Useful Books

Nonfiction Design Patterns

When people buy your book but don't read it, don't understand it, or simply don't follow its advice, you've got problems. The good news is: other authors have solved these problems, and the solutions are repeatable. This article will help you find the ones you need, and apply them to your book.

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Nonfiction design patterns
Guide

A design pattern is a reusable solution to a common problem.11"Each pattern describes a problem which occurs over and over again in our environment, and then describes the core of the solution to that problem, in such a way that you can use this solution a million times over, without ever doing it the same way twice."

—Christopher Alexander, A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction (1977)

For nonfiction, design patterns are used to improve the reader’s experience of engaging with your book.

This solves problems where:

  1. People buy it, but don't read it (issues with engagement or navigation)
  2. People read it, but don't grasp it (issues with structure or salience)
  3. People grasp it, but never take action (issues with scaffolding or action design)

Any of the above issues will prevent a reader from receiving your book's value (and thus recommending it).

Patterns for reader engagement:

Front-loading the value secures reader goodwill and belief; finishing strong allows ratings to happen on a high note.

Patterns for navigation and orientation:

A disoriented reader is a disengaged reader; linear books are still accessed non-linearly by returning readers.

Stylistic and supporting patterns:

These patterns are used primarily to enable and implement other, higher-priority patterns.

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Further Reading

Nonfiction design patterns

Nonfiction Design Patterns

When people buy your book but don't read it, don't understand it, or simply don't follow its advice, you've got problems. The good news is: other authors have solved these problems, and the solutions are repeatable. This article will help you find the ones you need, and apply them to your book.

Read more