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Market The Query Letter and Book Proposal, Not The Book

Book Proposals

To maximize the potential to become traditionally published, prepare a professionally written Book Proposal. Why so? New York-based literary agent David Black, discoverer of, among other books, the bestseller, Tuesdays With Morrie, states, “While it’s possible that an unknown writer will be discovered by a top literary agent, it’s a challenge. The number of books published each year is getting smaller. Make sure you send a proposal of the highest quality, and that it’s designed to get respect.”

In The Insider’s Guide to Getting Published, author John Boswell provides compelling facts regarding Book Proposals. He writes, “Today fully 90% of all non-fiction books sold to trade publishers [sale to consumers] are acquired on the basis of the proposal alone.”

The percentage of works of fiction sold through Book Proposals is subject to conjecture. Offered the choice of reading a concise, exciting Book Proposal or a 400-page novel submitted by an aspiring author, agents and editors will choose the former. If the Book Proposal material indicates promise, they may contact the writer and request that a manuscript is forwarded to them.

Based on these facts, the aspiring author or poet is encouraged to follow Mark’s Step #7—Market The Query Letter and Book Proposal, Not The Book.

This said, authors and poets wonder whether they should write the Query Letter or the Book Proposal first. Methods will vary, but I suggest writing the Book Proposal first since you will use portions of the information formulated in the proposal in the Query Letter. Remember that the Query Letter is simply a mini-proposal setting up readers for the extended information about the book contained in the Book Proposal.

The journey toward completing a draft of the proposal begins with understanding what a Book Proposal is and what it is not. Above all, the Book Proposal is a sales tool. Within the scope of twenty to thirty pages, less in many cases, the “written pitch” outlines the author or poet’s game plan so an agent or editor at a publishing company can consider its merits.

What the Book Proposal is not relates to the style of writing. It should not be promotional, boastful or pompous. A well-conceived Book Proposal doesn’t tell the reader the book is the greatest one ever written. Instead, the text shows them through good writing and interesting facts that the book has merit.

Being enthused about your book’s potential can color your objectivity. Before long, the proposal takes on the aura of a used car salesman attempting to convince Mr. Jones a chartreuse Plymouth has great resale value. Heed the advice of Jack Webb, Sergeant Joe Friday on the television program, Dragnet. Confronting a perplexed witness to a crime, Joe would bellow, “Just the facts, ma’am; just the facts.”

Literary agent David Black’s perception regarding Book Proposals is accurate. He says, “I can usually tell in 10-30 seconds if the [book] proposal I’m reading is promising, and my instincts are usually correct.”

Ten to thirty seconds—that’s not much time. If the writer hasn’t hooked readers after they’ve scanned the cover page, the tagline, and the first few words in the Overview or Synopsis’ first paragraph, the book idea is deader than dead.

Agents and editors don’t have time to waste. Either the Book Proposal sparks the immediate brainwave, “Wow, this can be a great book,” or the material is headed for the dumpster.

Sample Book Proposals for fiction, non-fiction, and poetry are presented in the Appendix. Use these proposals as guideposts, noting the proper form. Self-help books vary about the components of the Book Proposal, but the Appendix samples follow a form that has proven successful.

Many writers abhor the idea of writing Query Letters or Book Proposals. The process appears difficult and time-consuming. But with a well-planned strategy, writing the letter and proposal can be completed without actual loss of life. And doing so will pay off. Over the past few years, I have been amused when an author or poet telephones and says, “You’ll never guess what happened. I actually received a letter from an agent or an editor asking to read my manuscript based on the query letter and book proposal.”

Even more satisfying is notice that a writer who composed a Book Proposal using this book as their guidepost has secured a publishing deal. This occurred for Christine Montross, a Brown University medical student whose book about laboratory experiences during her first year, Body of Work, was sold by her literary agent at ICM to Penguin Group USA.

Writers like Christine seem amazed at the good fortune, but the response is to be expected. Even when authors or poets receive a rejection letter, most include a compliment regarding the Book Proposal and the offer to consider future book ideas. Plain and simple—forwarding a professionally written Query Letter and Book Proposal gains the attention of literary agents and publishing company editors. Believe it.

Taglines

Any book, whether fiction, non-fiction, or a collection of poetry can be described in ten to fifteen words or less, preferably less. If this is not possible, then the book idea should be discarded, since the Tagline will be an essential part of any Book Proposal.

The Tagline, a/k/a “hook for the book,” or “handle,” is akin to “pitches” made to motion picture studios by producers and screenwriters attempting to convince executives to produce a film. For The Perfect Yankee, the story of Don Larsen’s perfect game in the 1956 World Series, the pitch was, “It’s Bull Durham meets The Natural with a touch of Major League thrown in.” If you are familiar with those films, you know exactly what The Perfect Yankee is about.

Examples of great taglines abound. Pearl Harbor, the film, gained the connotation, deserved or not, of “Titanic with a love story.” Steven Spielberg’s motion picture, A. I. (Artificial Intelligence), utilized the tagline, “E. T. Grows Up.” The film Rock Star was dubbed, “The Story of a Wannabe Who Got To Be.”

The publishing industry also relies on Taglines to sell and promote books. A book may be described as “It’s Into Thin Air meets The Perfect Storm” or “It’s My Friend Flicka set in the Colorado Rockies.” Comparisons stretch to the author as well. “He writes like John Grisham,” “She can write mysteries like Mary Higgins Clark,” and “He’s a cross between Hemingway and Woody Allen,” are examples.

Perhaps the best illustration of a Tagline for a book that became a bestseller is Grisham’s The Firm. It read, “It’s a book about a recent law school graduate who is offered a job at a law firm that seems too good to be true—and it is.” He may have used more than fifteen words, but it works.

Book advertisements such as the ones featured in the Thursday Life Section of USA Today provide inspiration for Taglines. Each is designed to convince the public that the specific book is a must read.

Consider this advertisement for the book Hostage by author Robert Crais. The Tagline read, “Three fugitives with a desperate plan. Three hostages with a deadly secret. One battle-scarred cop with no way out.” For Ross Lamanna’s Acid Test, the tagline was, “High tech weaponry. Humans beyond humanity. And the world at their mercy.” Adding to the lure was the endorsement, “Thrill-a-minute writing . . . like Tom Clancy on speed.” A Love Worth Giving, by Max Lucado, bore the Tagline, “Love Never Fails (You Just Have To Do It Right).”

For Iyanla Vanzant’s Living Through the Meantime, the advertisement featured the Tagline, “Leads you step-by-step to a greater understanding of your motivations and your desires, helping you to break the patterns of the past and begin the healing process.” A Los Angeles Times quote followed stating, “Vanzant is the author people want to hug and thank.” Hank Hanegraaff’s The Covering featured the daunting words, “24/7/365, Protection From Evil.”

