You’ll have ample opportunity to describe the book in greater detail in other parts of the proposal. Use one or two paragraphs to hook the reader and make them want to read the rest of the proposal. This element briefly explains what the book is about. The Content section has several elements: The Idea I guarantee the page numbers will change as you write, rewrite, and revise. Pro Tip: Don’t put the page numbers in until you lock down the final version of the proposal. Here’s Amber’s Table of Contents for the proposal:Įmbrace Your Flaws, Focus Forward and Double-Down Here’s a sample cover page from one of my clients, Amber Trueblood: Let them know you are submitting a book proposal right away. Let’s not make anyone guess what they’re reading. After all, this could be a white paper, a complete novella, or a proposal to steam clean their carpets. You’ll also see the words “A book proposal for” at the top of the page so readers know what they are looking at. The cover page shows the book’s title, the author’s name, their contact information (including phone, email, and websites), as well as the date and a copyright notice. How to Write a Book ProposalĪ book proposal has a title page (also called a cover page), a table of contents for the proposal, and several sections: about the book (the content, the market, and the author), about the promotion, and a sample chapter. Note: Different rules apply to writing a book proposal for fiction books, so make sure to do more research if you’re writing a book proposal for a fiction book. Let’s dig into what should be in a proposal for a non-fiction book. That means they’ll take you more seriously, and your chances for getting a deal will be much, much higher. A good book proposal proves to everyone in the industry that you know what you’re doing and take yourself seriously.It shows you and others who the book is for, how it will help them, how it differs from other books, and how you will market your book so that you and your publisher will make money. The book proposal is your marketing plan.A proposal keeps you right on track because it contains the theme, table of contents, chapter-by-chapter synopsis, as well as a sample chapter.Not only is a proposal the first step in gaining the positive attention of an agent or acquisition editor, but a book proposal also helps you in many other ways: The proposal is the key to making your book really come to life for your publishing partners. The main purpose of the book proposal is to convince literary agents and publishers that there is a market for your book and that you are the best person to write the book-and help them sell it. Note: You can download our free book proposal template and book proposal sample to see exactly how all this will look on the page. That’s why you have to write a book proposal, even if you’ve been asked to also include the complete manuscript. They can’t answer that question just by reading the book they have to understand who the author is, what their goals are, and what their marketing plans are. That’s what matters, and so that’s the information publishing gatekeepers need to do their jobs well. The #1 thing literary agents, acquisitions editors, and publishers must know before deciding whether or not to publish a nonfiction book is: “Will tens of thousands of readers buy this?” They want to see a proposal that sells your book idea and gets them excited to work with you. They don’t have time to read a complete book. When authors ask me, “How can I write a book proposal?” or, “Do I need a proposal if I write a how-to book?” I often say, “You only need a book proposal if you want to get your book published.”Īgents and editors don’t want to see a completed nonfiction book most of the time.
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