Location: Books & Such main office, Santa Rosa, Calif.

If you don’t know what a QR code is, scroll down to the end of this post to take a peek. QR (which stands for “quick response”) codes are ubiquitous–on food packaging, on clothing tags, in ads, etc. The codes might provide recipes that use the food item you’ve just purchased or ways to tie the scarf you’re considering buying or a video about the car pictured in an ad.

I’ll suggest some ways authors can use QR codes in a minute, but first I’ll explain how they work. (If you already know, just move on down to the numbered items.) The codes are two-dimensional, which means they can carry much more information than the one-dimensional bar code. QRs are designed to be used with smartphones by scanning the code with the phone’s camera. The phone’s software interprets the information and takes the user to a spot  on the Internet.

Android phones have built in QR code readers, but other smartphone users can download an app for their phones to read the codes. CBA Retailers + Resource Magazine in its November 2011 issue, indicated that 40% of all mobile phones in the U.S. are smartphones, and by 2015 more smartphones will be owned than other mobile phones. The Pew Internet and American Life Project found that the majority of  Americans research online items they’re considering purchasing. InsightExpress’s study reveals that 82% of shoppers already use their phones in some way before purchasing.

For all these reasons, it makes sense for authors to think about how they might use QR codes. Here are a few suggestions to get your creativity going:

1. On your business card. When you hand someone your business card, you could be handing them quick and efficient access to your website. You don’t need to put your web address on your card, which the user would have to type in (correctly, which is a challenge for some of us). Or you could send someone to your blog, if you want to show off your writing.

2. On your proposals. Picture a publishing committee meeting. There’s the conference room, the conference table, the decisionmakers–and lots of laptops. As the editor presents your project, everyone’s fingers are flying on keyboards. Your website is checked out; your presence on Twitter; what’s going on for you on Facebook; a quick trip to Amazon to check out your previous books and where they stand in the rankings.

Now picture this: You put a QR code on your proposal that takes the reader to your website; or you have a (short!) video of you speaking that shows off how adept you are in front of an audience or a video during you give your pitch for the project being considered. That way the committee gets to meet not only your project but also you.

3. To reach your readers. Ask your publisher to put a QR code in your book that leads the reader to a brief video of you introducing the book (and yourself). Or a QR code to an online readers’ discussion guide.

4. To sell other books. Add a QR code to a bookmark that contains all of your titles or all of the books in a series. Since reviews often help a reader to decide to buy a book, why not establish a page of reviews (or segments of reviews, to keep it short) on your website and create a code to take readers there.

The possibilities are almost limitless. And creating codes is easy. Just google “QR code,” and you’ll be taken to a variety of sites from which you can create the codes.

What ways can you think of  to use a QR code?

And, now, just for fun, here’s a QR code that takes you to a photo of our agency staff, including our newest addition, Rachelle Gardner.

P.S. For those of you used to the rhythms of our blog posts, you’ll expect to read more from me tomorrow and Friday. But we’re trying a new rhythm of three blogs from one writer followed by two blogs from another contributor.  So tomorrow and Friday you’ll meet up with Wendy Lawton here. We’re experimenting with this new arrangement for several weeks, and we’d love to hear what you think of the change as it rolls out. Plus we’ve added Rachelle Gardner to the writing schedule as well, starting on Feb. 13; so she’s a new voice on our blog that we know you’re gonna love.

Location: Books & Such Midwest Office, Illinois

A killer title for your book can make the difference between an editor taking a serious look at your proposal or not at all. It’s the all-important first impression. If your title can capture agent and editor attention, the perception is that the first pages of your manuscript might deliver on the title’s promise. Here are a few suggestions to help you zero in on a great title.

