How to Structure a Book Proposal

Most proposals are sent electronically, so file size matters.

The structure of a book proposal reflects both marketing and editorial interests of publishers. It has to present the author as being capable of driving book sales, as well as having skill as a writer. When agents and publishers request a proposal for a project, the organization conveys a sense of the author's professionalism. With few exceptions, even experienced authors must prepare proposals, and this applies regardless of whether a complete manuscript exists. Note that proposals for nonfiction books are required, but publishers don't usually request them for works of fiction.

Instructions

1. 

   The overview of the book proposal gives shape to the vision for the project.

   Write an overview. Think of your book project as a house, with the proposal's overview being the architect's rendering. It illustrates the vision for the project. It conveys why someone in the market for such a house would find it appealing and inspires trust in the designer. Be sure the overview contains the following information: genre of the book (such as memoir), unique characteristics of the book, to whom it holds appeal and why, and the reasons you have the ability to write and drive sales of the book. Summarize these points in one to two pages. Later sections will cover all of them in detail.

2. 

   The target market has distinguishing features.

   Identify the market. State in one page who will buy the book and why. Avoid generalities such as "every mother" or "managers." Target specific groups, such as "mothers of autistic children" or "project management professionals." To present a clear picture of the target audience, suggest which organizations or professional associations they belong to, as well as how many members those groups have. For example, an author with a book aimed at project managers could assert that the target audiences include the 500,000 members of the Project Management Institute.

3. 

   A track record in reaching target audiences proves the ability to drive sales.

   Create a promotion plan. This section addresses the author's current ability and plans to reach the target market. It builds on the previous section and may run several pages, depending on the author's media and speaking history. Here it becomes clear how the author can reach the organizations to which the target audience belongs and/or have exposure on the TV shows they watch. Every initiative to drive sales -- from social networking to live presentations to eye-catching endorsements from celebrities -- fits into the promotion plan.

4. 

   State specifically how the book differs from others like it.

   Provide a competitive analysis. This section answers the question, "What books do the target audiences currently buy?" As a corollary, when those readers hear the author's presentation or watch a TV appearance, what features of the book will make them want to become buyers? Differentiate your book from the others and indicate why members of the target market would buy yours instead of, or in addition to, the books cited. For each competitive book, list the title, author, publisher, year of release, number of pages, price and format (hardcover or paperback).

5. Write an author biography. In a one- to two-page narrative, express the key professional and personal factors that relate to the book project. For projects about science, medicine or other technical topics, append a curriculum vitae and publishing history to the proposal.

6. Include editorial material. The three concluding sections of a proposal begin with a table of contents, followed by a chapter-by-chapter synopsis and ending with about 20 to 30 consecutive pages of sample manuscript. Consider the table of contents a marketing tool: The chapter titles should both convey information and pique curiosity. The chapter-by-chapter synopsis need only provide a one- or two-paragraph description of the content of each chapter. For the sample material, choose text that represents the tone, pace and type of content in the book.

Tips & Warnings

• Double-space the entire proposal.

• Use a ragged right margin, not right justified.

• Use a simple font, or a combination of simple fonts, such as Times New Roman 12-point and Arial 10-point.

• Insert art, photos and tables only when they are essential to understanding the text. The exception to this rule is books built around images, such as photography books.

References

• Project Management Institute: About Us

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Game Plan Press