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< back to full article list < back to academic authors article list < back to textbook authors article list Learn the basics steps to a good book proposal
A book proposal is your first formal contact with the publisher. From this the acquisitions editor (the person who acquires new books for a publishing firm), and the managing editor will judge your ability to complete the book you have proposed to them.Therefore, you want to take considerable care to write the proposal well. Never send an entire manuscript to a publisher; it will immediately raise suspicion. The are likely to think that this is a project that has been rejected and is being recycled. Send only the book proposal and one or two chapters. From this, the acquistions editor and the managing editor will examine the organization and pedagogy set forth and compare it with books already published to decide if there exists a sufficient market for the proposed project to make money. Few publishers insist on a specific format for book proposals so the order of presentation can vary, but style it to emphasize your strongest selling points. While the order of presentation can vary, these are the common elements of a book proposal: 1) Describe the book. Provide a working title, identify the author or authors, then describe the approach or theme taken by the book. Identify the book's outstanding features, use of cases, problems and illustrations. Include some presentation of pedagogy as to how the book will present and achieve its objectives. Also note what supplements you intend to include with the book. 2) Identify the market. What courses will most likely use the book? Be sure to note the level of intended use. Will it appeal as a remedial book or is it intended for advanced students. Do some research to get a good grasp of the present market and how you believe your book can grab a portion of that market. 3) Identify the competition. Who are the three or four major competitors to your proposed book? Research what their relative sales have been by at least asking the sales representatives. Discuss the competing books' strenghts and weaknesses to illustrate how your book can compete with them. Include in this discussion presentation of material and the competing books' use of pedagogy, cases, problems and other special features. 4) Present an outline. Include a chapter by chapter outline of major topics covered in the book. While the order might vary from proposal to finished manuscript, it is essential for editors and reviewers to see the logic and approach in your organizational structure. Be sure to include the organizational schema -- how the problems, cases and illustrations achieve your objectives. 5) Provide a production schedule. This gives the publisher some idea of the time frame needed to produce the manuscript. Include the resources you will require to complete the project; whether you will need typing assistance, photographic research, etc. Be as clear as possible as to whether you intend to produce the ancillary materials or whether the publisher needs to contract it out. Excerpted from TAA's Tips for Successful Authoring manual, compiled by TAA Executive Director Ronald E. Pynn
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