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. In such cases, the query really ends up being a cover letter and doesnt have to be labored over that much. I like this one because it contains ten reallife proposals that sold. 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. We update our posts as often as possible to ensure theyre useful for our readers. Think of your book proposal as a business plan that must make a. 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. 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. In it we will meet the blackbirds, the grey tits and the robins who share the. If you can send the book proposal along with the query, you should. Youll also have to include a full sample chapter, which is a topic for another day.
Thats top secret information until the book actually gets. Now, whether youre writing a novel, a picture book, young adult fiction, or any kind of nonfiction, plan on sending in a proposal either before or in conjunction with your manuscript. While there are plotters and pantsers in the world of fiction writing, very few nonfiction authors can get away with writing by the seat of their pants because youre writing specifically to help your target audience solve a problem, you need to be systematic in how you approach your book. Book proposals are used to sell nonfiction books to publishers. 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. It breaks down what we are looking for as agents with useful examples and tips from our side of the desk. There are a couple instances of being able to sell a fiction book on proposal. Platform is a crucial part of nonfiction book proposals. At least two highlypolished sample chapters of the book you will deliver. What is this magic documentwhich can get you a book deal before you even write the book.
Finding hope and healing for your heart after loss. What ive got ready, a completed manuscript with word count and a proposal. This section could be anywhere from three to 20 pages it needs to give a comprehensive, detailed map of what the book will contain. Youre coming into the home stretch of writing a book proposal. A one page cover letter or query letter is sufficient. 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. This is intended for the readers to understand the essence of what they are reading. It will probably seem obvious to you that the nonfiction book proposal is a tool your. My contact information makes it easy to get in touch with me and check me out online. How to write a nonfiction book proposal with template tucker max tucker has sold over 5 million books as a 4x nyt bestselling author and is the cofounder of scribe. Its usually at least 20 pages long, often much longer. 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. Mar 17, 2014 how to write a good nonfiction book proposal for submission 17 mar 2014 christian jennings, who is currently writing a book about the last year of wwii in northern italy, entitled if i live to see the dawn at war on the gothic line 194445. Klems june 28, 2012 in the process of writing my own nonfiction book proposal earlier this year thanks to my year of amazing pledge, i searched everywhere i could for tips and advice on how to write a nonfiction book proposal.
In this post, ill cover the critical elements of an average but thorough proposal. If publishing a memoir is your goal, its a good idea to write a proposal to sell your work. How to write a nonfiction book proposal writers digest. 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. Add in those samples, and youll have a complete proposal ready to be considered by a literary agent. This post answers all your questions about the sample chapters that go into a nonfiction book proposal. Michael hyatt former ceo for thomas nelson publishers, has added updated information reflecting evolving changes in the publishing industry. What is the accepted way of preparing and submitting a proposal for a nonfiction picture book, say for the middle grade market. This plan helps you put together the perfect pitch for a nonfiction book. Nonfiction book proposal is open to writers of any level.
This book introduces the feathered residents of a suburban garden in the north east of england. Speakup15 5 secondary audiences who, in addition to the target audience, might read or purchase this book. Advice that i find myself giving out again and again as an agent is guidance on how to write a nonfiction book proposal. Your nonfiction proposal should include the following items. This is one of the main differences between the fiction and the nonfiction book proposal. Jan 05, 2016 the appropriate length for a nonfiction query is somewhere between 1 and 1. How to write a nonfiction book proposal writers write. How to write a nonfiction book proposal wolf literary services. Many, if not most nonfiction books are sold to publishers as book proposals. Nonfiction book proposal guide creative media agency. Writing a nonfiction book proposal a primer for the firsttime. As suggested in the video, if you are planning on sending a proposal through to a publisher, be sure to check their speci. A book proposal argues why your book idea is a salable, marketable product. This book by michael hyatt is exactly what the title says it is.
