The Why Behind a Book Proposal

No, agents and editors are not sadists. We do not ask you to write an extensive book proposal to torture you; although many say writing a book proposal is harder than writing their book. We ask you for a proposal to help us evaluate three things.

First: Do you have a marketable idea? Are you answering a question people want/need an answer to? Is there a waiting audience for what you have written?

Second: Are you a reasonably sound investment for the publisher? Do you have a platform that can help you sell books alongside your publisher?

Third: Can you write?

Did it surprise you that good or great writing is not the #1 requirement?

Coming up short in any one of these can knock you out of the game, but for any agent or editor to properly assess your book offering, we must have ALL the above questions answered.

No but- but- buts about it. The purpose of every page in a proposal is to convince a publisher to make an investment in you.

Imagine Linda as she approaches a bank in the hope of acquiring a business loan to launch her new bakery, “Another One Bites the Dust!”.

Linda is sure her idea to sell only individual baked goods OVER 1,000 calories each is a sure fire thing. This diet craze is a passing fad. People can now take a pill to lower their cholesterol and another to lower their blood sugar (folks who share her opinion account for a small demographic).  In preparation for her scheduled appointment with the loan officer, she has hired and paid a friend to write (and sing) the radio jingle she will use to advertise the store (an outdated marketing approach).  Linda has designed and pre-ordered the logo for the uniforms her plus size employees will wear (locking herself into a brand her publisher might want to help create).

Imagine her surprise when the Loan officer quickly shows her out the door. He isn’t about to risk the banks finances on such a niche market. The past ten years tell him this diet craze is a profitable industry and not going away (she did not have a marketable product).

Minimize that risk by writing one of the best proposals you can.  Nail your target audience, showcase creative ways you will help sell the book you are proposing (list healthy social media numbers and blog followers), and offer polished and well edited sample chapters.

Diana Flegal has been an agent with Hartline Literary Agency for twelve years. She represents mainstream and inspirational titles, fiction and nonfiction,  and looks for well polished compelling stories that stretch the reader’s viewpoint while affirming the human connection. When she is not reading submissions or stealing away with a recreational read, she is hiking in the mountains, or kayaking the many lakes of her home state, North Carolina.