Justin is an aspiring author. He has a great idea for a nonfiction book about the Big Bang theory of the universe. But he’s heard there are two types of book proposals, the commercial and the more meandering, or philosophical, approach. Which one is best for him?

This question is faced by many writers who have read books or surveyed Web sites on the book proposal. In fact, a book proposal can take many different forms. There is really no prescribed format that a writer must use. The whole idea, of course, is to persuade a publisher to buy your book, and if you can do that with a two-page outline, more power to you. Usually, however, a more detailed proposal works best. Let’s look at the two options.

THE TYPICAL BOOK PROPOSAL - COMMERCIAL

Most book proposals fall into what I call the commercial category. This means they’re aimed at the sales force of the publisher, its marketing team, and the acquiring editor. These book proposals start with a section designed to intrigue mainly the acquiring editor. That section, called the overview or introduction, tells what the book is about in a couple of pages. It includes the length of the book and the expected delivery date.

The commercial book proposal also has sections on marketing, publicity and promotion, an about the author section, a competing books section, and one or two sample chapters at the end. To look at it, the commercial book proposal is more like a business plan than anything else. It tells the publisher that this book is a good investment because (1) it will appeal to a large group of people, (2) it can be easily promoted, and (3) it is about a fascinating topic that the publisher should be proud to publish.

THE ATYPICAL BOOK PROPOSAL - PHILOSOPHICAL

Another type of book proposal is more editor-oriented. I call it the philosophical approach not because it deals with philosophy per se, but because it focuses more on the thought processes that went into making you want to write the book. It has a softer edge and focus than the commercial proposal.

The editor-focused approach requires you to think in terms of what an acquiring editor will be looking for. This book proposal has a decidedly more professional feel, and it may only mention the markets and publicity issues in passing.

So which one is better for you? I suggest that the commercial approach is better because it is more typical. At the same time, you can learn from the philosophical approach how to direct arguments toward an editor. On the other hand, those opting for the more philosophical approach can learn to beef up their marketing and publicity section by considering the strategies employed by the commercial book proposal.

Our friend Justin opted for the commercial proposal, and he’s aiming his book at a wide audience. Whichever option you choose, make sure you understand it fully because then your book proposal will be more able to use the strengths, and avoid the weaknesses, of the particular style you have selected.

Copyright © 2007 William Cane

William Cane is the international best-selling author of The Art of Kissing. Want his free how-to advice on book proposals, literary agents, and query letters? Get it before your competition does at: http://www.hiwrite.com