Writing a winning nonfiction book proposal 32 30 from my experience, a great book proposal needs to include five distinct elements see fig. Nonfiction book proposal outline here is a basic template for a book proposal, which many of our clients have used successfully. 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. Your proposal on a page you will write the first page of your proposal last. 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. Think of book proposal forms as similar to work proposal forms. Remember that the book proposal is a selling document, not just a descriptive overview. Your nonfiction proposal should include the following items and should be attached as a single file to an email with submission. Finding hope and healing for your heart after loss.
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. 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. Whether you plan on selfpublishing or working with an agent, this book will help you get organized and create a business plan for your book. It acts as a business case or business plan for your book that persuades a publisher to make an investment. Writing chapter outlines for a book proposal a way with. 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. This book shows them how to take advantage, with topics including subject matter research, creating marketing plans, and writing a strong about the author section. May 28, 2017 a book proposal argues why your book idea is a salable, marketable product.
Nonfiction book proposal outline ted weinstein literary. A medical history textbook was proposed by robin anderson to prenticehall in january 2003. This ones short and tothepoint, and the last time i. 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. 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 outline the following are some guidelines to help you. Only after you finish your proposal can you provide the following hooks for the first page of your proposal. A nonfiction book proposal isnt just a truncated manuscript. The appropriate length for a nonfiction query is somewhere between 1 and 1. However, if you create a proposal thats divided into the following four sections, in the following order, every agent or publisher that you submit fiction book proposal to will be happy. Jul 29, 2011 there are several books available on writing book proposals. How to write a good nonfiction book proposal for submission.
Aug 23, 2016 my miniproposal included the following sections. Use these guidelines as your template, with each section on their own pages. Dear pamela, memoir advice about your book proposal. In todays writing tip sharlene martin and anthony flacco, authors of publish your nonfiction book, discuss one of the nine essential elements to a book. As mentioned in my discussion on how to get published, if youre interested in writing a book length work of nonfiction, you dont need to write the entire manuscript before you make the sale. C 1 page with a few lines on the five most recent competing and comparable books giving author, title, publisher and date of publication together with a note on. A book proposal samples will explain the purposes and objectives for creating a book. Jun 04, 2018 a fiction synopsis is twothree pages single spaced which tells the whole story from beginning to end. How to write a nonfiction book proposal writers block party.
Here is a basic template for a book proposal, which many of our clients have used successfully. You want to demonstrate that you know your stuff and that you are the right person to be writing and promoting books like this. 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. Dont try to use reason or logic to argue that it would be better a different way. 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. 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. Nonfiction writers have the added challenge of presenting historical context, source material, and research methods to help publishers gauge the value of their manuscripts.
Nina amirs nonfiction book proposal demystified is an excellent overview and introduction for anyone looking at writing a nonfiction book. In an email the attached file name should be descriptive author name fiction or nonfiction proposal logline. Sample book proposal from a professional literary agency. It is not unusual for an editor to skim the first part of a book proposal and. Sample chapters 3 double spaced include three sample chapters that o cast the vision and scope of this book o demonstrate the authors best craft and skill for a proposal for a novel, this is the most important part of the proposal by far. If you can send the book proposal along with the query, you should. For a nonfiction book, create a list of chapters, where you give each chapter a catchy title possibly also a subtitle and the page on which the sample chapter can be found. It will probably seem obvious to you that the nonfiction book proposal is a tool your. Give a fairly brief summary of your book here, using a few paragraphs. Overview, endorsements, length and delivery date, competing and complementary books, target audience, about the author, promotion and marketing, and sample chapter. Writing a nonfiction book proposal by scott mendel updated.
Title, authors names, phone numbers, email addresses. A short abstract of your proposed book, which must include a summary of your. Includes plenty of examples and a book proposal template you can follow. I also had a onepage overview which included other similar books already in the marketplace and how mine was different. Writing a nonfiction book proposal by scott mendel. Nonfiction book proposals in the digital age to sell an agent or publisher on your nonfiction idea, its more important.
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. Five basics of nonfiction book proposals fresh ink book. Nonfiction book proposals bookends literary agency. Following are examples of two successful book proposals. 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. Many writers, and aspiring writers, dont realize the opportunities that exist in the nonfiction book market. Overview describe your book in two or three paragraphs 500 wo. Who is the target audience and what makes your book unique and worthwhile for them. To aid us in our presentation of your book project, we ask authors to prepare a carefully detailed and compelling proposal regardless of whether you have a completed manuscript.
Most nonfiction books are sold to publishing houses on the basis of a proposala 20 to 40page document that pitches the books content and marketability and is supplemented by sample chapters. Writing a nonfiction book proposal a primer for the firsttime. Dear pamela, memoir advice about your book proposal memoir. 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. In addition to a sample chapter, a nonfiction book proposal typically includes an overview as well as competitive books, audience, specifications. A 1 page minisynopsis highlighting with bullet points what makes the book new and special with proposed word count and delivery date.
The literary agents guide to writing a nonfiction book. You want to leave the one who reads your proposal wanting to read the rest of the book to find out what happens. As mentioned in my discussion on how to get published, if youre interested in writing a booklength work of nonfiction, you dont need. How to write a nonfiction book proposal wolf literary services. Jan 05, 2017 nonfiction book proposals are multifaceted. How to write a nonfiction book proposal nathan bransford. Apr 02, 2012 what is the ideal length for a nonfiction book proposal. How to write a nonfiction book proposal with template. My book, book title will be a genre work which will center around the topic of book topic. Add in those samples, and youll have a complete proposal ready to be considered by a.
