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The Steve Laube Agency

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Helping to Change the World Word by Word

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Home » Book Proposals » Page 16

Book Proposals

Writing Your Book Proposal Bio

By Steve Laubeon April 23, 2018
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I suspect that the last time you considered buying a non-fiction book you took a look at who the author was. It is a normal and natural thing. The same goes for your book proposal.

The “About the Author” section of a non-fiction book proposal answers the question, “Who are you? And what right do you have to write about this topic?”

It is not a place to recite your resume or Curriculum Vitae. Think of it as a little longer version of what would go on the back cover of your book or at the end of an article you have written. We have examples for each of us in the “About” section of our web site. While it may seem to be an obvious exercise to some, it is important when approaching an agent or an editor who does not know you.

Since you’ve already said “hello” in your cover letter, think of this section of your book proposal as a further introduction. A “sound-bite resume” if we must describe it.

Include Your Photo

The photo is especially helpful if you’ve met the editor or agent at a conference. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a “Glamour Shot.” But please don’t take a selfie in your backyard and use that. A good photo can follow you everywhere…web site, media packet, advertising, the back of the book, and more.

Try to use one that is reasonably recent. Your high school year book photo may not work if you are from the class of ’83…

Some conferences have a photographer on hand who can do a great job in some very nice settings.

In addition, the Christian Writers Institute has a video course called “10 Photo Secrets for Bestselling Authors” which deals with things like the pose, the right colors for your complexion, lighting, and more.

Write in Third Person

Write it as if someone were describing you. Don’t be surprised to be introduced in a public setting by someone who simply reads the bio provided for the event. If it were in first person it would sound strange.

Instead of writing “I have three goldfish and live in Roanoke” write “He has three goldfish and lives in Roanoke.”

Don’t be Shy

Recite your accomplishments…as they relate to your credibility as the author of this book. We don’t care if you were named “Best Dressed” by your peers in Beauty School, unless your book is about fashion. At the same time there are some awards, degrees, or accomplishments that help round out your “resume,” so to speak.

This is not the time for humility. I know there needs to be a balance. Sounding arrogant can be a huge turn off. I recently received a proposal where the writer all but claimed that everyone else in the world was wrong about his topic. It set my teeth on edge.

At the same time, if you don’t talk about yourself a little, how else will we know who you are?

Your degrees. Your experience. Your past publications.

Try Not to Exaggerate

“Puffing the Resume” will get your project rejected faster than you can imagine. It is tantamount to lying to the person with whom you want to partner in a business relationship.

One time a writer claimed to have won the Nobel Prize in their area of expertise. I was impressed. So I looked it up. (Yes, we will google you.) I could not find the name listed anywhere. I dug deeper and discovered that the writer had been part of a large research team which had won the award. The problem was how the claim was stated in the bio; it sounded like the writer was a solo award winner. If they had just stated they were part of a Nobel Prize winning team it would have been fine.

Another writer, out of ignorance, claimed to have been nominated for a major writing award. I happened to know how this award was administered. The publisher entered the book and paid the entry fee. That is all. It was one of hundreds of books entered. “Entered” does not equal “nominated.” The book was not a finalist or a winner, merely entered. But the author claimed in their proposal that their book had been nominated.  It was an innocent mistake via a misunderstanding, but it didn’t look good.

It’s Okay to be Personal and Funny

It is nice to know if you have family and the general part of the world you live in. My bio, for example,  would read “He is married with three grown children and one grandchild and lives in Arizona.”

It is also okay to add in a little humor if it is appropriate to your personality and how you wish to be introduced. For example, “She has four three goldfish and one very hungry cat. They co-exist in Iowa Falls.”

Social Media

Make it easy for the agent or editor to click through to your web site, blog, Facebook, Twitter, or any other place where you are active.

What about the Novelist?

Many of the same principles apply if you write fiction. The difference is that you are not necessarily trying to establish credentials. However, it is possible that your background can add luster or a little juice to the type of novels you are writing.

For example, Carrie Stuart Parks (web site here) is a forensic artist who works with law enforcement in the reconstruction of crime scenes, likenesses based on bone structure, and more. The main character of her novel is…wait for it…a forensic artist. She is an example of where the bio contributes to the credibility of the novel.

It doesn’t have to be that specific. There are many fine novelists who were not Mountain Men, or Search & Rescue team members, or part of the Special Forces, or sea-faring Vikings.

The “About the Author” section of a fiction book proposal is not as much about credibility. However your warmth as a person can come through in a well written bio.

