Nonfiction

Various publishing houses approach the editorial function differently. Yet, the main job of all editors is to find good manuscripts, develop them, and then sell these manuscripts to the in-house departments. Thanks go to Len Goss, who was Senior Acquisitions Editor at Broadman & Holman Publishers, now B & H Publishing Group, for his four basic steps that he used in reaching the publishing decision. Here are his first two:

1. Evaluation: The editor who receives the proposal is going to ask some hard questions about it. Does it fit squarely within the general publishing parameters of the publishing house? Does it fall within the mission statement? Is the topic timely? Is the topic significant? Is the manuscript's readability level about right? Is it well written? Is the structure of the project coherent? Does the manuscript or the book idea stimulate thought and inquiry? Is it generally usable for courses in the typical curriculum? If so, which courses and at what level? Is this an economically viable book? Will it attract a reading audience?

2. Review: What usually happens when an editor's initial response is favorable is that he or she will ask for the opinions of colleagues in the publishing house. In many cases, the material is sent to outside reviewers who are asked to read and evaluate the manuscript. The outside reviewers are chosen for their expertise in the subject matter of the manuscript. Sometimes manuscripts are sent to several reviewers, all in the attempt to determine the strength and weaknesses of the author's position or presentation. When the editor receives all the reviews, he or she must then weigh them and decide whether to reject the project or move it to the next stage, which in most cases means taking it to the publications board at the publishing house.

More of Len’s tips will be given in next week’s blog.

 

Nonfiction

The fifth and final part of a book proposal is the Sample Chapters. Normally two or three are included in a book proposal. These are double-spaced and should reflect the quality and substance of your book. I suggest sending the first two or three chapters to give the editor a sense of continuity. Some authors prefer to send the first, middle, and last chapters; others prefer to include a chapter with specific significance. You be the judge regarding what is best for your manuscript. The chapters should be double-spaced.

It is important to keep your entire proposal under 40 pages. When an editor or agent first looks at your manuscript, he or she will probably only give it about 20 minutes. If it is too long, the editor will not be able to get a good overview in a short time.

Different publishing houses and agents have different requirements for writing a proposal. What I have given you here will be required by most of them, but they may also want additional material. Be sure to check the proposal guidelines for the publishing house or agent to which you wish to send your book proposal before completing it.

I think writing the proposal is the hardest part of writing an entire book, but a good proposal can be your ticket to receiving a contract.

On next week’s blog we will discuss the publishing process at a major publishing house.

 

Nonfiction

The fourth part of a book proposal is A MARKETING PLAN. It shows how you plan to market your book. Do you have a website? Will you blog? What social media do you use? How many followers do you have? In today’s market, it is vital that you market your own book and that a publishing house knows you have this capability before they give you a contract.

Here are my social media sites.

I post a weekly blog on my website at: www.Christiancommunicator\blog\

My Facebook address is: www.facebook.com/Susanosb. I currently have 4724 followers, most of whom are authors or people in Christian publishing.

My LinkedIn address is: www.linkedin.com/in/Susanosb/. I have 2500+ followers on LinkedIn. This is more of a professional organization than Facebook.

On Twitter: Tweet to Susanosb. I have 578 followers.

To be perfectly honest, I need to post more often on social media and develop more contacts. I usually only post once a week.

There are other social media sites, but I don’t want to spread myself too thin. Only set up what you can handle well.

The fifth and final part of a book proposal is the Sample Chapters, which will be the subject of next week’s blog.

 

Nonfiction

The third part of a book proposal is a Comparative Analysis. Check the Internet at Amazon.com and Christianbooks.com for books similar to yours. Also check with your local Christian bookstore. Write an analysis, showing how your book compares to these other books and why you think your book will sell. Here is part of the comparative analysis I did for the book, Wounded by Words:

Wounded by Words: Healing the Invisible Scars of Emotional Abuse will help victims recognize the signs of their emotional abuse. The subtleness of this type of abuse often leaves the person confused, or she may not even be consciously aware of the problem, especially if the abuse began in childhood and continued into adulthood. Wounded by Words is written by women who were verbally abused as children. Later the women married men who continued the cycle of emotional abuse in their lives. But Wounded by Words is much more than their stories. It includes the stories of many other individuals who, at various times in their lives, suffered demeaning, caustic words, causing a loss of self-esteem and self-worth. Skills for coping and Scripture references are provided throughout the book to lead the reader on the path to renewal and wholeness through Christ.

