How To Write A Book Proposal - Super Fast

How to Write a Book Proposal Super Fast!
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Book Proposal Secrets : How to Write a Book Proposal by Dan Strauss

Discover how to sell your book to a leading publisher and grab yourself a five-figure cash advance all without ever having to write a single word Download your copy at http:!!www"BookProposalWriting"co#!ad-secrets"ht#l

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T")*E %$ +%,TE,TS
TABLE OF CONTENTS.................................................................................................3 Sell your book the easy way --- sell a proposal.............................................................11 You an your publ!sher" a partnersh!p...........................................................................1# $hy wr!te a book proposal %!rst&...................................................................................1' (ow o you wr!te a book proposal&..............................................................................1) (ow to use th!s ebook....................................................................................................1* $ork FAST ........................................................................................................................................1+ Can,t e-ote a week to wr!t!n. your proposal& ........................................................................................................................................1+ /ay One Tasks...............................................................................................................10 Task One" Look o-er %our non-%!1t!on books ........................................................................................................................................10 Task Two" $ork throu.h the 2 ea 3enerator e4er1!ses !n th!s 1hapter ........................................................................................................................................#5 Task Three" Create a 1o6puter %ol er to hol your work!n. %!les ........................................................................................................................................#5 Task Three" Create a $ork Lo. ........................................................................................................................................#1 $hat,s a book proposal& ........................................................................................................................................#1 3ot an ! ea %or your book& 3reat7 ........................................................................................................................................#3 Start here to e-elop an ! ea %or your ne4t book ........................................................................................................................................#'


2 ea 3enerator One" $hat you,re .oo at ........................................................................................................................................#) 2 ea 3enerator Two" Your past e4per!en1es ........................................................................................................................................#* 2 ea 3enerator Three" Your knowle .e ........................................................................................................................................#+ 2 ea 3enerator Four" $hat you en8oy 6ost ........................................................................................................................................#9 2 ea 3enerator F!-e" Fro6 1hallen.e to opportun!ty ........................................................................................................................................#0 Che1kl!st" 2s th!s the r!.ht ! ea %or you TO/AY& ........................................................................................................................................35 /AY T$O" /e-elop your ! ea an assess the 6arket......................................................................3# /ay Two Tasks ........................................................................................................................................3# Task One" :eep stu y!n. non-%!1t!on books ........................................................................................................................................3# Task Two" /e-elop your ! ea ........................................................................................................................................33 /!spell!n. 6yths an a wor about 1on%! en1e ........................................................................................................................................33 ;yth One.......................................................................................................................33 ;yth Two.......................................................................................................................3' ;yth Three.....................................................................................................................3' ;yth Four..................................................................................................................3)

To ay we,ll e-elop your ! ea an assess the 6arket ........................................................................................................................................3* Note" your personal e4per!en1e !s -aluable ....................................................................................................................................3* S!6ple steps !n e-elop!n. your ! ea............................................................................3+ 1. $r!te own e-eryth!n. you know about th!s ! ea ....................................................................................................................................3+ #. ;ake a lon. l!st o% poss!ble book t!tles.................................................................30 3. Create a l!st o% 1onta1ts..........................................................................................'5 Assess the 6arket %or your book ........................................................................................................................................'5 1. <!s!t lar.e bookstores ....................................................................................................................................'5 #. <!s!t your l!brary ....................................................................................................................................'1 3. A6a=on.1o6 ....................................................................................................................................'3 $r!te a report on your !s1o-er!es.................................................................................'3 /AY T(>EE" $r!te the blurb an outl!ne your book...........................................................................'' /ay Three Tasks............................................................................................................'' Task One" $r!te at least three blurbs.............................................................................'' Task Two" Colle1t sa6ple blurbs..................................................................................'' $r!t!n. the blurb............................................................................................................') Your blurb helps your a.ent an e !tor to .et a 1ontra1t %or you. Your blurb !s the ?sales story? %or your book. 2% your a.ent be1o6es enthus!ast!1 about your book@ she,ll be1o6e enthus!ast!1 on the bas!s o% your blurb. She,ll use the blurb as her sales


p!t1h to other people. For e4a6ple@ when she talks to an e !tor at a publ!sh!n. house who 6ay be !ntereste !n your book@ she,ll start w!th your blurb. The 1on-ersat!on w!ll stop there !% the e !tor oesn,t see the book,s potent!al. Let,s say that the e !tor l!kes the blurb enou.h to look at the proposal. 2% she,s st!ll keen@ !t,s her turn to sell your book@ on the bas!s o% the blurb@ to the other people !n the publ!sh!n. 1o6pany. She,ll nee to 1on-!n1e Sales an ;arket!n. that they 1an sell your book. 2% they,re not keen@ you won,t .et an o%%er. ...............................................................................'* Sa6ple blurbs.................................................................................................................'+ $r!te your blurb !n easy steps.......................................................................................)# One" ;ake a l!st o% the bene%!ts to the rea er................................................................)# Two" >ank the bene%!ts..................................................................................................)3 Three" $r!te se-eral blurbs@ !n -ar!ous len.ths.............................................................)' Essent!al blurb a -on" the test!6on!al..........................................................................)' Outl!n!n. your book.......................................................................................................)) Start w!th a 6!n 6ap ........................................................................................................................................)) Create your outl!ne ........................................................................................................................................)* /AY FOA>" .................................................................................................................)9 >esear1h your book proposal@ an %lesh out your book,s outl!ne..................................)9 ........................................................................................................................................)9 /ay Four Tasks..............................................................................................................)9 Task One" Create your resear1h plan ........................................................................................................................................)9 Task Two" Create a 1hapter outl!ne %or your book .......................................................)0 Book >esear1h" (ow 6u1h o you nee to know&.......................................................)0

Your resear1h plan.........................................................................................................*5 $ork on your book,s outl!ne an the %!rst 1hapter@ as you resear1h..............................*# The Bra!n-/ea Bro1ess................................................................................................*# $hat .oes !nto your 1hapter outl!ne&........................................................................*9 $!ll you nee .raph!1s or photo.raphs& ........................................................................................................................................+5 /AY F2<E" $r!te your proposal Cuery letter@ an sub6!t !t to a.ents an publ!shers......................+# /ay F!-e Tasks..............................................................................................................+# Task One" Start a 1onta1t l!st o% l!terary a.ents an book publ!shers ...........................+# Task Two" Sen out ten Cuery letters to a.ents an publ!shers.....................................+3 To ay you wr!te your proposal Cuery letter...................................................................+' /o you nee a l!terary a.ent&........................................................................................+' Onl!ne resour1es to help you !n your l!terary a.ent-hunt ....................................................................................................................................+* Sen !n. your Cuery letter !re1tly to publ!shers............................................................++ Yes@ you 1an 6ult!ple-sub6!t your Cuery letter@ an e-en your book proposal............+0 Sa6ple Duery Letter......................................................................................................95 Another sa6ple Cuery letter...........................................................................................9' $r!te your Cuery letter7.................................................................................................9+ (ere,s a Cu!1k outl!ne %or your Cuery letter"..............................................................9+ ?/on,ts? %or your Cuery letter" ....................................................................................................................................99


1. /on,t 6ake unsupporte 1la!6s %or yoursel% or your book ....................................................................................................................................99 #. /on,t 6ent!on that you,re unpubl!she ....................................................................................................................................99 3. /on,t 6ent!on that your partner@ your best %r!en @ or the 6!lk6an th!nk that you,re a .oo wr!ter or that you,-e .ot a br!ll!ant ! ea %or a book ....................................................................................................................................90 '. /on,t be spe1!%!1 ....................................................................................................................................05 /AY S2E"......................................................................................................................0# $r!te the book proposal.................................................................................................0# ........................................................................................................................................0# /ay S!4 Task..................................................................................................................0# Task One" $r!te the !n!t!al ra%t o% your book proposal................................................0# ....................................................................................................................................0# >ela47 You,ll wr!te your ra%t !n sta.es.........................................................................0# Let,s wr!te the book proposal ........................................................................................................................................0+ Your 1hapter outl!ne ....................................................................................................................................0+ Your ba1k.roun Fwhy you,re the person to wr!te th!s book ....................................................................................................................................0+ $r!te the O-er-!ew......................................................................................................155 Sa6ple O-er-!ew $r!t!n. To Sell 2n The 2nternet A.e ..................................................................................................................................151

The 2nternet .!-es wr!ters unl!6!te new opportun!t!es..........................................151 A how-to plus a how-they- ! -!t..............................................................................15' $hat 2 won,t be !n1lu !n.........................................................................................15' /on,t hype@ BAT /O 2NCLA/E E<E>YT(2N3 >ELE<ANT............................15) Your O-er-!ew,s len.th...............................................................................................15) $r!te the Bro6ot!ons se1t!on.......................................................................................15* Bro6ot!n. w!th 6oney ......................................................................................................................................15* Bro6ot!n. w!th t!6e ......................................................................................................................................15+ Sa6ple Bro6ot!ons se1t!on $r!t!n. To Sell 2n The 2nternet A.e...........................15+ ;y plan outl!ne........................................................................................................159 $r!te the Co6pet!t!on se1t!on.....................................................................................115 /AY SE<EN"..............................................................................................................111 $r!te the sa6ple 1hapter an re-!se your proposal.....................................................111 /ay Se-en Tasks ......................................................................................................................................111 Task One" $r!te the sa6ple 1hapter........................................................................111 Task Two" >e-!s!on.................................................................................................111 To ay you wr!te your sa6ple 1hapter ......................................................................................................................................11# 1. >erea your notes................................................................................................113 #. Talk to yoursel% on paper.....................................................................................113 3. $hen you,re rea y@ wr!te.....................................................................................11' >e-!s!n. your book proposal ......................................................................................................................................11)


(ow to re-!se
10
..................................................................................................................................11* 1. >ea the ent!re proposal.......................................................................................11* #. Slash an burn......................................................................................................11+ 3. A 6ater!al.........................................................................................................11+ '. >ea %or 1oheren1y..............................................................................................11+ ). >e-!se %or style....................................................................................................11+ *. Copye !t...............................................................................................................119 You,re one7.....................................................................................................................119

Introduction Sell your book the easy way --- sell a proposal
/ou can get paid to write a book" *t0s easily possible to #ake a fast 123.333. or even a si- figure a#ount" /ou could even #ake seven -i.ures --- over a million dollars -or twenty pa.es o- te/t. *t sounds incredible. but a fast seven figures is certainly possible if you have a HOT, hot idea or have had an e-perience that hundreds of thousands of people want to read about" *n his book about writing non-fiction. Damn! Why Didn't I Write That?. author 4arc 4c5utcheon says that it0s not hard to #ake a good inco#e: 6you can learn the trade and begin #aking a respectable inco#e #uch faster than #ost people think possible"7 (he good part is that you don0t need to write your book before you get so#e #oney" /ou write a proposal. and a publisher will give you an advance. which you can live on while you write the book" Writing a proposal is the s#art way to write a book" *t0s the way professional writers sell non-fiction" Selling a book on a proposal is #uch easier than selling a book that you0ve already written" 8 book


an e-planation of what the book0s about. an outline of chapters. a #arket and co#petition survey. and a sa#ple chapter" 8 book proposal functions the sa#e way a business proposal does: you0re #aking an offer to so#eone with who# to do business" Publishers will treat your book proposal in the sa#e way that any proposal is a co#plete description of your book" *t contains the title.
12
business treats a proposal" 8 publisher will read your proposal. assess its feasibility. cost it. and if it looks as if the publisher will #ake #oney. the publisher will pay you to write the book" When you0ve sold your proposed book to a publisher. your role doesn0t end with writing your book" /ou0re in partnership with your publisher to ensure the book0s success" *f you do your part. both you and your publisher will #ake #oney"
0ou and your publisher& a partnership

(he publisher0s business is selling books" (he co#pany ac9uires books which it hopes will sell -- and sell well" /our publisher is putting up the #oney to publish your book. so you need to approach the pro:ect fro# his point of view as well as your own"

