If a word doesnt help answer one of those questions, delete it. Agents are looking for something more specific when it comes to nonfiction. Since they receive dozens of submissions per week, editors and agents need to be highly selective. While you can approach smaller publishing houses and university. Soon, ill post and link to the book proposals other sections. From these numbers, we can establish some guidelines. Jane has 20 years of experience in the publishing industry, with expertise in how the digital age is transforming writing careers and storytelling. Each heading within a book proposal answers a key question. Here is a basic template for a book proposal, which many of our clients have used successfully. Addressed to the appropriate agent with titlegenreword count and appropriate contact information in the letter, this letter should interest us in reading your proposal. Your potential reader needs to know with a quick skim what kind of book. How to write a book proposal posted on july 2, 2015 by karen kelsky you all know that the book proposal is the cornerstone to a successful tenure track career in most areas of the humanities and social sciences. There are several books available on writing book proposals. How to write a nonfiction book proposal nathan bransford.
Nonfiction book proposal guide ask yourself these questions and as you write your answers, your proposal will develop before your eyes. Jun 04, 2018 this is one of the main differences between the fiction and the nonfiction book proposal. Guidelines for your fiction proposal hartline literary. For this reason, its not surprising that aspiring authors have questions about the appropriate length of a manuscript. With traditional publishing, youll put together a book proposal, find an agent. Jan 08, 2011 because, lest we forget, a book proposal is a job application at base. 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. It includes information on the content, the author, the market, and the salability of the project. Your book hook includes three pieces of information. 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. Dear pamela, memoir advice about your book proposal. How to write a nonfiction book proposal writers digest. If you stick to these when youre writing your nonfiction book, youll be fine. 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.
And the publisher will want to know how well positioned you are to do it. This is an updated version of a story that was previously published. Within those 1015 pages, you must convince an agent, editor and publishing team that you and your book deserve a place on the shelf based on several key factors. Nonfiction book chapter outlines a way with words writing. 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. As much as you love writing, this is not designed to be an. 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. Nonfiction book proposal outline the following are some guidelines to help you. Unless its a serious or refer ence book, your title must tell and sell. Jan 05, 2016 the appropriate length for a nonfiction query is somewhere between 1 and 1.
Nonfiction requires more thinking time from your reader, so you need to consider the role of your book. Youll also have to include a full sample chapter, which is a topic for another day. Oct 21, 20 these summaries are the reason a nonfiction book proposal will sell an idea, even before youve written the entire manuscriptthey give agents and editors an idea about the arc and flow of your manuscript. Why should a publisher invest in your book, and why are you the person to write it. So 50,000 words is the minimum for a nonfiction book.
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. For nonfiction books, you usually dont begin by writing the book. In a novel, the entire book is written first, then trying to find an editor or publisher. If you choose to selfpublish, you have a choice to go long or short. 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. 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. Thats why i listed the jeff herman and mary demuth resources. Thats reason for nonfiction writers to pausebut not for too long. If the publisher likes what they read in your book proposal, theyll commission you to write the manuscript. You may also want to organize your book further into sections or parts. Writing a nonfiction book proposal by scott mendel.
How to write a nonfiction book proposal mary mackey. Novelists with a trackrecord however, can get away with submitting a short book proposal for future fiction projects. Writing a nonfiction book proposal by scott mendel updated. Add in those samples, and youll have a complete proposal ready to be considered by a literary agent. You are also welcome to listen to free audio recordings of teds book proposal bootcamp and other workshops and media appearances. Heres an example from the memoir my family is all i have.
If you understand these two things, the book proposal format makes perfect sense. This article walks authors through what a book proposal is, the purpose they. Nonfiction book proposal outline here is a basic template for a book proposal, which many of our clients have used successfully. How to write a nonfiction book proposal that will sell your book. When it comes to fiction, few agents or editors expect or require book proposals. While proposal length varies tremendously, most are somewhere around 10 to 25.
What is a reasonable estimate for the minimum length, in word count, for a nonfiction book. A book proposal argues why your book idea is a salable, marketable product. It is not unusual for an editor to skim the first part of a book proposal and decide on that basis alone whether to reject the proposed book or read further. This bears little to no relation to a nonfiction book proposal. Advice that i find myself giving out again and again as an agent is guidance on how to write a nonfiction book proposal. Sample new book proposal below is a sample of a complete and exhaustive book proposal for a christian nonfiction manuscript. Dont try to write a book proposal based on just blogs. The truth is the nonfiction book proposal is an entirely different beast. Writing an irresistible book proposal by michael larsen the golden rule of writing a book proposal is that every word in your proposal should answer one of two questions.
