This module is the beginning of a course designed to help participants develop their nonfiction book idea into a proposal that can attract agents and acquisitions editors. Key points of the lesson include:

1. Idea Development: Participants are encouraged to clarify their book idea, ensuring it is strong and ready to be developed into a book.
2. Understanding Your Objectives: The course prompts participants to consider their goals for the book, such as aiming for a major publisher or planning to self-publish and to recognize the various paths available in modern publishing.
3. Identifying Your Audience: It's important to decide if the book should appeal to a broad consumer base or cater to a more niche, possibly academic, market.
4. Assessing Idea Size: The module guides learners to determine if their idea is substantial enough for a full book or if it might be more suited as a shorter piece, like a blog post or journal article.
5. Developing Further: If the idea isn't ready to be a book, learners are encouraged to expand on it through brainstorming and mind-mapping to potentially discover a more fleshed-out concept that could lead to a book.
6. Transition to Content Creation: For ideas that do not initially qualify as a book, the module suggests that this is an opportunity to start building a range of related content, potentially leading to future book projects.
7. Moving Forward: If the idea is indeed book-worthy, the module promises to guide participants through the next stages, which include crafting a strong thesis statement or elevator pitch to present their book idea effectively.

In summary, the module is meant to set the foundation for the course by helping participants critically evaluate their book idea and its potential, while providing a roadmap for developing this idea into a successful book proposal or related content.

This lesson in Module One focuses on establishing whether your book idea is viable for a proposal and the publishing market. Here's a summary:

1. Idea Examination: The lesson urges you to think critically about your idea and its market value. You need not only a great idea but also one people are willing to pay for.
2. Proposal Journey: The journey involves cultivating your idea, possibly one that you've been nurturing for a while. It could stem from various aspects of your life or work, particularly if it's resonating with people already.
3. Brainstorming: This is emphasized as critical in developing your idea into a book. You need to consider if you're the right author for the book and how to align the book with your existing content ecosystem.
4. Marketing Strategy: Authors need to think proactively about marketing their books in today's publishing world. You should brainstorm ways to actively promote your book.
5. Making it Real: Writing a book proposal is likened to creating a business plan for your book. It makes your idea tangible and prepares you for pitching to agents and editors.
6. Homework and Research: Building a book proposal involves research to support the market for your book and to understand the competition and marketing strategies.
7. Writing the Proposal: This is where all the prior preparation comes into play. By now, you should have a good grasp of your idea, and be ready to create the proposal document.
8. Idea Origin Story: You need to have an origin story for your idea – how it came about, and why it's important. Determine if your concept is clear, how you relate to the subject matter, and if your enthusiasm for the topic is evident.
9. Book-Worthiness: Not all ideas are substantial enough to fill a book. Your idea needs a clearly defined subject, a unique selling proposition, a narrow but deep focus, several claims about your topic, and quantifiable research.
10. Quiz: A quiz helps you reflect on the strength of your idea through three questions. It helps ascertain whether your idea might be better suited as a personal blog, an article, or indeed has enough depth to be a book.
11. Module Activity: Finally, there's an activity encouraging you to partake in a brainstorming session to further develop your book idea.

Overall, this module's content is designed to help prospective authors validate and flesh out their book idea into a structured plan, ready to be crafted into a book proposal.

This module introduces the concept of a book proposal, which is particularly important for authors of nonfiction works as it functions as a business plan and helps to sell the book to publishers. Fiction books, on the other hand, are typically sold based on the quality of the writing, concept, and author's voice, so proposals are not usually required.

The module explains that book proposals are read by agents and acquisitions editors, who look for authors with great ideas that will be successful in the market. Acquisitions editors are described as "book doulas" that guide authors through the publishing process from idea creation to production. Agents, on the other hand, help authors sell their book and negotiate contracts.

Key elements of a book proposal are outlined, including:

1. Overview: A comprehensive description that establishes the author's credibility, explains the book, and justifies its market potential.
2. Sample Table of Contents: An initial proposal for the book's structure.
3. Sample Chapter: A showcase of the author's writing ability.
4. Marketing Section: Details on the author's existing platform and strategies for selling the book.

The proposal should also include a comparison of similar titles (Comp titles) to highlight how the author's book is unique. Authors might consider adding testimonials or mentioning potential foreword contributors for additional impact.

Finally, the module emphasizes the importance of crafting an elevator pitch—a concise statement useful for quickly presenting the book to agents and editors. The aim is to create an accurate and succinct description of the book to generate interest.