• Promise Something (for nonfiction projects)
  
  • One Month to Live: 30 Days to a No-Regrets Life
  • One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are
• Intriguing One or Two Words
  • Moneyball (about how the Oakland Athletics built a successful team with one of the smallest payrolls in baseball). Michael Lewis brilliantly combined the subject of the book (the Oakland Athletics) with the specific topic (building a lucrative team from minimal resources) using a familiar game idea for the title.
  • Blink (how instincts work in your mind) – Malcolm Gladwell found a perfect word that describes how instantaneously our gut-level hunches come to mind and the importance of paying attention to them.
• A Potent Phrase or Place
  • The Devil in the White City (how an architect and a serial killer were linked by the World’s Fair of 1893). A powerful descriptor of the psychopath in contrast to Chicago, the city filled with new hope, employment, and preparations for the World’s Fair.
• Adapt a Familiar Phrase or Scripture
  • In the Still of the Night (about the strange death of Ronda Reynolds and her mother’s tireless search for the truth). True-crime author Ann Rule paints the picture of what really happened on the night Ronda Reynolds supposedly committed suicide.
  • Wild Goose Chase: Reclaim the Adventure of Pursuing God. Mark Batterson used a familiar phrase, “wild goose chase” that also has another meaning. Wild Goose is his name for the Holy Spirit, and the name hints at mystery…and adventure. Perfect.
• Incongruous Words or Phrases
  • Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God. Francis Chan contrasted the “crazy” thought that the God of the universe loves us with a relentless love in a powerful, two-word title.
  • In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day. How we think we’ve been in the wrong places at the wrong times might actually have been the right places at the right times according to God’s positioning. Mark Batterson thought of a great word picture to describe this contrast.
•  A Key Phrase from within the Story
  • Pearl in the Sand (the fictional story of Rahab). The phrase doesn’t appear until the last part of the story. But in so doing, the reader not only finally understands where the title came from but also gains deeper meaning into the imagery of finding a beautiful pearl in commonplace sandy surroundings.

In what ways do these tips and examples prompt ideas for your WIP? What additional tips can you offer that have been successful for you in coming up with killer titles? Or tell us what titles you’ve seen that you consider stellar.

Location: Books & Such Midwest Office, Illinois

In a productive brainstorming meeting with a client about two weeks ago, three necessary parts of a writer’s whole proposal “package” came into clear view. They are not new concepts; they are basics. But the combination of the three results in a winning idea. See if they also are helpful to you in terms of adjusting your WIP and in developing future book ideas.

LOOK. This client is working on a new nonfiction series and gave me the outline for book one. Her passion for Christ’s church is authentic and deep, and she is accomplished in her writing craft. Those are necessary ingredients for a compelling book, but as we all know, those two alone don’t guarantee a publisher will offer a contract.

As Amy researched in preparation for this series, she looked for several niche topics in the area of spiritual formation that are common stumbling blocks for everyone but to which few books have been devoted. She looked to fill a gap and meet a need. This is a great strategy for giving your book a unique edge. Passion + great writing + unique approach = marketability. Marketability is the scale on which all manuscripts are weighed.

EXPECT. If you have prayed for direction, apply Proverbs 3: 4-5: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your path.” Expect God to answer your request according to his will. Listen and watch. Don’t be surprised when you set goals for the year or review your day’s writing and think, where did that come from? He’ll keep his promise to direct your path.

ACT. As we dive into our work this year, we need to humbly acknowledge afresh that our gifts and abilities are from God for his purpose. Next, we must commit to take action steps—risks—to follow his direction. Spend a few minutes, or hours, to reflect on your calling in those terms, and let God energize your passion.

Don’t you love it when the cloud over your work dissipates and the sky begins to clear? Share a time when words, scenes, entire chapters, or a book idea were, all of a sudden, right there in front of you.

Location: Books & Such Midwest Office, IL

With the multitude of self-publishing, print-on-demand, and new publisher options available, writers need to be alert when pursuing these options on their own. With each new “invention” comes new ways of doing business. Some provide a good opportunity for authors; some could be potentially dangerous.

I recently researched a new, general market niche publisher that appeared to be a good fit for a client’s book and submitted the proposal. Two months later, after not receiving a reply, I followed up. Apparently in the intervening months, the business model had been refined, shall we say. The reply came from a different person who directed that all proposals be submitted via a link on their website, which he provided, because authors were now required to consent to their submissions agreement.

An experienced eye could see that the new submission process itself was questionable. But the agreement set off alarm bells. Included in the complex legalese of one of the clauses was wording that suggested the publisher would have creative rights to use the author’s idea as their own. Add to that, the pleasant wording on the link proclaimed that this agreement extended itself to proposals submitted before the existence of the agreement. Huh?

