What Exactly Do You Mean by a Proposal?

Many writers have asked this question. Although there are several different ways to present a non-fiction project, the following format is a standard one accepted by many agencies and publishers.

A typical proposal should have:

1. Title Page
With the title page, make sure you have your title, name, and contact information

2. Overview
The Overview should be a 1-3 page summary of your story (it's the non-fiction word for "synopsis")

3. Biographical Section
The bio section should include pertinent information (any publishing credits, related jobs, etc.) about you

4. Marketing Section
The marketing section basically explains why the book would sell. This is a good place to mention similar types of books or media that are currently popular

5. Competition Section
The Competition section lists similar works with a brief commentary on how yours is different and/or better

6. Promotion Section
The Promotion section details how you will help promote the book--book signings, mailing lists, speaking engagements, etc. Any connections you have or any endorsements you can secure would be a great asset

7. Chapter Outline
The chapter outline is a brief listing of chapter titles with short summaries of the projected content

8. Sample Chapters.
The sample chapters are pretty self-explanatory. Depending on length and variety of content, please include one to three of them.

Other Important Notes:

All proposals should be double spaced for greater readability.

Pages should be numbered.

Any materials submitted will not be returned.

For more detailed information on proposal writing, we suggest Jeff Herman's
Write the Perfect Book Proposal: 10 That Sold and Why, 2 nd Edition

  Approaching A Literary Agent: Do’s & Don'ts

  Things You Should Watch Out For In Choosing An Agent

  Writing a Solid Query Letter

  The Submission Process

  Terms of Representation

  Frequently-Asked Questions

  Recommended Reading