Dear readers,
I am still in the throes of wrapping up my forthcoming Artisan book. I have no more nails to bite. No more Judy Garland videos to binge. It’s time to get her done! I’ll share much more about the process when the book is something more than a Word Doc. But in the meantime, I wanted to share the steps you need to take to get a book published. A book proposal is not just a random idea. It’s a fully fleshed-out blueprint for what the book will be. If it’s bought, it’s what you’ve got to deliver. Publishing a book is a milestone for many creative people, but the process can be daunting and intimidating. I break down the steps to evaluating your creative strengths and crafting an intriguing nonfiction proposal, with my take on the whole process.
As an editorial illustrator, I am commissioned to tell other people’s stories. My ultimate goal was to publish my own book, to be the sole owner of a project and start earning royalties. As my portfolio grew illustrating subjects around food, travel and lifestyle, I was able to build a platform and start selling my own book ideas. I sniffed out the coloring trend in 2014 and sold my first book to Universe, “Edible Paradise: A Coloring Book of Seasonal Fruits and Vegetables”. Since then I’ve coauthored the Rizzoli book “Paris in Stride: An Insider’s Guide” (reprinted 7 times and counting) and its sister book “New York in Stride”. And I’ve published a few illustrated calendars. I don’t have a huge following, but my success as an author is an accumulation of my body of work, patience and knowing how to write an intriguing proposal. For the record, I’ve never self-published a book before; my experience is with traditional publishing houses. But regardless, I hope you will extract a few pragmatic takeaways from all of this.
Before you begin, here’s some food for thought:
-Get ready to work. Writing a book proposal is oftentimes just as difficult as writing a book. Finding an original, timely idea doesn’t happen overnight; it took about a year to find my current book idea. Since most books take several years from conception to birth, you have to find an idea that you love that you will be enthusiastic about for years to come.
-My agent likes to say, “if you’re not someone in real life, you’re no one in the publishing world”. Yes, it stings a little, but you have to ask yourself what your professional and creative strengths are and why you would be the best person to write a book on the subject. If you have no green thumbs, your chances of selling a book about Japanese flower arranging are low. If you’re not well-known in your field, how can you nourish your savoir-fare? Can you go back to school? Volunteer with a specific organization? Start a business?
-Stay on top of the trends. I am based in France and I noticed in 2014 that coloring books were all the rage. I studied the market in the States and to my surprise I realized that these giftable books were not yet popular. I contacted an American editor I had previously worked with as an illustrator to ask if she liked the idea of a fruit and vegetable coloring book. All the coloring books I had seen had a very digitized, blocky style. I proposed something much more freehand in spirit and an ultimate celebration of the edible plant kingdom. Sure enough within the next couple of weeks, there were articles about adult coloring books in all the major publications. I was able to sell my first book idea by just being in the right place and the right time because I had an original idea with a new angle. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel, but maybe you adapt your knowledge to what’s in the air.
-Added value. Since the proposal is the first and only impression of your dear idea, make it as strong and visually appealing as possible. Maybe you can hire a writer friend to read through it? If you want to work with an illustrator, maybe you can collaborate on a few samples? I like to invest as much value into my books and my proposals are as densely illustrated as I’d like the final product to be.
-Agent? I sold my first book without an agent, but I am so happy I was represented for my second and third books. An agent knows the publishing world inside out and always has your best interest in mind. It will cost a percentage of your book advance, but for me, it’s worth it knowing I have someone to defend my time and value as an artist/author.
Here are the essential elements to include in your book proposal.
Title Page. A title is indicative, but it should efficiently sum up the idea of your book. A subtitle can add extra information if need be. For example, Paris in Stride (suggests walking in Paris): An Insider’s Walking Guide (doubles down on the walking guide info and the POV).
1-page concept. Think of this as the text on the back cover of the book. It explains what to expect inside the book in about a page or less.
Market/Competitive Research. You need to prove that your book doesn’t exist already. Research similar titles that have done well and compare and contrast their strengths and weaknesses with your own future book. When my coauthor and I were finding an idea for Paris in Stride, we wanted to make a book that broke down the city into pragmatic, timeless, culturally interesting paths. I am guilty of using Google Maps and never liked how there’s no interest dedicated to point a and point b. And there were a lot of books on the market that were illustrated with photos and not illustrations. Illustrations were more poetic in suggesting something instead of saying it in a photo that may age quickly.
Table of Contents Map out the book from Chapter 1-Chapter x.
One Sample Chapter
Biographical Information This isn’t the time to be humble. Show off your reach, your scope, all the notable people/brands/magazines you’ve worked with.
Social Media Yes, this does matter. Add your social numbers and if you have any relationships with influencers or well-known people associated with the subject matter of your book.
Blurbs If you’re writing a French baking book, do you have any well-known French/food friends or acquaintances who would potentially be interested in writing a blurb or give you a shot-out when it is published?
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Stay inspired, dear reader. And don’t drink the watercolor water. -jkw