Crafting A Proposal

For non-fiction writers, the equivalent of the standard query letter to agents and editors, is the non-fiction "book proposal." Considered by some to be just as daunting at times as the query letter, Scott Mendel offers some on-point advice in his recent article: Writing a Non-Fiction Book Proposal: A Primer for the First-Time Nonfiction Book Writer


The basics for nailing the perfect proposal are clearly outlined, as well as easily explained by Mendel, a longtime literary agent and member of the Association of Authors' Representatives.

More importantly, you'll also find out how each phase of the process generally works, from your initial approach to an agent or editor, to the decision-making process between editors and other key publishing house officials. With an emphasis, of course, on the fact that from start to finish, the overall *strength* of your original proposal plays a major role in how smoothly each step along the way will proceed.

So check out his article whenever you can -- and good luck!