Elements of a Successful Novel Proposal
by Virginia Smith

The first time I was asked to submit a book proposal, I panicked. Didn't the publisher realize I was writing a novel? All that stuff listed in the guidelines—market comparisons, promotion ideas—surely that was only for serious, analytical-type writers. My book was about a girl with purple hair!

I soon discovered my panic was unnecessary—writing a proposal is easy. Now, before we're deafened by the roar of disagreement, let's consider the purpose of a novel proposal. Simply stated, the goal of this document is to convince an editor or agent to buy your book. It provides the ammunition that editor needs to present a convincing case to the decision makers, typically called the acquisition committee. Each element of the proposal tells the committee something about your novel.

The first step in preparing your novel proposal is studying the publisher's or agent's guidelines. A proposal that doesn't comply with those guidelines will mark an author as unprofessional, and your project will not receive the attention it deserves. Each publisher has a specific set of requirements to make a decision about your novel. Publisher A may want a detailed synopsis, while Publisher B requires a chapter outline. CBA publishers request loads of information, while general market publishers usually only want a synopsis and sample chapters. You may end up with several versions of your proposal, each specific to a certain publisher's needs.

The book proposal is a business document, so professionalism is critical. It will be copied, distributed, and discussed in depth. Therefore, make sure it is neatly formatted, visually appealing, and free from typographical and grammatical errors.

Elements Defined

Following are the various proposal sections that may be requested.

• Promo Pitch — This is a brief "hook" designed to pique the reader's interest. For my first mystery, Murder by Mushroom, my pitch was: "A kitchen-klutz decides to take something special to the church potluck. She knows she's not a great cook, but no one's ever died—until now."
   
• Scriptural Foundation — Identify a Bible verse pertaining to the book's overall message or theme.
   
• Spiritual Take Away – Briefly summarize the book's message or lesson. Example: "Readers will gain a greater understanding of the painful impact of gossip in the church as they follow the heroine's efforts to uncover the truth."
   
• Genre — The acquisition committee needs to know the category into which the book falls. Don't make one up! Consider how the book will be categorized on a bookstore or library shelf. Murder by Mushroom's genre was "Humorous cozy mystery."
   
• Target Audience — This element identifies the primary audience for the sales and marketing staff, who are an important part of the acquisition committee. It may specify the readers' age, gender, and reading preference. Avoid the urge to say, "Everybody will love this book." For my contemporary novel, Stuck in the Middle, this section read: "The target audience is women between the ages of 20 and 35 who read inspirational fiction."
   
• Manuscript Status — State the length (or projected length) and timing of the book's completion. "The book's length is anticipated to be 100,000 words, and can be completed within two months." Or "The book is complete at 80,000 words."
   
• Back Cover Copy — Write a few sentences describing the plot in an intriguing manner. Expand on the Promo Pitch, giving just enough detail to compel the reader to read further. Keep in mind that an edited version of this paragraph may one day end up on the back cover of the published book.
   
• Market Comparison — Identify three or four recently released titles read by the target audience. Written paragraph style or bullet-point, this section states how your book is similar to each, and how it is unique. Keep the focus on your book, not someone else's. One paragraph of the market comparison for Stuck in the Middle read: "Readers who enjoyed Robin Jones Gunn's Sisterchicks Down Under (Multnomah Publishers) will find themselves drawn to Joan's loving but sometimes competitive relationship with her sisters, and will chuckle along with Gram's tendency to alphabetize the laundry. Stuck in the Middle features a younger protagonist than Sisterchicks, and the issues Joan encounters are appropriate for a younger target audience."
   
• Author Bio — Include several paragraphs describing your academic achievements, writing history, professional development, or activities of interest. Present yourself as professional and engaging. Imagine sections of this bio may appear on the back cover of your book.
   
• Author Publications — List your publications, including books, stories, and magazine articles. If you don't have any, you may eliminate this section. Don't highlight your inexperience by stating, "I don't have any publications." The editor will make that assumption.
   
• Sales History — If applicable, list each published book and the lifetime-to-date sales numbers. If you have no previous books, eliminate this section.
   
• Synopsis — Include a third person, present tense narrative of your story's plot. The synopsis does not include subplots unless they are important to the main plotline. Do include the story's resolution—yes, give away the ending! Typically the synopsis for an 80,000 word novel is around 8 double-spaced pages, unless otherwise stated in the publisher's guidelines. If a chapter summary is also requested, the synopsis is usually only a page or two. The synopsis should give the reader an idea of the story's style. The sassy tone of Murder by Mushroom is established by the opening sentences of the synopsis: "Jackie Hoffner decides to surprise everyone by not bringing potato chips to the church potluck. She's not a great cook, but how will she ever snag a man if she can't even manage a decent casserole?"
   
• Chapter Outline — Write a few sentences describing the plot movement in each chapter. Again, this narrative is written third person present tense, and reflects the style of the book. Besides telling the committee about your story, the purpose of the chapter summary is to outline your novel's structure and satisfactory plot movement.
   
• Series Description — If you're proposing a series, include a summary paragraph about the series and one about each proposed book. I described my Sister-to-Sister Series as: "Three sisters grow up in a church-going family, but as twenty-something adults they come to their own realizations that something—or Someone—is missing in their lives. As they strive to build lasting earthly relationships and struggle to overcome the hidden traumas of their parents' divorce, they each discover the one eternal relationship that transcends all others."
   
• Promotion Ideas — How will you help the publisher promote your book? Include organizations to which you belong that may be of assistance in book promotion, and any activities you are willing to fund yourself. Don't forget to mention your online presence—websites, blogs, or ezines. Also list any endorsements you've obtained.
   
• Sample Chapters — Unless the guidelines say differently, include the first three chapters, fewer if they are long. Keep the entire proposal length at 50 double-spaced pages or less.

Get Busy

That's not too bad, is it? Take an hour or so to surf around the Internet and check out sample book proposals. You'll start to get a feel for them. And then get busy—you've got a proposal to write!