What Exactly Do You Mean by a Proposal?

Many writers have asked this question. Although there are several different ways to present a non-fiction project, the following format is a standard one accepted by many agencies and publishers.

A typical proposal should have:

1. Title Page

• With the title page, make sure you have your title, name, and contact information

2. Overview

• The Overview should be a 1-3 page summary of your story (it's the non-fiction word for "synopsis")

3. Biographical Section

• The bio section should include pertinent information (any publishing credits, related jobs, etc.) about you

4. Marketing Section

• The marketing section basically explains why the book would sell. This is a good place to mention similar types of books or media that are currently popular

5. Competition Section

• The Competition section lists similar works with a brief commentary on how yours is different and/or better

6. Promotion Section

• The Promotion section details how you will help promote the book--book signings, mailing lists, speaking engagements, etc. Any connections you have or any endorsements you can secure would be a great asset

7. Chapter Outline

• The chapter outline is a brief listing of chapter titles with short summaries of the projected content

8. Sample Chapters.

• The sample chapters are pretty self-explanatory. Depending on length and variety of content, please include one to three of them.

Other important notes:

• All proposals should be double spaced for greater readability.

• Pages should be numbered.

• Any materials submitted will not be returned.

For more detailed information on proposal writing, we suggest Jeff Herman's Write the Perfect Book Proposal: 10 That Sold and Why, 2 nd Edition

Approaching A Literary Agent: Do’s & Don'ts

Things You Should Watch Out For In Choosing An Agent

Writing a Solid Query Letter

The Submission Process

Terms of Representation

Frequently-Asked Questions

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