It’s been slow blogging for a few days as I have been spending much of my time getting several new books prepared for presentations and approval. Before a book ever reaches the shelves, the editor “sells” it internally to Editorial, Marketing, Sales and the Publisher. This sales process, among other things, involves the preparation of several documents including a competitive analysis, sales estimates, suggested marketing approaches, financial analysis, a sales sheet, and the Author’s proposal and outline. Once these materials are prepared the book is usually subject to multiple approval meetings before the Publisher agrees to bring it to market.
Of all the documents used as part of this process, the Author’s Proposal is the key, as it forms the foundation for the creation of many of the other items. For Authors, the Proposal is the single way in which you influence the process, so writing a good proposal is critical for the success of your book. As an editor, having a good Proposal makes the remaining tasks easier, and increases your chances of getting your book approved.
I also use the Proposal as a gauge of the Author:
- Is it well written?
- Did the Author take the time to detail it fully?
- How well does the author understand the competition?
The quality of the Proposal can serve as an indicator of the quality of the book, so getting it right is important. Authors should always consider the Proposal as a resume and put their best foot forward.
In the coming days I’ll be posting about each element of the book proposal and keys for success.
Now, back to those new books.
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