Elements of a nonfiction book proposal

When someone is pitching a work of nonfiction, a proposal outlines includes information on the content, the author, the market, and the salability of the project. Look at most any toc inside a book to get a sense of what this page will look like. A book proposal is essentially a business plan for your book. The appropriate length for a nonfiction query is somewhere between 1 and 1. If you can send the book proposal along with the query, you should. Selling a nonfiction book is different from selling a novel. As with a books table of contents toc that lists the chapters, a nonfiction book proposal will have a toc page listing the individual sections and page numbers of the proposal. Even with a completed manuscript, the book proposal is the only accepted documentation among literary professionals to present your book idea. Add in those samples, and youll have a complete proposal ready to be considered by a literary agent.

This is an updated version of a story that was previously published. The eight essential elements of a nonfiction book proposal, writers digest, by brian klems. Literary agent mark gottlieb sees a lot of book proposals every week. Nonfiction book proposal outline here is a basic template for a book proposal, which many of our clients have used successfully. The author submits their proposal to a publisher, sometimes by way of a literary agent, and the publisher uses the proposal to determine whether they want to publish the proposed book. In the process of writing my own nonfiction book proposal earlier this year thanks to my. In such cases, the query really ends up being a cover letter and doesnt have to be labored over that much. The advantage to the nonfiction book proposal is that an author doesnt need to have a completed manuscriptonly an idea. A book proposal is a document most commonly associated with pitching a nonfiction book. And the publisher will want to know how well positioned you are to do it. You are also welcome to listen to free audio recordings of teds book proposal bootcamp and other workshops and media appearances. Aug 01, 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.

It needs to be focused, accompanied by supporting materials, and. How to write a nonfiction book proposal writers digest. Although this is not usually considered part of the book proposal, a cover letter should accompany every submission. 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 ted weinstein literary. 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. Here is an experts guide through the elements of a nonfiction book proposal, including the outline, chapter summaries, marketingpublicity, book and chapter titles, and more. How to write a nonfiction book proposal with template. The final part of your fiction book proposal is your sample pages. Contains the title, author byline, and contact information. A book proposal is used to pitch your book to literary agents or book editors. Instead of writing the entire book, then trying to interest an editor or agent which.

How to write a nonfiction book proposal with examples. She is a nonfiction book editor and doctor, proposal consultant, and an author coach and trainer as well as a book and blog coach. Your book idea is fantastic, and its time to prove that to the people who can actually publish it. The literary agents guide to writing a nonfiction book. How to write a nonfiction book proposal understanding. But, then, this means they must be sure to create a book proposal that will make an agent or publisher be willing to wait for the final product. A book proposal argues why your book idea is a salable, marketable product. Sample book proposal from a professional literary agency. If you want to traditionally publish a nonfiction book, a completed manuscript usually isnt enough to land you a book deal. Jan 05, 2016 the appropriate length for a nonfiction query is somewhere between 1 and 1. Mar 14, 2019 selling a nonfiction book is different from selling a novel. Though its written in place of an actual book, it should build a complete argument for the book idea. A commonly accepted structure for a nonfiction book proposal broadly follows this outline. Not even the herman book write the perfect book proposal.

Offers a brief, tantalizing look at whats unique about the book. The periodic elements of the nonfiction book proposal. When you hear book proposal, most people think nonfiction. The seven vital elements of a successful nonfiction book. For more information about writing nonfiction book proposals, see the following articles. Nonfiction books are sold with a proposal rather than the entire book. To recap, a great fiction book proposal essentially breaks down into five elements about your book and the target market what can you do for us. It includes information on the content, the author, the market, and the salability of the project.

Feb 19, 2019 a good book proposal should be convincing, thorough, and fully edited for spelling and grammatical errors. 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. Key elements of a nonfiction book proposal there is no standard format for a nonfiction book proposal, and various agents have their own ideas of what it should contain. When selling nonfiction, you dont have to write the entire book. Dont try to use reason or logic to argue that it would be better a different way. Experts break down the elements of a nonfiction book proposal. 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.

The novel is written in its entirety before the author submits it to an agent or publisher. The fourth part of your fiction book proposal is your marketing plan. Here are the 8 elements that every nonfiction book proposal needs if you want to get it published. Aug 30, 2017 as with a books table of contents toc that lists the chapters, a nonfiction book proposal will have a toc page listing the individual sections and page numbers of the proposal. For most acquisition editors, this is a very important part of the proposal. Writing a fiction book proposal independent publisher. You dont need to write an entire nonfiction book to get a book deal. 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. 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. That was a twobook deal, admittedly, so you can divide the numbers by two to get a per book amount. Writing a fiction book proposal how to create an effective pitch. To get your nonfiction book published, put together a strong proposal. A nonfiction book proposal most often contains some form of the following, although many publishers and agents have specific guidelines for submitting nonfiction proposals.

Once youve done your homework, learn about each of the elements of a book proposal. How to write a nonfiction book proposal become a writer today. A wellcrafted, bulletproof book proposal requires you to think hard about the book you want to write, as well as do some serious research into the specifics of the marketplace. Ive written and published several nonfiction books, so i had to study many articles, white papers, and books about how to write a book proposal along. Jul 28, 2017 today, were going to talk about the sample manuscript pages that youll include with your fiction book proposal. In the is post, a literary agent defines the elements so you can write a proposal worth. Keep in mind that your proposal reflects you and your professionalism so you want to make sure it is highquality and follows industry standards. Book proposals are used to sell nonfiction books to publishers. Agents are looking for something more specific when it comes to nonfiction. In fact, for my travel adventure memoir, ive been working on the proposal onandoff for the last two years, and even then, my agent is asking for a rewrite. Whether you have already written a nonfiction book or are contemplating writing one you will need to know what it takes to sell it. 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.