There may or may not have been a deliberate attempt to look through submissions to use the ideas in ways the proposals’ authors never intended. I’m not making a judgment or accusation. But the wording certainly opened the door to the possibility. The agreement, together with the dubious submission process, was enough reason for me to reply in clear and broad legalese, disallowing use of my client’s creative idea and withdrawing the proposal from the publisher’s consideration.

Further, note that the initial link and following screens were directed specifically to authors, not agents. Was this to pull in trusting writers? Who knows. But beware of what you may be getting into when going it alone. More now than in years past, it takes an experienced eye to pick up on subtleties of complex wording, business models, and practices.

Acquiring an agent is a wise career move. Choosing a self-publisher with a clearly worded contract, fair and balanced for both parties, is essential. If you hire an attorney to review the contract before signing it, be sure he or she is experienced with publishing contracts and the publishing industry in general.

At what point in this scenario do you think you would have become wary? Do you think you are familiar enough with legal language that you would have picked up on the cause for concern in this agreement? Would you have questioned that the submission link was addressed to authors, not authors and agents?

Have you experienced or heard of other questionable practices in publishing that seem devised to take advantage of the unwary?

Blogger: Wendy Lawton

Location: Books & Such Central Valley Office, CA

Are you tired of talking proposals yet? Hopefully I’ve made some converts over the course of the week. It’s such a valuable part of the process.

So finally we come to the sample chapters. Let me just give you some random factoids about sample chapters:

• Most editors and agents confess that when they open a proposal they skip over the proposal at first and turn right to the sample chapters. As one editor put it, “If the author can’t write, why waste my time on the business aspects of the book?
• We request three sample chapters with a proposal but YMMV*. (*Your Mileage May Vary– meaning it may be different for different agents and editors.)
• With a novel those chapters need to be chapter one through three.
• With nonfiction, it need not be the first three chapters. However, if you cherry-pick it may raise questions. Was the first chapter weak? Does this mean the book doesn’t really get good until the sixth chapter?
• We like the whole proposal to weigh in at about fifty pages. YMMV.
• The proposal and sample chapters should be in one single file, numbered consecutively. (Don’t get me started about multiple files for proposals and manuscripts!)
• No fancy formatting. You are sampling the text, not interior book design. If you have a sidebar or another feature, simply label it such and include it in manuscript form.
• Don’t make the mistake of over-editing the first three chapters. We often see manuscripts where the first three chapters have the very life edited out of them. The voice and ease of writing doesn’t show until chapter four. Or, some authors pay to have the first three chapters edited by someone else and they end up not even being representative of the authors writing. I also see writing that has been what I call “workshopped to death.” That’s where the critique group has worked over every word so many times the writing wears you out while reading it with every beginner “rule” followed religiously. Show-don’t-tell results in laboriously showing every single movement. Each simple word is pumped up to the level of passionate purple prose. All I can say is relax. If you are proposing a novel, just tell the story in your own unique voice. Or if it’s nonfiction, write clearly and simply.
• Typos and grammar mistakes should never be allowed to slip through. At this stage they are a red flag–distracting.

So that’s it. Hopefully this week’s proposal clinic has given you new things to consider. Remember, the proposal is your chance to “talk about” your book to all layers of publishing gatekeepers. You won’t be able to hand sell your book all the way up the chain but your proposal will. Great proposals sell books.

Location: Books & Such Central Valley Office, CA

Is there any part of the proposal you dread more than the competitive book analysis? I think I get more client questions about this than any other.

What is a competitive book analysis? It’s the compare and contrast section of your proposal. You are trying to:

• Give a point of reference-- another way to help the agent or editor get a handle on your book.
• Show that you know what is already out there. If, say, you are writing a young adult dystopian novel and you fail to address Hunger Games, an editor would wonder how much you know about YA and how much you know your readers. Or if you were writing a nonfiction book about relationships and communication and did not reference The Five Love Languages, wouldn’t it show a huge hole in your knowledge of what’s key in your supposed field?
• Help the editor or agent get a feel for how well your book may sell. As you list the books that are similar, you’ll give ISBN numbers for each. If your book goes to committee, sales figures will be compiled by the acquiring editor for each one of those books to give a point of reference for the scope of the potential market.
• Find another way to show the merits of your book. Here are a couple superb sample comparisons I lifted from a recent client proposal:

Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home by Richard Foster (HarperCollins Publishers, 1992, ISBN# 0-06-062846-4)

Although this book was published almost 20 years ago, I continue to hear the comment “That book changed my life!” by those gutsy enough to have read it.  Foster beautifully wove tradition with instruction as he led readers through a wide array of prayer.  Contemplative, authoritative, and sacramental are just a few of the types of prayer that Foster encourages the reader to examine.

