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 wants to catch the attention of an editor or agent, one of the basics is to understand a critical aspect for them to include in their proposal. One of those critical elements is your proof about why you are the best person to write the book that you are pitching. In the proposal, this section often has a simple title: “About the Author.” In this article, I’ll detail some questions that you must answer in an engaging fashion to gain the attention of the editor or agent.

As you write this section, don’t be shy.

It’s the time to roll out your authority and credibility. Publishers give increasing importance to the author and their connections in their particular area of expertise. Six key areas should be included in this biographical sketch:

• What are your credentials in this particular subject area?
• What are your career credentials to write about this topic? Begin with your most professional credentials related to the topic, and then list other careers in descending order of importance.
• What is your educational background to write on this topic? In general, a Master’s degree and higher carries weight independent of the subject area, although some agents and editors avoid academicians and their writing. Academic writing is completely different than the popular type of writing which is most broadly published. Often someone steeped in academia has learned to write in convoluted sentences and difficult syntax. If you have a higher degree in a particular area related to your topic, it can help you if your writing does not sound like a textbook. Be aware that touting a higher degree can send a message that the editor or agent should be cautious.
• What credits, awards, publications and memberships can you highlight that relate to your topic? If you have published in magazines, then list some of them, particularly if the titles are familiar to the editor or agent. Leave out anything that would diminish your proposed work or you as the author.
• What promotional skills have you shown through your past books or publications? Not everyone has something to put in this area so don’t panic if nothing comes to mind here. If you have had success promoting other products, be sure to include them in this section.
• What personal data can you include? Some authors choose to leave off this final section, but it’s the one paragraph or opportunity for the author to show that they are an interesting human being—someone that the editor (or agent) would like to meet. This personal information will separate you from a mass of qualifications and credentials the editor sorts through as he or she makes a decision about an author.

Editors and agents will appreciate the energy and effort that you pour into this section of your proposal.

W. Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor lives in California. A former magazine editor and former literary agent, Terry is an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams and Billy Graham. To help writers catch the attention of editors and agents, Terry wrote his bestselling Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success. Get a free copy of his proposal book (follow the link). Check out his free Ebook, Platform Building Ideas for Every Author. His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com. Connect with Terry on Twitter, Facebook, his blog and LinkedIn.