Overview, endorsements, length and delivery date, competing and complementary books, target audience, about. How to write a nonfiction book proposal with template. If its not so good, it may end up back in the slush pile. An academic book proposal sample, multiple query letters examples, and even. Memoirs can cover most any subject of human interest. What is this magic documentwhich can get you a book deal. Your book proposal should contain a letter similar to the query letter you sent out. How to write a nonfiction book proposal writers block party. Nonfiction book proposal guide creative media agency, inc. Every nonfiction book started out in life as a proposal, even if that proposal was. 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.
And if youve already finished your memoir, youre still going to need to write a full proposal to accompany your submission in almost every instance. How i wrote a book proposal and found a literary agent. If they want to learn more, you send the full proposal right away. 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. A book proposal argues why your book idea is a salable, marketable product. Nonfiction book proposal guide ask yourself these questions and as you write your answers, your proposal will develop before your eyes. The following is an excerpt from write a book without lifting a finger by mahesh grossman, available at. This plan helps you put together the perfect pitch for a nonfiction book. Speakup15 5 secondary audiences who, in addition to the target audience, might read or purchase this book. A nonfiction book proposal is the key document that allows an agent or publisher to determine the viability of a project. Aug 23, 2016 when i was struggling with my own memoir proposal which seemed harder than writing the darn book, eric maisel, author of the art of the book proposal, suggested i write a mini proposal.
Many, if not most nonfiction books are sold to publishers as book proposals. 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. Nonfiction book proposal outline the following are some guidelines to help you. Mar 06, 2018 the proposal was for my nonfiction pop culture book about the history of black women on tv. Proposal cover letter addressed to the appropriate agent with titlegenreword count and appropriate contact information in the letter, this letter should interest us in reading your proposal. Most book agents call this section of a nonfiction book proposal the competition section, but i prefer to call is the competitive advantages section. How to write a nonfiction book proposal that will sell your book. Sometimes it is harder to capture that arc in a proposal than in a whole book. So today im sharing the query i sent to literary agents with the hopes that it will help you create your own pitch letter. What you do need to do is form a comprehensive plan of the layout of the book and what it will contain. Writing quality counts in nonfiction book proposals. Thus far the outcome of this proposal was a contract for a second book. The proposal was for my nonfiction pop culture book about the history of black women on tv. There are a couple instances of being able to sell a fiction book on proposal.
A one page cover letter or query letter is sufficient. 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. In example of a query letter to literary agents for a nonfiction book, i shared the query letter i sent to literary agents. The author, andy ross, is a literary agent who has worked with authors and publishers in creating proposals that have led to book contracts. How to write a query letter for nonfiction tck publishing. In an email the attached file name should be descriptive author name fiction or nonfiction proposal slugline. 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. You should always send agents a brief query letter before sending a full. In such cases, the query really ends up being a cover letter and doesnt have to be labored over that much. Think of your book proposal as a business plan that must make a. Members of aar the association of authors representatives, inc. Novelists and poets still typically need a full manuscript for publishers to consider, but for nonfiction books its quite the oppositepublishers and agents dont even necessarily want an entire book to consider.
Agent query letters that actually worked for nonfiction. If you can send the book proposal along with the query, you should. Nonfiction book proposal consulting let me help you bring your book into the world. Writers and editors agents and book proposals the art. Click on the actual articles to see an example of how to format your manuscript. The good news is, its never too early to write your nonfiction book proposal. A book proposal is quite similar to a query letter, except that it is longer and generally includes a synopsis or outline of the book, chapter summaries, detailed author bio, marketing platformstrategy, and a market analysis. Our nonfiction editors will get back to you within 1421 days. Oct 09, 2014 a query letter is often the first step. 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.
You can even use your query letter as a templatejust dont send an exact copy. Jun 09, 2010 so today im sharing the query i sent to literary agents with the hopes that it will help you create your own pitch letter. Sample nonfiction book proposal structure below are the main parts of the average book proposal. Submitting an already written nonfiction book as a proposal is a great way to almost guarantee you will not get a book deal. Aug 11, 2017 or, to be more precise, you send a query letter that briefly describes your book idea and yourself. Nonfiction book proposals in the digital age to sell an agent or publisher on your nonfiction idea, its more important. That was a twobook deal, admittedly, so you can divide the numbers by two to get a per book amount. I like this one because it contains ten reallife proposals that sold.
Dont try to use reason or logic to argue that it would be better a different way. Five basics of nonfiction book proposals fresh ink book. Five basics of nonfiction book proposals fresh ink book editing. I found the book incredibly helpful and followed it closely. Make your cover letter engaging, opening with a great hook, and closing with the reasons why the editor absolutely has to read your proposalnow. Like a lot of things in the publishing industry, the nonfiction book proposal is a mysterious beast. Dear pamela, memoir advice about your book proposal memoir. It was easier to write than the book proposal for my christian book especially since most of the query was culled from my introduction and overview.
Now that youve given us a thorough explanation of the overview, lets move on to the second section of a nonfiction book proposal. If publishing a memoir is your goal, its a good idea to write a proposal to sell your work. How to write a good nonfiction book proposal for submission. Dear pamela, memoir advice about your book proposal. 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. Nonfiction and memoir jane friedman, 1516 a query letter for a nonfiction book isnt all that different from a fiction query. Breaking down the nonfiction book proposal the business. To write a killer query, you need a onepage letter with three basic sections or paragraphs. I help nonfiction writers with their book proposals, whether theyre stuck on a specific part of their proposal that damn overview or want support and accountability the whole way.
