The main difference between a non-fiction book proposal and a fiction book proposal, is that for a fiction book proposal the chances are that the book will already be written. However, for a non-fiction book proposal the book will probably NOT yet be completed.
The BubbleCow 5 day email guide to writing a great book proposal can be used for both non-fiction and fiction titles (just add your email to subscribe –>). However, here’s some thoughts about the main differences between the two proposal types.
Query letter: The main mistake people make with a query letter is to see it as a kind of mini-synopsis/biography. The key is to see the query letter as a sales document that will convince the publisher that your book is something that they can publish.
Here are the key points to include:
- Book outline: This is an overview of your book. For a non-fiction book proposal this will be an outline of the main premise behind your idea. For a fiction book proposal this will be a very brief outline of your plot.
- Market: This is an a very precise description of your market. It makes no difference if you are writing fiction or non-fiction it should include the books genre, 3 or 4 similar titles, the predicted readership and the thing that sets your book aside from the competition.
- Biography: Once again this is similar for both fiction and non-fiction. In essence it should include all of the information about you that is relevant to your book. For a fiction title it is things like previous books and writing experience that are important. For a non-fiction title it is your experience in the field and your qualification to write the book that count.
Synopsis: This is kind of obvious for a fiction book proposal and will be an outline and description of your book’s narrative arc. It should focus on the main characters, points of conflict and resolution. For a non-fiction title this will be a detailed outline of your book. It should contain the overall premise and then, if possible, chapter headings and sub headings with supportive text. You don’t need to write the full manuscript but it should be clear what you are going to write should the publisher say yes.
Extract: For fiction this should be the first fifty, double spaced pages of your novel. It is much, much easier to sell a written novel then just an idea. For non-fiction you have two options. The first is to just leave out the extract, after all it will be an idea you are selling. However, I would suggest that if at all possible you should write a chapter of your book and include it as an extract. This will not only show the publisher that you can write, but that you are serious about the book.
Overall, the big difference between a non-fiction book proposal and a fiction book proposal is all about what you have written. For a novel you should be looking to sell a completed book. However, for a non-fiction work you are selling an idea, probably unwritten. Yet in both cases it is essential you use the query letter to convince the publisher that you have a saleable product which will slot into their current portfolio.
