The Art of the Book Proposal [Paperback]

Eric Maisel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 24, 2004

Here is an expert's guide through the elements of a nonfiction book proposal, including the outline, chapter summaries, marketing/publicity, book and chapter titles, and more. Filled with exercises designed to help a writer conceive and create a desirable proposal, and checklists to keep track of the project's progress, The Art of the Book Proposal provides the framework on which to build a great idea, as well as intelligent, empathetic instruction on how to produce a proposal that will capture the interest of an agent or editor.

While most how-to writing books focus only on the nuts and bolts of putting a proposal together, Maisel, considered by many to be America's foremost expert on the psychological side of the creative process, also helps the writer overcome mental barriers to producing the best work possible. Using a holistic approach to the sometimes unglamorous work of designing a proposal, his guide enables a writer to transform an idea into a book.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

A featured speaker at writers’ conferences and a regular contributor to Writer’s Digest, psychotherapist Eric Maisel has written twenty-two works of fiction and nonfiction including The Creativity Book, Deep Writing, A Life in the Arts, Fearless Creating, and Affirmations for Artists. He lives near San Francisco.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Tarcher (May 24, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1585423343
• ISBN-13: 978-1585423347
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #996,724 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If Eric Maisel were to write a book on book proposals . . ., March 14, 2005

By 

Bert Krages (Portland, OR United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Art of the Book Proposal (Paperback)

. . . this is exactly what it would be like. There are several excellent books on how to prepare book proposals and I have made it a practice to read them as they come out. Each of these books feature their authors' imprimaturs and tend to be suited to individual writers depending on their proclivities. This book is comprehensive in all the areas of preparing a book proposal but is particularly strong in the area that the majority of writers are weakest - thinking their concept through before preparing and submitting the proposal. About one-third of the book is devoted to figuring out what you want to say, how you are going to say it, and how you are going to express the book concept in the proposal. Having reviewed hundreds of book proposals, my opinion is that the aspect of not thinking the project through is the factor that accounts for most rejections. There were a couple of areas in which I somewhat disagree with the author: (1) I feel that the sample chapter should almost always be from the middle of the book because using a introductory chapter does not show how the writer will handle the meat of the book, and (2) I feel that chapter summaries should always be done in a narrative style because excerpts don't get to the point and bulleted lists are basically a power point approach to a selling a non-power point product. Nonetheless, the author has been published many times more than I have and what he says carries weight.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Real Deal, August 25, 2005

By 

Laurel Marshfield "Developmental Editor, Ghos... - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Art of the Book Proposal (Paperback)

This book really explains what the stages of writing a book proposal feel like and look like. Maisel discusses all the false starts, sudden endings, and re-starts, the works. It is equally heartening to have someone clearly spell out the single most important aspect of writing a book (or proposal), that it involves repeated, concentrated, hard-worked-on thought. As I coach people who want to write book proposals (and books) as part of what I do professionally, I can't thank Eric Maisel enough for offering such an insightful and truthful book on this topic. He has done everyone who is thinking of writing a proposal an enormous service. This book is vastly different from all the existing books on this subject, too -- no mean feat, in and of itself -- considering how many really good books there already are on this topic.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific book!, June 16, 2004

By 

writer99 (CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Art of the Book Proposal (Paperback)

Maisel's new book goes where the other book proposal books haven't ventured, into the territory of ideas. He carefully describes how ideas morph the more you think about the book you're intending to write and why that morphing is such a challenge for the nonfiction book writer. Then he tells you exactly how to stay with the process so that you end up not only with a polished, effective book proposal but with a book that matches the dream you had for it.

Unlike the other book proposal books, which have been written by literary agents or editors, this one comes from a real writer. This is a terrific book and I recommend it without qualification or reservation.