Write the Perfect Book Proposal: 10 Proposals That Sold And Why [Paperback]

Jeff Herman (Author), Deborah M. Adams (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0471575178 | ISBN-13: 978-0471575177 | Publication Date: March 1993 | Edition: 1

Got a great idea for a nonfiction book but you’re not sure how to sell it? Well here’s an opportunity to learn how from two of the hottest young literary agents in America… Publishing wunderkind Jeff Herman started his million-dollar literary agency when he was just 26 years old. Deborah Adams is one of the most sought after "proposal doctors" in the business. Now they’ve teamed up to offer aspiring as well as established writers the ultimate guide to writing book proposals that sell. But they’re not asking you to take their word for it—they let you see for yourself what really works and what doesn’t. They take you step-by-step through 10 proposals that actually sold to major American publishers. And along the way, they explain:

• How to position your book so it stands out from the competition
• What editors are looking for
• How to write an effective sample chapter, author biography, and cover and query letters
• How fiction differs from nonfiction—with a chapter on how to sell your fiction
• And much more

"A submission from Jeff Herman always gets moved to the top…his new book will show you how to move to the top." —Frederic W. Hills Vice President, Simon & Schuster "This book will take writers to the highest level of proposal writing and success." —Roger Cooper Publisher, Berkley Publishing "If you want your proposal to ignite a busy editor’s interest, read this book." —Adrienne Hickey Senior Acquisitions Editor, Amacom Books "Herman and Adams show you how to objection-proof your proposal…Belongs on the shelf of every author whose rejection slips outnumber paychecks." —Rick Horgan Executive Editor, Harper Collins

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

A successful agent explains how to create winning non-fiction book proposals. Takes writers step-by-step through 10 diverse proposals that were bought by publishers and describes why they worked. Includes information on cover and query letters as well as fiction proposals.

About the Author

JEFF HERMAN is President of his own very successful literary agency and has been profiled in Success, Entrepreneur, and Publishers Weekly. His other book for writers is The Insider’s Guide to Book Editors, Publishers, and Literary Agents. DEBORAH M. ADAMS is an attorney, a literary agent, and a proficient "proposal doctor."

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons; 1 edition (March 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471575178
• ISBN-13: 978-0471575177
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #857,507 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Book That Proves Its Point, May 4, 2000

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This review is from: Write the Perfect Book Proposal: 10 Proposals That Sold And Why (Paperback)

Getting a book published on how to write a book proposal sounds like something that would be hard to do. One of the telling points of how good this book is that the authors explain how they did it: No one had ever developed a book that showed what makes for a successful proposal using actual proposals.

Like the Chinese philosopher would have said, seeing a successful proposal is worth 1,000 books about how to write one.

The examples are even more interesting because they are annotated for their good and bad points.

I am working on a business book proposal now, and four of the examples contained very valuable ideas and language that I need to capture for my proposal. I found it very practical, and marked up notes all over the text and examples. I will use this as a guide in my next redraft.

I must admit to being chagrined by how much my past successful book proposals fall short of the mark established here. But I would have been slow to improve without the benefit of these examples.

If I cannot write a good book proposal now, the fault will be mine, not that of the authors.

If you plan to write book proposals for nonfiction books, THIS BOOK IS A MUST!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Before you sell your book, buy this one!, July 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Write the Perfect Book Proposal: 10 Proposals That Sold And Why (Paperback)

This book is a valuable resource for any writer who is even thinking of drafting a book proposal. The book's strength lies in its unique approach: it doesn't just TELL you how to write a successful proposal, it SHOWS you what one looks like, and discusses specifics that agents look for that can help set your proposal apart from all the others.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If You Write Nonfiction, GET THIS BOOK!, October 16, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Write the Perfect Book Proposal: 10 Proposals That Sold And Why (Paperback)

If you write nonfiction, get this book without delay. It tells the how and why of writing book proposals, and gives examples of proposals that actually sold books. Enormously helpful.