A book that shows you how to write a book proposal that sells.
When people write a book, they usually write a full manuscript and try to sell that. For fiction that may be fine, but the fact is, more than 80% of nonfiction books are sold using a book proposal. Writing out a non-fiction manuscript before it’s sold may be a waste of time. What a writer needs to do is craft a book proposal that will get the attention of an editor.
Book Proposal Advice From an Editor
Book Proposals That Sell: 21 Secrets to Speed Your Success, by Terry Whalin, is a great tool to help the non-fiction writer. Whalin has been in the trenches on both sides of the editor’s desk. As an author he has written over 60 books. As an acquisitions editor, he has waded through tons of book proposals and manuscripts. If anyone knows how what it takes to write a book proposal that sells, it would be Whalin.
Book Proposals That Sell gives us great information before it even get’s into the 21 secrets. In the first couple of chapters, Whalin brings us inside the publishing house. This information is crucial to a writer.
The View From The Editor’s Desk
Most writers have no idea what an editor really does. Many writers think of editors as some ogre cradling a giant stamp slathered in red ink with nothing better to do than eagerly smash the word “REJECTED” on everything that passes by their desk. Whalin helps us understand the day to day responsibilities of an editor. This helps us get a realistic view of the mindset of an editor and why they might reject certain proposals over others.
Book Proposal Secrets Exposed
Whalin gets into the meat of the book with the 21 secrets. Each secret is laid out in its own chapter. Everything is explained so that each step is obvious without talking down to the writer. The book isn’t padded with unnecessary information. Everything is needed, from the statistics to the anecdotes.
The secrets range from the actual writing of the book proposal, such as secret number 3 called Understand What Each Chapter Will Contain, to tips on keeping organized, such as secret number 14 called Maintain a Log of Your Submissions. Some of the secrets are tips that can help all writers, not just those writing non-fiction.
Secret number 11 is to always send an SASE (self addressed stamped envelope). This is good advice for any writer that wishes to hear back from a publisher. Secret number 15, Build Editor Relationships, is something that every writer needs to do. This is crucial whether someone is writing for a magazine, a website, or a book publisher.
More Than Book Proposal Secrets
Whalin doesn't just leave us with the secrets, though that would be enough for most. He finishes us off with some appendices. It is amazing how much information Whalin is able to fit in a few pages.
Whalin gives us a checklist to make sure we leave nothing out of our book proposal. There is an excellent article written by Michael Hyatt, the President of Thomas Nelson Publishers, on book proposals. There is a sample book proposal that Whalin used to snag a sig figure advance. Whalin gives us an agent list, website shortcuts, and 12 maxims for any writer, among other things.
An Editors Dream – The Perfect Book Proposal
Every editor truly wants to find a book that will fill their need. The problem is that most writers leave crucial parts out of their book proposals or they go about things the wrong way. This puts the odds in the favor of someone that follows the rules and puts all of their ducks in a row. That doesn’t guarantee acceptance, but it does lessen the chance of rejection.
Terry Whalin has given us a road map to the best possible book proposal. The information found in this book will benefit every writer. The look inside the mind of an editor is priceless in and of itself. Whalin’s down-to-earth writing style encourages and guides the writer making the book easy to read and a pleasure. Book Proposals That Sell: 21 Secrets to Speed Your Success is a must have for any non-fiction writer. For any writer that wishes to get a glimpse inside the mind of an editor, this is book is priceless.
You can either get a hard copy or you can get it in e-book form. It's a small investment for continued success.
