On this episode of the Book Proposal Podcast, Debra Eckerling answers the question, “When should I gather media for my book proposal?”

The short answer is: yesterday. As soon as you start working on a nonfiction book, you need to begin building your visibility through media.

One of the best things about working on a book proposal is that you can work on multiple sections in tandem. While you are figuring out the concept and the actual content of your book you can be working on the context section: your author platform, marketing ideas, and more. Media is a huge part of your author platform.

In this episode you’ll discover why gathering media should begin early in your proposal process, how and why media fits into your author platform and proposal strategy, ways to get started, and why traditional media still matters.

“You” are a big part of what sells your book. But you need to be out there and visible to show it

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Book Proposal Expert Debra Eckerling is the author of "Your Goal Guide" and "52 Secrets for Goal‑Setting and Goal‑Getting." Have a question about book proposals? Email [email protected] - you might hear your question answered on a future episode! Connect with Deb on LinkedIn and follow @TheDEBMethod for more resources and tips. Learn more at TheBookProposalExpert.com.

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On this episode of the Book Proposal Podcast, Debra Eckerling answers the question, “How do I restart a stalled book proposal?”

Whether your proposal got set aside after a break, was deprioritized under other work, or just felt stalled, it’s okay: things happen, life happens, and sometimes a project is simply “not yet.” Instead of being frustrated that it’s not finished, be proud that you’re ready to jump back in.

Debra walks you through how to reconnect with your existing work without pressure, using directed journaling to surface clarity, and revisiting key sections (like your overview) with fresh eyes. She also shares practical tips like setting a regular writing schedule, tracking progress, and remaining in action with deadlines. 

Listen to the full episode to discover how to reignite your excitement and get back into the habit of working on your proposal.

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Book Proposal Expert Debra Eckerling is the author of "Your Goal Guide" and "52 Secrets for Goal‑Setting and Goal‑Getting." Have a question about book proposals? Email [email protected]. Connect with Deb on LinkedIn and follow @TheDEBMethod for more resources and tips. Learn more at TheBookProposalExpert.com.

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On the episode of the Book Proposal Podcast, Debra Eckerling answers the question, “Should I submit my book proposal in December?”

The short answer is no. That's also the long answer. Unless you get a specific request for you book proposal, wait until after the holidays to send it out.

In the publishing world, especially when it comes to acquisitions, everything winds down between Thanksgiving and New Years. Everyone is extra busy with holiday obligations while they're trying to wrap up the work year, or they're just taking time off. Anything you send now will likely stay in a publisher's inbox for at least a month, and it could even get lost in there, buried beneath new submissions that come in the beginning of January. 

There are plenty of things you can do in December to build up your book proposal, including building up your author platform and scheduling more speaking and press. You can also attend holiday parties, so you meet new people and expand your network.

It is in your best interest to wait until the second week in January before sending a proposal out to agents or publishers. They’ll be back in the swing of things - relaxed, refreshed, and excited to read your proposal.

For more on Book Proposals, read Debra’s articles on WritersDigest.com.

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Debra Eckerling is a book proposal specialist, goal strategist, and author of “Your Goal Guide” and “52 Secrets for Goal-Setting and Goal-Getting.” 

Have a question about book proposals, email [email protected]. Connect with Deb on LinkedIn and follow @TheDEBMethod for more resources and tips. Learn more at TheBookProposalExpert.com.

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On the episode of the Book Proposal Podcast, Debra Eckerling answers the question, “What do I put in my author bio?”

You need three versions of your bio for your book proposal. Two or three lines in the query letter, a short paragraph in the proposal’s overview, and a one- or two-page author bio with photo at the beginning of the promotion section.

Whether or not your book is related to your day job or career, your author bio is all about leaning into your experience and expertise as it relates to the book you are writing. Start with the most relevant information - related to the topic, back it up with how people have been impacted by your knowledge/methodology/story. Also include any writing experience and basic info on your platform: website, social and traditional media, and appearances as a speaker. Conclude with some personal tidbits to make you more relatable. Add your personality and have fun with it!