We don0t have the space to go into great detail about the publishing business here. but you need to know about 6returns.7 because the challenge of returns #akes publishing different fro# other businesses" Publishers sell books on consign#ent" Publishers ship books to bookshops. and if a book isn0t sold within a certain ti#e period. it0s destroyed" (he bookseller strips the cover fro# the book and sends the cover to the publisher for a full credit" (his is the 6return"7 *f a title doesn0t sell. the publisher takes a beating" 8s you can i#agine. publishers are no keener to lose #oney than you or *" What does this #ean to you as you write your book proposal; *t #eans that your proposal needs to e#phasi<e the ways in which you. as the writer. will take responsibility for the book0s success" /ou will try to ensure the success of your book by gauging the #arketplace" /ou will work out who the likely buyers of your book #ight be. and the reasons they will have for paying good #oney for your book" /ou0ll assess the co#petition for your book" /ou0ll work out ways in which you can pro#ote your book. so that people hear about it" /ou0re in partnership with your publisher. and if you0re prepared to take responsibility for that role. the publisher will be #ore likely to buy your proposal"


14
hy write a book proposal -irst1

8ll non-fiction books are sold on proposal" 8 book proposal is #uch easier to sell than a co#plete book" Here are so#e of the reasons: *t0s easier to read a =3 or >3 page proposal than a ?33 page book@ *t0s easier to #ake changes in the book0s concept at the proposal stage@ With a proposal. the publisher. in the person of your editor. can take ownership of the book" *t0s like bespoke tailoring: the editor feels the book has been specifically written for the publishing house"
%ven if you decide to write your book first. you0ll need to create a proposal once you0ve written it" Ao agent or publisher is interested in reading an entire book to assess its viability" (hat0s the proposal0s :ob: to ensure that your book has a niche in the #arketplace" 8s you do your research for the proposal. you0ll work out whether or not your book is likely to sell" /ou can shape the book at the proposal stage.

#uch #ore easily than you can when it0s a huge stack of print or a giant co#puter file" So#eti#es you #ay get an idea for a book. but the idea is a#orphous. it doesn0t have a real shape" /ou #ay want to write several thousand words to see whether the book beco#es clearer in your #ind" But write the proposal before you write #ore than ten thousand words. because your book #ust target a specific group of buyers"
2ow do you write a book proposal1

/ou write a proposal step by step" *n this ebook. we0ll work on your book proposal together" %ach chapter has tasks for you to co#plete" )nce you0ve co#pleted all the tasks. you0ll have a book proposal which has an e-cellent chance of selling" Here0s what we0ll cover:

3Day %ne4 Betting an idea for your book" 3Day Two4 Developing the idea and e-panding on it" 8ssessing the #arket" Who needs this book; What0s the co#petition for the book;
3Day Three4 Writing the blurb" )utlining your book"


16
3Day $our4 'esearching your book proposal. and fleshing out your outline" 3Day $ive4 Writing a proposal 9uery letter" Sending your 9uery letters to agents and publishers" C/ou send the 9ueries while you0re working on the proposal" (his helps you to gauge reaction to your work"D
3Day Si/4 Writing the proposal" 3Day Seven4 Writing the sa#ple chapter" 'evising your proposal"
*0ve include a sa#ple of a book proposal for you to look at. so you can see what #aterial the proposal contains" (his proposal garnered an agent contract the first ti#e * sent it out" *0ve also include other sa#ples. so that you have plenty of te#plates to help construct your own proposal"
2ow to use this ebook

$irst. read through the book. to see what infor#ation it contains" Ae-t. work through the book. chapter by chapter" 8s you read each chapter. do the tasks and the e-ercises in the order in which they

appear" Doing the# will help you to write not :ust one. but #any book proposals" 'e#e#ber. the pri#ary ai# of this book is to help you write your first book proposal and be well on the way to selling it by the ti#e you0ve worked your way through all the chapters"
ork $"ST
*t0s vital that you concentrate on getting the words down on paper" 8s long as you have so#ething on paper. you can fi- it" 8s we work through the #aterial. *0ll be encouraging you to work $8S( and not think too #uch about what you0re writing" (hinking has no business in your first draft" (hinking co#es later as you rewrite"
+an5t devote a week to writin. your proposal1

*f you0re on vacation you can set aside a couple of weeks to work on your proposal" But what if you don0t have a vacation due; %asy /ou can fit writing into your busy life" /ou0ll still follow all the steps. but it will take you longer" (ry to stick to a set schedule" /ou #ay decide to co#plete a chapter a week. for e-a#ple"


18
ork everyday.
Work on your book proposal %E%'/ D8/. even if you only have five #inutes to spare" (his is because at the beginning. ideas are fragile" (i#e spent with your proposal each day helps you to build and #aintain your energy and your enthusias#"
D"0 %,E&
What0s a book proposal; Bet an idea for your book
Day )ne (asks Task %ne& *ook over -our non--iction books
(ake your notebook and visit a bookstore" Ski# four non-fiction books of the kind which you hope to write" 5heck the nu#ber of pages. the table of contents. and chapter length" How are these books written; 8re they written in a casual. tongue-in-cheek style like the For Dummies series; Do they include #any anecdotes and personal infor#ation about the author;


year of publication" 8lso write down anything you find interesting about the book" Scan the acknowledge#ents page to see whether the
20
*n your notebook. write down each book0s title. author. publisher and
author thanks her editor and her agent" 4ake a note of their na#es if she does" C(hese people #ay be interested in your proposal if it covers a si#ilar sub:ect area"D
Task Two&
ork throu.h the Idea 6enerator
e/ercises in this chapter

'ead the Idea Generators. and do at least three of the#. even if you already have an idea for your book" Working through this #aterial is i#portant because it will give you confidence that it0s easy for you to find as #any ideas as you need"
Task Three& +reate a computer -older to hold your workin. -iles

5reate a folder on your co#puter to hold all the files for your book" 8s you work. you0ll generate #any files" 5reate sub-folders as you need the#"
Task Three& +reate a
ork *o.
5reate a file on your co#puter as a diary for this pro:ect" Paste all the infor#ation you gather while searching the *nternet and while co##unicating with others in this log" Date each entry" *f you need to leave your pro:ect for a few days. you can read your log to get back into the groove of your pro:ect"
hat5s a book proposal1

8 book proposal is a business docu#ent that convinces a publisher to buy your book before you0ve written it" /our proposal says. in effect: 6Hey. * have a great idea for a book which lots of people will want to buy" Do you want to publish it;6 (hink of it as a co#bination brochure and outline of your proposed book"


(here0s a standard for#at of #aterial that your book proposal will need to cover" (his doesn0t #ean you need to co#pletely follow this for#at" *t0s :ust a guideline of topics your proposal #ust contain" Your book proposal must ontain!
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8 title page. with the title. subtitle. author. word count of the co#pleted book. and esti#ated period for co#pletion" /ou #ight state: 6FG.333 words. co#pletion three #onths after agree#ent"6
8n overview: a description of the book" (his can be as short as a paragraph. or several pages long"
(he background of the author" /our biography. as it relates to your e-pertise for this book"
(he co#petition in the #arketplace" (his is where you #ention the top four or five titles that are your book0s co#petitors" CAote: if there are do<ens of co#petitors for your book. this is a good thing. because it #eans the sub:ect area is popular" /our book will need to take a new slant"D
Pro#otions" (his is where you describe how you will pro#ote your book. both before and after publication"
8 chapter outline" 8 sa#ple chapter. or two chapters" (his is always the first chapter. and if you0re sending two chapters. it0s the *ntroduction and 5hapter )ne. or if there0s no *ntroduction. it0s 5hapters )ne and (wo"
8ttach#ents" )ptional" /ou #ay want to attach articles you0ve written about the book0s topic. or any relevant supporting #aterial"
6ot an idea -or your book1 6reat7

*f you already have an idea for your book. that0s great" Please work through the #aterial in this chapter using your current idea. or :oin us in developing new ideas" )pen a new co#puter file so that you can work through the e-ercises as we progress"


24
Start here to develop an idea -or your ne/t book

(here0s nothing #ysterious about co#ing up with ideas" Within a page or two. you0ll have #ore ideas than you know what to do with" /our ideas start with /)+" When you think about what you en:oy. about your past e-periences and your knowledge. you0re guaranteed a regular fountain of ideas" &et0s turn on the fountain" 8s you do the following e-ercises. work through the# 9uickly" Don0t allow yourself to bog down" Do the# as 9uickly as you can. and then go and do so#ething else for a few hours. to let the ideas gestate and bubble in your subconscious #ind" When you co#e back. read through the ideas you generated. and add to the# as you read your lists" Please don't discard any ideas at this stage. (he way to a brilliant. fantastic idea is by twisting an idea slightly. reversing it. or by co#bining several ideas into a new one" Searching for ideas alerts your subconscious #ind that ideas are i#portant to you" )ver the ne-t few days. you #ay get a nudge fro# an idea which says: 6Write me do"n"7 Do that right away. even if you0re in the #iddle of a shower or you0re driving along the freeway"

C*f you0re driving. pull over"D Write that idea down. because even if you0re one hundred per cent certain that you will never in this lifeti#e forget that a#a<ing idea you :ust had. believe #e. you will forget it" Write it down. always" When you stay alert to the idea hovering at the corners of your consciousness you will never be without a book bubbling away" (his is how you turn your first book into a long series of books"
$irst thin. in the mornin. is a .reat time to .enerate ideas. Set your alarm ten minutes early, then sit up in bed and 8ot down 9: ideas.
Idea 6enerator %ne&
hat you5re .ood at
4ake a list of =3 things you0re good at" Don0t think too hard about this" 4aybe you0re good at buying presents for peopleHyou0ve got a knack for choosing :ust the right gift" 4aybe you0re a good cook. or a good parent. or a good swi##er or a good tennis player" )r #aybe you used to be good at one or #ore of these things" $or e-a#ple: * grew up with horses. and owned horses for #any years" *0# good with


*0d feel co#fortable writing the book" /ou get the idea" &ist at least =3 things that you0re good at. or have
26
horses. and a good rider" *f * saw a gap in the #arket for a horse book.
been good at in the past" $or e-a#ple. if you know you0re an e-cellent gardener. even though you now live an apart#ent. list 6gardening"7
Idea 6enerator Two& 0our past e/periences

%-periences sell" *f you0ve been abducted by little green #en fro# 4ars. it0s a book" *f you0re a biga#ist. it0s a book" People have written books about their illnesses Csee fro# challenge to opportunity belowD. their addictions. and their pets" Browse through the bestseller lists to see what personal e-periences people are writing about" Here0s where you walk down #e#ory lane" *f you0re in your twenties. it0ll be a short stroll" *f you0re in your forties or older. it will be a hike" Don0t get bogged down with this. list =3 e-periences you0ve had that spring to #ind" (he easiest way to co#e up with e-periences is to work backwards through the stages of your life. or through decades" 8gain. don0t take a

long ti#e over this" Set yourself a ti#e li#it --- ten #inutes is enough"
Idea 6enerator Three& 0our knowled.e

