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Home » Book Proposals » Page 13

Book Proposals

6 Juicy Tidbits of Writing and Publishing Wisdom

By Bob Hostetleron March 13, 2019
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In the course of a work day, literary agents dispense many juicy tidbits of writing and publishing advice to their clients (and even to many nonclients they meet or with whom they talk or email). Few, if any, dispense as much high-octane wisdom as Steve Laube, who insists that I say things like that. But every great once-in-a-while I get in a juicy tidbit of writing and publishing wisdom, and much of the time I share it with just one person. But if I include some of those tidbits in a blog post, my time and mental energy can be magnified a little.

So, below are six recent tidbits of writing and publishing wisdom (if I do say so myself, which I just did) I’ve shared with someone in an email:

  1. Different agents and agencies want different things to start the conversation about representation, which is one reason it’s always a bad idea to blanket all the agents you can find. For some, a query is preferred. I begin the process only with a full proposal (paying special attention to the hook and marketing section).
  1. Regarding the title of your book or proposal: While publishers do often change titles (and not always for the better), I suggest never assuming the publisher will come up with a different title. We need to pitch the best possible title (and concept) we can imagine, as that’s a huge part of the pitch. Once a publisher “bites,” of course, then we hold the title loosely because they may well change it.
  1. Give careful, extensive thought to the hook. I get why you would want to write this, but why would a book buyer and reader want to read it? What’s the unique appeal of this book? What pressing, felt need does it promise to meet—at first glance—for the reader? The hook, the approach, the orientation toward the reader from the outset is going to be super important.
  1. Your whole proposal, except perhaps the sample chapters, should be in third person (“she” not “I”); include the sales numbers of your previous books in your proposal (any interested editors will look them up anyway so you’ll do them and thus yourself a favor by providing them); and make your marketing section not about what you will do but about your current (present tense) reach.
  1. I often tell aspiring children’s book writers that finding the right illustrator is one of the most fun things children’s book editors do, so don’t take that away from them. (Writers often include “my cousin is something of an artist” in their pitch, which is almost always a bad idea.) Though editors are always looking for the next Chris Van Allsburg (author/illustrator), the typical procedure is for the book to be accepted on the basis of the strength of the writing/story, then the publisher pairs the author with an illustrator, taking many factors into consideration.
  1. When seeking endorsements for your book, whether contracted or not, shoot as high as possible, in terms of name recognition. The greater the name recognition, the more value the endorsement has, simply because a potential reader might see the endorsement and say, “Oh, well, if she says this is good, I’ll buy it.” There is still some value in two or three endorsements of authors I (the reader) have never heard of because the aggregate effect may be of some help. But generally speaking, an endorsement’s value is in the fame of the name. And I have often been amazed by a person’s willingness to endorse a book of mine. As has everyone else, no doubt.

 

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Category: Book Proposals, The Writing Life

Etiquette When Submitting a Manuscript

By Steve Laubeon March 4, 2019
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L.D. asked some etiquette questions that may be of help to everyone: – How long do you wait before following up with an editor/agent once you’ve sent your requested manuscript to the editor/agent? – If you’ve already sent the proposal to the editor and they’re preparing to present it to the editorial board, but you have an article published from a highly respected …

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Category: Book Proposals, Pitching, The Writing Life

3 Things Never to Say to Agents and Editors

By Bob Hostetleron February 20, 2019
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Believe it or not, agents and editors are regular people. Some more regular than others, of course; but most of us are pretty easy to approach, whether via mail or email, at writers conferences, at church, or on the street—preferably without a visible weapon. But there are some things you should never say to an agent or an editor. Not in conversation. Not in a query or one-sheet. Not in a cover …

Read more3 Things Never to Say to Agents and Editors
Category: Agents, Book Proposals, Conferences, Pitch, Pitching

Resist the Urge to Explain Your Title

By Steve Laubeon February 11, 2019
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For fiction writers, there is an important self-editing technique called RUE (Resist the Urge to Explain). The problem occurs when an author overwrites a scene and explains every thought, movement, etc., or fails to allow the reader to fill in the details, thereby ruining the reading experience. The concept is described extremely well in Browne & King’s Self-Editing for Fiction Writers. …

Read moreResist the Urge to Explain Your Title
Category: Book Proposals, Pitch, Pitching, The Writing Life

Understanding the Market

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon January 31, 2019
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My cousin has a new job selling irrigation systems. He understands this product and even bought one from the company himself. I know what an irrigation system is but that’s about it. Could I sell an irrigation system based on this knowledge? Well, I could try; but I’d have to do a lot of research and then only sell it based on abstract knowledge, not experience. My cousin understands the product …

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Category: Book Proposals, Get Published, Marketing

Popular Story Tropes in Current Fiction

By Steve Laubeon November 19, 2018
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When we think of fiction, we put books in genres based on the story line. Then within each genre, they are separated by subgenres. The Book Industry Study Group has defined over 100 different classifications of fiction. These BISAC codes are what you find on the back of the book. And yet, despite the variety of genres, there are certain tropes (defined as overused plot devices) that appear …

Read morePopular Story Tropes in Current Fiction
Category: Book Proposals, Creativity, Genre, Trends

The Worst Parts of Being an Agent

By Bob Hostetleron October 24, 2018
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I’m not one to complain. Although I didn’t sleep too well last night, and my coffee was a little weak this morning. And I spilled some on my shirt. But I mean, otherwise, I’m not one to complain. After all, there are many great things happening in my life right now, some of which pertain to me being a literary agent—which I posted about last week (“The Best Parts of Being an Agent“). …

Read moreThe Worst Parts of Being an Agent
Category: Agency, Agents, Book Proposals

The Biggest Question About Your Book

By Dan Balowon October 16, 2018
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Authors are like small businesses. They have a finance department, a marketing department and an editorial wing. Then there’s the travel, human resources, IT and facilities management departments, all managed by one person, the author. While writing quality and author platforms are discussed at every writer’s conference, those aren’t the only factors contributing to the success or …

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Category: Book Proposals, Creativity, Marketing, Platform

Of Making Many Books There Is No End

By Steve Laubeon October 15, 2018
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This past week Bowker, the company that issues ISBN numbers for published books, released their annual statistics. They broke out the numbers for self-published books and revealed a stunning statistic. (If you want the history and explanation of the ISBN, read my scintillating post on the topic here. Each country issues their own ISBNs; Bowker is the one for the U.S.) The total number of ISBNs …

Read moreOf Making Many Books There Is No End
Category: Book Proposals, Marketing, Platform, Self-Publishing, The Publishing Life, The Writing Life

Remove the Easy “No”

By Bob Hostetleron October 10, 2018
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These are both amazing and perilous times for writers seeking to publish. Whether you’re pitching an idea to a magazine editor, book editor, or agent, an important part of your job is removing the easy “no.” That is, some submissions make it easy for an editor or agent to say, “No, thank you.” Thus, it behooves you (I like saying “behooves”; it sounds fancy) to anticipate the “easy ‘no’” and …

Read moreRemove the Easy “No”
Category: Book Proposals
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