In Module Two, the course discusses the concept and importance of a book proposal. A book proposal serves multiple purposes:

1. Pitching Tool: It is crucial for authors when pitching their book ideas to agents, editors, and publishers, who need to be convinced of the book's potential success in the market.
2. Business Plan: The proposal acts like a business plan for your book, outlining your vision and strategy for making the book a success.
3. Content Clarification: It helps authors refine their book's concept, structure, and content, aiding in the development of an elevator pitch and a proof of concept.
4. Market Analysis: It forces the author to analyze the market, including competitive titles, to better understand their book's niche and potential audience.
5. Author Platform: The proposal should showcase the author's platform, demonstrating how they can market the book and leverage their existing audience.
6. Marketing Plan: Authors must describe their marketing strategies and how they intend to promote the book.
7. Sample Content: It includes a table of contents, chapter summaries, and a sample chapter to give a taste of the writing and the structure of the book.
8. Decision-Maker Document: The proposal is aimed at various stakeholders in the publishing process, from agents and publishers to sales teams, foreign rights partners, and marketing departments.

The course then details specific parts of a nonfiction book proposal:

• Overview: To hook the reader (agent/editor) with a summary that teases the book idea.
• Sample Table of Contents: To give a clear idea of the book's structure.
• Chapter Summaries: To outline the primary content of each chapter.
• Sample Chapter: To show writing ability and style.
• Market Analysis: To define the target audience and demonstrate demand.
• Competitive Analysis: To compare similar titles and highlight the book's unique value.
• Author Platform: To present the author's reach and influence in relevant spaces.
• Marketing Plan: To lay out the author's promotional strategies.

To introduce the book proposal, authors should craft a query letter (or elevator pitch) that serves as a concise, compelling teaser to engage agents or editors. This letter should succinctly convey the book's concept, why it's relevant and needed, and why the author is the best person to write it. It is akin to a cover letter for job applications, designed to pique interest and encourage the reader to request the full book proposal.

The module ends by encouraging participants to download an activity from the course material to practice writing their own query letter or elevator pitch.

In Module Three, the lesson focuses on the two critical components of a book proposal:

1. Demonstrating writing ability: As a potential author, you may not be primarily a writer but a subject matter expert in a specific field such as marketing, sales, leadership, or management. Your expertise is the key selling point to agents or acquisition editors, not necessarily your writing prowess. To showcase your writing skills:
   • The book proposal itself serves as an exhibit of your writing abilities.
   • We will discuss writing best practices to help you appropriately convey your voice and utilize grammar and syntax.
   • You'll learn how to create a compelling table of contents and select a sample chapter that best reflects your enthusiasm and knowledge as a subject matter expert.
2. Marketing capability: The lesson reassures you that you likely have more marketing skills than you realize by virtue of being a subject matter expert with networks and connections.
   • You'll identify your existing networks and envision how they could form part of your book's marketing strategy.
   • Examples include email lists for newsletters or speaking engagements at events, which can be leveraged to promote your book.

The session's activity involves beginning to brainstorm and outline the contents of your book proposal in an informal manner, such as bullet lists or mind maps.

Overall, this lesson is designed to help you present yourself as a credible author with the capacity to both write a compelling book and effectively market it to your audience.

This module is about constructing an effective book proposal, divided into two major parts:

1. Are You a Good Writer?
   • This part focuses on showcasing your writing talent and how well you convey your idea. It involves several components:
     • Overview: A compelling hook that draws readers in, introduces your main idea concisely, presents strong claims and evidence, and explains the book's significance – all within 1-2 pages.
     • Table of Contents (TOC): Provides a structured vision of the book, including a potential forward by a recognized individual, an introduction, and how the chapters are laid out, illustrating your grasp on the topic.
     • Chapter Overviews: Mini-proposals for each chapter presenting key information and selling points, usually 1-2 paragraphs each.
     • Sample Chapter: A strong chapter reflecting your writing skills and expertise (usually not Chapter 1), centered on the reader's experience.
2. Can You Sell Books? This part addresses the business aspect of publishing and includes:
   • Market Analysis: Detailing the audience profile, demonstrating the need for the topic, and using statistical data to show market interest.
   • Competitive Analysis: A comparison with 5-7 similar or adjacent books, showing how your book differs or improves upon them.
   • Author Platform: Outlining existing marketing assets like social media, websites, speaking engagements, associations, and endorsements.
   • Marketing Plan: A practical, actionable plan detailing how you will promote and sell your book, through web outreach, social strategy, email, special offers, media appearances, events, corporate/bulk buys, and leveraging contacts. This should be based on existing capabilities rather than future aspirations.

