For a
great book about getting published and writing book proposals. Click
here to find out more about The Literary Agent's Guide to
Getting Published by Bill Adler, Jr.
The
typical elements of a book proposal include:
Summary and Overview
The
summary should be approximately one page long. It should read like the back
jacket copy of your book will read-exciting and concise (without exaggerating.)
It tells the publisher in a succinct form what the book is about, who the
market is, and mentions a little about the author.
About the Author
This
section provides detailed information about you. Why you are qualified to write
this book? What is your education? Have you been published before? Go ahead and
brag. Include any blurbs about your previous works.
The Market
Whom
you see as the audience for the book? Why would somebody buy this book? How is
this audience reached? For example, are there some magazines aimed at the same
audience that your book is written for? Are there special conferences on this
subject (when and where)? In this section you should be as numerical as
possible. Do you have any special relationships to the market? Demographic and
polling information wouldn't hurt.
The Competition
What
other books are in print on the same subject? How is your book different and
better? There is always competition
because people can always buy some other book in the same subject.
Annotated Table of Contents
This is
a detailed chapter outline, with a paragraph or page describing what will go in
each chapter. The more information the better: This section lets the publisher
know that there's enough information to fill a book. No special format is
required: Just let the publisher know what each chapter will look like. (You
don't have to stick with this outline when you write the book.)
Sample Material
A
sample chapter or two. This section gives the publisher confidence in your
writing ability. Previously published authors can sometimes get away with no
sample material, but a sample chapter makes a big difference in what kind of
offer you get, or whether the book is bought at all.