You have a book idea, hooray! The right concept is key to writing a good book, and we’ll talk about it more below. But what’s key to getting that book published?

Well, if you’re interested in pitching your book to a traditional book publisher, it’s a book proposal.

I’ve been a nonfiction editor for over a decade, and in that time I’ve read, written, and consulted on an awful lot of book proposals, especially for lifestyle and how-to books. I’ll take you through how to craft a successful one, from concept to cover letter, and share my brainstorming prompts and proposal template. But first…

The Most Important Part of Writing a Book Proposal

Before we even begin, here’s the most important thing I can tell you: trust yourself. By writing your book, you’ll be sharing your knowledge, research, and teaching with the world, and that’s an admirably awesome thing to do. Every single time I get a book proposal, whether I end up accepting it or not, I respect the person who sent it.

In fact, the coolest part of my job is that occasionally I get to reach out to a potential author and say, “hey, have you ever considered writing a book?” Many times the answer is yes; sometimes it’s even, “I’ve always wanted to” or “it’s my dream.” But listen, you don’t have to wait for it to be my idea! Trust yourself. You’ve got this.

Craft the Perfect Concept

Grab your journal, because it’s homework time!

Didn’t think I’d give you a writing assignment? You realize I’m an editor, right? Get out your pen.

Assignment #1

Free-write all you need to on the following questions:

• What subject will you write on?
• Enter your subject into Answer the Public and write down any questions you can answer.
• What is your concept? What is the thesis statement or major takeaway in your subject area?
• Who is your book for? That is, who is the reader? Be as specific as you can. “Everyone” is not the correct answer.
• What problem does your reader have that you can help them with? What benefit will they get from your book? How is your solution something unique that they can’t get somewhere else?
• What evidence you have that your reader will spend their precious time and hard-earned money on your book?
• What content will you include? I find mind-mapping to be a helpful strategy for this part.
• Why are you the right person to write this book? Talk about not only how you can help solve your readers’ problem, but about how well you know your readers and how you can connect with them.

Now, revisit that concept statement. Do you need to refine it? Restate it as clearly and concisely as you can. Would you buy that book?

Assignment #2

Make a list of words you want to be able to use to describe your finished book. List at least 20 words. They can be anything, from subject-specific to more general (practical, life-affirming, balanced, clever, valuable) or even visual (colorful, beautiful, thick). Keep away from the thesaurus.

Done? Okay, good. Now pick the most important three words from that list and circle them. You only get three, so choose wisely.

Does your concept statement reflect them? Make sure.

Assignment #3

Make a bullet-pointed list of key selling points for your book. They can include any reason why someone might buy your book. List every plausible reason you can think of, from “Sales of [XYZ Product] are on the rise, according to [Reliable Source], so my readers need to know how to use it” to “People love my writing style, as evidenced by my [Impressive Number] of regular readers.” Be specific!

Pick the top three most important, most convincing key selling points. Circle them.

Still with me? We’re almost there!

Now, take your concept statement and your top three selling points, and edit them into a short, sweet statement of what your book is and why you reader will buy it. When you say it aloud, it should take about 15 seconds. This is your elevator pitch. It’ll go in the first section of your proposal, and it’ll come in real handy if you ever run into me in an elevator.

Tip: Write down your elevator pitch and take it to your favorite bookstore. Figure out where it would go in the store. This is a double-check that it has a clear bookselling category and logical place on a shelf. But now that you’re here…visualize your book on the shelf. Can you see it? Great. Next…

Craft the Perfect Proposal

Okay, now you’re ready to write a book proposal. So without further ado, here you have:

• What a book proposal should contain
• A blank book proposal template
• Where to submit a book proposal (to an editor or agent)
• How to write a cover letter
• When to write a book proposal (with a suggested to-do list timeline)

Of course, every editor and agent is different. Check their submission guidelines to make sure you’re including everything that they need. And be flexible with this advice to best suit your book.