If you’re a non-native English speaker and want to write a book in English, then we have two pieces of good news for you. First, you should know that many successful, best-selling authors like Vladimir Nabokov, Joseph Conrad, and Tone Almhjell are non-native English speakers who write in English. Second, you’re in the right place for advice and tips on how to succeed. Here are 10 top tips on how to write a book as a non-native English speaker:
If you are writing a book in English, then you’re most likely looking to be read and published in an English-speaking country. One of the first tips we give writers in our book coaching sessions is to identify their specific audience to publish a successful book. This will be the same for you. Is the book you’re planning to write going to be published in the UK or US, or elsewhere? Start researching what your prospective audience identifies with the most, as well as the ins and outs of the applicable publishing industry. For example, you might want to look into how popular your genre is in the UK, or whether you should publish or self-publish your book.
Our Writer’s Guides blogs answer tons of useful questions related to UK readers and the UK publishing industry, from what to do after you’ve finished your manuscript to how much you could make from publishing a book.
If this will be your first project written in English, please don’t let it be the first thing you ever write in English! Writing a book is tiring and difficult even for native speakers, so we recommend starting small if it’s your first one.
This means giving yourself opportunities to get used to writing and thinking in English. You can do this by keeping a journal, writing book reviews, letters, or an essay on your book topic. Go back and edit those, noting areas where you can improve or gaps in your knowledge to work on, such as a grammatical phenomenon or advanced vocabulary.
The more you get used to writing (and don’t forget reading) in the English language, the less daunting and more natural it will feel to work on your book!
Similar to researching your specific audience, you should know the vocabulary that you’re going to use a lot of in your book well. Whether you’re writing fiction or nonfiction, make a list of topics, words, and word families that will appear often in your book.
For a nonfiction book on digital marketing, this might be corporate vocabulary or marketing abbreviations and a list of impactful verbs and nouns. For a fantasy fiction book, this might be vocabulary around nature, animals, fantastical creatures, and a list of descriptive adjectives.
Practise using this vocabulary so you can do the same when writing your book. If in doubt, you can always seek advice on communities like Quora or Reddit for the use of a specific word and its context.
Although we don’t recommend that you rely on synonym websites and dictionaries to write your book, they are useful tools that native and non-native speakers alike use for writing and reading.
If you want to say that something is “exciting” or “hard” but can’t think of a synonym, or if you can’t remember the antonym of a specific word, websites like Thesaurus are your friend! They’re a great way to diversify your vocabulary, and as a result, your descriptions, explanations, examples, and dialogue!
But again, be warned: these tools won’t always give you suggestions that make sense in the context of your sentence or book. You can’t just take “rough”, a synonym of “hard” from an online dictionary and write “Learning doesn’t have to be rough”. This doesn’t sound natural. So, use these tools with moderation and discretion, rather than relying on them to do the thinking for you.
One of our best tips, especially if you’re feeling anxious about writing in English, is to not do it (at least, not in the beginning). We recommend forming your ideas and chapters in your native language first and then translating them into English. Each individual author will have their preferences, so see if this works for you.
But, wait! This doesn’t mean using Google Translate to convert your book into English. Nuances of meaning such as phrases, idioms, and even grammar and sentence structure won’t read naturally unless they are manually translated. If you’re not confident translating, you might want to hire a translator or translation company like ILC Communications to help.
Similar to the previous tip, it’s okay to work towards the finished product in simpler terms first. Don’t stress over the outcome when you first start writing and instead focus on getting your ideas on the paper (or laptop screen). From there, you can go back and edit, add adjectives and adverbs to make it more interesting, and figure out where everything will go on the page.
The key is to not overwhelm yourself and work in small, attainable steps that will get you closer and closer to your shiny, polished manuscript.
Look up successful non-native English authors and get inspired. Study their writing styles, techniques, and how they overcame language barriers. Some of them might have even published books, blog posts, or interviews on the subject, so get digging!
A lot of our authors have written their books in English but don’t speak the language natively. We post their stories and successes on our LinkedIn page. You can follow us there to stay inspired!
Researching, thinking, writing, and editing in a different language will need time, and likely, more time than you think. So, be sure to give yourself enough time when working on your book project. In other words, don’t commit to unrealistic or tight deadlines, especially if this is your first English project.
We say this as some writers love working to a word count goal each week. Some also apply for awards to incentivise themselves to finish their manuscript. So, although these are overall helpful tips, bear in mind that writing in a different language will need more time and attention, and there is no need to put additional pressure on yourself by tying your project to a tight deadline.
Alpha and beta readers are people who read your book at its earlier stages and give you feedback on how it reads, whether it’s cohesive, and what you might need to fix. If you don’t know what these terms mean, this blog explains everything.
To find alpha and beta readers, ask your network, advertise on socials, or hire freelancers. However, as you’re looking to publish in English and don’t natively speak the language yourself, it’s highly recommended that your alpha and beta readers are native speakers. This way, they will catch all the little things you might have missed, and they will make you aware if you don’t sound natural or need to tweak your grammar or punctuation.
Finally, and most importantly, to transform your manuscript into a polished book, you need to invest in a professional editor. This is a non-negotiable tip for native and non-native speakers alike, as a trained pair of eyes is what your manuscript needs to be ready for success.
Your editor or editing team should have relevant experience in your field and have good reviews and return customers. When enquiring, check whether they have worked with non-native English speakers before and look up their testimonials.
If you want more advice on choosing an editor, check our blogs on finding a good editor for your book and realistic, helpful guides on what to expect when working with a freelance editor.
At The Book Shelf, we’ve worked with authors from all around the world, including those who speak English as a second or third language, to help them write and publish successful nonfiction in English. If you’re interested in working with us, you can message us today or book a free introductory call with our director.
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