Nonfiction book proposal outline here is a basic template for a book proposal, which many of our clients have used successfully. Query letters and book proposals ghostwriting, editing. The book proposal sometimes called a book pitch is the most. The sample chapter ought to be the crown jewel of the nonfiction book proposal. A query letter for a nonfiction book isnt all that different from a fiction. I created this book to compel people to take the right action for their successnow. The literary agents guide to writing a nonfiction book. 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. A short list of books that helped me write my proposal. The first thing to realize is that you dont have to actually write the book until you secure a contract with a publisher. Get an agent interested before you write the proposal october 7, 2017 by lynette padwa lots of firsttime nonfiction authors are thrilled to learn they dont have to write an entire manuscript to acquire an agent and hopefully a publisher they just have to write a book proposal. 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. Query letters and book proposals ghostwriting, editing, and.
Advice that i find myself giving out again and again as an agent is guidance on how to write a nonfiction book proposal. Or, to be more precise, you send a query letter that briefly describes your book idea and yourself. There are several books available on writing book proposals. 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. In just a page or two, you will discover all the information necessary to research and compose the material for each of the 12 primary sections in a nonfiction book proposal. Jan 05, 2016 the appropriate length for a nonfiction query is somewhere between 1 and 1. Sample query letter nonfiction authors association. A memoir is a personal story that provides a snapshot of a particular time and place in your life. How to write a nonfiction book proposal with examples. This is pretty much the authoritative book on writing a book proposal. You want to demonstrate that you know your stuff and that you are the right person to be writing and promoting books like this.
Writing an irresistible book proposal writers digest. Writing a nonfiction book proposal writers and artists. 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. The letter you send to an agent to get him to request your book proposal is a query letter. Only in a query letter, cover letter, or synopsis do you get to single space your writing. This ones short and tothepoint, and the last time i. A book proposal is a regular part of publishing a nonfiction book for most writers. May 28, 2017 a book proposal argues why your book idea is a salable, marketable product. As suggested in the video, if you are planning on sending a proposal through to a publisher, be sure to check their speci. Michael larsen cofounded larsenpomada literary agents in san francisco in 1972 with his partner elizabeth pomada. Prepare a query letter include a book overview, target audience, usp, writing cv, and motivation for writing.
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. 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. One big difference between query letters for fiction and nonfiction is that with nonfiction, youre hoping to get the agent to ask for your proposal and sample chapters rather than a full manuscript while in the past, nonfiction books were accepted based on the proposal and sample chapters, many nonfiction genresespecially memoirnow. Each section of a nonfiction book proposal is briefly described so you understand what content to include and how to write it effectively. But its the result of a lot of research into how to write a good query, and several people who know what theyre talking about helped me mold it into its. The literary agents guide to writing a nonfiction book proposal by andy ross. Logic doesnt matter when talking about how people actually do thingsthough, in this case. In addition to your core target audience, who might be the next most interested targets.
Remember to change some things around and point out that your book proposal is requested material. How to write a nonfiction query letter eschler editing. Your nonfiction proposal should include the following items. Nina amirs nonfiction book proposal demystified is an excellent overview and introduction for anyone looking at writing a nonfiction book. 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 a nonfiction book proposal wolf literary services. Heres a sneak peek at the question dear pamela will be answering in september. It acts as a business case or business plan for your book that persuades a publisher to make an investment. Sample query letter actual letter that landed a book deal hi name of person, i would love to speak with you about my new book kick start your success and its ability to become a market phenomenon. Writing a nonfiction book proposal by scott mendel.
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. You are also welcome to listen to free audio recordings of teds book proposal bootcamp and other workshops and media appearances. 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. Platform is a crucial part of nonfiction book proposals. If your cover letter is really good, the editor wont be able to wait to read your proposal. The disadvantage is that a memoir book proposal may be up to 25 pages in length just to cover the business proposals and market research that youll need to present. Writing a nonfiction book is quite different from a novel and so is the process of getting it published. One big difference between query letters for fiction and nonfiction is that. Your query and book proposal not only have to present an effective.
How to write a book proposal that agents will love jericho writers. As much as you love writing, this is not designed to be an epic. If you are thinking about the synopsis of your bookfor your own clarity, for a book query to an agent, or for a book proposal to a publisher, youll. This is very important, so actually use those words. Jul 29, 2011 there are several books available on writing book proposals. If agents or publishers want to see the proposal, send it along with the query letter, changed to mention that youre sending the proposal. Book proposals are essentially a set of architectural plans melded with a movie pitch and a marketing strategy, plus one or two sample chapters. And i believe that what youre about to read is the fastest, easiest way to get the best possible editor, publisher, and deal for your book.
Your nonfiction proposal should include the following items and should be attached as a single file to an email with submission. A medical history textbook was proposed by robin anderson to prenticehall in january 2003. Writing a winning nonfiction book proposal 32 30 from my experience, a great book proposal needs to include five distinct elements see fig. That was a two book deal, admittedly, so you can divide the numbers by two to get a per book amount. The appropriate length for a nonfiction query is somewhere between 1 and 1.
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. Book proposals are generally used for nonfiction books and can be submitted for a manuscript that is not yet complete. Think youve got a great nonfiction book that will delight, educate, or entertain readers. Most nonfiction books sell on the basis of a proposal not finished work.