Book Proposal Examples - Warnings For Writers
Posted on February 27, 2008
Looking at another writer’s book
“But I need to find out how to write a book proposal,” I hear writers say all the time. “Where can I look for good examples? And can I trust what I read in the examples of other writers?”
The first point to be made is that you can find book proposal examples in books about book proposals, and also online. That may not help you much, however, if you fail to heed these three warnings.
BOOK PROPOSAL EXAMPLES DON’T USE YOUR STYLE
The only book proposal that contains your unique style is your own book proposal. (You may have heard that a book proposal is a styleless business document, but that’s not true. Even a book proposal, which is essentially a business plan for the publication of your proposed book, can contain both the style and the voice of an author.) Hopefully your book proposal will contain your unique style and voice, especially in the sample chapters section.
When you look at examples of book proposals written by other writers you may become frustrated because they seem to be written in an alien style and voice. Your frustration is only natural since it was not your voice or your style that enlivened the other writer’s book proposal. Don’t let someone else’s style or voice influence yours too much, especially when you’re at the initial stages of putting together your book proposal. Some sample book proposals are all business, others are all excitement and hoopla. You have to find the tone and style that fits your book project and stick to that.
BOOK PROPOSAL EXAMPLES DON’T DESCRIBE YOUR BOOK
Naturally book proposal examples that you may read in books or online won’t describe your book. But the problem is that when looking at another author’s book proposal you may be tempted to follow his approach when it’s all wrong for your book. For example, the overview of a sample book proposal may begin with a terse businesslike summary of the world of computer sales. But if your book is about adoption and you’re going to narrate a first-person account of your adoption experiences in your book, then a cold and calculated businesslike approach may not be the tone you wish to use.
Carefully look at the examples of book proposals and determine what applies to your book and what does not. In some cases there may be entire sections that you don’t need.
BOOK PROPOSAL EXAMPLES DON’T DESCRIBE YOUR MARKET
Keep in mind that everyone’s book will appeal to a different market. A book about cars might appeal more strongly to men, whereas a book about breast-feeding might appeal more strongly to women. Your book may also appeal to a different age demographic than the sample book proposal you’re perusing. You will want to modify all these things in putting together your book proposal.
Once you realize that there are things you must watch
William Cane is the author of The Art of Kissing, translated into 19 languages. He taught English at Boston College for fourteen years and today is a widely sought-after speaker at colleges and universities nationwide. His Web site contains more insider writing advice for those wishing to get published: http://www.hiwrite.com
Copyright © 2007 William Cane
Tags: book proposals, literary agents, promotion, publishing, writing
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