A tale of two proposals
“Dear Mother Nature, get back on your meds, and start thinking warm thoughts again.”
We haven’t hit the winter season just yet. Winter officially begins next Tuesday! (I’m not crying. You're crying!)
Ah, winter. I hate it. The only thing I hate more than winter is people who say they love winter. I rarely complain about winter, though. Actually. Yes, I do. Winter sucks. When I see the first snowfall, I’m the first one who starts to sing, “It’s beginning to look a lot like…fuck this!” and then books a plane ticket somewhere warm.
I wasn't made to wear winter boots. I was made to wear flip-flops. If I can think of only one thing about the winter season that I actually do like? It’s…when it’s over. (Although, when I’m super bundled up, there is a 50/50 chance I have not put on a bra. I’m trying to think of the positives!)
I usually head to Mexico at least a couple of times during the winter season. I can tell you this much: I have never once heard anyone in Mexico say, "I wish this sand on the beach was snow.” Not. Once.
In fact, if anyone mentions the word “snow” or “icy rain” or “blizzard," I immediately go into meditation mode and visualize my happy place…which is me walking around in flip-flops at a beach in Mexico.
But it's not just the winter season. It's also “proposal" season.
There are two kinds of proposals. The first kind is the engagement proposal, which is when someone (hopefully) says “Yes!” to the question “Will you marry me?”
The second kind of proposal is a book proposal, which is a lot less dreamy. There’s no diamond to show for it, and there's no romantic story to share.
But a book proposal is very much needed when you’re out shopping your book and getting editors or publishers engaged (pun intended) in your book pitch.
The term “engagement season” — in the bridal/wedding industry — has been coined to mark the period when there is an increased spike in the number of proposals leading to engagements. This occurs from Thanksgiving up until February. (My guess is February 14th! Does anyone propose on Feb 15th?)
Pre-COVID, 40% of proposals occurred between Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day.
Because 2020 was unlike any other year, the most popular proposal dates and engagement season actually shifted quite a bit. (Unlike the parts of a book proposal, which hasn’t really shifted. You can do one at any time!)
So, here were 2020’s three most popular days of the year for proposals:
#1 Valentine’s Day
#2 New Year’s Day/New Year’s Eve
#3 Christmas Day/Christmas Eve
So, if you were planning to propose and maybe make 2021 less shitty — it was still sort of shitty, wasn't it? — and more memorable, in a good way, there’s still time! (Hi! Is that a ring box in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?”)
Here are some other 7 other fun facts about proposals (The romantic kind, not the book kind.)
*Nearly 40% of engagements happen from the end of November, through the end of February.
December is the most popular month for an engagement, with a proposal rate of 19%.
40% of couples choose their ring together.
Average time spent looking for a ring: 3.5 Months
Average time spent planning a proposal: 4.4 Months
Average number of rings looked at before purchase: 26
Now, if I were going to do a quick comparison between a book proposal and an engagement proposal — which it seems I'm about to do — I would say that writing a book proposal may take you as much time as it would to look for a ring (3.5 months) or about as much time spent planning a romantic proposal (4.4 months). That is, if you want a kick-ass 5-karat diamond-level proposal.
Your book proposal may in fact be 26 pages long (the average number of rings looked at before making a purchase).
And the goal of both a romantic engagement proposal and a book proposal is to get a “Yes!” either from the one you want to spend the rest of your life with, or a "Yes!" from a publishing house.
I could go even further with my comparison, wondering what actually is harder to do? Creating the most original (romantic) proposal for that special someone or writing an original book proposal?
I actually do not know the answer to this, but honestly? Probably a book proposal. I would also hazard a guess that an author would be more upset getting rejected by a publishing house than by a marriage proposal.
I do know one thing: a book proposal is key to persuading a publisher that they need your book. Hopefully, if you plan on proposing marriage, you won't have to “persuade" that special someone with a business case to marry you. (Although, when I think about it…maybe there should be? Just a thought!)
Another thing I’ve learned is that doing a book proposal is a lot of work, so much so that many writers loath doing them. I've met a number of authors who can finish a manuscript, but when told they need to do a book proposal, well, they just don’t wanna!
Or, they don't know what needs to be included in a book proposal. Many don’t think they can do it.
There's a lot out there on book proposals — it's a quick Google search — but let me introduce you to Jane Friedman, who has 20 years of experience in the publishing industry. All writers, aspiring or otherwise, should sign up for her newsletter. (Come back later to check out her other blogs here.)
Friedman is the Co-Founder of Open Road Integrated Media, which sells and markets ebooks. She was the President and Chief Executive Officer of HarperCollins Publishers Worldwide, one of the world's leading English-language publishers, from 1997 to 2008.
In 2018 she published The Business of Being a Writer published by The University of Chicago Press.