I have tried to use this book in group settings and the feedback is always the same- “We love it, but it’s way over our heads!” Many men and women want to understand Foster’s framework, but can’t seem to. [Title of Author's Book] takes the depth of Foster and makes it readable.  As I explain types of prayer such as breath prayer, defining prayer, break through prayer and intercessory prayer (which I call shouldering prayer…or “Holy Piggybacks”) the reader is less intimidated, but still instructed in the richness of this treasured heritage.

Believing God by Beth Moore (Broadman and Holeman Publishers, 2004, ISBN# 0-6330-9667-9)

In the classic tradition of Beth Moore, Believing God lays a foundation for faith that demands belief.  She focuses on believing God is who He says He is, and can do what He says He can do—to draw the reader to rally around faith.  [Title of Author's Book] approaches belief more from the grappling we do to get there.  I delve into the “holy tension” we experience when we want to believe, but can’t.

Diminishing doubt, fear, embarrassment, and spiritual scar tissue are my landmarks that navigate a path towards belief.  Believing God walks readers through a time capsule of memories regarding the growth of their belief system, while [Title of Author's Book] approaches this growth by sharing the struggles of heroes like Peter—where doubt isn’t the point in belief, getting out of the boat is.

Do you see what this author did so brilliantly? She (1) told a little more about her own book with every comparison, (2) demonstrated that she not only read the important books on her subject but that she was able to distill the very essence of the comparable book in just a couple of sentences and (3) she treated her “competition” with respect, never denigrating the book. She used this section of the proposal to show that she understood what the publisher needed and why they needed it. In other words, she demonstrated that she was a consummate professional.

On the flip side, let me tell you what NOT to do:

Do not name blockbusters. “My book is like a combination of Heaven is for Real because it features a father and a son, Girl with a Dragon Tattoo because it includes a disquieting basement scene and Harry Potter because the characters travel via British trains.” (Can’t you just picture the editorial team rolling eyes?) Remember, your job is to capture the essence of your book and compare and contrast it to something that (1) should appeal to a similar demographic, (2) shares some thematic similarities, (3) will give the agent or editor some context for forecasting sales possibilities. When you pick a phenomenon like Harry Potter, it’s silly to offer it as a comparison. The appeal and trajectory of that series is akin to a hundred-year flood. It’s not going to come around again in our lifetimes. These kind of wild comparisons are not only useless, they indicate faulty reasoning and magical thinking. Not professional. Not helpful.

Do not say, “there’s nothing like this on the market.” To some extent that’s true of every book. You are unique and so no one has ever captured what you will capture in your book, but saying that defeats the purpose of what we are trying to do with a competitive analysis. Besides, if it were true, you’d be hard pressed to convince anyone that there’d be a place for your book on the shelf or even a market for it.

Do not treat this section lightly because it’s so difficult. If you come to this part of the proposal and throw up your hands and say, “I have no idea what’s out there,” think again about whether you should even be writing the book. It’s your job to be well read in your field. You must know what’s out there. As you do this important research, you will be shaping and reshaping your book.

I know I only touched on a small part of this confusing section, so please ask away. Do you see how powerful this section can be? Is there anyone out there who relishes this part of the proposal?

Blogger: Wendy Lawton

Location: Books & Such Central Valley Office, CA

Yesterday we talked about the Book-At-A-Glance. Almost as important is the author info. Few publishers are interested in looking at a disembodied book. They are interested in the unique combination of author and content.

Today I’ll break this up because it’s really very different for novelist and nonfiction writer. The nonfiction writer has a much tougher job convincing the publisher (or agent) that he has a “platform.” With fiction, the skill of the storyteller is most important.