The module concludes with an activity prompting you to brainstorm elements for all sections of your book proposal in preparation for writing it. The instructor encourages utilizing bullet points, lists, or mind maps to organize thoughts without worrying about the format at this stage.

In Module Four, the focus is on how to effectively showcase your writing skills, particularly when creating a nonfiction book proposal. The main tasks are to craft a sample table of contents (TOC), write summaries for each chapter, and provide a sample chapter:

1. Table of Contents (TOC): The TOC acts as a roadmap for both the reader and proposal reviewer, providing a clear idea of what the book entails and how it stands out from similar works. It should include a foreword (if applicable), an introduction, and about 5-8 solid chapters as a baseline. The introduction sets the stage for the book, while the first chapter lays out the core thesis and reasons for the book's importance. Subsequent chapters build on the main arguments and evidence.
2. Chapter Summaries: These brief overviews serve as mini elevator pitches for each chapter and should be concise—ideally 2-3 paragraphs each. They present the chapter’s content enticingly without overwhelming the reader.
3. Sample Chapter: Select a chapter that you're passionate about and that showcases your expertise and writing ability. This chapter should engage your target audience and provide value, possibly with actionable advice, bullet lists, or graphics.

The module will also feature interactive activities, including TOC brainstorming and guidance on writing effective chapter summaries, offering participants practice opportunities.

In summary, Module Four guides participants through structuring a book proposal, emphasizing clarity, engagement, and strategic content choice to attract and captivate both proposal reviewers and future readers.

This module focuses on how to effectively showcase your writing skills in a book proposal by creating a compelling table of contents and chapter summaries.

Key points of the lesson include:

1. Assemble a Table of Contents:
   • Map out main ideas, thesis, or concept.
   • Use an elevator pitch or query letter to refine your idea into a concise statement.
   • Center these ideas around a central argument, presenting each as a point that supports your overall thesis.
   • Highlight 5 to 7 main points or claims that will be developed into chapters.
   • Use a mind map for a visual brainstorming approach.
2. Scaffold the Chapters:
   • Begin with a survey chapter to introduce the topic.
   • Include an assessment/taking stock chapter if appropriate.
   • Flesh out main points into meaty chapters.
   • End with a chapter that culminates ideas, making it applicable for the reader.
3. Add extras to the Table of Contents:
   • Mention a foreword, if you have a notable person contributing.
   • Write an engaging introduction setting expectations for the book.
   • Appendices and bonus online content should be noted if they include valuable additional information.
   • Acknowledgements, about the author section, and testimonials can also be added.
4. Write Chapter Summaries:
   • Create mini elevator pitches for each chapter that are concise and compelling.
   • Include notable statistics, sources, and mention any unique activities included within the chapters.
   • Establish a story arc across the summaries to ensure cohesion and understanding of the book's overall message.
5. Write a Sample Chapter:
   • This should highlight your writing capabilities, unique voice, and establish your expertise.
   • Do not choose a theoretical chapter; instead, opt for one that shows practical application and represents the best of what the book offers.

Activities to put the module into practice include writing a table of contents (TOC) and chapter summaries before eventually applying this guidance to write a sample chapter of the book.

In Module Five, students focus on marketing their nonfiction book proposals. The key activities include:

1. Research Competitive Titles: Students are encouraged to investigate books similar to theirs to understand how their work fits into the current market. This research is critical for identifying a unique niche or angle for their book, differentiating it from the competition.
2. Assess the Marketing Landscape: Students explore the broader market interest in their topic using statistics and data to demonstrate the need and relevance of their book. They need to provide evidence supporting the demand for their book's subject matter.
3. Draft a Preliminary Marketing Plan: Based on their understanding of where their book fits in the competitive landscape and the market interest in their topic, students will begin to develop a basic marketing strategy for their book.

The lesson emphasizes the importance of recognizing where one's book stands among competitors and understanding the general interest in the book's subject. These insights will form the foundation of an effective marketing plan, which will be further refined by incorporating the author's platform in the next module.

This module focuses on developing a strong understanding of how to showcase your marketing skills, particularly for authors preparing to market their books.

Competitive Titles:

• Definition: Books in your genre or related areas, not necessarily exact copies but similar in scope, approach, or market.
• Select titles that clarify your book's unique place in the marketplace.
• Include both top-selling and midlist authors, as well as divergent viewpoints.

