Write Nonfiction Like a Journalist - podcast

Can journalists write books? Having experience in journalism helps in book writing in many ways. Nina Burleigh, award-winning journalist and author of The New York Times bestselling book The Gift of Fatal Beauty (an Amanda Knox story), shares how her experiences as a journalist helps her with book writing. First, it teaches you not to have writer's block because you always have tight deadlines. When writing a book, Burleigh sets a daily word count to stay on schedule. Second, journalists must learn how to organize and structure material. This skill is also helping in writing fiction or nonfiction. Third, fact checking is important. In book writing, fact checking is especially important for authors because their publisher may not check facts thoroughly enough to protect against litigation. You can hire an intern or assistant to help with this task. Additionally, there are numerous skills that are honed as a journalist that also help book writers, such as attention to facts, diligence, preparing for interviews, and immediate note taking.