Healing the Scars of Emotional Abuse, rev. ed. Gregory L. Jantz & Ann McMurray, Grand Rapids: Baker, 2003, $12.99, ISBN: 0800758714. There are no bruises to yellow and heal, no gaping wound to point to. But, in spite of their invisibility, emotional wounds are a very damaging form of abuse. Whether caused by words, action, or even indifference, emotional abuse is very common—yet often overlooked. In this helpful guide, Christian therapist Gregory Jantz examines why emotional abuse is so common and damaging. He reveals how those who have been abused by a spouse, parent, employer, or minister can overcome the past and rebuild their self-image. This book is from the psychologist’s viewpoint rather than the victim’s.

The Healing Touch: A Guide to Healing Prayer for Yourself and Those You Love, Norma Dearing, Grand Rapids: Baker, 2002, $12.99, ISBN: 0800793021. Our society is brimming with people suffering the effects of past abuse, rejection, physical illness, bad choices, and unhealthy relationships. Author and radio personality Norma Dearing has spent thousands of hours listening to and praying with those in need of emotional, physical, or spiritual healing. In The Healing Touch, she shares stories from countless people who have been set free from unhealthy relationships, unholy unions, addictions, generational influences, and physical illnesses associated with these. Wounded by Words focuses on just verbal abuse.

Beauty for Ashes, Revised Edition, Joyce Meyer, New York: Time Warner Book Group, 2003, $12.99, ISBN: 044669259X. A victim of childhood abuse, Meyer outlines the truths that brought recovery to her life and offers biblical advice to help you deal with emotional pain, grab hold of God's unconditional love, and wait for his timing in healing painful memories. You'll be encouraged by her journey from tragic youth to triumphant adult. This is one woman’s story of abuse.

The fourth part of a book proposal is the marketing plan. This will be covered in next week’s blog.

 

Nonfiction

The second part of a book proposal is The Chapter-by-Chapter Outline. Keep it brief. Write a short paragraph summarizing each chapter to give the editor an overview of your book. This can be a vital tool for understanding the entire manuscript if the book proposal reaches the stage where it is considered by a publishing house committee. Some publishing houses prefer a synopsis of the book rather than a chapter outline. This is usually the case for fiction.

      Here are the first three chapter synopses of my chapter outline for my book, Wounded by Words.

Chapter 1: Hurtful Words – Caustic words and demeaning statements can be as dangerous to our well-being as any weapon. People often use words that dominate and control when they feel insecure themselves. Unfortunately these words are often directed at close family members, often children, and the outcome is much pain and suffering. The tension resulting from these heated words often leads to the telling of lies by both parties.

Chapter 2: Invisible Scars – Verbal abusers isolate, disorient, and indoctrinate their victims. Whether they are children or adults, the abused are usually family members. Depression, behavioral problems, and physical illnesses are a direct outcome of the emotional abuse. Often these results are not easily seen.

Chapter 3: Distorted Self-esteem – Standing in front of a mirror reflects our physical image, but not the image of our soul. Often a woman who is verbally abused thinks others have a low opinion of her. The pattern of abuse creates a feeling of rejection and worthlessness. Emotional abuse is a learned behavior for both the abuser and the victim. It undermines the foundation of the family.

The third part of a book proposal is the comparative analysis. This will be covered in my next blog.

 

Nonfiction

Andrea Mullins, Publisher
New Hope Publishing
P.O. Box 12065
Birmingham AL 35202

Dear Andrea:

Wounded by Words: Healing the Invisible Scars of Emotional Abuse offers hope and healing through Christ from these unseen hurts. Women who have grown up with the harsh reality of verbal abuse understand the pain and suffering it causes. The results of this kind of mistreatment may not cause bruises and other visible injuries, but nevertheless, the scars are there. These scars remain in the heart and mind, causing fear, powerlessness, and dependency.

In Scripture, the stories of Leah, Joseph, Hannah, Job, Abigail, King David, Mary Magdalene, and Mary and Martha demonstrate examples of verbal abuse. How they overcame this invisible destroyer is encouraging to us all. These stories demonstrate how God dealt with emotional abuse in biblical times, and He expects us to deal with this issue today as well.

Accurate statistics are hard to find. But surveys show that emotional abuse exists in marriages and other family relationships, the workplace, nursing homes, college campuses, and many other situations. One out of four women admits to being verbally abused. In one study, 77 % of women reported emotional abuse in combination with physical abuse. In this same study, 43 % experienced emotional abuse as children or teenagers, and 39 % reported verbal abuse in a relationship within the last five years.

