Writer's Nemesis: The Proposal - Part II

It took me two years to learn to write a good proposal, and a good proposal is a must, if one expects to get his or her work published. Major publishers in today's world will not read unsolicited manuscripts.

First, the writer needs to insure that the title of his or book tells what is about in a..."Can't wait to see what this book is all about". Next, the writer must do an appealing synopsis, as well as state why they think they can sell it.

Get ready to scream; all this has to fit into a single page letter.

Now, the poor writer must entice the publisher to read their proposal by composing an appealing tag line. A tag line is like going fishing, and one has to choose the right lure. For instance, when I wrote "Maya Sangh and the Valley of the White Ones", I used the following: They knew the secrets of the universe, but now how to raise a human child.

Certainly a proposal may sound difficult, but one has to look at it like a game. You, the writer, are going fishing and you want to catch a publisher on your hook.

A proposal consists of: A cover letter, tag line, brief synopsis, author bio, why the writer believes their book is different than other similar books on the market, an outline, and what the writer plans to do to help sell his or her book.

Don't make the mistake of sending your manuscript to a publisher in some regular old brown envelope. Be creative. Make your own labels and insure that they will match the context of your book. Next choose a colored envelope which matches. And, don't stop there; design some colored linen stationary, that includes your book design in the upper left corner, and select a corresponding font color. There are two major reasons for this; one - you, the writer wants to insure, that your proposal stands out from all the brown maila envelopes on the publisher's desk. Two - you want to show the publisher tht you really care about your book.

Once, when I was credit manager for a small retail firm, the head of the company came to teach the sales girls how to sell a very hard to sell jewelry item. He said, "Present it like you are presenting the crown jewels - like this."

The manager then took the jewel box, opened it slowly and offered it as though he were presenting the, not very beautiful, piece of jewelry to the Queen of England. "Here", he said, as he opened the box, "Isn't this lovely?

Sales tripled.

I never forgot that simple lesson. As a writer, your manscript is worthy of a great presentation because you have worked hard on it.

The final question for a writer is whether to self-publish use Print-on-Demand, or approach a large or small publishers. Until a writer is pretty well known, it is almost impossible to get the attention of any major publishers. The writer, however, should not feel defeated, or be defeated. This leaves self-publishing, Print-on-Demand, or a small publisher. As a general rule, Print-on-Demand is often the best selection for a new writer, for the writer buys only what books they can sell, and they do not have to stock four or five thousand copies in their closet. More importantly, the author still maintains the copyright, which may be lost with a small publisher. Print-on-Demand will guarantee a certain amount of help in promoting one's book, and also gives the author a great deal of control over such things as layout and cover design. After all, whether a writer is leaning toward self-publishing, or a a large publishing firm, they have already made a proposal commitment on what they are going to do to help promote their book.

Considering the advantages of cyber space, there is no end of sales possibilities. An innovative writer can soon turn their book into a best seller. And once the writer can show a large sales volume, a major publisher is usually happy to buy the rights...for a very nice sum. Look at "The Philistine Prophecy".

Certainly, I caution any writer to research any small or Print-onDemand publisher. Make certain they are reputable. See what books they are publishing, how long they have been in busines, and get an advance copy of their contract. Also, I suggest the writer get a copy of some book the company has published, to make certain that the quality lives up to you, the writer's, expectation. The one time charge for Print-on-Demand is usually worthwhile, considering those 5,000 books you may have to sell which is taking up closet space until you do.

Through Print-on-Demand, you cash outlay will be minimal, and you will get just as much royalty as you would get with a small publisher. It is a competitive market and you can get a good deal, but don't go too cheap because you may lose quality.

Always remember; to to sell your book is opening the doorway to a major publisher.