How to Write a Nonfiction Book Proposal
In order for an agent or publisher to consider a nonfiction book, the writer must submit a proposal—especially if they are a first-time or non-famous author.
Although the individual elements of a proposal may seem straightforward enough, proposal writing is a weird, misunderstood, and sometimes wonderful art form. The proposal is part selling document, part blueprint for the book, and part narrative. Its job is to help the author articulate just what the book is and why they’re writing it. It must also enable the potential publisher to fully understand, imagine, and fall in love with the idea of the book.
In this seminar, Kneerim & Williams agent John Butman will discuss the purpose of the proposal, how to bring each of the elements to life, the pitfalls and problems that authors encounter, and the development and submission process—from inception to publisher placement.
Participants with proposal drafts are encouraged to submit them at least two weeks in advance of the workshop. The instructor will review them to inform his preparation for the class and may reference them anonymously during class. Participants will also have the opportunity to present their book ideas in two-minute pitches during the workshop for feedback from the class. Questions and discussion will be encouraged throughout.
Please note: this workshop will be helpful for writers with prescriptive or narrative nonfiction projects, or personal narratives that are meant to support or illustrate a larger message; it is not intended for straightforward personal narratives. Please email hannah@mainewriters.org with questions.
+ SUBMIT After registering, participants with proposal drafts are encouraged to submit them by no later than 9:00 a.m. on March 26. Please note that the instructor will not offer direct feedback on the proposal; he will use them to inform his preparation for the seminar. Please email the manuscript to hannah@mainewriters.org with the subject line: “BUTMAN WORKSHOP MSS.” *Word docs (ideally) or PDFs only, please.
John Butman knows the process of writing nonfiction proposals from three perspectives. As an author, he has written proposals for his own books that have won significant advances from major publishers, including Little, Brown and Harvard Business Review Press. As a collaborator and editor, he has helped more than fifty expert authors in many different fields develop proposals that have been published by major imprints including Random House, W.W. Norton, Scribner, and many others. As a literary agent with the Kneerim & Williams agency in Boston, he works with many first-time authors to develop proposals and place their work with major trade houses, independent publishers, and university presses. John lives in Portland and summers on Bailey Island.
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QUESTIONS
For any questions regarding this workshop, please contact Hannah Perry at hannah@mainewriters.org.
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Call 207-228-8263 and register with your VISA or MasterCard.
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SCHOLARSHIP
The MWPA is proud to offer two full scholarships to this workshop for members-only. Scholarships are awarded on a combination of need and merit. Application Due on March 23 at 9:00 a.m.
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