In the world of nonfiction publishing, the book proposal is king. Writers, agents, and editors may have conversations before the book proposal. But all the real action takes place when the proposal hits publishers’ inboxes.
If you’re a nonfiction writer who wants traditional publishing houses to take you seriously, a strong proposal is the place to invest your time and energy. And even if you plan to self-publish, writing a great book proposal is still, I think, the best way to start a nonfiction book project.
This article points to three fatal flaws of declined book proposals.
1. Lack of Clarity
Clarity wins, confusion kills. It’s important to get really clear on what your concept is. What is your book’s purpose? If your book’s description is at all muddled, proposal reviewers lose interest quickly.
We need to know what we’re agreeing to publish so we can help you develop and market your book. If we don’t have confidence that you the writer are clear about what you intend to write, we worry that we’re starting off on the wrong foot.
Here’s the back story on this one. Every publisher has had the experience of signing one book and getting another. Now, books develop and evolve in the writing process, we all get that, but when the final manuscript is significantly different from what was proposed, we get jumpy. We start to panic a bit and drink more coffee than we should, it’s just a bad scene. So if your proposal at all threatens this kind of experience, we’ll walk away.
2. Funky Bio
Your bio is important. A book contract is essentially a business agreement (and a book proposal is in some ways a business plan), so we want to know who our potential business partner is. Where do we find out? Your bio. But too often bios are funky. They sidestep telling us what a writer’s main vocational role is. They go on and on about the writer’s passions. They are overly clever or cute.
A good bio is between 100 and 250 words. It tells us your main vocation role, why you’re credible to write on your topic, what your previous accomplishments are, and something about your platform. A dash of humor is okay if it fits with the kind of book you’re proposing, and one sentence about your passion is fine. (I wrote more about this here and here.)
3. No Attention to Need
Frederick Buechner said, “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” The problem is when writers propose books that reflect an author’s deep gladness but show little concern for the world’s hunger. There’s a name for books that are merely about self-expression: diaries! And obviously there’s a place for those, and yes some get published (The Diary of Anne Frank comes to mind), but those are the rare exception.
Your book proposal should speak to a real need that real people have. It should emphasize how your book will address this need. Good questions to ask include:
- What’s the need my book will address?
- What’s the problem my book wills solve?
- What’s the itch my book will scratch?
- What’s the transformation my book will help readers experience?
Your Book Proposal Is Worth the Effort!
I hope knowing these three fatal flaws will help you avoid them. More importantly, I hope you’ll do the hard work of crafting a great book proposal. In writing a book proposal your ideas begin to take concrete form, and that’s the first step toward getting your book into the world.
Question: What need will your book address? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
My book proposal guidelines have helped countless authors write contract-winning book proposals. I’d be happy to send you a copy. Just click the thumbnail image below:
Chad,
What if what I do for a vocation right now is writing my book while staying at home with my children? To be honest, I don’t even like the “stay-at-home” mom label. But maybe that’s a personal issue? The book is on missions, and my husband and I were missionaries in Mexico for 4-and-a-half years, but we’ve been stateside now over a year.
Thanks!
The quote about not hearing ‘no’ might mean we’re not trying hard enough resonates with me. I will keep pushing myself. It’s all about the meaning and the message that our Lord places on our hearts…working on the work for His glory.
Amen!
I love the Buechner quote, so good. Thanks for the download.
You’re welcome, Lisa!
My book will teach employers how to attract and retain valuable employees by facilitating a bridge between corporate vision and the employees’ own talents, values, expertise and passions.
What company wouldn’t want to do that?! Good concept, Fran!
Thanks, Chad! Your post was very helpful. Without clarity, the concept (whatever it may be) won’t help anyone, will it?
I love the “funky bio” point. It always seems like people are trying to outdo each other with clever references to their love for coffee. I just thought I wasn’t hip enough to include something like that. Now I don’t feel so bad. 🙂
My book addresses the need parents have to raise their kids with a faith strong enough to withstand the tough secular challenges today.
Succinct and clear. Love it!
I’m off to a date with my Macchiato. 🙂
Great info, Chad. I shared your post with my 2 Canadian Writers’ Association. My current WIP? Babies die. It’s a fact. A terrible fact, but a fact nonetheless. There is a lot written about grief and loss, but when a baby dies, parents and loved ones have to navigate a unique path. My book is a series of short chapters detailing my family’s experience when we lost a baby after just 2 days of life. I share what helped, what didn’t, what confused me, what I didn’t expect. I see the book being available in hospital gift shops, for a start. Does that sound reasonable, Chad? What else might you suggest?
Wow, what an important book, Bobbi. I have no doubt it will help a lot of people. Bless you!
Our perfectly formed, full-term grandbaby died 4 days before induction date last May due to oxygen loss (crunched umbilical cord). Terrible shock, so unexpected, your book would have helped SO much. God bless you for getting a resource out there for heartbroken families!
Chad. My book proposal was accepted and I have an agent…we’ve been together for a year now. The problem is with the publishers: “We love Chris’ writing, but what about her readership?” It is hard for a publisher to gamble on a new face. I have been working on my website – small, but growing. This is all about Author Platform. What do you suggest and where do I go from here? I value your opinion too.
Chris, do you know of Michael Hyatt’s book titled Platform? I think it’s a great place to start. If I’d had more time, I would have included a fourth flaw: No Evidence of Hustle. I’m not saying this applies to you (it sounds like you ARE hustling), but proposals that do not demonstrate an author’s willingness to get out there and hustle and help promote his/her work are also doomed for the scrap heap, sadly.
One more thing: KEEP AT IT, Chris!! You can do this. It just takes time…