| If you ever wonder why it takes so long to hear from an agent you’ve submitted your carefully crafted book proposal to, or why you hear nothing at all, agent Kate McKean wrote an article explaining why. |
| “If I spent five minutes on every query in my inbox it would take me over three months of full-time, 40-hour a work-week to answer everything, and that’s if nothing new came through in the meantime. And reading queries is not my only job.” |
| The traditional publishing process is ruthless, whether you are writing fiction or nonfiction. Even if you plan to submit your nonfiction book to direct submission publishers, you can expect them to be in a similar position to Kate. The more thoughtful and polished each element of your book proposal is, the higher your chance of attracting attention. But that means knowing, and clearly articulating: ⚓ Your point and purpose in writing the book ⚓ The whole sweep of the book in a couple of pages ⚓ Who you are writing for ⚓ The structure of the book ⚓ The marketing plan you are going to carry out ⚓ What books have been written that are like yours ⚓ Why you are the best person to write this book ⚓ How long it will be, and what text/illustration features it will have ⚓ How well you can write, shown by polished and shining sample chapters. Those first five minutes an agent or publisher spends on your proposal are crucial so be sure to put forward the best and most succinct argument for your book’s existence. |