Writing The Blockbuster Book Proposal: How To Sell Your Non-Fiction Book

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<h1>Writing The Blockbuster Book Proposal: How To Sell Your Non-Fiction Book</h1><p> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> You did it. You crafted the perfect query letter for your<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> non-fiction book, and as a result, an editor at a large<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> publishing house has requested a full book proposal. At this<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> point, you have a 50/50 chance of seeing your work on a<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> bookstore shelf. The difference maker will be a strong book<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> proposal that exhibits knowledge of your audience, what that<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> audience needs and wants, and how that audience can be reached<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> on a cost-effective basis.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> When an editor makes a request to see your book proposal, he/she<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> will most likely send along a brief overview of the publisher's<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> book proposal guidelines. You might want to make some subtle<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> adjustments to your proposal in order to meet those guidelines.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> But under no circumstances should you wait for a book proposal<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> to be requested before actually writing one. A well-written,<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> professional book proposal takes several days, oftentimes<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> several weeks, to compose. It should be the first thing you<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> write - before both the query letter and the manuscript itself.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> Despite the guidelines, each proposal is unique, and the quality<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> of yours will be THE difference maker in determining whether or<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> not the publisher takes a financial risk with your book. So put<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> your best effort into crafting a blockbuster book proposal.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> Below, you'll find a list of the basic elements of a book<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> proposal that, if mastered, will all but guarantee the offer of<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> a book contract.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> Element #1: The Title Page/Table of Contents: The first page of<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> a book proposal is the title page. The title page states the<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> working title for the book you are proposing along with your<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> contact information (and that of your agent if you have one).<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> Make sure to center the text. Generally, it isn't wise to use<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> fancy borders or cutesy graphics. You're writing a business<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> proposal. Make sure it looks like one. On the second page of<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> your proposal, provide a short table of contents for the book<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> proposal itself. List each of the following sections along with<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> their corresponding page numbers: Summary, About The Author,<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> Audience, Competition, Publicity & Promotional Opportunities,<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> Outline, and Sample Chapters. Some will say the Outline and<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> Sample Chapter sections are optional, but remember, you're<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> trying to sell a book. Providing the publisher with a sample of<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> your writing, especially if you're a first-time author, might<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> well mean the difference between acceptance and rejection.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> Element #2: Summary: In the Summary section of your proposal,<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> provide a brief overview of the proposed book. Try to envision<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> the blurb that will appear on the back cover of your final<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> product. Make that blurb the opening paragraph. Show the editor<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> you can hook him/her on your proposal from the very first<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> sentence, and you'll convince them of your ability to hook a<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> potential reader as well. Elaborate on the contents of your<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> query letter by addressing the following subjects: the content,<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> the audience, and the author. What is the premise of your book?<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> What does it promise its reader? Who is the market for the book?<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> How large is that market? And, finally, why are you the best<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> person to write this book at this time?<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> Element #3: About The Author: In the About The Author section of<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> your proposal, go into greater detail about yourself. In<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> general, it's best to use third person. But it's okay to use<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> first person if you feel more comfortable doing so. Why are you<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> the best qualified person to write this book? What are your<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> credentials? Are you an expert in the field? Has your previous<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> work been published (not just in books, but newspapers,<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> magazines, ezines, etc.)? Are you a prolific public speaker? If<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> so, how many speeches do you give each year? To what types of<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> audiences do you speak? Do you have media experience or media<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> contacts? If so, let the editor know. If you have limited<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> experience in any or all of these fields, say so. Be honest and<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> direct. Experience helps, but lack of experience itself will not<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> lead to rejection. Misrepresenting yourself will. Never include<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> information about your personal life unless it is essential to<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> your ability to sell the book.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> Element #4: Audience: In the Audience section of your proposal,<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> clearly define the market for your book. First, identify the<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> demographic segment you hope to target. Examples of demographic<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> characteristics are gender, age, political ideology, religion,<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> nationality, education level, economic status, etc. Be specific.