4 Reasons Why You Need to Write a Book Proposal—Even if Your Book Isn’t Finished Yet

If you want to get your book published, the proposal is an essential tool for convincing editors that they should give you a chance.

When I first started writing, coming from a blue-collar family and the D.I.Y. punk world, many things about the publishing business confused me — especially that business part. Now, as a creative nonfiction teacher, I mostly focus on the craft of writing, but when students are all done with their manuscripts, they often ask, “What’s next?” In many cases, the “what’s next” is: You need to write your book proposal. If you want to get your book published, the proposal is an essential tool for convincing editors that they should give your book a chance. Yet, when the idea of a proposal comes up, many writers freak out, preferring to tinker with the final-ish draft of their books instead.

I have written proposals for my own books and have also guided dozens of other writers through crafting their own contract-winning proposals. Here’s what I’ve learned about why, if you want to sell your book, you really should get going on that proposal…

1. Book proposals speak the language of the gatekeepe…