But before I get started, a word to the wise. All the author information is written third person– as if you are writing about someone else. In spite of this be careful not to “oversell” yourself. Nothing is quite as off-putting as an author who uses hyperbole to sell himself or seems egotistical, even in third-person. Sell yourself as the perfect person to write the book but do it professionally.

Remember, much of the bio info will be reused for one thing or another. It will take on a life of its own. Be interesting but not too cute.

Fiction:

• Offer a great bio. Make it interesting. If you write funny, let the bio reflect that. If you write history, give a nod to that in your bio. In other words, make sure your bio is a representative reflection of your book and your writing. Include any contest wins and awards. Go easy on the personal stuff.
• Photo. I always insert a headshot in the bio section, especially if the author meets an underserved demographic. The jury is out on this. I’ve heard some ABA editors mock this practice but I’ve has several editors or publishers tell me how much they liked putting a face with the name. I am ever aware that there is ageism at play here, so if I had an 88-yer-old debut novelist (like my own favorite, Helen Hooven Santmyer) I may not offer the photo lest the publisher think the author won’t be around long enough to build a significant career.
• Past (or selected) publication history: This is very important. You’ll want to end this section with a graph giving actual numbers sold. No, you can’t fudge. If you have no publication history, omit this part. Don’t try some fancy footwork. Also, don’t add any academic writing– apples and oranges.
• Blurb Possibilities: If writers have offered to blurb your novel, have a paragraph that lists those writers along with the title and publisher of their latest (or greatest) novel. Remember, the best endorsers are those with whom you may share an audience. If you are yet unpublished, don’t ask published authors for blurbs. They are overwhelmed with requests. Once you are contracted, it’s soon enough to ask.
• Author Marketing Ideas: Here’s another area that depends on your target. In CBA, an author marketing plan is required. In ABA, I’ve heard editors on panels snicker at author marketing plans, “We have a whole department of professionals to do that. Why would we want to see an author marketing plan?” Be sure to outline the scope and size of your social network. Most editors now see that as the primary sphere of influence for an author.

Nonfiction:

• Again, offer a great bio that stresses why you are the perfect person to write this book. Study other excellent bios if in doubt. Make sure to give your credentials if the book you are writing requires your track record.
• Photo: See above.
• Past Publication History: See above. Published articles on your subject are important as well.
• Influencers and endorsers: If you have the imprimatur of leaders in your field, that could well be a tipping point. Be careful not to overwhelm but a good solid list of recognizable names can be gold.
• Author Marketing ideas: Here’s where you have to pull out all the stops. If you speak, detail that, giving your upcoming schedule. Publishers like to quantify this– “I speak to groups, both inspirational and motivational, about 25 times a years, including two platform appearances each year and one stadium event. Altogether, I speak to over 100,000 people annually.” Talk about the size and scope of your social network. List some of those who will be willing to influence on your behalf. If you’ve been on national television and radio, outline those in detail.

The key for both novelists and nonfiction writers is to let the editor or agent know who you are and why you are the perfect person to write this book.

Blogger: Wendy Lawton

Location: Books & Such Central Valley Office, CA

The first portion of the proposal we’ll examine is what I call Book-at-a-Glance. Many people teach proposal writing and you will come across at least as many different suggested styles. That’s okay. This is how I suggest doing it and I’ll give you my reasons. I think it’s important to present the book in a number of different ways, ranging from bite-sized tantalizing bits to a full course. Each of these components will be used in a different way. Not all are necessary for each book.

Let me break some of these down:

Title (fiction) and Title:Subtitle (nonfiction). Yes it’s true that the working title may not stick but you still need to come up with a superb title. After all, you may not get to use the title to hook your eventual reader but it does have to catch the eye and catch the imagination of professionals.

Promo Pitch (or Hook): This is the book in one or two compelling sentences. This may be the hardest writing you ever do and is important for both fiction and nonfiction. You’ll often see these hooks on the back cover  up near the top or sometimes on the front cover. Pick up a few books off your shelves and see if you can pick out the hooks. Does it make you want to read the book? This will be the luscious appetizer– the tiniest bite of all.

The Scriptural Foundation or the Theme: This will not be applicable to all books, of course, but if you are writing Christian fiction, for instance, this is a nice addition.

