“I’m thinking of writing my autobiography,” said a friend. “Which publisher should I contact?” Like many aspiring writers, he thought he could write a book, submit it to a publisher, and receive his “rich and famous” contract. This has never been true and is definitely not true in this economy.
But I wanted my friend to succeed, and I asked him if he had checked out the “Writers Market.” He apparently had the book on the shelf, but he never opened it. He had never heard of a book proposal and lost interest when I started to explain it to him. “I have a story to tell,” he said, ending our conversation.
You may have a story to tell. Unfortunately, your chances of seeing it in print are nil if you don’t know how to write a book proposal. A book proposal is like a mini thesis. Dennis E. Hensley discusses the basics in his article, “Ten Factors to Consider When Writing Book Proposals.”
“According to most buyout editors at publishers, freelance writers rarely master the punch to write contract-winning book proposals,” he says. Do not join this group. Your book proposal is a sales piece and you need to get it right.
1. Follow the guidelines. The public library and local bookstores will have references for book proposals. Organize your proposal according to these guidelines. The platform should be the strongest section of your proposal. Before submitting your proposal, make sure it contains all the elements and check for typographical errors.
2. Check the shipping guidelines. The publisher can accept multiple submissions, request an electronic proposal or a hard copy. Adler & Robins Books, Inc., has posted an article on electronic proposals on its website, “How to Write a Book Proposal on Computer.” The company asks for a one or two page summary [usually called the Executive Summary]at the beginning of the proposal.
3. Adapt to fiction or nonfiction. “Writing Nonfiction Book Proposals,” an article on pages.prodigy.net notes that “inexperienced writers may feel it’s part of the publisher’s job to do all the market research necessary to make a decision about the acquisition of the proposed book”. work.” This is wrong. Marketing research is part of your job and it takes time.
4. Highlight uniqueness. Why is your book different? You have to pierce this point. I just wrote a proposal and developed a features and benefits table to illustrate the uniqueness of my book. Adler & Robins Books, Inc. says you can also make “a bulleted list of what makes this book stand out from an editorial and a publisher’s perspective.”
5. Be neat. Yes, it smells like elementary school, but neatness counts. Procurement editors are busy people and don’t want to deal with sloppy, smudged, lopsided, or unnumbered proposals. “You only get one chance to make a first impression,” says Dennis Hensley, “so you better do your best.” Bold or colored headings (no wild colors, please) will clarify the organization of your proposal.
Writing a “bulletproof proposal” (a term coined by Robert Bly) takes time, patience, and revisions. Like doing a puzzle, it can be a fun and creative project. According to the hiwrite.com website, you must first sell your idea to a literary agent, and then to an acquisitions publisher. “Don’t sell the book, sell the proposition,” the site advises. This is sage advice, advice that leads to a sale, the first printed book of his.
Copyright 2009 by Harriet Hodgson