Want to Write a Book Proposal But Have No Clue? Help is Here!

Want to write and publish a nonfiction book? Your first choice is probably a traditional publisher, which pays you an advance for the right to publish your work. (Or you may choose to go POD, or print-on-demand, where you pay a company to publish your book--or opt for an electronic version instead.) 

Well, if you want to sell your nonfiction book, you'll have to write a book proposal. A proposal typically contains the following elements: 

                  The overview of the concept and a brief statement of your qualifications;

                  The audience, which describes the target market (in other words, who will buy your book);

   The “about the author” section where you highlight your “platform”;

                  The competition analysis, where you list books that are similar to yours and describe how your book is different from (and better than) competing titles;

                  A marketing and promotion section that describes how you will use your platform and media connections to help sell the book;

                  An outline of the book, which includes brief chapter summaries and other material the book will include (i.e., foreword, appendix, and index); 

                  At least one sample chapter; and

                  Relevant attachments, such as magazine articles you’ve written about the topic. 

Sound like a lot of work? It is. My book proposals usually take four to six weeks to write, depending on the subject matter and amount of research I have to do, and run between 30 and 60 pages. One coauthored proposal, which included detailed chapter summaries, weighed in at more than 120 pages. (I did get paid $15,000 to write it, but it was still an enormous amount of work. And then it didn't sell...bummer.) 

If you're new to writing proposals, I have good news. My colleague Jennifer Lawler, a veteran author, freelancer, and editor is offering her popular online class, Write your Book Proposal e-Course, which starts in September. I've known Jennifer for years, and she's not only smart and successful, she loves helping would-be authors make the transition from wanna-be to published author. She's also the person behind Be Your Own Book Doctor, so get in touch with her to learn more about how to get your book in print and/or pixels.

**Want to write and get paid for it? Check out my latest two books, Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and Online Markets and Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money, second edition. If you prefer print (like I do), order directly from ImprovisePress.com. Use the discount code, IMPROVISEPRESS (all caps/no breaks) for 20 percent off of your order! 

13 out of 200: A Less-Than-Impressive Start to my Freelance Career

There's a big difference between seasoned freelancers and those just starting out, at least when it comes to marketing. Seasoned freelancers write much better queries than other writers. And new writers? Most of the times, their queries...well, they stink. 

My first year of full-time freelancing, I sent out more than 200 queries to potential markets. (This is including resubs, but that’s still a lot of pitching.) You know how many of them actually sold? Are you ready? Thirteen.

Thirteen out of more than 200. That's not a bad number for a direct mail campaign, but it's not too impressive for pitches that were supposed to be targeted to specific editors and markets. If I started out freelancing today and had that kind of result, I don’t know that I could, or would, stick with it.

          

But receiving so many “bongs” (that’s what I call rejections) thickened my skin. I stopped taking rejection personally. Yes, I was still annoyed. Disappointed. Discouraged. Frequently disgusted, and occasionally depressed. But I knew it wasn’t a rejection of me, only of my idea. (And looking back, many of my queries were terrible. They lacked focus, they were poorly researched, they weren’t written with the magazine’s audience in mind. No wonder they failed!)

            

By using the 24-hour rule, I turned each of those bongs into two opportunities. I kept pitching. I kept trying. Yes, I was discouraged but I kept my hand in, so to speak. And eventually I started getting assignments—not only because I kept pitching but because my queries got better. Much better. I learned to think about what the editor might want in a pitch, to highlight my I'm-So-Great paragraph, or ISG, and to present a "package" that made it easy for an editor--even one new to me--to say "yes." 

By my second year of freelancing, about one-quarter of my pitches sold, and that percentage continued to climb. (Today, more than half of the articles I pitch sell—and that’s a percentage I’m very happy with.)

            

I tell new writers that they will spend most of their time marketing until they start getting assignments. And that marketing doesn’t pay off until you get work. Well, that’s not quite true. Because the marketing you do makes you a better marketer. Write a lot of queries with the goal of improving your queries, and you will write better queries! And better queries=more assignments. 

**This post was drawn was drawn from my book, Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and Online Markets. Order directly from ImprovisePress.com and use the discount code, IMPROVISEPRESS (all caps/no breaks) for 20 percent off of your order!

Finally, less than 24 hours left on my latest special offer for readers continues! Three of my most popular ebooks on Kindle are priced at only $0.99! 