The advertisement for Turn Off The Hunger Switch was clever. It read, “What’s Really Keeping The Weight On? Chocolate? Pasta? Chips? Actually, It’s All In Your Head. Literally.”

The Thursday USA Today Book Page provides a bestseller list. Alongside the name of the book, the author, the publishing company, and the price of the book are listed descriptions that reflect the book’s Tagline. Written by the USA Today editor based on publisher marketing materials, they can be quite creative:

Best selling Books—Fiction/Non-Fiction

Rank of Book/Author Description Publisher

1 Eat, Pray, Love/ Memoir: One Woman’s Penguin

Elizabeth Gilbert Search for Everything

Across Italy, India,

And Indonesia

2 I Am America/ Humorous Grand Central Publishing

(And So Can You)/ Observations from

Stephen Colbert the Host of the

The Colbert Report

3 Atonement/ Biorny, 13, commits Anchor

Ian McEwan a crime that changes

Everyone’s lives

4 The Pillars of the Medieval epic centers NAL

Earth/Ken Follet on building a cathedral

5 The Kite Runner/ Friendship, betrayal Riverhead

Khaled Hosseini of two boys in

Afghanistan

6 Double Cross/ Detective Alex Cross Little, Brown and Company

James Patterson investigates murders

In Washington, D. C.

7 The Innocent Man/ Story of a man Delta

John Grisham wrongly sent to

death row

8 A Thousand Splendid Novel set in Afghanistan Riverhead

Suns/Khaled Hosseini about two women.

9 You: Staying Young/ Subtitle: “The Owner’s Free Press

Michael F. Roizen/ For Extending Your

Mehmet C. Os Warranty

10 Become A Better You/ Subtitle: 7 Keys to Free Press

Joel Osteen Improving Your

Everyday Life

Whether the Tagline is five words or fifteen, clarity is essential. Michael Korda, editor in chief at Simon and Schuster, wrote,

“If you can’t describe a book in one or two pithy sentences that would make my mother want to read it, then of course you can’t sell it.” His quote relates to writing whether it is fiction, non-fiction or poetry.

An added benefit to the Book Page in USA Today is the listing of new releases. In one issue, three novels, Backpack, Just Like Beauty, and Spilling Clarence were discussed under the banner, “Debut Novels Query Rough, Weird, Touching Terrain.” The first paragraph read, “Three quirky debut novels take readers into strange territory: the bohemian subculture of backpackers in Asia, toxic suburbia in the near future, and town dragged into reliving old memories.” Each book provides inspiration for aspiring authors since they were “debut novels.”

Snippets of imaginative text were provided. For Backpack, it read, “I’ll be skinny and brown. I’ll wear little sarongs and tiny vests, and I’ll stand around looking lovely and thinking deep thoughts. Tom will beg me to go back to him but I will have met someone intriguing and devoted, and I will look sorrowfully upon Tom and tell him not to dwell on what might have been.”

Taglines for poetry are as varied as the material submitted. Since most collections of poetry have a common theme, the poet must present a snappy hook providing the reader with a clear indication as to the message being conveyed. One poet decided he intended to write a chapbook designed to enlighten divorced fathers regarding their responsibilities toward their children. When asked by an editor what the theme of the collection was, he simply answered, “Dads, Don’t Be A Dope.” Another whose collection featured the “dark side” of religion used the Tagline, “Christ’s Underbelly.”

Book Titles

Book titles for fiction, non-fiction or poetry must be snappy, concise, and descriptive. A rule of thumb is that they should be six words or less. Above all, they must pique the reader’s curiosity.

With non-fiction, the subject matter is a star and the title will depict a certain person, event, or issue. Titles such as The Golden Compass, T is for Trespass, Three Cups of Tea, Water For Elephants, Playing for Pizza, Shadow Dance, Quiet Strength, Age of Turbulence, Ghandi, MacArthur, Truman, Dolly (Dolly Parton), In Cold Blood, DiMaggio, and Hoffa, are examples. One Hundred and One Ways To Invest, Race and Responsibility, A History of National League Ballparks, Suzanne Somers’ Eat, Cheat, and Melt Away The Fat, and Gay Men In The White House provide instant recognition regarding subject matter.

For works of fiction, clever word usage provides clues to the book’s content. Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea, John Dunning’s The Bookman’s Wake, and Scott Turow’s Presumed Innocent reflect recognition of the themes presented.

Titles for my publications are the result of extensive consideration. Down For The Count described what occurred to boxer Mike Tyson when he was convicted of rape. Bury Me In A Pot Bunker might have caused people to think it was a book about death and dying, but it depicted the life and times of golf course designer Pete Dye, famous for golf courses featuring deep pot bunkers.

Forever Flying described the adventures of aviator R. A. “Bob” Hoover. The subtitle, “Fifty Years of High-Flying Adventures, from Barnstorming in Prop-Planes to Dogfighting Germans to Testing Supersonic Jets,” added zest.

The Perfect Yankee portrayed Don Larsen’s World Series perfect game achievement. Testament To Courage described the “angel of mercy” persona of Holocaust survivor Cecelia Rexin. Larry Legend chronicled the life of NBA superstar Larry Bird, and Miscarriage of Justice, The Jonathan Pollard Story summed up the plight of the most controversial spy in American history.

No Peace For The Wicked reflects the tone for a novel focusing on the wrongful imprisonment of two mentally handicapped men convicted of a murder they did not commit. The Patsy, A Jake Lessing Novel, was so titled since an innocent young boy is caught in the web of a corrupt legal system.

Where do titles originate? Inspiration is everywhere, but mine have originated straight from the Good Lord. He awakens me in the middle of the night with the title embedded in my brain. I write the title on note cards I keep by the bed.

A check of the USA Today bestseller listing provides a plethora of creative titles. Who Moved My Cheese? and Venus Envy, the book about Venus Williams and female tennis professionals, are examples of creative titles. Others are 90 Minutes in Heaven, The Darkest Evening of the Year, New Moon, Stone Cold, Sacred Sins, The Last Precinct, Wild Justice, Body-For-Life, Earthquake in the Morning, The Red Tent, Four Blondes, and two personal favorites, Drowning Ruth and The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat. James Patterson’s book, The Lake House, sounds intriguing, especially when readers learn that the main character’s name is Ethan Cane.

Titles for collections of poetry must reflect the theme of the poet’s intentions. Sailing Around The Room by Billy Collins, Elegy For A Southern Drawl by Rodney Jones, and Misery Prefigured by J. Allen Rosser achieve that goal.

Aspiring authors and poets must create a title so strong it will catch the attention of an agent or publisher. If this is accomplished, it kick-starts a mindset that says, “I must read this material.”

