Your Overview Must Grab Attention

Editors are searching for good writing and submissions. How do they find it? Several years ago I asked another acquisitions editor how he finds a good submission. He told me the straight story saying,

“Terry, I read the first sentence and if it is a good sentence I read the next sentence. If it is a good paragraph, I read the next paragraph and if it is a good page, I read the next page.”

By implication, this editor revealed if it is a poor sentence or paragraph or page, he stops and goes on to the next submission. You can hear the full interview and other tips from this Christian acquisitions editor at: www.askandymcguire.com.

What is “good” is subjective but this editor showed me your best writing must be poured into the overview or opening of your proposal. If it is buried then the editor may never read that section.

“Don’t Bury the Lead” is a common instruction to new writers. Also this insight is taught in journalism schools. Literary agents and editors receive high volumes of email and physical submissions. If your prime material is over on page six, it may never be read.

There are many ways to capture positive attention from these professionals. Almost every element of a book proposal is important but every writer should give their opening paragraph a little bit of extra polish before sending it.

Here’s a number of ways to engage your reader:

1. Begin with a startling statistic related to your book or yourself. If you have millions of potential readers for your topic, beginning with this statistic captures attention. Also if you have a large email list or a social media following, this statistic can kick start the reading process.
2. Ask an intriguing question. A thought-provoking question is another great beginning to a proposal.
3. Open with an engaging story. Everyone loves a moving story. If you can tell this story in a few words with intrigue or entertainment, you pull the editor or agent into your proposal.

Whatever method you use, it is important to get the editor or agent reading your submission. Writers have confided to me their key material in the eighth chapter. My advice: don’t do it. Your reader may never get there. Start the overview of your proposal with a bang.

Terry Whalin is an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. He has written over 60 books and for more than 50 magazines including Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams. Get his free Book Proposal Checklist at: terrylinks.com/bookcheck. Also Terry is the author of the bestselling Book Propoals That $ell which has over 130 Five Star reviews. Terry has discounted the book and has all of the remaining copies at: BookProposalsThatSell.com. He has over 220,000 followers on twitter. twitter.com/terrywhalin