101: Where do I start if I want to write a book

How to get started with your Nonfiction Book Proposal

If you would like to write a nonfiction book that is published traditionally (by a publisher who pays for your work and covers the cost of the production) then you start with a proposal. You then use your proposal to query agents to find representation that aligns with your goals and values, then they will submit your book to publishers to hopefully sell and go on to be produced.

In short, a proposal is a sales deck that showcases your book idea, how it fits into the contemporary conversation and market, and why you are the best person to write that book. For the most part, proposals follow a similar structure as explained here by Jane Friedman and if you have these main sections worked out, you’ll be ready to begin your search for an agent. Each agent will have their own ideas and opinions about your proposal, how it is structured or positioned, etc., that they’ll share if they are interested in working with you. Jane’s post linked above or this book are a fabulous place to start when you begin writing your proposal.

My opinions about what I like to see in a proposal are my secret sauce, so I won’t go too into them here but I’ll share the most important pieces to focus on when you’re putting together your proposal:

• Does your book clearly state a problem and then the solution? Every book is a journey from A to B, solving or answering some big question. Find what that is and make it clear to the reader.

• Why are you the exact and only person to write this? Why are your particularly positioned to be the authority on this topic?

• What are you doing right now to promote these ideas and build your community? I don’t care what you say you’ll do if the book sells, what are you doing right now because this message needs to be heard.

• Why do we need this book right now? What other books are talking about this and what are they missing? How do you fill that hole?

If you’ve written all the standard sections, and then clearly cover the above bullet points, you’re ready to query an agent (post to come on my top query tips).

Some other points that come up when people are thinking about writing their first proposal:

• Timeline: How long does it take? Generally, my clients work from 3-6 months on their proposal on their own before they begin to query. Once I sign a client, we take another 2-3 months to perfect it from there.

• Writing Help: I’ve got the idea and a platform, but I don’t think I can write it. Ghostwriting is very common with nonfiction titles. But even if you know you are going to hire a ghostwriter, you’ll need to get the idea on paper. If you’ve got your idea worked out and can give a good overview about your large platform, an agent can help with the rest. Sometimes that means hiring a ghostwriter to get your proposal done, other times an agent can bridge that gap, then help you to hire a writer once the project is sold. Proposal coaches are another great resources to help you find your voice and finish your proposal. I have signed many clients from these coaches, in particular Richelle Fredson.

• Platform: Should I focus on growing my platform before I even write a book? I wish I knew what the magic number was, but every book, every topic, every editor will move that number based on the week. And social media isn’t everything—what are your bylines like, what industry/academic articles have you published, what events are you speaking at, what are your podcast/substack numbers. As an agent, I’ll look at every idea and can look past your numbers if you are out there doing all that you can to connect with your community/readers. I say this on my FAQ page, but the editors of certain categories, those that cost the most to produce (cookbooks, design, photography), will want to see that you have a large, bought-in community behind you (if you’re going to twist my arm for a number, at least over 200k on a single platform for these types of books).

• The Big Idea: What if I have a ton of ideas for books? Great for your longterm career as a writer, but you will have to narrow it down to one for a proposal. The publisher is buying a book, not an author. An agent signs an author, but the agent needs to see that you have a strong clear idea for at least one book. When I have a client going between two ideas, I have them consider which one stands out as either (1) most timely or (2) the one with the larger readership potential. There might be a thread of an idea that you’d like to dive more into that you present in your first book, your readers will let you know if they want book two to be on that smaller, more-focused idea.

• Feedback: Who can I turn to for feedback before I have an agent? Either connect with a proposal coach, many have classes where you can meet others building out their own proposals, or find your own group that are all working on their proposals in person or online, or connect with others through your own professional networks and relationships. Even if someone can’t provide feedback on the content, it is great to have an accountability partner who is cheering you on.

I taught a class with Scribente Maternum all about proposals in Spring 2024 and I’ll make that a post soon too!

This is an evolving post, so please leave your comments on other questions you have about getting started that I can answer here or create other resources for.