Book Proposal Components

If you have decided traditional book publishing is your first choice, determined the book contemplated is marketable, completed the research necessary to ensure accuracy of the text, finalized an outline, written at least three sample chapters, conceived a book title, and described your intended publication in fifteen words or less, you are ready to attempt a first draft of the Book Proposal. It should include:

Cover page information

A second page featuring a snappy quote that will hook the agent or editor

Contents page, (optional)

Book Tagline (Hook)

Overview (Non-Fiction) or Synopsis (Fiction) of the book concept (Also called Brief Description or Content Summary)

Author Biography

Book Audience

Similar Successful Books

Book Promotion Ideas

Format/Manuscript Status, (optional)

Book-To-Film

Book Outline

Sample Text (two or three sample chapters (dependent on length)

Appendix

Some authors and poets decide to submit only the Query Letter and Sample Chapters, but including the additional information mentioned above guarantees that the writer has provided all of the essentials about their book idea. Take the extra time to prepare material for each section listed. It will pay off.

Examples of Book Proposal formats are featured in the Appendix. Remember: the first page will provide the title, a subtitle if there is one, and your name. The second will present the snappy quote. The third page provides a Proposal Table of Contents. This is optional.

Beginning on the fourth page, with the title of the book at the top, are the components of the Book Proposal. They are: the Tagline followed by the Overview or Synopsis, Author Biography, Book Audience, Similar Successful Books, Promotion Ideas, Format/Manuscript (optional), and Book To Film, if appropriate. The Outline, Sample Text, and Appendix follow these compartments. There is no need to separate the compartments on individual pages—they should flow from page to page.

If the Book Proposal concerns children’s books, poetry, essays, or other material that is not long form, the sample material should be representative of that genre. Length is less important than presentation of material showcasing your talent. When mentioning photographs, you should indicate “photographs available on request.” Some publishers shy away from books requiring an extensive number of them due to cost factors.

Regardless of the genre of the book, the Book Proposal must be adapted to the material being presented for consideration. Emphasis should be placed on the merits of the book that you believe are most important. Providing the literary agent or editor with concise, well-organized information is a key.

Book Proposal Form

As stated, sample Book Proposals for fiction, non-fiction, and poetry are provided in the Appendix, but your proposal will be uniquely yours. Write it in your best, succinct prose in accordance with proper form: easy-to-read typeface, double-spaced, and printed on one side of the page with margins of one inch. Laser-print the text on 8 1/2 x 11 inch white paper (no onion skin). Do not staple it so copies can be made. Many software packages provide the proper format.

Opinions vary among literary agents and publishers, but the basic general format for the Book Proposal is simple. I suggest that you open a new computer file and list the various components in continuous order. The cover page will only include your book title in 36 font, the subtitle, if any, in 24 font, and your name in 24 font. A second page will feature a snappy quote from the book designed to capture the attention of the literary agent or publisher. The third page can include a table of contents, and the fourth page will be presented as follows:

Title of Book (18 font – bold)

Note: The components are continuous; each one does not begin on a separate page. The proposal is written in Times-Roman, and it is not stapled so that copies may be made. All except the Tagline and the description section of the Outline is written double-spaced. The entire proposal will be no more than thirty pages. (Except for the headings, the text will be in 12 font.)

Tagline (all headings – 14 font – bold)

Hook for the book – 15 words or less – show the literary agent or editor what the book or collection of poetry is about. Single-spaced, 12 font.

Synopsis (fiction/poetry) or Overview (non-fiction)

Synopsis – plot, characters, beginning, middle, and end, 6-10 pages showing the literary agent or editor what the story is about. (Double-spaced, 12 font)

Poetry – provide the theme of the poetry collection.

Overview – information provided about the subject, beginning,

middle, and end, 6-10 pages showing the literary agent or editor what the book is about.

Author Biography

Provide academic credentials, personal information, and publishing credits, if any, but more important, answer this question: Why are you the one person in the world to write this book? Remember, the literary agent or editor wants to know your credentials, your platform, and your expertise to write the book. (Double-spaced, 12 font)

Key words to begin biography: The author’s (or poet’s) expertise to write this book stems from ___________.

Book Audience

Provide information as to who is the target audience for the book. The broader the audience, the better. Remember, 75%

of people who purchase books are women. (Double-spaced, 12 font)

Key words to begin this section: The target audience for (name of book) is ____________________.

Similar Successful Books

What successful books or collections of poetry are similar to yours, and most important, why is yours unique or better? If there are none, why will yours be successful? (Double-spaced, 12 font)

Key words to begin this section: (name of book) is written in the spirit of such best-selling books as _________, _________, and __________, but (name of book) is unique because _________.

Promotion Ideas

Why are you and your book promotable, and what unique ideas do you have to promote the book? Remember – literary agents and editors love a built-in audience. (Double-spaced, 12 font)

Format/Manuscript Status (Optional)

Provide reader with storytelling sequence and whether manuscript is completed or will be completed within x months of contract. (Double-spaced, 12 font)

Book-To-Film

If you believe your book can become a film, show why by using examples of successful films that feature your subject matter. (Double-spaced, 12 font)

Book Outline

Provide chapter headings (14 font) and three to four lines describing the subject matter of each chapter (Single-spaced, 12 font))

Poetry – provide names of poems and brief description.

Sample Text

Provide one to three chapters (usually the Prologue, if any, and Chapter One and Two) depending on length. The writing should be superb; no grammatical or punctuation mistakes permitted. (Double-spaced, 12 font)

Appendix

Include any pertinent information, (media clippings, photographs, etc.) you believe the literary agent or editor should know to assist promotion and marketing of you or the book.

Quotes

Choosing a unique quote or two for the second page of the Book Proposal is advisable. For the non-fiction book, Forever Flying, the quote chosen read, “Ladies and gentleman, let me introduce you to Bob Hoover, the greatest stick and rudder man alive today . . . No, that’s wrong, let me introduce you to Bob Hoover, the greatest stick and rudder man who ever lived.”—General James Doolittle. For Code Of Silence, I highlighted this quote from gangster Santo Traficante to mob lawyer Frank Ragano: “Whatever you do, don’t ask Melvin Belli about Jack Ruby. It’s none of your business.”

If the work is fiction, consider including a clever quote from the text or one describing the gist of the material. For No Peace For The Wicked, a quote by American novelist Mary McCarthy was selected. It read, “An unrectified case of injustice has a terrible way of lingering, restlessly, in the social atmosphere like an unfinished question.”

For the book, Heavy Breathing In Thin Air, the quote, “I could hardly breathe when I saw Allison since she was a beauty like none before her. My right arm felt numb, and I discovered that my eyeballs attempted to jump out of their sockets as she approached,” was used. For Peace Be With You, the author chose “Jerome was a sick kid. He never said hello, he dressed in black, and he hated his dog. His only redeeming value was a sense of humor like Woody Allen’s.”

