Author 101: Bestselling Book Proposals Review
Author 101: Bestselling Book Proposalsby Rick Frishman and Robyn Freedman Spizman
Adams Media, November, 2005
Trade Paperback, 249 pages
ISBN: 1593374127
Ordering information:
Amazon.com
Mastering the art of the book proposal is an essential skill for
any writer. Other than
a possible query letter, the book proposal is the first
information about your book that an
agent or editor sees. There is a proper procedure
for book proposals that you must understand
and follow -- otherwise your book is highly unlikely to
be published by a major publisher. Book proposals give
you the opportunity to sell your book and authors Rick
Frishman and Robyn Spizman help you make the
most of it in Author 101. Both authors have a great deal of
experience in publishing. Rick Frishman hosts sales
seminars for writers and has written books about writing
including the excellent Guerilla Marketing for Writers. Robyn
Spizman has authored 75 books and founded a public relations
firm called the Spizman Agency. Their advice in Author 101 is
informative and straight forward. They teach you what goes
in your book proposal and how to write it in such a way that will pique
the interest of agents and editors. They also provide motivation.
The authors insist that you must have a positive attitude and be
disciplined when working on your book proposal.
The authors explain: "Proposals are tests that you must pass in order to convince a publisher to buy your book. Understand the purpose of the proposal and focus on demonstrating to agents and publishers that you have the ability and fortitude to write a successful book in the context they want."
Everything you need to know about book proposals is provided. The text provides detailed instructions about how to prepare each section of your proposal, such as the promotion plan. Extra tips and suggestions are provided next to cheery little cartoon icons that represent Spizman and Frishman. Author 101 helps authors pick great book titles, avoid first-time author mistakes and write the kind of book proposal an editor wants to see on his desk. Highly recommended.
Return to the November 2005 issue of The IWJ.
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