Most nonfiction books are sold with a proposal—40-80 pages that give editors a sense of the book’s premise, scope, and market, as well as a sample chapter or two to prove that the author (and collaborator) can write.

The typical proposal consists of

	an overview (essentially a 3-4 page pitch letter)
	chapter summaries
	a review of similar books (competing titles) that are currently available
	marketing and publicity strategies
	author biography
	sample chapters

Within the first page or so, your proposal must convince potential editors that you have a fail-proof, dazzling idea and are the only person on the planet with the credentials to present it. It may not be a new idea—there are few of those lurking about—but it is your unique version of an idea, and you have a voice so fresh, so irresistible, that readers will be lining up to pay for it. The good news is that editors want to be convinced of this. They want to buy manuscripts. And most people do have a unique voice, they just need the right person to help bring it out.

After you have snagged the editor’s attention in the first few pages of your proposal, he or she will be on the lookout for signs that the book will be a winner. Is the project well thought-out and carefully organized? Is every chapter vital and engaging? Do the chapters flow and add up to a satisfying whole? Do you have something substantial to say, more than a few good thoughts with a lot of padding? What about other, similar books currently on the shelves—what makes yours special and more marketable than the rest? Chapter summaries and a section on competing titles must answer these questions.

The book proposal must sell not only the book, but also its author. It needs to convince potential editors that you are the only one who can tell this story and that you're 110% committed to promoting the book once it is published. You will need to analyze your resources, capitalize on your background, and think like a publicist in order to develop a marketing strategy your editor can dangle in front of the sales team. Merely loving your concept isn’t enough; your editor needs ammunition for the bottom-line guys. For this reason, the “About the Author” and “Marketing and Publicity” sections of the proposal are just as important as the chapter summaries and sample chapters.

As for sample chapters, you’ll need to include at least one with the proposal. Here is where the editor will get a sense—usually within a few pages—of whether you have what it takes to capture a reader’s interest and deliver a complete and polished manuscript. The quality of the sample chapter often has a great impact on the dollar amount you’ll be offered for the book, because the editor will use it to gauge how much work he or she will need to devote to your writing. The less work, the better. Most editors are terribly overextended and love projects that won't require much editing.

Together, we can create a proposal that meets these high standards. When we're done, you will hold in your hand not only the means of selling your book but also a blueprint for writing the manuscript itself.