Want to know how to create a great book proposal?
On Saturday, March 19, I’m going to be spending the day with a bunch of writers at the Ramada Hotel and Convention Center in Omaha, Nebraska. I’m being hosted by the Nebraska Writers Guild, and I’m really excited because I’m going to be spending the day talking about how to create the perfect book proposal.
The fact is, I love talking about this topic, since I think a lot of writers who have spent years learning how to craft their manuscripts begin to struggle when they have to shift from “writing my book” to “selling my book to a publisher.” So if you’re wondering how to create a great book proposal that will get noticed by editors and agents, come join us.
I take the time to make sure everyone knows the purpose behind proposals, and then we go through the details of crafting both a nonfiction book proposal (with all the section-by-section notes that are needed of make it complete) as well as a novel proposal (and the importance of pre-telling your story to the editor). One of the things that makes this workshop unique is that I share some real-world examples of proposals that I actually represented, and that landed book deals at publishing houses. Then, after going through the details, we spend some time on refining the proposal — exploring the little keys that will make your book stand out in a crowd.
We’ll also take some time to talk about how to write a query letter and how to pitch a book face-to-face, so you’ll be ready the next time you go to a writers’ conference and have to sit down across the table from some famous editor. And we’ll talk about today’s market — what’s working, what’s not, and what questions you have about the publishing business.
I love this topic, and really appreciate the chance to spend a day just focused on creating and polishing the strongest proposals possible. So if you’re anywhere close to Omaha around Saint Patrick’s Day, come join us. The cost is $69, and I’m going to try and get a bit of face time with everyone there, so I’d love to meet you.
Questions? Ask away! Here’s the book I did on the topic, in case you’re interested in my thinking…
2 Comments
Sounds like a wonderful webinar for those of us who are too far away. (hint, hint)
Let us know if you’re ever in the UK – Nebraska is a bit far! “Step by step pitches and proposals” is a useful book, but I would have loved to have seen more on writing the synopsis. It’s become a mandatory part of querying a novel, so samples could have been especially helpful.