"The choices we make change
the story of our life." ©

Saturday, February 25, 2006

 

Book Proposals that SELL!

DAY SIX - Steve Laube, Literary Agent
God Allows U-Turns Guest Blogger

If you want to become a published author? Please. Please. Please. Buy and study BOOK PROPOSALS THAT SELL by W. Terry Whalin (Write Now Publications).

It is a tremendous tool. The majority of proposals that hit my desk as an agent should never have been sent in the first place. Bad cover letters (that spell "Internet" as "inner net"), chaotic organization, no sense of the market, etc all conspire to fill our piles with unready proposals.

Our agency receives thirty to fifty new unsolicited proposals each week. You can imagine the variety. Everything from a fabulous new writer to a "Gothic horror gay allegory." (I didn't make that up.) Consider that the book proposal is like a job application. The idea is to impress the editor with the power of the idea and the power of your writing. I can't emphasize enough how important a quality proposal can be.

That's all for today, folks. Come back tomorrow for Steve's last post as our official God Allows U-Turns Guest Blogger!

'Till then, God's blessings on your life.
Allison