Friedman was kind enough to let me re-publish what she wrote about book proposals (below) since it’s the best and most informative piece I could find out there for authors, aspiring or otherwise. (Also, I trust her. Plus, I have brain freeze!) I edited it slightly for length.
Start Here: How to Write a Book Proposal by Jane Friedman
Book proposals are used to sell nonfiction books to publishers.
A book proposal argues why your book (idea) is salable and marketable in today’s market. It essentially acts as a business case for why your book should exist, and—for many authors—persuades a publisher to make an investment in your work before you sit down to write it.
That’s right: nonfiction authors, if they’re smart and strategic, will sell a publisher on their book before they’ve written very much of it.
Instead of writing the entire book, then trying to interest an editor or agent (which is how it works with novels), you can write the proposal first if you’re a nonfiction author.
If a publisher is convinced by the proposal, it will contract you and pay you to write the book. This applies to all types of nonfiction, although it can be very challenging for memoirists to sell a project on the basis of a proposal if they are unpublished or without a compelling platform. (More on that in a second.)
If properly developed and researched, a proposal can take weeks, or longer, to prepare. While proposal length varies tremendously, most are somewhere around 10 to 25 pages double-spaced, not including sample chapters. It’s not out of the question for a proposal to reach 50 pages or more for complex projects once sample chapters are included.
Unpublished or beginning writers might find it easier to simply write the book first, then prepare a proposal—which isn’t a bad idea in the case of memoir, since many editors and agents want assurance that an unknown writer has sufficient writing chops to pull off their project.
But having the manuscript complete does not get you off the hook when it comes to writing the proposal. If an agent or publisher wants a proposal, you still need to write one even if the book is complete.
What about novel proposals? You may occasionally hear someone refer to a novel proposal, which typically includes a query or cover letter, a synopsis, and a partial or complete manuscript. This bears very little relation to a nonfiction book proposal.
Your business case may matter more than the writing
People don’t like to hear this, but for many nonfiction books, the artfulness of the writing doesn’t matter as much as the marketability of the premise, topic, or author.
If your book’s purpose is to improve readers’ lives or to teach, then you’re usually selling it based on your expertise, your platform, and your concept. The book proposal persuades agents/editors that readers will pay for the benefit that your book provides, rather than learning from YouTube, Google, or even a competing book.
While everyone expects the writing to be solid, they’re probably not expecting a literary masterpiece. To learn how to lose weight, readers don’t need a poet; they need a clear communicator who can deliver her ideas and methods in a way that will help and inspire readers to achieve their goals. Plus those ideas and methods ought to feel fresh and exciting, and not like last year’s 100 weight-loss books on the market. (Even better: the book shows how the most recent books really missed something critical that readers must know to succeed.)
Especially in how-to categories such as health, self-help or self-improvement, business, or parenting, your credibility and platform as a professional in the field play a critical role; your background must convey authority and instill confidence in the reader.
Would you, as a reader, trust a health book by an author with no medical experience or degrees? Would you be OK reading a serious guide on how to invest in the stock market by someone who is living in a van down by the river?
For narrative nonfiction, especially memoir, the writing does matter
Some types of nonfiction require authors with proven journalistic or storytelling skills. (What is narrative nonfiction? It’s a story of someone or something other than yourself.) If your book must succeed based on its ability to artfully weave a story, then your strength as a writer becomes more and more important to the proposal’s success. It’s still necessary to prove there’s a market for that story, but you won’t be successful if your sample chapters are poor or you can’t point to a successful publication record in outlets that matter to your topic or book’s future success.
If your book doesn’t require a narrative structure or long-form storytelling, with masterful use of craft and technique, then your skills as a writer mainly have to be up to the task of producing and revising a book manuscript with an editor’s or agent’s guidance.
The biggest mistake writers make in their book proposals
It’s natural to assume the book proposal should discuss what your book is about. But this is a mistake. Rather than focusing on the content, focus on why this book matters right now to the intended readership. Why is it going to resonate? How is it addressing an urgent need? How does it offer something new and surprising that doesn’t feel like everything that’s come before?
While some topics may not have a sense of urgency tied to them, they still have to demonstrate market relevance. For example, if you’re pitching a knitting book, you probably need to demonstrate that your techniques or projects will be of interest to knitters today, rather than knitters 30 years ago.
Whatever you do, don’t get lost in the weeds of your book’s ideas or content. Always discuss the content in relation to the reader’s need or community need and why it matters now.
Other common pitfalls:
Assuming that a “comprehensive” treatment or an in-depth discussion of your topic is a selling point. Rarely is this enough. Instead, think about how and why the argument that your book makes is new and compelling. How does it shed new light on a topic people care about? How does your book illuminate the unexpected or challenge readers in ways they don’t expect?
