The Literary Agent's Guide to Writing a Non-Fiction Book Proposal - by Andy Ross (Paperback)

About the Book

Literary agent Andy Ross leads you through the steps to writing a book proposal that will be exciting and convincing to book publishers. There are lots of examples of real proposal that ended up with book contracts.

Book Synopsis

The Literary Agent's Guide to Writing a Non-Fiction Book Proposal will lead you through the steps to constructing a convincing book proposal that will make the best case possible for your project. The author, Andy Ross, is a literary agent who has worked with authors and publishers in creating proposals that have led to book contracts. Writing a great book proposal shouldn't be a daunting task if you have a great idea for a book. This book lays out the issues you will have to address in the proposal: how to describe what the book is, why it is needed, why you are the best person to write about it, who is the audience, and how will you promote the book when it is published. It will also give detailed instructions on formatting the proposal. The book touches on other subjects important for writers seeking book publication for the first time. How to find an agent, how to compose a query letter, the elements of the book deal, and how publishers decide to acquire a title. Included in the book are selections from real book proposals.

Review Quotes

"When I was writing my book proposal for Water 4.0, Andy's input really took it to the next level. The experience of writing the proposal was much more than a necessary ordeal. It forced me to rethink my book and give it shape. Publishers admired the proposal. We had multiple offers. The book was acquired by Yale University Press in 2014." David Sedlak - Malozenmoff Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California. Author ofWater 4.0: The Past, Present, and Future of the World's Most Vital Resource "Andy Ross is a rare treasure, an agent who loves writers, hears our varied voices, and works on our behalf. Crafting proposals under his tutelage has been a pleasure. He encourages me to best express what is most important to get across to prospective editors. He's whip smart, knows the book business as well as anyone alive today, and champions his authors no matter our genres or the amount of the advances we command." Michele Anna Jordan.Winner of the James Beard Award. Author of Vinaigrettes and other Dressings, Harvard Common Press, 2013. "Andy's contribution in crafting my book proposal made it sing and got us the deal. Andy knows the business inside and out. He knows how to write and he knows how to sell." Jennifer Buhl. Author of Shooting Stars: My Unexpected Life Photographing Hollywood's Most Famous