How Your Book is Different:

• It might offer a new perspective on a familiar topic or explore uncharted niches.
• Could include updated research, a reader-centric approach, or unexplored aspects.
• Differentiation could also come from format, such as additional content or connections to other media.

Anatomy of Competitive Title Listings:

• Select 5-7 comp titles.
• Include title, author, publication date, publisher, price, page count, trim size, and, if possible, sales data or Amazon ratings.
• Write 1-2 paragraphs comparing your book and explaining how it stands out.

Market Analysis:

• Explore the landscape: Establish the need for your book with data and statistics.
• Identify specific markets and demographics that would be interested in your book.
• Create an avatar for your ideal reader.

Marketing Plan:

• Start with a scaffold that includes online presence, social media, email, corporate associations, events, media outreach, and personal contact.
• Develop each leg of the scaffold, using specific strategies like social handles, ad spending, drip campaigns, leveraging bulk buys at events, engaging with media, and personal networking.
• Use this structured plan to brainstorm and detail your marketing outreach in each area.

Activities:

• Write your competitive analysis and put together a list of comp titles.
• Write your market analysis, focusing on the needs and landscape of the book's market.
• Create a detailed marketing plan, incorporating strategies for outreach and promotion.

The lesson emphasizes the importance of considering different aspects of the market and how the book can uniquely fulfill a need. It also guides learners through constructing a comprehensive and effective marketing strategy.

This module focuses on personal branding for authors, emphasizing the importance of a well-crafted bio and a robust author platform.

The bio serves as a key to introduce and invite readers into the author's world, highlighting not only their expertise but also their personal connection to the subject matter. It should reflect the author's credentials (ethos), their passion, and why the topic matters to them. The goal is for the bio to present the author as a credible and engaging expert in their field.

The author platform is described as the house encompassing the entire author's brand. It's crucial for authors to show they can actively participate in marketing their book, as publishers today expect authors to be business partners in the selling process. The lesson will guide authors in leveraging social media, email lists, speaking events, and other channels to build and showcase their platform effectively.

The module aims to teach authors how to be the best advocate for their book in the market, whether through traditional publishing or self-publishing.

Two main activities will cap off the module: writing a compelling author bio and mapping out a detailed author platform. The lesson encourages authors to confidently promote their strengths and contributions to the literary world.

This module emphasizes the importance of crafting a compelling author bio and a strong author platform as part of the course on proposal writing for publishing a book. Here's the summary of the key points:

Author Bio:

• Focus on credentials that directly relate to the topic of the book to establish expertise.
• Highlight your personal engagement and interest in the topic, including research, speaking engagements, and media appearances.
• Explain your personal motivation or "why" for writing the book, including any lived experiences or business connections to the topic.
• Mention any adjacent affiliations, memberships, or notable endorsements that add to your credibility as an expert.
• Keep the author bio concise (1-2 pages) and write it conversationally, using first person unless working with an agent, where second person may be more appropriate.
• The bio should also include personal aspects to humanize you, like where you live, family, or hobbies, but keep it brief.

Author Platform:

• The platform is the foundation showcasing your ability to support book sales.
• Detail your online presence, including websites, landing pages, and social media following.
• Discuss content production such as articles, podcast appearances, and social media content.
• Include information on your email list size, reach, and growth plans.
• Outline existing and planned speaking and media appearances.
• Include memberships, associations, and endorsements from notable people.
• Present evidence of connections that can help promote the book.
• Choose to emphasize parts of your platform where you excel, rather than areas you have not yet developed.

Activities:

• Write your author bio using the given worksheet for structure.
• Describe your author platform, filling in details for each part of the scaffold and focusing on current strengths.

In Module Seven, the focus is on finalizing the nonfiction book proposal by bringing together all the elements created in previous modules. The main topics covered are:

1. Writing the Overview: The first piece that potential agents or editors will read, and ironically, it should be written last. The overview serves as the "front door" to the proposal, summarizing the book's content, its significance, and why the author is uniquely qualified to write it. It's designed to grab the reader's attention and persuade them to read on.
2. Next Steps Post-Writing: After completing the proposal, the author is advised to take a break from it—a few hours, days, or even weeks if possible. This break allows for a return to self-editing with fresh eyes, which is an essential part of the writing process that shouldn't be overlooked.
3. The Importance of Self-Editing: Self-editing is crucial but challenging. The module suggests considering external help for reviewing the proposal, ideally someone experienced, like a colleague or a professional in the field, but not family members.
4. Selecting an Editor: Guidance on who to choose for additional feedback on the proposal. The right person can offer valuable insights and help polish the work before submission.
5. Self-Editing Checklist: The module concludes with providing a self-editing checklist to ensure all details are addressed and the proposal is as strong as possible.