Growing up in an alcoholic home, Karen Kosman learned the pain of demeaning, caustic words. Susan Osborn also was verbally abused by her mother. Later both women married men who continued the cycle of emotional abuse. Once again angry, thoughtless words daily eroded their self-esteem. Gradually through Scripture, counseling, and God’s love, healing began. Today, both women are remarried to supportive, Christian husbands, and the cycle of abuse has been broken. Susan is a CLASS staff member and has published over 30 books. Karen is an inspirational speaker for church groups. Jeenie Gordon has dealt with numerous patients who have been verbally abused in her 30-plus years as a marriage and family therapist. She has published 10 books, one of which was a Gold Medallion finalist.

Wounded by Words contains 12 chapters filled with personal stories of people who have experienced verbal abuse. The issues these people have learned to deal with will provide hope and wholeness for those who are in the process of finding answers. We transition from one story to the next with inspirational thoughts, biblical truths, and practical advice for the reader. We invite you to join our ultimate mission of bringing understanding, hope, and healing to women who are struggling with verbal and emotional abuse.

Yours in Him,

Susan T. Osborn       Karen Kosman       Jeenie Gordon

 

The second part of a nonfiction book proposal is a chapter-by-chapter outline. An example will be given in next week’s blog.

 

Nonfiction

A book proposal is comprised of five parts:

1. A cover letter
2. A detailed chapter outline or synopsis
3. A competition analysis
4. Two or three sample chapters
5. A marketing plan

The Cover or Query Letter should basically answer four questions:

1. Why are you qualified to write this book?
2. What is it about (told in one paragraph)?
3. Who is your audience?
4. Why will this book be marketable?

Also, make sure the publisher realizes you are familiar with their house and sees that your book will fit into one of their book lines. This letter should be only one typewritten page if possible. The problem with most cover letters (and with most book proposals in general) is that they are too long and cumbersome.

I use the term cover letter and query letter interchangeably, because your cover letter should be a strong as your query letter. If your proposal makes it to committee, and I'll talk about that later, most of the committee members will only read your cover letter. It’s quality can make or break a contract!

Next week I will give you an example of a cover (or query) letter.

 

Nonfiction

"You never get a second opportunity to make a good first impression." – Mark Twain.

Most publishing houses and agents want to receive a book proposal rather than an entire manuscript. A few publishers prefer only a query letter. An editor or agent spends an average of twenty minutes reviewing your book proposal, so it is imperative that you provide the correct material and that your manuscript looks professional. To determine the submission format for each publishing house, check the Christian Writer’s Market Guide or check each publisher’s writers' guidelines online.

There are many different ways to do a book proposal. I am giving you the simplest form. If this is your first book, you want editors to read an actual chapter in the 20 minutes they will allow you. I would suggest trying to keep your proposal under 40 pages.

If an editor or agent requests a manuscript from you, in that case, follow those specific guidelines. For example, New Hope Publishers, which my recent books are with, wanted a detailed proposal. Our first one was 54 pages, but keep in mind this was requested material.

Next week we will discuss the cover or query letter.

 

Nonfiction

Here are timelines on two of my books to give you an idea of how long it can take from the time you present ideas to publishing houses to the time your book is actually released.

Wounded by Words timetable:
One-sheets and query letters, started marketing July, 2004.
  Was told we needed a professional involved.
Added family therapist as co-author and marketed proposal July, 2005.
New Hope Publishers offered contract December, 2005.
Book due to New Hope, August 1, 2006.
Original release date, August 2007.
Actual release date, February 2008.

Too Soon to Say Goodbye timetable:
One-sheet, July 2006
Proposal, May 2007
New Hope Publishers offered contract December, 2007.
Book due to New Hope, October 15, 2008.
Release date, July 2009.
This book was put on the fast track.

Next week we will start talking about the actual book proposal.

 

Nonfiction

Why are you writing? Is it to share your story with others? Is it to make money? Are you seeking personal growth? Most of my books sell wholesale. I make 22 cents-$1.50 a copy, partly because I co-author most of my books. I carpeted my house with one of my checks. I've discovered that I'm not in this business for the money. I feel that writing is a ministry. I need to make enough with my consulting, writing, editing, and teaching to live, so for me it has become a business. But my main reason for writing is that I want to change lives. I want to share something with others that will benefit them.

How do you know that God has called you to a writing ministry? Pray about it. Practice patience. Don't rush God, your editors, or yourself. It will probably take you at least a year to get your book contracted, a year to write it, and a year for it to come out in print, perhaps longer. It has been my experience that book editors and agents do not respond before two to three months, at least not if they are interested in your book. They can hold it six months or a year or two before making a final decision.

What kind of timeline can you expect when publishing a book? We will discuss this in our next blog.

