Sample author bio book proposal

I have published a book with a trade press, have a contract for a second an edited anthology with an academic press, and am crafting my third book proposal. I have an agent who is proving patient, but i could use a tad more guidance in how heavy to inject narrative into each chapter in the chapter synopsis. How to write a book proposal that agents will love jericho. How to write a compelling bio for your book proposal. The size of the book will be 12 x 12 inches, leaving an offcut of 6. This is the proposal for author steve sims that became the book that became bluefishing. Many were great, but super lengthy and time consuming to read. Only after you finish your proposal can you provide the following hooks for the first page of your proposal. But at the end of that email, youll usually realize they want you to. Youll also need to send sample chapters, book outline, and introduction. I always want to know about the author, and for me, this area can make or break the proposal. It was my job to evaluate each book proposal we received and, while the pieces of a proposal seem, on the surface, to be quite simple, many authors miss the mark.

I cover the essential elements regardless of length, including the overview, the target market analysis, the competitive title analysis, the author bio, the marketing plan, the chapter overview or summary, and the sample chapter. Once the book proposal has hopefully passed first muster with andrew lownie, he will ask for a synopsis of each chapter in the book, usually written at about half a. If youre writing a nonfiction book proposal, then your author bio has to highlight your nonwriting experience on the topic. Example of a book proposal about the author section. If this is your editors preference, submit your completed memoir along with a synopsis, bio and outline. Prepare a query letter include a book overview, target audience, usp, writing cv, and motivation for writing.

Writing a biography book proposal by jeffrey spivak today, im in the enviable position of having my second book a hollywood biography published at years end. Aug 15, 2018 the book proposal is a 1550 or so page manuscript that a writer uses to pitch a nonfiction book to publishers. I know you dont like to brag and boast about what youve accomplished. For nonfiction authors, the author bio is a critical marketing tool as who. Chungah rhee is the founder, recipe developer, and photographer of damn delicious. May 28, 2017 a book proposal argues why your book idea is a salable, marketable product.

They arise in all sorts of different situations, but generally a book concept is written down into a proposal form. I learned to write book proposals directly from the editors to whom i pitched my first ideas. Famous person says, jane doe writes books that you. Following are examples of two successful book proposals. This ones short and tothepoint, and the last time i. How to write a terrific author bio rachelle gardner. Please welcome author nicolas frame with some good advice on writing your first author bio. For a powerful bio that gets results, it needs to be customized for the book. How to write a memorable author bio with template reedsy. Jun 28, 2012 in the process of writing my own nonfiction book proposal earlier this year thanks to my year of amazing pledge, i searched everywhere i could for tips and advice on how to write a nonfiction book proposal. Example of a book proposal competing books section.

How to write your author bio for your book proposal stylematters. Its the media relations tool that tells reporters, producers, bloggers and other media gatekeepers that your personal history gives you the perfect credentials for this novel or that your professional. Below is a sample of a complete and exhaustive book proposal for a christian. I found this advice once offered by former writer s digest publisher jane friedman who rejected and approved proposals over. Reading is an intimate endeavor in which the reader and the author are engaged in a kind of relationship. As mentioned in my discussion on how to get published, if youre interested in writing a book length work of nonfiction, you dont need to write the entire manuscript before you make the sale.

Writing your book proposal bio the steve laube agency. Overview describe your book in two or three paragraphs 500 wo. Sample book proposal from a professional literary agency. Dont focus on the fact that you have no publishing experience. Essentially, the book proposal is the way an author sells his or her book to a potential agent or publisher. May 17, 2012 book proposal a business plan for your book and how you plan to ensure sales success keys to a great synopsis the steve laube agency july 27, 2016 i posted my ideas on some keys to a great book proposal, a few writers said they were challenged to write a synopsis. My bio, for example, would read he is married with three grown. Its especially important if you dont have an agent, as many small and medium publishers accept unsolicited proposals. Your proposal on a page you will write the first page of your proposal last.

Actually, its rude to go over one page in a query letter, not to mention unprofessional. If youre seen as an authority on your book topic, readers will buy your book and read it. However, in the case of memoirs, some editors may want to see completed works. But i did go on to work in the publishing world as a book designer, editor, and publisher. Youll also want to include a table of contents for the book proposal after this section, too, with page numbers for the main sections. Textbook proposal sections with sample author bio i. In fact, for my travel adventure memoir, ive been working on the proposal onandoff for the last two years, and even then, my agent is asking for a rewrite.

I have been a published author for years novels, memoirs, but a book proposal my first for a nonfiction project is giving me fits. Check out the post writing your book proposal bio on the steve laube agency website for your author photo april 30, 2018 number of questions were raised when i wrote about the bio portion of a book proposal when i suggested that you include an author photo. There are several books available on writing book proposals. That is why your bio may well be the first thing an acquisitions editor reads in your book proposal. Though its written in place of an actual book, it should build a complete argument for the book idea. The third example shows how part of the back cover copy the author bio, in this case can show up on the inside flap of a hard cover book. Proposal guidelines for book authors please be sure that your proposal package includes all of the following information. Follow a clear 10step process to make writing a proposal more manageable. Book summary and author bio on the back of the book.

