Writing a Book Proposal: From Idea to Agent

Your book needs a one-sentence pitch (called a hook or elevator pitch): [Title] is a [genre/type] book for [target reader] that [specific promise or outcome]. Example: Atomic Habits is a self-help book for anyone struggling with behavior change that provides a proven framework for building good habits and breaking bad ones. If you cannot summarize your book in one sentence, the concept is not focused enough. Test your one-sentence pitch on 10 people. If they immediately say I would read that or I know someone who needs that, your concept has market potential.

Search Amazon, Goodreads, and your local bookstore for books on your topic. Read the top 5-10 competing titles (at minimum, read reviews and summaries). Your proposal must explain how your book differs from and improves upon what already exists. Publishers will not invest in a book that duplicates what is already available. Your differentiation (called your unique selling proposition) can be: a new angle, a specific audience not yet served, your unique credentials or story, a different format, or updated information. If you cannot articulate how your book differs from existing titles, refine your concept.

Publishers evaluate your platform (existing audience and visibility) as heavily as your book concept. Platform elements: social media following (Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn), email newsletter subscriber count, blog or website traffic, podcast audience (host or frequent guest), speaking engagements, media appearances, and professional credentials. A proposal from an author with 50,000 email subscribers is dramatically more attractive to publishers than one from an author with no platform, because the publisher sees built-in book buyers. Start building your platform 6-12 months before querying agents.

The overview is the most important section. It must hook the agent within the first paragraph. Start with a compelling statistic, question, or story that demonstrates the need for your book. Then explain: what the book is about, why it matters now (timeliness), who will buy it (target audience with size estimates), and why you are the person to write it. Write this section as if you are writing the book's back cover copy. It should make the reader think: I need this book. The overview sets the tone for the entire proposal. Agents decide whether to continue reading based on this section.

Define your primary audience with specificity: parents of children aged 2-5 dealing with picky eating (12 million households in the US), not parents. Identify 2-3 audience segments: primary (the core buyer), secondary (adjacent audiences who would also benefit), and tertiary (organizations that might buy in bulk, like HR departments, schools, or therapists). Include market size data from industry sources. Publishers need to see a viable market of at least 50,000-100,000 potential buyers for a mainstream nonfiction book. Your proposal should demonstrate that people who need your book can be identified and reached.

For each comparable title (comp), list: title, author, publisher, year, and a 2-3 sentence description of what it covers and how your book differs. Do not bash the competition (agents represent these authors). Instead: position your book as filling a gap. While [Comp Title] focuses on [topic], my book addresses [different angle or audience]. Unlike [Comp Title], which was published in [year], my book provides updated research and strategies for the current landscape. Choose comps that have sold well (proving market demand exists) but are different enough that your book does not duplicate them.

Provide a chapter-by-chapter outline with: chapter title, opening hook or story, key points covered, and the reader's takeaway. Each chapter summary should be 150-300 words and demonstrate both the content and your writing voice. For a typical nonfiction book of 12-15 chapters, this section runs 8-15 pages. The outline proves you have enough material for a full book and that the content is organized logically. Agents and editors use this section to assess whether the book's structure works and whether the content depth justifies a full-length publication.

Most nonfiction proposals include 1-2 complete sample chapters (3,000-5,000 words each). Choose your strongest chapters, not necessarily chapters 1 and 2. Your sample chapters demonstrate your writing quality, voice, and ability to deliver on the promise of the proposal. Include stories, research, practical advice, and whatever elements make your book unique. The sample chapters are the proof that you can write a book, not just describe one. Polish these chapters extensively. Have beta readers provide feedback. These chapters should be publication-ready, not rough drafts.

Finding the right agents: look at the acknowledgments pages of comparable books (authors typically thank their agents), search QueryTracker.net (free database of agents with submission guidelines), Publishers Marketplace (25 USD per month, shows recent agent deals), and Manuscript Wish List (mswishlist.com, agents post what they want to represent). Create a spreadsheet of 20-30 agents with: name, agency, genres represented, recent sales, query guidelines, and response time. Target agents who have recently sold books similar to yours. An agent who sold a book on your topic to a major publisher in the past 2 years is your strongest prospect.

A query letter is a one-page email pitch to an agent. Structure: opening hook (1-2 sentences that make the agent want to read more), book summary (1 paragraph: what the book is, who it is for, why it matters), why you (1 paragraph: credentials, platform, why you are the right author), personalization (1-2 sentences: why you are querying this specific agent), and closing (request to send the full proposal). Keep the entire query under 300 words. Address each agent by name and personalize each query (I am querying you because you represented [similar book] and I think my project is a strong fit for your list). Do not send a generic query to all 30 agents simultaneously.

Send your first batch of 5-8 queries to agents you would love to work with but are not your absolute top choices. This batch is a test: if you receive zero requests for the full proposal, your query needs work. Revise based on feedback (or lack of response) before querying your top-choice agents. Track every query in your spreadsheet: date sent, response received, date of response, and result (request for full proposal, rejection, no response). Average query response time: 4-8 weeks. No response after 8 weeks is typically a rejection. Industry standard is to query multiple agents simultaneously (not exclusively unless an agent requests it). This guide is informational only, not publishing or legal advice.