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. In an email the attached file name should be descriptive author name fiction or nonfiction proposal logline. For all intents and purposes, your publisher has written this. 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. Length is not as big of a concern as the quality of whats included. Many established writers prefer to go with small and indie publishers, because theyre looking for a longlasting partnership and more individual attention. 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. Nonfiction book proposals can top out around 5075 pages, not including sample chapters.
If its a narrative book like a memoir, it could be a compelling paragraph from your book but only use it once in your proposal. The literary agents guide to writing a nonfiction book proposal by andy ross. Even if your book is finished, a proposal is mandatory. To take the example of my this little britain, i wrote a book about british. Contains the title, author byline, and contact information proposal contents. To get your nonfiction book published, put together a strong proposal. What is the ideal length for a nonfiction book proposal. I think my next move is, after your suggestion, to write a couple of papers from my thesis, write a book proposal too, and just sit on the book proposal for six months of so, tweaking it as i go along. A frequent speaker at business events and on the radio, she has been featured in entrepreneur, businessweek, and wired magazine. In the case of a nonfiction book, the book proposal in written first before you write the whole book. 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. Sample query letter nonfiction authors association. But, most nonfiction publishers want to be sold the concept, and therefore be able to discuss the direction of the project, before you write the book.
How to finally write your nonfiction book the new york times. If your book proposal template convinces the publisher, then they will contract and pay you to write the book. Ive seen many authors confuse the two and create extra work for themselves. If properly developed and researched, a proposal can take weeksor longer to write. Most publishers require that first time novelists submit a complete manuscript. Many, if not most nonfiction books are sold to publishers as book proposals. Theyre detailed and indepth, and they show full spectrum of what a proposal can and should be. One of the vexing questions many authors face is how long their book should be. If you are thinking about the synopsis of your book for your own clarity, for a book query to an agent, or for a book proposal to a publisher, youll definitely want to read this advice column. Instead, you write the proposal that describes what the book is about, why its interesting, and why it has an audience. She is a nonfiction book editor and doctor, proposal consultant, and an author coach and trainer as well as a book and blog coach.
You definitely dont need to write the equivalent of the 300,000 word novel that you might pick up when youre going on holiday. Theres no need for you to write an entire manuscript. Platform is a crucial part of nonfiction book proposals. They are especially interested in these kinds of nonfiction projects.
A one page cover letter or query letter is sufficient. If you can send the book proposal along with the query, you should. Like a lot of things in the publishing industry, the nonfiction book proposal is. Include a short description of every chapter you plan to include in your book. How to write a nonfiction book proposal wolf literary services. May 28, 2017 the most common book proposal sections. Many authors will, of course, scout out the books they consider their competitors, and then try to imitate their page. The art of the nonfiction book proposal writers relief. While proposal length varies tremendously, most are somewhere around10 to 25pages doublespaced, not including sample chapters.
While theres no single best way to write and assemble a book proposalit will depend on the category, the author, and the publishers submission guidelinesthe following sections appear in almost every book proposal. Nonfiction editors require a full proposal, which means you will have to submit detailed chapter descriptions, explain how your book will fit into the market, and establish your expertise. Feb 14, 2017 nonfiction editors require a full proposal, which means you will have to submit detailed chapter descriptions, explain how your book will fit into the market, and establish your expertise. Book length number of words this is a great time to consider how long it will take you to write and edit the book, now add 30% on. Many of the small publishers below focus on literary fiction, but there are some for nonfiction and poetry as well. In general, the nonfiction book proposal is designed to give editors a wellorganized, detailed sales pitch describing what your proposed book is about and how it will make money for the publishing company. How to write a nonfiction book proposal with examples. Book proposals are used to sell nonfiction books to publishers. Jun 25, 2019 stephanie chandler is the founder of the nonfiction authors associationand nonfiction writers conference, and author of several books including the nonfiction book publishing plan and the nonfiction book marketing plan. Nina amirs nonfiction book proposal demystified is an excellent overview and introduction for anyone looking at writing a nonfiction book. The literary agents guide to writing a nonfiction book. To find out how long should a chapter be, we examined books from a wide variety of genres and eras. They know they have to produce more words than a college essay, but exactly how long is a book. Five basics of nonfiction book proposals fresh ink book.
