Book Proposals
Publishing is a Relational Business
An old saying is applicable to this secret: “It’s not what you know but who you know.” This adage…
February 25, 2025-
-
Book Proposals
Maintain a Submission Record & Follow-up
After you have the various parts of the proposal and sample ready, prepare a list of publishers to whom…
February 4, 2025 -
Book Proposals
Why to Never Submit Your First Draft
Your first draft is only the beginning, not polished enough to send to a publisher. When your proposal is…
November 26, 2024 -
Book Proposals
Don’t Trust Your Spellchecker
As writers, many people choose the course of least resistance. It’s easy to leave the spelling and grammar…
October 26, 2024 -
Book Proposals
The Hardest Element to Find on Your Proposal
The most difficult element to find in your book proposal is something that is missing or not there. I…
September 26, 2024 -
Book Proposals
A Practical Example at Getting Endorsements
Last month I told you about how you can gather high profile endorsements for your book proposal. Check this…
August 26, 2024 -
Book Proposals
How to Get High Profile Endorsements
Do you know a well-known person who will agree to write an endorsement or foreword for your book? Resist…
July 25, 2024 -
Book Proposals
Email Your Pitch Before Sending Your Proposal
Before you fire off your proposal to a literary agent or an editor, get permission to send them your…
June 28, 2024 -
Book Proposals
Why I Simultaneously Submit My Proposals
In the early days of my writing, I wondered if I should submit my material one at a time…
May 26, 2024 -
Book Proposals
Create a Compelling Title
One of the biggest errors I see with book proposals is the author has put little or no effort…
April 25, 2024 -
Book Proposals
Write a Spellbinding Sample Chapter
One of the most important parts of every book proposal is the sample chapter. The sample of your writing…
March 26, 2024 -
Book Proposals
Make an Irresistible Proposal
Every author has a challenge with their submission to an agent or editor. How can your proposal become irresistible?…
February 25, 2024 -
Book Proposals
Create a Fascinating Marketing Plan
Many would-be authors are surprised to see this element in the component of an excellent book proposal. They think…
January 25, 2024 -
Book Proposals
Cast a vision of Your Book
As the writer of the proposal (and eventually the book), it is your responsibility—not the editor’s or publisher’s—to create…
December 25, 2023 -
Book Proposals
Understand and Know Your Competition
After reviewing countless book proposals, you would be shocked at the large number of authors who include a competition…
November 25, 2023 -
The Intentional WriterDo you need a book proposal “cheat sheet”?
If you hope to pitch a book to a publisher, especially a non-fiction book, you will need to write…
November 24, 2023 -
Book Proposals
Why Are You The Author?
As an acquisitions editor and a former literary agent, I’ve reviewed thousands of book proposals. For any writer who…
October 25, 2023 -
Book Proposals
Why Publishers Prefer Proposals
When you submit your materials, editors, agents and publishing executives prefer to read a well-crafted proposal instead of a…
September 26, 2023 -
Book Proposals
A Practical Story: Why A Proposal Is Important
At a small coffee shop, I met Joe Leininger who had traded for ten years in the Eurodollar Pit…
August 25, 2023 -
Book Proposals
The Difference Between a Fiction or Nonfiction proposal
Possibly you are an author who writes nonfiction and fiction. Because I’ve worked in both areas of the market—fiction…
July 25, 2023 -
Book Proposals
Begin at the Beginning
You have a burning desire to write a book. Join the crowd. You might be surprised to learn how…
June 25, 2023 -
Book Proposals
Brainstorm An Excellent “Working” Book Title
“The publisher will never use my title.” Or “It doesn’t matter what I call my book because the…
May 26, 2023 -
Book Proposals
The Missing Author Document
Most authors are focused on writing the best possible manuscript—an important task. While your writing is important, there is…
April 26, 2023 -
Book Proposals
Authors Who Succeed in The Book Business
Throughout my decades in publishing, I’ve written many different types of nonfiction books: biographies, how-to, diet, self-help, co-authored books,…
March 29, 2023 -
Book Proposals
Will An Editor Fix All My Mistakes?
Among writers in the publishing community, there is a false belief that my submission does not have to be…
February 25, 2023
