by Cherrilynn Bisbano @bisbanowrites
Thirty seconds can determine destination. An Olympian will not win a race if he’s thirty seconds behind. He must practice day and night, eat healthy, and forego a personal life to increase his chances of obtaining a medal.
Large corporations pay millions to purchase a thirty-second commercial for the Super Bowl. Planning and preparation takes all year. Writing, filming, editing, and more editing are required—just for a thirty-second spot. When the commercial is aired, the advertisement must capture the viewer’s attention and inspire them to purchase the product or service.
A book proposal is similar.
You invest time, energy, sweat, and tears into your proposal and wonder if the outcome is worth the effort.
Stop and count to thirty.
It was longer than you expected, right?
An agent or a publisher can review your proposal and decide your fate in that amount of time, especially if one of the top three requirements doesn’t meet their expectations. It seems unfair, since you spent countless hours on research, edits, and rewrites.
Publishers and agents get hundreds of proposals and don’t have time to read each in its entirety, so they look at what’s important to them.
I had the honor to interview agents and publishers at the 2018 Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference and found the top three items they look for in a proposal. A notable biography, marketing plan, and first three chapters are required in the decision-making process.
Biography:
This section answers these vital questions. Are you the best person to write the book? Are you a person the publisher or agent wants to work with?
The biography should include writing experience, education, achievements, publishing history, and a current headshot. Write the bio in the third person. If you have a decent platform, mention it here.
Marketing Plan:
Let’s face it – writing is a business. The agents and publishers want to see numbers, no matter how small. The two words that publishers do not want to see in this section are, “I will.” I will build a website, Facebook page, or get speaking engagements. Do it now and then submit the proposal. Include the following in your plan:
- Organization membership list numbers
- Book signings
- Speaking engagements
- Press kit
- Book tours
- Book groups
- Workplace
- Platform
- Website
- Blog
- Facebook pages and number of followers
- Blog tours
Three Sample Chapters:
Can you hook the agent or publisher? Do you write well?
One of the agents I interviewed said, “If the writer can’t hook me with the story or the writing is bad, why look at the rest of the proposal?” This section should have a great hook, capture the reader’s attention, and be professionally edited.
For fiction submissions, submit the first three chapters of the book.
For non-fiction submissions, pick the best three chapters that capture the essence of the book.
Thirty Seconds
Thirty seconds of a proposal review may turn into thirty minutes and then a contract, if you follow submission guidelines and capture the attention of the agent or publisher.
Major corporations, Olympians, publishers, and agents know—thirty seconds can determine destination. Please take the time to create a winning proposal.
Do you have a question about proposals? Leave it in the comment below, and we’ll answer it.
Cherrilynn Bisbano is founder of The Write Proposal-book proposal services. She is a speaker, editor, coach, and writer. Her passion for helping people is evident.
She is Managing Editor at Stand Firm Ministries-Reasons column. While managing editor at Almost an Author, she helped earn two top writing website awards. As host of Genre Chat she had the honor of interviewing Jerry Jenkins, Cecil Murphy, Steven James, Doug Peterson and other best-selling writers. She hosts Fulfilled Prophecy Friday with award-winning writer Jake McCandless.
She is a two-time winner of Flash Fiction Weekly. You can find her published in Wolf Tech Group, Amramp, More to Life (MTL), Christian Rep, Refresh, Broken but Priceless, Southern Writers, and other online magazines.
Contributor to Chicken Soup for the Soul-Miracles, Heart Reno, and Selah nominated, Breaking the Chains books.
She earned her Leadership Certification through Christian Leaders Institute and continues toward a Marketing and Chaplain certification.
Cherrilynn proudly served in the Navy and Air National Guard; earning the John Levitow Military leadership award. She lives with her sixteen-year-old autistic son, Michael, Jr., and husband of 19 years, Michael, Sr.
Website: www.TruthtoShine.blogspot.com – Fulfilled Prophecy Friday
Contact: editor@thewriteproposal.com
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