A clever quote or two piques an agent or editor’s interest. They realize the quotes can be used in the marketing campaign for the book.

Overview/Synopsis

Having gained the attention of the agent or editor with the book title and quotes, a non-fiction writer begins drafting the Overview. Akin to a treatment written for a film, the Overview lays out the story so the reader will understand the flow of the book and the story contained therein.

One might believe writing a Synopsis (covers the basic plot, characters, and storyline) for a work of fiction would differ from the non-fiction Overview, but this is not necessarily true. The key is to show the reader a storyline featuring a good beginning, middle, and end.

The Overview or Synopsis is a mini-book, a type of “novella” about the book. This will be normally completed in present tense. Few summaries or conclusions are permitted—just fact, fact, fact. For inspiration, check the inside jacket covers for books similar to yours since the writer has provided a snapshot of the book content akin to an overview or synopsis.

One proven method is to begin the Overview by stating the name of the book and then writing “tells the story of” followed by a few lines regarding the storyline. For example, Miscarriage of Justice tells the story of Jonathan Pollard, the infamous American who spied for Israel in the mid-1980s.

How you describe your story will be a preview of how you will develop your book. The first paragraph or two are the most important. The very strongest material must appear—bang, bang, bang. Author John Boswell states, “Most editors [I would add, agents] read at only two speeds: slow, when editing a manuscript; and scan, when reading everything else.” With the latter in mind, your first paragraph or two must be explosive.

Alternative means of gaining attention from the agent or editor include: a shocking statement, strong visual images, “what-if” scenarios, or pointed questions designed to garner curiosity. Select one guaranteed to titillate readers so they must continue to learn more about the book concept.

In Your Novel Proposal, authors Camenson and Cook outlined the elements of a fiction Synopsis. They list, “an opening hook, quick sketches of the main characters, plot high points, the core conflict, and the conclusion.” Samples of conflict are presented in the book. Structuring the Synopsis is also discussed.

The length of the Overview or Synopsis will vary. Less is always better, but some stories will stretch to ten pages. Content is most important.

In the Overview for Forever Flying, a strong visual image was chosen. The text read, “The sky is his [Bob Hoover’s] playground as he twists and turns the bright yellow P-51 Mustang through majestic maneuvers that make the eagles jealous. On the ground, huge throngs of admirers gasp at his daredevil loops and spins and wonder in awe whether the tall, lanky man with the ready smile and swooping handlebar mustache will survive yet another dangerous encounter with death.”

The Overview swept readers into the aviation world of R. A. “Bob” Hoover, a World War II hero and aviation icon. The writing was visual, not only concerning Bob’s flying escapades, but regarding who he was and how he pushed the envelope despite the stare of death at every turn. This type of description convinced readers they wanted to know more: who is Bob Hoover, why he is so important, and why will people purchase a book chronicling his life?

After readers were hooked, the Overview for Forever Flying described Hoover’s flying genius. The second paragraph read, “Whether he’s performing the ‘Cuban-Eight,’ ‘Sixteen Point Hesitation Rolls,’ or the ‘Dead-Engine Management Maneuver,’ Robert A. ‘Bob’ Hoover and his vintage plane slice through the clouds like a lightning bolt. When the P-51 dances gingerly to Hoover’s ‘Tennessee Waltz’ aerobatics, you can almost hear the melodic music in the background.”

I then addressed Hoover’s credibility. The third paragraph read, “Called ‘the pilot’s pilot,’ and the ‘greatest pilot I ever saw’ by famed aviator Chuck Yeager, fun-loving seventy-four-year-old Bob Hoover is the greatest aerobatic pilot who ever lived. A brave World War II POW who escaped to freedom by stealing a German plane, and a test pilot extraordinaire, the bombastic barnstormer is the giant of his profession, a combination of The Red Baron, Waldo Pepper, and Jimmy Doolittle rolled into one.”

The text established Bob Hoover’s credentials by feeding the reader vital information spiced with the names of famous people such as Chuck Yeager and General Doolittle. In this paragraph, I included the Tagline that would be part of the verbal pitch my agent would use to sell the book. I’m certain he told the editor who purchased the rights, “Bob Hoover is a combination of The Red Baron, Waldo Pepper, and Jimmy Doolittle rolled into one.”

After providing additional facts regarding Hoover’s remarkable career (winner of the Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Heart, Lindbergh Medal), describing several life threatening situations (steering a dead-engine P-80 Shooting Star jet to safety, bailing out of a burning F-84 Thunderjet), and utilizing buzzwords to enhance his status (“embodied the very spirit of the American patriot and emerged as a bona fide American hero”), the Overview for Forever Flying backtracked to the early years of Hoover’s life. The reader returned to his childhood, flying experiences at age fifteen, his entry into World War II, and his subsequent action as a fighter pilot. The text then described his capture by the Germans when his plane was shot down over the coast of Italy, the torture he endured when he wouldn’t reveal Allied secrets and his incarceration in the dreaded Stalag I German prison camp.

As the tale continued, the reader discovered that Hoover stole a German plane and flew to freedom before returning to the United States where he and Chuck Yeager competed to discover who would attempt to break the sound barrier. Hoover’s career as a test pilot led to his being crowned the “King of the Air Shows,” a tribute to his skill as an aerobatic pilot.

The final paragraph of the Overview provided a frame of reference for Bob Hoover’s importance in history. Using modern day sports figures as comparisons, it read, “R.A. ‘Bob’ Hoover’s place in the annals of aviation history is guaranteed. Like Michael Jordan swooping in for a dunk shot from the foul line, Olympic champion Scott Hamilton carving out his gold-medal routine on the ice, or Greg Louganis performing a three-and-a-half double somersault from the pike position, Bob Hoover’s incredible artistry with an airplane is an experience never to be forgotten.”

The final paragraph is puffy, something normally objectionable. The rest of the Overview is fact, but I needed to provide a standard by which to judge the heroics of Hoover. Comparisons with the sports heroes of that era seemed appropriate.

For those drafting a Synopsis for a work of fiction, similar rules apply. Paragraphs one and two must be sensational because if they are not, the reader may toss the proposal aside. The opening paragraph of a Synopsis written by one of my clients was enticing. It read, “Eight-year-old Jason Twinklebean marched into the kitchen. His mother stood by the stove, the smell of turnips sweeping through the air. ‘Mom, I just killed the cat,’ Jason reported. ‘Now there won’t be fur on the couch anymore.’ ‘That’s lovely, Jason,’ the mother sighed. ‘Now go do your homework.’”