What do you know; Start by #aking a list of all the sub:ects you were good at in school" (hen list all the :obs you0ve had yes. part ti#e work counts" 8lso list:
/our hobbies" 8re you a keen 5hihuahua breeder; Do you 9uilt; (ake photographs;
/our current :ob" What are you learning in your :ob that other people would pay to learn;
(he places you0ve lived" /our ho#etown #ay be boring to you. but guide books sell well"
/our fa#ily tree" What special knowledge do your nearest and dearest have that you could write about;


knowledge about"
28
Spend around ten #inutes writing down as #any sub:ects as you have
Idea 6enerator $our&
hat you en8oy most
5elebrity chef Aigella &awson freely ad#its that she cooks because she loves to eat" Aigella has turned her love of food into a career" She regularly produces bestselling books" CHer chocolate recipes are brilliant"D What do you love; People have written about garage sales. cos#etics. cars. vacations" *f you love so#ething. chances are that thousands or #aybe #illions of others will love it too" Watch the newspapers and take note of current trends" )r better yet. listen to what your children are talking about. or asking you to buy for the#" 5hildren tend to be well up on what0s happening" 'e#e#ber that it will take around G-I #onths for your book to reach the bookstores" (herefore. the currently hot topics on the bestselling lists #ay be old news before your book is in the stores" (his doesn0t #ean. of course. that you can0t write on perennial favorites like #oney. se- and e-ercise" (hese topics never go out of popularity. and

a new twist on one of these is always a sure bet" (he idea of writing about what you en:oy is that you will be bringing passion and enthusias# to your topic" %nthusias# is a #ust"
Idea 6enerator $ive& $rom challen.e to opportunity

/ou face challenges every day" 4ost are #inor. so#e are #a:or challenges" *f you0ve ever faced a large challenge. or if you0re facing one right now. then consider that the things you learn could help other people" Whatever your challenge is -- whether it0s #oving house or confronting a life-threatening illness -- other people face the sa#e challenges. and in those challenges lie the seeds of books" 4ake a list of =3 challenges you0ve faced in your life" 8nything catastrophic 9ualifies: losing your :ob. facing bankruptcy. the betrayal of a spouse" *f you0ve had a 9uiet life. then #ake a list of challenges that the people you know have faced" 8dditional challenges you can consider include any habit you0ve broken. fro# congenital lateness to overeating"


When you0ve finished brainstor#ing. you0ll have do<ens of book
30
ideas" Winnow out the non-starters" Don0t delete the#. #ove the# to another co#puter file" 5all it 6odds and ends6 or 6snippets"7
+hecklist& Is this the ri.ht idea -or you T%D"01

/ou0ve worked through the idea generators. and you have one or #ore ideas which you feel would work as a book" (he ne-t step is to scrutini<e your pri#ary idea carefully" 5onsider your idea and look at this list of 9uestions" See if you can answer 6/es6 to all of the#:
8# * enthusiastic enough about this sub:ect and #y ideas
about it to sell this proposal to an agent and an editor and to readers;

Will * retain #y enthusias# through the #onths it will
take #e to co#plete the book;

*s there a #arket for #y book; C*0ve checked 8#a<on"co#
and bookshops for co#peting titles" *0# convinced there is a #arket for #y book"D
* can find people with e-pert knowledge to interview as *
write #y book" Does #y book provide solutions to proble#s; *f you can answer /%S to #ost of these 9uestions. you0re set" Breat We0re going to start work on your book proposal"


32
D"0 T
market
%&
Develop your idea and assess the
Day Two Tasks Task %ne& Keep studyin. non--iction books

(he #ore you know about how non-fiction books are constructed the #ore easily you0ll be able to work on your own book with confidence" &ook at the books on your shelves at ho#e. and at your local library" CBe sure to #ake a note of any editor or agent acknowledge#ents"D

Task Two& Develop your idea
Work through the various steps in developing your idea" CSee 6#imple #teps In De$elopin% Your Idea6 in this chapter"
Dispellin. myths and a word about con-idence

*f you0re feeling nervous now that you0re about to start this pro:ect. rela-" (ell yourself that you will take it step by step" Work at it steadily. a word. sentence and paragraph at a ti#e. and you will co#plete your proposal@ then when you0ve sold the proposal. you0ll co#plete your book using the sa#e easy-does-it #ethod" While we0re at it. let0s dispel a few #yths"
;yth %ne It takes a special talent to write books.

*t takes persistence" (here are as #any different kinds of writers as there are people" So#e are young. so#e are elderly. and #any are inbetween" /ou don0t need any special writing talent to write books. nor


do you need to be highly educated" 4any successful writers have never co#pleted high school" *f you can write well enough to write a letter. you can write a book"
34
;yth Two Writers starve in garrets.

4any professional writers #ake inco#es that would #ake doctors and lawyers envious" 4ost #ake reasonable inco#es" *f you decide to #ake a career of writing non-fiction books. the #a:or benefit is that if you choose your book0s topic with care. your book can stay in print for #any years" $or each year that your book0s in print. you get two royalty checks" &et0s say you write two books a year for five years" 8t the end of the five years. if your books all stay in print. you0ll be getting ten royalty checks a year" (hese ongoing royalties are your nest-egg. profitable invest#ents in your future"
;yth Three
It's hard to sell a book.

8s long as you research the #arket for each book before you write a single word. it0s easy to sell a book" Publishers need co#petent. reliable writers who can produce good books regularly" (his #yth got started because --- let0s be blunt here--- JJ per cent of sub#issions to editors and publishers are not publishable"
;yth $our You need to know someone to get a book published.

/ou need to write a good book to get a book published" (hat really is all you need to do" * started writing ro#ance novels and an %nglish publisher published the#" * certainly didn0t know anyone in +, publishing@ * live in 8ustralia" *f you have a contact in publishing. by all #eans. use that contact" However. it0s not necessary" Publishing is big business. and publishers need good books"


36
(oday we0ll develop your idea and assess the #arket

Developing your idea and assessing the #arket go together" We0ll work on both tasks today" (he idea of working on both tasks together is that as you read the outlines of books that cover a si#ilar area to yours. you0ll see what0s already been published. and you0ll get fresh ideas for #aterial that you can cover in your own book"
,ote& your personal e/perience is valuable

8s you ski# through other people0s books. :ot down any thoughts and ideas you get" /ou should #ake a note of any e-periences you re#e#ber which you could include in your book" %veryone loves a story. so no #atter what sub:ect area your book covers. include your own anecdotes" *f you0re writing a diet book. include funny! infor#ative stories about your own e-periences with diets. or the e-periences of your friends" /ou #ay want to use fictitious na#es to protect people0s privacy" /ou will definitely need to use fictitious na#es if you can0t contact people to ask for per#ission to use a story or if you think people could recogni<e the#selves fro# a story you tell that puts the# in a bad

light" $or e-a#ple. perhaps you belonged to a group of dieters. and you tell a story about another person in the group" %ven if this was =3 years ago. and you0ve given this person a fictitious na#e. disguise the story: change the person0s se-. age. and occupation"
Si#ple steps in developing your idea

Work on developing your idea step by step" Here0s how:
<. idea
rite down everythin. you know about this
&et0s say you0ve decided to write a book on natural healthcare for pets" /ou own several dogs and a cat. and are an enthusiast for natural healthcare because it0s worked for you and for your friends" (oday you0re going to #ake copious notes" /ou0re going to write down everything you can think of which relates to your idea" *t doesn0t #atter whether you use a co#puter file. or a pen and paper" Kust sit down and get ready"


8sk yourself: who. what. how. when. where and why" 4ake topic headings for each 9uestion" (hen answer each 9uestion" Don0t try to
38
write in co#plete sentences. :ust #ake notes" $or e-a#ple. if you took one of your dogs to a doggie chiropractor for several years. note down the chiropractor0s na#e. the dog0s na#e. proble#s the dog had. and the nu#ber of sessions --- anything and everything you can re#e#ber" 8lso. write down what you don0t know. so you can find out" C)ne of the benefits of research is that you get to answer all the 9uestions you have about a topic"D (ake as #uch ti#e as you need" /ou #ay want to work in forty#inute sessions. and then go and do so#ething else for a while" (aking breaks is i#portant" Breaks allow your subconscious #ind to go to work for you can and scan your #e#ory banks to co#e up with #ore ideas" Don't discard any of your ideas. And write down every idea no matter how tangential. /our #ind works via associations" (herefore. if you get a notion to write down 6Phips --broken leg6 write this down. even if it see#s that it has nothing to do with natural healthcare for pets" Phips was your first dog. and was hit by a car" (his was >3 years ago. and you don0t re#e#ber #uch about the incident" However. after writing it down. you ask your #other about Phips. and she tells you that the little 5orgi was bred by a

wo#an who was into natural healthcare Cyou didn0t re#e#ber this --you #ay not even have known it. but so#ehow your subconscious got you to write it downD" /ou contact the wo#an. who0s elderly. but who0s a fountain of useful infor#ation. and she provides al#ost a chapter of infor#ation for your book" /ou0ll find that you have #any serendipitous incidents like this as you write your proposal and your book"
=. ;ake a lon. list o- possible book titles

8t this stage. you don0t need the perfect title. Health are &or 'ets will do as your working title" 4ake a list of =3 title ideas as 9uickly as you can" C8nd save the list"D Don0t sweat a title" /ou0ll often find that the perfect title doesn0t occur to you until you0ve co#pletely written your book" )r. your publisher #ay co#e up with a title they want to use"


40
>. +reate a list o- contacts

Who could help you with infor#ation for this book; Write down the na#e of everyone you can think of" Do this 9uickly -- you can look up their e#ail address or postal address when the ti#e co#es to contact the#" 8t this stage. you :ust want a list of people who can help you" *s there an association of people who #ight help; *n our Health are &or 'ets e-a#ple. there will be nu#erous veterinary associations and kennel club associations of people who could provide valuable infor#ation" 5reate an ( kno"led%ements co#puter file" Whenever so#eone helps you with infor#ation for the book. type their na#e into the ( kno"led%ements file" People get a kick out of helping an author with a book. and the best way to thank the# is to #ake sure that their na#e appears on the ( kno"led%ements page in the book"
8ssess the #arket for your book <. ?isit lar.e bookstores
Start by visiting so#e large bookstores" (ake your notebook and a pen" 5opy the Tables o& )ontents of books that treat the sa#e sub:ect

#atter that your book does" /ou will want to #ake your book significantly di&&erent fro# other books that cover the sa#e topic" *f your book is the sa#e as other books on the topic. no publisher will show interest in buying it" However. you shouldn0t be discouraged if you find #any books covering the area which you intend to cover" 4any books #ean that this area is very popular" $or e-a#ple. publishers bring out do<ens of diet books each year" 8nd there0s roo# for yours. too 8i# for at least three to five points of difference" (his doesn0t #ean that you have to co#e up with all new infor#ation" *n fact. presenting co#pletely new infor#ation is i#possible" Sticking with our diet book e-a#ple. there0s only one way to lose weight. and that0s to take in fewer calories than you e-pend" 8uthors reveal this ghastly news to their readers in #any ways" (herefore. it0s how you present the #aterial that counts" *f you can show readers a new way to diet. and you can prove that your #ethod works. you0re in. with a hot seller on your hands"
=. ?isit your library

Ae-t. drive to the library" 8sk the librarian for !ooks In Print" (his #ulti-volu#e set of reference books lists all the books currently


available by author. sub:ect and title" /our library #ay have the
42
books. or it #ay have the B*P 5Ds" *f your library0s B*P is on 5D. get a printout of all the books in your sub:ect area" Don0t faint if you see an ultra-lengthy list Several years ago when * was assessing the #arket for a book on ti#e #anage#ent. B*P spat out ten-plus pages" * got all the books that sounded as though they #ight be si#ilar via inter-library loan. and none rese#bled #y book at all" So the fact that you find #any books #eans little other than that this sub:ect is popular" (his is a good thing Ae-t check out "orthcoming !ooks. $5 should be available at your library right near B*P" $5 lists all those books that publishers will release in the ne-t si- #onths" /ou0ll want to have the books which are the #ain co#petition for your book on hand if possible" /ou don0t have to buy the# all" /ou can borrow the# fro# the library. or if they0re listed on 8#a<on"co#. you can use 8#a<on"co#0s clever 6&ook *nside6 technology. so that you can scan the contents pages of co#peting titles"

>. "ma(on.com
8#a<on"co# is your ne-t port of call" (ype the sub:ect of your book into the search 9uery bo-. and you0ll get a list of books which touch on your sub:ect area" Print out this list" Having the list handy helps you when the ti#e co#es to pick a title" 'ead the descriptions. and all the reviews of any books that sound as if they #ight be si#ilar to yours"
Write a report on your discoveries

