When thinking about publishing, one of the most common questions that come to mind is whether to publish fiction or nonfiction. To decide what is the best option for you, let’s look at what each one entails and how they differ.
Definition
Fiction is anything that is not real and it usually comes from someone’s imagination and ideas. The characters and their actions are the creation of the writer’s mind. Nonfiction, on the other hand, is factual and real. It requires research and provides information or a solution to a problem.
Writing Process
The writing process for fiction is lengthy. It requires, like I mentioned before, for the writer to imagine and create characters and their personalities (what they like, dislike, behaviors, interests), the setting, point of view, and the conflict or challenge the protagonist faces that will turn into the plot of the story. It can be said that writing fiction is not an easy process, since the writer must really think about how the whole story will unfold. It also requires hours and hours of writing that can turn into a very exhausting task.
Writing nonfiction is an easier and shorter process. Many times, authors focus on topics that they already have knowledge of, making it a more convenient and faster task. We all have knowledge in some areas that we can easily share with other people such as recipes, how to do something, or even hobbies. It is a matter of pouring knowledge into a piece of paper in an organized matter to provide a solution or help to a problem or to provide general information on a specific topic. Nonfiction books tend to be short and to the point.
Competition
When talking about competition, fiction and nonfiction can be totally different. Both will have competition, don’t get me wrong, but the demands of each market vary. For instance, fiction readers tend to be high consumers. They love to read multiple books to quench that thirst for a good story. Since the demand for this type of content is high, competition is fierce. It is difficult to break into the market and establish a name for yourself. However, it is not impossible. It takes for the writer to consistently create good, compelling stories to start building a following.
Nonfiction writers tend to have less competition if the topic they are writing about is in a specific niche. For instance, let’s say a writer decides to write a book about soccer coaching techniques. It is true that there may be many books out there about soccer coaching techniques. However, if the writer gets more specific like writing soccer coaching techniques for toddlers, competition will be less because it is a very specific topic that is targeted to a very specific audience. The key to lessen the competition is to do research and find a niche where there is a high demand but not enough supply.
Revenue
Many writers decide what to write based on how much money they can make out of it. Although people have different opinions about which one is more profitable, let me share with you what I have found out.
Fiction will take longer to generate revenue. If you do not have a following, it will take some time for you to establish yourself as a writer. However, due to the high demand for fiction, if you consistently publish fiction, a following will eventually come. Make sure you start building your list of readers so that you can promote your future books to them. How can you do this? You can start by providing something of value. Perhaps, another book you wrote for free, or the first chapter of your next book if you are writing a series. An author’s blog is also a great way to build your list.
Fiction readers tend to read a lot of books, since they provide great entertainment. All it takes is to analyze the best sellers page on Amazon to see that fiction sells more than nonfiction. However, you must be careful as to what genre you publish in and what platform you use. Romance is always a genre that people will have an interest in and it usually sells well in both, eBook and paperback format. However, there are exceptions like Erotica. This genre sells well as an eBook but paperback sales are very low. The reason, many readers prefer not to be seen in public reading books in this genre.
Nonfiction pays better in the short run due to lower competition. Readers also tend to pay a bit more for nonfiction when they are looking for a solution to a problem or when they want to learn something. However, this is usually a one-time occurrence. If you are to publish books about different topics, chances are, your audience will differ with each book, making it hard to sell multiple books to the same reader.
On the other hand, nonfiction allows for back-end sales through affiliate links or links to your own products. Let’s imagine you write a book about golfing techniques. At the end of the book you can have a call to action such as a subscription to your site in exchange for step-by-step golfing lessons, and an irresistible offer such as golfing equipment at a discounted price through affiliate links. This will further monetize your book, which will eventually result in more revenue.
Fiction or Nonfiction?
There is no right or wrong answer for this question. My suggestion is to start publishing in whichever is easier for you to write in and have a passion for. The more that you write, given that it is quality content, the more that you will be benefiting others -whether it is a solution to a problem or providing entertainment through a great story. The more quality content that you create, the more followers you will have, which in turn will result in more sales.
Let’s keep in mind that there is a lot of fiction books out there. To avoid getting lost in the sea of stories, you have to make sure that you offer your readers a unique experience through stories that will keep them engaged throughout the entire book. For nonfiction, keep in mind that a lot of information can now be reached with just a click of a button through search engines. You must provide your readers with high-quality content in an organized matter that will save the reader time and effort if they were to research it somewhere else.
The bottom line is, fiction and nonfiction can both be very profitable if you do your writing and marketing the right way. So, I do suggest that you venture into both. After all, why limit yourself to just one?