I am still going to get that book on the history of pirates in BC done as soon as possible, but I may have gotten more than I bargained for. Apparently, submitting a nonfiction book to a publisher does not work the same way as submitting fiction.
For fiction, you have to have the entire book already finished before you query. For nonfiction, you make the deal with a publisher before the whole thing is done. And sometimes, putting together the submission is even harder than writing the book. Instead of just a query letter, I have to submit a very extensive book proposal. I wish I'd known that months ago when I started working on the book.
In the book proposal, I have to talk about what the book will be about, what it will be like, why it needs to be published, why it would sell, how I expect to help market it, why I am the best person to write it and more. I really have to sell myself and the book. Sounds like a lot, doesn't it? I already have a good start on it, but it may take quite a while.
Like I said, I'm still going through with the book. I just hope that I haven't bitten off more than I can chew.
- Dylan
For fiction, you have to have the entire book already finished before you query. For nonfiction, you make the deal with a publisher before the whole thing is done. And sometimes, putting together the submission is even harder than writing the book. Instead of just a query letter, I have to submit a very extensive book proposal. I wish I'd known that months ago when I started working on the book.
In the book proposal, I have to talk about what the book will be about, what it will be like, why it needs to be published, why it would sell, how I expect to help market it, why I am the best person to write it and more. I really have to sell myself and the book. Sounds like a lot, doesn't it? I already have a good start on it, but it may take quite a while.
Like I said, I'm still going through with the book. I just hope that I haven't bitten off more than I can chew.
- Dylan