Writing a Nonfiction Book Proposal: Working with an Editor vs. a Book Coach
Should you hire a nonfiction book proposal coach or a book proposal editor?
You’re putting the finishing touches on a book manuscript and you’re ready to start shopping it to agents and publishers. It’s about time, right?
There’s just one thing you need to do: Write a really freaking incredible book proposal. In the words of Charlie Brown, “Good Grief!”
The gatekeepers to the publishing industry are choosy. They’ll be scrutinizing everything.
You want to put your best foot forward, and getting professional help is a smart way to find out how to get a publisher to publish your book.
Maybe you’ve already tried writing a formal book proposal but need another set of eyes. Maybe you’ve even tried shopping your book manuscript around, but without much luck.
It often makes sense to bring in a pro who can show you how to get a publishing deal.
You can hire a proposal writing coach for your nonfiction book proposal.
You can hire a proposal editor for your nonfiction book proposal.
Or you may prefer to hire a book coach who wraps both author services into one, like my traditional publishing coaching package.
What is a book proposal?
Traditional publishing is a business model in which a publisher pays an advance or royalties in exchange for rights. It requires a publishing query and a book proposal to break through.
Within this world are the "Big 5" giants (who require a literary agent), independent trade publishers like W. W. Norton & Company (some of whom require a literary agent), Christian publishing companies (some of whom require a literary agent), and university presses. You can get a list of nonfiction publishers in the US here.
The book proposal format typically follows a familiar multi-part file structure.
A standard book proposal nonfiction writers need includes:
An overview of the project.
A book proposal chapter outline or annotated table of contents.
A book proposal competitive analysis comparing your title to others.
Marketing plans, author bios, and sample chapters.
The publishing query
The book publishing query letter (or publishing query letter) is a brief, upbeat pitch written to entice an agent or acquisitions editor to ask for more. It includes a note establishing a connection, a short project overview, your credentials, and an offer to send more materials.
Book proposal coaching vs. editing
Often these services are combined, but let’s look at the type of outside help you can get…
What is a book proposal coach?
A book proposal coach—also called a book publishing coach or publishing coach—is someone with sharp insight into the industry who helps you conceptualize your materials piece by piece.
They’ll ask you questions, share insights, and make suggestions.
A coach provides mentorship and strategy. They can help you find agents or publishers to pitch to and help you strategize your submission plan.
If you’re looking for a partner to navigate the traditional publishing process, book coaching services are for you. I offer specialized book coaching packages tailored to help you secure that elusive book deal.
They may call themselves a book publishing coach, a publishing consultant, or something to that effect.
What is a book proposal editor? What is book proposal editing?
Book proposal editing generally falls into one of two categories: copy editing (also spelled copyediting) or developmental editing.
What is book proposal copy editing?
A book proposal copy editor will focuses on the sentence-level. They find and fix grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors. They’ll make sure dates and numbers are properly written. And they’ll find and remedy unclear sentences, inconsistencies, and continuity issues.
They’ll make edits and comments electronically in MS Word using Track Changes or in Google Drive, or they can mark up a PDF document.
Copy editing will leave your proposal clear, concise, and persuasive. It will show your writing at its best.
What is book proposal developmental editing?
Book proposal developmental editing is often synonymous with coaching. A developmental editor evaluates the overall structure of your book proposal based on what agents and publishers are looking for. They help you conceptualize or overhaul the project and optimize your title and chapter headings.
They’re not interested in the sentence-level details; they’re interested in the concept and how you define and sell your idea to agents and/or publishers.
They’re not here to strategize with you on which publishers or agents to pitch to, and they’re not interested in the grammar, spelling, and punctuation. But they will tell you what order to put the parts in your book proposal, where to elaborate or cut, and what an agent or editor will think of the hook in your query.
Neither an editor nor a coach will write your proposal for you.
They will make comments and suggestions and propose rewrites. The vision must be yours.
Writing a book proposal: The DIY Ooption
You can always try to write and pitch your proposal yourself. You can certainly start with one of these options…
Many authors start with a nonfiction book proposal template. It’s a great way to ensure that you meet industry standards and best practices and avoid common mistakes.
You might also check out the book Write the Perfect Book Proposal: 10 That Sold and Why by longtime agents Jeff Herman and Deborah Levine Herman.
This book was one of the first books I read when I was starting out. It goes through the format section by section with humor and winning examples and is well worth the read.
How much does book proposal coaching cost? How much does book proposal editing cost?
Most editors charge by the word or by the hour. In the US, $0.025 to $0.050 per word, or $40 to $60 per hour, is typical.
Coaching calls are often available by the hour. Rates vary.
Expect to pay between $150 and $750 for book proposal editing or coaching, depending on the nature of the work, the materials you’ll be receiving from the coach or editor, and the amount of time required.
To have a chapter or two edited from your book might cost $200 to $300, on average.
In general, nonfiction rates are higher than fiction rates, so don’t compare apples to oranges.
Tips for hiring a book proposal coach or a book proposal editor
Most editors and coaches have an onboarding process to follow. The aim is to learn about your book and your goals and to help gauge whether or not they’re a fit for you.
Always find an editor who is enthusiastic about your book, who understands what you’re trying to do and what it will take to get your book traditionally published, and who will be honest and constructive with you.
If you’re writing a nonfiction book, work with a pro who specializes in nonfiction books.
When you talk with your prospective editor or coach (a phone call or Zoom is often helpful), agree on exactly what is included and what isn’t, and get it in writing. What are the deliverables? What won’t they do? Are one-on-one calls included? What is the agreed-upon time frame? And get a firm quote in writing.
To see how one author turned months stalled queries and inexperience into know-how and a book contract almost overnight, read Working with a Traditional Book Publishing Coach: Eric’s Success Story.
In Sum: Hiring an editor vs. a book coach
Editing helps you improve your writing, making it more likely to move agents and publishers who value excellent prose.
Coaching helps you build the proposal piece by piece with one-on-one guidance and a strategic pitch plan.
Working with an experienced editor or coach can help your book achieve its potential, save you time and confusion, and, in the long run, make you money (or opportunities).
You’ll also learn a lot that you can apply to future books.
Ready to get noticed?
Your manuscript deserves a publishing deal, not another pass. Stop guessing and start targeting with a framework that works.
Download the Nonfiction Book Proposal Template (30+ pages of expert advice, formatting guidelines, and proven strategies to present yourself confidently to agents and publishers)
Check out the GET PUBLISHED author coaching package. For details, click here.
Get started with BOOK PROPOSAL EDITING. For details, click here.
And I offer COPYEDITING services. (Click here for details if you want chapters to be copyedited.)
Not all books are destined to be traditionally published.
The topic, the timing, the audience, and the potential for sales must all be there for a publisher to offer a contract.
Some authors do not have the patience or the time to jump through all the hoops required of them.
Some authors do not “need” a traditional publishing book contract to meet their goals or objectives.
Traditional publishing is not for all authors.
A good coach or editor will help you refine your book’s message, better identify and speak to your target audience, and improve your writing—all of which are valuable to you, no matter how you end up getting your book published.
You might also be interested in
“What Are the Big 5 Publishers and What Are the Keys to Getting a Big 5 Publishing Deal?”
Daniel Tortora book coaching packages and author coaching calls
Working with a Traditional Book Publishing Coach: Eric’s Success Story
You’ve got this!