I just posted an Amazon review of this fantastic book:
Who would buy a house that wasn’t built according to a carefully drafted plan — a set of blueprints? Yet MOST aspiring non-fiction authors rush to write a full manuscript without first doing the hard work of drawing up “a set of blueprints”: a proposal. But here’s the truth: 90% of non-fiction books are sold from a book proposal (not from a manuscript!). Writing a proposal won’t just dramatically increase your chances of getting a book contract. It will help you write a better book. (That was certainly my own experience in writing Thriving at College. My proposal literally become my daily guide in writing the book.)
In Book Proposals That $ell, experienced author and editor Terry Whalin walks you through the proposal process step-by-step, even giving you a sample proposal at the end of the book. It also includes an excellent 20-page appendix from Michael Hyatt called “Writing a Winning Book Proposal.”
Beyond the mechanics of the proposal process, Whalin gives readers an inside look into the publishing world–explaining how editors think, and how publishing houses make decisions. Trust me, fellow writers, you want to know how the decision-makers go about choosing which books to publish. Book Proposals That $ell will give folks like you and me a “leg up” on the difficult process of taking an idea and turning it into a published book.
Future post: I’ll be publishing an interview with Terry Whalin in the coming days.