Well, i figured i could do my part to help shine some light on things and post one that i wrote, here. I am also curious about the actual format in which these are generally submitted ms word, pdf, etc. That was a twobook deal, admittedly, so you can divide the numbers by two to get a per book amount. How to write a nonfiction book proposal wolf literary. I dont know why people wont post these, but it gets back to what i was talking about with elitism in publishing. 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. The bukowski agency nonfiction proposal guidelines. Nina amirs nonfiction book proposal demystified is an excellent overview and introduction for anyone looking at writing a nonfiction book. Most book agents call this section of a nonfiction book proposal the competition section, but i prefer to call is the competitive advantages section. Book proposals are used to sell nonfiction books to publishers. This ones short and tothepoint, and the last time i.
In addition to your core target audience, who might be the next most interested targets. Writing quality counts in nonfiction book proposals. 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 miniproposal. In the process of writing my own nonfiction book proposal earlier this year thanks to my year of amazing pledge, i searched everywhere i. This is pretty much the authoritative book on writing a book proposal. Speakup15 5 secondary audiences who, in addition to the target audience, might read or purchase this book. This page will direct you to some examples of book proposal sections so that you can put together a winning book proposal. The good news is that almost every nonfiction book published is sold by a proposal.
Five basics of nonfiction book proposals fresh ink book. Most nonfiction is sold via a book proposal a structured outline of the book you. If you have an idea for a nonfiction book, its better to write a couple of chapters and then pitch a book proposal. You are also welcome to listen to free audio recordings of teds book proposal bootcamp and other workshops and media appearances. The type of manuscript youve written will be one of the major differences reflected in how you present your proposal. Many, if not most nonfiction books are sold to publishers as book proposals. How i wrote a book proposal and found a literary agent. In such cases, the query really ends up being a cover letter and doesnt have to be labored over that much. 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. If you look on the internet, you will have a very hard time finding actual book proposals. Many were great, but super lengthy and time consuming to read. Advice that i find myself giving out again and again as an agent is guidance on how to write a nonfiction book proposal.
Below are some examples of real book proposals that have actually sold to 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. With all of this information, youll likely end up with a book proposal thats dozens of pages long. This is one of the main differences between the fiction and the nonfiction book proposal. A marketing plan is a vital element of every nonfiction book proposal. How to write a nonfiction book proposal writers write. It is not an absolute formula to be followed blindly. Ive seen many authors confuse the two and create extra work for themselves. How to finally write your nonfiction book the new york times. In case some of you might be that way, too, here is a handful of examples of things that have to do with the publishing industry.
Dear pamela, memoir advice about your book proposal. Aug 11, 2017 instead, you write the proposal that describes what the book is about, why its interesting, and why it has an audience. Give a fairly brief summary of your book here, using a few paragraphs. There are a thousand ways of making it, everyone has their own recipe, but most every lasagna will have a few basic ingredients and chances are its going to taste good in the. In an email the attached file name should be descriptive author name fiction or nonfiction proposal logline. I also had a onepage overview which included other similar books already in the marketplace and how mine was different. By jane friedman if you wrote a nonfiction book 20 years ago, your greatest competition. You can find downloadable book proposal templates online. Youll also have to include a full sample chapter, which is a topic for another day. 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 09, 2018 a literary agent can often sell nonfiction projects on proposal, meaning you write the proposal first, then sell the project, then write the book.
If you can send the book proposal along with the query, you should. Nonfiction book proposal outline here is a basic template for a book proposal, which many of our clients have used successfully. There are several books available on writing book proposals. In example of a query letter to literary agents for a nonfiction book, i shared the query letter i sent to literary agents. My favorite comprehensive guide on book proposals is how to write a book. I am looking for complete examples of nonfiction book proposals. Elements of a successful nonfiction book proposal dummies. Apr 30, 2012 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 later in your proposal. Ive started reading larsens book on writing a nonfiction proposal, but i find your approach more helpful. How to write a nonfiction book synopsis pen and the pad. 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. May 28, 2017 a book proposal argues why your book idea is a salable, marketable product. A nonfiction book proposal is the key document that allows an agent or publisher to determine the viability of a project. 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.
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. Members of aar the association of authors representatives, inc. 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. Nonfiction book proposals can top out around 5075 pages, not including sample chapters. Jun 09, 2010 what ive got ready, a completed manuscript with word count and a proposal. 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. Instead, you write the proposal that describes what the book is about, why its interesting, and why it has an audience. How to write a good nonfiction book proposal for submission. Nonfiction book proposal guide ask yourself these questions and as you write your answers, your proposal will develop before your eyes. Contains the title, author byline, and contact information proposal contents. 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. The truth is, a synopsis for a nonfiction book is as important as one for fiction. The most important aspect of the submission of a nonfiction book to publishers is the book proposal. I found the book incredibly helpful and followed it closely.
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 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. My book is a popular science book that explains string theory in. Sample book proposal from a professional literary agency. 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.
