I'm trying to Write a Political book

[Witiland]

I already have 5 pages!!! On my current schedule a reasonable time to have the rough draft finished is early 2021, and publication by summer of 2021!

[Silvedania]

I already have 5 pages!!! On my current schedule a reasonable time to have the rough draft finished is early 2021, and publication by summer of 2021!

Thats cool! You are really dedicated to this!

[The Three Palins]

So I was in this one thread encouraging people to see what they have alike with the other side (so what someone likes about the right and the left) and I thought to myself even though I have a lot in common with the left, I have some traits of the right. I've also been interested by different ideologies and political parties,. After talking to a fascist and talking to people on NS I've reached a whole new perspective on politics and government. So what is my book about? Well (I have not worked on the actual draft just some ideas I have) I want it to first discuss about different governments and political systems, introducing the reader to the large variety of systems and introducing the reader to the political compass to better understand the book. I will discuss the weaknesses, strengths, and times that system was successful and failed. Then I will discuss my idea of a good government (one that changes based on the current consequences and certain times) that is constantly changing. So what do you think? I've never written a book and I don't know how to go about it. Any ideas for my book maybe help me brainstorm or tell me if it sounds interesting?

The book you want to write is work for an old professor.

Books like "An Introduction to Political Movements and Systems" typically require PhD or better on the cover, along with the name of a fat old bald guy the public have never heard of. Or at least, an F/nF author who is quite well known already. They're not going to trust you to explain The Mother Of All Bias to them just because the first few pages look like you know what you're talking about. Non Fiction requires an air of authority, and you can fake the air. If you can get it past the publisher which is where the problem is.

Politics would be just about the hardest place to start in Non Fiction. It's just not a big-selling field, and if your manuscript ranks sixth below ...

A thorough introduction in layman's language, by Professor Fatbrain
A left-leaning perspective on white goods design,

by a business management grad who has worked in white goods manufacture for 15 years

A crazy-leaning analysis of how capitalism could be better,

by Fargold, a highschool graduate who has worked for five years in gold market analysis, but has a massive following on social media.

A poorly sourced but very funny compendium of dumb slogans and political insults

, by Rosemary Thyme, no qualifications, but he/she owns three moderately successful joke/magic shops.

A hybrid work balancing the history of politics with history of art,

Simon & Garfunkle, except it's Garfunkle who has talent and rigor. Simon: no qualifications. Garfunkle: BMu, postgrad, and plays in an orchestra. But he's not the problem. It's Carly, who came into the office for no particular reason and tried to meet everybody. According to Legal: "Will get us in trouble, bone feeling. Do not sign".

... then you're pretty much stuffed. You need an angle to make the book more attractive to the public. It's not enough to be really good: at a consistent level so people know right away if it's too easy or too hard for them, with suitable diagrams (bear in mind that research articles very often have diagrams or graphs, there's no shame in them for author or reader), and with the right number of footnotes and references. Those do break the flow for the reader, they should be used sparingly: when you think, "a lot of readers are going to doubt me on that, they'll check it themselves I hope" and if they google "Armenian genocide" and what they choose to read doesn't match your book, they'll lose a lot of faith in you. This makes directing them to a sound source really difficult: if you use URL's they may change, 404-ing your book and making them worse than useless. You just rubbed the readers nose in the fact that books are out-of-date compared to what they're used to. They don't do that magic changing thing of text on the internet ...

Seriously, don't be so serious. That one feature of an interactive text (ie internet) makes it very hard to compete with accessible books on serious subjects. I have a joke about barking up trees, but no seriously. If this book is really your calling, you've got yourself born 20 years late.

Bringing us to the end of my advice. Write fiction based on real politics, and send the impeccable backstory you wrote yourself (ie, your Non-Fiction manuscript) along to the publisher.

Mention that both are still your copyright, so they don't just bin the backstory but have it checked for plagiarism. That's not far-fetched: publishers have to do Due Diligence to avoid violating copyright, and if they're going to give your main manuscript serious consideration they're going to have to check it for plagiarism. They think you're a Fiction writer at first, and you also give them a document claiming that you wrote it yourself then used it as backstory. They will definitely look for what college textbook you ripped that from, at least before consulting with their readers about whether your novel is suspiciously alike to a known famous novel. Why? You've dummy-baited them. "Here's a novel I want published. The other thing is just to confirm that the historical details are right and I have high expertise despite only high school qualifications". A little boast won't kill you, and it will direct extra attention to the dummy bait.

If you get a call, email etc from someone at the Publisher, beginning "As the consultant most experienced in Politics and also some competency in History, I have been assigned to enquire into your supplementary document entitled ... etc" try not to get too excited. That they're taking the extra trouble to investigate is an incredibly good sign. But you still have to perform well in the examination. If this expert passes your knowledge, your quirky novel with characters based on political movements (or whatever) is in with a chance!

Well how I'd do it anyway. I have been published, btw. I had a good idea, I sent it to a newspaper, they ... called my parents to get their permission ... and they damn well published it. I was so proud! It would have been nice if they hadn't put my age after my name, but you'll get that.

"So we're all signed on the final draft for tomorrow's paper".
"MMMMRRRRAAHH Writer Wrage you Wwrecked my WWEEOOORRK!!!"
"Oh, sorry. It says in the contract that your name will come at the end of the piece. It also gives the definition of a "piece" of work. Again, really sorry, we'll make sure to remind you if you ever submit again. Or you could just grow up, hehe only joking. Don't take it hard kid, there ... hello?"

I hope that helps. If you're willing to put in the study to write a political introduction, then do it. Just bear in mind you're not going to make much reputation (free publishing), and likely NO money from that book.

[Radiatia]

I co-wrote a political book a few years ago. I don't recommend it as the book in question sold extremely poorly and I have a feeling it's going to be a barrier to me ever publishing anything again.

But if you absolutely must do so, make sure you actually know what you're talking about. I don't have a PhD in the subject but I worked in the corridors of power (as a former campaign manager) long enough to know what's going on and be on first name terms with most of the key players - in short, people aren't going to want to read a 400 page blog post by nobody. You need to be able to justify why people should listen to you.

[The Three Palins]

I co-wrote a political book a few years ago. I don't recommend it as the book in question sold extremely poorly and I have a feeling it's going to be a barrier to me ever publishing anything again.

Not to pry, but what kind of "political book"? Political thriller (ie something that Max is half-good at ouch!), political primer, political catalogue, political theory, polemic, obviously political but too angry and confused to be classified?

Don't take offence. My joke are "whatever amuses me" and if they make no sense at all to you, I'm sure you can see a bright side.

I'm not prying, but I am interested. Not sure if the "debating" style of demanding more details is appropriate.

But if you absolutely must do so, make sure you actually know what you're talking about. I don't have a PhD in the subject but I worked in the corridors of power (as a former campaign manager) long enough to know what's going on and be on first name terms with most of the key players - in short, people aren't going to want to read a 400 page blog post by nobody. You need to be able to justify why people should listen to you.

Um, a book about known politicians and their personal style, including a list of politicians known to have urinated in the potted palm near the 2nd floor North Wing Disabled/Unisex/Emergency/Other toilet, and an index of course, actually sounds like it would sell quite well.

I'd call it Inside The Capitol (From two blocks away) so prospective readers know it's going to be funny, not just every scandalous thing you can make up. Oh they love scandal, don't get me wrong. But one scandal at a time. And anyway, I wouldn't tell everyone what goes on in the abovementioned "toilet" if I were YOU. Yes the rumour is out there's an emergency bed in there. But did you know there's also a camera?