Non Fiction Genre
Non-Fiction Book Publishing Services
Non-fiction readers buy a promise: that they will understand something, believe something or be able to do something by the last page. We edit and publish non-fiction so the promise is clear on the cover and kept in every chapter.
- Editors and designers in-house, never subcontracted
- Fact-checking and source review available
- Revisions included until the brief is met
- Every book quoted with its own timeline
The problem
Expertise is not the same as a book
Most non-fiction authors know their subject far better than their readers do. That is the strength of the book and also its main risk. Experts tend to write in the order they learned things, include everything they know, and assume background the reader does not have. The result is accurate and hard to finish.
A good non-fiction book is built around one clear idea or question, stated early, with each chapter advancing it. Stories, examples and evidence are chosen because they move the argument along, not because they are interesting in their own right. When we edit, the first question is always: what is this book's single promise to the reader, and does every chapter earn its place against it?
Book types
Non-fiction we publish
Each kind of non-fiction is read differently, so the edit changes with it.
Narrative non-fiction
True stories told with the tools of fiction: scene, character and suspense. Investigations, true crime, science stories and accounts of real events.
Idea and argument books
Books that make a case: about society, health, work, the economy or the future. Structured so the argument builds and objections are answered.
Popular science and psychology
Research translated for general readers without distorting it. We check that studies are described accurately and not overstated.
Essays and collections
Essays or columns gathered into a book, ordered and linked so the collection reads as a whole rather than a scrapbook.
Not sure which option fits?
Send us the brief. You will get a scope, a timeline and a fixed price within 24 hours — no obligation.
Accuracy
Facts, sources and notes
In non-fiction, one wrong date or misattributed quotation gives sceptical readers permission to doubt the rest. A fact-check pass works through names, dates, figures and quotations against the sources you used, and flags claims that need a source and do not have one.
How you show your sources depends on the book. Trade non-fiction usually uses endnotes keyed to page and phrase so the text stays clean, while more scholarly books use numbered notes. Either way, the notes, bibliography and index belong in the back matter in the order set out by the Chicago Manual of Style, the standard reference for US book publishing.
An index is easy to forget and hard to do well. A professional index is built from the final typeset pages, after the layout is locked, so it needs to be planned into the schedule rather than added at the end.
- Structural edit on the book's promise, chapter order and argument
- Line editing for clarity, with jargon explained or removed
- Fact-check of names, dates, figures and quotations against your sources
- Endnotes, bibliography and permissions list formatted consistently
- Index prepared from the final typeset pages
- Cover with a title and subtitle that state what the reader will get
- Interior design including charts, tables and pull quotes where needed
- Category, BISAC code and keyword selection, then print and ebook distribution
Title and cover
The subtitle does more work than you think
Non-fiction covers sell differently from fiction covers. The title can be short and memorable, but the subtitle has to tell a browsing reader exactly what the book is about and why they should care. It also carries the search terms people actually type. A clean, typographic cover with a strong subtitle often outperforms an elaborate illustration in this genre.
If you are planning to approach agents or traditional publishers instead of self-publishing, we can also help write a book proposal: overview, audience, competing titles, chapter summaries and sample chapters.
How it works
From manuscript to published book
1. Assessment
We read the manuscript and agree the core promise, the editing needed and a fixed quote with its own timeline.
2. Edit and check
Structural and line edits, then the fact-check and notes. You approve every change.
3. Design and index
Cover, interior layout, then the index from final pages.
4. Publish
Metadata, upload and distribution in print and ebook.
Free proposal
Tell us the goal. We’ll send the plan.
Share your requirements and a strategist gets back to you within 24 hours with scope, timeline and a fixed price. No obligation, no sales pressure.
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Response within 24 hours
Usually much sooner during business hours.
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Talk to a strategist
Not a call centre — the person who scopes your work.
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Fixed pricing upfront
You approve the number before anything starts.
Prefer to talk?
[email protected]Questions
Questions about non-fiction book publishing
Still unsure about something? Talk to a specialist — no script, no sales pitch.
If you quote other people, cite research or state figures, readers need a way to check them. Most trade non-fiction uses endnotes so the main text reads cleanly, often keyed to a page and phrase rather than numbered. Academic-leaning books use numbered notes. We help you pick one approach and apply it consistently.
Yes. We check names, dates, figures and quotations against the sources you used and flag any claim that has no source or seems to overstate what the source says. We cannot verify private information only you have, such as personal conversations or unpublished interviews, so those remain your responsibility as the author.
Yes. A non-fiction proposal usually covers an overview, the target audience, competing titles, your platform, a chapter-by-chapter outline and one or more sample chapters. We can write or edit it; we cannot promise an agent or publisher will accept it.
Reference-heavy books, books readers will return to and books aimed at libraries benefit from one. A short narrative book often does not need it. A good index is made from the final page layout, so we schedule it after typesetting.
Short quotations for comment or criticism are common, but rules vary by country, and longer extracts, song lyrics, poems and images usually need permission from the rights holder. We flag passages that may need permission; for legal certainty, consult a publishing lawyer.
Non-fiction is often found by search and by the author's expertise: talks, podcasts, articles and professional networks. The subtitle and keywords matter more, and the author's credentials sit closer to the front of the description. We can plan and run that marketing as a separate service if you want it.
Works well with
Pair it with the rest of the stack
Ready when you are
Ready to work with the pros?
Get a free proposal in 24 hours — scope, timeline and fixed price. No obligation, no lock-in contract.
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