You’ve heard me and other professionals urge you to write a book proposal. I suggest that you write one before you start writing the book. But no matter where you are in the writing process, it’s never too late.
I’m working with 4 hopeful authors on writing their book proposals now in a workshop format. Each of the authors has a book fleshed out—most have done quite a bit of writing, already. But each of their projects has definitely been at least slightly reshaped since we started working on their proposals. It’s important to define your book’s purpose and to determine your target audience early on so you are writing the right book for the right audience. Right now, the authors are trying to hold the reader in their minds as they write. They are attempting to write their stories for their readers more than simply as their own ego trip.
Basically, a book proposal helps you to discover your book’s purpose; determine who your target audience is, where they are and how you will reach them; evaluate your competition and develop your marketing plan. Last night, we discussed that marketing plan. One author said, “So I want to tell the author where all of the bookstores are in the Los Angeles area—airports, malls, and so forth.” She asked, “Is that what my marketing section will contain; information about the bookstores where the publisher can place my books?”
“No,” I responded. “He knows where the bookstores are and how to get your book into them. He wants to know how you plan to bring people into those bookstores to buy your book.”
Your marketing plan should reflect your skills, talents, abilities, connections and ideas with regard to actual promotional activities you can and will pursue on behalf of your book. Do you know someone or do you have an affiliation with an agency within your field (the topic or focus of your book)? Do you have a following? Are readers familiar with your name as a magazine contributor or in this field of interest, for example? Have you been presenting seminars in this area of interest for many years? Are you a friend of Oprah’s producer? Do you have a massive mailing list? Are you planning to retire soon and spend a year traveling with your book?
The publisher will handle the traditional booksellers. He can get your book into bookstores. He wants an author who can entice the reader to buy it. He is looking for a savvy, energetic and creative marketer.
Learn more about writing a book proposal, locating and working with publishers and agents, promoting your book and much more in my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book. http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html