• Dollars and Deadlines' 10 Most Popular, Proven Ways to Make Money as a Freelance Writer
• Dollars and Deadlines' Guide to Selling Your First Article
• Dollars and Deadlines' 10 Essential Freelance Templates 

Tick Tock! Time's Winding Down on the $0.99 eBook Offer

Tick tock! Just a reminder that the $0.99 offer on my three ebooks will run out soon...by the end of August, 2013, they'll revert back to their usual prices. So if you want to get those books downloaded on your Kindle, don't wait! :) 

Dollars and Deadlines' 10 Most Popular, Proven Ways to Make Money as a Freelance Writer;

Dollars and Deadlines' Guide to Selling Your First Article;

Dollars and Deadlines' 10 Essential Freelance Templates; 

Dollars and Deadlines' 10 Truths Every Writer Who Wants to Get Published Should Know. 

Announcement over...have a great day! 

A Surprising Thing about the Super Awesome Bonus

When I started freelancing full-time more than 16 years ago, I not only lacked clips (well, I did have two) and experience. I also had no mentors. No freelancing friends. I didn't even know of someone who freelanced full-time, so I had to rely on books (and I did read a lot on freelancing, writing, self-employment, you name it) and figure out my own path.  

Let me tell you, I wrote some horrible queries. But in all fairness, I had no one to help me get better. I didn't have someone I could reach out to and ask for an honest query critique. I just wrote the best queries I could and hoped. It took me months and dozens and dozens of queries to eventually refine them to more compelling pitches. 

That's one of the reasons I made my "super awesome bonus" offer in Dollars and Deadlines. The book is aimed at brand-new freelancers--those who have never written for publication before but who want to. I walk readers through the process and give them tons of templates and samples, but something was missing. 

I didn't want to only give readers all the information they needed. I wanted to give them a chance for feedback. So I created the bonus. I offered readers a FREE query critique if they followed the directions provided. That way readers would have immediate, specific feedback from a professional writer (um, me) and be able to submit a stronger, more saleable query--and possibly have their first pitch result in an assignment! 

A critique like this is valuable. In fact, I charge $100/hour for this kind of consulting work (and believe me, it's worth it). And yet not one reader has taken me up on this offer! If you're a reader of Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and Online Markets, send me your query! 

Hey, I've never seen a book author make this kind of offer, I wouldn't have done it if I wasn't serious about it. I want you to succeed as a freelancer. So let me help!  


***My latest special offer for readers continues. I sell more books on Kindle than on any other e-platform, so I'm offering this $0.99 special offer comes in. For a limited time, three of my most popular ebooks on Kindle are priced at only $0.99! 

• Dollars and Deadlines' 10 Most Popular, Proven Ways to Make Money as a Freelance Writer
• Dollars and Deadlines' Guide to Selling Your First Article
• Dollars and Deadlines' 10 Essential Freelance Templates 

And if you're serious about making money from your words, check out my full-length books, Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and Online Markets and Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money, second edition. If you prefer print (like I do), order directly from ImprovisePress.com. Use the discount code, IMPROVISEPRESS (all caps/no breaks) for 20 percent off of your order!

When That Big Project Falls Through...Six Ways to Get Back on Track

I heard from another writer last week who just had a big project fall through. She asked me to keep her in mind for any work I might be unable to take on. In the meantime, she's stressed and scrambling to make up the work she'd planned on.  

This scenario is one of the drawbacks of "big gigs," or work that takes more than a few days to complete. When I started freelancing, all of my work was short pieces, primarily articles for newspapers and magazines. I also did some work for small local companies. I had a lot of deadlines to juggle--typically at least eight to twelve articles, along with corporate assignments, at a time--but each assignment took only a few days to report and write. 

But when I segued into writing books, I had to commit to longer-term work. Writing a book proposal, for example, takes me several weeks. To ghostwrite or write a book, I will set aside anywhere from three to six months, and during that time I don't take on other major projects. (I have written two books simultaneously in the past, but that made me a little crazy. And with a part-time work schedule, I can't commit to that these days.) Setting aside that time means I'm committed--and if my client backs out or the deal falls through (it happens), then I'm the one scrambling for new work. 

So what can do you when this happens to you?