Back Cover-like Copy: This is the next biggest bite and is an easy one to figure out. Just get a stack of books and study what back cover copy looks like. What does it accomplish? Remember, each little piece, each component, may be used for different things. Take time with these. You’ll see those words over and over again. This might be the teaser that goes to the sales team along with the manuscript. It might be used to develop ad copy. A version of it might even end up as your back cover copy.

Genre: Make sure you figure out the best genre description of your book. Don’t do too many combinations or fusions. Remember this is for simplicity, so the store will know where to shelve your book. Study the stacks in the bookstore if you are unsure. Turn books over and you will see how they are categorized. If you’d like to dig deeper into this, check out the BISAC codes.

Audience: You need to know who is most likely to read your book and communicate this in your proposal. (Don’t say everybody.)

Manuscript: Here’s where you give the details– word count, when it will be done, etc.

Synopsis (For Fiction Only): This is the digest version of your story. I once heard someone suggest that you buy the soap opera digest in the grocery store and use it as a guide to write your synopsis. Remember, write with in general tone of the book. As for how long to make it, you’ll have to research your target proposal recipient. Some publishers want a two-page synopsis others want a very detailed synopsis. For a great tip sheet on synopses, see Fiction Writer’s Connection. The synopsis is your biggest bite next to sample chapters or a full manuscript.

Chapter-by-Chapter Summary (Nonfiction only): When writing a nonfiction book it is paramount to let the agent or editor see how you plan to develop the book. You do this by creating a chapter-by-chapter summary. You list each chapter by chapter title (or number if you are not titling the chapters). Next to each chapter you tell what that chapter will cover. An editor should be able to see how you are developing the book and building the content.

Let me show you a dummy page so that you can see at-a-glance how each bite satisfies a different appetite. Some are quick and quirky, others are detailed.

I know you must have questions. What did I leave out? What still confuses you? (Remember, tomorrow we’ll address the personal info, Thursday, the market analysis and Friday, the sample chapters.) So ask away.

Blogger: Wendy Lawton

Location: Books & Such Central Valley Office, CA

If you follow the Books & Such Blog you may have been expecting to hear from our fearless leader, Janet Kobobel Grant, this week. Because of her schedule, Janet will be taking the week off and I’ll be blogging in her place but let me hasten to reassure her faithful readers that she’ll be back dispensing her signature wisdom next month. In the meantime. . .

I’m going to be talking turkey about book proposals this week. (I can almost hear the collective groan.) I wish I had a dollar for every time a writer has confessed that he hates writing the proposal. I’m guessing I’d be close to paying for a cruise with those dollar bills. Last month Janet touched on this subject with her post on Magical Thinking but I want to take it further. This week we’re going to do a mini proposal clinic here on the blog. Today I will answer the perplexing question “why do I have to write a proposal?” Then the next four days we’ll talk about the four major parts of a proposal.

Let’s start with first things first. What is a proposal?

• Your book proposal is actually your business plan. Like a traditional business plan it will outline the “product”– that is, the book itself; identify the “customer”– better known as the reader;  profile the author, giving his past sales history; sketch out a marketing plan; analyze the competition; and offer a sample of the product.
• The book proposal is the blueprint of choice in publishing. Many an author wishes he could just submit his book and let the work speak for itself. Publishing is a business however. When an author submits his book to a publisher he’s asking for a business partner– someone to help him manufacture the product, market and distribute it. It’s going to require a significant investment of money on the part of the publisher. The proposal answers, in advance, all the questions the decision makers will need to ask.
• Much of the content of the proposal is the raw material the publisher will eventually use in marketing the book. The author bio, the book descriptions, the hook, the back cover copy– all come from the proposal.
• The proposal ensures that your brilliant idea is communicated through layer after layer of decision makers. Let’s say you want to skip the trouble of a formal proposal and you communicate your vision verbally to an agent. That agent then communicates to an acquisitions editor. The editor must sell the editorial team and then the pub committee. If the book is acquired, the information needs to be communicated to marketing department and then to the sales team who will have to sell the book to the buyers who need to explain the book to the store personnel who will finally hand sell the book to the reader. That’s nine layers. If just a little excitement or detail leaks at every layer you’ll hit ho hum long before the sales team. A powerful proposal carries that excitement through every layer of the publisher and provides the detailed information the marketing department needs to take it the rest of the way.