In this blog post, youll find a description of the overview and introduction sections of my christian nonfiction book proposal, for blossom. This is an updated version of a story that was previously published. Youre going to have to essentially sell them your book, sending them a document that contains details about your qualifications, a chapterbychapter outline, and most importantly, how your book is going to be marketable, and ultimately, profitable. As much as you love writing, this is not designed to be an epic. The literary agents guide to writing a nonfiction book proposal by andy ross. The sample chapter ought to be the crown jewel of the nonfiction book proposal. Even more so than practical nonfiction, your narrative or memoir proposal needs to serve as a microcosm for your book as a whole, so the proposal has to be a tight and exciting read, and capture the arc of the book. In addition to your core target audience, who might be the next most interested targets. How does it differ from a standard magazine article query. Plenty of writers also pitch memoirs with only a proposal and sample chapters. How to write a nonfiction book proposal that will sell your book. Example of nonfiction book proposal keeping up with the jackdaws.
A nonfiction book proposal is the key document that allows an agent or publisher to determine the viability of a project. That reinforces the idea in your mind and in the mind of publishing agents that your book is different and in some ways better than similar titles in your genre. There are several books available on writing book proposals. Writing a nonfiction book proposal by scott mendel. May 28, 2017 a book proposal argues why your book idea is a salable, marketable product. Sample book proposal from a professional literary agency. Jun 22, 2017 last week, we discussed what a fiction book proposal is, and why you need one. A memoir is a personal story that provides a snapshot of a particular time and place in your life. Gradually, naturally, gracefully in mothers always write. Five basics of nonfiction book proposals fresh ink book. Most nonfiction is sold via a book proposal a structured outline of the book you. How to write a book proposal is the resource for aspiring nonfiction authors. 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 an ongoing basis through the creation of a book.
Identify your novels audience the specific categories of readers your book is aimed at 6. 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. Jul 02, 2015 you dont yet need a book to get a job in most cases although yes, its true, assistant professors with books under their belt will have an advantage over new ph. This week, well look at the form and function of a standard fiction book proposal in more detail. It also subtly says im on twitter, which shows im building platform. Your nonfiction proposal should include the following items and should be attached as a single file to an email with submission. Last week, we discussed what a fiction book proposal is, and why you need one. Use the proposal to sell your book to potential literary agents, editors, and publishers. 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. Nonfiction book proposals in the digital age writers digest. Sometimes it is harder to capture that arc in a proposal than in a whole book. To get your nonfiction book published, put together a strong proposal. Nonfiction book proposal outline ted weinstein literary.
Dear pamela, memoir advice about your book proposal. Memoirs can cover most any subject of human interest. Ill provide a sample proposal and give you examples of what to do and what. Nonfiction book proposal outline the following are some guidelines to help you. Members of aar the association of authors representatives, inc. Agents are looking for something more specific when it comes to nonfiction. Nonfiction book proposal literary agents and literary agencies. Quite likely you reach that publisher via a literary agent, so the first pair of eyes on your work will be those of an agent, but either way, your final target is a publisher.
It is by david sanford, a published author, editor, and literary agent for more than 300 books who now serves on the leadership team at corban university. The good news is that almost every nonfiction book published is sold by a proposal. How to write a good nonfiction book proposal for submission. How to write a nonfiction book proposal mary mackey. By jane friedman if you wrote a nonfiction book 20 years ago, your greatest competition. 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. That was a twobook deal, admittedly, so you can divide the numbers by two to get a per book amount. You all know that the book proposal is the cornerstone to a successful tenure track career in most areas of the humanities and social sciences. Andy warhol, saint apollonia suite 1984 for all of these reasons, quite a mouthful will make a perfect gift for any general interest nonfiction reader. Jul 15, 2014 even more so than practical nonfiction, your narrative or memoir proposal needs to serve as a microcosm for your book as a whole, so the proposal has to be a tight and exciting read, and capture the arc of the book. Addressed to the appropriate agent with titlegenreword count and appropriate contact information in the letter, this letter should interest us in reading your proposal. How to write a nonfiction book proposal wolf literary. Hi shamrock838, when i submitted the proposal for my middle grade nonfic cryptic canada, i sent a cover letter explaining the focusslant of my book, the projected word count and my writing credentials.
Nonfiction book proposal guide ask yourself these questions and as you write your answers, your proposal will develop before your eyes. Writing quality counts in nonfiction book proposals. It acts as a business case or business plan for your book that persuades a publisher to make an investment. How to write a book proposal that agents will love jericho writers. The truth is the nonfiction book proposal is an entirely different beast. Chuck sambuchino at writers digest recently posted a summary of his synopsis examples for fiction titles. A good place to find a downloadable nonfiction and fiction book proposal template is.