1. Avoid the all-the-eggs scenario. I always have multiple assignments on my desk at any given time. Even if I'm working on a book, I like having the "quick hits" of shorter pieces. They're much faster to write and complete, and they help smooth out my cash flow. Sure, I'd rather get a check for several thousand dollars from a ghostwriting client, but those $450 and $800 checks add up, too. So make sure you have a selection of work eggs--even though some may be much more valuable--in your basket. 

2. Reach out to your current and former clients. This is the time to hit them up for work, but don't come right out and say, "I have no work! I'm desperate!" Instead, I'd write something like: 

Hi, Susan!

I hope you're having a great summer, first off. I'm wrapping up a couple of big projects and wanted to touch base to see if you're looking for any story ideas or have any assignments that might be right for me. Let me know if there are any areas you'd like to receive pitches on, and I will be in touch! 

Thanks and have a great day!
Kelly 

I always want to present the impression of being busy and in demand--even when I'm neither. It's all about perceptions. :) 

3. Consider old pitches. When I need to get the work pipeline moving, I'll go back to old queries and see which ones I could re-pitch with minimal work. I'll also look at recent stories I've done to look for new angles for other markets--what I call reslanting. These pitches take less time to write than a completely new pitch, and make my marketing time more efficient. 

4. Reach out to other writers. I will also email a handful of writers I know who work in the same subject areas as me with the same kind of email I might send to a former or current client to let them know I'm available if they're overwhelmed.  

5. Revisit personal priorities. Yes, my initial response to a no-work crisis is to get my butt in gear to line up more work. But I also use some of the time to address my own projects. For example, when I'm slow work-wise right now, I use the time to market Improvise Press and look for speaking gigs. This kind of work may not pay off in the very short-term, but it does have long-term benefits. 

6. Embrace the downtime. As a freelancer, you have more control over your career than the average wage slave. But nothing is entirely in your control. So roll with it. As I write this, my current ghostwriting client is behind, which means I have a lot less to to today than expected (at least until she gets the latest chapter back to me for editing/rewriting.) 

I've already adjusted my schedule to address this change. Instead of spending all day ghostwriting, today I'll finish an article (about a month ahead of deadline!) and get that off my desk. I'll get my usual Monday blog post up. I'll write some queries, reach out to some of my regular clients, and follow up on some reprint markets. I'll also contact some libraries about speaking there this fall. And then? I'll knock off work early, and take kids to the pool. This kind of "found time" doesn't happen often, so I'll enjoy it,--and get back to work tomorrow! 

***My latest special offer for readers continues. I sell more books on Kindle than on any other e-platform, so I'm offering this $0.99 special offer comes in. For a limited time, three of my most popular ebooks on Kindle are priced at only $0.99! 

• Dollars and Deadlines' 10 Most Popular, Proven Ways to Make Money as a Freelance Writer
• Dollars and Deadlines' Guide to Selling Your First Article
• Dollars and Deadlines' 10 Essential Freelance Templates 

And if you're ready for the whole kit and kaboodle, check out my full-length books, Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and Online Markets and Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money, second edition. If you prefer print (like I do), order directly from ImprovisePress.com. Use the discount code, IMPROVISEPRESS (all caps/no breaks) for 20 percent off of your order!

The Best $0.99 You'll Ever Spend--and Six Surprising Things about my Freelance Career

[Want to know about the best $0.99 you'll ever spend? Scroll down to the bottom of this post.] Here's me from 10 years ago, in my old office in our old house; I had just gotten home from a speaking gig. (Please note the Diet Mountain Dew bottle close at hand at hand along with the general office disorganization behind me.) 

I've been thinking a lot about successful freelancers (including six-figure ones) and what sets them apart from writers who are equally talented (if not more talented!) than freelancers who struggle to meet their financial goals. 

One aspect of freelancing that I love is that there is no single path to success. I know successful writers who write books exclusively, and those who have never written a book, choosing to specialize in shorter forms. I know successful writers who specialize in corporate work and those who have no interest in doing it. Same goes for ghostwriting--I know successful writers who do lots of it (like me) and those who do none. I know successful writers whose primary income results from print assignments and those who all but ignore print work for online assignments. I know six-figure writers who have tens of thousands of Twitter followers and those who (gasp) don't even use social media--though I'm willing to bet they'll get on LinkedIn eventually.

My point? Your career is completely individual to you. Sure, you can emulate other writers, and adapt their business model if it works for you. But the bottom line is that the choices you make will determine how much money you make, and how pleased you are with freelancing over all. 