In an email the attached file name should be descriptive author name fiction or nonfiction proposal logli. How to write a book proposal the creative independent. With fiction books, you can get away with a single bio for multiple books, but not with nonfiction. Come right out and say all the positive things about yourself and your writing credentials that an agent would say if she were representing you. Ideas for books are as varied as the books themselves. Pop the champagne cork, and put a party hat on your cat. Its something that will let readers get a sense of who you are, and is an important part for pitching media and book proposals, sums up marketer rachel cone. Book proposal a business plan for your book and how you plan to ensure sales success keys to a great synopsis the steve laube agency july 27, 2016 i posted my ideas on some keys to a great book proposal, a few writers said they were challenged to write a synopsis. Download and fill out the proposal and send the completed form to our proposal mailbox including the following details in the subject line of your email proposal in subject area author name. It is by david sanford, a published author, editor, and literary agent for more than 300. What began as a grad school hobby is now a top food blog, with millions of readers coming to her site for easy weeknight recipes and.

Writing your author bio can be a daunting task, but a wellcrafted bio can help readers learn more about what makes you and your books so interesting. Writing in cyberspace, by moira allen, was submitted to allworth press in 1998, and became the book. Here is a great blog post from rachelle gardner about how to write a terrific author bio. Book proposal, 4th edition by michael larsen to create strongest possible proposal for your book. Give a fairly brief summary of your book here, using a few paragraphs. How to write an amazing author bio book marketing for. Keep it to 4,0005,500 words maximum, double spaced, 12 point, times new roman. How to write a good nonfiction book proposal for submission. Apr 23, 2018 check out the post writing your book proposal bio on the steve laube agency website for your author photo april 30, 2018 number of questions were raised when i wrote about the bio portion of a book proposal when i suggested that you include an author photo. In addition to the sample recipes, youll need to include introductory text from one or two different sections of the book so that editors get a sense of your narrative writing style. No sample chapter was necessary and, since an important part of the project was the. How to write a chapter synopsis for your book proposal. It takes me months to finish writing a book proposal.

Author information your background and how you are qualified to write. I wrote an example what i may write for my author bio for a book that i am about. How to write a memorable author bio with template reedsy blog. A book proposal helps an agent or an editor learn more about an author than a twosentence bio. Now that you have decided to partner with elsevier, the next step is to create a proposal. Craft an offer letter that will get the publisher to read your book proposal. Visit amazon author central, click on your book, and add it in the about the author section or if you published a paperback version of your book on createspace, you can enter the bio in the author biography section for your book. Its important for indie authors to know how to write an author bio that tells readers. But in the about the author section of your book proposal youve got to overcome your natural inclination to be reticent. Corporate bio for employees and applicants name is a your job title at company name, where name action verb e. How to draft proposals to childrens book publishers dummies.

For each author, resume or bio with contact information name, professional title and affiliation, address, phone number, and email address and list of published books or articles. Not only is it useful to know what you need to include in an author bio, it is also useful to see examples of how your vital information should look. John scalzi writes books, which, considering where youre reading this, makes perfect sense. The author bio in a book proposal is often 12 pages double spaced. It acts as a business case or business plan for your book that persuades a publisher to make an investment. Thank you for considering elsevier as your publishing. Apr 24, 2020 every author has had to face the difficult task of creating a book proposal. Creative intenet strategies to advance your writing career first edition 1999, second edition may 2003. How to write a compelling bio for your book proposal chad r. This article will cover both what you need to include in your author bio and some examples of tight professional bios.

Writing a great book proposal is how to sell your book to a publisher. Apr 12, 2018 find the perfect marketer for your book. How to write your first author bio writing forward. Here are some reallife author bios that combine most or all of the tips above. Publishers require prospective authors to submit either a proposal a longer document providing additional editorial and marketing information about your book or a query letter a onepage letter of introduction inviting the publisher to ask for more details about your project. Oct 22, 2015 writing your author bio can be a daunting task, but a wellcrafted bio can help readers learn more about what makes you and your books so interesting. Soon, ill post and link to the book proposals other sections. Write a sample chapter to include in your memoir proposal. I like this one because it contains ten reallife proposals that sold.

