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Wednesday, May 18, 2005
A proposal for a book
From the column, Bibliophile, in this week's Outlook:
So what should you do? According to Bibliophile, you need to write a book proposal. And this is no mean task, because, as this column Outlook quotes from says, "writing a book proposal is a specific art in its own right."
At this point it may be asked, what if you're good in one kind of art (writing a proposal) but not in another (writing a book)? Well, that's the publisher's problem, you've got your advance by then. And what if it's the other way around? Tough luck, start a blog or something. No proposals required for that.
All those author hopefuls who have mailed their manuscript to a publisher and are waiting anxiously by the phone, take our advice: don't; that call may never come. Publishing houses complain they get an average of five to ten "unsolicited" manuscripts a week. What happens to your labour of love—not to speak of your ticket to the big fat advance? It is cast ruthlessly into a slush pile from which it will emerge only if you have clout.
So what should you do? According to Bibliophile, you need to write a book proposal. And this is no mean task, because, as this column Outlook quotes from says, "writing a book proposal is a specific art in its own right."
At this point it may be asked, what if you're good in one kind of art (writing a proposal) but not in another (writing a book)? Well, that's the publisher's problem, you've got your advance by then. And what if it's the other way around? Tough luck, start a blog or something. No proposals required for that.
