Why my blog and Substack are called ‘From Nonfiction to Fiction’

Every blog and Substack needs a good name. For mine, “From Nonfiction to Fiction” is the perfect name because it works for multiple reasons.

1. It’s about my journey from a nonfiction writer to also being a fiction writer.

Since 2013, I’ve published five nonfiction books about email marketing, which is the core of my day job in the digital marketing industry. But since 2018, I’ve been working on a dystopian sci-fi trilogy, as well as collecting notes on other potential novels. My latest work-in-progress update.

2. It’s about the nonfiction books about writing fiction I’m reading.

Since I don’t have a degree in creative writing, I’ve had to educate myself by reading more than 40 books on novel writing and publishing. I’ve been gradually sharing book reviews of my favorites, along with how they’ve influenced my writing. And those books are in addition to subscribing to Writer’s Digest magazine and lots of Substack newsletters (here are my faves).

3. Its about the role of my life in my fiction-writing.

All of my other novel ideas are rooted in the traumas and struggles of my life. After all, they say to write what you know. For example, my dystopian sci-fi trilogy is inspired by my daughter, Samantha, who we lost in the third trimester when my wife suffered a splenic artery aneurysm, which nearly claimed her life, too.

My story is about a family decades in the future that suffers a similar loss, but the daughter that is thought to be lost isn’t dead. While separated from her parents, she becomes—after many struggles—a badass. She’s the heroine of my story and, together with her partner, she saves the world from a horrible fate.

If you’re not already, I hope you’ll follow my journey from nonfiction to fiction by subscribing on Substack


Related posts:

Why I self-published my nonfiction books

Recommended reading on novel writing from my developmental editor—and what I’d already read

How to generate writing momentum


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Posted by Chad S. White

Chad S. White is the author of 5 nonfiction books, including Email Marketing Rules (4th edition), as well as nearly 4,000 blog posts and articles about digital marketing, AI, and other topics. A former journalist, he’s appeared in more than 100 publications, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, and AdAge.

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