If, like me, you have a blog, you want to make sure you not only get readers but also subscribers—people who get your blog posts either in their email box or via RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed. How do you do this? First, you make sure you have an RSS feed icon on your blog and you provide a subscription…
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The second part of the nonfiction book proposal is called The Outline. If you recall, the first part of the proposal is called the Introduction, and included all the sections I’ve discussed in the previous 10 posts. (Find the first post in the series here.) The Outline includes three sections: List of Chapters, Chapter Summaries and Sample Chapters. I’ll discuss…
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The Platform section constitutes the final one in the Introduction of a nonfiction book proposal. Here you prove you have done what it takes to create a built-in readership for your book. The Platform section can make or break an aspiring author’s chances of getting a publishing deal. Thus, be sure you not only have built a platform prior to…
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These days many book proposals include a mission statement after the About the Author section. Here you answer the question: “Why do I feel compelled to write this book?” Or answer these questions: “What’s my purpose in writing this book?” “What’s my mission in writing this book (or how does writing this book fit into my mission in life)?” “What…
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At this point in the proposal process you must write down all the reasons why you are the best person to write your book. This section is called “About the Author.” It, again, falls under the Introduction. Sounds pretty simply, right? It actually is. Write a biography of your expertise and experience in the third person tense. Include the most…
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The next section in the Introduction is called “Resources Needed to Complete the Book.” Here you will detail all costs related to completing your book and discuss when you will complete your book. Here are a few resources you might consider including : Photos Art Permissions Foreword by a celebrity In this section of a book proposal you also reveal…
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I’ve recently received several emails asking me when I might be teaching a workshop or teleseminar. My schedule’s been a bit crazy this past year, but I’ll have more time this coming school year to schedule both teleseminars and local retreats. Or, if you want to hire me to come to your neck of the woods, please give me a…
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Sorry I didn’t post the next part in my series on writing a nonfiction book proposal last Friday. I’m in New York for the whole month of August with my son, the dancer, and things got a bit crazy. (For the last two weeks I thought I might actually be moving to NYC for 10-11 months, and I’ve been apartment…
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Now we come to the Competing Books section of a book proposal. This is still part of the Introduction. Here you take a long hard look at what books already have been written on your topic and how your book compares to them. The reason for this is simple. You want to convince a publisher that the book you are…
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