If you’re reading this, you’ve probably begun the daunting process of writing a nonfiction book proposal.

And you’re wondering what agents and/or publishers are looking for and how to impress them so you can get a book deal.

As you’ve probably learned, book proposals—which are widely used to pitch books to agents and prospective publishers—follow a conventional format and consist of a number of sections. One of these sections is the “sample chapters” section.

Sample chapters in a book proposal: How to impress agents and publishers

Whether it’s a literary agent, a trade press, a university press, one of the big 5 publishing companies, or some other kind of publisher you’re trying to impress, . . .

Read on for some wisdom I’ve gained as a full-time nonfiction book publishing coach and editor since 2017, and as a twice-traditionally published author (and based on extensive networking, reading, and podcast listening) that I’d like to share with you.

Make note of the info, follow these tips, and read the FAQs below, and you’ll be in a stronger position to get traditionally published.

What are book proposal sample chapters?

The typical book proposal contains one or more “sample chapters” from the book you’re pitching.

These are (or need to be) actual chapters from your book—at least, as you envision them looking in the book you’d submit for publication.

These are full-length, fine-tuned, aim-to-impress chapters.

“The purpose of sample chapters is so they can see your writing style and if you can deliver the goods,” explains Redditor u/oliveamerica, who published with a small press.

For a nonfiction book, sample chapters need to deliver on the promise of the book—on whatever is being pitched in the overview section of the book proposal and in the chapter synopses/chapter outline section of the proposal.

If you’re asked to send two or three sample chapters, that means consecutive chapters. They want to see how the book begins, if you hook your readers right away, and how the book is set up. They want to see how the chapters flow from one to the next.

Writing a book proposal: What sample chapters to send?

How do you know which chapters to send?

If you’re writing anything that follows a chronological order—such as history, true crime, a memoir, an investigative book—any narrative-based book, really, then you want to start with chapter 1. Not the introduction or any other prefatory material, as I’ll explain later. Chapter 1.

If additional chapters are requested, send chapter 1, chapter 2, and so forth.

It may make sense for a book that follows a progression, such as a self-help or self-improvement book or a how-to book, to start with chapter 1.

(In some cases, it may also make sense to start later on, i.e., with the beginning of a later “part” of the book.)

If your book isn’t a narrative and is organized more as a list of things, a series of essays or articles, or is a cookbook, then you don’t need to start with chapter 1. You can attach what you firmly believe is the best, most impressive chapter or representative sample.

How do you know which chapter is the best?

It’s the one that people who’ve previously read your manuscript like the most. It’s the one that is most representative of what you’re trying to do with the book. It’s the most polished one, the one you feel most confident about. It’s the one with the most contemporary relevance today.

How to improve sample chapters for a book proposal

No matter what, it’s a good idea to have your sample chapters professionally edited—at least by a nonfiction copy editor. As that Head & Shoulders commercial back in the ’90s put it, “you never get a second chance to make a first impression.”

For more substantive, structural, or content-related issues, it’s a good idea to have an expert in your field, another author who’s ahead of you and writing in your genre, or a developmental editor look at your work in progress.

Once you’ve gotten an agent (if that’s the route you’re going), the agent may have suggestions for you on what you can do to improve this part of your proposal (or they may not; some agents are more hands-on than others).

If you find you’re not getting bites from agents or publishers, hit pause on the submissions process and revise your sample chapters—utilizing editors, beta readers, agent feedback, or some combination of the above.

Getting a traditional publishing contract starts with finding the right publisher.

See your options and find out what they’re looking for.

Get the most up-to-date list of book publishing companies for nonfiction authors in the US—

With or without an agent, find your match.

Get the Nonfiction Publishing Companies List

How do I format sample chapters for a book proposal?

Formatting for sample chapters isn’t too complicated.

Generally speaking, sample chapters are included within (at the end of) the proposal—the proposal is all one document. But it’s not uncommon for authors to be asked to fill out an online form and then attach files as needed.

In any case, here’s what is typical and expected:

A chapter title, in a larger font than the main text, followed by the author name. It doesn’t matter if it’s left-aligned or centered.
The chapter should be double-spaced and in 12-point font. A PDF file. For most agents or publishers, a Word document or DOCX file is OK, but sending a PDF will ensure that your file opens and looks the same on someone else’s computer as it does on yours. I recommend you send a PDF.
I like to use a font that’s readable but just a bit different. It stands out more to agents and publishers. Hint: They see a lot of Times New Roman and Arial, so try something different, like Cambria, Georgia, Helvetica,
Add page numbers to each page (at the bottom of the page is OK).
Include the author name and the title in the file name: Jones - From Top Gun to Top Chef.PDF
Sending a super-large file as an attachment is rarely a good idea. And don’t send a link to a file or your OneDrive or Google Drive unless requested to do so.

As Chronicle Books puts it, “Please attach your proposal to your email as a single Word file or PDF, and keep the file under 5MB or less to ensure delivery. Outside links and downloads may not be opened due to security risks.”