At its root, this is the purpose of each section in a book proposal, so be clear and persuasive. 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. A fiction synopsis is twothree pages single spaced which tells the whole story from beginning to end. 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. How to write a book proposal that agents will love jericho writers. A book proposal argues why your book idea is a salable, marketable product. Ive written and published four works of nonfiction and have been involved as a. 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. Nonfiction book proposal classes in nyc and online. To get you started, heres a rundown of the basics of a proposal. The proposal was for my nonfiction pop culture book about the history of black women on tv. A one page cover letter or query letter is sufficient. Overview describe your book in two or three paragraphs 500 words or less.
The author, andy ross, is a literary agent who has worked with authors and publishers in creating proposals that have led to book contracts. A marketing plan is a vital element of every nonfiction book proposal. Thus far the outcome of this proposal was a contract for a second book. Within those 1015 pages, you must convince an agent, editor and publishing team that you and your book deserve a place on the shelf based on several key factors. I read a book about how to put together a proposal. Addressed to the appropriate agent with titlegenreword count and appropriate contact information in the letter, this letter should interest us in reading your proposal. In addition to a sample chapter, a nonfiction book proposal typically includes an overview as well as competitive books, audience, specifications, chapterbychapter outline, and bio sections. Learn which chapters to include in your book proposal. How to write a nonfiction book proposal wolf literary. The truth is, a synopsis for a nonfiction book is as important as one for fiction. I like this one because it contains ten reallife proposals that sold. This outline of what i expect and hope to find in a nonfiction book. 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. There are literally dozens of such examples throughout history.
Agents and editors dont want to see the finished book. Sample nonfiction book proposal structure below are the main parts of the average book proposal. Hope for anxiety girl is a stepbystep howto book for the highly sensitive christian woman who longs to move from anxiety to peace but needs a personalized map to show her the way. Your overview starts the book proposal by introducing us to your subject in a. If work proposal forms suggest the type of job an employee will be doing and how theyll be doing it, then a book proposal form suggests what an author is going to write about and how long it should take him to go about writing and revising the drafts.
Think of this as the copy that would go on the back cover of your book or in the publishers catalog, or as the brief. Your nonfiction proposal should include the following items. My favorite is write the perfect book proposal by jeff herman. This section will be a tool for the editor, too, when she tries to persuade others in the publishing house that this is a book they must publish. Not counting your two to three sample chapters, your nonfiction book proposal should be no longer than 1015 pages. Thats top secret information until the book actually gets. Learn about choosing a topic based on current trends and competing titles. The literary agents guide to writing a nonfiction book proposal will lead you through the steps to constructing a convincing book proposal that will make the best case possible for your project. Nonfiction book proposal outline for sounds true i. The miniproposal, minus the sample chapter, was about seven pages approximately 1,500 words. Nonfiction book proposal guide creative media agency, inc. One of the elements of a book proposal is sample chapters. A book proposal is a simple proposal format that is used to sell nonfiction books to publishers. Fiction book proposal for literary agents literary agencies.
In this blog post, youll find a description of the overview and introduction sections of my christian nonfiction book proposal, for blossom. In such cases, the query really ends up being a cover letter and doesnt have to be labored over that much. It shows why your book is a saleable and marketable product. 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. Include any subhead or taglines that your books title may contain. 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.
Target audience who is your core audience, the most likely purchasers of this book. Nonfiction book proposal guide ask yourself these questions and as you write your answers, your proposal will develop before your eyes. The nonfiction proposal should include a table of contents toc. Jan 05, 2016 the appropriate length for a nonfiction query is somewhere between 1 and 1. This page will direct you to some examples of book proposal sections so that you can put together a winning book proposal. The literary agents guide to writing a nonfiction book proposal by andy ross. There are several books available on writing book proposals. The book proposal act as a business plan that convinced the publisher to make an investment in your book. In my opinion, this is the most important part of a book proposal. This page will direct you to some examples of book proposal sections so that you. 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 should include each of the following sections, in this order. A nonfiction book proposal is the key document that allows an agent or publisher to determine the viability of a project. The most important aspect of the submission of a nonfiction book to publishers is the book proposal.
The bukowski agency nonfiction proposal guidelines. As much as you love writing, this is not designed to be an epic. How to write a successful nonfiction book proposal jeanne. Five basics of nonfiction book proposals fresh ink book editing. Submitting an already written nonfiction book as a proposal is a great way to almost guarantee you will not get a book deal. Hermon requested the proposal, and id love your help in placing this book. 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 19, 2014 a 1 page minisynopsis highlighting with bullet points what makes the book new and special with proposed word count and delivery date. 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. How to write a nonfiction book proposal with examples. Book proposal, 4th edition by michael larsen to create strongest possible proposal for your book. What is the ideal length for a nonfiction book proposal. Keep in mind when writing your book proposal outline that you are essentially writing the skeleton for your book to show how it is organized and how it will flow together.
How to write a nonfiction book synopsis pen and the pad. The synopsis is the difference between a fiction and a nonfiction proposal. How to write a nonfiction book proposal writers write. That was a twobook deal, admittedly, so you can divide the numbers by two to get a per book amount.
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