 

Nonfiction

Creating a One-sheet

When you verbally pitching your book idea to editors, you will probably have only 15 minutes to sell them on your idea. Thus I suggest you leave something in their hands so they will remember you after the conference is over. Editors and agents will have talked to many people, and you want to stand out. You can accomplish this with a “One-sheet.” Also, there may be some editors you cannot get an appointment with. You can find a moment when they are free and hand them your “One-sheet.”

A “One-sheet” is one sheet of paper to hand out to editors that shows a book proposal project—thus the name. I would suggest printing it on your letterhead stationery so it will look professional. It should be single-spaced and done in block format.

It basically includes the same things that a cover/query letter would include and should basically answer five questions:

1. Why are you qualified to write this book?
2. What is it about (told in one paragraph)?
3. Who is your audience?
4. Why will this book be marketable?
5. What is your marketing plan?

Next week we will talk about your reasons for writing.

 

Nonfiction

An important part of pitching your book is what we call the “Thirty-second Pitch.” This can be used in a 15-minute appointment with an editor at a conference. If you pique an editor’s attention, he or she will want to hear more.

Here is my Thirty-second Pitch for one of my books. Wounded by Words: Healing the Invisible Scars of Emotional Abuse offers hope and healing through Christ from these unseen hurts. Women who have grown up with the harsh reality of verbal abuse understand the pain and suffering it causes. The results of this kind of mistreatment may not cause bruises and other visible injuries, but nevertheless, the scars are there. These scars remain in the heart and mind, causing fear, powerlessness, and dependency.

It's important to be able provide focus for your book in one paragraph. This can also go on your cover letter or one-sheet, which we will discuss in later blogs. Plus if you get an opportunity to walk to dinner with an editor or sit with him at a conference, but you weren't able to sign up to have an appointment with him, you can pitch that editor or agent on the run, so to speak.

Next week we will learn how to create a “One-Sheet” to hand out or send to potential editors and agents.

 

Nonfiction

Now look at the opening sentence and paragraph of the chapter you are working on, or at the section of that chapter. Do you have a strong hook? Does the reader want to keep reading? Many publishing houses and agents receive 5,000 to 10,000 proposals a year. If the editors aren't impressed by the first paragraph, they may not continue reading.

For many authors, beginnings are the most difficult part of the manuscript to write. After reading thousands of book proposals that come through our manuscript critique service, I see that it often takes the author two to three pages to reach the meat of his or her message. You will probably spend more time rewriting your lead paragraph and your first chapter than any other part of your book. Beginnings, for me, are the most difficult part of a manuscript to write.

Don't keep working on the beginning of a chapter, editing the material over and over again. Go onto another chapter and come back later with fresh eyes to the previous material. Writing requires a great deal of editing, but it helps not to dwell on one section for too long at a time.

Next week we will talk about “The Thirty-second Pitch” you will give to potential agents and editors.

 

Nonfiction

Now read through your chapter straight through for flow and focus. Make marks in the margin wherever you see a problem. Read it uninterrupted. You will see things on the overview that you might miss when you are going through your manuscript line by line.

Ask yourself these twelve evaluation questions.
1. Do I have a good lead?
2. Is my chapter interesting?
3. Is it significant?
4. Is my story or book marketable?
5. Does it have continuity?
6. Does it make sense?
7. Have I left out any important points?
8. Did I say what I wanted to say?
9. Are my transitions adequate?
10. Did I repeat my thoughts?
11. Did I use complete sentences?
12. Does my ending tie into my beginning?

Next week we will concentrate on your opening sentence and paragraph.

 

Nonfiction

Now let’s talk about the third step in my Three-Step Writing Process: 3. Self-editing. Allow each chapter to cool before beginning to self-edit. This is the longest stage of writing and requires both sides of the brain.

Did you go where you intended? If not, you either need to change your manuscript or change your outline. Sometimes you even need to change your premise, because you didn't go in the direction you intended.

Go back and look at your outline and theme sentence. Do they need revision? Does your chapter support your outline and theme for that chapter? If not, you need to change either your paragraph description or your first rough draft. Remember that neither is set in concrete.

What I'm saying is it's all right to change your mind. Your manuscript doesn't flow from your computer and settle in concrete. Sometimes the most basic parts of it eventually need to be changed. Be flexible and prayerful as you edit your work.

Next week we will talk about doing an overview of your work and asking yourself 12 questions.

 

Nonfiction

Writing the first rough draft is probably the most emotional birthing phase of the entire process of writing a nonfiction book. Once the words are on paper, you need to emotionally detach yourself from your baby. Lay it aside for a week and let it cool.

Go on to another chapter or on to another writing project. I suggest you go through this same writing process for each chapter of your book. Develop a focus, an outline, and then write the first rough draft. It might be a good idea to write the easiest chapters first if you are organized enough to determine those you can write quickly, or do them chronologically.