FAQs on book proposal sample chapters

Can I submit a book proposal without a sample chapter?

No. Every section of the book proposal matters. It doesn’t matter if you’re a first-time author or not.

What if my sample chapters are incomplete?

Don’t send them.

How many sample chapters do I need to send?

Always follow the submission guidelines for a given agent or publisher. Submission guidelines are almost always posted online, and they can vary.

Here are some examples:

Central Recovery Press: “a substantial sample with a minimum of 15,000 to 20,000 words, or as much of the manuscript as is completed”
Chelsea Green: “Two sample chapters”
Globe Pequot: “a sample chapter”
Hatherleigh Press: “At least two, preferably three sample chapters”
Inner Traditions: “SAMPLE CHAPTER(S)”
New Harbinger Publications: “Choose strong, representative chapters to submit; ideally including the first chapter, and at least one from the main part of the book.”
The Experiment: “A sample chapter that is representative of the writing style and content of the larger work.”
Ulysses Press: “One to two sample chapters”
Verso Books: [no sample chapters are requested!]

Sample chapters and word count / page count?

Your sample chapters should be within the word count or page count requested by the publisher.

Some publishers may request that you send the first 25 pages of your book. Others may ask that you send sample chapters not to exceed a certain word count or page count. Do as directed. If that means you have to cut off a chapter before it’s done, do so—but at the end of a paragraph.

Will my sample chapters be kept confidential?

Yes. No legitimate agent or publisher would share, leak, or rip off your book proposal sample chapters. It would be highly unprofessional, unethical, and unusual for them to do so.

(Just a reminder: In traditional publishing, there are no up-front fees to submit a manuscript. If they want to publish your book, they’ll pay you, either with advance payments before publication and/or royalties after the fact.)

If you are concerned about the “safety” of your sample chapter(s), then the line with your author name might look like this:

Or that can go in the “footer” for the sample chapters, to the left of the page numbers.

Will agents and publishers read my sample chapters?

It varies.

Many (most?) will read until they decide they are or are not definitely interested.

Some will read it from beginning to the end to see if it has potential.

Others know from your query or the Overview section of your proposal whether or not they’re interested in the book, i.e., if the agent can or wants to represent you or if the publisher can and will want to sell it to their publishing house. If the answer is no, they won’t read the sample pages at all.

Getting published is not an easy task!

So learn for yourself the secrets that successful authors use to write a query and book proposal for a traditional publisher—big 5, trade press, or university press—get a publishing contract, and navigate the publishing process with ease and confidence.

Take the Step-by-Step Traditional Publishing Course for authors today!

(Or, you can learn all about the course here!)

Let’s wrap up this article with a recap of the dos and don’ts to keep in mind when submitting your sample chapters to a publisher with your nonfiction book proposal.

Nonfiction Book Proposal Sample Chapters: Dos and Don’ts

Sample chapter dos

Do make sure your sample chapter or chapters are from the book that you’re pitching. No, you can’t send a sample of your previous writing. That’s not what publishers are looking for. If your chapter has an epigraph, include it. If it has photos, tables, or callout boxes, include them. You want them to get a feel for your best.
Do send chapter 1 (and whatever else is requested) if your book is a narrative or follows a chronological organization.
Do have your sample chapter(s) edited. First impressions count, and agents and publishers want to see outstanding writing. At the minimum, hire a copy editor.
Do feel free to send the opening hook/first page of the following chapter. That shows how the chapters flow and offers a taste of what is to come.
Do format your book proposal sample chapters in a readable, 12-point font, double-spaced, with page numbers, saved as a PDF.

Sample chapter don’ts

Don’t send your introduction unless requested (i.e., Entrepreneur Press). Most of what’s in the introduction will be covered in the overview section of your book proposal. Introductions and conclusions are different (and often shorter) than the main text of a nonfiction book; they’re not representative, either.
Don’t ask the agent or acquisitions editor to decide which chapters they want to see. They don’t have time for that, and it doesn’t show confidence on your part.
Don’t offer or send more material than is requested (except for what I suggested above). It won’t be read, and it will appear as if you aren’t confident that what you’re sending is good enough.
Don’t annotate the text (i.e., with a prefatory note or with comments in Word or Google Docs). Let it speak for itself.
Don’t follow up on your submission more than once, if at all. It won’t help your case. Most agents and publishers take anywhere from a day to three months to make a decision. If they’re interested, they’ll reach out. Some submission guidelines request that you not follow up or say that they receive a lot of proposals and can’t respond to everyone. In such cases, don’t expect a reply to a nudge.

Want to know how to get a traditional publishing deal? You might also like

I hope this helps, friend. I’m wishing you much success with the traditional publishing process and with your author career. You got this!

—Daniel

Nonfiction Book Proposal Sample Chapters: Tips and FAQs for Traditional Publishing