Publishers are sellers. They are only interested in books that sell. They don't want to spend time reading bad book manuscripts. You have to convince the publisher that your book is better than most and it could be a bestseller with their expertise. You can do that by writing a good book proposal.
A book proposal contains the description of your book and its selling points. It is your tool to get your book published. Write a good proposal that says your book is a must-have and a must-read, leaving no doubts to publish your book. Write a book proposal before you write your entire book. This saves you time if the publisher likes your book idea but has some revisions in mind. The writing process may include input from the publisher and editor; after all, they have experience and know what -- and what doesn't -- sell. Collaborate creatively with your publisher and/or editor and you will produce a better book.
What does a good book proposal look like?
A book proposal has no standard format. Just as you may use different writing styles, you can also write a proposal with a different style than the norm, depending on what information the publisher requests. For a book to sell, you have to custom-make a book proposal for the intended publisher. Adapt a style that matches your publisher's personality and style. The basic requirements of a good book proposal should include the following:
1. The title and the summary, or at least the premise of the book.
2. The distinctive selling point of your book.
3. The manuscript layout or plan.
4. The target market or audience with explanation and descriptions.
5. The author's background and writing experience.
6. Synopsis of every chapter of the book.
7. One or two sample chapters of the book.
You can rearrange this information in any sequence, as long as it convinces your publisher to publish your book.
What's a book proposal?
Think of it as a combination brochure and outline of your proposed book.
There's a standard format of material that your book proposal will need to cover. This doesn't mean you need to completely follow this format. It's just a guideline of topics your proposal must contain.
Your book proposal must contain:
1. A title page, with the title, subtitle, author, word count of the completed book, and estimated period for completion. You might state: "75,000 words, completion three months after agreement."
2. An overview: a description of the book. This can be as short as a paragraph, or several pages long.
3. The background of the author. Your biography, as it relates to your expertise for this book.
4. The competition in the marketplace. This is where you mention the top four or five titles that are your book's competitors. (Note: if there are dozens of competitors for your book, this is a good thing, because it means the subject area is popular. Your book will need to take a new slant.)
5. Promotions. This is where you describe how you will promote your book, both before and after publication.
6. A chapter outline.
7. A sample chapter, or two chapters. This is always the first chapter, and if you're sending two chapters, it's the Introduction and Chapter One, or if there's no Introduction, it's Chapters One and Two.
8. Attachments. Optional. You may want to attach articles you've written about the book's topic, or any relevant supporting material.
