Marilyn Allen - The Complete Idiots Guide to Book Proposals & Query Letters

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Table of Contents

Introduction

Getting your nonfiction or fiction book published can be a complicated and confusing process. Every year, hundreds of thousands of writers vie for the attention of the decision-makers in the publishing business. For many, especially first-time writers, it can be an overwhelming experience. The Complete Idiots Guide to Book Proposals & Query Letters is designed to demystify the steps involved, help you get organized, and give you your best chance at success. Well show you how to prepare the materials that will put your book idea in the best light, and give you tips for making your writing stand out and your marketing platform sparkle. Well explain all of the steps and pieces needed to pitch your work effectively to get the interest of a publishing professional, and well share many examples along the way. This book will help get your work noticedand have literary agents and editors asking for more.

How This Book Is Organized

Part 1, Before You Start Writing, explains everything you need to know to see if your idea has what it takes to go all the way from concept to full-length book, and how to test-run it to see whether, if you write it, there will be an audience waiting to read it.

Part 2, The Query Letter, gives you the tools and savvy you need to get your foot in the publishing door by acing the first step: getting an agent or editor to ask for more about your book.

Part 3, The Book Proposal, lays out the basics on writing a successful proposal, from the cover letter to the writing sample.

Part 4, The Nonfiction Proposal, takes you through the process, helping you clearly outline your book, define your market, position yourself as a marketable author, evaluate the competition, and choose the best sample text to represent your book.

Part 5, Fiction Tips and the Process, covers the secrets of writing a great fiction proposal. We also discuss how to decide if you need an agent, how to approach a publisher directly, considerations for if you want to self-publish your book, and how you can make yourself and your book more marketable while youre playing the waiting game.

Extras

Keep an eye out for these special sidebars throughout the book. Theyll give you the inside scoop, from knowing publishings special lingo so you can sound like a seasoned pro to what you must doand must never do!if you really want to get your book published.

DEFINITION

Check these sidebars for terms you need to know to understand and navigate the publishing world.

AGENTS ADVICE

These tips from our professional experience and our agency business give you an insiders take on what you need to know, say, and do to get your book published.

PUBLISHING PITFALLS

These sidebars alert you to common mistakes writers make and tell you how to avoid them.

HOT OFF THE PRESS

These sidebars offer insights that will help you understand the expectations of publishing companies, as well as information related to the discussion.

Acknowledgments

From Marilyn Allen:

To my wonderful husband, Bill Liberis, and my lovely daughter, Erin LiberisI thank you for being my world and for being proud of everything I do. For Emily and Will Liberis, my other childrenyour love and support made me remove the step part long ago. To my parents, Joy and George Mara, for helping me get my first job in the Worcester Public Library and for raising me to love books. (Mom, writing a book has been on my bucket list for years!) To my sisters and brothers (and their families), Carolyn, George Jr., Michael, Patrick, and ColleenI love you and thank you for making our childhood so much fun. Especially, I would like to thank Coleen OShea, my partner in our literary agency business and in this book, for all her hard work and publishing smarts.

From Coleen OShea:

Thanks to all the talented and passionate writers who challenge us with new ideas and offer exciting opportunities to create meaningful new books. I am grateful for the many authors and clients Ive worked with throughout my career both as an editor and a literary agent. Most special thanks to my parents, Ruth and Francis OShea, who always encouraged and inspired me. One summer holiday, my father became so engrossed in Catch-22 by Joseph Heller that he seemed unaware of four young children racing around him, and I realized how transporting and magical a good book can be. I am especially grateful for that meaningful lesson. To my wonderful husband, David Anderson, and our amazing sons, Nicholas, Timothy, and Graham, who make my life joyous in every way. And to Marilyn Allen, the ideal business partner, who helps make our work fruitful and fun, in equal measure.

From Marilyn and Coleen:

We owe thanks to Ellen Phillips and Karla Dougherty for their research and help. A heartfelt thanks to Tom Stevens for the chance to write this book and for being a fantastic editor on this book and on the many, many others we have worked on together. To Lynn Northrup, for her wise advice. And to our clients and writers everywhere, thanks for giving us great books to read and to work on. Keep writing!

Trademarks

All terms mentioned in this book that are known to be or are suspected of being trademarks or service marks have been appropriately capitalized. Alpha Books and Penguin Group (USA) Inc. cannot attest to the accuracy of this information. Use of a term in this book should not be regarded as affecting the validity of any trademark or service mark.

Part 1

Before You Start Writing

So, you want to write a bookor maybe youve already written one. But taking your book idea or manuscript from concept to book deal isnt as straightforward as you might think. In this part, you learn if you really do have a viable book ideaand if you have what it takes to carry the concept through hundreds of pages. You also learn how to find writers groups and other venues where you can preview your project and get helpful suggestions and feedback before you submit it to an agent or editor for publication.

Chapter 1

Does Your Book Project Have What It Takes?

In This Chapter

The reality of writing and publishing a book

Pre-query musts for fiction and nonfiction

Originality, credibility, and finding an audience

Book proposal elements in brief

The crucial author platform

The importance of a catchy title

Tell anyone at a cocktail party, a wedding, a family dinner, or even the break room in your workplace that you are a writer and you will find, at one time or another, someone who wants to share his or her idea about writing a book:

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