The more human you can make your bio, the more you put your best, most educated and enthusiastic foot forward on your subject, the better it will be for your book!

For more on Book Proposals, read Debra’s articles on WritersDigest.com.

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Debra Eckerling is a book proposal specialist, goal strategist, and author of “Your Goal Guide” and “52 Secrets for Goal-Setting and Goal-Getting.” 

Have a question about book proposals, email [email protected]. Connect with Deb on LinkedIn and follow @TheDEBMethod for more resources and tips. Learn more at TheBookProposalExpert.com.

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On the episode of the Book Proposal Podcast, Debra Eckerling answers the question, “How do I format my book proposal?”

One of the keys to writing a saleable book proposal is you need to make it as easy to read as possible. That means using an actual word processing program - like Word or Pages - rather than the cloud, and creating a Table of Contents, so whoever is reading it can easily navigate through the different sections. Debra also talks about formatting the text, preferred fonts and size, and adding hyperlinks, as well as the rule about photos and other graphics.

For more on the Do’s and Don’ts of Book Proposal Formatting, read Debra’s article on WritersDigest.com.

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Debra Eckerling is a goal strategist, book proposal specialist, and author of “Your Goal Guide” and “52 Secrets for Goal-Setting and Goal-Getting.” 

Have a question about book proposals, email [email protected]. Connect with Deb on LinkedIn and follow @TheDEBMethod for more resources and tips. Learn more at TheBookProposalExpert.com.

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On the episode of The Book Proposal Podcast, Debra Eckerling answers the question, “How do I know if I am ready to write my book proposal?”

You can actually get started on your proposal at any time. However when you are really ready to dive in, these are the three things you must have: a unique marketable idea, expertise in the subject, and a desire to write the book.

Addressing the last thing first, Debra reminds listeners that they need to be the one who wants to write this book. If you're writing a book because people say, “You're such an expert, you need to write a book,” that alone will not get it done. You will likely find yourself procrastinating, stressed, and possibly less productive on other things. You may come to a point when you're ready to write it, but if it's not yet, just keep a notebook with notes on your book idea for when that time comes.

The other two things - a unique marketable idea and expertise - are the essence of the overview. Once you really “own” your expertise and are invested in your take on the topic, you are ready to really get to work on your book proposal.

More on the overview in episode 4 and what ducks to put in a row in episode 13.

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Debra Eckerling is a book proposal specialist, goal strategist, and author of “Your Goal Guide” and “52 Secrets for Goal-Setting and Goal-Getting.” 

Have a question about book proposals, email [email protected]. Connect with Deb on LinkedIn and follow @TheDEBMethod for more resources and tips. Learn more at TheBookProposalExpert.com.

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On the episode of The Book Proposal Podcast, Debra Eckerling answers the question, “What’s the most important part of the book proposal?”

Although every element of your book proposal is essential, there are three sections that will help you hone in on your book concept and positioning. The Overview, Audience, and Book Comps.

In the Overview, you express what the book is, what makes it unique, and what you are the best and only person who can write it. The Audience section is research-based. It’s where you share information about your demographics - individuals and groups - along with stats that prove there’s a large enough audience interest in your book. Your Book Comps - five traditionally published titles with high rankings and good reviews - is more proof of concept. These books sold, and yours is similar but different, so it will too.

Before you get too deep into the weeds of your book proposal, make sure you have a solid foundation (the Overview), Audience data, and a compelling case for the saleability of your book (Comps).

More on the overview in episode 4. More on audience and comps in future episodes.

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Debra Eckerling is a goal strategist, book proposal specialist, and author of “Your Goal Guide” and “52 Secrets for Goal-Setting and Goal-Getting.” 

Have a question about book proposals, email [email protected]. Connect with Deb on LinkedIn and follow @TheDEBMethod for more resources and tips. Learn more at TheBookProposalExpert.com.

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On the episode of The Book Proposal Podcast, Debra Eckerling answers the question, “How does the book submission process work?”

As you might expect, Debra says it all starts with writing a compelling book proposal. In tandem with that, research and create a list of agents and publishers you want to submit to. You can do this by reviewing similar titles - checking publishers, as well as agents mentioned in the acknowledgement section, and attending writer events. (More on finding publishers in episode 7.)

