How to Write a Book Proposal that’s Hard to Turn Down

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November 15, 2017

Writing a book proposal isn’t some random business plan. Your goal is to attract publishers, persuade agents to check out your book, and pitch your book’s potential as more than just a simple manuscript.

Writing book proposals that are skillfully written with a marketable potential come first.

Basically a book proposal should not only urge to sell, but also need to argue, explain, and prove that your book makes readers want to read it. And it should and must ideally, answer these two questions:

Why must agents invest on your book?
What makes you qualified to write a book?

If you are really confident in answering these two questions, then we have to proceed to writing your proposal. But if not, you should seriously ponder on these questions first.

book proposal

As a nonfiction author, you have to keep in mind that there are a lot of niches in your category. And more importantly, your book argument should be convincing with accurate and reliable chapters to back up your idea.

For fiction writers, your plot should be compelling enough to keep your readers turning to the next page. And also, the story should flow from the character’s drive or purpose.

Write a book proposal that generally projects the following:

  • A unique, clear, and solid voice that expresses your identity as a writer
  • An original or fresh idea that stands out in the marketplace
  • A well targeted category in the market
  • A plot that highlights salable themes
  • A succinct and professional piece.

Hence essentially, these are the significant qualities you should include in your book proposal.  To understand the complete overview of a great book proposal, here’s a format you can follow.

Title Page (First Page)
Induce a catchy and clear title that encapsulates the idea of the book. You can add a working subtitle too if you like (for nonfiction). At the bottom page, add your date of submission, name, phone number, address, and e-mail address.

 

The Overview (Second Page)
This is the manuscript synopsis, or the outline of your book in general. It should answer these three questions:

  1. What is the book all about? (The Book Content)
  2. Who are the target readers? (Target Audience)
  3. Why are you the qualified author? (The Author)

 

Book Content (Third Page and so on)
Compose two to three sentences for the book’s premise statement—the main idea or thesis of your manuscript.

For fiction, write the core synopsis of every chapter in the story.

For nonfiction, show the larger picture of your book’s selling points—the problem, the solution, and how to apply the solution. Include the number of pages and words of the book. If it’s still in progress, you have to set a realistic completion date.

 

Target Audience
Be specific. Identify the demographics of your target readers.  Include their behavior, motivation, aside from their age and occupation. How will this book standout from the rest of the competitors in the market?

 

You as the Writer
Write your background telling why you are the best author for this book. Your reasons should be specific and believable, and your credentials should be related to your niche.  Make sure you back up claims with proof. Include some articles, magazines, or books you’ve written in the past.

 

You should also include sample chapters to prove you can write the topic you’re proposing. Before you send the proposal, check your grammar and spelling carefully, or hire a professional editor.

And lastly, you should do market research before you choose a specific publisher who you’ll be sending your book proposal to. Good luck!

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