How to Sell, Then Write Your Nonfiction Book

by Camenson, Blythe

• ISBN13: 9780658021046
• ISBN10: 0658021044
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-07-15
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Education

Summary

From idea to contract to execution, this is the first all-in-one guide for prospective nonfiction writers. How to Sell, Then Write Your Nonfiction Book is uniquely structured to help you sell your ideas or yourself before you invest time and effort in a lengthy book project. This comprehensive reference guide provides specific tips for pitching and writing various nonfiction categories, with suggestions from agents, editors, and published authors. With expert advice on the technical elements of voice and style, useful resource listings, and sample proposals, you will find all the tools necessary to ultimately earn a living from nonfiction writing.

Author Biography

Blythe Camenson has written numerous articles and authored or coauthored more than four dozen books, including Careers in Writing and Your Novel Proposal: From Creation to Contract. As director of Fiction Writer's Connection, an organization for new writers, she teaches members how to improve their writing and how to get published.

Table of Contents

Preface	vii
Acknowledgments	ix
The Business of Publishing and How It Affects You	1	(20)
Book Categories and Where Your Book Fits In	2	(2)
What's Hot, What's Not	4	(1)
What Publishers Are Looking For	4	(2)
Who's Publishing Nonfiction	6	(5)
Frontlists, Midlists, and Backlists	11	(1)
Who to Approach	12	(1)
Working with an Agent	13	(4)
How Literary Agencies Are Structured	17	(1)
Loction, Location, Location	18	(1)
How to Find an Agent	18	(3)
Finding and Defining Book Ideas That Sell	21	(12)
Finding Book Ideas	22	(1)
Ten Steps to Judge the Merit of Your Ideas	22	(3)
Advice from Publishing Professionals on Selling Your Nonfiction Book	25	(1)
Identifying Trends and Avoiding Fads	26	(2)
Who Can Sell, Then Write a Nonfiction Book?	28	(1)
Experts on the Bestseller Lists	29	(1)
Making Yourself More Saleable	30	(1)
What Can Nonexperts Write About?	31	(2)
How to Approach Agents and Editors	33	(44)
Can I Really Sell the Book Before I Write It?	34	(2)
How an Agent Sells Your Book Idea	36	(1)
What Happens Once Your Idea Lands on an Editor's Desk	37	(4)
Tools of the Trade	41	(1)
Query Letters that Grab Attention	42	(7)
The Elements of a Book Proposal	49	(17)
Cover Letters	66	(3)
Follow-Up Letters	69	(1)
Completed Manuscripts	70	(1)
Formatting and Submission Details	71	(3)
Keeping Track of Your Submissions	74	(1)
Can You Resubmit Once Your Idea Has Been Turned Down?	74	(1)
Turnoffs	75	(2)
Sample Query Letters and Proposals	77	(86)
Query Letter and Proposal Sample #1	78	(26)
Query Letter and Proposal Sample #2	104	(34)
Query Letter and Proposal Sample #3	138	(25)
Money and Contracts	163	(14)
Advances	164	(1)
Agent-Author Contracts	165	(1)
When It's Time to Fire Your Agent	166	(1)
Book Contracts	167	(2)
Royalties	169	(1)
Flat Fees	170	(1)
Contractual Pitfalls	170	(2)
Royalty Statements	172	(1)
Help Is Available	173	(1)
Who Does the Index?	174	(1)
Advice from Two Publishing Law Attorneys	174	(3)
Researching and Writing Your Nonfiction Book	177	(18)
The Research You'll Need	178	(2)
Organizing Your Research	180	(1)
Writing Your Book	181	(1)
Formatting Your Manuscript	182	(2)
Organizing Your Thoughts	184	(2)
Unique Elements	186	(1)
Anecdotes, Case Studies, Quotes, and Interviews	187	(1)
Writing Styles	187	(1)
Writing Mistakes	188	(2)
Submitting Your Manuscript	190	(1)
Meeting Deadlines	191	(1)
Page Proofs	191	(1)
Staying Power	192	(3)
Selling Your Book to the Public	195	(9)
The Anatomy of a Press Kit	197	(3)
What to Send to the Media and When	200	(1)
Should You Hire a Publicist?	201	(1)
When the Reviews are Bad	202	(1)
Cautions	202	(1)
Selling the Next Book and the Book After That	203	(1)
Appendix A: Resources	204	(6)
Appendix B: References	210