Unlike a work of fiction, which must be completed before you send the query, a proposal is the correct way to approach a publisher for a nonfiction book. Although this is an academic textbook, the proposal demonstrates the basic requirements of a successful pitch for any nonfiction book, including an excellent chapterbychapter summary. It should have the form of a story or narrative, and be between 2040 pages, no longer, depending on the sample material included. The good news is that almost every nonfiction book published is sold by a proposal. Fiction book proposals are different than nonfiction proposals. Remember, youre trying to sell a book, so its all in the writing. I like this one because it contains ten reallife proposals that sold. There are several books available on writing book proposals. Often the agent or the publisher will want to revise it.
Its a perk of nonfiction that you can sell a book on proposal before sitting down to the write the whole shebang, and often receiving an advance will. Elements of a successful nonfiction book proposal dummies. Your nonfiction proposal should include the following items. How to write a winning book proposal publishing talk.
A standard proposal includes a title page, overview, description of the audience for the book, an analysis of competitive titles, a plan for how the author will promote the book, an author bio, the table of contents for the book, short summaries of each chapter, and three sample chapters. I also sold a book off the back of a nonfiction book proposal that had multiple publishers bidding for the rights, and ended up being sold to harpercollins for. How to write a nonfiction book with pictures wikihow. A one page cover letter or query letter is sufficient. If the query letter gets a response from an agent, a complete manuscript may be the next thing the agent wants. Nonfiction book proposal outline ted weinstein literary. A nonfiction book proposal is the key document that allows an agent or publisher to determine the viability of a project. Thats top secret information until the book actually gets. Finding hope and healing for your heart after loss. Writing a nonfiction book proposal a primer for the firsttime nonfiction book writer. Give the child a name the title on your proposal wont necessarily follow your work into book form, but its a great starting point. How to write a book proposal and what exactly it needs to include are two of the questions i am asked most frequently as a literary agent and not just by new writers. Itll obviously change as i start writing it, so wont i be misleading the editor. How to write a memoir book proposal memoirs are just getting more and more popular in what i call this age of the business celebrity.
Many, if not most nonfiction books are sold to publishers as book proposals. A book proposal samples will explain the purposes and objectives for creating a book. In any book submission process the competition will be immense and the turndown rate high, so it is worth taking the time to. Once the book proposal has hopefully passed first muster with andrew lownie, he will ask for a synopsis of each chapter in the book, usually written at about half a page of a4 each, or a page maximum. The purpose of a book proposal is to capture a publishing editors interest so that he or she will agree to publish your book. Lisa tener is an awardwinning book writing coach who assists writers in all aspects of the writing processfrom writing a book proposal and getting published to finding ones creative voice.
Last week, we discussed what a fiction book proposal is, and why you need one. Writing a nonfiction book proposal by scott mendel. You want to demonstrate that you know your stuff and that you are the right person to be writing and promoting books like this. In an email the attached file name should be descriptive author name fiction or nonfiction proposal logline. This ones short and tothepoint, and the last time i.
This page will direct you to some examples of book proposal sections so that you can put together a winning book proposal. Use the proposal to sell your book to potential literary agents, editors, and publishers. Writing a proposal for a work of nonfiction may be intimidating and sometimes frustrating, especially if youre unsure about the information you should include and how to structure the proposal. Some agents and editors do request full proposals for memoirs, but even if they. A good nonfiction book proposal should include the following things. In that sense, a memoir is not a typical nonfiction book, such as a how to book, or other forms of nonfiction. To get your nonfiction book published, put together a strong proposal. A great nonfiction book proposal will show that you have thought through your idea, and more importantly, it will show that you know how to turn this idea into a book.
This is one of the main differences between the fiction and the nonfiction book proposal. Guest column august 1, 2017 writing a proposal for a work of nonfiction may be intimidating and sometimes frustrating, especially if youre unsure about the information you should include and how to structure the proposal. Build a strong marketing plan and endorsements list. If you have the time and want more detailed guidelines, get one of the many excellent books on writing proposals from the writers shelf at your library or local bookstore. A book proposal is created by a person who loves to read books, composing books, do research proposals or engaged into business of selling books.
This is an updated version of a story that was previously published. How to write a good nonfiction book proposal for submission. Many of the same tips and tricks of writing fiction apply to writing nonfiction, from avoiding the passive voice to eliminating cliches. Writing a winning nonfiction book proposal 32 30 once youve come up with a title you need to remember that a working title is just that. Its usually at least 20 pages long, often much longer. Your nonfiction proposal should include the following items and should be attached as a single file to an email with submission.
Since we recently discussed the role of a synopsis in a fiction proposal i thought it important that we address what the nonfiction author needs to provide. Add in those samples, and youll have a complete proposal ready to be considered by a literary agent. A note about the significance and reach of your subject matter is usually a good fit. He even clearly tells the reader how to avoid the slush pile.
Ive seen many authors confuse the two and create extra work for. Make sure your proposal is as polished as possible by including the following. Try to choose a title that describes the book as much as possible. Marti pieper, a professional writer, editor, and book doctor, can help you increase your nonfiction book proposals appeal to agents and editors along with its chances of finding a publishing home. How to write a winning nonfiction book proposal colorado. You will likely be emailing your proposal in this format or as a pdf document. Even seasoned authors and experienced journalists may not have written a book proposal previously. At the same time, be ready to send a book proposal if requested. Nonfiction book proposal outline the following are some guidelines to help you.