The Synopsis for Moonshine Baby, Anika Weiss’ book, reads in part:

Rufus Poisson is the Moonshine Baby. He was the boy whose shape the kids outlined in fragments of shell, china and glass on the Bahamian island of Andros in 1972. He is the death row prisoner in Baltimore who, remembering this children’s game seventeen years later, decides to drop his appeals and hasten his end.

Ruf’s brother Ben, thin-skinned weightlifter, loner, and scholarship student at prestigious Winterbury College in Vermont, stashes his letters from prison away unread for fear that Rufus will drag him down. During orientation Ben meets Lauren Owen, another freshman, who wants to study dance, nothing else. She first fancies him for his provocative value—a black boyfriend, the perfect snub at her family—but will learn that far more than superficial attractions link Ben and her.

Lauren’s grandparents still live at Elmshead, the former plantation home where her father Lukas grew up. Unbeknown to the family, Lukas at seventeen produced the illegitimate heir, Rufus, in a tryst with the black maid Eleanor who wouldn’t have the abortion Lukas pressed on her. Instead, she changed her name from Ellie to Nora and smuggled her biracial baby, still invisible inside her, into her marriage to Bruneau Poisson, the oyster canner turned fisherman who took her to live on Andros. On the mailboat headed to the out-island Rufus was born, and nine years later, on the island, Ben.

After Ellie’s disappearance Lukas Owen studied to become a mining engineer and forgot her. He married a woman he only half-loved, and they had Lauren who, due to her mother’s migraine attacks, spent many days of her childhood at Elmshead. On the old mansion’s grounds Lauren’s grandmother Viola, haunted by guilt, grew an unorthodox garden of nightshades, plants of the same family as the tobacco that made the Owens rich during slavery. Except she wanted these plants to have a positive effect. So in the grip of early, unrecognized senility she used a potion of jimsonweed to give her granddaughter the feeling she could fly—a pesky delusion in a budding dancer, and one Lauren will beat.

When you complete a draft of the all-important Overview or Synopsis, set it aside for a few days. After retrieving it, read the material out loud, read it to a cat or dog, a lover or spouse, or a tree. Listen to how it sounds. Then revise, revise, revise with one vital consideration in mind: clarity—does it get the message across? Will the literary agent or editor recognize what the book is about? Have you proven that you can tell the story in a few pages and that you are a professional writer who should be taken seriously?

Once these questions are answered, revise again and check grammar and spelling. No material should ever be submitted with “typos.” Such mistakes spell doom for the aspiring writer. If an agent or editor has to stumble over misspellings or grammatical errors, they will toss the proposal into the trash. Consult The Elements of Style, the Chicago Manual of Style, Grammar Report, dictionaries, and a thesaurus. Work with determination to make your material perfect.

To ensure that the Overview and the Book Proposal are ready for submission, consider employing a professional line editor. Like wine, a Book Proposal should never be submitted before its time.

A common error aspiring authors or poets make is to believe that one, two or ten drafts of the Overview or Synopsis, or for that matter a manuscript, will suffice. The final draft of the Overview of Forever Flying was number eighty-one.

This Overview stretched to six-and-one-half pages, double-spaced. The beginning, middle, and end were solid. The Tagline was provided. Strong buzzwords such as “hero” and “patriot,” were included. The only thing missing was a guaranteed ride with Bob Hoover in his P-51! I should have added that as a possibility.

Author Biography

To provide readers with a sense of why I was the one person in the world to write a book with Bob Hoover, I provided author credentials in the Author Biography section of the Book Proposal. Included were publishing credits for Down For The Count and Bury Me In A Pot Bunker, as well as USA Today writing experience.

The Author Biography should have featured aviation expertise, but my only experience was having flown in an F-4 fighter jet while investigating a story for ABC’s Good Morning America. That day I sped across the sky at Nelles Air Force Base near Las Vegas. Everything was bearable until the pilot inverted the jet. My stomach disagreed with the maneuver and I vomited all over my cockpit. The puke oozed through an opening and doused the pilot in front of me as a camera captured the images. The day the program aired the segment host David Hartman nearly exploded with laughter.

Since I lacked aviation expertise, the Author Biography pointed out that the collaboration would be enhanced by my involvement because the writing would not be so technical as to prohibit non-aviators from enjoying Bob’s adventures. By stating this fact, a negative was turned into a positive.

Writers touting works of fiction and poetry should provide information proving their worthiness to write about the selected subject matter. If you have been published, include the names of the publications. Mention any awards you have received, anything to show the literary agent or publisher why you are the one person in the world to write your book.

Credibility is a key. If you have written a mystery based on an unsolved murder in Ireland, mention that you have traveled there to research the facts. Give the literary agent or publisher all the ammunition you can so they realize that you are a writer to be taken seriously.

Book Audience

Publishers considering a Book Proposal will ask one basic question: Who is going to purchase the book? Providing a broad reader base is essential to producing hefty sales.

For Into Thin Air, the best selling tale of brave souls who climbed Mount Everest, the potential audience included those who love mountain climbing and a good adventure story. For five-time Tour de France cycling champion Lance Armstrong’s best selling book, It’s Not About The Bike, bicycle road racing fans were a sure bet to read the book. But the publisher also knew Armstrong’s inspiring story would captivate those who admired his courageous battle with cancer.

If you have chosen to write fiction, it is essential to identify a broad audience. Harry Potter books attract young readers, but to the publisher’s delight, older readers have flocked to the books. Those who write mysteries, children’s books, Christian publications, science fiction, sports thrillers, or how-to books will list target audiences so an agent or publisher is certain who the potential reader will be.

Bob Hoover was best known as an aerobatic daredevil, but there was a wide range of potential readership for the book. To specify Forever Flying’s audience, the Book Audience section of the Book Proposal read, “Forever Flying will not only be an aviation book, but also a heartwarming, inspirational tale about a great aviator and true American patriot. While the book will accurately depict over fifty years of aviation history and contain numerous aviation terms, the text will be written with the general reader in mind.” Providing this information clarified that the text would not be technical and that the average knucklehead who knew nothing about aviation would enjoy the book.

Words of wisdom from Matthew Snyder, a book-to-film agent with Creative Artists Agency in Beverly Hills, inspired a line designed to alert an agent or publisher to another aspect of Bob Hoover’s story. Matthew said, “Every good story contains a love story.” With this in mind, the Book Audience section included the words, “Since Bob and Colleen Hoover have been married almost fifty years, Forever Flying will feature a great love story.”

To assist the range of potential readers for the book, the Book Audience stated, “It is estimated that more than 24,000,000 people attend air show and races in North America. At the Experimental Aircraft Association Annual Flying Championships, 800,000 fans attended. Another 100,000-plus watched the National Championship of Air Racing at the Reno Air Show and Races.”

Having a large “built-in” audience for a book electrifies publishers. If the book is promoted adequately, they know sales can skyrocket. This causes marketing and sales divisions to become excited about the book whether it is fiction or non-fiction.

