Publishing

The First Step You Must Take to Get Your Book Published

From my previous reader surveys, I know that approximately 61.4 percent of my readers have either written a book or want to write a book. That number still astonishes me. No wonder there were over one million books published last year just in the U.S.

A Book Publishing Contract - Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/alexskopje, Image #15895884

Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/alexskopje

Yet most aspiring authors will not get published—at least, not by a traditional publisher. Why? Because they don’t know how to get the attention of an agent. And without an agent, they don’t have a chance of getting a publisher.

Most publishers simply don’t have the resources to evaluate unsolicited proposals and manuscripts. Instead, they depend on literary agents to do their filtering, believing this is the best way to discover the best new authors.

So, as a hopeful author, the questions is this: “How do you get the attention of an agent?”

The answer is simple to articulate but difficult to execute. You must write a killer book proposal. In addition, if you are writing a novel, you will likely have to submit a completed manuscript.

But it all starts with the book proposal. Why? There are three reasons:

  1. Agents don’t have time to evaluate manuscripts. Think about it. How long does it take you to read a book? Ten, twenty, or thirty hours? This is an enormous investment. Agents often receive hundreds of proposals a month.
  2. Agents have a finite list of questions. They don’t re-invent the wheel every time they evaluate a proposal. The questions are predictable. Basically, they boil down to these: What’s the book about? Why are you qualified to write it? What will you do to help market it?
  3. Agents need to be equipped to sell. Whatever else a literary agent is—and I was one for six years—he or she is a salesperson. Their job is to sell you and your proposal to prospective publishers. The easier you can make it for them, the more likely they will succeed in getting you a book contract

In addition, a proposal provides a blueprint for the writing itself. This is why even published authors (at least the smart ones) start with a proposal. They want to know where the book is going before they invest too much time or energy in writing it.

I realized the strategic significance of having a good book proposal early in my career. That is why I have written two ebooks, one for non-fiction authors and one for novelists. I want to give authors the competitive advantage they need to succeed. As you will see from the endorsements I have received from agents and authors, these books do exactly that.

Whether you are thinking about writing your first book (and from my reader survey I know that is highly likely) or are an established author, I invite you to check out my two ebooks, Writing a Winning Non-Fiction Book Proposal and Writing a Winning Fiction Book Proposal. Both will give you the edge you need to secure a book publishing contract.

Questions: Have you ever prepared a formal book proposal? What have been the results so far? You can leave a comment by clicking here.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, we only recommend products or services we use and believe will add value to our readers. We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

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