How to Write a Book Proposal That Gets Accepted by a publisher

Publishing a book is a significant step for an author or researcher. It is also a demanding step and a significant step of traditional publishing. Publishing a book begins with a book proposal. The book proposal is the key to acceptance by a publishing company, so, how do we write a book proposal? The book proposal should be convincing and enticing enough to convince a publisher that your book can work in the market. 

The steps you should follow, before, writing a book proposal:

• The question: Where do you wish to publish your book? Do you have a specific publisher in mind? You need to approach 4-5 publishers to help your book get published. Target relevant publishers and do not waste time. 
• You need to know the materials/ things the proposal requires. It should be complete and should have all relevant pointers. 
• You must have a cover letter, a synopsis of your book and a minimum of 3 sample chapters so that publishers can get an overview of your book. 
• It must also have a publication plan of your book, and it should be proofread to make sure that there are no inconsistencies. 
• You need to research the market to know how much competition you need to face as an author. For instance, the market to which a book genre belongs.
• You need to know your target audience, in order to write one of the best book proposals.
• You need to write how your book will differ from the rest. 
• You need to also mention how you are interested in the field such as a history book, or fiction and what draws you in?

Common Mistakes of Book Proposals

Many newbie authors make mistakes in writing a book proposal. First, they do not write a formal book proposal letter. The book proposal needs to be formal, needs a cover letter and a pitch to make it click. The book proposal ought to tell the story of your book in a concise manner. 

Important Elements to Write a Book Proposal

• You need to write carefully and clearly each word and line. The reader should be able to understand what you are trying to say. 
• The title and subtitle should be clear and well-written. You need to mention important keywords relevant to your synopsis and book genre. 
• You do not need to write fancy words in the title and subtitle. It should support the essence of your book, so that it can be easily discovered on online bookstores, and search engines.
• You need to choose the title, according to the bibliographic information. 
• A short description of a book is required which may answer questions like what the book is about. What is different about the book, and what information will it provide, if it is non-fiction. 
• Table of contents and an outline of the chapter needs to be mentioned to make sure that the reader knows what the book will entail.
• You need to be realistic about submitting the book 

Once you know the elements, you need to write them in the book proposal template. 

Information to include in the book proposal template

• Title page: This is the title of your book, your name and contact information
• Page showcasing Universal Selling Point: This is an optional step and shows what makes your book stand out. 
• Table of Contents of a Book Proposal: This includes the sections of a book proposal and what it entails. 
• Overview of a Book Proposal: The proposal must be written in sentences and not in bullet points. This makes it look immaculate and professional. It will show what are the strengths of your book and what makes it outstanding.
• Target Audience of the Book: The book is meant for what kind of audience; teens, children, or adults? This should be mentioned in the preface. 
• Author Bio/ About the Author: Each author has to write about himself/ herself in third person. 
• Publicity Platform: You need to highlight your market strategy and how you are going to make your book click in the market. 
• Chapter Summaries: You need to write about each chapter of the book in this section whether it is fiction, or non- fiction. 
• Sample Chapters: 1-3 chapters need to be submitted to the publisher. They should be the best chapters in your book which you will pitch to the publisher. 
  

Submission of Book Proposal

Big Publishers which are Traditional: There are many publishers that accept unsolicited submissions without a literary agent. Double9 Books is one of the leading young publishers that helps you get to the global stage with a brief book proposal and a 100 page book. It does not require literary agents. 

Small Publishers

These publishers accept unsolicited manuscripts and they do not require literary agents.  They publish fewer books and provide more personalised support to authors, and approval time for a manuscript may be less. Newbie authors can consider publishing with small publishers. 

Your book is not just an idea, it is your first published work. The book proposal should hook the readers right away with the first line. It should bring your book to life. It should be in the form of a vision that makes your book stand out from other authors. It should be persuasive and leave a lasting impression for your book.