: Re: What's the proper format for a book proposal that will be sent to multiple publishers? I'm working on a book idea ( historical fiction with creative nonfiction pieces) and I want to create

@Kristi637

Vote Up Vote Down

If you are submitting to a publisher that has their own guidelines, you should follow those, even if you are submitting many other places. They provide them for a reason, and following directions is the easiest gatekeeper to pass on the route to publication.

In my experience, the following are the most common generic asks for a modern book proposal, which is entirely oriented around solving the question "how will we sell your book":

Hook: Why would a reader buy this?
Audience: Who would buy this?
Author's platform (formerly author bio): What are you bringing to the table that will help sell your book? (expertise, name-recognition, social media presence, networks, etc).
Comps (comparison books): What similar books are currently doing well in sales?
Outline/Summary: Some publishers/agents want a brief outline, others want a detailed, chapter-by-chapter summary, it's often best to include both.
Excerpt: Some of the common guidelines are "the first 30 pages" or "the first 3 chapters". It should be absolutely 100% free of errors and typos.

Generally, your proposal should be a double-spaced, unremarkable 12pt serif font like Times or Times New Roman. I typically include a page header with my last name, the book title and the page number. There are a number of good online and print resources with more detailed instructions, I would highly recommend finding and following one --Writers' Market generally includes one in each edition, for example. Also be aware that many publishers/agents prefer to receive a query letter first, and a full proposal only on request. (The query letter usually contains only the hook, platform and comps. It's a good idea to include some indication that you've specifically targeted the recipient, not just sent out a generic e-blast.)

(0)

Login to post a comment!