3 Ways To Nail Your Nonfiction Book Proposals
If you are like me, you cringe when you see a man publicly propose marriage to a girlfriend. It is a beautiful sentiment but I am always worried about the humiliation and embarrassment the guy will feel if the answer is no. It usually takes a lot of thought, a lot of planning and a lot of commitment. The same when you make a nonfiction book proposal. There is no guarantee that the answer will be yes, but you will have a better shot if you take these three tips into consideration:
Build your platform.
So you’ve written your book and your ready to get it out into the world, but do you have an established readership ready to receive it? If not then you’re at a major disadvantage, as an author platform is key to demonstrating your book’s salability to publishers. Begin building your platform now with tools such as a website, blog, email list, and social media to reach your target audience. In today’s publishing world, there’s minimal success without loyal fans of your work eagerly awaiting your book’s release.
>> 7 Ways to Build Your Platform Before You Write That Book
Pitch the benefits.
Many writers think that highlighting the features of a book is what will make it attractive to publishers. However, pitching the benefits and value your book provides is the best way to make it shine. Who is your book for? What will help readers do? What problem will it solve? Highlight the benefits that make it stand out from the crowd.
Illustrate your book’s need.
What does your book provide that is not already present in the marketplace? What does it do better than others in its category or genre that’s already out there? Show publishers why your book is important and that there is a need for it. Utilize your author platform to illustrate the demand for your book and what makes it different than what is presently on the market.
What challenges have you faced in presenting your book proposal to agents and publishers?
The more time and consideration you take making your nonfiction book proposal special, the better chance you will have of hearing yes.