Write the Perfect Book Proposal: 10 That Sold and Why

This book is the definitive guide on how to write a strong proposal that will grab publishers attention and keep your book out of the slush pile.Like most writers I own tons of books on writing and getting published. I followed the guidelines suggested by the authors and my book proposal for Teen Goddess was accepted by the first publishing company I tried!I also highly recommend Deborah Levine's other book Spiritual Writing. If you write inspirational, new age or spiritual books it contains a wealth of information to steer you in the right direction. Write the perfect book proposal is the one book I would not be without -

To those seeking guidance with writing a book proposal to obtain a literary agent's services or to obtain a contract from a publisher, I strongly recommend both this book and Michael Larsen's How to Write a Book Proposal as well as Strunk & White's The Elements of Style. True, there is some duplication of advice in the Larsen and Herman books which convinced me that the advice is sound. Given the importance and -- yes -- the difficulty of writing a book proposal, and given the competition to obtain a literary agent and then a publisher, the investment in all three books is indeed a small price to pay. The Hermans organize their excellent material within two Sections: "All Aspects of the Proposal -- And Some Advice Thrown In," and, "10 Proposals That Sold -- And Why." The 12 chapters which comprise Section One do indeed provide just about everything an author needs to know about preparing a book proposal. The Hermans then shift their reader's attention to ten successful proposals and include a wealth of comments and suggestions in the margins of each. For example:"This is a great first paragraph in that it clearly states what the book is about and establishes the author's expertise." (page 85)"This is a good example of integrating biographical material with persuasive information." (page 99)"This is an excellent Table of Contents. It is clear, organized, and clever without being hokey." (page 116)"Although she wasn't mentioned on the title page, [Kathryn] Lance is the collaborator. Her bio sketch is strong in its simplicity. Her writing credits are voluminous, but she doesn't use up space here with a comprehensive listing. Instead she showcases only credits relevant to+ the success of this particular project. Comprehensive author resumes were also attached to the proposal package as an addenda." (page 174)"This is a blending of `markets' and `promotions.' This is fine, but it's better to separate them. Although promotions are part of an overall marketing strategy, `markets' occupies a unique place in the proposal, while `promotions' can describe the details of a marketing plan."These five annotations correctly suggest the specificity of guidance which the Hermans provide to their reader as she or he examines ten proposals which resulted in the publication of the books they describe. Perhaps while reading this immensely informative book, others will have the same reactions that I did: That it was written expressly for me, that the Hermans had anticipated all of the questions I needed answered (and then carefully answered them for me), and that -- meanwhile -- they were disabusing me of whatever misconceptions I may have had about the process by which to obtain the services of a literary agent and/or secure a publishing contract.To repeat, given the importance of an effective book proposal and difficulty of what the preparation of one involves, I strongly recommend that this book be consulted in combination with both Michael Larsen's How to Write

Jeff Herman founded his million-dollar literary agency at the tender age of 26; then he began telling people how to make it in his world. Write the Perfect Book Proposal: 10 That Sold and Why (now in its second edition) is a tremendous resource, and yet manages to deliver "just the facts, ma'am, just the facts." There's no extra verbiage here: in twelve extremely brief chapters, Herman outlines your book proposal and tells you how and why to follow his advice. The book (which may be read in one sitting) would be worthwhile just for this.Even so, its real value lies in the second section, which contains ten full-length, very different, successful book proposals, annotated in the margins by Herman for maximum instructive force. This is a real treasure, and will radically jump-start almost anyone's efforts.Whatever other books you have, this one should be on your shelf and in your hands.

This book gives excellent examples, with quick and concise advice on getting a proposal written. I sold my first nonfiction book, "In the Saddle: Exploits of the 5th Georgia Cavalry During the Civil War" in 1999 using "Write The Perfect Book Proposal." And last month I used it to prepare a proposal for my second book "Rebels, Saints & Sinners: Savannah Personalities of the Past." Yet, as useful as "How To Write A Perfect Book Proposal" is, I would also recommend reading one or two others to help flesh out more detail where Herman and Adams are somewhat vague. In this game the more knowledge you have, the better your chances of success.

This book is a valuable resource for any writer who is even thinking of drafting a book proposal. The book's strength lies in its unique approach: it doesn't just TELL you how to write a successful proposal, it SHOWS you what one looks like, and discusses specifics that agents look for that can help set your proposal apart from all the others.