God inspires us to write, but He is not going to do our work for us—He will only guide us along the way. Writing the first draft is the creative part. For me, this is the easiest part. The hard part is rewriting, and rewriting, and rewriting. God never promised us that life would be easy, and He never said that writing would be easy. After over 40 years I still struggle with my writing.

Next week we will talk about the third step in my “Three-step Writing Process

 

Nonfiction

Step 2 of my Three-Step Writing Process is writing the First Rough Draft. To write your first rough draft, you use the creative (right) side of your brain.

Find a large block of uninterrupted time and write all the information you can think of regarding your book. Don't get hung up in grammar, punctuation, or phraseology. Write whatever comes to mind. Some of your chapters will be briefly outlined on this first rough draft, others may be in detail, and some won't exist at all.

You may choose to write a synopsis of the entire book, or you may want to take smaller chunks of your “elephant” so you don't get indigestion. On the first sitting, I write a brief overview of the book. After that, I usually write a chapter at a time, so I'm usually dealing with 15-20 pages at a time. I follow the same steps for each chapter. If there are personal stories within the chapter, I use the same process for each story.

Be sure to take a break after writing a rough draft. More tips on this will be given next week.

 

Nonfiction

Next create a preliminary outline before you begin the actual writing of your book. This may change as the writing progresses, but you need a guideline to start with. Your outline should be built around your chapter titles. Perhaps you have 10, 12, or more.

Then write a paragraph about each chapter. Be aware that this may change drastically, but it is important to get down as much information as you can. Each point must support the main theme. Each chapter, though self-contained, needs to promote the main idea of your book.

Example from Wounded by Words:

Chapter 1: Hurtful Words – Caustic words and demeaning statements can be as dangerous to our well-being as any weapon. People often use words that dominate and control when they feel insecure themselves. Unfortunately these words are often directed at close family members, often children, and the outcome is much pain and suffering. The tension resulting from these heated words often leads to the telling of lies by both parties.

This concludes Step 1 of the Three-Step Writing Process. Lay your work aside before continuing. Step 2 will be given next week.

 

Nonfiction

Now let’s talk about my Three-Step Writing Process regarding nonfiction books.

Step 1: Theme and Outline: First, decide what your main purpose is in writing this particular book. Where are you going? State your theme in one word. State it in one sentence. Know what you want to say, and say it. Keep to one subject. You are using the analytical (left) side of your brain to write your focus sentence. You will probably start with something general and refine it as you develop your book.

For an example, I am going to use my book, Wounded by Words: Healing the Invisible Scars of Emotional Abuse.

One word: abuse. Sentence: Now is your chance to break the cycle of emotional and verbal abuse and set yourself and your loved ones free.

The major problem with most book manuscripts that are rejected is they deviate from their premises. The writer tries to tell too many stories or attempts to make too many points in one book.

Step 2 and 3 will be covered in future blogs.

 

Nonfiction

Writing a nonfiction book involves many other things besides the actual writing. I also include reading, rewriting, and editing in my time. These, too, are important parts of the writing process. To write you must spend as much time reading as you do writing. You will gain ideas for your own writing, and it will help you develop your own writing style. Also you need to read articles and books on the subject you are writing about to better educate yourself on your subject.

Writing is starting with a blank computer screen and putting one word down after another. And the more information you have in your head at the time you begin, the easier the task will be. If you wrote a page a day, you'd have 365 pages at the end of a year. Of course those wouldn’t be edited pages, but we will discuss that in later blogs.

Next week we will talk about my Three-Step Writing Process.

 

Nonfiction

Beginning

We will begin a long series on writing nonfiction books from the formation of an idea to a final product. Writing a book is like eating an elephant. A person does not dare to attempt the project in one sitting! We will cover book proposals, writing the entire elephant, and contract negotiations. You’re reading this because you want to write, to get your book published, and to glorify God. Right? You can use these same techniques for articles, stories, and fiction, as well as nonfiction books. Are you published?

Over 40 years ago when I began writing, I made a commitment to God and to myself that I would write for an hour every day. I started writing Sunday school take-home papers. Now I have over 30 books in print, my latest being on domestic violence, titled Breaking Invisible Chains. However, with running my critique business, editing manuscripts, and teaching students to polish their writing, I still struggle with finding time to write my own books! What kind of a commitment are you willing to make? Perhaps you could start with a promise to write for an hour a day. If you spend that much time daily, I can guarantee that on many of those days you will spend much more time.

Next week we will talk about what is involved in writing a nonfiction book.