So you’ve got a great idea for a book. Congrats! Before you plunge right in, you’ll want to take some time to craft a book proposal. A few questions to ask yourself: Do you have some knowledge of the publishing industry? Could you be considered an authority on the subject of your book? Are you ready to wholeheartedly promote your book for about a year following its release?
In the third week of Mediabistro’s Profit From Your Passion series, we talk to three leading industry experts, who discuss the various stages of the book-proposal process.
Rachelle Gardner, literary agent at Books & Such, states that you’re likely ready to write a book when you’ve spent years “thinking about [your topic], studying it, writing about it, both in your personal journals and in public spaces, possibly speaking to audiences about it, getting a degree in it or building a career around it.” Your own expertise is an essential selling point in the eyes of an agent or editor. Gardner adds, “You’re ready to write a book when you know what everyone else is writing about your topic, and you are confident that you have something fresh to add to the conversation.”
For more information on the book-proposal process, read: Laying the Groundwork for Your Book Proposal.
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