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The Book Deal

The book proposal — here’s what publishers want

June 28, 2008 by Alan Rinzler

It’s the #1 question aspiring authors ask me: How do I get your attention?

Here’s how: Send me a compelling, convincing book proposal that knocks my socks off!

For those who’ve heard that a query letter should always precede a proposal, my view is that you may want to skip the query entirely and instead send in the complete package. More on that here.

So let’s move on to the five elements I want to see in a book proposal.

The five essential elements of a book proposal

1. A great hook

The hook grabs the reader. In no more than a few opening sentences, this overview of the book must command our attention and convince us that your work is so good we don’t want to put it down.

A good hook is like a one-two punch, stunning us with both your concept and your platform.

The concept should tell us what’s original and “must read” about your main idea. If you’re an expert in your field and have a new twist or discovery on the topic, that’s terrific. If you’re writing fiction, your story has to zing in two sentences of plot summary.

The platform should indicate how much success you’ve had in marketing yourself in person or in the media. Candor and honesty will be greatly appreciated. If you have no real platform yet, which is often the case, indicate that you understand its importance and are building one through speaking events, cultivating media, writing for websites, and social networking. You’ll have a chance to provide more detail in #4, below. The social media platforms that you are on can help you better connect with your network, so if you have accounts like Facebook and LinkedIn, for example, you may want to look at how LinkedIn automation software as well as other related social media software, can be useful during your marketing and connection phase.

2. A polished chapter outline

Whether you’re writing nonfiction or fiction, all agents and editors will appreciate a comprehensive two or three page chapter outline consisting of one or two succinct paragraphs on what is in each chapter, with no more than 10-12 chapters.

Remember this outline is a tool to show the focus and structure or the work in progress and isn’t carved in stone. No hype please, just tell us what’s in the book.

3. The first 20 pages of the book

It’s crucial that the opening of a book impress the reader, reviewer, sales rep, book buyer, agent, editor, and publicist. Everyone wants to see if you can write and if you can draw your readers into the story.

We can also tell what level of editorial development might be necessary. So please don’t send us a chunk that starts with page 21.

4. Your author platform

The platform is so important these days, you should include it both in the hook and again, in an expanded vitae.

Tell us who you are. Be sure to include your education, relevant jobs, publications small or large, any broadcast or print media appearances whatsoever, potential endorsements from credible authorities or celebrities in the field, and professional affiliations, speaking events or workshops or trainings you might lead.

For fiction, including conferences and workshops you’ve attended wouldn’t hurt, but only if they required competitive application.

One of the best things you can tell me about your platform is that you’re hiring a publicist. Editors and publishers love to hear that an author is committed to supporting a book’s publication by signing on with a professional publicist. This can be expensive, but it’s well worth it. Virtually all of my successful authors have their own publicists, and many are starting to retain web marketing specialists as well.

5. Your DVD performance reel

It’s great if you can offer a video of yourself on Oprah or the Today show, but few of us have those, so send a video from a local interview or speaking at a meeting or conference.

If you have nothing at all in hand, make one of your own. Sit down in your living room, have someone turn on a spotlight, and speak into the camera full face.

What we want to see is an author who can articulate a message, while remaining relaxed, personable, and authentic. I’ve seen an unknown author’s homemade video persuade a team of editors, publishers, sales directors, and publicists at a proposal meeting to take on a book, simply because everyone realized that this author would be a real asset in our marketing efforts.

That’s my two cents. Hope it helps.

Filed Under: Ask the Editor, How To Get Published, Marketing Your Book

Comments

  1. Alan Rinzler says

    September 2, 2013 at 5:25 pm

    Chivvis,

    Yes, you’ll still need to provide a three or four sentence prose summary of each scene within each of your 32 chapters. There’s no iron-clad rule about 10-12 chapters or else, so just be sure to polish up those brief scene descriptions and be careful not to generalize or let them run together.

    Remember, the outline is a tool to show the agent and publisher the story, and not the book itself. So write and edit and rewrite this chapter outline until it hummmmmms.

  2. Chivvis says

    September 1, 2013 at 5:54 pm

    Hi Alan,

    It’s great to read The Book Deal.

    I’ve got a question on a book proposal. If I’ve got a memoir with 32 chapters — way more than the 10-12 recommended — with no clear demarcations of subject matter within them — do I submit chapter summaries as part of my proposal? Seems fruitless. If I don’t, should I do something else instead?

    Thanks!
    Chivvis

  3. Alan Rinzler says

    April 13, 2009 at 9:44 am

    Derek-

    Yes, thanks for the correction. A section on the Competition should be a part of all book proposals. But be sure not to be cursory or dismissive or claim that your book is just better than any others. Agents and publishers will see through that right away. Go through key competitive titles carefully and with respect, especially those that have been been around for a while and have proven sales success. This indicates that there’s a good market, if you can show how your new book in the field has something original and compelling about it and you’re the only one who could approach it this way.

    -Alan

  4. Derek Murphy says

    April 13, 2009 at 9:04 am

    Great article – I’m surprised you don’t mention anything about an ‘outline of competitive titles’, or market research; are these things no longer important?

  5. Crystal Wright says

    September 4, 2008 at 9:06 am

    Thank you for being here. I have been self-publishing a how-to book for makeup artists, hair stylists and fashion stylists for the last 10 years. I’m over it. I realized the other day that I need a book deal or an investor that can take the pressures of the day-to-day publishing matters out of my hands so that I can write and SELL books.

    I went to google, like everyone else and put in the words “query letter for publishing deal” and got your blog.

    What a blessing you are to me this morning. I’m taking your five tips regarding a book proposal and I’ll be sending it out by tomorrow. I’ll keep you posted. Hopefully the next time I write a comment on your blog it will be to tell you how your tips worked!

    Sincerely,

    Crystal Wright
    http://www.CrystalWrightLive.com

  6. FloalMete says

    August 2, 2008 at 6:24 pm

    Thanks for posting

Trackbacks

  1. Get Your Book Proposal Critiqued | Girl On The Write Freelance says:
    April 9, 2009 at 11:59 am

    […] take a look at an earlier post, The book proposal: Here’s what publishers want for more detail on each of these […]

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