| You have a great idea for a nonfiction book. | | | | the magazine articles, newspaper stories, booklets, |
| Everybody thinks it's a great idea. But will a book | | | | pamphlets, surveys, reports and statistics on your |
| publishing company think it's a great idea - enough to | | | | topic, that's a good indication the topic is 'meaty" |
| pay you an advance, commission you to write it, | | | | enough to justify a full-length book. |
| publish your book and sell it? | | | | Third, organize your information into chapters. Think |
| That will depend largely on your book proposal. Here's | | | | about how you would logically explain your topic or |
| where you demonstrate persuasively that your idea | | | | present your information, and organize it into major |
| has merit, and that the company will benefit from | | | | categories. These will become chapter headings. |
| publishing your book. Of course, even a solid idea and | | | | A full-length nonfiction book typically has 8-15 |
| a great book proposal can't guarantee success, but | | | | chapters. If your outline has fewer, the publisher may |
| they surely can tip the odds in your favor. But if | | | | think there's not enough information to fill a book on |
| either the idea or the proposal is weak, your chances | | | | your topic. Shoot for an outline with at least nine |
| of a sale are slim to none. | | | | chapters. |
| Book editors look for certain things when reviewing | | | | A detailed table of contents proves to the book |
| book ideas and proposals. To improve your chances | | | | publishing company that your topic is appropriate for |
| of winning a book publisher's contract, let's look at | | | | a book, not just a magazine article. |
| the five key questions they ask and the best ways | | | | 3. What's different or better about your book? |
| to answer them. | | | | The first page or two of your book proposal must |
| 1. Is there a large enough audience interested in this | | | | contain an overview of your idea, the book content |
| topic to justify publishing a book? | | | | and its target audience. |
| You want to stay away from a highly specialized | | | | The first two paragraphs of your overview must tell |
| book, which draws limited audience. You want your | | | | the editor why and how your book is unique, |
| book to be among the books that appeal to a | | | | different or better than other books already |
| general audience or at least to a large segment of | | | | published on this topic. |
| the general population. | | | | The angle that makes your book different can take |
| You must demonstrate to your prospective publishing | | | | many forms: A slant toward a different audience, a |
| agent that your large audience - of hundreds of | | | | better way of organizing the material, or inclusion of |
| thousands of people, if not millions – exists. | | | | topics not covered in other books. |
| One excellent source of market data is Standard | | | | For instance, my co-author and I wrote a nonfiction |
| Rate and Data Service (SRDS), a book listing US | | | | book, Technical Writing. Structure, Standards and |
| magazines that accept advertising and their | | | | Style, because we wanted to create a handbook for |
| circulations. SRDS is available at your local library or | | | | technical writers that emulated the concise, |
| from the publisher (tel. 847/375-5000). Look for the | | | | to-the-point style and format of The Elements of |
| combined circulation of the largest publications in your | | | | Style, William Strunk and E.B. White's popular style |
| book's area. | | | | guide for general writers. |
| However, keep in mind that only a small percentage | | | | Our proposal called our book "the Strunk and White |
| of the intended audience will actually buy your book. | | | | of technical writing," which instantly communicated |
| And a major book publishing company hopes to sell | | | | the key appeal of the concept. Our book agent sold |
| at least 5,000 copies of your book. So if you're | | | | the book - within three weeks - to the first book |
| writing a book that appeals only to the 44,171 branch | | | | publishing company who looked at it. |
| managers working at banks nationwide (say, How to | | | | Another section of your proposal that positions your |
| Manage Your Branch More Efficiently), and 2% can | | | | book in relation to others on the same subject is the |
| be persuaded to buy the book, you've sold only 883 | | | | "Competition" section. Here you list and describe |
| copies - not nearly enough to make the project | | | | competing books; each listing should emphasize how |
| worthwhile for either you or a publisher. | | | | your book is both different and better. |
| 2. Is this a book or a magazine article? Will it sell? | | | | Include in the Competition section those books that |
| There are two substantial differences between a | | | | cover the same - or very similar - topics as your |
| book and a magazine article, which will determine if | | | | book; that are published by major publishing houses; |
| the material you have will be accepted by a book | | | | and that are no more than five years old. |
| publisher. | | | | How many books you list in this section will be |
| First, there is the matter of time: It can take 18 | | | | important. The presence of two to six competitive |
| months to two years from conception to bookstore. | | | | books shows there's a market for this type of book, |
| If you have an idea for a book about Recession | | | | while still room for one more. On the other hand, if |
| proof Business at the onset of a recession, like I had | | | | there are seven or more books a publisher may think |
| in 1991, that recession may be over by the time the | | | | the field is overcrowded, and you'll probably have a |
| book comes out and it would not sell. However, a | | | | difficult time making the sale. |
| magazine article's time line of publication (or that of a | | | | 4. Will people pay $25.38 for this book? |
| small booklet) is much quicker (weeks to few | | | | According to Albert N. Greco, professor of marketing |
| months). | | | | in Fordham University, the average hardcover |
| Second difference is in length: Do you have enough | | | | nonfiction book sells for $25.38; the average trade |
| material for a book? | | | | paperback edition - for $20.40. Your book must be |
| The average nonfiction book is about 200 pages in | | | | interesting or valuable enough to make readers part |
| published form, with approximately 400 words a | | | | not only with their money, but with their time as well. |
| page. That's 80,000 words; about 320 double-spaced | | | | A how-to or reference book proposal should stress |
| typewritten manuscript pages. Most books range | | | | the benefits readers will get when they buy the |
| between 35,000 words (a slim, 100 pages volume) to | | | | book. If your book is biography, journalism, history, |
| 200,000 words or more. An article, on the other | | | | or any other form of nonfiction written primarily to |
| hand, can include anywhere from 300 to 2,500 words | | | | entertain, your proposal should highlight some of the |
| or so. | | | | more fascinating details of the book. |
| How do you know whether your idea is a book, | | | | 5. Why should the publishing agent hire you to write |
| article or booklet - and how do you convince a | | | | it? |
| publishing agent that your concept is a big one? Here | | | | Your proposal must show why you're uniquely |
| are some guidelines: | | | | qualified to write the book. Such qualifications fall into |
| First, see if there are other books on the topic. The | | | | two categories: writing credentials and expert |
| existence of a few similar titles indicates that this | | | | credentials. |
| idea is big enough to deserve a book. | | | | Writing credentials establish your expertise as an |
| Second, go to the library and see what else is | | | | author. |
| written on the topic. If you feel overwhelmed by all | | | | |