How to write a book proposal why do you need one blurb blog. Davids biography appears in several editions of whos who in america. The sample chapter need not be the first chapter, but it needs to. One of the best ways to be seen as an authority is to have a great author bio. For business the short bio can sometimes be more important than whats actually in the bookthe sad but true reality is that more people will read your author bio than your actual book. Add a bio including a professional resume and platform, i. Id show the book to people at book fairs and signing events, and theyd flip the book over, read the bio, and laugh. But when you include this information on createspace, it. So its a more distilled version, hitting the most important qualifications. Its more for you to see the general vibe and structure versus reading the actual text. How to write a nonfiction book proposal become a writer today. Would you, as a reader, trust a health book by an author with no. Novelists will rarely depend on the bio to sell the book, but as book launch specialist joel pitney suggests. How to write a nonfiction book proposal with template.

Demand for the topic what the market looks like for potential readers. Your book idea is fantastic, and its time to prove that to the people who can actually publish it. So i have a decent idea of what constitutes a good proposal for an earlycareer academic. Crafting a convincing book proposal chroniclevitae. Theyd walk off with a copy of the book based on the bio. It is by david sanford, a published author, editor, and literary agent for more than 300 books who now serves on the leadership team at corban university. Author reputation is consistently cited as one of the main factors that influence a book buying decision. Jul 29, 2011 there are several books available on writing book proposals. Nonfiction book proposal outline ted weinstein literary. Its an invigorating feeling, receiving ones first acceptance letter from an editor. For nonfiction authors, the author bio is a critical marketing tool as who are you are is often as or more. Your author bio is an important book press kit element because it is pretty much the only tool you have to make the case that you are the best person to write this book and to write it well. Does this person have the experience and credibility to write on this topic.

It is a difficult task and one most writers wonder the purpose of. Here are the tips in writing a book proposal that the publisher would actually read. How to write a nonfiction book proposal writers digest. And that, fellow scribes, is the overview and introduction sections of my christian nonfiction book proposal. Include any subhead or taglines that your books title may contain.

But, many people asked for an easy to follow template, and this is what we use with our authors. It gives them insight into marketing opportunities. Addressed to the appropriate agent with titlegenreword count and appropriate contact information in the letter, this letter should interest us in reading your proposal. Everything you need to know to start writing a book proposal for your nonfiction book. The core of the publishing process is the book proposal. For nonfiction, establishing yourself as an expert and differentiating your book from the others written about the same topic will help sell your book.

Over 300,000 authors trust the professionals on reedsy, come meet them. Childrens book proposal has fields for the title, which age group the book is for, character details, actions, results, climax, resolution and finally the message the author wants to deliver through the book. I offer a comprehensive course on book proposals that takes you through the research and writing process in 10 steps agent ted weinstein outlines the necessary parts of a book proposal, and also offers an audio recording of his 90minute workshop on proposals my favorite comprehensive guide on book proposals is how to write a book proposal by. You are also welcome to listen to free audio recordings of teds book proposal bootcamp and other workshops and media appearances. Here is a basic template for a book proposal, which many of our clients have used successfully. The anatomy of a compelling book proposal the bindery.

The literary agents guide to writing a nonfiction book proposal by andy ross. How to write your author bio for your book proposal. For years, i was the assistant editor at a small press. One example of this would be a book proposal, where you are asking someone to invest in your creative work. How to write a darn good query letter ny book editors. Im not saying its the very best way to write an author bio, in fact, many of the best examples below do not fit this template. Writing a fiction book proposal independent publisher. This form contains a summary of the book, its aims, its goals and main features. I often flip to the author biography early on in my read of new book proposals. Writers digest says the following eight items are needed in a book proposal. This page will direct you to some examples of book proposal sections so that you can put together a winning book proposal. You should regularly maintain your bio on places like your bookbub author profile so fans and potential readers seeking you out can learn more about you and why they should pick up your latest book. How to write the about the author section of your book.

That is why your book proposal bio may well be the only place you use this. How to write a short professional bio with templates and. My book, book title will be a genre work which will center around the topic of book topic. Finally, there should be a more formal narrative of the author. And it provides a snapshot of the project that saves hours of work when someone preparing to evaluate a project for potential representation or publication. Download and fill out the proposal and send the completed form to our proposal mailbox including the following details in the subject line of your email.

Gary, for example, has seen the power and redemptive influence of. How to write the about the author section of your book proposal. How to write an author bio that will help you sell more books. The author the author is professor of sociology at the university of maine and has regularly taught courses in crime and criminal justice, law and society, and juvenile delinquency. Writing an author bio examples of professional bios. Most publishers have guidelines for how they want your material to arrive, regardless of. So, weve provided the hints, tips and instructions. This book proposal section is where you introduce yourself and your qualifications, but be briefonly share what you need to in order to prove you can actually do the project. No matter whats been said about the changing face of the book industry, there remain a number of truisms that most authors must follow if theyre to bring their nonfiction. How not to write a darn good query letterdont go beyond one page. Instead of writing the entire book, then trying to interest an editor or agent which is how it works with novels, you write the proposal first. It can be helpful to begin with a bio you already use at your website or at linkedin. The about the author section of a nonfiction book proposal answers the. If your work isnt a narrative, then write or include a sample chapter.