8-Week: Writing Persuasive Book Proposals

What does it take to represent your work to the outside world? And in a competitive, overcrowded market, how do book proposals find literary agents that “get it” and book editors that want to buy in? As publishing becomes increasingly competitive and publishers less willing to take risks, a good, persuasive proposal is more important than ever before.

This eight-week course is for students who are actively working on book proposals—or are ready to start drafting one during this workshop — and are seeking feedback as they prepare to begin querying agents and/or exploring routes to publication. (Fiction writers are welcome to join, but the course will focus on the traditional nonfiction book proposal, including memoirs.)

We’ll discuss what components your book proposal needs and options for structuring it; the role of book proposals in the publishing industry; and the best practices for writers to convey and present—with heart and persuasion—the book they’ve written or have started to write. Students should anticipate focused discussions, in-class writing exercises, and written and verbal feedback from the instructor (with the expectation that peers will do the same) on sections of their in-progress book proposals.

Scheduling note: This class will not meet on 1/20 and will end on 3/3.