Book Proposals – Strategies to Get Yours to the Top of the Stack

Copyright (c) 2007 Gail Richards

If you decide a traditional publisher is right for you, then you will need to create a world-class book proposal. The book proposal is a business plan for your book. You are attempting to convince a publisher of two things: that this is an idea on a topic that will sell and that you have the credibility and marketing connections to make the sales happen.

You may or may not need an agent. You can submit a proposal directly to the publisher and all publishers take unsolicited manuscripts from people who aren't agents-it happens every day. It can actually be harder to get an agent to represent you than it can be to find a publisher.

Never forget that a book proposal is a sales document. Whether the audience for the proposal is an agent or a publisher, there are six things you must introduce with your proposal to sell it.

1. A compelling idea-The first paragraph of the proposal must be like the first paragraph of a great book. If it doesn't grab the editor, he or she won't read further. Use facts throughout your query to show the magnitude of the situation the book addresses, along with stories to demonstrate genuine human interest. Present the whole idea crisply in no more than two or three pages.

2. A well-thought-out table of contents or book outline-Establish your ability to think clearly and organize your thoughts and material to which others can relate. Show the beginning, the middle, and the end of the story, even in a nonfiction book. You will also need to do a synopsis of the contents of each chapter. This is just an educated guess; there will be room for making changes later.

3. An ample market for the book-Explain that the market is substantial enough for the possibility of volume book sales, which means 20,000-plus copies. Who is likely to read the book (Hint: "everyone" is not a credible answer)? What other books will compete with yours, and how successful have they been (Another hint: "I have no competition" is the answer of a novice)?

4. Adequate expertise and credibility-You must prove that you are the best person to write this book because of the combination of your education, expertise, life experience, background, determination, and ability to share compelling stories. You don't have to be the best-educated or have a perfect background (although it helps), but you do have to show that your unique background makes your slant new and intriguing.

5. Sufficient marketing connections and promotability-Show here that you know what the publisher is up against. You must list and describe your connections to important people or organizations that can be approached to sell you and your book. Having important people who will write the forward or give testimonials is important. This is the place to toot your own horn, but be honest. Highlight any previous media or public speaking experience that is noteworthy. Expect (and volunteer) to do a lot of your own book promotion.

6. Presentable sample chapters-whereby showing off our work, you exhibit your ability to write well enough that you'll give minimal problems to the editors at the publishing company. It is perfectly okay (and is advisable) to get some professional editorial help before you submit writing samples. You need compelling stories and a dynamic opening paragraph. You can lose an editor in two sentences, or draw them in. Submit one or two chapters with the proposal. Some publishers set out guidelines on their Web sites for manuscript specifications (double-spaced, type size, and more).

To find publishers, get the current Writer's Market. It contains enough information about publishing to last a lifetime. However, it's imperative that you have the most recent edition since some publishers could have gone out of business the previous year and others may have changed their rules. Then choose a particular publisher and look at their web site to see what they expect in a book proposal.

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