My book, book title will be a genre work which will center around the topic of book topic. Nonfiction book proposal outline here is a basic template for a book proposal, which many of our clients have used successfully. What is most helpful is the range of genres included and sambuchinos expressed selfawareness in providing examples. 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. A book proposal samples will explain the purposes and objectives for creating a book. This is a pretty important part of most book proposals, but the importance varies.
Nonfiction book proposals in the digital age to sell an agent or publisher on your nonfiction idea, its more important. Michael clearly and concisely states what creates a nonfiction book proposal that will get noticed by agents. Most book agents call this section of a nonfiction book proposal the competition section, but i prefer to call is the competitive advantages section. He even clearly tells the reader how to avoid the slush pile. Give a fairly brief summary of your book here, using a few paragraphs. Below is a sample of a complete and exhaustive book proposal for a christian nonfiction manuscript. Oct 29, 20 sample chapters need to grab the readers imagination.
Nonfiction book proposal if you are writing a nonfiction book agents and publishers need to see a proposal including author background, how the book fits the market, and a sample chapter. Jun 04, 2018 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. Your pitch offers the publisher the opportunity to acquire a nonfiction book, authored by you. Instead, you write the proposal that describes what the book is about, why its interesting, and why it has an audience. If youve been following this series, youve already learned about writing your author bio, the information that should go into your chapter summaries, how to handle competitive titles, identifying your target audience and how youll market to them, and how to make.
Include any subhead or taglines that your books title may contain. You are also welcome to listen to free audio recordings of teds book proposal bootcamp and other workshops and media appearances. Although you should include at least two sample chapters in your nonfiction proposal, you should not finish writing the entire manuscript until the publisher has. This ones short and tothepoint, and the last time i. 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 help fund research andor travel, making the book possible. The type of manuscript youve written will be one of the major differences. Nonfiction book proposals can top out around 5075 pages, not including sample chapters. Make sure your proposal is as polished as possible by including the following. How to write a nonfiction book proposal with template. Jul 29, 2011 there are several books available on writing book proposals. Michael larsen cofounded larsenpomada literary agents in san francisco in 1972 with his partner elizabeth pomada.
Contains the title, author byline, and contact information proposal contents. A short story rejected in grade school becomes a cause of action in the writer. Sure, some parts of psychology and economics and other fields are not bookbased, but basically, the law of the land is. How to write a nonfiction book proposal nathan bransford. How to write a good nonfiction book proposal for submission 17 mar 2014 christian jennings, who is currently writing a book about the last year of wwii in northern italy, entitled if i live to see the dawn at war on the gothic line 194445. I also had a onepage overview which included other similar books already in the marketplace and how mine was different. The letter you send to an agent to get him to request your book proposal is a query letter. A marketing plan is a vital element of every nonfiction book proposal. A medical history textbook was proposed by robin anderson to prenticehall in january 2003. The better your marketing plan, the less this matters. The following is an excerpt from write a book without lifting a finger by mahesh grossman, available at.
Nonfiction book proposal guide creative media agency, inc. Sample nonfiction book proposal structure below are the main parts of the average book proposal. May 17, 2012 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. It is up to the author working with the agent to prove that a sizeable target audience for the book exists, to sharply define this target market, and to evaluate competitive books if any in the marketplace. The 8 essential elements of a nonfiction book proposal by. October 29, 2012 by timothy staveteig leave a comment. In an email the attached file name should be descriptive author name fiction or nonfiction proposal logline. Elements of a successful nonfiction book proposal dummies. It is by david sanford, a published author, editor, and literary. You want to demonstrate that you know your stuff and that you are the right person to be writing and promoting books like this. Nonfiction book proposal classes in nyc and online.
Nonfiction book proposals in the digital age to sell an agent or publisher on your nonfiction idea, its more important than ever to show where your book will fit inand what will make it stand outboth in print and online. The appropriate length for a nonfiction query is somewhere between 1 and 1. Ive seen many authors confuse the two and create extra work for themselves. Like a lot of things in the publishing industry, the nonfiction book proposal is a mysterious beast. 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.