Why You Need a Book Proposal
Many aspiring authors of nonfiction books are surprised to learn — as they inevitably do — that they will need to write a book proposal as well as the book itself. Why, they ask, can't agents and publishers just look at the manuscript and decide whether it's right for them? Isn't everything they'll need to know in the work itself? Isn't that what matters?
The answer is a flat no: not in today's business-driven publishing world. Most nonfiction books are sold on the basis of a proposal and one or two sample chapters. Most publishers are more interested in the concept for the book, its market, and the author's profile than they are in seeing a completed manuscript. From the writer's point of view, it's better to see whether your idea will fly before you spend months or years writing the whole thing.
What Your Proposal Tells the Publisher
Your book proposal is the document that shows the publisher how and why your book (as a potential product) will sell. With 175,000 books published every year, it’s understandable that publishers are skeptical about new entries, especially from writers who don’t have a track record. So the burden is on you, the writer, to build a case of evidence demonstrating that:
- Your book has a market: There are people out there who need this book—practical books like how to write a resume, how to choose and care for a new dog, how to program in HTML; or informative books like analyses of stocks and bonds over the last 50 years; or entertaining books like a parody of Martha Stewart’s magazine; or references like best resources for college scholarships; or feel-good books about sentimental topics such as sisters or girlfriends or father and daughters.
- Your specific book is a great idea for its market: Your proposal shows that you are well-acquainted with the existing books in this market, and that you have a clear and compelling story about why yours is needed. Ideally, you also have a “hook” — a clearly distinctive and intriguing take on the subject.
- You are a credible author who can be promoted: The proposal describes your credentials, experience, writing track record (your previous relevant publications), built-in audience potential (through your speaking, seminars, newspaper column, talk show, newsletters, and so on), and burning desire to get out there and promote your book in every possible way. We live in a world with a lot of noise, a lot of people clamoring to give us advice or tell us their stories — and that’s just as true with books. You must prove that you can get consumers’ attention and that you have a credible book written by an author who is a known authority or is endorsed by well-known experts. Publishers want authors who have proven ability to get the media’s attention and who will do well in public appearances.