The first step in getting your book sold to a publisher is putting together a proposal so that potential publishers know why they should invest their resources in bringing your idea to the marketplace. Here’s what you need to communicate:
1. The Overview. This is where you give a general idea of what your book is about and why it’s ‘hook’ is unique from others on the same topic. Discuss the worldly environment that it will be born into and why the time is now for it to come forth. What’s more, why are you the person to do so? If you have a book idea about dog obedience, for example, and have personally tamed three crazy shelter dogs, make your case!
2. The Table of Contents and Chapter Outline: You’ll need at least ten chapters. Have you thought about the different purpose of each chapter? Once you have, write engaging titles for each chapter and then a lead paragraph to demonstrate your unique writing style.
3. The Introduction. Start by studying Introductions of other non-fiction books to get a solid understanding of the purpose of this section. In short, it sets up the entire book for your readers. This is where you qualify what you are about to do within the chapters and explain yourself and your intent. For example, “I’m not a doctor, but what I’m about to share with you are ways that I’ve learned to”
4. Target Markets. No more talking to readers here, this is where you tell publishers that you completely understand the demographics of the audience you intend to sell to. Who are these people? How old are they and how do they spend their free time? If you’re writing a book about parenting, for example, give statistics about how busy your readers are and how eager they have proven to be when it comes to seeking advice.
5. Competitive Titles. Unless you’ve somehow reinvented the wheel with your subject, there are already several books on the shelves that are similar. Find three or four of them, read them, and offer a paragraph about their content. Then point out how your book differs and fills the need in a much better way.
6. Author Background. Once the publisher is convinced that your book is marketable, you need to prove that you have what it takes to write it. What is your background with regards to the title and your work ethic in general? Granted, you may never have published a book before, but you’ve worked in business for twenty years, meet deadlines and exceed expectations on a daily basis. You also should know that a publisher seeks to sell at least 10,000 books in order to consider a book from a first-time author a success. How will you as an author support this number? Do you teach dog obedience every Saturday? Have you written a related column in your local newspaper? In short, if you can prove that you have a built-in audience; this is where you do it.
7. Promotions. Gone are the glory days when authors were sent on posh book tours and the marketing was done by a department. Unless you’re already a best seller, that is! You need to think outside of the box and help your publisher spread the word about your book. This is the section where you share your brainstorming ideas for book promotion. Would you print the title on #2 pencils and offer them to students on test days? Would you offer parents a forum on a web site to ask questions about parenting? Think outside of the box here and convince publishers that they would have a marketing partner in you.
