BUILDING BRILLIANT BOOK PROPOSALS

By Stephanie Gibeault

You would only submit a novel to an editor after completing the entire manuscript, right? But when it comes to nonfiction for middle grade or YA (and adults too), that’s not necessary. In fact, three of my upcoming books were only written after the contracts were signed. Instead, I sold them using book proposals. In case you want to tackle longer forms of nonfiction, here are four tips for building a brilliant book proposal.

Tip 1) Include Every Section an Editor or Agent Expects

Unless a publisher’s or agent’s submission guidelines say otherwise, include the following sections in your book proposal.  

1. Overview: Summary of the entire book proposal. The what, how, and who.

2. Target Audience: Who will this book appeal to? Are there curriculum connections?

3. Competitive Titles: What books will share shelf space with your proposed book?

4. Outline: Chapter-by-chapter summary of the book’s intended contents.

5. Sample Chapters: Two or three polished chapters from the book.

6. Biography: All about you.

7. Selected Bibliography: List some of your research sources.

You can also include a format section to share your vision for the final physical product such as the page count and whether it will have illustrations or photographs. And if you have the ability to do marketing or research beyond what is expected, such as speaking at an international conference or spending time in the field with a scientist, you can include sections about those plans as well.

Tip 2) Start Your Overview with a Hook

Just as the first lines of a book need to grab a reader, the opening of your book proposal needs to grab an agent or editor. Yes, your sample chapters should be dazzling, but you want to make sure they get that far. I suggest you open with a hook. Consider using a surprising statistic, fascinating fact, or engaging anecdote.

In the book proposal for my upcoming STEM middle grade CALCULATING CHIMPANZEES, BRAINY BEES, AND OTHER ANIMALS WITH MIND-BLOWING MATHEMATICAL ABILITIES  (MIT Kids Press, April 2024, illustrated by Jaclyn Sinquett), I chose to ask a question – “What if your pet fish could help you with your math homework?” I hoped editors looking at the proposal would want to read on to discover the answer.

Tip 3) Choose Comp Titles with Care

Your competitive titles (aka comparative titles) serve multiple purposes. They help define your vision, demonstrate you understand the publishing business, show where your proposed book would sit on the library or bookstore shelf, and prove there is a market for your proposed book. Therefore, choose them with care. Stick to books published in the last three to five years that share something in common with your book.

For my upcoming middle grade MAKING SENSE OF DOG SENSES: HOW OUR FURRY FRIENDS EXPERIENCE THE WORLD (Owlkids Books, April 2024, illustrated by Raz Latif), there were plenty of comp titles to choose from. Dogs are a popular subject! I concentrated on books that touched on at least one of a dog’s senses. However, for CALCULATING CHIMPANZEES, BRAINY BEES, AND OTHER ANIMALS WITH MIND-BLOWING MATHEMATICAL ABILITIES, I couldn’t find any other books with an intersection between math and animals. So, I used comp titles about animal cognition then discussed how my proposed topic had a unique angle.

Tip 4) Target Your Biography

Your biography isn’t just about your writing experience; it also allows you to prove why you’re the right person to write this book. You don’t have to be an expert but try to target the biography to your subject matter so an agent or editor can see that you have a valuable connection. Maybe you have always had an interest in this topic, or you already wrote a newspaper article about it.

CALCULATING CHIMPANZEES, BRAINY BEES, AND OTHER ANIMALS WITH MIND-BLOWING MATHEMATICAL ABILITIES is about animal cognition, so I was sure to mention my Master of Science degree in animal behavior in my book proposal’s biography section. And for MAKING SENSE OF DOG SENSES: HOW OUR FURRY FRIENDS EXPERIENCE THE WORLD, I emphasized my experience as a certified professional dog trainer. I wanted to prove to editors that I had what it took to write about those topics.

Give It a Try:

Consider what you’ve learned about your topic and identify possible hooks for your book proposal’s overview. Is there a weird fact or mystery you could share? How can you hook an editor in the first line or two? Then consider possible comp titles. What does your book do differently from those comps that will set it apart in the market?

 

Meet the Author: Stephanie Gibeault is an award-winning freelance writer and children’s book author. She’s written the funny picture book Toby Tootles (Sleeping Bear Press, illustrated by Mary Sullivan), the middle grade Can’t Get Enough Dog Stuff (National Geographic Kids, co-authored by Moira Donohue), and has four more nonfiction books on the way. She teaches research and book proposals for the Highlights Foundation and loves doing math puzzles to relax. Learn more at www.stephaniegibeault.com.