If you are destined to become the next Amazon best-selling author, we'll help you get there.

• Modules: 10 Modules
• Duration: Course can be completed at own pace between 12 and 24 months
• Start date: At any time; applications all year round

• A start of 10 000 words towards their manuscript; the optional Advanced Course will take students up to 60 000 words.
• 20 writing assignments (including writing a chapter outline, book synopsis, book timeline, editing skills, cover letter)

• Excellent writing skills are essential
• We will require a rough synopsis of your proposed book and an example of your writing.
• Computer skills, e-mail and Internet access required
• No previous tertiary qualification required

Module 1 - Pin Your Idea

• Thinking around genres
• Finding your spot in the market
• Writing assignments

Module 2 - Plan Your Book

• Determining your theme  
• Create your chapter outline  
• Structuring different genres (how to write travel stories, histories and biographies, memoir and autobiography, how-to and self-help, educational and text books)
• Writing assignments

Module 3 - Get Started

• Your computer and basic settings  
• Writing assignments

Module 4 - Gather Your Information

• Types of data  
• Sources of information  
• Interviewing skills  
• Plagiarism and libel
• Writing assignments

Module 5 - Write Your First Draft

• Creative writing for nonfiction  
• Good grammar habits  
• Writing tips for different genres
• Writing assignments

Module 6- Maintain Momentum

• What to do if you feel stuck  
• Start building your author platform
• Writing assignments

Module 7- Edit Your Draft

• Revising for structure  
• Revising for language and clarity  
• Feedback and external editing
• Writing assignments

Module 8 - Decide on the Best Publishing Option for You

• A brief overview of the book industry  
• Buying a full publishing package  
• Submitting to traditional publishers  
• Self-publishing your book
• Privately printing and distributing your book
• Writing assignments

Module 9 - Market Your Book

• Understand what marketing is  
• Participating in social media  
• Promoting through blogging  
• Writing press releases  
• Requesting book reviews
• Writing assignments

Module 10 - Tying up Loose Ends

• Final polishing
• Planning the way forward.
• Writing assignments

How does the course work?

Ten modules will be sent to the student over the duration of the course. The modules contain the set reading from the prescribed textbook, as well as the writing assignments for that module. At the end of each module, students will be required to submit assignments to their tutor for feedback. An assessment and feedback will be sent to the student, and the module will be considered complete.  
 

You will regularly send instalments of your manuscript to your tutor for feedback. By the end of the 10 modules, you will have gained important writing skills and have a text of around 10 000 words. If you feel the need for further support and mentoring, you may choose to continue with the follow-up course aimed at completing the manuscript.

Our Write a Non-fiction Book Course assumes that you are already proficient at writing content. This course is designed to help you put together a non-fiction book, not to teach basic writing skills (please look at our ‘Basics of Feature Writing’ or our ‘Magazine Journalism Course’ for non-fiction writing skills).

On this course, your tutor will help you fuse your ideas and research into a coherent manuscript, and assist you with the feasibility of your project, the style and tone of your writing, and a support structure to help you make a solid start on your word count.
 

Conditions of Certification:

Students will receive an SA Writers College Certificate upon successful completion of the course, provided they meet the following conditions:

• Students must have completed the set writing tasks.

• The course must have been completed within 12 to 24 months of registration.

• Students are expected to attain a minimum average of 50% for the course.

Minimum Estimated Time Commitment:

This is hard to predict, as some people are simply faster writers than others. However, for each 1000 words of your book, you could calculate on spending about an hour researching, an hour writing and at least the same amount of time in revising.

The exercises should each take around two hours to complete. And finally, you should expect to spend some time at the end of the course, giving your manuscript a final polish.

This gives a rough estimate of 70 hours over the course of 10 modules, or around about 6 to 7 hours a month for 12 months.

Need more advice about the best course for you?

We would love to chat to you if you have any questions about our writing courses.

If you need some advice about the best course or writing field for you, drop us a line or give Koos or Nichola a call at 021 813 9224. We can tell you about going rates in the field, chance of publishing success and general writing career options both in South Africa and internationally.

• If you have questions about how we work, we have information in our FAQ section and How We Train section.

• For information on our refund policy, please read our policies here.

• To register for the course, please click here: