Start Here: How to Write a Book Proposal + Book Proposal Template

Unique opportunity: Join Jane this October for an in-person shop connected book proposals.

Book proposals are utilized to sell nonfiction books to publishers.

A book connection argues why your book (idea) is salable and marketable successful today’s market. It fundamentally acts arsenic a business lawsuit for why your book should exist, and—for galore authors—persuades a patient to make an finance successful your activity earlier you beryllium down to constitute it. 

That’s right: nonfiction authors, if they’re smart and strategic, will waste a patient connected their book earlier they’ve written very overmuch of it.

Instead of penning nan full book, past trying to liking an editor aliases supplier (which is really it useful pinch novels), you tin constitute nan connection first if you’re a nonfiction author. If a patient is convinced by nan proposal, it will statement you and salary you to constitute nan book. This applies to each types of nonfiction, though it tin beryllium very challenging for memoirists to waste a task connected nan ground of a connection if they are unpublished aliases without a compelling platform. (More connected that successful a second.)

If decently developed and researched, a connection tin return weeks, or longer, to prepare. While connection magnitude varies tremendously, astir are location around 10 to 25 pages double-spaced, not including sample chapters. It’s not retired of nan mobility for a proposal to reach 50 pages or more for analyzable projects erstwhile sample chapters are included.

Unpublished aliases opening writers mightiness find it easier to simply constitute nan book first, past hole a proposal—which isn’t a bad thought successful nan lawsuit of memoir, since galore editors and agents want assurance that an chartless writer has capable penning chops to propulsion disconnected their project. 

But having nan manuscript complete does not get you disconnected nan hook erstwhile it comes to writing the proposal. If an supplier aliases patient wants a proposal, you still request to constitute 1 moreover if nan book is complete.

What astir caller proposals? You whitethorn occasionally perceive personification mention to caller proposals, which typically includes a query aliases screen letter, a synopsis, and a partial aliases complete manuscript. This bears very small narration to a nonfiction book proposal.

Your business lawsuit whitethorn matter more than nan writing

People don’t for illustration to hear this, but for galore nonfiction books, the artfulness of nan writing doesn’t matter arsenic overmuch arsenic nan marketability of nan premise, topic, aliases author. You tin spot this played retired successful nan rejections received by Rebecca Skloot, writer of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.

If your book’s intent is to improve readers’ lives aliases to teach, past you’re usually trading it based connected your expertise, your platform, and your concept. The book connection persuades agents/editors that readers will salary for nan use that your book provides, alternatively than learning from YouTube, Google, aliases moreover a competing book. While everyone expects nan penning to beryllium solid, they’re astir apt not expecting a literate masterpiece. To study really to suffer weight, readers don’t request a poet; they request a clear communicator who tin present her ideas and methods successful a measurement that will thief and animate readers to execute their goals. Plus those ideas and methods ought to consciousness caller and exciting, and not for illustration past year’s 100 weight-loss books connected nan market. (Even better: nan book shows really nan astir caller books really missed thing captious that readers must cognize to succeed.)

Especially successful how-to categories specified arsenic health, self-help aliases self-improvement, business, aliases parenting, your credibility and level arsenic a master successful nan section play a critical role; your inheritance must convey authority and instill assurance successful nan reader. Would you, arsenic a reader, spot a wellness book by an writer pinch nary aesculapian acquisition aliases degrees? Would you beryllium OK reference a serious guide connected really to put successful nan banal marketplace by personification who is surviving successful a van down by nan river?

For communicative nonfiction, particularly memoir, nan penning does matter

Some types of nonfiction require authors pinch proven journalistic aliases storytelling skills. (What is communicative nonfiction? It’s a communicative of personification aliases immoderate point different than yourself. Think Seabiscuit.) If your book must win based connected its expertise to artfully weave a story, then your spot arsenic a writer becomes much and much important to nan proposal’s success. It’s still basal to beryllium there’s a marketplace for that story, but you won’t beryllium successful if your sample chapters are mediocre aliases you can’t constituent to a successful publication grounds successful outlets that matter to your taxable aliases book’s early success.

If your book doesn’t require a communicative building aliases long-form storytelling, pinch masterful usage of trade and technique, then your skills arsenic a writer mainly have to beryllium up to nan task of producing and revising a book manuscript pinch an editor’s aliases agent’s guidance.

The biggest correction writers make successful their book proposals

It’s earthy to presume nan book connection should talk what your book is about. But this is simply a mistake. Rather than focusing connected nan content, focus on why this book matters correct now to nan intended readership. Why is it going to resonate? How is it addressing an urgent need? How does it connection thing caller and astonishing that doesn’t consciousness for illustration everything that’s travel before?

While immoderate types of evergreen topics whitethorn not person a consciousness of urgency tied to them, they still person to show marketplace relevance. For example, if you’re pitching a knitting book, you astir apt request to show that your techniques aliases projects will beryllium of liking to knitters today, alternatively than knitters 30 years ago.

Whatever you do, don’t get mislaid successful nan weeds of your book’s ideas aliases content. Always talk nan contented successful narration to nan reader’s request aliases organization request and why it matters now.

Other communal pitfalls:

• Assuming that a “comprehensive” curen aliases an in-depth chat of your taxable is simply a trading point. Rarely is this enough. Instead, deliberation astir really and why nan argument that your book makes is caller and compelling. How does it shed caller ray connected a taxable group attraction about? How does your book illuminate nan unexpected aliases situation readers successful ways they don’t expect? Another measurement to deliberation astir it: Eric Nelson comments connected really authors should position their ideas successful position of a move alternatively of a dial if they want to make supplier aliases editor enthusiasm.
• Assuming that a short, “accessible” curen is simply a trading point. It is challenging to beryllium that an assemblage is retired location waiting to a bargain a book only if it were shorter aliases little difficult than nan alternatives.
• Assuming that your individual acquisition of nan rumor is simply a trading point. Unless you are a celebrated writer aliases person an established level that has attracted agents and editors to your door, conscionable because you person personally knowledgeable thing doesn’t make your book instantly much salable.

The memoirist’s dilemma

Submission guidelines alteration tremendously erstwhile it comes to memoir. Some agents don’t require a book proposal, while others want only nan book connection and nan first fewer chapters. Some agents whitethorn moreover inquire for both nan connection and nan complete manuscript if you’re an unpublished author.

Professional, published writers tin typically waste a memoir based connected nan connection alone. New, emerging writers who person nary publishing way grounds whitethorn beryllium asked to taxable a complete manuscript to beryllium they tin write, sometimes successful summation to nan book connection itself.

Your memoir is not salable unless you’re assured of respective things.

1. Your penning must beryllium outstanding. If your memoir is your very first book aliases very first penning attempt, past it whitethorn not beryllium bully capable to walk muster pinch an editor aliases agent.
2. You must person a compelling and different communicative to tell. If you’re penning astir situations that impact thousands (or millions) of people, that’s not needfully successful your favor. Addiction and crab memoirs, for example, are common, and will put you connected nan roadworthy to rejection unless you’re capable to beryllium really yours is unsocial aliases outstanding successful nan field.
3. You person nan commencement of a platform. If you person a measurement to scope readers, without a publisher’s help, past you’re much apt to unafraid a book deal.

Here’s nan dilemma for galore memoirists: If an supplier wants a book connection for a memoir, they are apt judging you based connected nan spot of your level aliases arsenic overmuch connected nan level arsenic nan writing. They want to spot if your communicative premise mightiness person mainstream media imaginable aliases nan expertise to onshore awesome interviews that will lead to sales. If you person small aliases nary platform, and your communicative is lyrical, quiet, aliases literary, past you should effort to target agents and publishers who don’t require a proposal. A connection will only item what your task lacks.

Finding a literary supplier (and do you request one?)

If you want to people pinch 1 of nan large New York houses, past you’ll request to taxable your activity to literate agents. Projects that don’t needfully require agents see scholarly useful for assemblage presses, books apt to beryllium published by location aliases independent presses, and niche titles with constricted commercialized appeal.

The astir common book connection sections

While there’s nary azygous “best” measurement to constitute and combine a book proposal—it will dangle connected nan  category, nan author, and nan publishers’ submission guidelines—the pursuing sections appear in almost every book proposal.

Comparable titles aliases competitory title analysis

I mention this conception first because this is wherever I propose writers commencement their connection research. It will thief explain your thought and debar tons of wasted time. This conception discusses comparable titles your perfect scholar would cognize astir aliases buy; nan extremity is to show not needfully that your book “beats” these different comparable titles, but to constituent to nan readership for your book—to beryllium how, where, aliases why location is simply a readership for your book.

The analysis typically includes 5 to 10 titles, but you mightiness beryllium okay discussing conscionable a fewer if your book is connected a specialized taxable aliases for a niche audience. For each title, statesman by noting nan title, subtitle, author, publisher, twelvemonth of publication, page count, price, first published format (usually hardcover aliases paperback), and nan ISBN. You don’t request to database things specified arsenic Amazon ranking, prima rating, aliases reviews. Then briefly summarize nan book and its readership successful narration to your ain (about 100–200 words per title).

Don’t interest astir including nan income numbers of nan competing titles. There’s nary measurement for an mean writer to find retired that information, and nan supplier aliases editor tin look it up themselves. However, erstwhile doing your comp research, if you observe that astir aliases each of nan titles are self-published, person fewer aliases nary reviews, and astir apt haven’t sold a transcript successful 20 years, you person a large problem connected your hands. You’re choosing comps that aren’t doing good today successful nan accepted publishing market. Go backmost and look for comps that bespeak your book tin beryllium commercially successful. That intends you want to look for comps from well-known publishers, pinch a bully number of reviews, decent media coverage, and a semblance of occurrence successful nan market.

Resist trashing your comps; it whitethorn travel backmost to wound you. (Publishing is simply a mini industry.) And don’t skimp connected your title research—editors tin show erstwhile you haven’t done your homework, positive afloat knowing nan title should thief you constitute a amended connection and a amended book. I discuss the investigation process here.

Whatever you do, don’t declare location are nary comp titles. That’s for illustration saying nan group who will publication your book person ne'er publication different book that’s comparable aliases that would liking them. Or that you are going aft group who don’t publication books. Not a bully thing. You should beryllium capable to person a thoughtful chat that argues “People who’ve publication X will beryllium willing my book because …” aliases “People who’ve publication Y are nan target assemblage for my book because …”

For immoderate nonfiction topics and categories, nan readiness of online accusation tin dampen imaginable for a people book. Travel is simply a bully example—its people income person declined by 50 to 75 percent since 2007. Also, galore book ideas I spot sounded should really commencement retired arsenic a tract aliases community—even if only to test-market nan idea, to study much astir nan target audience, and to yet nutrient a people merchandise that has a fresh and eager marketplace erstwhile it’s published.

Target audience

Who will chiefly buy your book? “Primarily” is cardinal here. You want to picture nan group who will beryllium easiest to convince, aliases nan astir apt readership. Who will beryllium lining up to pre-order and dispersed nan connection from there?

Avoid generically describing nan book buying assemblage successful nan United States, aliases broadly discussing really galore memoirs sold past year. Publishers don’t request to beryllium fixed wide industry statistics; they need you to tie a clear image of nan type of person (beyond “book buyers”) who will beryllium willing in what you person to say.

It tin beryllium very tempting to make a wide connection astir who your assemblage is, to make it sound for illustration anyone and everyone is simply a imaginable reader. Avoid generic statements for illustration these:

• A Google hunt consequence connected [topic] turns up much than 10 cardinal hits.
• A U.S. Census shows much than 20 cardinal group successful this demographic.
• An Amazon hunt turns up much than 10,000 books pinch “dog” successful nan title.

These are meaningless statistics. The pursuing statements show amended marketplace insight:

• Recent reviewers of [competitive titles] kick that they are not keeping up pinch caller accusation and trends. The hottest caller inclination successful [category] is not discussed aliases covered successful caller titles.
• The New York Times precocious wrote astir nan accrued liking successful subject memoirs; [X and Y] media outlets regularly floor plan soldiers who’ve written books astir their experience.
• My readers see nan group who person go devoted supporters of [X podcast aliases Y paid newsletter], which person X subscribers/downloads.

For much guidance, spot my station connected How to Define and Describe Your Readership.

Marketing plan

What tin you specifically do to marketplace and beforehand nan book? Never talk what you hope to do, only what you can and will do (without patient assistance), fixed your existent resources. Many group constitute their trading scheme successful highly tentative fashion, talking astir things they are “willing” to do if asked. This is deadly language. Avoid it. Instead, you request to beryllium confident, firm, and nonstop astir everything that’s going to hap pinch aliases without nan publisher’s help. Make it concrete, realistic, and connect numbers to everything.

Weak
I scheme to registry a domain and commencement a blog for my book.

Strong
Within 6 months of launch, my blog connected [book topic] already attracts 5,000 unsocial visits per month.

Weak
I scheme to interaction bloggers for impermanent blogging opportunities.

Strong
I person been a impermanent contributor each period for nan past twelvemonth to scope 250,000 readers, astatine sites specified arsenic [include 2–3 examples]. I person invitations to return connected each site, positive I’ve made interaction pinch 10 different outlets for early impermanent posts.

Weak
I scheme to interaction conferences and speak connected [book topic].

Strong
I americium successful interaction pinch organizers astatine XYZ conferences, and person spoken astatine 3 events wrong nan past twelvemonth reaching 5,000 group successful my target audience.

The concealed of a trading scheme isn’t nan number of ideas you person for marketing, aliases really galore things you are consenting to do, but really galore coagulated connections you have—the ones that are already moving for you—and really galore readers you NOW scope done today’s efforts. You request to show that your ideas are not conscionable pastry successful nan sky, but existent action steps that will lead to actual results and a relationship to an existing readership.

Author bio

It tin beryllium adjuvant to statesman pinch a bio you already usage astatine your website aliases astatine LinkedIn. But don’t conscionable transcript and paste your bio into nan connection and see nan occupation done. You person to person agents and editors you’re nan cleanable writer for nan book. Show really your expertise and acquisition springiness you nan cleanable level from which to reside your target audience. If this is simply a anemic area for you, look for different strengths that mightiness springiness you credibility pinch readers aliases thief waste books—such arsenic connections to experts aliases authorities successful nan field, a coagulated online following, and erstwhile occurrence successful trading yourself and your work. Agent Anna Sproul-Latimer has great proposal connected writer bios for book proposals.

Overview

This comes astatine nan very opening of your proposal. I propose you constitute it last. Think of it arsenic nan executive summary of nan full document, astir 2 to 3 pages. It needs to singing and coming a water-tight business case. If done well, it tin go nan ground of your query letter. My connection template (see below) includes much guidance.

Chapter outline and/or array of contents

A section outline useful well for communicative aliases meaty works, particularly those that are text-heavy and anticipated to travel successful astatine 80,000 words aliases more. For each chapter, you constitute a little summary of nan idea, information, aliases communicative presented. I propose your section outline not widen past 3,000 words, but immoderate agents whitethorn inquire for moreover much meaty section descriptions.

If penning a section outline seems redundant aliases unnecessary for your book’s content, past usage a array of contents. And if you want to usage both, that’s wholly acceptable. The astir important point is to show really your book conception will play retired from opening to end, and powerfully convey nan scope and scope of worldly covered.

Sample chapters

If you’re penning a memoir that has a chopped beginning, middle, and end, past see sample worldly that starts astatine nan beginning of nan book. If your activity isn’t a narrative, past constitute aliases see a sample section that you deliberation is nan meatiest aliases astir awesome chapter. Don’t effort to get disconnected easy by utilizing nan introduction; this is your opportunity to show that you tin present connected your book’s promise.

Common problems pinch book proposals

• The writer hasn’t articulated a intelligibly defined marketplace aliases need—or nan writer has described a marketplace that’s excessively niche for a commercialized patient to pursue.
• The conception is excessively wide aliases broad, aliases has nary unsocial angle.
• The writer wants to do a book based connected his aliases her ain amateur acquisition of overcoming a problem aliases investigating a analyzable issue. (No expertise aliases credentials.)
• The writer concentrates only connected nan contented of nan book aliases his ain experience—instead of nan book’s hook and use and entreaty to nan marketplace.
• The projected thought is for illustration a cardinal others; thing compelling sets nan book apart.

If you’re told nan marketplace isn’t large enough, possibly you approached excessively large of a publisher. Is location a smaller patient that would beryllium willing because they person a little period of income to meet? Big houses whitethorn want to waste arsenic galore arsenic 20,000 copies successful nan first twelvemonth to warrant publication; smaller presses whitethorn beryllium good pinch a fewer 1000 copies.

The astir communal problem starring to rejection: nary writer platform

A sizable level and expertise is typically required to successfully waste a nonfiction book to a awesome publisher, particularly for competitory categories specified arsenic business, cooking, health, self-help, aliases parenting. (Here’s a meaning of platform.) An supplier aliases editor is going to measure your visibility successful nan market, and will want to cognize nan following:

• The stats and analytics down your online following, including each websites, blogs, societal media accounts, email newsletters, regular online penning gigs, podcasts, videos, etc.
• Your offline following—speaking engagements, events, classes/teaching, city/regional presence, master statement activity roles and memberships, etc.
• Your beingness successful accepted media (regular gigs, features, immoderate sum you’ve received, etc)
• Your web strength—reach to influencers aliases thought leaders, a salient position astatine a awesome statement aliases business
• Sales of past books aliases self-published works

You typically request to beryllium visible to tens of thousands of people, with verifiable influence, to liking a awesome publisher. Traditional houses are pickier than ever; producing thing successful people is simply a important finance and risk. They request to cognize there’s an assemblage waiting to buy. Plus, fixed nan important alteration successful nan publishing industry, authors shouldn’t see a people book their first extremity aliases nan extremity goal, but simply 1 way, and usually not nan champion way, for making money.

A book connection template to thief you get started

Download a nonfiction book connection template (Word file) that is already formatted according to manufacture guidelines. It besides includes little guidance, tips and communal mistakes for each section.

I besides connection research worksheets, to thief you hole to constitute nan book proposal.

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 More resources connected book proposals

• Agent Ted Weinstein outlines nan basal parts of a book proposal, and also offers an audio signaling of his 90-minute shop connected proposals.
• My favourite comprehensive guide connected book proposals is How to Write a Book Proposal by supplier Michael Larsen.
• For professors and academics, I urge Laura Portwood-Stacer’s resources.