Very interested in writing biography/non-fiction - but where to start?

[JustLikeThat647]

Hi all,

I originally posted this in Chat, where I got some helpful replies, but people there suggested I also post it here - although it’s not strictly about creative writing, sorry!

I’d like to write biographies and books on French cultural history, and would love some advice and guidance - if possible - on how and where to start with this please. (As a caveat, I know the publishing industry for aspiring writers - especially for non-fiction - is super-competitive and the odds of success are low!)

For background, I have a French and Spanish degree from Cambridge, where I did a lot of student journalism and journalism work experience, as I’ve always wanted to be a writer. However, due to money concerns and stability, I decided not to go into journalism but instead into the Civil Service - where I’ve now been working full-time for several years. My CS job is in policy and involves a lot of writing, which I enjoy, but it’s of course very different to academic or literary writing!

To help with my overall ambition of writing non-fiction one day, I’m hoping to apply for a MPhil in French next year, also at Cambridge, where I’m aiming to write a dissertation on the work of the singer Jacques Brel (who I’d love to write a biography on at some point).

My main reason for wanting to do that particular MPhil at Cambridge is because I’ll have the opportunity - if I get in - to work with my former final year dissertation supervisor, who I found very helpful and supportive, and who’s very knowledgeable in the dissertation area I want to look at.

I’m currently preparing to apply for the MPhil and would love some advice both on how I can use it to help me with my ambition of writing non-fiction and on how I can pursue this ambition if I don’t get into the MPhil.

For further info, I’ve got a chat arranged tomorrow with a non-fiction writer I really admire, after I emailed her speculatively with a similar message to what I’ve posted here. I’d also very much appreciate your thoughts and feedback please.

Thanks so much.

This really resonates with me. I also work in policy, and feel that my natural writing voice has been rather crushed by writing endless reports in a particular style that is not necessarily my actual style.

This may not be exactly what you are asking, but I have consciously aimed to develop my own writing voice (non-fiction) in a few ways which have really helped:

-I am just finishing a two year DProf programme, and have used writing my thesis as a means of experimenting with my writing (within the boundaries of academic discipline) - my supervisor was incredibly helpful, and I was explicit with her about wanting to do this.

-Before I started the DProf I did a local creative writing course. Although I have no ambition to write fiction I found it a great way of pushing me to think about writing more engagingly.

-Through the DProf there were opportunities to explore writing as a discipline. There was a course (free) I went on called Researching and Writing at the Crossroads, which I loved - it explored different ways of writing non-fiction. It was put on in conjunction with CARA (the Council for at Risk Academics), and they may have other courses even if you don’t do the DPhil.

-I have also taken a programme on writing non-fiction book proposals. This was fantastically helpful as it also forced me to think clearly about what it is I really want to write. Penny Wincer ran the course, and Beth Kempon does another.

Plus of course reading as much non-fiction as possible, which it sounds as if you are doing.

Good luck!

Choose your subject, look at what's already been written about them if there are other biographies already out there, amass the archives and sources of information you'll be drawing on, and, crucially, write a sample chapter or two -- why is your biography of Brel different to any others that already exist? What's new about it? And why are you the best person to write it? What experience do you have in writing non-fiction?

Most non-fiction sells on a strong proposal -- a detail precis of the book, chapter breakdown, analysis of competing titles, your own credentials for writing it, and strong sample chapters. Research agents who represent this kind of biography, and query them.

City lit does online courses Online Writing Courses by Published Authors | City Lit https://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/writing/online?gad_campaignid=22610190862&gad_source=1&opti_ad=784226847764&opti_ag=192423482367&opti_ca=22610190862&opti_key=kwd-453237497276