How to Write A Nonfiction Book Proposal

This lesson helps students craft an effective elevator pitch, expand it into a brief description, and develop it into a comprehensive overview. Marissa encourages students to let these ideas build on and reinforce one another.

In this lesson Marissa instructs students to consider their primary, secondary, and tertiary audiences, explaining how this knowledge is crucial for agents and editors in the publishing process.

In this lesson, Marissa discusses the importance of a book's selling proposition. She emphasizes the need for authors to understand their unique selling points and how these relate to their target audience. She explains how publishers need to make a return on their investment, and offers practical prompts for authors to articulate their book's value.

In this lesson, Marissa discusses the optional section of a nonfiction book proposal that focuses on genre specifics. She emphasizes the importance of contextualizing the book based on the author's unique perspective and expertise, particularly when targeting specific audiences or presses.

In this lesson, Marissa discusses the importance of being able to articulate a book's mission and the felt need of the audience. She encourages authors to identify the pain points that their book addresses in order to highlight the urgency and relevance of the book's topic, ensuring that it resonates with potential readers and publishers.

In this lesson, Marissa discusses how to include manuscript details such as formatting, word count, and special features in your proposal. She explains how to approximate word count, publishing timelines, and delivery dates.

In this lesson, Marissa discusses the need for a professional headshot and well-crafted author bio that highlights the author's qualifications, experiences, and online presence. She encourages authors to present oneself professionally and to maintain a professional online presence to attract potential agents and editors.

In this lesson, Marissa discusses the importance of a publication history. She emphasizes that having writing credentials is essential for establishing credibility as an author and provides practical advice on how to build a publication history, including pitching articles and leveraging existing networks. She reassures aspiring authors that everyone starts somewhere and encourages them to actively seek writing opportunities to enhance their proposals.

This lesson prepares students to consider their author platform, including social media presence, engagement with audiences, and the necessity of a well-thought-out marketing strategy. Marissa also highlights the role of influencers and endorsements in promoting a book, as well as the need for authors to be honest about their promotional capacities and strategies.

In this lesson, Marissa guides students through the section of the proposal that describes an author's future books. She encourages students to prioritize a follow-up book with topic or audience overlap and to utilize this opportunity to pitch the idea of a publisher taking on an author and their career, versus simply taking on a project.

This lesson teaches students how to consider comparable book titles in their proposals. Marissa explains how to find books that are similar yet distinct from the proposed book, showcasing market demand and providing a unique angle.

This lesson prepares students to create an annotated table of contents, also known as a chapter outline. Marissa suggests ways to brainstorm and structure ideas to convey the book's message effectively and create a rough outline to build on during the drafting stage.

In this lesson, Marissa discusses the standard requirement of two sample chapters and how students can decide what kind of content to include in their proposal. She recommends choosing chapters that build on an author's previous work or will provide a springboard to future articles and shorter pieces.

This lesson guides writers through the essential steps of editing their nonfiction proposals. Marissa emphasizes the importance of conducting a developmental edit to ensure all elements align cohesively, followed by style and grammar checks. She also discusses the value of feedback from beta readers and the option of hiring professional editors. She encourages students to take breaks to return to the proposal with fresh eyes, ensuring the final product is polished and ready for submission.

In this final lesson, Marissa offers a brief overview of the submissions process and prepares students to consider how their proposal might capture the attention of agents, editors, and sales & marketing departments.