Crafting a Compelling Nonfiction Book Proposal

For many nonfiction authors, a book proposal will offer editors the first glimpse of your project. In order to present your manuscript in the best possible light, you’ll want to polish your proposal with purpose and clarity while retaining your unique point of view.

In this 45-minute conversation, acquisitions editors Eli Bortz and Thao Thai give authors tips on how to distill complex ideas into a cohesive book proposal. What should you include? What grabs an editor’s attention? What’s the difference between submitting a proposal and pitching your work in person? We discuss the different types of proposals and show examples of what a successful proposal might look like.

The session concludes with a Q&A. (And stay tuned for information on upcoming pitch sessions with our editors!)