Study their submission guidelines and follow them to the letter. Note: Debra advocates for going the agent route, as they have access to all publishers; most of the large ones will not take un-solicited manuscripts.

Once your proposal is polished, write and submit a query letter, along with your proposal. Debra shares how nonfiction and fiction submissions differ, and why memoir authors should always have their full manuscript ready even though they’re submitting a proposal. After you hit send, the waiting begins. It typically takes two months or longer for a response. If there’s interest the agent or publisher will contact you with next steps.

Traditional publishing takes time, strategy, and persistence, but for authors seeking a credible platform with a larger reach, it’s absolutely worth it. Listen to the ep for more detail, insights, and examples from Deb’s experience. 

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Debra Eckerling is a goal strategist, book proposal specialist, and author of “Your Goal Guide” and “52 Secrets for Goal-Setting and Goal-Getting.” 

Have a question about book proposals, email [email protected]. Connect with Deb on LinkedIn and follow @TheDEBMethod for more resources and tips. Learn more at TheBookProposalExpert.com

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On the episode of The Book Proposal Podcast, Debra Eckerling answers the question, “What is an author platform?”

Your author platform is everywhere you show up on and offline. This includes your website, newsletter, online communities, social media, and traditional media. It's videos, webinars, speaking engagements, in-person activities, and involvement in organizations, as well as your notable contacts and connections. 

In each of the platform sections in your book proposal, you want to explain what it is, the kind of content you share, numbers - if they are impressive, and, if appropriate, the link, so whoever is reading your proposal can click it to learn more. 

In addition to website, social media, and any podcast or live stream shows, include recent media - articles, podcasts, TV, and radio, the link to your sizzle reel, and speaking engagements - on and off-line. The last part of the platform section is where you put your contacts: notable names and companies, community involvement, organizations - professional and social. These are people and communities, excited to spread the word about your book.

More on each of these segments in future episodes!

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Debra Eckerling is a goal strategist, book proposal specialist, and author of “Your Goal Guide” and “52 Secrets for Goal-Setting and Goal-Getting.” 

Have a question about book proposals, email [email protected]. Connect with Deb on LinkedIn and follow @TheDEBMethod for more resources and tips. Learn more at BookProposalPodcast.com.

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On the episode of The Book Proposal Podcast, Debra Eckerling answers the question, “How do I decide what book to write?”

Some professionals, whether they're a writer - and/or entrepreneur, executive, consultant - know they have a book in them, but they do not know what that book is. If you are uncertain how to find the focus of their book, try Directed Journaling. 

This is how it works: schedule 3, 4, or 5 15-minute appointments with yourself and during that time, brainstorm the answer to a question or series of questions, related to the same topic. In this case, your ideas would be related to the book itself, your topic options, sprint on the topic, or even why you want to write a book. Don't read any of your entries until after you've completed the exercise. Then, read everything straight through once and then read it again with a highlighter or a notepad next to you, so you can highlight or write down the things that you talked about the most. By the end of these journaling sessions, you should have a good starting point for your book. If you don't, do some more starter sessions. 

Once you have your ideas better formulated, do a quick comprehensive title search and see what other books are out there. That way, you confirm that your spin is indeed unique, yet books on similar subject matter still sell.

You can also use director journaling to dive a little deeper into your topic or concept and even use it to flesh out sections of your book proposal, such as the overview, book summary, and detailed outline. 

Remember, the idea is just the beginning. When you apply the structure of a book proposal to your concept, your idea evolves into a well-defined, saleable book. Add it to the other elements of your proposal - platform, marketing, audience, comps - and you are raring to go. Debra will cover those topics on future episodes. 

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Debra Eckerling is a goal strategist, book proposal specialist, and author of “Your Goal Guide” and “52 Secrets for Goal-Setting and Goal-Getting.” 

Have a question about book proposals, email [email protected]. Connect with Deb on LinkedIn and follow @TheDEBMethod for more resources and tips. Learn more at BookProposalPodcast.com.

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