Writing a winning book proposal shorenstein center. Writing a book proposal once you have an idea for a book, the next step is to begin work on a proposal. Unlike fiction, where an author must have a completed manuscript ready before they approach a publisher or agent, a nonfiction author only needs to develop a proposal to submit to publishers andor agents. Book proposals are used to sell nonfiction books to publishers. A good place to find a downloadable nonfiction and fiction book proposal template. The proposal also provides a description that could be used on the books back cover and in marketing materials.
Writing quality counts in nonfiction book proposals. It will probably seem obvious to you that the nonfiction book proposal is a tool your. You are also welcome to listen to free audio recordings of teds book proposal bootcamp and other workshops and media appearances. Instead of writing the entire book, then trying to interest an editor or agent which is how it works with novels, you write the proposal first. The following is a template for completing a nonfiction book proposal. Writing a nonfiction book proposal a primer for the firsttime nonfiction book writer by scott mendel updated february 2018 it will probably seem obvious to you that the nonfiction book proposal is a tool your agent will use to sell your work at the best possible terms, and to secure the strongest possible. Writing resources and reading lists nonfiction book. Start by creating a table of contents, a formal outline, and a brief description of specific chapters. Contains the title, author byline, and contact information proposal contents. How to write a nonfiction book proposal with template. To write a book proposal, provide an overview that describes the books themes, content, and organization. Advice that i find myself giving out again and again as an agent is guidance on how to write a nonfiction book proposal.
All good nonfiction book proposals should contain the following, and query. Michael clearly and concisely states what creates a nonfiction book proposal that will get noticed by agents. What previous writing experience does the author have. We update our posts as often as possible to ensure theyre useful for our readers. Pdf writing a nonfiction book proposal a primer for the.
Book proposal a business plan for your book and how you plan to ensure sales success keys to a great synopsis the steve laube agency july 27, 2016 i posted my ideas on some keys to a great book proposal, a few writers said they were challenged to write a synopsis. The book proposal is a 1550 or so page manuscript that a writer uses to pitch a nonfiction book to publishers. Nonfiction book proposal outline here is a basic template for a book proposal, which many of our clients have used successfully. Five basics of nonfiction book proposals fresh ink book. As mentioned in my discussion on how to get published, if youre interested in writing a booklength work of nonfiction, you dont need to write the entire manuscript before you make the sale. Next, include sample chapters to highlight your writing style and overall aesthetic. The literary agents guide to writing a nonfiction book proposal by andy ross. Its this time that allows those of us who have achieved a level of success in our chosen field of practice to accelerate our success on.
Nonfiction book proposals anybody can write, elizabeth lyon perigee. How to write a nonfiction book proposal writers write. This can potentially save you time and frustration, so that you dont develop a book proposal for a concept thats not likely to be viable or salable. Nonfiction book proposal guide ask yourself these questions and as you write your answers, your proposal will develop before your eyes. Writing nonfiction book proposals archives write his answer.
One of the things writing the proposal can do is help a writer focus and organize a book idea. Marti uses her years of writing and editing experience to help you discover common errors and suggests practical ways to improve them. The sample chapter ought to be the crown jewel of the nonfiction book proposal. A medical history textbook was proposed by robin anderson to prenticehall in january 2003.
Submitting an already written nonfiction book as a proposal is a great way to almost guarantee you will not get a book deal. And the publisher will want to know how well positioned you are to do it. In this post, ill cover the critical elements of an average but thorough proposal. Anticipate the editors needs by using the proposal writing process to learn a. This book by michael hyatt is exactly what the title says it is.
An elevator pitch tell us what your book is about in a single sentence. It acts as a business case or business plan for your book that persuades a publisher to make an investment. Authors often spin their wheels and look at multiple sources for guidance on this task. How to write a nonfiction book proposal wolf literary. Nonfiction book proposal guide creative media agency, inc. A book proposal argues why your book idea is a salable, marketable product. But a big advantage of nonfiction writing is that even when you. My suggestion, however, is to take time to prepare a thorough and wellthought out proposal. As much as you love writing, this is not designed to be an epic. That was a twobook deal, admittedly, so you can divide the numbers by two to get a per book amount. In this blog post, youll find a description of the overview and introduction sections of my christian nonfiction book proposal, for blossom. How to write a book proposal that agents will love. They contain everything a prospective publisher needs to know about a book, including its contents, target market, how it will be promoted, and commercial potential.
This week, well look at the form and function of a standard fiction book proposal in more detail. Writing a nonfiction book proposal a primer for the firsttime. Her clients have appeared on the oprah winfrey show, cbs early show, the montel williams show, cnn, fox news, new morning and much more. Nonfiction book proposal is open to writers of any level. Instead, you write the proposal that describes what the book is about, why its interesting, and why it has an audience. Nonfiction book proposals can top out around 5075 pages, not including sample chapters.
Dont try to use reason or logic to argue that it would be better a different way. In any event, type the title neatly centered on one page. The book proposal is both a sales document and a plan. Writing a proposal for a work of nonfiction may be intimidating and sometimes frustrating, especially if youre unsure about the information you. In this comprehensive yet accessible guide, you will learn exactly what a proposal is, what it must contain, and how to pull yours together into an informative, persuasive selling package. Create a compelling author bio and chapter outline. Nonfiction book proposal classes in nyc and online. Dear pamela, memoir advice about your book proposal. So if you are writing a novel, dont send out queries until your manuscript is complete and ready to send.
Book proposals are information packs used by authors to pitch their nonfiction books to publishers and agents. The real secret to securing a book contract is knowing how to write a powerful, compelling book proposal that leaves agents begging to represent youand publishers eager to sign you. A commonly accepted structure for a nonfiction book proposal broadly follows this outline. Platform is a crucial part of nonfiction book proposals. Nonfiction book proposals in the digital age to sell an agent or publisher on your nonfiction idea, its more important.