Write end of chapter summary in nonfiction books
When writing a nonfiction book, novice authors often omit a key element: a summary at the end of each chapter.
Usually chapters come packed with information that prove more than a reader can remember. The summary helps jogs readers’ memories of what was read, and in doing so sets them up for the next chapter. The summary can appear either as a paragraph of text or as a set of bullet points. Usually these bullet points are the headings of chapter subsections or the opening sentences of each subsection.
Writing a summary also can benefit authors during the early drafts by keeping them on track. Before writing the summary, jot down what the table of contents and the opening paragraph says will be in the chapter. Next, read the chapter, taking notes of the key points. These notes then serve as a summary. Compare the notes to what was jotted down earlier from the table of contents/opening paragraph. Do they jive? If not, then something needs to be rewritten – the table of contents, the chapter’s opening paragraph, or the chapter text itself.
Also consider adding links with the summary, especially for ebooks. These links might go to other articles or even books that elaborate on the bullet point. By including these links, your title becomes a reference book for its field and even can lead to sales of other books you’ve written.
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