Write Better Nonfiction
Articles | Business Books | Creative Nonfiction Writing | Grammar | Historical Books | Humor in Nonfiction | Personal Writing | Revising & Editing | Travel Books
This is the place to learn how to write better nonfiction. WD editors & guest contributors cover everything about writing—from grammar to writing tips to fueling your creative fire, we have you covered. Your nonfiction writing career will thank you.
How to Write a Eulogy When the Need Arises
While plenty of eulogies are delivered by a clergy member, the perspective provided by a close friend or family member can retell cherished memories of the deceased. If you find yourself needing to pen one, let this advice by Paul Vachon guide you.
How to Approach Friends and Family About Your Memoir
No one can decide whether showing your memoir to loved ones before it goes to press is the right choice for you. However, if you're planning to approach your friends and family about it, let memoirist Ronit Plank give you 3 tips for doing so.
Abate vs. Bait vs. Bate (Grammar Rules)
Learn the differences of abate, bait, and bate on with Grammar Rules from the Writer's Digest editors, including a few examples of correct usages.
John B. Thompson: On Researching Changes in the Book Publishing Industry
John B. Thompson, author of the new book Book Wars, shares the research that went into his account of how the digital revolution changed publishing for readers and writers.
What Is a Personal Essay in Writing?
In this post, we look at what a personal essay (also known as the narrative essay) is, including what makes it different from other types of fiction and nonfiction writing, examples of effective personal essays, and more.
Negative Space: An Interview With Lilly Dancyger
Catapult and Barrelhouse Books editor Lilly Dancyger talks about her debut memoir Negative Space.
Writing Mistakes Writers Make: Revising While Writing
The Writer's Digest team has witnessed many writing mistakes over the years, so we started this series to help identify them for other writers (along with correction strategies). This week's writing mistake is revising while writing.
Finding Your Nonfiction Writing Niche and Understanding Why This Is So Important
Why specialize? It's a question many nonfiction authors face. Author Rick Lauber explains how focusing in on one subject can help your writing create a bigger impact—and even widen your audience.
Right vs. Rite vs. Wright vs. Write (Grammar Rules)
Learn the differences of right, rite, wright, and write on with Grammar Rules from the Writer's Digest editors, including a few examples of correct usages.
Writing Mistakes Writers Make: Refraining to Revise Writing
The Writer's Digest team has witnessed many writing mistakes over the years, so we started this series to help identify them for other writers (along with correction strategies). This week's writing mistake is refraining to revise writing.
Stationary vs. Stationery (Grammar Rules)
Learn the differences of stationary and stationery on with Grammar Rules from the Writer's Digest editors, including a few examples of correct usages.
Liminal Spaces: A Profile of Erik Larson
WD gives a peek at the daily routine of Erik Larson and the writing process behind his bestselling narrative nonfiction in this Nov/Dec 2020 profile by Zachary Petit.
Jennifer Boresz Engelking: On Giving Readers a New Appreciation of History
Debut author Jennifer Boresz Engelking discusses what led her to write her historical nonfiction book Hidden History of Lake County Ohio and how research gave her a new appreciation for her hometown.
Through Another’s Eyes: An Auschwitz Survivor Inspires His Biographer
Popular lecturer and biographer Joshua M. Greene discusses the hardship of writing the biographies of Holocaust survivors, and the biography that convinced him to continue writing.
Waist vs. Waste (Grammar Rules)
Learn the differences of waist vs. waste on with Grammar Rules from the Writer's Digest editors, including a few examples of correct usages.
Take Two: 3 Mistakes Writers Make in Act I
Without a solid foundation, our stories flounder. Jeanne Veillette Bowerman shares insights into the three mistakes writers make when creating the first act.
How I Taught Myself to Write in English
Novelist Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau describes what it was like to transition from writing in French (her native language) to publishing her debut YA novel in English.
Bolder vs. Boulder (Grammar Rules)
Learn when to use bolder vs. boulder on with Grammar Rules from the Writer's Digest editors, including a few examples of correct usages.
Joshua M. Greene: On Balancing Poetry and Conciseness in Biographies
Popular lecturer and biographer Joshua M. Greene shares how he handles writing a biography that is both accurate and concise while still illuminating the subject's personality.
Principal vs. Principle (Grammar Rules)
Learn when to use principal vs. principle on with Grammar Rules from the Writer's Digest editors, including a few examples of correct usages.
Annual vs. Perennial (Grammar Rules)
What's the difference between annual and perennial? Learn the answers with Grammar Rules from the Writer's Digest editors, including what the terms mean when it comes to flowers and other plants.
Introvert vs. Extrovert vs. Extravert (Grammar Rules)
What's the difference between an introvert, extrovert, and extravert? And when do you use each term? Learn the answers with Grammar Rules from the Writer's Digest editors, including examples of each.
Writer’s Digest Columns: How to Write a Five-Minute Memoir
Want to write for WD? Here are editor tips on how to submit to one of our most popular columns, 5-Minute Memoir.
Synonym vs. Antonym vs. Homonym (Grammar Rules)
Learn when you're writing or reading a synonym vs. antonym vs. homonym with Grammar Rules from the Writer's Digest editors, including a few examples of each.