Another way to think about it: Eric Nelson comments on how authors should position their ideas in terms of a switch instead of a dial if they want to generate agent or editor enthusiasm.
Assuming that a short, “accessible” treatment is a selling point. It is challenging to prove that an audience is out there waiting to buy a book only if it were shorter or less difficult than the alternatives.
Assuming that your personal experience of the issue is a selling point. Unless you are a famous author or have an established platform that has attracted agents and editors to your door, just because you have personally experienced something doesn’t make your book instantly more salable.
The memoirist’s dilemma
Submission guidelines vary tremendously when it comes to memoirs. Some agents don’t require a book proposal, while others want only the book proposal and the first few chapters. Some agents may even ask for both the proposal and the complete manuscript if you’re an unpublished author.
Professional, published writers can typically sell a memoir based on the proposal alone.
New, emerging writers who have no publishing track record may be asked to submit a complete manuscript to prove they can write, sometimes in addition to the book proposal itself.
Your memoir is not salable unless you’re confident of several things.
Your writing must be outstanding.
You must have a compelling and unusual story to tell. If you’re writing about situations that affect thousands (or millions) of people, that’s not necessarily in your favour. Addiction and cancer memoirs, for example, are common and will put you on the road to rejection unless you’re able to prove how yours is unique or outstanding in the field.
You have the start of a platform. If you have a way to reach readers, without a publisher’s help, then you’re more likely to secure a book deal.
Here’s the dilemma for many memoirists: If an agent wants a book proposal for a memoir, they are likely judging you based on the strength of your platform or as much on the platform as the writing. They want to see if your story premise might have mainstream media potential or the ability to land major interviews that will lead to sales. If you have little or no platform, and your story is lyrical, quiet, or literary, then you should try to target agents and publishers who don’t require a proposal. A proposal will only highlight what your project lacks.
The most common book proposal sections
While there’s no single “best” way to write and assemble a book proposal—it will depend on the category, the author, and the publishers’ submission guidelines—the following sections appear in almost every book proposal.
Comparable titles or competitive title analysis
I mention this section first because this is where I suggest writers start their proposal research. It will help clarify your idea and avoid lots of wasted time. This section discusses competing titles and how yours fits into the overall scene. The analysis typically includes 5 to 10 titles, but you might be okay discussing just a few if your book is on a specialized topic or for a very narrow audience.
For each competing title, begin by noting the title, subtitle, author, publisher, year of publication, page count, price, first published format (usually hardcover or paperback), and the ISBN. You don’t need to list things such as Amazon ranking, star rating, or reviews. Also, don’t worry about including the sales numbers of the competing titles. There’s no way for an average author to find out that information, and the agent or editor can look it up themselves.
Then comes the most important part: for each competitor, you briefly summarize the book’s approach in relation to your own (about 100–200 words per title). You should be able to differentiate your title from the competition and show why there’s a need for your book.
Resist trashing the competition; it may come back to bite you. (Publishing is a small industry.) And don’t skimp on your title research—editors can tell when you haven’t done your homework, plus fully understanding the competition should help you write a better proposal. I discuss the research process here.
Whatever you do, don’t claim there are no competitors to your book. If there are truly no competitors, then your book might be so weird and specialized that it won’t sell.
For some nonfiction topics and categories, the availability of online information can immediately kill the potential for a print book. Travel is a good example—its print sales have declined by 50 to 75 percent since 2007. Also, many book ideas I see pitched should really start out as a site or community—even if only to test-market the idea, to learn more about the target audience, and to ultimately produce a print product that has a ready and eager market once it’s published.
Target audience
Who will primarily buy your book? “Primarily” is key here. You want to describe the people who will be easiest to convince, or the most likely readership. Who will be lining up to pre-order and spread the word from there?
Avoid generically describing the book buying audience in the United States, or broadly discussing how many memoirs sold last year. Publishers don’t need to be given broad industry statistics; they need you to draw a clear portrait of the type of person (beyond “book buyers”) who will be interested in what you have to say.
It can be very tempting to make a broad statement about who your audience is, to make it sound like anyone and everyone is a potential reader. Avoid generic statements like these:
A Google search result on [topic] turns up more than 10 million hits.
A U.S. Census shows more than 20 million people in this demographic.
An Amazon search turns up more than 10,000 books with “dog” in the title.
These are meaningless statistics. The following statements show better market insight:
Recent reviewers of [competing titles] complain that they are not keeping up with new information and trends. The hottest new trend in [category] is not discussed or covered in recent titles.
The New York Times recently wrote about the increased interest in military memoirs; [X and Y] media outlets regularly profile soldiers who’ve written books about their experience.
My readers include the people who have become devoted supporters of [X podcast or Y paid newsletter], which have X subscribers/downloads.
