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In this episode of Don’t Write That Book, AJ and Mike talk through who needs to write a proposal, who doesn’t, and all the crucial details that most traditional publishers require in a proposal. They’ll also talk about what makes a proposal stand out for an acquisitions editor, increasing chances for publication.
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“Your book proposal is not the time to be modest. I mean, take out the adjectives, please. We don’t need sought after, accomplished, you know? Please stop using “sought after.” Say the facts but include the good stuff. Don’t omit the stuff that’s really interesting.”
—AJ Harper.
“The overview is the main pitch. ‘This is the book, this is where it fits in the marketplace. This is why I am the perfect person to write it. These are the book fundamentals, core message, promise, here’s my reader.’ All that needs to be in there as well as a hook that answers questions like, ‘So what?’”
—AJ Harper
“In our proposals, we say basically, ‘Why this book? Why this author, why this moment?’ That’s actually the reframe we use.”
—Mike Michalowicz
“So the first thing that we’re digging into is the publisher. We’re trying to show the publisher that this book is a prudent investment for them.”
—Mike Michalowicz
