Looks boring, right? But this is what you might see on the desk of an agent or book editor: a stack of book proposals.
Most people don’t think much about the appearance of a book proposal. They think that what’s important is the content.
Well yes, but believe it or not, agents and editors want your non-fiction book proposal to look a certain way. If you present something else, you run the risk of appearing unprofessional. Folders, binders, ribbons, andcolored type can make the most tolerant editor shudder.
Creating a good-looking proposal isn’t hard. Just follow the “less is more” adage. Here are my tips:
1. Write in plain text, double-spaced. Use bold face for headings and italics for the names of publications, but otherwise, don’t try to glam up your prose with colored type, all caps, exclamation points, and italics. Start with a Ms-Word file and make it into a PDF when ready.
2. Add photos. If you are a terrific photographer and plan to take your own photos, sprinkle a few gorgeous photos through your proposal, including on the cover page. Add a professional headshot in the bio section, not a selfie. If you want to collaborate with a photographer, add a link to his or her website.
3. Embed links. Most agents and editors read proposals online now, so embed as many links as are relevant. Doing so makes your proposal shorter and guides readers to the right place to see your freelance articles, blog, photos, YouTube videos, and other material.
4. Resist the urge to make it pretty. Proposals should look like a pile of pages bound with a big elastic band or a big paper clip. Don’t put yours into a binder of any kind. Find out how the agent or editor wants to receive the proposal. Most of the time, it will be online as an attached PDF.
5. Accompanying a proposal with food can be dangerous. I’ll never forget the story a cookbook editor told about receiving muffins along with a proposal. She put them in the break room. At the end of the day, the muffins were in the trash, with one bite taken out of each. As you might imagine, there was no book deal.
The challenge is to get all you want to say into a format that looks like a book manuscript. Think of it as practice for the real thing.
For more about the content of book proposals, see these previous posts.
(Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net)
Gee, thanks for these tips. But now I think I’m afraid of submitting one!
You’re welcome. But now why are you afraid?
Hi Dianne,
There are terrific tips! The submission process is daunting for sure.
My book proposal was done via snail mail, not so common these days, but each agency has its own set of rules. I think I was more comfortable and relieved to submit a hard copy, to print it out, to see it before I sent it. (Only because I have a tendency to hit “send” hastily and then notice a glaring typo error or some other grammatical hiccup afterwards.) I used a black “double-pocket paper construction portfolio” according to Michael Larsen’s How to Write a Book Proposal. I have to admit, my proposal looked smart. Although I didn’t include any supporting materials other than a cover letter and a business card, which has full color food photos on the backside.
Your #5 made me laugh! Unbelievable.
Still negotiating, btw. 🙂
Definitely, it should be printed out and proofread many times before sending.
I always recommend Michael’s book and I did not remember that he recommends a “portfolio.” I guess that’s the least offensive way to dress it up. Editors and agents can always take it out of the sleeve.
That story about the muffins makes it’s point! Glad you enjoyed it.
Re negotiating, it takes ages. Good that you have a lawyer on your side.
I wouldn’t have thought the process to be so draw out, but yes, so glad to have someone looking out for me and my interests. Thanks.
I like the story about the muffins in the trash and no book deal. Wow would that be embarrassing!!
Yes! I’m not sure she ever told the writer what happened. Agents and editors can be pretty terse when it comes to saying no.
Ouch about the muffins but in that case maybe wannabe cookbook authors should be required to include food?
Every single tip helps, Dianne, so thanks for putting it out there. Makes the process just that much less daunting.
You are most welcome, Jamie. Re the food, it sounds like a reasonable idea but you can’t control what condition it will be in when it arrives, ex. stale, congealed, etc.
This is so helpful, Dianne. Thanks for the great information.
My pleasure, Alanna. They are fairly minor points compared to writing the thing, eh?
Such a great article! I’m knee deep into my first proposal (if it’s possible to be knee deep and over your head at the same time) and your advice is so valuable. I look forward to attending your workshop at FBC!