Publishing Proposals
Learning to write a publishing proposal well can take years of practice, and a lot of rejections; it is an essential skill for a budding author but there is no real one-size-fits-all guide.
We support new authors by crafting pitches that are tailor-made for publishers and agents. How long should the cover letter be? Have I included too little detail? Or too much? How do I write a logline? What titles should I reference? We will work with you to find the right balance of synopsis and panache for your pitch, resulting in a professional, punchy and practical cover letter that accompanies a professional book proposal.
Top agents can receive 50 submissions a day. Want to be taken seriously as a new author? We will submit your project and introduce you as a new writer in the right way, and we can also introduce you as a client we support. With the right amount of development and flexibility in a book proposal, we will work to partner you with the right literary agent or secure you an advance by going directly to a publisher.
The Document
A book proposal typically includes basic project details, such as the word count and working title. Beyond this, a logline/pitch and an outline of the project. A synopsis of each chapter will be needed for non-fiction and some chapter samples. You will need the right type of author bio that suits your project and establishes you as a writer.
Typically, the proposal is a milestone that we pass through as we press on with the writing of the manuscript. Book proposals can be written before manuscript writing, during it, or at the end, but the writing of the manuscript normally feeds back into the proposal because the writing of the book highlights matters that are otherwise latent in the project. However, if you are not commissioning us to write the full text, we can start using the proposal to begin submissions.
Submissions include a traditional approach accompanied by the right cover letter. The goal will be to get the right document into the hands of the right person at the right time to generate interest.
Subject to the deal we help you secure, we may be involved or not from this point onward. To a large degree, you have just paid us to help you produce an item that secures you some money (an ‘advance’), and this advance can then be used to help pay us to help you write the rest of the book.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a proposal?
A book proposal or a ‘publishing proposal’ is an industry document that is used to pitch your book and generally introduce your project to someone in the trade such as an agent. A writer will develop a proposal to hook a literary agent and secure representation. An agent will then work with the writer to further develop the document before they then take it to a publisher. In summary, a proposal is a type of pitch document which circulates within the publishing industry.
Do I need a proposal for a fiction project?
You do not normally need a proposal for a fiction project, however, some people do like proposals for fiction and there are other benefits to developing a proposal beyond its utility within publishing – book proposals are useful documents to develop as part of the creative writing process.
How much do you charge for a proposal?
This varies and is proportionate to the project and the amount of content the proposal will need. A non-fiction history book on the Napoleonic era will demand more work than an outline for a thought-leadership book. Prices range between £500 and £10,000.
What is included in a proposal?
This varies depending on the type of project, and what to include is normally tailored to particular guidelines, but it would almost certainly include an author bio, an outline, some sample chapters and chapter synopses.
I want you to write a proposal for me. What are the steps?
You share your project with us. It can be at any stage of development. You may have some supporting materials or even a finished draft. We’ll assess your project, meet and provide feedback. This will happen via workshops and inside Word documents as notes and comments.
How long should a proposal be?
This varies and can be as little as 2000 words and as much as 20,000. If you’re a new writer you will be expected to include some written chapters.