Aow you0ve finished surveying the #arketplace as it stands for your idea. take the ti#e to write a brief report on what you0ve discovered" (his report is for your own use" Do this right away when it0s all still fresh in your #ind" *t0s i#portant to do this. because when you talk to your editor or agent. you0ll want to have all the infor#ation on the #arket situation handy" /our report doesn0t have to be long" 8 page will do"


44
D"0 T2#EE&
rite the blurb and outline your book
Day Three Tasks Task %ne& rite at least three blurbs
Write at least three blurbs for your book: =33 words. G3 words. and =G words" CSee the sa#ple blurbs in this chapter"D
Task Two& +ollect sample blurbs

Blurbs sell books" %veryone fro# the publisher. who initially buys the proposal. to the bookstore owner who stocks your book. will decide if

they0re interested in your book based on the blurb alone" Beco#e a connoisseur of blurbs" Start your own blurb collection" %ach ti#e you see a blurb that you think is effective. copy it. and put it into your Blurb $ile"
ritin. the blurb

(he 6blurb6 is the back cover #aterial for your book --- the selling points that will get people to buy the book" *f you write the blurb before you write an outline. you0re guaranteed not to wander off the track as you write your book" * can0t e#phasi<e the i#portance of your blurb enough" *f you have been thinking of skipping this section. please don0t" Here are so#e reasons to write your blurb first: it keeps you focused on the the#e of your book@ it #akes writing the outline easier@ it #akes selling your proposal easier@


it will assure your agent and editor that you know what you0re doing. and they0ll feel co#fortable working with you and handing over the advance@
46
when you0ve sold the book. and the ti#e co#es to write it. you0ll have an easier ti#e because you can keep the blurb at the forefront of your #ind" /our blurb helps your agent and editor to get a contract for you" /our blurb is the 6sales story6 for your book" *f your agent beco#es enthusiastic about your book. she0ll beco#e enthusiastic on the basis of your blurb" She0ll use the blurb as her sales pitch to other people" $or e-a#ple. when she talks to an editor at a publishing house who #ay be interested in your book. she0ll start with your blurb" (he conversation will stop there if the editor doesn0t see the book0s potential" &et0s say that the editor likes the blurb enough to look at the proposal" *f she0s still keen. it0s her turn to sell your book. on the basis o& the blurb. to the other people in the publishing co#pany" She0ll need to convince Sales and 4arketing that they can sell your book" *f they0re not keen. you won0t get an offer" When you0ve written your book. your publisher will try to sell your book to book distributors. and later to booksellers. all on the basis of the blurb that you started out with" So the ti#e that you spend

working on the blurb is not wasted. it0s the #ost i#portant part of your book" Without a good blurb. your book will not co#e into e-istence" Having said all that. it0s also i#portant that you don0t obsess over your blurb" %verything you write can be fi-ed. so focus on getting your blurb written. in various lengths. rather than striving to #ake your blurb perfect" /our blurb #ay well go through #any incarnations: you0ll #ake changes. your agent #ay want changes. and your editors will definitely want changes"
Sample blurbs
2ere are two sample blurbs. (he first is fro# the book *i&eTime! +etter Time ,ana%ement in -. Days. published by Prentice Hall" * wrote this blurb while * was working to gather #aterial for the book" *t took #e around ten #inutes to write" /ou0ll often find that as you0re starting to work on your book. your blurb will co#e to you as a flash of inspiration" *f it doesn0t. don0t worry about it. :ust follow the process outlined below"


(he second is fro# the book ,akin% The Internet Work For Your +usiness which was published by 8llen L +nwin" * didn0t write this blurb until the book was co#plete. and the publisher was sending a brief to the cover designer" (his blurb took #e a long ti#e to write" * also had trouble writing the book" * think that if *0d written the blurb before * started. * would have had a #uch easier ti#e with the book. and would have en:oyed writing it #ore"
48
Sample blurb -rom& #ife$ime% !etter $ime &anagement in '( Days

/ou0re about to #eet a very powerful genie" (his genie will give you all the ti#e you need to be everything you want to be. to do everything you want to do. and to have everything you want to have --- you are this genie *i&eTime! +etter Time ,ana%ement in -. Days shows you how to #anage your ti#e so that you can achieve any goals you set for yourself" /ou0ll learn to feel focused and rela-ed as you achieve your goals"

Spend =2 days with *i&eTime! +etter Time ,ana%ement in -. Days and in :ust =3 #inutes a day you0ll learn to how to: $ocus. so that you get #ore done in less ti#e@ Separate tasks into the urgent and the i#portant@
%ffectively prioriti<e and delegate tasks@ Practice rela-ation daily until it beco#es a habit@
Deter#ine your values. so that you can set appropriate goals@ 8nd beco#e #ore creative" %ach day0s reading will give you ideas. inspiration and #otivation. as well as si#ple tasks to help you develop your ti#e #anage#ent skills" C(he above blurb is around =33 words" 5reate several versions of your blurb at different lengths --- #ore on this below"D
Sample blurb -rom& &aking $he Internet Work "or Your !usiness
When you use the *nternet for your business. you don0t need to wait for custo#ers to co#e to you because a Web site is a =?-hour sales


force to the whole world" ,akin% The Internet Work For Your +usiness offers clear and practical advice on how to use the *nternet
50
to develop your business@ how to pro#ote your products and services@ how to find vital infor#ation@ and how to pursue new business opportunities" (his book includes the following features:
*ntroduces online basics and describes the e9uip#ent you will
need to get your business online and build your own Web site@
)ffers practical advice on how to e-pand your business online.
including tips on your site0s usability. how to #arket your Web site. and how to boost *nternet sales@
Provides case studies of how people are using the *nternet
ine-pensively and si#ply to develop their businesses@ *ncludes a fast-finder directory of useful resources available to businesses on the *nternet: co#pany contacts and suppliers@ trainers and educators@ financial sites@ govern#ent and legal infor#ation@ hu#an resources@ freebies on the *nternet@ and other S)H)-related resources"

By using the *nternet you can run #ore business #ore efficiently with lowered costs. fewer staff. and less space re9uire#ent. and have #ore ti#e to develop your business creatively" %-plore the advantages to your business of e-co##erce using your Web site as a #erchant co##erce syste# that can handle orders. pay#ent and fulfill#ent via the site" (he above blurb runs to al#ost =G3 words. which is a little long" *f * were writing the book now. * would #ake it shorter and punchier" The one-sentence version o- the blurb is: 6,akin% The Internet Work For Your +usiness offers clear and practical advice on how to use the *nternet to develop your business@ how to pro#ote your products and services@ how to find vital infor#ation@ and how to pursue new business opportunities"6


52
rite your blurb in easy steps

Before you start writing your blurb. ask yourself: "ho "ill be readin% this book? (his 9uestion is i#portant. because it helps you to picture the reader as you write" )nce you have an i#age of your ideal reader in your #ind. you0ll find it0s #uch easier to work on your book" Working out who your readers will be also gives you a head start in writing the #arketing section of your book proposal" &et0s stay with the book on natural healthcare for pets" Who would be interested in this book; 4ake a list" /our list could start with: pet owners who use natural healthcare. co#panies that #anufacture natural petcare products. and veterinary surgeons" (hen go on and create your blurb in the following easy steps"
%ne& ;ake a list o- the bene-its to the reader

/our reader will buy the book because of the benefits the book gives her" $eatures are different fro# benefits" $or e-a#ple. you #ay be presenting recipes for #aking pet re#edies" (he pet re#edies is a feature" (he benefit of the pet re#edies could be that they save the

reader trips to the vet and #oney on e-pensive co##ercial products" 0%@ ;@ST @SE T2E )E,E$ITS I, 0%@# )*@#). $irst. list all of the features your book will contain" (hen #ake a list of all the benefits" (ake down three or four books fro# your shelves. and study their blurbs" Do they list the benefits; How are the benefits presented; C/ou0ll occasionally find that the author and publisher. not to #ention the publisher0s sales and #arketing depart#ents. were all asleep when the book was in production. and the blurb contains a long list of features" Work out how you0d convert those features into benefits" (his is e-cellent practice for you"D
Two& #ank the bene-its

'ank the benefits in their order of i#portance" /ou #ay want to get so#e help here" 'ead your list of benefits to a friend. and ask how she0d rank the#"


54
Three&
rite several blurbs, in various len.ths
*n addition to your list of benefits. your blurb can contain an intriguing fact. or a short anecdote" $or e-a#ple. if you once saved the life of your pet with a natural healthcare re#edy. you could tell this story as part of your blurb" When you0ve co#pleted your blurb. in around =33 to >33 words. create shorter versions" 5reate one of 233 words. another of G3 words. and you can even try to pare it down to =G words" 2ere5s a one sentence version o- the sample blurb -or #ife$ime& 6*i&eTime! +etter Time ,ana%ement in -. Days shows you how to #anage your ti#e so that you can achieve any goals you set for yourself"6 8s you can see. the sentence is taken fro# the longer blurb"
Essential blurb add-on& the testimonial

Publishers love cover testi#onials. because they know that they sell books" How #any ti#es have you bought a book because so#eone you0d heard of and respected reco##ended the book to you; *f you

know anyone fa#ous. or can get in touch with the#. now0s the ti#e to contact the# to ask the# whether they0d be willing to read your book and provide a 9uote for you to use on the cover"
%utlinin. your book Start with a mind map
(his is where your blurb co#es into its own" /ou can develop a basic outline fro# your blurb as a #ind #ap. or cluster diagra#" $or each book *0ve written. *0ve used #ind #aps" Because a book is long. it0s hard to keep the whole thing straight in your #ind --- #ind #aps help you to do this"


+usiness! Here0s a sa#ple #ind #ap for ,akin% The Internet Work For Your
56
Diagra##ing your initial ideas of what you0d like the book to contain gives you an overview. fro# which you can develop a #ore detailed outline" Bo through all the #aterial you0ve gathered so far. and insert headings into your #ind #ap" 'e#e#ber that at this stage. nothing is set in stone" Kust work as 9uickly as you can. don0t think too #uch about it" /ou :ust want to get an idea of how #uch #aterial you have"
+reate your outline

Working fro# your #ind #ap. create a chapter outline of your book" (he easiest way to do this is :ust to write nu#bers fro# one to ten or one to 2G down the page. and type in chapter headings" 4ost books have around ten to 2G chapters" *f yours has #ore than 2G. that0s fine" )nly got three or four headings; Ao #atter how little #aterial you have. or how #uch. don0t worry" (his is the initial stages. re#e#ber" Kust work 9uickly so that you get so#ething down on paper"

(o#orrow we0ll be researching your book. and as you research. you0re sure to find #any #ore headings for your outline" *n these very early stages of working on your book proposal. your subconscious #ind is your greatest resource" (herefore. if you get an i#pulse to write down so#ething. write it down. even if it doesn0t #ake #uch sense to you" (he reason you got this idea will co#e to you"


58
D"0 $%@#&
#esearch your book proposal, and -lesh out your book5s outline
Day $our Tasks
Task %ne& +reate your research plan

*t0s a good idea to create a research plan to guide you. both in writing your proposal. and later in writing your book" ,nowing that you can find all the infor#ation you need is a confidence-builder"

Task Two& +reate a chapter outline -or your book
Write a chapter outline for your book proposal"
)ook #esearch& 2ow much do you need to know1

'e#e#ber that this is :ust a book proposal@ you0re not writing the co#plete book" (herefore. you #ay not need to do any research at all" /ou #ay have all the #aterial you need" *f this is the case. you can go right on to fleshing out your outline" *f you need to gather #aterial. then first you should develop a research plan" (his #ay take you an hour or two. but it0s ti#e well spent" /ou will use this plan first to develop your proposal. and later when you0re writing your book" $or your book proposal. you probably won0t need to go past M N in your plan to get all the infor#ation you need"


60
0our research plan

<. Develop a fra#e of reference. and write it down as a co#plete sentence. using no #ore than =G words" (he shortest blurb you wrote should work well for this step" =. Ae-t. #ind #ap or outline everything you need to research" (his is to give you a 9uick overview" *t0s a good idea to print this #ind #ap out so that you can glance at it as you work" /ou0ll find that if you0re online. or at the library. it0s te#pting to e-plore other avenues" (hese avenues #ay well be productive. and you can e-plore the# at so#e stage. but not while you0re trying to write your proposal" )nce you start writing. your only goal should be: 6get it done"7 >. Do a general search on the Web using a search engine like Boogle"co# to locate additional areas you could e-plore" A. Koin online groups" *f you find #ention of any online groups or #ailing lists that see# appropriate for your sub:ect. :oin the#" (he #e#bers #ay be able to provide you with anecdotes or other infor#ation"

9. 4ake a note of co#panies that are #entioned in your Web search" 5an they help you; (he benefit of asking co#panies to help you in your research is free. current infor#ation" 4ost co#panies will be very pleased to help. for the P' boost you can give the#" 4ake a note to yourself to acknowledge the# in your book" *f any co#pany has given you help. it0s a nice gesture to send the# a copy when the book0s published" B. 5heck periodical indices for articles which #ight be useful" )nce you needed to trudge along to the library for this kind of help. but &e-isAe-is Chttp:!!www"le-is"co#! D is faster" C. 8re there any books which could help you; (ry www"a#a<on"co# to find recent books on your topic" C/ou #ay already have notes on these books which you collected while you were trying to co#e up with an idea for a book"D D. )riginal sources" (his is where your list of contacts co#es in useful" 4ake a note of people you will want to interview. first for your proposal. and later. for your book" E. %-perts and organi<ations"


)$*P+ Don't collect more information than you need to write your proposal. ,reating your research plan shouldn't take you more than an hour or two hours ma-imum. .ntil you get into the writing process whether it's your proposal or the book itself you won't know e-actly what you need. As long as you have sufficient material for that day's work you have enough information.
62
ork on your book5s outline and the -irst chapter, as you research
We0ll do #ore work on the outline and first chapter later this week" But. because they for# such a big part of your proposal. start working on the# now. as you research"
The )rain-Dead Process

Here0s a process * use to co#bine research and writing. and to :ust get the bones of the work done" /ou can use this process when you0re writing anythin%" +se it for your book proposal. the book itself.

writing advertising #aterial * even use it for writing copy for businesses and for novels" (he best thing about this process is that it stops you fro# being stuck" <4 Idea' topic' sub8ect =4 Ten minutes o- research >4 ord lists A4 Timed -ree-writin. -or -ive minutes 94 Take a break B4 $irst dra-t
<. Idea' topic' sub8ect

*f you have an idea you want to develop. write it at the top of a sheet of paper" *n this instance. write the title you0ve chosen for your first chapter" * use colored pencils and paper for this part of the process so that * can doodle all around the page. but feel free to open a new docu#ent in your word processor if you want to type"


*f you don0t have a topic or a title for your chapter. :ust get a blank
64
sheet of paper or open a new docu#ent. and keep following the steps of the process"
=. Ten minutes o- research

(his research process is really :ust an early-warning for your subconscious #ind. to sti#ulate it and to get it to start co#ing up with #aterial" * tend to browse the Web for research whatever * happen to be working on. because * can always find so#ething that starts #e thinking" $or e-a#ple. one week * was ready to work on five radio spots for a :ewelry store" * browsed online :ewelry stores. and #useu# sites" Within five #inutes. * hit on an infor#ation nugget that sti#ulated a train of thought" Whatever topic you0re writing on for your book proposal. browse a few related Web sites"
>.
ord lists

* love word lists" (hey take no effort at all. and they0re ideal for kickstarting any kind of writing" * use the# for fiction. for non-fiction and for copywriting" * also write the# :ust for practice. to get #y brain ticking over" Here0s part of a word list * wrote this #orning: 6Glamor &ear isolation ener%y deli$er storm %lo" "ind moon rush %enerosity tra$el stream $oi e density"7 /ou can see that on one level. it0s :ust a laundry-list of words" )n another level. what if * asked you to write half a page of a story. using these three words: 6$ear Stor# Benerosity6 so#ewhere in the first paragraph; /ou could do it. and you0d find it easy" * could use this list to develop a scene for a chapter in a novel. or to develop a new character for the novel" But *0# currently working on an advertorial for digital i#aging products for a co#puter #aga<ine. so the word list gives #e so#e ideas to play with for that" (he list even gives #e so#e ideas * could develop for #aga<ine articles and essays" Aot bad for fifteen words which took a few seconds to write" $or your book proposal. :ust start #aking lists of words" (he idea is not to direct your thoughts at all. :ust list all the words that spring to #ind" Don0t li#it yourself with words directly related to the sub:ect of you proposal" /ou #ay never use your word lists in your work at all" * think of the# as ways of prodding #y subconscious" 8fter *0ve filled half a page of words. * #ay or #ay not use the#" * don0t look on


gets #e into a creative #ood" writing the lists as a waste of ti#e. however. because writing the#
66
A. Timed -ree-writin. -or -ive minutes

(he topic for your free-writing session will be the title of your first chapter" *0# a fan of free-writing" *f you haven0t read Peter %lbow0s a#a<ing books. particularly Writin% With 'o"er. get hold of the book as soon as you can" 8fter reading it. * guarantee you0ll never have proble#s with getting words onto the page ever again" (i#ed free-writing is :ust what it sounds like" /ou set a ti#er. and put pen to paper. or get your fingers traveling across the keyboard" 8t the end of the ti#e you set. you stop writing" /ou don0t have to write in co#plete sentences" /ou can write frag#ents of thoughts. or even write a word list" Kust write whatever words appear in your #ind" Don0t put any pressure on yourself" %ven if you have a report you need to finish in an hour. don0t #ake the sub:ect of your report the topic for your free-writing session" &et whatever words want to co#e out. e#erge" /ou can whine onto the page about how hard writing is

for five #inutes. if you wish" *f you do. you0ll feel better for having released that li#iting thought"
9. Take a break
5lose your notebook. switch off your co#puter and leave your desk" /our break can be short. but take at least ten #inutes" Preferably half an hour or an hour" * #ean it --- */(0/ YO12 D/#3!
B. $irst dra-t
When you return to your desk. don0t look at any of your word lists. or your free-writing session" Kust start to work on a first draft of your outline. and so#e #aterial for your first chapter" Write as 9uickly as you can" * do first drafts on the co#puter. and * try to type fast. :ust following whatever thoughts happen to strike #e. and not paying any attention to typos or to for#at" *f *0# writing an article or advertising copy. or anything which is under a thousand words. * write the first draft straight through" * ai# to take an hour or less to do this" 8t this stage.


the right words later" 'ight now. * :ust want words" /ou will find that the words co#e 9uickly. and that you not only outline your first chapter. but several additional chapters" What goes into your chapter outline; #y ai# is :ust to write the words" * can worry about whether they0re
68
/ou don0t need to create the kind of outline that your %nglish teacher harassed you into creating when you were 2=" (he kind of outline you need to create is one based on co#ponents" Aon-fiction is #uch easier to write than fiction because all non-fiction books have si#ilar co#ponents" &et0s have a look at so#e of the#:
" -oreword. (his is si#ilar to an introduction. but a foreword is usually written by so#eone other than the author of the book" *t helps if you can get so#eone fa#ous to contribute the foreword" ,ote& (hey #ay e-pect pay#ent for this" *f this person would lend great credibility to your book. then consider paying the# for the foreword" *t could #ake the difference between whether your proposal is easy to sell. or #ore difficult" *f you0re writing in an area in which you don0t have professional e-pertise --- for

e-a#ple. if you0re writing about a #edical topic and you0re not a doctor --- then getting a foreword written by a professional is worthwhile"
"n introduction. (his is optional" *f you can0t think of anything to put in an introduction. leave it out" (hink of including an introduction if you want to tell your own story: how you ca#e to get the infor#ation you0re about to share"
" F2ow To @se This bookF chapter or pa.e. (his can be short. or 9uite long" $or e-a#ple. if you0re writing a book on yoga. you could use this chapter to give four or five e-ercise routines. co#piled fro# the various poses that you discuss in the rest of the book"
+hapters with problems and solutions. $or e-a#ple. if you were writing a book on dieting. you could write seven chapters all posing a typical proble#. and then provide solutions for each proble#"


70
The last chapter is the wrap-up. *n this chapter you0ll want to give readers instructions on where they go fro# here. and you0ll also want to include an inspirational #essage"
" .lossary is useful if it will be necessary for readers new to the sub:ect area" $or e-a#ple. if your book contains a lot of industry :argon with which your reader is unfa#iliar. e-plain the ter#inology here"
"n inde/. *0# always disappointed when an otherwise e-cellent book. that *0ll be referring to again. o#its an inde-" * know creating an inde- is a hassle. but if you think your readers will use it. then go the e-tra #ile and include it"
Will you need graphics or photographs;

*f your book needs photos or other graphics. start thinking about the# now" $or e-a#ple. if you0re writing about petcare. then by all #eans send along a couple of relevant photos or graphics with your proposal" However. illustrative #aterial is only useful if it adds value

for the reader" Do the other books that cover the sa#e sub:ect as your book include graphics; *f you decide that your book #ust have graphics. #ention this in your book proposal" Send along an i#age or two. even if you0ve only taken the# with your own digital ca#era"


72
D"0 $I?E&
rite your proposal Guery letter, and submit it to a.ents and publishers
Day $ive Tasks Task %ne& Start a contact list o- literary a.ents and book publishers
$inding an agent! publisher is the first step to selling your book proposal" However. even after you0ve sold your book proposal. you0ll want to stay current with agent and publisher news to sell your ne-t proposal. and the one after that"

Start a contact list of literary agents and publishers@ as you find snippets of infor#ation online. or in your offline reading. enter notes into your database" *nfor#ation you #ight want to add includes: recent sales and the a#ount the book was sold for. #ove#ents of editors fro# one publishing house to the ne-t. and publishing house changes" 5ollecting and #aintaining all this infor#ation shouldn0t be viewed as a chore" *t0s vital business intelligence" *t could also help you to increase your inco#e by #any thousands of dollars each year"
Task Two& Send out ten Guery letters to a.ents and publishers
8gents and publishers take ti#e to respond" So today. you0ll create a 9uery letter for your book proposal. and will send it out to ten agents and publishers" /ou can choose to send only to agents. or only to publishers. or you #ay want to send out five to each group"


74
Today you write your proposal Guery letter

Aow you0re written the blurb for your book. and the chapter outline. the ne-t step is to start asking agents and publishers whether they0re interested in looking at the proposal for your book" (his #eans you0ll send out a 9uery letter. asking agents and publishers to look at your proposal" Aote: so#e new authors want to o#it this step" (hey figure --- hey, I'll 4ust send the omplete proposal, so I %et a response &aster" +nfortunately. sending a co#plete unsolicited proposal will S&)W the process" 8gents and publishers receive so #any packages of #aterial that they stack the# in a spare office. and the office :unior gets to read the# once every couple of #onths" Send a 9uery letter. then send the book proposals to those people who0ve asked to see it"
Do you need a literary a.ent1

/es" 8nd no" *t can so#eti#es be harder to get an agent than it is to get a publisher. so it0s a good idea to 9uery both" When you get an agent. you can tell the agent which publishers you0ve already 9ueried" *f you get an agent before you get a publisher. you can approach

agents who are a good fit for your book to ask the# if they will handle the contract negotiations for you" /ou definitely need an agent if you intend to write #ore than one book" 8s to whether you should go agent-hunting. the answer is a definite yes" (his isn0t only because a literary agent will take a lot of the sub#ission and negotiation workload. and because the agent has Cone hopesD her fingers constantly on the pulse of publishing and knows what0s going on. but it0s also because an agent for#s a handy cut-off switch between you and the publisher" When proble#s occur --- let0s say that your editor0s de#ands annoy you. or that your advance pay#ents are late -- you have so#eone to gripe at other than your editor" )n the other hand. if you0d rather keep all the profits your book #akes. and feel that you can handle your contract negotiations yourself. you #ay want to skip agents. and focus on publishers"


76
%nline resources to help you in your literary a.ent-hunt

Here0s a list of online resources to help you decide if you want a literary agent. and agent contact details" riters,et& http:!!www"writers"net!agents!browse!loc"php (his is an e-cellent site. with #any useful articles telling you what agents do. as well as agent lists you can browse" $reelance ritin.& http:!!www"freelancewriting"co#
8nother e-cellent site with articles and agent listings" Inde/ o- @S *iterary ".ents& http:!!www"writersservices"co#!WrHandbook!whOusOinde-"ht# (his page is on the Writer0s Services site. and you0ll also find listings of +, agents" Preditors and Editors& http:!!www"anothereal#"co#!prededitors! /ou0ll want to book#ark this site" *t0s a wonderful resource to help you to #aintain your writing career"

*iterary ".ent arnin.s& http:!!www"sfwa"org!beware!agents"ht#l +nfortunately. as in all fields. in writing there are sca# artists" (his page. #aintained by the Science $iction and $antasy Writers of 8#erica *nc. gives you the low-down Cpun intendedD on literary sca##ers" /ote% things change fast online. Do your own 0literary agents0 1uery on www.2oogle.com and other search engines for additional agent information and listings.
Sendin. your Guery letter directly to publishers

4any large publishers will not look at unagented #aterial" However. this still leaves #any who will" 8nd #ost will look at any letter that you care to send the#" Because a publisher can buy your book. and because you0re likely to get a #uch faster response fro# a publisher than you will fro# an agent. * reco##end that in addition to sending out your 9ueries to agents. you also send the# to publishers" (he best


resource for finding publisher infor#ation online is Writers#arket"co# at http:!!www"writers#arket"co#
78
$rom the
eb site&
Writers,arket5 om is your "ired key to publishin% su ess, pro$idin% the most omprehensi$e6and al"ays up7to7date6market onta t in&o a$ailable, "ith ele troni tools you "on't &ind any"here else5 (nd it's all risk7&ree5 #i%n up today and %et!
,ore markets than you'll &ind any"here else5 (nd "ith our onstantly updated and $eri&ied onta t listin%s, you'll &ind the market in&ormation you need to %et your "ork into the hands o& the ri%ht editor or a%ent today5
/asy7to7use sear hes5 *ookin% &or a spe i&i ma%a8ine or book publisher? 9ust type in the title5 Or, "iden your prospe ts "ith our ne" key"ord sear h &or broad ate%ory results5
/:pert ad$i e &rom top editors, a%ents and "riters5 Want to kno" ho" to impro$e your o$er and ;uery letters? Ha$e a ;uestion &or an editor or a%ent? Find the ans"er you need

here5
Daily industry updates5 Debbi 2idpath Ohi has her &in%er on the publishin% pulse 7 and she shares her insider in&o "ith you5 'lus, personali8e your home pa%e, keep tra k o& your "ork "ith #ubmission Tra ker, sa$e your best prospe ts in Fa$orites' Folders, and more!
Please note. * don0t have any connection to Writers#arket"co#. aside fro# subscribing to the service" *0ve been a subscriber for several years. and have always been happy with the service" *t will save you a lot of ti#e looking for publishers" )f course. the service isn0t restricted to publisher listings" /ou0ll find agent listings as well. plus #aga<ine listings and a library of useful articles"
0es, you can multiple-submit your Guery letter, and even your book proposal
)nce you start #arketing your proposal. you0ll find that so#e agents and publishers include words like 6no multiple submissions6 when they0re telling authors how they want to receive proposals" *n other words. they want e-clusivity" +nfortunately. there0s a big proble#


with this" (he proble# is ti#e" 4ost agents and editors will take a #onth or longer to evaluate your proposal" So#e take as long as si-
80
#onths" 5onsidering that you #ay need to approach =3 to >3 editors and! or publishers. you could still be sending out your book three years fro# now" Professional writers ignore these ad#onitions. because if they didn0t. they wouldn0t eat"
Sample Huery *etter

What goes into a 9uery letter; *0ve included a sa#ple 9uery letter that *0ve sent out. and which garnered an agent contract immediately" /ou0ll see that this letter is: Short@ (o the point" * could have spent a lot longer co#posing this letter --- * could have included a better hook. and included the book0s blurb" 8t the ti#e * sent it out however. * didn0t have ti#e to revise" *0# including this plain-vanilla. so-so 9uery letter here for a reason" (hat is --- and *0ve found this to be true in =G years of writing --- it0s i#portant that you SH)W +P" *n other words. while you #ight want each piece of

writing you send out to be perfect. or at least brilliant. so#eti#es you don0t have the ti#e" 8t those ti#es. send it out anyway" Bet into the habit of treating your work with a certain a#ount of aplo#b" (hat is. even thought it0s not perfect. and you could #ake it better if you had the ti#e and energy. J3 per cent of the ti#e what #atters is that you send out your work" *f you0re a closet perfectionist. as * a#. this will be hard for you at first" PPP PPP QD8(%R Dear PP 4y na#e is Q 8uthor0s Aa#e R" *0# seeking representation for #y book: )opy"ritin% #u ess #e rets5 (he book is ai#ed at writers who would like to #ake #oney by copywriting Cwriting for businessD" 8s a copywriter. writers write the words that sell: everyday words" (he words on ads. leaflets. brochures. press releases. product instructions and labels. newsletters. direct #ail. and on Web sites"


*0ve been selling the #aterial as an ebook and as an e-course on #y Web site Chttp:!!www"#ywebsite"co#! D for several #onths" *t has been well received. and now *0d like to take the #aterial and use it as the basis for a book" 8lthough there are several popular books on copywriting. none approach the #aterial in a step-by-step fashion" 4y book0s constructed so that at the end of seven days and seven lessons. the reader has built a viable freelance copywriting business" 4y credentials for writing the book: *0ve been both a successful copywriter and writer for over =G years" *0ve included a brief bio below" Please let #e know if you0d like to see a proposal for the book" Sincerely Q 8uthor0s Aa#e R
82
Bio:

8ustralian author and :ournalist Q 8uthor0s Aa#e R writes about business. technology. wo#en0s issues. and creativity" Her books include: &ife(i#e: Better (i#e 4anage#ent in =2 Days. Ho#e Sweet )ffice: /our Ho#e )ffice. *#prove /our 4e#ory in =2 Days. and 4aking the *nternet Work for /our Business" Her feature articles have appeared in (he 8ustralian Wo#en0s Weekly. Wo#an0s Day. Aew *dea. Eogue. and nu#erous other print and online #aga<ines" SSQ 8uthor0s Aa#e R partial list of creditsSS 8 professional writer for =G years. her credits include: T $eature articles for #ass #arket wo#en0s #aga<ines in 8ustralia and the +S. including (he 8ustralian Wo#en0s Weekly. Wo#an0s Day. Aew *dea and Eogue@ T $eature articles for co#puter #aga<ines@ T 5ontent work for Web sites and *nternet newsletters. including the *nternet Business $oru# Chttp:!!ibi<ho#e"co#!D T Business books for #a:or publishers. including #any books in Prentice Hall0s WorkWise series Ctranslated into several 8sian and %uropean languagesD@ T 8 series of ro#ance novels for 4acdonald $utura +,"


8t her Digital-e --- *nfo to Bo Web site Chttp:!!www"#ywebsite"co#!D. Q 8uthor0s Aa#e R publishers three popular e<ines: 5reative S#all Bi< and /our %veryDay Write. which are free to subscribers. and $reelance 5opy Write. which has paying subscribers" She also teaches online writing courses"
84
"nother sample Guery letter

Here0s another sa#ple 9uery letter" 8t the ti#e of writing. * haven0t sent out this letter" 8gain however. you can see that it0s short. to the point. and contains nothing irrelevant" )ver the years. *0ve found that if *0# pitching CsellingD nonfiction or fiction. *0ve had the best responses to 9uery letters which were less than one page in length" 'e#e#ber that nothing is set in stone" *t0s all an e-peri#ent" Write your letter at whatever length see#s best to you" /our #otto should be: 6whatever works"6
PPPP PPPP QD8(%R

Dear PP 4y na#e is Q 8uthor0s Aa#e R" *0# seeking representation for #y book: Writin% To #ell In the Internet (%e" (he target audience is writers. and aspiring writers. who want to be paid for their skill with words" Writin% To #ell In the Internet (%e discusses the new earning power that *nternet technology gives writers" 4any writers are co#fortable using the *nternet for e#ail and research. but #ost are unaware that they now have #any new opportunities. including:
5lever new ways to #arket their work and services with tools like autoresponders. e#ail #ini-courses. ebooks. and pro#otional e<ines@
(he opportunity to develop a loyal following of readers" (hey can write and publish instantly. to a worldwide audience #illions strong. with tools like Web logs CblogsD@
(he ability to target specific niches. and to garner an inco#e #uch faster than they can via traditional publishing routes" 8


writer can write an ebook or report this #onth. and sell it forever"
86
*0ve been selling this #aterial as an ebook and as an e-course on #y Web site Chttp:!!www"#ywebsite"co#! D for several #onths" *t has been well received. and now *0d like to take the #aterial and use it as the basis for a book" 4y credentials for writing the book: *0ve been an author. writer and copywriter over =G years" *0ve been online since 2JJ>. and know the online world well" C*0ve included a brief bio below"D 8s far as *0# aware. there0s no other book currently on the #arket which presents this #aterial" (he few *nternet-related books for writers currently available ca#e out around =333. during the height of the dot co# boo#. and focus on online #arkets for writers" Please let #e know if you0d like to see a proposal for the book" Sincerely. 8uthor

rite your Guery letter7
(he ne-t step is to write your own 9uery letter" Don0t take too long over this" 4ake a couple of notes of points you want to include. and write it" /ou can include your blurb --- your blurb could in fact #ake up the bulk of your letter"
2ere5s a Guick outline -or your Guery letter&
8" *ntroduce yourself in =3 words or less. and state your business --6*0# seeking representation for #y book: QtitleRU6 B" Blurb" 5" /our credentials" D" *dentify the #arket for the book"


6Don0ts6 for your 9uery letter:
88
<. Don5t make unsupported claims -or yourselor your book

Please don0t say that you0re successful or that you0ve written a bestseller" )nly beginning writers #ake clai#s like this" (he agent or editor will i##ediately classify you as a novice. and an irritating one at that" C)n the other hand. if a well-known #uch-published writer has praised you or your book. say so. and give his! her contact details so that the editor can call hi#! her"D
=. Don5t mention that you5re unpublished

(he agent will figure it out when you don0t #ention writing credits" Please note: (H*S *S A)( 8 B8D (H*AB" %veryone has to start so#ewhere" %ditors and agents know this. and they won0t hold it against you" (hey will :udge your book proposal 9uery on its #erits" *f an agent feels that your #aterial is so#ething that she can sell. she will contact you" 8s will an editor. if she feels that the writing in your

9uery letter is to the point and professional. and she thinks that your book idea is a good one"
>. Don5t mention that your partner, your best -riend, or the milkman think that you5re a .ood writer or that you5ve .ot a brilliant idea -or a book
+nless these people have publishing credits. no one cares" 4entioning the# #arks you not only as an a#ateur. but also as so#eone who #ay be difficult to work with" What do * #ean by 6difficult to work with6; Before you sign a contract. your agent and editor will :udge your behavior. looking for tell-tale signs that you #ight be a proble# writer" Problem writers&
o 8rgue when asked to rewrite" 8l#ost everything you
write will need to be rewritten" /our agent will ask you to add. delete or revise #aterial in your proposal" /our editor will ask for rewrites on your book. and perhaps #ore than one rewrite" (herefore. if you show any sign that you #ay drag your feet over these


chores. or do the# without a song on your lips. they will du#p you" &ife0s too short. and publishing is too co#petitive to indulge anyone0s te#pera#ent@
o Procrastinate" Publishing is always on a tight
90
deadline" $ro# the day of your first contact. you #ust show that you can work to deadline"
o 5an0t follow instructions" Aever be afraid to ask if
there is so#ething you don0t understand" $or e-a#ple. if you0re asked for a 6bio6 and you don0t know how to write one. ask" Ao one will think less of you for asking. but they will take several steps backward if you don0t follow instructions. or if you decide that you will do things your way"
o (urn in a #essy or less-than-pristine typescript" )r
fail to send an electronic file when asked"
A. Don5t be speci-ic
4any writers are never asked for a book proposal because they don0t nail the 9uery letter" *f you tell an agent your book is about 6growing up in the fifties.6 the agent will si#ply ignore you" (his is not specific

enough" /ou #ust be very specific. so that the person you0re writing to can visuali<e the book. and can also visuali<e where it will fit into the #arketplace" Writers do this sort of thing because they0re insecure" (hey i#agine that if they0re vague. the agent will ask to see their book because they want to know e-actly what it0s about" (his is a H+B% #istake" 8gents and editors receive hundreds of letters and proposals each week" *f you0re not specific. you give the i#pression that you haven0t thought out your proposal"


92
D"0 SII&
rite the book proposal
Day Si- (ask Task %ne& rite the initial dra-t
o- your book proposal

Write the draft 9uickly" Don0t think too #uch about it" *n your initial draft. you ai# for 9uantity. rather than 9uality"
#ela/7 0ou5ll write your dra-t in sta.es

(oday0s the big day" /ou0re going to write your book proposal" *f you0re starting to free<e up at the thought. rela-" /ou0ve already done

a lot of preparation work. and you0re not going to write it all at once" /ou0ll write it by taking the proposal through several clearly defined stages: ". $irst dra-t" (his is your 6thinking6 draft. in which you think on paper" *n this draft. you write whatever you like" /ou0re ai#ing for 9uantity here. rather than 9uality" Write this draft full-stea# ahead. without stopping to look things up" 5onsider 6writing6 this draft by talking into a tape recorder" *f you need to do so#e spot research. :ust leave a note to yourself. and keep working on the draft" /ou can look up individual ite#s later" (he benefit of doing specific research later is that you #ay find it0s unnecessary" *t0s 9uite possible that you0ll eli#inate this #aterial fro# a later draft" ). 0our second dra-t" /our first draft has shown you what you want to say" *n this draft. you have a crack at saying it" *n your second draft. you organi<e" /ou decide what #aterial you want to include. and perhaps e-pand on. and what #aterial you0ll delete" (hink of this draft as shaping your #aterial" )ccasionally you0ll want to take this shaping draft through several docu#ents" /ou #ay have a B2. B=. B> and B? version. for e-a#ple"


94
3eep your drafts. .se the 0"ile )ave As0 menu option of your word processor to keep versions of your book proposal. When you change the name of the file as you work through different versions it means that you can always go back and reinsert something that you deleted because it's in a previous version. +. 0our clean-up dra-t. /our final draft" /ou0ve said what you want to say. now you get a chance to say it better" /ou clean up the redundancies and spice it up" Parado-ically. the easiest way to write well is to allow yourself to write badly" %very day" Writing is hard when you try to think and write at the sa#e ti#e" 8llow yourself to think on paper for as #any drafts as you need" (hen write the final draft with confidence" Woody 8llen once said that J3 per cent of success at anything was :ust showing up" *0ve found that that0s very true" So no #atter how bad you feel your writing is at any given ti#e. go ahead anyway" /our writing is not as bad as you think. it0s si#ply a crisis of confidence@ even if it is rough when you first get it on the co#puter screen. you

can fi- it" However. if you hesitate. and don0t get it on the co#puter screen. you have nothing to fi-" 6et it done7 8t the end of this book. you0ll find the co#plete proposal for #y book )opy"ritin% #u ess #e rets. (his is a real proposal. and it won an agent contract on first reading" 'ead it through so that you can see e-actly what goes into creating a proposal" We0ve already covered what you #ust include in your book proposal. but here it is again. for reference" Please print this page out:
8 title page. with the title. subtitle. author. word count of the co#pleted book. and esti#ated ti#e fra#e for co#pletion" /ou #ight state: 6FG.333 words. co#pletion three #onths after agree#ent"7
8n overview: a description of the book" (his can be as short as a paragraph. or several pages long"
(he background of the author" /our biography. as it relates to your e-pertise for this book"


96
(he co#petition in the #arketplace" (his is where you #ention the top four or five titles which are your book0s co#petitors" CAote: if there are do<ens of co#petitors for your book. this is a good thing. because it #eans that the sub:ect area is popular" /our book will need to take a new slant"D
Pro#otions" (his is where you describe how you will pro#ote your book. both before and after publication"
8 chapter outline" 8 sa#ple chapter. or two chapters" (his is always the first chapter. and if you0re sending two chapters. it0s the *ntroduction and 5hapter )ne. or if there0s no *ntroduction. it0s 5hapters )ne and (wo"
8ttach#ents" )ptional" /ou #ay want to attach articles you0ve written about the book0s topic. or any relevant supporting #aterial"

&et0s write the book proposal 0our chapter outline
/ou0ve already been working on a #a:or part of the book proposal --the chapter outline" *f you like. you can begin today0s work by spending an hour or two with that" *f your chapter outline still has #a:or holes in it. don0t worry too #uch about it" (oday we0ll co#plete an initial draft of the co#plete book proposal. and you can fill in the gaps later"
0our back.roundJwhy you5re the person to write this book

Ae-t. we0ll work on the background section" (he first piece of info to include in the background section is a brief bio" %very book you own has a bio of the author. so take a few books off your shelves and study the author bios" 4ost are short" Aovelists0 bios #ention the writer0s interests. partner. children and pets" (he bios of nonfiction writers Cthat0s youD e#phasi<e the writer0s acade#ic credentials if it0s i#portant to the writer0s credibility. or the


infor#ation" writer0s e-perience in the field the book covers. or any other relevant
98
Here0s an e-a#ple of a bio. which * wrote as part of the book proposal for: )opy"ritin% #u ess #e rets--
Huick )io 8ustralian author and :ournalist Q 8uthor0s Aa#e R has been writing successfully for =G years" She writes about business. technology. wo#en0s issues. and creativity" Her books include: *i&eTime! +etter Time ,ana%ement in -. Days. Home #"eet O&&i e! Your Home O&&i e. Impro$e Your ,emory in -. Days. and ,akin% the Internet Work &or Your +usiness" Her feature articles have appeared in #aga<ines like %nergy for Wo#en. (he 8ustralian Wo#en0s Weekly. Wo#an0s Day. Aew *dea. Eogue. and nu#erous other print and online #aga<ines" She0s also a working copywriter. writing copy for businesses ranging fro# international corporations to s#all businesses with less than five e#ployees"

/ou #ust slant your bio so that it relates to those e-periences that #ake you the perfect person to write the book you0re proposing" $or e-a#ple. let0s say that in your daily life you0re a doctor" (he book you0re proposing is a gardening book: how to grow your own organic vegetables" *n your bio. you #ight call yourself 6Dr" Kane S#ith.7 but for this bio. you0d #ention that you grew up on a far#. have grown organic vegetables for ten years. and write a #onthly colu#n for /at Your Or%ani 0e%%ies ,a%a8ine" /our e-periences as a doctor wouldn0t be appropriate for this book" )n the other hand C:ust to confuse youD. if you intended to cover the health and nutritional benefits of organic vegetables at great length. then your credentials as a doctor would be i#portant. and you0d include the#"
Please remember that there is no way you can do any of this wrong 444 something either works or it doesn't. You can always make changes later when you get feedback . 4any of #y writing students focus so #uch on the 6correct6 way of doing so#ething. that they never get anything done" Koin any writing group. and discussions of correct for#atting abound" *f you start to get nervous about anything you0re doing. wondering


choose to do it" * #ay choose another way at so#e other ti#e. but right now. * do it this way. and it0s the right way for #e"6
100
whether you0re doing it 6right.7 si#ply tell yourself: 6this is the way *
*n addition to your bio. if you have publishing credits. you0ll want to #ention the# here" /our publishing credits should be paid credits. rather than work you0ve done for pro#otional purposes. or #aterial for which you weren0t paid" What if you don0t have any publishing credits; %veryone has to start so#ewhere" *f you don0t have any credits. don0t worry about the#" *f your proposal is e-cellent. and a publisher wants to co##ission the book. then your lack of credits won0t count against you"
rite the %verview

Aow you0ll know why you spent ti#e writing your blurb" (he )verview. the description of your book. is the first part of your proposal that literary agents and book publishers will read" *t0s your book in a nutshell" *t0s also #erely an e-panded version of your blurb"

*0ve included a sa#ple )verview below" *t0s fro# the proposal for #y book Writin% To #ell In The Internet (%e5
Sample %verview Internet ".e
ritin. To Sell In The
The Internet .ives writers unlimited new opportunities Writin% To #ell In The Internet (%e e#powers writers by revealing the i##ense new earning power that *nternet technology gives the#" While #any writers are co#fortable using the *nternet for e#ail and research. #ost are unaware that they now have #any new opportunities. including:
5lever new ways to #arket their work and services with tools like autoresponders. e#ail #ini-courses. ebooks. auctions. and pro#otional e<ines@
(he opportunity to develop a loyal following of readers" (hey can write and publish instantly. to a worldwide audience #illions strong. with tools like Web logs CblogsD" (his loyal following #akes a writer #ore appealing to traditional publishers@


(he ability to target specific niches. and to garner an inco#e #uch #ore 9uickly than they can via traditional publishing routes" 8 writer can write an ebook or report this #onth. and sell it forever" (he *nternet gives writers the power to be their own publisher and
102
distributor by selling their work directly to readers" 4any writers are already taking advantage of the possibilities" Kudy 5ullins. who0s building an online reputation as 6(he Book 5oach.7 says of selling her ebooks online directly to readers: 6(he first #onths. * had no idea at the ti#e how powerful this #ethod was" 4y inco#e bolted to over 1>333 a #onth in less than a year"6 (he new rule for writers in the *nternet age is: 65reate. pro#ote. sell"7 What0s a#a<ing is that writers can do all this in one day. even in hours" When * write a report. * can for#at it in PD$ CPortable Docu#ent $or#atD at the click of a key" (hat0s the publishing done" * can then add the report to the online store at #y Web site in #inutes --- distribution done" (hen * can send an announce#ent out to #y subscribers Cpro#otion doneD and watch the sales rolling in" Best of all * don0t have to be anywhere in particular to do this" * can do it as easily on a sun-drenched beach on the Breat Barrier 'eef off northern 8ustralia as * can in #y ho#e office in Sydney"

8re these capabilities within the reach of non-technically-inclined writers; /es 8lthough *0ve been writing about software. co#puters and the *nternet for #any years. *0# by no #eans a geek" (he writers who shared their anecdotes and success stories for this book aren0t geeks either" (hey0re writers who0ve seen opportunities and grabbed at the#" 4any of these writer! publisher! entrepreneurs didn0t co#e to writing via traditional publishing routes" 4any started out as #arketers. or entrepreneurs" (hey looked at the *nternet. saw how relatively easy it is to #ake #oney selling infor#ation online. and worked out ways to do it" (he *nternet is the answer to writers0 prayers" *t puts writers in control of their own destinies" We see what we e-pect to see. so writers have seen the *nternet as a #aga<ine-style 6content6 #arket" But because of the unli#ited free content online. few sites buy content" C(his #ay change. as #ore sites with good content change to a reader-pays business #odel"D Writers haven0t yet seen that the *nternet is a co#pletely new environ#ent. where they can write what they want to write. and can. without too #uch effort. #ake a good living"


