10 Reasons Why You Should Write Nonfiction 

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It’s more common to find writers who aspire to write fiction than nonfiction. On the surface, fiction seems to be more fun and creative. 

But nonfiction has its own allure and purpose. While you may be bound by facts, it doesn’t hinder your creativity and imagination in exploring a compelling topic. 

Reasons to Write Nonfiction

If you’re still hesitant to write nonfiction, here are some satisfying reasons why you should.

1. You are an expert.

If you’re an expert on a topic, writing a book is practically a requirement. Especially if you want to reach a higher level of credibility, authority, and reach.

It takes a lot of time, effort, and knowledge to write a book. That alone demonstrates your expertise. Even if you don’t start as an expert, the amount of research it takes will turn you into one.

The more pieces you publish, the more credible you become. The more credible you are, the stronger your authority. The stronger your authority, the easier it is to earn money from writing nonfiction.

2. Publication opportunities.

There is a huge market for nonfiction. Although fiction books dominate the trade market, adult nonfiction remains the top-selling category within trade books.

As a result, there are plenty of opportunities to find in the nonfiction world. Nonfiction prospects might even be easier to find compared to fiction. This isn’t just limited to book publishers, but also magazines, journals, and other publications. You could also choose to self-publish.

3. You have a unique experience.

Everyone has their own unique life experiences. While many themes and topics may have been explored before, adding a personal touch can make them feel fresh and original. Use these experiences to stand out from the rest. 

Unique experiences make your potential readers curious. They’ll want to know more—not only the details of it but also your thoughts and feelings during and after the experience.

4. Low competition. 

Most writers aspire to be novelists. That leaves more space for you as a nonfiction writer, giving you more breathing room and a better chance at success.

Of course, you’ll still compete with thousands of other writers. But in nonfiction, you’re all in different niches. Unlike fiction, where genres can blend and be hard to define, nonfiction topics are usually more specific and easier to pinpoint. 

This also makes it easier for you to market your work. Think about it, there are thousands of books that market themselves as fantasy, romance, or mystery. On the other hand, there are considerably fewer works about learning to live with ADHD, an athlete’s journey or becoming a private chef.

5. Easier to write.

In some ways, nonfiction can be easier to write than fiction. It takes a lot of imagination to write fiction, while nonfiction already gives you the materials to work with.

Both require copious amounts of research. Fiction, however, requires you to transform information so it can fit the internal logic of an imagined world. That means worldbuilding, plotting, and character development. 

Nonfiction involves sharing real-world information in good faith. You already have the setting, the plot, and the characters. However, you do still need storytelling skills to make it work. 

It’s a basic analogy, but it gets the idea across.

6. Increased revenue.

There are now more ways to earn money from writing nonfiction. Aside from traditional book publications, you can choose to write for magazines, journals, blogs, and other websites. 

You can dominate a certain niche by self-publishing digital books, manuals, and more. You can even leverage these works to grow your business. This may lead to other opportunities such as being invited as a speaker, becoming a consultant, or expanding into other related niches. 

Revenue aside, you can repurpose your work in a variety of ways. Turn your book into a speech, several articles, or a course. Of course, you must add more value to whatever you repurpose it into. Don’t just regurgitate what you’ve already written.

7. Write about your passions. 

Plenty of people have achieved success by writing about their hobbies and interests. Roger Ebert made a career out of film criticism. David Attenborough’s body of work is almost exclusively about the natural world. Anthony Bourdain wrote about food and restaurants.

If you’re passionate about something, chances are you’re already an expert on it. You can write about what you love and possibly turn it into something profitable. Just remember that passion doesn’t guarantee quality work. Effort is still necessary to be successful.

8. Make a difference.

Nonfiction typically serves to inform and educate. Exploring failures and triumphs provides individuals with a chance for self-reflection.

This is why a lot of memoirs and autobiographies are so emotionally powerful. They make personal experiences relatable even to those who haven’t lived through them. Writing nonfiction allows you to share personal stories and prompt readers to reflect more deeply on themselves and the world.

9. Collaborate with experts.

Nonfiction is also an opportunity to grow your network. It offers the most opportunities to collaborate with experts who don’t necessarily have the time or writing expertise.

This is where your role becomes crucial. Depending on your arrangement, you might collaborate with them as a coauthor or ghostwrite a book on their behalf. You might even get inspiration for your own book while working with them.

10. You already have an audience.

Writing nonfiction is easier when you already have an audience to share it with. It broadens what you offer and who you reach. 

If some people aren’t fond of your current platform, you can address this by providing them with an alternative. You can also strengthen your current audience’s loyalty by introducing new content for them to enjoy.

What reason do you have for writing nonfiction? Share them in the comments below!

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