Book Proposals That $ell: 21 Secrets to Speed Your Success
W. Terry Whalin
Morgan James Publishing
If you think writing a book is hard, wait until you tackle writing the book proposal. But if you do it right, a book proposal will help put you and your book on the fast track to success.
In Book Proposals That $ell: 21 Secrets to Speed Your Success, W. Terry Whalin tells you how to write a book proposal that will make publishers want to buy your book—and more.
Even if you’ve already written your book, if you’re hoping to be traditionally published, you must have a book proposal. If you’re planning to self-publish, the process of creating a book proposal will contribute to the success of your project in ways you may not have considered.
In my work as a self-publishing consultant, I frequently talk about the need to create a business plan for your book. A well-crafted proposal is essentially that. So while Whalin’s book comes primarily from the perspective of traditional publishing, self-publishers can benefit tremendously from reading it.
Whalin’s background includes more than three decades in the publishing industry in a variety of roles and he shares that experience generously. In general, he says, publishers insist that fiction manuscripts (novels) be complete before they will buy them, but they typically buy nonfiction books from proposals. He says that nine out of ten nonfiction books are sold from a nonfiction book proposal before they are completely written.
Whalin explains the costs that publishers incur when they publish a book, which can range from $50,000 to $200,000 plus the author’s advance. Even with a modest advance, the publisher has a major investment. That’s why publishers want to be certain they are making a good decision when they buy a book—if they make too many mistakes, they’ll go out of business.
That’s only one reason why it’s so hard for new authors to get traditionally published. Whalin outlines the challenges new and established authors face when dealing with publishers, and then he tells you exactly what to do to get past the obstacles.
Book Proposals That $ell: 21 Secrets to Speed Your Success provides a candid look at how the publishing industry works. It’s rich with stories, each one providing a lesson of what you should and shouldn’t do. It’s up to you to decide if you want to follow Whalin’s advice—I’m recommending that you do.
Jacquelyn's latest book is Christian Business Almanac, scheduled for release in summer 2024.
She is the author of the novel Choices (A Joyful Cup Story) as well as the nonfiction books The Simple Facts About Self-Publishing, Words to Work By: 31 devotions for the workplace based on the Book of Proverbs and Finding Joy in the Morning: You can make it through the night. With her husband, she is the co-creator of several coloring books for adults.
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