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. I like this one because it contains ten reallife proposals that sold. Overview, endorsements, length and delivery date, competing and complementary books, target audience, about. How to write a nonfiction book proposal with examples. If youre seeking traditional publication for a nonfiction book, youre most likely going to need to write a nonfiction book proposal the art of writing a nonfiction book proposal is sort of like cooking lasagna.
Sample nonfiction book proposal structure below are the main parts of the average book proposal. If publishing a memoir is your goal, its a good idea to write a proposal to sell your work. 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. How to write a nonfiction book proposal nathan bransford. 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. Make sure your proposal is as polished as possible by including the following. Submitting an already written nonfiction book as a proposal is a great way to. 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. My most common recommendation for people who want to write a book is.
My contact information makes it easy to get in touch with me and check me out online. A memoir is a personal story that provides a snapshot of a particular time and place in your life. 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. To get your nonfiction book published, put together a strong proposal. My book, book title will be a genre work which will center around the topic of book topic. Nonfiction book proposals in the digital age to sell an agent or publisher on your nonfiction idea, its more important. Mar 19, 2014 have you tips, techniques or other advice on how to craft a nonfiction book proposal for submission.
So you cant really just sit back and go, the greatness of my book speaks for itself. It mostly depends on the quality of the idea and its marketability, your platform a combination of your credentials and ability to promote the book, and your writing ability. 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 nonfiction proposal should include the following items. Christian jennings, author of five nonfiction books and a veteran foreign correspondent, explains how to write a good nonfiction proposal for submission. Nonfiction book proposal literary agents and literary agencies. How to write a nonfiction book proposal writers digest. The literary agents guide to writing a nonfiction book proposal by andy ross. Add in those samples, and youll have a complete proposal ready to be considered by a literary agent. Nonfiction book chapter outlines a way with words writing. Also, if you want to write a fiction book proposal, please refer to my writing a winning fiction query. Nonfiction writers have the added challenge of presenting historical context, source material, and research methods to help publishers gauge the value of their manuscripts. In order to illustrate these principles, lets create a book proposal.
If youre writing a general nonfiction book, we need at least one sample chapter that matches a chapter described in your annotated table of contents. A book proposal argues why your book idea is a salable, marketable product. Use the proposal to sell your book to potential literary agents, editors, and publishers. I could read about something for a week and not figure it out. Nonfiction book proposal guide creative media agency, inc. You may also want to organize your book further into sections or parts. Also, if you want to write a fiction book proposal, please. Writing a nonfiction book proposal by scott mendel updated. How to write a nonfiction book proposal mary mackey. Below is a sample of a complete and exhaustive book proposal for a christian nonfiction manuscript. 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. It acts as a business case or business plan for your book that persuades a publisher to make an investment.
Jan 05, 2016 the appropriate length for a nonfiction query is somewhere between 1 and 1. Platform is a crucial part of nonfiction book proposals. Instead of writing the entire book, then trying to interest an editor or agent which. 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. Christian jennings is the author of five nonfiction books and is currently at work on 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 1944. A one page cover letter or query letter is sufficient. Preferably, these would be proposals that resulted in actual published works. This article walks authors through what a book proposal is, the purpose they serve. 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. 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 book proposal that agents will love jericho writers. Its usually at least 20 pages long, often much longer. 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. How to write a nonfiction book proposal with template. 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. Include any subhead or taglines that your books title may contain. What ive got ready, a completed manuscript with word count and a proposal. Dear pamela, memoir advice about your book proposal memoir. In guest contributors by guest contributor march 19, 2014.
Writing a nonfiction book proposal by scott mendel. As suggested in the video, if you are planning on sending a proposal through to a publisher, be sure to check their speci. This is why, in my breakdown of who can get a traditional publishing deal. Ive already read larsens book, and it does have some samples in it.
Michael larsen cofounded larsenpomada literary agents in san francisco in 1972 with his partner elizabeth pomada. 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 later in your proposal. Ive seen many authors confuse the two and create extra work for. Be sure to keep in mind, though, that this is only a hypothetical book proposalan example. Five basics of nonfiction book proposals fresh ink book editing. 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. How to write a nonfiction book proposal that will sell your book. And if youve already finished your memoir, youre still going to need to write a full proposal to. 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. That way, you can see if theres any interest before you churn out 80,000. Jul 29, 2011 there are several books available on writing book proposals.
Your nonfiction proposal should include the following items and should be attached as a single file to an email with submission. The letter you send to an agent to get him to request your book proposal is a query letter. Nonfiction book proposal outline ted weinstein literary. A short list of books that helped me write my 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. I found this advice once offered by former writers digest publisher jane friedman who rejected and approved proposals over. 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. A medical history textbook was proposed by robin anderson to prenticehall in january 2003. Memoirs can cover most any subject of human interest. 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. The following is an excerpt from write a book without lifting a finger by mahesh grossman, available at.