Non-Fiction Book Proposal Coaching
Need Help with Your Proposal?Do you have an idea for a nonfiction book and need a proposal to sell it?Have a draft of a proposal you need feedback, editing or rewriting for?Want advice about writing a proposal that will get you the best editor, publisher and deal for it?Maybe Mike Larsen can help you:As an agent, I enjoy helping writers develop proposals. If I think I can help them sell their book to a big or midsize house, I go back and forth with them helping them write their proposal until it is ready to submit. Helping writers with proposals and as a mentor are services that we offer to clients at no charge except a commission if we sell their books. Out of necessity, we have to focus on selling books to large and medium-sized houses. But they keep raising the bar for what they expect from new writers. So we are approached by a growing number of authors who have salable books that won’t interest these houses and that we can’t represent. I would welcome the chance to help you figure out the best way for you to achieve your literary and financial goals. I can help you as a: Consultant I can advise you about: • How salable your idea is • The overall potential of your book to generate income and build your career • The best publishing options for your book • Which kinds of houses are most likely to buy it • What they will need to see to say yes • What it will take for your book to succeed • The fastest way to find an agent or editor • The long-term perspective for you an an author Fee: $100 for each quarter hour Editor I can edit your proposal through as many drafts as it takes until it’s ready for submission. Fee: $100 an hour Rewriter If you provide a draft of your proposal with the information it needs, I can rewrite it for you. Fee: $150 an hour The Process You’re welcome to call me at 415-673-0939 between the hours of 11 am - 4 pm, Monday-Thursday PST, so we can discuss your idea to determine how publishable it is. I will only help with books that are salable to at least a small house. Otherwise, I will suggest self-publishing, in which case you won’t need a proposal. Then after receiving a check and your proposal, I will give it a brief free review, and call to consult with you. For editing and rewriting, we would agree on what needs to be done and how to do it. I will give you an estimate of how much time it will take for me to complete the work. The closer you follow the updated list of the parts of a proposal on our site and the proposal book, the less time I’ll have to spend on it. We would start with one part of a proposal to see how well we work together. You buy only as much time in advance as you need and can stop at any time. The kinds of books I can be most helpful with are: • How-to and self-help books • Books about business and technology • Histories and biographies • Books about current affairs, politics, and contemporary issues But I’d be glad to help with other kinds of books if I can. I don’t want to waste your time or mine. I want you to achieve three levels of success: finishing a salable proposal, getting published, and making your book succeed. My time for editing and rewriting is limited, so I may not be able to help you. If you complete your proposal, you will be welcome to call with questions as you continue on your path. About Us Since 1972, our agency has sold hundreds of books, most nonfiction, to more than 100 publishers. My book—How to Write a Book Proposal—has sold more than 100,000 copies. Writer’s Digest will publish the fourth edition of it next year. Our website and my other books—How to Get a Literary Agent and Guerrilla Marketing for Writers: 100 Weapons for Selling Your Work (coauthor)—also have helpful information that are the basis for my advice and my approach to proposals.
Michael Larsen |
  Understand How Agents and Publishers Work
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