" how-to plus a how-they-did-it
104
Writin% To #ell In The Internet (%e is a how-to for writers to access their new opportunities. but it0s also a how-they-did-it" *0ll be describing the avenues that writer-entrepreneurs are developing to use the *nternet to #ake e-cellent #oney in #any new ways" (hese writers are e-ploring their new options with a#a<e#ent and delight" *t0s an e-citing ti#e" *0ll be including their stories and tips in this book to inspire other writers that they can do it too"
hat I won5t be includin. * won0t include descriptions of technology and the online environ#ent" *nfor#ation on how to build a Web site. how to sell online. how to create a #ailing list and other technical #inutiae is readily available online" 8lso because technology is advancing so 9uickly. technical infor#ation rapidly beco#es outdated" What won0t change however are the basic concepts of writing to sell in the *nternet age" *nclude in your )verview: 8 description of your book@ Why your book is i#portant@ So#ething about what0s included in your book@

Why you0re the person to write this book"
Don5t hype, )@T D% I,+*@DE E?E#0T2I,6 #E*E?",T Please don0t try to hype your book in the )verview" Kust tell your story as 9uickly and as clearly as you can" 8lso. don0t hold anything back" *0ve read #any book proposals fro# beginning writers where the writer has tried to be coy: 6$or the co#plete details. you0ll need to read the book 6 (his kind of thing will work against you" /ou0re asking a publisher to invest around 1>3.333 to publish your book" 8nyone who0s going to spend that a#ount of #oney wants all the details" Please provide the#"
0our %verview5s len.th

/our O$er$ie" can be as long. or as short. as you feel it needs to be" So#e proposals have one-page )verviews. in others. the writer needs five pages to describe the book" +se your own :udge#ent here" *f you need five pages. then by all #eans. use the#" However. if your )verview is long. #ake sure that you haven0t repeated infor#ation"


106
rite the Promotions section

Ae-t. you0ll write the Pro#otions section" *n this section. you will show your publisher that you intend to go all-out to pro#ote your book" /ou can do this with an invest#ent of #oney. or of ti#e" *f you can do both. you should"
Promotin. with money

5o#pany 5%)s. sports figures. celebrities and other well-heeled people often write books. or have books written for the# by ghostwriters" *t0s understood that any celebrity will hire a public relations agency. and will spend a lot of #oney nudging the book up the bestseller list" *f you have #oney to spend on a public relations agency. mention this in your proposal" /our publisher will be pleased that you intend to get behind the book"

Promotin. with time
*f you don0t have swags of cash lying around that you can use to pro#ote your book. you0ll need to invest ti#e" /ou can pro#ote your book a #illion ways -- fro# pasting #agnetic letters onto your car and building a Web site. to calling bookstores all over the country to talk the# into stocking your book" /ou can even act as your own P' agency. and without anything other than an *nternet connection and so#e ti#e. can do a lot of work to help sell your book" The publisher "ill appre iate any marketin% you do5 Sa#ple Pro#otions section Writin% To #ell In The Internet (%e Here0s the Pro#otions section fro# Writin% to #ell in the Internet (%e" 4y pri#ary focus will be on online pro#otions" $or two reasons: *0# located in 8ustralia. which #eans * can0t go the usual book store! speaking venue route to pro#ote the book" 8nd *0ve been online since 2JJ=. pre-World Wide Web. and know how to pro#ote online" C* wrote a book called ,akin% the Internet Work &or Your +usiness. which is about setting up a s#all business online C2JJI. 8llen L +nwinDD" 8lso. it0s appropriate to pro#ote a book about selling in the age of the *nternet on the *nternet"


* have a popular Web site Chttp:!!www"#ywebsite"co#!D and three e#ail e<ines. and *0ll be pro#oting Writin% To #ell In the Internet
108
(%e heavily in all of the#" * now spend ten hours a week working on #y site and #y e<ines. and on pro#otional activities for the#. so *0ll increase that to 2G hours. so that * regularly spend considerable ti#e on the book0s pro#otion" 4y offline focus will be on getting press coverage and radio interviews" 4y plan outline
1. * will create a #ini-Web site for Writin% To #ell In the Internet
(%e" (his will be a three page sales site. the na#e of the site to be taken fro# the book" Such #ini-sites are called 6buy. book#ark or leave6 sites" (he entire site is si#ilar to a direct #ail letter: its only purpose is to encourage the reader to buy the book" (he beauty of such sites is that if they0re efficiently linked fro# other sites. such as #y business site. Digital-e. and other sites in which * have an interest. they 9uickly rank M2 in the search top search engines. that is. in /ahoo and Boogle"co#"
#. *0ll write a long sales page on Digital-e for Writin% To #ell In the
Internet (%e5 CSee an e-a#ple:

http:!!www"#ywebsite"co#!ecourses="ht#lD
3. *0ll develop an e#ail newsletter for the book0s buyers. and
prospective buyers" (his #onthly newsletter will update the infor#ation in the book. and will include a link for readers to buy the book online"
'. *0ll subscribe to a press release Web site. so * can send out
#onthly online news releases for the book to thousands of #edia outlets in the +"S". and if the book gets a 5o##onwealth sale. in the +, and 8ustralia" With the phone. e#ail and fa-. doing long-distance interviews for newspapers and radio will be easy" Several of #y books have attracted radio and newspaper interviews. and *0# co#fortable doing the#"
). *0ll interact in online chat roo#s. conferences. and in #ailing
lists. subtly pro#oting the book" N" *0ll create a private discussion group for the book0s readers in the 6(alk6 foru#s section of #y Digital-e Web site. so that readers can ask 9uestions and interact with #e directly" 8s this foru# grows. *0ll appoint reader-#oderators for the various discussions"


110
rite the +ompetition section

)n Day T"o. you did a lot of work on assessing the #arket for your book" Here0s where you use all that infor#ation" 5hoose anywhere fro# three to five books which you esti#ate will be your book0s #ain co#petitors" Describe how your book is different fro# these books. and how your book fills a niche in the #arketplace" *nclude the na#es of the books. the authors. and the year of publication" *f these books were published several years ago. this is all to the good"
D"0 SE?E,&
rite the sample chapter and revise your proposal
Day Seven (asks
Task %ne& chapter
rite the sample
Write the first chapter of your book"
Task Two& #evision

'evise the first draft of your co#plete proposal"


112
(oday you write your sa#ple chapter

Write your sa#ple chapter using the 8.B. and 5 #ethod that we talked about" *0ve also described a fast #ethod that * use to write chapters of books below" *f you prefer to use a tape recorder. then do that" * prefer to write first drafts by hand. on yellow legal pads" * find that * can rela- and en:oy #yself when * write by hand" Whichever #ethod you use. :ust settle down and write the first chapter" ,ote& invariably. after you sell the book proposal. and are writing the book. you will #ake changes and it0s likely that the final first chapter you write will be very different fro# the version you0re writing today" Since that0s the case. :ust write as 9uickly as you can"
" -ast chapter-writin. method

Writing a chapter of a book is like writing a long article" 4ost chapters are so#ewhere between =333 and ?333 words. but if you want to write a short chapter of 2G33 words. that0s fine too" 'e#e#ber that you can0t do any of this wrong. and it0s your choice"

Here0s a #ethod that * use when *0# writing a chapter in a book" 8dapt it to your own needs"
<. #eread your notes

'eread the notes that you0ve #ade during this week"
=. Talk to yoursel- on paper

(hen take five #inutes and write out e-actly what you want to include in this chapter" (his isn0t an outline@ your notes can be as brief. or as lengthy as you wish" * usually talk to #yself on paper. like this: 6What do * want to cover in this chapter; * want the reader to understand Cthis process! theory! idea! #ethodD" * also want to include these five anecdotes" What do the anecdotes show; (he first one shows thatU6 By talking to #yself like this. * eli#inate perfor#ance an-iety" So#e writers do the sa#e thing by writing their chapters as letters: they can take it easy. as if they0re talking to a friend" (he big benefit of using a #ethod like this is that it does away with for#ality and stiffness"


114
>.
hen you5re ready, write
When you feel ready. start to write" 8s you0re writing. :ust get the words out as 9uickly as you can" *t0s useful to set a goal for the nu#ber of pages in an hour" * usually ai# for three pages an hour" However. if you feel that having a nu#ber of pages that you 6#ust6 write an hour stresses you. then don0t set a goal like this" When you0re writing:
(urn on the answering #achine. and turn off your e#ail progra#@
5lose your office door@ Set yourself goal of either pages written. or words written@ Don0t reread your notes" *f you need to look so#ething up. :ust write 6tk6 which is an old printer0s #ark #eaning 6to co#e.7 and keep on writing" *f you stop to look so#ething up it #ay derail your train of thought" Plus you #ay think: oh, I need to o$er this, and this, and this must %o in" 8ssure yourself that you won0t be able to cover everything" (rust that your subconscious will deliver the #aterial which needs to go into

the first chapter @
,eep going even if you0re sure that what you0re writing is less than your best work" /ou can tidy it all up later" Kust get the words down"
*f you find that your writing goes slowly with this first chapter. that0s nor#al" $irst chapters are always slow to write. because you haven0t found the right tone and voice in which to write your book" )nce you find those. the writing will go #uch #ore easily" Because first chapters are al"ays slow. it0s i#portant that you don0t leave your desk until you0ve written the nu#ber of words you set out to write"
'evising your book proposal

When you0ve co#pleted the first chapter. print out the entire book proposal" (hen go and do so#ething else --- go and watch a #ovie. or have lunch" (ake a good break of at least a couple of hours before you co#e back to read your book proposal"


116
2ow to revise
Kust like your writing. your revision will go through several phases" 5opyediting. or line revision. where you fiddle with word choices and gra##ar. co#es last" Here are the steps:
<. #ead the entire proposal

'ead the book proposal straight through" ,eep note-#aking to a #ini#u#" (his is so you can get a sense of how the #aterial reads" When you0ve finished this initial read-through. ask yourself whether what you0ve written stays close to your blurb" *f it doesn0t. you can either change your blurb --- perhaps you0ve been inspired with so#e creative new ideas --- or you can change your proposal" While this read-through is fresh in your #ind. write out your i#pressions" Have you covered #ost of what you want to include; What else do you think the proposal needs;

=. Slash and burn
Before you start cutting. rena#e your docu#ent CEersion B or B2. or whatever na#ing process #akes sense to youD" Aow go through the book proposal and take out the #aterial that you0ve decided you want to eli#inate" *f it0s too painful to si#ply hit the Delete key. cut the #aterial and paste it into another docu#ent"
>. "dd material

*n this pass through the book proposal. add the #aterial the proposal needs" Perhaps you0ve done so#e additional research --- write up all the #aterial you want to include"
A. #ead -or coherency

Print out your book proposal. and read it through to check for coherency" 4ake sure that you0ve included transitions in your sa#ple chapter"
9. #evise -or style

*n this pass through the #aterial. you get to :a<< it up. if you wish"


118
B. +opyedit
*n this final pass through your proposal. check for gra##ar and word usage"
0ou5re done7
/ou0ve done it" 5ongratulations /ou0ve co#pleted your book proposal" Aow co#es the fun part. selling your book proposal" Bood luck" See you on the bestseller lists"
Don5t -or.et to download your -ree FSample )ook ProposalF at http&''www.)ookProposal ritin..com

$%%& $'%% () D*S('*B+(% (H*S %B)),
You may freely distribute this ebook to others without prior permission from the publisher or author, as long as it is NOT altered and this ebook is distributed in its entirety. You may freely give away this ebook, bundle it with other products, give it away as a free bonus product, or make it available as a free download. You may not sell this ebook for money. You can download free cover graphics and updated versions of this ebook at www.BookProposal riting.com !on"t forget to visit our website to download more free products#


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Book Proposal Secrets : How to Write a Book Proposal by Dan Strauss