Fiction writers may want to note a collective group of readers who will be interested in a particular genre. If the book is a work of fiction about the survival of an ancient tribe of Indians in Costa Rica, include information about clubs, associations, and publications interested in this subject.

Author Weiss provides this information in her Book Proposal for the novel Moonshine Baby. An excerpt reads:

Moonshine Baby is an operatic, interracial family saga with poignant coincidences and touches of magic.

For readers of a romantic bent, Moonshine Baby also tells two love stories. Happening twenty-six years apart, both are charged with the potency of color but in very different ways since the country has moved from anti-miscegenation laws to the careful hyphenations of political correctness.

For readers who care about social issues, Moonshine Baby strives to lend a human face to people regarded as untouchables. A novel, with its means of empathy, of stepping not just into another person’s shoes, but their mind and skin, might do better justice to showing what it means to schedule a man’s death than a philosophical or political argument. Tolstoi put it this way: “The business of art lies just in this,—to make that understood and felt which, in the form of an argument, might be incomprehensible and inaccessible…”

For readers of literary fiction, Moonshine Baby counters a currently prevailing simplistic worldview that regards good and evil, black and white as easily distinguishable entities. In vibrant prose this book shows them to be two sides of the same coin.

For readers interested in capital punishment, Moonshine Baby addresses the topic at its most thought provoking by portraying a prisoner who drops his appeals and agrees to his own death. As Governor Ryan’s commutation of all death sentences in Illinois proves, the death penalty continues to be a controversial subject, eliciting strong feelings (and actions) among supporters as well as opponents. This novel will attract readers on the fence about the issue as well as those on either side of it.

As previously mentioned, if you are attempting to publish your memoir, remember that while the story may be important to you, family and friends, the scope of the story must be broad enough to convince a traditional publisher that it will sell on a national or, at least, regional level. Many aspiring authors and poets become distressed when their life story isn’t of interest to a traditional publisher. They must recognize that if publishers released every memoir submitted regardless of sales limitations, their businesses would fail.

Similar Successful Books

Comparing a book to others that have proven successful adds a positive note to the Book Proposal. Publishers relish comparisons that validate the worthiness of a new book. They also favor books that are “the first to tell a story” within a genre that has proven successful.

With Forever Flying, the benchmark for aviation books was Yeager, Chuck Yeager’s best selling autobiography. Others listed in the Similar Successful Books section of the Book Proposal included Tom Wolfe’s The Right Stuff, Loss of Eden, a biography of Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh, and Men From Earth by astronaut Buzz Aldren.

Those writing fiction can point to successful books written in a certain genre. For example, if you are a lawyer writing a thriller about the inner workings of a corporate law firm, you will list The Firm as an example of a book that discovered a huge audience.

In Moonshine Baby, author Weiss provided excellent comparisons for her novel while distinguishing its merit. The section reads:

Thematically, Moonshine Baby resembles such works as Sister Helen Prejean’s Dead Man Walking, Ernest J. Gaines’s A Lesson Before Dying and Norman Mailer’s The Executioner’s Song. It shares their concern with the bleak realities of capital punishment and racism, but places them in a more colorful and fabulous universe.

Stylistically, Moonshine Baby aspires to the vivid imagination and language of such novels as Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things and Toni Morrison’s Tar Baby, another tale of race relations set in the Caribbean. As Roy’s book enters the minefield of taboo relationships in India, Moonshine Baby does the same for American and Western culture where interracial relationships still defy the norm and face enormous prejudice.

When you compare your book with others that have been successful, you must explain why your book is unique and even better. This will stifle any comment that there are too many books being written in a particular genre.

Sources for discovering similar successful books include bookstores, Publisher’s Weekly, Forthcoming Books, Books In Print, and Publisher’s Trade List Annual.

Promotion Ideas

To illustrate the potential exposure for Forever Flying, a section was added to the Book Proposal titled, “Publications/Associations/Promotion.” It noted that magazines such as Aviation Weekly covered the industry and that multiple aviation groups familiar with Bob Hoover were scattered around the world.

In the Appendix to the Book Proposal, several articles were included featuring Hoover. The text discussed the enormous respect and hero status Bob enjoyed with fellow airmen.

To further stimulate interest, this section explained that Hoover was intent on promoting the book by scheduling personal appearances when requested. He would be an ambassador for the book, appearing at aviation meetings, air shows, and other gatherings of aviation buffs.

If your work is fiction, you may point out various organizations that are candidates to purchase the book. A mystery set on a submarine or affecting the stealth bomber would be a natural choice for those in the military.

Additional Voices

An important element of the Forever Flying Book Proposal was a section titled “Additional Voices To Be Featured In The Book.” Bob was famous among aviation buffs, but not well known outside of it so readers of the proposal needed to know that quotes from several well-known individuals would be included. Listed were Neil Armstrong, Arnold Palmer, F. Lee Bailey, radio commentator Paul Harvey, astronauts Jim McDivitt and Wally Schirra, Barry Goldwater, actor Cliff Robertson, and Chuck Yeager. Providing a list of celebrities enhanced the marketability of the book, since these names could be utilized in any publicity and marketing materials.

If a celebrity, well-known expert, or accredited writer in a particular field related to the book has agreed to write the Foreword or an endorsement, this should be noted whether the venue is fiction or non-fiction. Securing praise from a writer who has been successfully published upgrades the potential to secure a publishing commitment.

Many times the endorser will ask the author to draft a sample Foreword or endorsement for review. After an interview to determine the viewpoint toward the book, complete the draft in the voice of the endorser and then forward it to him or her. Writing Forewords for Chuck Yeager, Yogi Berra, Greg Norman, and Nancy Lopez has taught me to understand the value of the endorser’s busy schedule. Working with endorsers in a professional manner is the key since they do not have time to waste.

Format/Manuscript Status

Because this was a “as told to” collaboration permitting Bob Hoover to tell his life story, my audience for the Book Proposal (agent or editor) needed to know how the book would unfold. Under “Format,” I wrote, “Forever Flying will be Bob Hoover’s memoir. The book will be written in first person, but occasionally other voices will be introduced to provide stories and anecdotes about Bob Hoover from those who know him best.”

This information was essential since Bob’s achievements were so outstanding that I was afraid no one would believe they occurred. Like most brave aviators, he was a very humble man prone to tell a story packed with danger as if it was an every day occurrence. When I asked Bob about falling to earth in a burning F-84 Thunderjet, he described the event blandly. I forced him to elaborate and also used the voice of a fellow aviator who knew about the incident to describe the life-threatening danger he faced. This permitted the reader to be in the F-84 cockpit with Bob as the aircraft spiraled toward the desert terrain.

