Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Carolyn Howard-Johnson...Impressive as always, January 24, 2008
What I like best about Carolyn Howard-Johnson is how approachable she is. Although I've never met her, every word of hers that I've read makes me trust her. She's simple and to the point, often humorous, and completely trustworthy. She knows good advice, and she knows the market. There are tons of books on proposal writing out there, but why waste big bucks. For just 49 cents, here's a great start. Subscribe to her Amazon blog for more free advice! You will be impressed.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Getting past the Gatekeepers, November 10, 2007
Like it or not, writing a book proposal is as important to a writer as writing the next book...because the next book can be long in coming if the first one never finds a publishing house! In this concise yet informative instruction manual on how to write a book proposal, author Carolyn Howard-Johnson offers list of golden-nugget-TO-DOs and smart ideas which can help guide writers past the GateKeepers in this business. These guards are constantly on the look-out for entertaining, professional and out-of-the-box book proposals, and Howard-Johnson, a promotional expert, offers information that every writer new to the business of promotion needs in his or her toolbox.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Great First Impression Book Proposal: Everything You Need to Know About Selling Your Book in Twenty Minutes or Less, February 4, 2008
I've always thought that fiction writers don't need to write book proposals, but according to Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of The Frugal Book Promoter and The Frugal Editor - some publishers now ask their novelists to write them especially if they're under contract for more than one novel, genre novels and novels that are part of a series. Remind me not to write a sequel then, for the prospect of writing a book proposal fills me with dread. But, Carolyn has just written her very helpful first Amazon short called The Great First Impression Book Proposal : Everything You Need to Know About Selling Your Book In Twenty minutes or Less - you can't go wrong for 0.49 cents - click on Amazon Book Short for details.
In her useful 18 page book proposal, Carolyn gives a detailed proposal for a non-fiction book, handy if I ever decide to write my autobiography! I always thought all one had to do when writing a proposal for a non-fiction book was to write an overall précis and list your chapters with a synopsis under each one. I've obviously been stuck in the Dark Ages, for these days a book proposal is a different kind of proposition.
Carolyn says the book proposal should be regarded as a marketing tool. She advises to think of a proposal as a cross between an outline, a resumé and a media kit. According to her, she says a book proposal should reflect your voice and the character of whatever kind of book you are proposing. Carolyn has divided her concise book proposal with sub headings such as "First Great Impression Proposal - Here's How to Make a Gatekeeper Open the door For You." Carolyn advises the reader to include an About the Author section which has to be a more extensive bio than in your query letter. She also advises the reader to add their profession and website with details of their E-zine or Newsletter. Not only that, but you should also include a link for one of your blogs which 'exposes' your website. And, she is very keen on Media Kits, and even gives templates on her How To Do It Frugally website (she advises the reader to click on the Media tab).
According to Carolyn, you also have to give a Personal and Professional Contact list and under your Table of Contents, you may choose to tell what is in each chapter. If all this isn't enough, Carolyn says you should give your 'gatekeeper' detailed promotional plans of your own as well.
You should also enclose two sample chapters (including the first one) + a brief synopsis of each chapter. Carolyn advises to throw in sample illustrations if you have any plus a quotation from your book that 'highlights the originality of your concept.'
As a reminder, she says you should include your query letter, your overview, your extended proposal including sample chapters and your parting shot or clincher. At the end of her proposal, she even suggests you look at other book proposal books which are out there on the market. I'm sure they are good, but you can't go wrong in faithfully following Carolyn Howard-Johnson's advice in her INVALUABLE eighteen page book proposal which took me less than twenty minutes to devour.
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