Why do we write a proposal?

• For agents and editors. This goes without saying. This is how we make decisions.
• For the author. This may surprise you but the proposal is invaluable to you. Many a book has been reshaped or abandoned during the process of detailing the competition. As you do the hard work of building the business plan for the book, it helps to creatively shape it, whether it is fiction or nonfiction. The work you do on this end of the project will save you much aimless wandering on the other end.

What does a good proposal do?

• It answers all the questions a pub committee might ask
• It gives a solid overview of the book
• It tells why the book is needed
• It tells why the book is unique
• It tells why the author is the person to write the book

What is the magic formula?

• Is there a standardized proposal format? There is no shortage of books on how to format a proposal. At our agency we’ve developed a Style Guide for our proposals. We feel it’s important for all Books & Such proposals to have a certain format, a recognizable look. We like to think that when an editor gets a proposal in our signature format it makes them smile, thinking of all the great books they’ve bought from us in the past that have looked similar. But if you are creating a proposal on your own, just make sure it has all the important parts and looks professional
• Can we get creative? It’s always a risk. We’ve all seen too many “fancy” proposals that have no substance. But if your book calls for some creativity and you are willing to take the risk. . .

What if I’m “beyond having to do a proposal” in my career? I think Janet answered this one in her post on magical thinking. The proposal is a tool, as much for you as for the agent and the editor. It’s like a builder saying, “I’ve built so many houses in my career, I don’t need a plan or blueprints on this one. The subs all know what I do more or less.”  Scary.

Your turn: Do you agree? How do you feel about writing proposals? Do you feel like the proposal practice saps the creativity out of writing? Has the process of writing the proposal ever highlighted potential problems with the book long before you ever submitted it?

Location: Midwest Office, IL

For those of you in a critique group, you probably celebrate daily. That is, if your group members are continually growing and learning, truly challenge each other, and don’t hesitate to voice constructive criticism. If these critical elements aren’t part of your group dynamic, you’re wasting your time at best and potentially killing your writing career if you submit a mediocre manuscript to an agent or publisher.

We’re going to celebrate the great ones today. Can you imagine writing in a vacuum, without the help your critique group provides? I want you to comment on the ways you have grown as a writer and refined your manuscript to a level of excellence as a result of your critique partners’ reviews, suggestions, editing, and proofreading.

But, first, how do you find a critique group?

Those who haven’t taken the step to join a good group need the encouragement and inspiration to do so soon. The ACFW conference this week is a great opportunity to meet and connect with a group of fiction writers. But if you aren’t a member or attending the conference, you can go to their website to join and find a group. Terry Whalin has some good advice and suggestions on finding a critique group. Here’s the link to his article: http://www.right-writing.com/critique.html

It may take trying a few on for size before you land in a group where you feel comfortable and connected. But the search is worth the effort. Strong friendships are often built in these groups because all of you are united in a common passion and goal. Some of you may have life-long friends you first met in a critique group.

Freelance editors are another resource to be celebrated today. With or without your critique group’s dedicated support, you might realize that grammar isn’t our thing–and neither is punctuation. A professional editor can review your finished proposal and manuscript. So much rests on the professionalism you present in your submission. (Although I do have to insert this caveat. Sometimes authors who have had one or two books published proclaim themselves professional editors. But being published doesn’t qualify you to be an editor. Writing and editing are two very different tasks. Being good at one doesn’t make you good at the other.)

If you can’t afford to hire a professional editor, contact the English-writing or journalism department at a nearby college. Usually seniors or grad students are looking for side jobs. One of my clients chose this route recently, and the difference in the proposal and sample chapters of her nonfiction work were cause for celebration—and we did! Her proposal is now ready to be submitted to publishers.

How did you find your critique group? Did you try more than one before you found a good fit? How long have you been in your current critique group? Let’s have a contest for the person who has been in the same critique group the longest time. And remember to comment on what you appreciate about your critique group and/or your editor. Also, what questions might you have about finding critique groups  or a good editor? Perhaps we can help each other out.