Ahhh, the book proposal. I get many of them to edit or critique throughout the year. They come in all topics, sizes, shapes and configuration. And most authors’ first attempts require quite a bit of work until the proposals are presentable.
Here are some of the problems I see with book proposals:
• The synopsis is weak. It drags and is not relevant to the scope and theme of the book. Often I suggest that the author use his “introduction” or “preface” as a major part of the synopsis. The publisher wants to know what the book is about (many authors can’t accurately and succinctly describe their books), the purpose of the book and why it should be published.
• The competition section (where the author compares his/her book to what’s already out there) lacks integrity. The author simply lists similar books without good assessments or evaluations. The publisher wants to know what makes your book different—better than what’s already out there.
• The marketing/promotions portion is ineffective. Most new authors tend to blow in the wind—make, what I call, “proposal promises.” They list the promotional activities they plan to pursue, but offer nothing to back up their claims. When I send my clients back to the drawing board, I typically ask them to prove their promises—provide names and titles of their important contacts, describe their previous successes within the realm of their promotional claims. For example, if you say you will present workshops, show that you have experience. If you don’t have experience, get some.
• Chapter summaries read more like mini-chapters. I urge authors to describe their chapters not try to reproduce them in miniature.
• The author misses the point in her About the Author section. Unless your story is set in New England, the publisher does not care one iota that you were born there. He wants to know about your background as a writer, in the field represented by your book and, most of all, as a promoter. He may be thrilled to learn, for example, that you are getting ready to retire and will have gobs of time to promote your book and the money to do it up right.
If you are preparing a book proposal for a publisher, consider these five common problems and make sure that your proposal doesn’t include any of them. If you need help writing your book proposal, sign up for my on-demand, online Book Proposal Course at
http://www.matilijapress.com/course_bookproposal.htm