Part Two of “How to Find a Publisher for Your Nonfiction Book“
A one-sheet mini-proposal is a marketing/communication tool a potential author uses to give an agent or editor a concise overview of a single book or series. It should take up no more than one side of one printed page.
The entire purpose of a one-sheet is to pique the agent or editor’s interest to the point that he or she requests a full proposal. Some of the typical information you will find on a one-sheet mini-proposal includes:
Title/Subtitle. Though your title/subtitle will likely change before publication, it is probably the most significant piece of your one-sheet. If it doesn’t immediately engage the agent or editor, the opportunity may be lost. The title/subtitle should grab the reader’s attention, tell what the book is about, and identify the benefit to the reader.
Contact Information. Make sure the agent or editor knows the best way to contact you if she or he would like to follow up with you.
Description. This is the second most important part of the one-sheet. Here you will describe the message of your book. Think of this paragraph as the ad copy or a condensed version of the back cover copy. Why should people read the book?
Target Audience. With as much specificity as you can, describe the primary and secondary target audiences of your book or series.
Unique Features or Benefits. Describe what is unique about your book or what benefits it offers that are not found in other books on the same topic.
Author Bio. Provide your personal credentials, especially those that provide legitimacy for you as an author for this particular book.
Author Platform. This section addresses the question of why you have people’s attention on this topic and what means you have available to make your voice heard.
Previous Publications. List some or all of the writing you’ve had published in books, magazines, journals, or other periodicals. This is a way to establish your legitimacy as a writer.
That’s a lot to fit on one side of one page. Resist the urge to reduce the font size or margins. If the agent or editor has to strain to read it, he or she will quickly lose interest. Each section will need to be no longer than one paragraph or a few bullet points. The process of whittling down everything you could say about the book to one page will help you communicate clearly why an agent or editor should be interested in reading your full proposal.
Continue the series: Creating a Nonfiction Book Proposal