Write a Non-Fiction Book Proposal

What Is a Book Proposal?

A book proposal allows agents and publishers to assess the potential of the book idea. In this lesson, you’ll learn what a proposal is, and what it needs to contain.

Why Is a Book Proposal Important to a Publisher?

A book proposal is an essential part of getting a book published as it helps a publisher assess whether your idea has commercial appeal, and if you’re the right person to write this book. In this lesson, you’ll learn why a book proposal is important to a publisher.

Who Will Read My Book Proposal?

When you submit a book proposal, there are lots of people who need to be convinced by what they read. Publishers typically receive 10-30 book proposals per week, so it is important to capture their attention. In this lesson, you’ll learn all about who your proposal must appeal to, and what part of the publishing process they cover.

What Role Does a Literary Agent Play, and Should You Get One?

An aspiring author can create a book outline or proposal and submit it to an agent or editor without an agent. In non-fiction publishing, many editors and publishers are open to receiving proposals directly from authors. In this lesson, you’ll think about whether an agent is right for you and your book.

Target Audience

When a publisher is considering a book, they will look for the author to demonstrate an understanding of their potential audience. In this lesson, you’ll learn how to identify your target audience.

Your Ideal Reader

It is important for authors to be as precise as possible about the intended core market for their book when publishing. In this lesson, you’ll learn how to ask some demographic, interest, and book habit questions to narrow down a target audience.

Why Is Your Ideal Reader Reading Your Book?

Understanding your reader's demographic, likes, consumption habits, and reason for reading your book is vital. In this lesson, you’ll learn how to explain to publishers what the reader may experience and take away from the book.

Beyond The Ideal Reader

When writing a book proposal, you should identify multiple potential audiences who could buy your book to ensure that the book reaches multiple potential readers. In this lesson, you’ll learn how to draft audience profiles for your primary, secondary, and tertiary audiences.

Personalise Your Audience

Giving different segments of your audience names and referring back to them when writing can help make sure your book is targeted at the right audience. In this lesson, you will learn how to personalise your audience with narratives, to help you keep them in mind.

Illustrating the Need for Your Book

Publishers will want to assess the value of your book to audiences, to determine if there is a viable market for your works. In this lesson, you’ll learn how to collect and present supporting evidence to show why readers need your book.