I'm pretty transparent when it comes to my career, whether I'm talking about money or contracts or how I run my business. Still, people have misconceptions about how I work, and what has helped me stay afloat in a demanding field for more than 16 years. Here are five things that may surprise you about my career: 

1. I suck at social media. Seriously. I know writers who get leads and even juicy assignments through Twitter and LinkedIn. Me? Not so much. Yes, I have a listing on LinkedIn, and I have Twitter (@kellyjamesenger) and Facebook accounts. But have I figured out how to make those work for me, freelancing-wise? Nope. It's on my to-do list, but I admit it's not a priority right now. 

2. I take work other writers wouldn't. I posted recently about an assignment I accepted that paid $400 for 650-700 words including photos. A few years ago, I may have just refused the assignment. But as I pointed out in my earlier post, I have solid reasons for saying yes, and since then I've received two more assignments from the market. The per-word rate is relatively low, but my per-hour rate is still close to $100/hour, which is what I try to average on assignments. I also just reached out to a potential reprint client that pays only $40/story. Hardly worth it, right? Well, if this market buys one story from me, that's $40 for about 15 minutes' worth of work. And if the market buys more than one story (which most of my reprint markets wind up doing), my ROI--and my hourly rate--just keeps climbing. 

3. I don't work full-time. I haven't for almost eight years. Today I work about 15 hours/week. I couldn't have done this at the outset of my career; it took me plenty of hours (think 40+) to research potential markets, send query letters and LOIs, and get my career off of the ground. Now that I do more ghostwriting (and typically have a book project on my desk at any given time), I spend less time marketing and more time writing for money--which is how you make money, after all. 

4. I'm lazy. (See number 3.) Well, no, not really. I'm a type A by nature and I like to work. I like to make money. I like making clients happy. I like the satisfaction of supporting myself (and my family) doing something I love, at least most of the time--and I love the freedom freelancing avails me. That means if I can do a pretty good job on a story in, say, five hours, or a stellar job in eight hours, I'll opt for the former. (Shhh...don't tell my clients.) That doesn't mean I don't care about doing good work. I do. But I've found in almost every case, "pretty good" is good enough. That makes me less perfectionistic, more productive (and less stressed) writer. 

5. I'm an extrovert. If you've met me in person, you know this already. One of the most challenging aspects of freelancing for me has always been the isolation. I "reboot" around other people, especially those who make me laugh. Yeah, I go on Facebook but online relationships aren't enough for me. I need IRL friends (both writers and non-writers) to feel connected, stable, and happy. So I've learned to incorporate socializing into my day. No, I won't burn my work hours to get together with a girlfriend, but I'll happily drag my three-year-old along to lunch with a fellow freelancer (or better yet, host at home) or meet up for drinks after work. That's what recharges me and makes me excited about my life--including my career--again. 

6. I have worn the same outfit to the ASJA annual conference no less than five times, over the course of as many years. It's a pair of flat-black pants and a bright pink blouse in a weird polyester fabric that is both flattering and comfortable. One year another writer saw me and complimented me on it. "That is a great color!" she said. I thanked her. The next year, I ran into her again, and we said hello. I saw her look at my shirt, and I laughed. "Yes, it's the same shirt!" The next year, I saw her again...and yes, I was wearing the same shirt. "Same shirt!" I said, pointing. She seemed a little worried by my lack of wardrobe (I hate to shop) but I thought it was hilarious, and vowed to continue wearing the shirt. And I have! So make sure you compliment me if you see me wearing it. :) (And note the shirt in the photo above!) 

Readers, what about you? What about your freelancing career would surprise others in our field? Please share below! :) 

***Yes, it's time for another special offer for my readers. That's where the $0.99 special offer comes in--for a limited time, three of my most popular ebooks on Kindle are priced at only $0.99! For a limited time, you can buy any of these books for less than a buck!: 

• Dollars and Deadlines' 10 Most Popular, Proven Ways to Make Money as a Freelance Writer
• Dollars and Deadlines' Guide to Selling Your First Article
• Dollars and Deadlines' 10 Essential Freelance Templates 

And if you're ready for the whole kit and kaboodle, check out my full-length books, Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and Online Markets and Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money, second edition. If you prefer print (like I do), order directly from ImprovisePress.com. Use the discount code, IMPROVISEPRESS (all caps/no breaks) for 20 percent off of your order!