Marketing plan
What can you specifically do to market and promote the book? Never discuss what you hope to do, only what you can and will do (without publisher assistance), given your current resources.
Many people write their marketing plan in extremely tentative fashion, talking about things they are “willing” to do if asked. This is deadly language. Avoid it. Instead, you need to be confident, firm, and direct about everything that’s going to happen with or without the publisher’s help. Make it concrete, realistic, and attach numbers to everything.
Weak
I plan to contact conferences and speak on [book topic].
Strong
I am in contact with organizers at XYZ conferences, and have spoken at 3 events within the past year reaching 5,000 people in my target audience.
The secret of a marketing plan isn’t the number of ideas you have for marketing, or how many things you are willing to do, but how many solid connections you have—the ones that are already working for you—and how many readers you NOW reach through today’s efforts. You need to show that your ideas are not just pie in the sky, but real action steps that will lead to concrete results and a connection to an existing readership.
Author bio
It can be helpful to begin with a bio you already use on your website or LinkedIn. But don’t just copy and paste your bio into the proposal and consider the job done. You have to convince agents and editors you’re the perfect author for the book. Show how your expertise and experience give you the perfect platform from which to address your target audience. If this is a weak area for you, look for other strengths that might give you credibility with readers or help sell books—such as connections to experts or authorities in the field, a solid online following, and previous success in marketing yourself and your work.
Agent Anna Sproul-Latimer has great advice on author bios for book proposals.
1. Overview
This comes at the very beginning of your proposal. I suggest you write it last. Think of it as the executive summary of the entire document, around two to three pages. It needs to sing and present a water-tight business case. If done well, it can become the basis of your query letter.
2. Chapter outline and/or table of contents
A chapter outline works well for narrative or meaty works, especially those that are text-heavy and anticipated to come in at 80,000 words or more. For each chapter, you write a brief summary of the idea, information, or story presented. I suggest your chapter outline not extend past 3,000 words.
If writing a chapter outline seems redundant or unnecessary for your book’s content, then use a table of contents. And if you want to use both, that’s completely acceptable.
The most important thing is to show how your book concept will play out from beginning to end, and strongly convey the scope and range of material covered.
3. Sample chapters
If you’re writing a memoir that has a distinct beginning, middle, and end, then include sample material that starts at the beginning of the book. If your work isn’t a narrative, then write or include a sample chapter that you think is the meatiest or most impressive chapter. Don’t try to get off easy by using the introduction; this is your opportunity to show that you can deliver on your book’s promise.
Common problems with book proposals
*The writer hasn’t articulated a clearly defined market or need—or the writer has described a market that’s too niche for a commercial publisher to pursue.
*The concept is too general or broad, or has no unique angle.
*The writer wants to do a book based on his or her own amateur experience of overcoming a problem or investigating a complex issue. (No expertise or credentials.)
*The writer concentrates only on the content of the book or his own experience—instead of the book’s hook and benefit and appeal to the marketplace.
*The proposed idea is like a million others; nothing compelling sets the book apart.
If you’re told the market isn’t big enough, maybe you approached too big of a publisher.
Is there a smaller publisher that would be interested because they have a lower threshold of sales to meet?
Big houses may want to sell as many as 20,000 copies in the first year to justify publication; smaller presses may be fine with a few thousand copies.
The most common problem leading to rejection: no author platform
A sizeable platform and expertise is typically required to successfully sell a nonfiction book to a major publisher, especially for competitive categories such as business, cooking, health, self-help, or parenting.
An agent or editor is going to evaluate your visibility in the market, and will want to know the following:
*The stats and analytics behind your online following, including all websites, blogs, social media accounts, e-mail newsletters, regular online writing gigs, podcasts, videos, etc.
*Your offline following—speaking engagements, events, classes/teaching, city/regional presence, professional organization leadership roles and memberships, etc.
*Your presence in traditional media (regular gigs, features, any coverage you’ve received, etc.)
*Your network strength—reach to influencers or thought leaders, a prominent position at a major organization or business
Sales of past books or self-published works
You typically need to be visible to tens of thousands of people, with verifiable influence, to interest a major publisher. Traditional houses are pickier than ever; producing anything in print is a significant investment and risk. They need to know there’s an audience waiting to buy.
Plus, given the significant change in the publishing industry, authors shouldn’t consider a print book their first goal or the end goal, but merely one way, and usually not the best way, for making money.
***
Thanks, Jane!
There you have it: a book proposal template to help you get started with your book. And the other kind of proposal is the start of your new life. Both are important — whether you end up with a diamond ring or a book deal. Or maybe both? Either way, when you hear a “Yes!” you should be popping that bottle of champagne!
xo
Rebecca (Suck it, winter) Eckler
P.S. You can download Jane’s nonfiction book proposal template here! (Consider this your New Year's Resolution “Book” Proposal Push!)