The Anatomy of a Book Proposal

Unless you plan to self-publish your non-fiction (which is a perfectly valid path), getting your book to readers requires building a book proposal. This is a document that gives an agent or publisher detailed information about your book and how you intend to position yourself throughout the marketing process.

Book proposals are a big project — there’s no way around that. But if you’ve got a clear concept of your book, audience, and competing titles, they can come together without too much stress. Here’s the anatomy of a typical proposal for you to follow.

Quick glance (optional)

The quick glance is a graphic display of stats and key details for your book. Include elements such as page count, word count, the number of chapters, genre, and central “elevator pitch” themes or points.

Background and purpose

A one-page summary of the reason for the book. What inspired you? What do you want to happen or for people to do after reading?

Cover mockups (optional)

If you can hire someone to do 1-3 mockups, fantastic — you won’t hurt your odds of publication by making your concept of your book look professional. But the intent of the mockup is simply to offer a visual that conveys what the book is about and creates intrigue. Helping the agent or publisher imagine a finished, viable product goes a long way in helping them understand whether your book is a fit for them and a specific market. Tools like Canva are available for free to create your mockups on your own.

Table of contents

Give the agent or publisher a list of exactly what you’re going to include in your book. At a bare minimum, this includes your chapter titles. But depending on the book concept, you can include other material, too, such as a glossary or acknowledgements. The TOC gives the agents or publisher a sense of the content, but it also shows your ability to organize yourself and how the book is going to flow for the reader.

Chapter summaries

Give the main ideas for each chapter, one paragraph per chapter. Use clear chapter headings rather than blocking all the summaries as successive paragraphs. Skip unnecessary clauses, such as “In Chapter Three,…” or “Chapter Three details…”

Sample text

The number of sample pages and agent or publisher will want in your proposal isn’t universal. If you review the submission guidelines for different agents or houses, the request can be anywhere from 10 to 50 pages, with many agents or houses simply asking for your first three chapters. So, be prepared to copy and paste whatever you’re asked for with each submission, or create a few versions of the proposal with the most common sample text request amounts (e.g., 5, 10, 20, 25, and 50 pages, or three chapters). It’s better to include an extra paragraph or page than it is to stop in an awkward point, but try to get as close to the guidelines as you can.

Most agents and publishers expect you to send sample pages or chapters that are sequential from the start of the book. So, if there’s no other indication, assume the agent or publisher wants your beginning material. But some agents or publishers might state it’s permissible to skip around a little to ensure you’re efficiently highlighting your best writing and most relevant takeaways. Always check the website of the agent or house for guidance.

Marketing plan

This is the section of the proposal where you demonstrate you know exactly who you’re selling your book to and what it’s going to take to distribute copies. Include the following sections:

• Target market — Who are your target readers? What data or purchase behavior demonstrates the demand for your type of topic/book?
• Goals — What’s the objective for your book? Do you want to just sell online? Internationally? Do you want to build a platform, increase your credibility, educate, reform, or generate a specific amount of income?
• Objectives and plans — What precise steps are you going to take to get the word out about your book? What resources will you use and when will you do each step? Examples might include contacting specific organizations or individuals for reviews, networking, hiring a social media manager, or participating in a podcast tour.
• Expenses/Budget — How much will your objectives and plans cost to complete? How much of that do you already have or need to raise? If you have financial supporters, who are they? Itemize in detail.
• Branding — What’s the voice, vision, and mission of your book? What makes those distinct compared to other book brands?

Market comparison and analysis

What main gap(s) does your book fill for readers? Why publish your book, right now? Summarize at least three comparable titles (comps) with a clarification of what makes your book different (one to two paragraphs per comp).

Author biography and platform

Briefly describe who you are. It’s okay if you don’t have any publishing credits, but be clear about the experience or expertise that makes you qualified to write your book. Platform refers to the visibility and presence you have, both online and offline. For example, you might be well established on social media, belong to reputable organizations, or have a solid email list.

Extras to keep in mind with your book proposal

There’s no real rule of thumb for how long your book proposal should be, since every agent or house is going to have slightly different preferences, and since your sample material can be different from the material from a different book. But most proposals run 10-15 pages not including the sample material, so if you’re landing in that ballpark, you’re probably in good shape.

Regardless of what the length of your proposal turns out to be, be aware that different agents and houses use different submission methods and tools. Some are fine receiving Word attachments with an email or clicking on a link, while others ask for PDFs or have you copy the proposal into an online tool. Save your work in both Word and PDF and do the best you can to make sure the tools involved don’t mess up your formatting.

Once you’ve pulled your proposal together, get others to do some proofreading and give you feedback. There are always elements you’ll miss the first, second, or even third time around, so give yourself time and don’t rush the editing process. Remember, the proposal is your sales tool, so it’s worth it to be patient and thorough if it means you’re more impressive to the agent or house.