Aug 11, 2017 writing a great nonfiction book proposal reedsy. This information is important whether you are writing fiction or nonfiction. Heres a sneak peek at the question dear pamela will be answering in september. Michael larsen cofounded larsenpomada literary agents in san francisco in 1972 with his partner elizabeth pomada. May 17, 2017 how do you write a nonfiction book proposal. Elements of a successful nonfiction book proposal dummies. Yes, there should be separate sections of the book proposal that address all of these points in detail. Guidelines for your nonfiction proposal hartline literary. 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. How to write a nonfiction book proposal become a writer today. Before the internet and amazon, editors used to be able to invest smaller. I intentionally did not use the word synopsis in the title of this article.
Its much easier to change a suggested format or length than to create it in the first place. If you have an idea for a nonfiction book, its better to write a couple of chapters. The most important aspect of the submission of a nonfiction book to publishers is the book proposal. Writing quality counts in nonfiction book proposals. I like this one because it contains ten reallife proposals that sold. Well discuss book proposals at length a little later in this guide. As a hybrid author, she also has published 17 books independently. And that, fellow scribes, is the overview and introduction sections of my christian nonfiction book proposal.
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. The author, andy ross, is a literary agent who has worked with authors and publishers in creating proposals that have led to book contracts. I guess 50,000 is a short novel and some early novels before goes as low as 40,000 which can be considered to be a novella. The bukowski agency nonfiction proposal guidelines. You are also welcome to listen to free audio recordings of teds book proposal bootcamp and other. So youve got a brilliant idea for a nonfiction book. 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. Sep 10, 2017 so when it comes to nonfiction especially, the book proposal is a happy compromise for everyone involved. Your book proposal will allow you to pitch the story to agents and publishers alike.
The anatomy of a compelling book proposal the bindery. Use the proposal to sell your book to potential literary agents, editors, and publishers. How to write a successful nonfiction book proposal jeanne. There is an important question that needs to be answered in your book proposal in the manuscript status section. Roaring forties press is a small publisher located in berkeley, ca. Nonfiction book proposal guide creative media agency, inc. You may come across an agent who wants a book proposal for your memoir, too. This section of the book proposal is usually pages, unless you include a sample chapter which can range anywhere from 520 pages. How to write a successful nonfiction book proposal the importance of the book proposal. How to write a book proposal that agents will love jericho writers. And some books are simply shorter, following basic reading trends. Most nonfiction is sold via a book proposal a structured outline of the book you. How to write a great nonfiction book blurb from polly letofsky of my word publishing. 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.
Soon, ill post and link to the book proposal s other sections. 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. As the writer of the proposal and eventually the book, it is your responsibility not the editors or publishers to create the basic vision for the book. Not counting your two to three sample chapters, your nonfiction book proposal should be no longer than 1015 pages. Your guide to publishing a nonfiction book ny book editors. Sample book proposal from a professional literary agency.
That was a two book deal, admittedly, so you can divide the numbers by two to get a per book amount. Think carefully before you declare a word count in your. How to write a nonfiction book proposal with template. I heard 10,000 words can be accepted as an e book at a short length at least for nonfiction. This ones short and tothepoint, and the last time i. This page will direct you to some examples of book proposal sections so that you can put together a winning book proposal. Your nonfiction proposal should include the following items and should be attached as a single file to an email with submission. Include the first one or two chapters not the introduction, but sample chapters that offer an.
Jul 23, 2012 with digital books as well as print books available today, the length of manuscripts has begun to vary considerably. In such cases, the query really ends up being a cover letter and doesnt have to be labored over that much. Minimum realistic word count of nonfiction book writing. And if youve already finished your memoir, youre still going to need to write a full proposal to accompany your submission in. Sep 29, 2014 and publishers are looking for more nonfiction authors to write ebook singles, which run anywhere from 20 to 100 pages in length. Jul 29, 2011 you will be highly unlikely to have a winning book proposal if you try to write one based on a few blog posts you find online. The keys to a great book proposal the steve laube agency.
Im a canadian journalist and author who published a mildly successful small press novel in 20, and decided for my next. The sole exception is memoir, which is similar to fiction. A nonfiction book proposal is the key document that allows an agent or publisher to determine the viability of a project. Its important to know what to include in a nonfiction book proposal. 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. Id guesstimate that nonfiction books generally yes, this is very rough run perhaps 150450 pages, and at about 350 wdpage that works out to something like 50150k words.
How to write a nonfiction book proposal wolf literary. General nonfictioninvestigative reporting, biographies, travel books with a twist, books about music, books about art, small format gift books. Make sure your proposal is as polished as possible by including the following. A nonfiction book attractive to publishers of bestsellers starts at around 75,000 words.