Early pricing until September 15th!  Plus the first 3 people to sign up get a one-hour coaching session with me to discuss your book idea.  Sign up now!

Your writing dream probably looks something like this:

You’re standing behind a podium at a bookstore, looking out at dozens of people, all of whom regard you with rapt attention. Because you are an author, reading from your book. The very book you wrote all by your little self. And now, because of writing that book, you get to appear before these adoring fans. (Adoring fans=very good.) Once your brilliant reading is finished, you repair to a table stacked with books where said adoring fans wait in a very long line just have you, little ole you, sign a book for them. This is what you’ve wanted forever. And now your moment is here, and it is even better than you imagined. Can I get a hip, hip, hooray?

But wait. That amazing moment is not possible any more, is it? Because, we’ve all heard the bad news:

• Borders, Barnes and Noble and small bookstores are closing locations right and left.
• EBooks are taking over the world.
• The publishing world is in chaos.
• It is impossible to get published, because:
• Nobody is buying books any more.

But here’s a news flash for you: Books are still being published.

Dubious? Check this out: according to Bowker, the company that tracks industry trends, 1,052, 803 books were published in 2009. That’s a helluva lot of books. Why shouldn’t yours be among them? It should be, and it can be! How? Write yourself a book proposal. The fastest and easiest way to sell a non-fiction book is with a book proposal, and in this four-week teleclass you’ll learn how to put one together.  

First, though, in case you have any lingering doubts about why you want to write a book, let’s review:

• Because a book gives you instant credibility
• Because a book allows you to serve more people
• Because you can build an entire business around a book
• Because a book allows you to travel and meet people
• Because a book will help you attract awesome clients
• Because writing a book is fun and having a published book is even better
• And best of all (drumroll, please), because a book gives you freedom!

Okay, good, so I’ve now reminded you why you had that dream of writing a book in the first place. So why not go right to writing the book instead of messing with a book proposal?  I’ll tell you why:

• Non-fiction books are sold via book proposal. Even if you query an agent or editor about a finished book, odds are good she’ll ask for a proposal.
• Writing a book proposal is like working on a very long book report from your school days. And who didn’t love creating those book reports?
• Putting together a proposal will give you confidence and hope. You’ll realize that, yesiree Bob, you can write you a book!
• Writing a book proposal gives you a blueprint for writing the whole book. Which, I personally think is the hardest part.
• A book proposal forces you to think in terms of audience and market, crucial skills for today’s authors.
• Non-fiction is easier to sell than fiction, by a long shot. With a well-crafted book proposal, you’ve actually got a good shot at nabbing an agent.

In the Book Proposals That Succeed Class you’ll learn:

• Why agents and editors prefer proposals over finished books
• The essential elements of a successful book proposal
• The secret to making your proposal stand out
• How to suss out the audience and market for your book
• How best to approach an agent or editor for your book
• How to use your book proposal to get an advance
• Ideas to build your author’s platform as you complete the book
• How to deal with the fear demon
• Ttricks for laser focus when writing

By the end of the class you have:

• The entire concept of your book figured out
• The structure of your book committed to paper
• Written rough drafts of all elements of the book proposal
• Detailed outlines of your two sample chapters, so you can go forth and write them
• Clear guidance on final steps to completion
• Confidence in your ability to finish the book!

But wait, you say. What about self-publishing? Isn’t it all the rage these days? And certainly if I self-publish I don’t need a book proposal, do I? Isn’t it simpler just to write the book?

Here’s the deal: a book proposal is like a very long, well-thought-out outline for your finished book, with information about the author and the competition thrown in. Honestly, these are all elements you’ll want to complete for a self-published book anyway, because:

• You’ll need an outline to keep you on course
• You’ll need to gather your biographical information for your own promotional purposes
• You’ll need to research what other books exist in the market

So why not complete a book proposal and give submitting it to agents and editors a shot? If they don’t bite, you can go on to your self-publishing plan, secure in the knowledge that you’ve covered all your bases.  

Here’s what the class includes:

• Four-week teleclass, with each session an hour-and-a-half crammed full of content
• All calls will be recorded
• Worksheets and exercises for each session
• Unlimited mail access to me for duration of class
• The support of a creative group

Ready to sign up? Here are the details:

The class runs four weeks and is a teleclass so you can take it no matter where you live.

All calls will be recorded.

You’ll receive call-in details in advance of each class.

You could have a finished book proposal in just a couple months from now.

You could be submitting the proposal to agents well before the end of the year, or you could be laying plans to publish and launch the book yourself.

All you have to do is take the first step. Make the commitment. Sign up for the class. I can’t wait to hear your idea for a book!

Class begins on Tuesday, October 8th, and runs for four weeks on October 8, 15, 22, and 29th.  We’ll meet on the phone at 5 PM Pacific/ 6 PM Mountain/ 7 PM Central and 8 PM Eastern.

Early bird pricing of $327 in effect until September 15th. Price goes up to $397 after that.

When you sign up for the class, you’ll be directed to a special website that has prompts for freewriting and other information that will help you get going on your proposal.  (Should you lose the link to the page, as I often do, just email me and I’ll send it to you.)