To update the status of the manuscript, I wrote, “Book will be completed within six weeks of contract.”

Book To Film

If your book has motion picture or television potential, provide the essential information. This adds another element for the literary agent or publisher to consider, since an additional form of revenue might exist.

Revenue would occur if your book idea is optioned for a film. The deal will be negotiated either through you as the author, your literary agent or entertainment lawyer, or a theatrical agent. Literary agents will charge 15%, theatrical agents 10%, and entertainment lawyer’s hourly fees.

For Moonshine Baby, Weiss’ book about a death row inmate, she provided excellent visualization regarding the book’s potential to become a film. It reads:

Picture a prisoner bowled over in the prison yard by a

vision of the moon.

Picture a boy drawing the island home he misses with

colors from his mother’s make-up kit.

Picture young lovers having sex on oriental rugs in

search of a flying carpet.

Scenes such as these from Moonshine Baby could translate into striking footage. Moonshine Baby’s visual language and rich settings—from Vermont hills to the hidden blue holes of Andros and Baltimore’s gothic downtown prison—create the intoxicating atmospherics a movie needs to enchant us.

The book begins by presenting parallel and sharply contrasting worlds, a juxtaposition of the bright (Caribbean island, college town) and the bleak (Ruf’s prison cell) that could be very effective in film.

Biting dialogue, the plot’s death row metronome and haunting moments of sex and murder propel the story toward a rising action of revelations by domino effect. The tragedy at the core of Moonshine Baby springs from its spirited characters who could inspire powerful screen incarnations. At last, it is these characters’ clashing agendas that lead to the inevitable and devastating climax of Rufus’s execution. His end is given an unnerving twist: Rufus imagines himself an explorer and the gas chamber a bathysphere used for deep sea exploration. This transformation could be depicted in stunning images.

As highly acclaimed films like Monster’s Ball or The Life of David Gale confirm, the death penalty is a topic filmmakers feel compelled to broach.

Book-to-film production for works of fiction and non-fiction is blossoming. Sylvia Nasar’s A Beautiful Mind became an Academy Award winning film. A Civil Action, Jonathan Harr’s work of non-fiction, was an outstanding movie starring John Travolta. Several of John Grisham’s novels have been adapted as was John Irving’s Cider House Rules and Captain Corelli’s Mandolin starring Nicholas Cage. Films based on Thomas Harris’s Red Dragon, Robert Ludlum’s The Bourne Identity, and Janet Fitch’s White Oleander have excited movie fans. Past motion picture classics based on books have included High Noon, Cool Hand Luke, The Postman Always Rings Twice, Vertigo, The Thin Red Line, Mutiny on the Bounty, Like Water For Chocolat, Seabiscuit, and Catch Me If You Can.

Film studios and producers often purchase the rights to a book based on the manuscript, but if you believe the book has film potential, you will prepare a “treatment.” Akin to the Overview or Synopsis included in the Book Proposal, it sets out in present tense the elements of the story. There is no set length for a treatment. Guidance as to form and substance can be found in many self-help books. A sample book-to-film treatment is included in the Appendix.

A treatment of Miscarriage of Justice, The Jonathan Pollard Story titled “Ghost of the Sealed Rooms,” a reference to Pollard’s nickname in Israel, related his story of spying for the Israelis. Providing a dramatic, visual presentation of the scenario for the film caused Twentieth Century Fox Television to option the rights to the book.

To option the rights, the film producer or studio will pay the author an upfront “advance,” or “option money.” This will permit them exclusive rights to the material for a designated period of time. Further options to extend the time may be included for additional payments.

The author, or his representative, will also negotiate a “back-end” profit participation based on profits when the film is produced and released. Authors are encouraged to negotiate as much “up-front money” as possible, since “creative” profit participation under Hollywood definitions oftentimes produces little revenue.

Book-to-film advances range from one dollar to millions dependent on the interest in the rights. Authors are encouraged to keep option periods to a minimum so there is flexibility if the producer is unable to produce the film. Any author whose book is considered for film should engage a savvy agent or entertainment lawyer to represent their interests.

If you are interested in writing a screenplay based on your book or other material, consider education regarding the writing mechanics and proper form required. Several courses and seminars exist including Robert McKee’s Story Structure. For details regarding the form motion picture professionals expect from a screenwriter, check the website, www.finaldraft.com.

Outline

The Outline included in the Book Proposal for Forever Flying was succinct. Chapter headings included “Flying Lessons,” “Escape From Stalag I,” “Dogfighting Over Ohio,” “Hole In The Sky,” “Forty Minutes of Stark Terror,” and “Japanese Masseuse Torture.”

A fiction writer client provided an outline with creative chapter headings. They read, “Blind Date Prep,” “Wolf-Whistle,” “You Ever Heard of Rodeo Sex, Darlin?” “Wormwood Wins The Girl,” and “Cyber Coitus Interruptus.”

Text listed under each chapter heading provides a thumbnail sketch of the anticipated text whether the book is a work of fiction or non-fiction. Clarity is essential, since the reader must garner in a few short lines an understanding of the author’s intentions. Sample outlines are included in the Book Proposal section of the Appendix.

Sample Text

The Book Proposal for long-form works of fiction or non-fiction will include at least one, and perhaps two, sample chapters from the book. This text showcases the author’s talent and must be extraordinary. The author must revise, revise, and then revise some more until the material is as close to perfection as possible before submission.

For Forever Flying, I chose three chapters detailing critical events in Bob Hoover’s life. They chronicled his imprisonment and heroics during World War II, an account of little-known facts regarding his participation in the breaking of the sound barrier, and his ascent to fame as the greatest aerobatic pilot in the world.

Fiction writers will include the first two to three chapters (depending on length) showcasing the uniqueness of their story. Clarity is the key, since the agents and/or publishers will base their initial opinion on an incomplete story. The hope is that they will be so enthused with the writing and your storytelling ability that they will demand a look-see at the prepared manuscript.

Poetry and children’s books authors will provide samples of their work in short-form. Essayists and short story writers will do the same. Again, length is less important than quality.

Sample chapter excerpts for fiction, non-fiction, and poetry are included in the Book Proposal section of the Appendix.

Appendix

Selected photographs of Bob Hoover and several celebrities were included in the Book Proposal Appendix for Forever Flying. Among others, there were photographs of Hoover standing with fellow prisoners at the Stalag I German Prison Camp, talking with famed German aircraft designer Willy Messerschmitt, and kneeling with Chuck Yeager and the crew of the X-1 team responsible for breaking the sound barrier.

Photographs and illustrations will normally not be included with works of fiction, but they can be appropriate with collections of poetry. They enhance the visual nature of the book.

When listing the photographs available, be sure to discuss ownership. Obtaining the right to publish them can be expensive.

