Email) When you hear a tidbit of intriguing information, do you find yourself wanting to talk to the people involved—to get the story behind the story? Does your definition of happiness include researching? When you stand in line at the grocery store, do you long to see your name as a byline on one of those glossy magazines near the cash register? Perhaps you’ve even gone as far as contacting a magazine editor with an idea, but you either received a rejection letter or never heard back. Well, first of all, you’re not

Football Player: Orenthal James “O.J.” Simpson (1947-)

September 5, 2022

O.J. Simpson Note: I had written this for an encyclopedia and then the project itself got canceled. So, I decided to upload it to my site. Orenthal James “O.J.” Simpson initially rose to fame because of his collegiate football performance at the University of Southern California (USC) where he set records for rushing yards gained, was named All-American (1967-68), won the 1968 Heisman Trophy, and played in two Rose Bowl games. He then gained more fame as an outstanding professional running back, known for his speed and dexterity, and then as a sportscaster and for his performances on television and

What is Content Creation?

September 4, 2022

As a freelance content developer, I create content for a wide variety of businesses, both B2B and B2C, on a full-time basis. These have ranged from small mom and pop shops to a Fortune 500 company. I am a member of the prestigious, member-vetted American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA). I am a lifelong learner with a passion for research and writing, and I love it when a piece of content works well for a client. In the past, I provided a wide spectrum of content creation services, and so I’ll provide answers to FAQs that includes information about

Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple Series

June 3, 2021

Miss Jane Marple appears in 12 books and 20 short stories over a period of about 50 years. I was invited to write an encyclopedia entry on Agatha Christie’s amateur detective, Miss Jane Marple — and, as a huge fan, I was thrilled. And . . . the encyclopedia project got canceled. So, I thought I would share what I wrote here, with sub-headlines added. Who is Jane Marple? Jane Marple is a fictional character created by English mystery novelist Agatha Christie. She appears in twelve books and twenty short stories, starting in approximately 1926 and lasting through 1976; the

Author Interviews: John Gilstrap, 06/14/97

June 2, 2021

This is one of the many author interviews I conducted in the mid- to late 1990s. John Gilstrap worries about falling asleep. He’s afraid of waking up and finding out that 1995 was only a dream. That extraordinary year was when Gilstrap sold his first novel, Nathan’s Run, to Harper Collins Publishers. His book earned a $400,000 advance with Warner Brothers snapping up the movie rights just two days after the book sold. The movie rights and paperback rights earned Gilstrap another $500,000, and the book will be translated and released in 13 foreign countries in 1996. When asked how his

Author Interviews: Interview with Ellen Hart, 07/22/96

June 2, 2021

This is one of the many author interviews I conducted in the mid- to late 1990s. Who: Ellen Hart What: Started writing her first mystery novel at the age of 37 When: Summer of 1986 Where: University of Minnesota, where Hart worked as the kitchen manager of a sorority Why: She figured it was now or never “I had my summers off at that time, and I wanted to try my hand at writing mystery fiction,” Ellen Hart said. “I’d always been a pretty good academic writer, but that didn’t mean I had the skills to sustain plot, character, tension—everything

How to Write a Book Proposal: Non-Fiction Example

June 2, 2021

I recently came across a book proposal that I’d written in 2013, one that was ultimately rejected because the publisher felt there were too many books on the subject already. So, I thought it might be helpful to share it with you, a guide to how to write a nonfiction book proposal. Note that I’m not suggesting that ALL book proposals should look this way. The publisher I was querying had specific requirements and I followed them. Having said that, this book proposal is fairly typical of what a publisher might want, although shorter than many others I’ve written.

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