How to write and sell the novel of true events, by peter rubie quill driver books, 2009 the proposal is a description of, and sample of a proposed book. I offer a selfstudy course on nonfiction book proposals. Nonfiction book proposal guidelines thinking ink press. We update our posts as often as possible to ensure theyre useful for our readers. A book proposal is the expected format to present your fiction or nonfiction book idea to an agent or acquiring editor for a traditional publisher. A covering letter or query letter your covering letter will deal with the following elements. Jul 20, 2017 as such, business planning software such as business plan pro from palo alto software can be very effective in helping you outline and fill in the book marketing plan for your fiction book proposal. To sell your idea you must write a book proposal to present to prospective agents or publishers. Your sample pages although the marketing section is the meatandpotatoes of your proposal, what will ultimately make or break your chances with an agent is the quality of the writing itself. This is the section where you lay out the basic idea of the book and discuss. Authors often spin their wheels and look at multiple sources for guidance on this task. Fortunately, all approaches contain the same basic elements, which can be shuffled and combined in.

Writing a great book proposal is how to sell your book to a publisher. Name of book, name and contact info for the author page 2. The title of your book should be in the introductory paragraph of the proposal so that its one of the first things. Submitting an already written nonfiction book as a proposal is a great way to almost guarantee you will not get a book deal. Below is a sample book marketing plan outline for your proposal, to give you some ideas of what to include in the marketing plan for your book. If you are submitting a requested proposal for fiction also unusual, you may use the same elements. Ill start with the must haves and then explain the optionals. The takeaway is that your book proposal shouldnt be taken. We talked to seasoned writers, agents and editors about the basic elements of a nonfiction book proposal, mistakes to avoid and more. Elements of a nonfiction book proposal edit 1st manuscript editing. It takes me months to finish writing a book proposal. In the case of a nonfiction book, the book is sold before it is written. The author, andy ross, is a literary agent who has worked with authors and publishers in creating proposals that have led to book contracts. When it comes to fiction, few agents or editors expect or require book proposals, but its an incredibly useful tool.

A one paragraph, inanutshell description of the project or idea. Fortunately, all approaches contain the same basic elements, which can be shuffled and combined in different ways. A nonfiction book proposal includes essential elements. 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. Elements of an effective book proposal the balance careers.

Either way, this letter must be only one page with at least oneinch margins. Elements of a successful nonfiction book proposal dummies. Sample new book proposal below is a sample of a complete and exhaustive book proposal for a christian nonfiction manuscript. Contains the title, author byline, and contact information proposal contents. The periodic elements of the nonfiction book proposal write. Oct 25, 2016 a book proposal is a document most commonly associated with pitching a nonfiction book. Every proposal has to have a standard set of sections, and then there are some that are optional. Write your nonfiction book proposal webinar creative. Different rules apply to writing a book proposal for fiction books, so make sure to do more research if youre writing a book proposal for a fiction book. Apr 24, 2020 the advantage to the nonfiction book proposal is that an author doesnt need to have a completed manuscriptonly an idea. Writers know this intuitively, which is why they often ask me, whats the best way to format a book proposal. The book proposal is a 1550 or so page manuscript that a writer uses to pitch a nonfiction book to publishers. Keep your proposal focused on the gist of your book and the target market, with an eye toward conveying the subject matter in the most interesting and relevant fashion in order to hook the reader.

The 8 essential elements of a nonfiction book proposal 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. The 8 essential elements of a nonfiction book proposal. The seven vital elements of a successful nonfiction book proposal. 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.

Jun 28, 2012 the 8 essential elements of a nonfiction book proposal 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 article im going to share the major elements of a book proposal in. A good book proposal should be convincing, thorough, and fully edited for spelling and grammatical errors. 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. A marketing plan is a vital element of every nonfiction book proposal. The following are the essential elements of the nonfiction book proposal. Use the proposal to sell your book to potential literary agents, editors, and publishers. Most book agents call this section of a nonfiction book proposal the competition section, but i prefer to call is the competitive advantages section. The proposal is a key element which is often overlooked or pushed aside, but. If you have a nonfiction book idea and the proper credentials, you dont need to write the. Its primarily a sales and marketing tool for you, and for your book. Its especially important if you dont have an agent, as many small and medium publishers accept unsolicited proposals. A nonfiction book proposal outlines the basic elements including content, market information, competitive titles, and author platform.

Thats a lot of nonfiction book ideas passing read more. It acts as a business case or business plan for your book that persuades a publisher to make an investment. Elements of a book proposal nonfiction authors association. How to draft proposals to childrens book publishers dummies. Nonfiction book proposals can top out around 5075 pages, not including sample chapters. How to write a nonfiction book proposal understanding the.

Below is a sample of a complete and exhaustive book proposal for a christian nonfiction manuscript. Some agents or publishers will ask you to query before you send them your book proposal. In fact, publishers will look at it as a redflag if youve already finished because they want to be part of shaping it so if you. Michael dellert posted on july 28, 2017 posted in the business of writing, writing life. The truth is the nonfiction book proposal is an entirely different beast.