Proposing prose

Do you have an idea for a great non-fiction book and want to secure a traditional publishing deal? Then what you need is a business plan.

It’s more commonly called a nonfiction book proposal. However, when it comes to the business of writing, it is, effectively, a business plan you’re creating.

The beauty of writing a non-fiction book is that you don’t need to write the whole book first. Unlike a novel (where a complete manuscript is needed before you approach publishers or agents), a traditionally-published non-fiction book contract often results from a proposal. Sell the idea first, then write the book.

This makes perfect business sense. It reduces risk. Why waste a lot of time and effort writing a book that may not secure a publisher? Not only that, but you could also incur research costs and other expenditure while producing the book, and still not find a publisher.

Therefore, time spent developing a business plan demonstrating to a traditional