| If you're just beginning to learn about the book | | | | person again and again in person? Let your |
| publishing process, you were probably surprised to | | | | proposal do the talking for you! |
| hear that for some projects, you have to write a | | | | Saving You Time |
| book proposal before you write the book. For | | | | The work that goes into writing a book proposal |
| some, that's good news: they don't have to write | | | | can be very telling. It may show you that you're |
| a whole book right off the bat. For some, that's | | | | focusing on the wrong area of your topic. Or that |
| bad news: a proposal can be harder to write than | | | | the audience for the book isn't as big as you had |
| the actual book! Then there are others--and | | | | hoped it would be. Such discoveries can be |
| maybe this is you--who have no clue what a | | | | disappointing, but the upside is that these |
| proposal is and whether they need one. Let's | | | | discoveries give you the chance to make a |
| clarify a few points about the whole book | | | | choice: you can re-focus the book, take steps to |
| proposal thing. | | | | make it stronger or even decide to abandon the |
| What is a Book Proposal? | | | | project altogether, which can save you lots of |
| A book proposal is a document that presents the | | | | precious time. |
| detail and scope of your book idea. It summarizes | | | | How Will You Sell Your Book? |
| the book, provides sample chapters and explains | | | | Many writers get so caught up with the idea of a |
| why you're the right person to do the book. | | | | book--and getting it written--that they give no |
| Depending on the book, the proposal can be as | | | | thought to how they will sell the finished product. |
| few as 20 pages or as much as 45-50 pages or | | | | That's a great way to end up with a garage full |
| more. Think of it as prospectus--you're making | | | | of books! But in a book proposal you have to |
| the pitch to the publishing house on why your | | | | present all the ways you plan to market and sell |
| book would make a great investment for the | | | | your book. It makes you think about your |
| company. | | | | audience and how you'll reach them. The exercise |
| Do You Need One? | | | | is a great reminder of who you're writing the |
| You'll want to write a book proposal if... | | | | book for in the first place, which can motivate |
| --you're writing a non-fiction book | | | | you to get your project done. |
| --you're seeking a traditional publisher and/or a | | | | Getting Started |
| literary agent. | | | | If writing a book proposal is the clear next step |
| Making Your Case | | | | for getting your book done, then Book Proposals |
| The great thing about a book proposal is that it | | | | 101 is the right place for you. You'll learn by |
| proves your book is a great idea--so much so | | | | modeling successful pitches, read an actual |
| that you've written pages of detail to back it up. | | | | proposal that drew a 6-figure advance, and get |
| This is important because your proposal won't be | | | | plenty of support and feedback on your work. |
| read by just one person. These days it often | | | | Writing a book proposal is an excellent skill to |
| takes a whole team of people to make a decision | | | | master. Once you learn it, you'll find you can do it |
| on whether or not to sign your book. Imagine | | | | again and again for your many books to come! |
| what it would be like if you had to pitch each | | | | |