Poetry Book Proposals

There are no set rules, but poetry book publishers expect the following from an aspiring poet: a professionally written Query Letter accompanied by a Book Proposal including a Tagline describing the book in fifteen words or less, a Synopsis of the book of poetry contemplated, information about the poet, details regarding the potential book audience and marketing potential, a list of similar successful books, promotion concepts, an outline, and several sample poems. Attaching a self-addressed, stamped envelope is required. Poet’s Market and other publications such as How To Publish Your Poetry by Helene Ciaravino list specific requirements for submission.

Poetry submitted should be typed, not handwritten, on fine quality, 8.5 x 11, bond paper. A paper “weight” of more than 24 is suggested. The accompanying materials will be double-spaced, but the poetry is single-spaced with double spaces between the stanzas. If you are writing non-traditional types of poetry such as free form, the layout will differ.

Proper form includes a cover page listing the title of the work, a subtitle, if any, and the name of the poet. A second page can include a few lines from the poetry to catch the eye of the literary agent or publisher. The third page begins with a Tagline specifying the theme of the poetry followed by the Synopsis, Poet Biography, Book Audience, Similar Successful Books, Promotion Concepts, an Outline if there is one, and the Poetry Excerpts. The various compartments follow one another on the pages to provide a flow to the material. An example of a Poetry Book Proposal is featured in the Appendix. It is general in nature and can be modified for alternative forms of poetry.

Most poetry publications are impressed by poems that are not too lengthy. Do not be afraid to be experimental, since uniqueness is a cherished quality. Each poem should be titled for clarity. The pages of the proposal should not be stapled or bound so copies may be made for multiple readers.

Miriam Sagan, a published poet and UCLA instructor, suggested seven tips for aspiring poets she believes are worthy in Writer’s Digest. They include: “Line breaks should feel natural, not forced, repetition of lines with a similar number of syllables can add to free verse, the opening word of each line should be compelling: use nouns and verbs whenever possible, and ending lines should strive for maximum reader impact.”

To enhance publishing opportunities, photographs or illustrations can be helpful. Many poets forward a self-published book along with the suggested new material. This can be helpful to show agents and editors the worthiness of previous work.

E-mailing of poetry Book Proposals is possible, but discouraged since a hard copy of the proposal is much more impressive. See Poet’s Market for details regarding submissions.

Book Proposals for poetry chapbooks (25-50 pages) compare with those for full-length books of poetry. Potential chapbook publishers and guidelines for submission can be found in Poet’s Market. Additional publishing alternatives are available in The Directory of Poetry Publishers, a Dustbooks publication. They also publish The Directory of Small Press/Magazine Editors and Publishers.

Regardless of whether you are submitting a Book Proposal for a full-length book or a chapbook, check publisher guidelines. Failure to do so is a death wish. Poetry publishing expert Jim Walker suggests being aware of suggested “reading periods” when publications indicate they will consider submissions. For a university publication, this may be during the school year or the summer months.

Book Proposal Magic

Whenever possible, the aspiring author or poet should submit a Query Letter and Book Proposal. Length of the proposal will vary, but it will seldom be more than 20-30 pages in length. As stated, a concise proposal of twenty to thirty pages can work to your advantage even when the agency or publisher under consideration requests that only Query Letters be submitted. If the Query Letter is sensational, the concise Book Proposal will gain attention and provide needed information about the book that cannot be specified in a one-page Query Letter.

At a high school seminar on book publishing, I listened as Marie Butler-Knight, former publisher of Alpha Books, an imprint of Penguin Group USA, discussed her interest in the following components of a Book Proposal: Topic (a story that is unique and compelling, information or instruction on a hot topic), Approach (a unique twist on a familiar story, a different way of presenting information), Market Size (how many people want this information), Author Expertise (understanding/knowledge of the subject matter, credentials), and Author Writing Ability (a fluid, coherent, readable style, effectively organized). She also mentioned Author Professionalism (willingness to take editorial suggestions and direction, ability to meet deadlines), Profit Potential (what will book cost to publish, what will it sell for, how many can be sold), and Fit For The Imprint (ability to publish this type of book, ability to promote). These are excellent suggestions any writer should pay attention to regardless of whether they are writing fiction, non-fiction, or poetry.

When your Book Proposal and Query Letter are the best they can be, forward them to a literary agent or editor at a publishing company using priority mail, Federal Express, or UPS. This indicates that you are dedicated and serious about the work and separates you from the thousands of others submitting material. Equally important, it provides you with a tracking number to make certain your package arrived.

Multiple books have been written regarding the preparation of Book Proposals. One is How To Write A Book Proposal by Michael Larsen. A book titled 1,818 Ways To Write Better and Get Published by Scott Edelstein is a competent resource as is Your Novel Proposal.

A final note regarding Book Proposals—it is imperative that each section stands alone. The writer cannot predict if a literary agent or editor will read from cover to cover or leaf through sections that are of particular interest. They may skip ahead to the Sample Chapter section first to decide if the writing has merit, or glance at the Author Biography or the Similar Successful Books material. With this in mind, write each section as if it were being submitted individually for consideration.

When the Query Letter and Book Proposal are submitted to a literary agency, any one of several people may read it. An assistant may peruse it before the intended agent receives the material. Readers are also employed by agencies. Their sole purpose is to scan Book Proposals to judge their worthiness.

The Query Letter and Book Proposal submitted to a publisher enter a hierarchy differing from company to company. At the top sits the publisher who operates as a quarterback dealing with editorial issues, as well as sales and marketing. Reporting to the publisher is the editor-in-chief to whom all of the editors report. Most publishers require that the editor-in-chief and/or the publisher sign off before a deal is finalized.

Reporting to the editor-in-chief, or the production director among larger publishing companies, is the managing editor. He or she deals with deadlines and coordinates information about the book. Reporting to the editors, or senior editors, are editorial assistants, normally young people new to the business. Any one of these people, or all of them, may read the Book Proposal before a final decision is made.

When a traditional publisher agrees to publish a book based on the Query Letter and Book Proposal, the cycle from idea to publication is complete. The accompanying chart at the end of this chapter provides a simplistic view of this process.

Whether the genre is fiction, non-fiction, or poetry, the Book Proposal, and its partner, the Query Letter, reflects the heart and soul of the book contemplated. By preparing ones that are professionally written, you boost your chances toward the ultimate goal—becoming published.

Summary

Essential Book Proposal components include: Title, Tagline, Author or Poet Biography, Book Audience, Similar Successful Books, Promotion Ideas, Book To Film, Outline, and Sample Chapters or Verses.

Search USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly, or the New York Times for best-seller lists for suggested Taglines.

Research the correct Book Proposal form.

Don’t boast about your book in the Book Proposal—show

readers why it is outstanding and must be published.