#bookproposal

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Publish me! (I’m begging you.) Writing a query letter for your memoir.

Nov 28, 2022

Publish me! (I’m begging you.) Writing a query letter for your memoir.

You’ve written your memoir, you’ve produced your book proposal. Now it’s time to reach out to your chosen literary agents and/or editors. To do that, you need a query letter. Sounds simple? Some writers find this one of the hardest elements of this process. The query letter is a one-page distillation of your book proposal. It is most often sent as an email, and it is the very first written approach you will make to an agent or editor. Your book proposal and query letter go ha

Do I need a million social media followers to impress a literary agent?

Nov 18, 2022

Do I need a million social media followers to impress a literary agent?

Let's be brave and tackle what some writers consider to be one of the hardest parts of a book proposal: the Platform & Marketing section. I’m referring especially to memoirs here, but the sample principles apply to most kinds of nonfiction. In your memoir, you have a fascinating story. You have written it beautifully. But unless you get that story out there, it will stay on your desk unread and utterly unappreciated. Don’t let that happen! Your book proposal is your pathway t

Who are you? And who’s going to read your memoir?

Nov 11, 2022

Who are you? And who’s going to read your memoir?

In my recent blog posts, we’ve looked at what a book proposal is and what agents look for. We’ve discussed the overview and how to gain a distance from your memoir, in order to write about it. But the devil is in the detail and some things that seem simple can often be the hardest to write. The following two sections are often quite short. They may seem innocuous—even easy—but it really pays to take your time with them. Author Bio Last time, we discussed how to get a distance

Writing about writing is the hardest thing.

Nov 4, 2022

Writing about writing is the hardest thing.

The day has come. You’ve written, polished, and honed the manuscript for your memoir. Go you! Now it’s time to get that baby out there, and for that you need your beautifully crafted book proposal. But does the thought of writing that beautifully crafted book proposal fill you with dread? Let me help with that. In my last two posts (here and here), I looked at what a book proposal is and why you need one. Now—what about the how? In essence, a book proposal consists of eight d

Memoir writers! How will you catch a literary agent’s eye?

Oct 28, 2022

Memoir writers! How will you catch a literary agent’s eye?

If you’re pitching your memoir to literary agents, the million-dollar question is this: how do you catch an agent’s eye? Impress the agent For the agent, their first step is figuring out why should they read your manuscript, out of the thousands on their desk. They want to know, “Does this writer have the chops? Can they actually write?” If you can affirm that with your beautifully crafted book proposal, then they will be excited to read your manuscript. What is it? Think of

Fall in love with your book proposal: especially for memoir writers.

Oct 20, 2022

Fall in love with your book proposal: especially for memoir writers.

You’ve written your memoir. Now what? Finishing your memoir is not the end of the path to publication. You’re going to need a book proposal. But why? Your book proposal is where the rubber hits the road. If your memoir is truly going to be published, you are going to have to figure out how to persuade an agent and an editor that it’s commercially viable—as well as creatively attractive. Your book proposal encapsulates the idea of your memoir, and helps you to explain why anyo

It’s twins! Kind of. Two new courses to help you write your book proposal.

Oct 14, 2022

It’s twins! Kind of. Two new courses to help you write your book proposal.

This week I’m launching not one, but two new courses to help writers who are wrestling with their book proposal—whether they’re already writing one, or wondering if they even need to. Baby number 1: How to Write a Book Proposal for Your Memoir—A Webinar I’ve teamed up with memoir guru Joanne Spataro to present a webinar specifically about writing a book proposal for your memoir. In this 90-minute, on-demand webinar, we answer all of the pressing questions like: · How ca

Two authors tell: create a voice around your idea

Jul 11, 2022

Two authors tell: create a voice around your idea

In this post, I’m extending my discussion with Meredith Sandland & Carl Orsbourn (Delivering the Digital Restaurant: Your Roadmap to the Future of Food). Their book explores the massive disruption facing American restaurants through first-hand accounts from food industry veterans and start-up entrepreneurs. Meredith & Carl’s combined experience, in the restaurant industry and in new technologies, gives them a distinct advantage when it comes to understanding how to embrace th

Two authors tell: promoting your book, the unvarnished truth.

Jul 6, 2022

Two authors tell: promoting your book, the unvarnished truth.

In this post, I’m continuing my discussion with Meredith Sandland & Carl Orsbourn, authors of Delivering the Digital Restaurant: Your Roadmap to the Future of Food. (See my earlier blog post for part 1 of our conversation.) Meredith is an expert in the online food revolution, with extensive industry experience. Carl is a leading thinker on the impact of new technologies on the restaurant business. Their book talks about how restaurants can evolve and thrive in this post-pande

Two authors tell: promoting your book, the unvarnished truth.

Apr 11, 2022

Two authors tell: promoting your book, the unvarnished truth.