Overall, the lesson emphasizes the significance of writing a compelling overview, the importance of taking a break before the final review process, and the value of both self-editing and getting external feedback to refine the nonfiction proposal before submitting it to agents and editors.

In this module, we focus on finalizing a book proposal by bringing together all the elements we've worked on previously. The module emphasizes the importance of revisiting the overview section at the end of the drafting process since new insights or changes could have arisen during the proposal's development.

Key points of the lesson include:

1. The overview is crucial because it acts as a "front door" to the proposal, hooking the reader and summarizing the book without being a mere rehash. It should tell a compelling story about why this book, why you as an author, and why now is the time for it.
2. Assembling the proposal: Depending on your strengths, focus the proposal either on your writing ability or your marketing plan and author platform. The lesson suggests two versions: one that highlights the writing and one that emphasizes marketing.
3. Importance of taking a break: After assembling the proposal, it's essential to step away and return later with fresh eyes to catch any overlooked mistakes or areas needing improvement.
4. Research: Use the break to research agents, editors, and their submission guidelines to know where to send your proposal once it's ready.
5. Self-editing: Upon returning to the proposal, focus first on higher-order concerns (HOCs) like organization and clarity, then on lower-order concerns (LOCs) such as grammar and syntax.
6. Final checks: Complete a thorough grammar check and look for redundancies, ensuring the proposal is polished and distinct at every point.
7. Find an objective outside reader: Preferably someone who can provide honest, unbiased feedback.

Activities include rewriting or drafting the book overview and using an editing checklist to ensure thorough self-editing before considering the proposal complete and ready to be sent to agents and publishers.

Welcome to the final module of our course, 'Time to Pitch,' where you'll learn how to take the nonfiction book proposal you've crafted and get it into the hands of agents and editors.

Key points for this module include:

1. Research: Start by conducting thorough research to determine where your book fits best within the publishing industry. Understand which publishing houses, editors, and agents might be interested in your work. Familiarize yourself with their submission guidelines and what kind of books they are currently looking for.
2. Understanding Your Audience: Identify your target audience for both the content of your book and for your pitch. This involves knowing which agents and editors would be the most appropriate for your type of book.
3. The Art of Pitching: Learn that pitching is typically a multi-step process. It often begins with a brief one-page letter aimed at piquing an agent's or editor's interest. If they respond positively, you'll then send them the full proposal.
4. Industry Insights: The module will uncover some of the less obvious aspects of the publishing industry, giving you insight into 'hidden' processes and helping you navigate the complexities of getting published.
5. Final Activity: The course will conclude with an activity focused on crafting an engaging and effective pitch designed to capture the attention of agents and editors to get your book published.
6. Resources and Support: The course provides a comprehensive workbook for further practice and offers personal coaching and referrals for more advanced proposal writing courses for those who wish to take their endeavors further.

This lesson is aimed at ensuring you're prepared and confident in taking the next steps toward getting your nonfiction book published.

This final module focuses on pitching your book proposal to agents and publishers. It explains the roles of agents and publishers and how to approach them effectively.

Key points from the lesson:

• Agents represent authors to publishers, negotiate contracts, and secure better advance payments and royalties. Reputable agents work on commission and don't charge upfront fees.
• When researching agents, look for those who represent books in your genre, avoid agents who suggest paying for outside editing, and examine their ethics and track record.
• Resources like the Association of Author Representatives and Jeff Herman's guide can help find a reputable agent.
• When approaching publishers directly, consider different options including traditional, independent, hybrid, and vanity presses. Each has pros and cons, with vanity presses offering the least support and being less recommended.
• Match your goals, market size, and subject area with the correct type of publisher, considering who publishes similar work.
• Follow a structured approach when sending query letters, adhering strictly to submission guidelines specified by agents and publishers.
• Tailor each query letter to the particular agent or publisher by highlighting relevant connections or related projects.
• Be prepared for a long wait and follow up only after the time frame outlined by their submission guidelines, showing patience and professionalism.
• The proposal-writing journey helps solidify your book idea and familiarize you with the publishing industry's ecosystem.

The lesson concludes by encouraging you to take your time with writing, self-editing, and gathering feedback and wishes you the best of luck in your publishing journey.