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> Research the size of the audience and back up your claims with<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> real numbers. Avoid broad claims such as "everyone will love<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> this book," and instead use such statements as "4.5 million<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> college-educated Christian men between the ages of 21 and 29<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> will be drawn to this book because of its unique..." At this<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> point, define the psychographics of your audience. What is the<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> motivation of this demographic to buy your book? What unmet<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> needs and wants do they harbor that your book is sure to<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> satisfy? In short, make certain your Audience section clearly<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> indicates 1) who will buy your book, and 2) why they will buy it.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> Element #5: Competition: In the Competition section of your<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> proposal, provide examples of well-known published books similar<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> to yours (or, if your book covers a new niche in a popular<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> subject, list those books that target a similar audience). It's<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> always best to cite bestsellers. If you can track down the sales<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> figures for these books, provide the number of copies each title<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> sold. The larger the sales figures, the more you strengthen your<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> case that a large market exists for your subject matter. Once<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> you've established that a large market exists, explain why your<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> book will be different. In what way will you position your book<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> in order to differentiate it from its peers? Do any demographic<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> trends aid your case for continued demand in this market? State<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> explicitly why your book is unique and why the market is ripe<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> for its release. However, be wary of a bold statement such as<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> "nothing like my book has ever been written before". You may<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> have uncovered a unique angle for your subject, but in all<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> likelihood, you haven't invented a new genre or field of study.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> Element #6: Publicity and Promotional Opportunities: In this<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> section of your proposal, outline the promotional avenues open<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> to your book. If you've already established that a market<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> exists, this section will be the make it or break it section of<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> your proposal. The publisher must know how you intend to reach<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> the audience you've identified. Do specific groups exist with a<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> high likelihood of being receptive to your book? Good examples<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> are the audience members of a specific radio or television show,<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> readers of specific magazines or newsletters, book clubs,<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> non-profit organizations, or trade groups. Identify the groups<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> relevant to your book and point out the vehicles a publisher can<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> use to reach those groups in a cost-effective manner. Do you<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> have media connections or experience? Potential exposure on<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> nationally syndicated radio and television shows is the best way<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> to capture a publisher's attention. Booking the author on such<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> shows is free, and the resulting sales can be astronomical. So<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> publishers are always looking for authors with a media platform.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> Do you have one? What angle or hook can you provide a producer<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> or editor that will land you a coveted interview or feature<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> story? If you develop a strong enough hook, you might land a<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> book contract based on this aspect of your proposal alone.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> Element #7: Outline: For this section of your proposal, provide<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> a list of the proposed chapter titles, along with a brief<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> overview of the contents therein.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> Element #8: Sample Chapters: In this section of your proposal,<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> simply attach the first two or three chapters of your proposed<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> manuscript. Providing sample chapters is essential for a<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> first-time author. If your chapters are of high quality, they<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> give the publisher confidence you can produce a publishable<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> manuscript in a timely manner.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> Element #9: Presentation: The presentation of your book proposal<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> is as instrumental to its success as the content. Make sure to<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> proofread zealously. If you think you've finished, proofread it<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> again. Read, correct, and rewrite your proposal at least twenty<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> times so as to be confident that it's the best it can possibly<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> be. When it comes time to print the final draft, the body of the<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> proposal should be double-spaced and printed in black ink on<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> clean white paper using a LaserJet printer. Finally, just as<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> with any business document, send your book proposal via FedEx.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> This will create the immediate impression you are a professional<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> who will be businesslike in his day-to-day dealings with the<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> publisher.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> Once you've incorporated these nine elements into your book<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> proposal, you will be left with a finished product worthy of<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> commanding the respect of any editor. But in order to create a<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> true blockbuster book proposal, make sure to... Define the<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> book's concept. Identify the book's audience. And outline<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> exactly how to reach that audience. Do these three things well,<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> and you're certain to obtain a book contract. So don't waste any<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> time. Get to work on your blockbuster book proposal today!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> More <a href="http://www.articlesroom.com">free articles</a> from <a href="http://www.articlesroom.com">http://www.articlesroom.com</a>

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