I’ve been blessed to work with some amazing clients who have had great success with their books. They have signed deals with leading publishers, hit bestseller lists, become sought-after speakers and thought leaders. Over the next few months, I’m going to feature in my blog some conversations I’ve had with these authors about the publishing experience. What did they learn along the way? What would they do differently if they had their time over? What advice would they offer f

Fearlessly Different: a shout-out to author Mickey Rowe.

Apr 4, 2022

Fearlessly Different: a shout-out to author Mickey Rowe.

One of the most rewarding projects I worked on last year was Mickey Rowe’s book, Fearlessly Different. When Mickey approached me, he had written a full manuscript and a book proposal to submit to agents, but he knew the proposal needed finessing. We worked together to make sure it had all the impact it needed to land him a deal with a great publisher, so that his story could reach the world. And now it has: Fearlessly Different (An Autistic Actor’s Journey to Broadway’s Bigge

Why every author should visit a bookstore.

Mar 28, 2022

Why every author should visit a bookstore.

What with pandemics and such, it’s been a good while since I visited my local bookstore. I continue to spend inordinate amounts of time on Amazon, Goodreads, publisher’s websites, book review pages and the like, checking out what’s new in the world of books. But there’s just something about walking into a great bookstore (I see you, Books Inc!), with carefully selected displays of new releases, category racks with “genre siblings” sitting shoulder to shoulder—even the sales t

6 tools for nonfiction book writers.

Mar 21, 2022

6 tools for nonfiction book writers.

The water dispenser in our fridge has been leaking for over a week now. Drip, drip, drip. You can imagine that one drip per second adds up through the course of a day. But we have a solution: a large plastic cup attached to the water dispenser with two rubber bands. Every hour we decant it into a glass and drink it. We are drinking a lot of water right now. A handyperson I am not. But I have found some tools to be very helpful when I am working on a book. There are a lot of m

Spring is in the air.

Mar 14, 2022

Spring is in the air.

Next week, I'm heading out of town to enjoy a Midwest spring break. I'll be lolling in the sunshine by Lake Michigan, enjoying the wafting scent of jasmine and long, balmy walks by the lake. In my dreams. This Californian girl is packing her thermals, ready for numbingly icy winds and frozen slushies falling from the sky. Bottom line is, I won't be doing my regular blog and email newsletter. Instead, I've got a "best of" collection for you: the three most-read blogs I've writ

Craft an elevator pitch for your book.

Mar 7, 2022

Craft an elevator pitch for your book.

Every author needs an elevator pitch. A brief but irresistible description that condenses the spirit of your book into a few sentences. But how do you know how to hit the right note? When it comes to bragging, how much is too much? What are the details that really matter? The descriptions here are taken from industry newsletter Publishers Lunch, and provide an excellent model for your elevator pitch, as well as giving you a rare insight into what agents and publishers are l

6 steps you need to take before writing your book proposal.

Feb 25, 2022

6 steps you need to take before writing your book proposal.

If you are planning to write a nonfiction book, and you’re planning to seek a publishing deal, the first thing you need is a book proposal. This is what literary agents and publishers want to see first—not a full manuscript. Your proposal is like the DNA of your book. If you are successful and land a deal with a publisher, your proposal will be the basis of the company’s understanding of your book. It will help the editor, the publicist, the sales force, and the cover designe

7 things you need to know about hybrid publishing.

Feb 21, 2022

7 things you need to know about hybrid publishing.

Hybrid publishing: AKA author-assisted publishing, indie publishing, partnership publishing, and co-publishing. It’s an umbrella term for an emerging sector of the publishing game with which every author should become familiar. These Q&As were inspired by discussion in the most excellent Discover Your Path to Publishing webinar hosted by Gotham Ghostwriters (details below). The webinar featured three panelists: Brooke Warner is publisher of She Writes Press and SparkPress. Sh

What’s the best way to get your book published?

Feb 14, 2022

What’s the best way to get your book published?

Dreaming of a book deal with Penguin Random House, Macmillan, or HarperCollins? You’re not alone. SO not alone. Before you join that long line of hungry, hopeful authors, consider this: a big publishing house might not be the best choice for you. Don’t get me wrong, I love big publishers. My first job out of college was with a small publisher that was later taken over by HarperCollins, so I suddenly found myself working for one of the biggest publishers there is. I went on to

Podcasts are the new author credential.

Feb 9, 2022

Podcasts are the new author credential.

Podcasts have become the latest hunting ground for agents and editors to find new voices. Just as long-form journalism has been a place to prove your voice, your ideas, and your audience, podcasts now fulfill a similar purpose. Podcasts are a great way to demonstrate the depth and complexity of an idea, and the level of interest/commitment of an audience. Here are three things to know about using a podcast as a launching pad for your book. #1. Agents and editors are keeping a

What’s your author persona?

Jan 31, 2022

What’s your author persona?

A writer’s persona communicates to their audience who they are. It’s not only a chance to give writing a little personality, it is also an opportunity for writers to connect to readers by allowing them to imagine the person who wrote the text they’re now reading (or the character narrating that text). A writer’s persona doesn’t need to encompass every single aspect of who they are as a person—rather, it’s a way of presenting a coherent identity to their readers through their

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