Book Proposal - Writers Forum

RebelGoddess · 04-12-2006, 05:41 PM

As some of you know, I have an agent interested in helping me get my novel published.

The only problem is that I need to have a book proposal done by this Saturday (4/15).

I'm worried about the basic format. I went to a learning annex class last summer about how to write one correctly, but the speaker didn't have any hard copy examples.

I know that I have to include the following: cover letter, overview (analytical synopsis), biography, audience, synopsis (table of contents/length, etc.), SASE, and a sample chapter.

Do I format it so that there's one per page? Or do I have it running straigh through, with just line spacing between sections? (with the sample chapter and cover letter separate)

Any tips would be greatly appreciated too. I'm excited, but so nervous that I may mess this up. Thank you so much for your time!

Racheal

mammamaia · 04-12-2006, 07:12 PM

i'd be seriously concerned about the agent's qualifications/legitimacy, as i've never heard of anyone wanting a 'book proposal' for a novel... those are generally used for presenting a non-fiction project that hasn't been written yet, in hopes of getting an advance to fund the book's completion...

the deadline is also troublesome... why the rush?...

do you have the novel completed?... if so, all you should be asked for is the full ms or some sample chapters, a synopsis, and a chapter outline...

how did you connect with this agent?... did you query him/her first, and are now being asked to send whatever?... or did they contact you?

as for technical details, your synopsis should be single-spaced, in 12 pt times new roman or courier font... novels won't normally have a table of contents, though some for the YA market might...

'one' what 'per page'?... sample chapters can be separate or run straight, with line break between, if in order [chapters 1,2,3] but must be double-spaced...

i need more info about the agent and his/her request, before i can give you any further advice... as you're in a hurry, email will be much quicker...

love and hugs, maia
maia3maia@hotmail.com

RebelGoddess · 04-14-2006, 01:11 PM

I promise, she's legit. It'd take too long for me to type up how I hooked up with her and the whole long process. But I promise, she's defintely for real.

Yes, the novel is finished. Also, I'll be sending the full manuscript now, not just sample chapters.

The rush is because I go back to school after this weekend and very soon I won't have time to do it. The deadline is self imposed.

What I need help with is format.

What exactly do I put in the cover letter? Do I include the synopsis inside that or do i attatch it as a separarte sheet?

What "one" I meant is section. i.e. do I hsve a different page for the synopsis and another different one for the biography?

How many pages are book proposals normally?

I was just told to create a book proposal; I wasn't really given any specifications.

Thanks!

Racheal

mammamaia · 04-14-2006, 06:27 PM

the fact that she told you to create a book proposal is what's odd here... for fiction, all agents usually want is to see the ms, after they've gotten the info in question via your query...

the cover letter should only refer to her requesting the full ms, nothing else... but if she wants target market info, you could add it there, along with the total word count... that's info you should have already provided, if you sent a query... if you met her somewhere and didn't send her anything yet, then adding it to cover letter would be called for...

if she wants a bio, a paragraph will suffice, unless you have enough writing background and publishing credits for more than one... this, too, can be added to the cover letter... just keep it to one page, total...

synopsis should be separate from all the rest and single-spaced like letter and bio... they can all be in times new roman 12pt... ms must be double-spaced and courier 12pt is the most universally preferred for mss... can be anywhere from 1 to 5 pages long, depending on story and agent's preference... did you check her guidelines?

there wouldn't be any table of contents, if it's a novel...

whatever you send, if it's not the way she wants it, she'll tell you... following the norms listed here will at least make it look like you know what you're doing... good luck...

love and hugs, m

RebelGoddess · 04-14-2006, 10:03 PM

Thanks!

Long story short is that a family friend (who has published 10+ books) heard about me, read some of my writing, and raved to a very prominent editor she knows.

And the family friend suggested I do a book proposal because it will be the first contact directly between her (the agent) and I.

Racheal

RebelGoddess · 04-14-2006, 10:32 PM

Are cover letters supposed to be short?

Racheal

pgoroncy · 04-14-2006, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RebelGoddess

Are cover letters supposed to be short?

Yes, they should be no longer than one page.

RebelGoddess · 04-15-2006, 02:25 AM

But by short I mean half a page?

Mine's probably only, maybe, 100 words. It's very short and I'm worried it's not long enough.

Racheal

Julianne · 04-15-2006, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RebelGoddess

Long story short is that a family friend (who has published 10+ books) heard about me, read some of my writing, and raved to a very prominent editor she knows.

And the family friend suggested I do a book proposal because it will be the first contact directly between her (the agent) and I.

Are you submitting an agent or an editor?

Did the friend tell you to do a book proposal or did the agent/editor? I agree with maia that it's unusual for an agent to ask for a proposal for a novel. That's something that you do for non-fiction books. And unusual often--but not always--means requester is either inexperienced or not on the up-and-up.

mammamaia · 04-15-2006, 08:14 PM

i'm also wondering what you really mean here... you first said 'agent' but then you later said 'prominent editor'... and, later still, in that post, referred to 'agent' again... those are two very different 'animals'... and you would approach them differently...

a normal cover letter would contain only a reference to the person having requested the ms, and nothing else... the other info i said you could include, was due to the odd set of circumstances you alluded to, which you still haven't explained clearly... and, without knowing who's what and what's what, we can't really give you valid advice...

julianne echoes my own concern about a 'proposal' having been requested... maybe it's just your friend's mistake?... though, after having had 10 books published, i should think she'd know better...

bamagirl1984 · 04-16-2006, 11:00 PM

Cover letter can be as short as it is. One hundred words is fine. Everything you've been asked for should be its own document, so to speak. The synopsis should be separate from the cover letter, which should be separate from the proposal (whatever that is), etc.

All you need to pitch a book to an agent is a synopsis (book outline), a cover letter (including word count, title, very vague description of what happens in the book), and three sample chapters. The rest of the stuff you mentioned would be a repeat of the cover letter or the synopsis. Unless, of course, you've been asked to do a sales proposal to answer questions like, "Who is your target audience?", etc.

RebelGoddess · 04-17-2006, 05:35 PM

**Note** I meant agent every time; I'm not sure why I typed editor.

I spoke with the published family friend over the weekend and she clarified what she meant by book proposal: cover letter, synopsis, and biography.

I think that's why I was so confused, she said book proposal and didn't explain excatly what she meant.

(Guess that's what happens when you're discussing publication over italian food and children screamng at the next table!)

Thanks so much for the advice/help.

I'm about finished with the proposal and will be sending it over today or tomorrow.

I'll update you when I hear back!

Thanks again!

Racheal

mammamaia · 04-17-2006, 10:27 PM

it's probably best for you to stop calling it a 'proposal'... your friend is using the term incorrectly [industry-wise], despite being well-meaning and generous in sharing her agent... it's really just an expanded query and sort of a pre-submission, since you're only sending sample chapters and not the full ms at this time...

if you describe what you're sending as a 'proposal' to anyone who knows the publishing industry, you'll be showing your lack of knowledge and not be taken as seriously as you'd like...

regardless, i'm glad you got it sorted out and am wishing you the best of luck with it... hugs, m

RebelGoddess · 04-19-2006, 01:04 AM

Thanks!

Racheal

P.S.

I did end up sending the entire manuscript : )

tbs21 · 05-11-2006, 05:44 PM

i guess we'll never know since her deadline was when the last post was submitted lol