8 Top Nonfiction Book Proposal Mistakes (& How to Fix Them)
Nonfiction book proposal mistakes can get your proposal tossed into the circular file before the agent or publisher even gets past page one. Agents and acquisitions editors are some of the busiest people I know. They’re looking for reasons to move on, as much as they are looking for the next book they want to represent or publish. Your job in writing a book proposal is twofold: a) hook agents and publishers with exactly what they want to see and b) avoid the red flags that would make them move on. 8 Top Nonfiction Book Proposal Mistakes I See A… Read more
What Makes a Book Proposal Compelling to Agents and Publishers?
I’d already started writing this post on what makes a book proposal compelling to agents and publishers when this email hit my inbox: “Friday I signed my book contract! Thank you Lisa for helping me to get to this place. I still can’t believe this is happening. I have a feeling this will open so many doors for me, things I never even thought possible. Thank you so much Lisa for all your thoughtful guidance!” This is “Jane’s” first book and she received a healthy advance on the high end of the five figure spectrum with a dream publisher. Yay. And… Read more
Can You Still Get a Book Deal as a New Author?
I’m often asked, “Can you still get a book deal as a new author?” Yes. You can. The proof? One of my clients just signed a book contract on Friday, a first time author, and will be getting a high five figure advance with her dream publisher. She’s one of several new authors who signed traditional book contracts this year (which come with an advance payment). Was it easy? No. Will you need to do some work? Yes, likely. If you’re writing a prescriptive book—self-help, how-to, business—rather than a narrative book, then platform is especially important. That is, publishers and… Read more
How to Celebrate Book Lovers Day
Happy Book Lovers Day! How are you celebrating? I just started reading Sarah Blake’s The Guest Book, which I bought at Wakefield Books, the wonderful independent bookstore one town away from mine. I include the Amazon link but do encourage you to get a copy at a local bookstore if you can! The Washington Post said, “The Guest Book is monumental in a way that few novels dare attempt.” And, judging by the first couple of chapters, I would have to agree. Sarah’s writing is exquisite and the story both epic and timely. Being a slow reader, I can tell… Read more
How to Engage Modern Readers Through Voice, Style and Tone
Voice, Style, Tone: these tools of the writer can help you engage the modern reader. Ignore recent changes in reading preferences and reader’s needs at your peril! Less Time; Less Bandwidth Modern readers are strapped for time. Authors of the 19th and 20th centuries had the luxury of readers who often liked to work hard to understand a work. Working the brain served as entertainment. Nowadays, outside of academics, readers want you to make it easy for them. They have less time to read. They often multitask and don’t focus in the same way. And they’re used to being entertained…. Read more
Facing Fear, The Bird’s Eye View and New Material for Writing
Where was this new material coming from? I thought I’d finished my first draft. Yet, by making—and keeping—a morning commitment, I often find myself discovering new material. Some of it may not go in the book. Maybe it’s a blog post. Or a guest article. Or even material for a new book! Yet, some of it is sure to make it into the book. Yup. I Skipped Writing. I skipped writing a couple days ago because I was sure I had no new material to write about. Then I found myself telling my friend Paula about my experiences at Fields… Read more
The Secret to Making Progress on Book Writing Every Day
Every day I make some progress on my book writing. Some days I surprise myself with new material for what felt like a fairly complete book. Most days I do some typing or editing of the book or proposal. My friend Paula is typing up my handwritten edits when our schedules mesh. No progress is too small when it comes to book writing! Recently I reconnected with Cathryn who took Eric Maisel’s Deep Writing class with me (more about that in my post Here’s How to Finish Writing a Book). Cathryn and I decided to ask each other the 5… Read more
Happy Independence Day: Here’s to Freedom!
In honor of Independence Day, here are a few inspiring quotes about freedom and independence from Goodnet. What’s your favorite quote on the subject? Happy 4th! Enjoy the festivities. “My definition of a free society is a society where it is safe to be unpopular.” – Adlai Stevenson (31st Governor of Illinois and United Nations ambassador 1961- 1965) “Freedom cannot be bestowed — it must be achieved.” – Elbert Hubbard (American writer, publisher and artist) “The great revolution in the history of man, past, present and future, is the revolution of those determined to be free.” – John F. Kennedy… Read more
Advice from Literary Agents and Publishers (Acquisitions Editors)
Having just returned from Harvard Medical School’s CME publishing course, I’m sharing the sage advice from literary agents and publishers, which they shared during a panel on publishing. Regina Brooks (Serendipity Literary Agency): Some publishers are moving away from traditional publicity and are embracing content marketing instead. This increases the requirement for authors to create additional material beyond the book content to stimulate and promote their brand. Don Fehr (Trident Media Group): There are many more platforms to get noticed: traditional publishing, self publishing and blogs. Lisa Akoury-Ross: Be open to multiple ways to get your message out there. With… Read more
Working on Book Proposal this Summer 2019
I’m excited to be working on a book this summer (and my book proposal for it) and can’t wait to share my inspiration with you when the time comes. So, am I disappearing? No, but if you are interested in working on a book or proposal with me this fall, now is the time to let me know. I’ll be offering my Fast Track Your Book Proposal program in October and now is a great time to start working on your book concept, book structure and platform building (growing your reach) in preparation for developing a standout, compelling proposal. If… Read more
- 1
- 2
- 3
- …
- 58
- Next Page »
