You’ve got a matter of seconds to engage an agent or editor with your “big story” before they flip on to the next book proposal in the...

Unless you’re a “household-name” author (Steven King, JK Rowling, Malcolm Gladwell, I’m looking at you), most literary agents and editors...

For first-time authors, there is one topic that can feel overwhelming at first but is absolutely necessary when it comes to connecting...

Most weeks I get a call or email from at least one author wanting me to work with them on their nonfiction book proposal. Sadly, I’d say...

I’ve heard it said that every book has already been written at least once, and it’s somewhat true. Don’t let that discourage you. It...

In the past year, I’ve collaborated on three nonfiction book proposals. All three have been picked up by leading literary agents within a...

As a rule, if there’s one thing most publishers and literary agents really hate to see, it’s a manuscript. You’re probably surprised by...

If you want to land a publishing deal for your memoir, there is one thing you need: a standout book proposal to submit to literary agents...

When a reader picks up a nonfiction book, they expect to get something out of it—a solution to a problem, a way to improve their life, or...

What IS a message (AKA proposition) for your book? And how the heck do you come up with one? I like the way industry guru Jane Friedman...

In my last post, I talked about defining your target reader—who they are, what you know about their interests, their age, and other...

You might be wondering why you need to be so specific about your target readers. Narrowing down your focus to a specific group will allow...