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Category: Book ProposalsTag: Author Bio, book proposal

Never Assume Biblical Literacy

By Steve Laubeon April 16, 2018
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It wasn’t long ago that a reference to a Biblical character or a Bible verse would be widely understood without explanation. That is no longer true. Researcher George Gallup said “We revere the Bible, but we don’t read it.” This was recently illustrated in our local newspaper in an article about a football player named Shadrach. “It is a name his mom found in the Old Testament, the Babylonian god …

Read moreNever Assume Biblical Literacy
Category: Book Proposals, Craft, Trends, Writing CraftTag: Bible, Biblical Knowledge, book proposals, Writing Craft

Three Reasons It’s Not Too Late to Submit

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon March 29, 2018
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Sometimes I meet authors who wonder if they’ve waited too long after they’ve met with me at a conference to submit to me. Without exception (at least, without any exceptions I can think of), the answer is no. It is never too late. Why not? If you’re going to conferences and taking classes to learn, I want to see what you apply. Writers attending conferences are, in part, students. Sometimes I …

Read moreThree Reasons It’s Not Too Late to Submit
Category: Book Proposals, Conferences, Pitch, PitchingTag: book proposals, Conferences, Pitching

When the Market Is Too Tight

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon March 22, 2018
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Previously I posted about sending rejections saying the market is too tight as a reason for the decline. Let’s take a closer look. Subjective? “The market is too tight,” sounds objective, doesn’t it? As in, “There isn’t enough room for your book because no one is buying this type of book.” However, this is one time we can get philosophical and admit this reason for a decline is actually the …

Read moreWhen the Market Is Too Tight
Category: Book Proposals, Genre, Get Published, Pitching, Platform, RejectionTag: book proposals, Get Published, Rejection

I Couldn’t Think of a Good Title for This Post

By Bob Hostetleron March 21, 2018
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Some writers love to come up with titles for their stories, articles, or books. Some hate it. Some are good at it, some are awful. But we all have to do it, like it or not. A title can make or break a pitch, even though editors will often change our titles. So here are my twelve top tips (try saying that ten times fast!) for titling your tomes: Know your market. If you’re writing for the Christian …

Read moreI Couldn’t Think of a Good Title for This Post
Category: Book Business, Book Proposals, Creativity, Get Published, Marketing, Pitch, Pitching, Self-PublishingTag: book proposals, Creativity, Titles

Why You Don’t Want to be the Exception

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon March 15, 2018
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In a recent post on the top three reasons why my office sends rejection letters, I referred to authors sending me out-of-category submissions. Spaghetti Against the Wall First, I mentioned that some authors don’t do their research. They don’t take the five to ten minutes tops to find out what we’re seeking. We even have a handy-dandy tab on our site. I think most authors who don’t consider what …

Read moreWhy You Don’t Want to be the Exception
Category: Book Proposals, RejectionTag: book proposals, Rejection

Creative or Effective? You Decide

By Dan Balowon March 6, 2018
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Very early in my working life, I was involved in advertising sales for a radio station.  Probably because I was pretty much a “blank slate” back then, I remember the first advertising seminar I attended like it was yesterday. People who know me well, might smile (or roll their eyes) when I’ll repeat a sales or marketing principle I learned decades ago.  They are “on to me.” At the first seminar, I …

Read moreCreative or Effective? You Decide
Category: Book Proposals, Branding, Marketing, Pitch, PitchingTag: book proposal, Cover Letter, Creativity, Marketing

I Hate My Job!

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon March 1, 2018
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Well, I don’t always hate my job. I only hate it on the days I have to send rejection letters. Or maybe I should say, I only hate it during the moments of the day that I must send rejection letters. If you receive a rejection letter either from my assistant or myself, you can count on a few truths: If we say you are talented, we believe it. If we say your work isn’t the right fit for us, you can …

Read moreI Hate My Job!
Category: Book Proposals, RejectionTag: Rejection, rejection letters

Should I Blog My Book?

By Bob Hostetleron February 28, 2018
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Everyone has heard of bloggers who made it big with a book deal, right? Why shouldn’t the next one be you? I can think of a few reasons. A blog is not a book I know, it seems obvious (but I miss the Obvious Station often enough that I try to at least check there before boarding the Train of Thought). To choose just one example of the difference: blog posts are written for online reading, and tend …

Read moreShould I Blog My Book?
Category: Book Proposals, Career, Get Published, The Writing LifeTag: Blog, blog posts, Get Published, publishing

Penalty Flag: Illegal Use of an Exception

By Dan Balowon February 20, 2018
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Maybe using the word “illegal” is a bit over the top, but at least it grabbed your attention! Because book publishing can be such a subjective or borderline mysterious field of endeavor, many authors respond to the uncertainty by hanging their hopes for success on something which could best be described as an exception to whatever rules seem to exist.  If indeed there are any rules in book …

Read morePenalty Flag: Illegal Use of an Exception
Category: Agents, Book Business, Book ProposalsTag: book proposals, The Publishing Life, The Writing Life
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