Tips on Writing a Non-fiction Book Proposal
There are a lot of resources available on how to write a non-fiction book proposal. Look at a few of them, gather information, and then decide what makes the most sense or seems like it will work the best for you and your project.
How to Write a Book Proposal, by Michael Larsen is a good resource.
Your non-fiction book proposal should include the following information:
- An overview of the project
- An annotated table of contents
- A sample chapter
- About the author, your credentials and bio
- An analysis of comparative and competitive titles
- Your ideas on marketing the book
Start with a Title Page with the title of the project, your name, and your contact information.
Also, include a Table of Contents for the proposal packet.
The Overview
Write an overview of the project, what you are planning to do, and how you're planning to do it. If you have specific sources and resources you'll be using include them in the overview. Explain your vision for the book, how it will be organized, what it will look like, and an estimate of how many pages you expect it to be. Also tell us if the book is already written, or how long you think it will take to complete the project and why. If a lot of research is needed, a preliminary bibliography should be included. If a lot of photos, graphs, or diagrams will be used, please send a couple examples of each as well.
Annotated Table of Contents
Include your planned table of contents for the book. For each chapter, briefly explain what will be included and any major points you'll be covering.
A Sample Chapter
Please take care in writing the sample chapter as this is what will give us the best indication of your ability to write, your grasp of the topic you are proposing, and the tone of the book. The chapter should reflect the over all tone, feel, and look you are planning for the book. The sample does not have to be the first chapter. Choose whatever chapter will be most representational of what you're hoping to accomplish with this project.
About the Author
Give us your credentials and your biography. Show us why you are the right person to write this book. Include any education and experience that supports your ability to do this project. Also include any significant publication credits you may have.
Comparative and Competitive Titles
This is the market analysis piece of the proposal. Do your research. What other books are out there that are similar to what you are proposing, in what ways are they similar to and different from your project? Be concrete and specific about the differences and similarities. You need not worry about books that were published more than five years ago.
Marketing
Who is your target audience? Who do you envision reading or using your book? How can you get access to your target audience? What contact do you have who may be able to give "cover blurbs" for or review the book? Do you already have a vacation or trip planned that you could use to do readings or signings in a new area? What ideas do you have for marketing the book? Are you willing to purchase author copies at a significantly reduced fee to sell on your own? If so, how many? Do you already have a website and/or blog? Be creative and thorough, and give us as many details as you can.
Your book proposal is your selling tool... to sell your book project to us. Make sure it is well organized, clean, edited, and complete. This is also an opportunity to show us how you work.
Purple World Publishing, PO Box 186, Exeter, NH 03833 - info@purpleworldpublishing.com
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