Using a Classical Book Proposal to Grab the Attention of Agents and Publishers

A classical book proposal, rather than sending in a manuscript, makes it easier for agents and publishers to determine if your work will be a good fit for them. Literary agent and book development consultant Claire Gerus advises authors, especially nonfiction writers, to create a proposal with the following elements: • Table of contents • Author bio • Overview of the book’s subject • Competition analysis • Sample chapters All in all, the proposal will only be about 40 pages, Gerus says...