Winning Book Proposals Need These 3 Things

When you seek traditional publishing for your nonfiction book, you don’t just write the book and send it off.

Instead, you craft what’s called a book proposal—an essential business document expected by publishing professionals like agents and editors.

With this document, you’re hoping to attract the attention and interest of industry gatekeepers so they’ll partner with you to publish your book.

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Before the Book, the Book Proposal

If you’re seeking traditional publishing for your nonfiction book, you do eventually have to write an entire manuscript.

But before that, you have to land a book deal.

To land a book deal, you need to attract agents and publishers to your project with a pitch that convinces them to request your proposal for review.

A convincing pitch followed by a polished, professional book proposal will do the work of “selling” your book to these decision-makers. Its job is to convince these agents and publishers you have what they’re looking for.

That’s why you craft a compelling proposal. In it, you’ll describe your project, of course. But as you do, your proposal has to pull off three big things.

What a Winning Proposal Needs to Convey

Let's cover the three things your proposal must convey to attract the attention of industry gatekeepers like agents and Acquisitions Editors (AEs).

1. A Concept That Pops

When someone's reviewing a stack of proposals—whether that's a literal stack on their desk or a list of virtual files on a computer—you want yours to stand out. The way to do that is to have a book concept that pops out from all the others.

These agents and acquisitions editors are flipping through maybe 20 or more proposals a day. They’ve seen the same types of projects over and over; writers pitch similar topics time after time.

But these industry professionals keep reading and reviewing proposals because they're hoping to discover promising new books. They’re on the lookout for an author who brings a fresh angle.

Develop a concept that proves you know your audience’s problems, struggles, and issues.

In the proposal, show them you have a book that offers a promise—and delivers on that promise. 

Demonstrate you’ll contribute something valuable to the broader conversation on this topic.

Do all that, and the agent will stop and say, “Wow, this is different—and it looks like it could sell. I’d better dive in and take a closer look.”

When you nail your concept and convey it clearly in the proposal, you’re on your way to attracting an agent or editor.

But when you land on a concept that pops, it’s not enough.

2. Writing That Sings

The second thing this project needs in order to attract decision-makers is captivating, quality writing—writing that sings.

The agent or editor reviewing your proposal will hear hints of your writing voice in the various elements of the proposal—but where you'll shine is in the sample chapters.

They can tell if you’ve landed on an appropriate voice for the project and its intended readers. They want to see if you know what your reader responds to. After all, the tone and style of writing you’d use for a leadership book for CEOs will differ from the tone and style meant to engage a stay-at-home mom of p...