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Sample Nonfiction
Book Proposal Those who have been following my tales in the newsletter know that I've recently sold several books-- mostly nonfiction ones. And some of you have written to ask me how I did it. Well, it's simple, really: I write good book proposals. There are books that will teach you how to write nonfiction book proposals (like Michael Larsen's How To Write A Book Proposal or Deborah Levine Herman and Jeff Herman's Write the Perfect Book Proposal), but sometimes, it's easy enough just to learn by example. So, here's a book proposal of mine that sold to the Lyons Press. All of the sections are standard and necessary, except for the "Praise for Jenna Glatzer's Books and Courses" part-- obviously, if you haven't had anything published yet (or if you have, but don't have any good reviews to quote from), you can leave this section out. Without further ado, here it is! It's 18 pages long, minus the sample chapters. Outwitting Writer’s Block
and Other Problems of the Pen by
Jenna Glatzer
Represented by Djana Pearson Morris Pearson Morris & Belt Literary Management 3000
Connecticut Avenue, NW Washington,
DC 20008 Outwitting Writer’s Block and Other Problems of the Pen By
Jenna Glatzer
Writer’s
block. It’s an insidious pest; a
beady-eyed rodent hiding under the floorboards of even the hardest-working
writers, waiting to rear its hideous head at the most inopportune times. What can a writer do when the inkwell runs dry?
They can turn to their bookshelves and thumb through their well-worn
copies of Outwitting Writer’s Block and
Other Problems of the Pen. Filled
to the brim with exercises designed to jump-start creativity, encouraging tips
from fellow writers and instructors, and tools for analyzing the causes and
cures for the nefarious Blank Page syndrome, this book will be like Drain-o for
clogged creative pipes.
Outwitting Writer’s Block and Other Problems of the Pen will
be a humorous, inspirational, practical guide for writers, college students,
businesspeople, and those who would like to write as a means of therapy or
“release.” Whether
struggling through term papers or on the thirteenth shot of espresso while
trying to meet a recurrent 9 a.m. deadline at the newspaper, readers will find
motivation and assistance in these pages. Of
course, writer’s block is most problematic for those who make a living from
their words (or would like to). When
the problem is chronic, it’s like having a work-related injury without the
benefit of disability benefits. I
have yet to meet a writer who’s successfully convinced an editor to compensate
them for time off to recover from brain strain.
Therefore, it’s important to build up the tools to learn how to bounce
back—quickly and effectively—from a paralyzed pen. As both
an editor and a writer, I’ve seen this problem on both sides of the desk.
Just yesterday, a book reviewer wrote me this guilt-ridden missive: “I am a louse. I truly wanted to review books for you, and I eagerly
started to read the one you had forwarded to me... but... but... a thousand
things (mostly boring) have interfered. My conscience is shouting at me that I
need to return this book to you so someone who is not a louse can review it. It
looks interesting, but I can't think of so much as a fragment to write about it.
Sigh.” I
wanted to give her one of those teary-eyed hugs that teachers give their
“difficult” students in television movies.
She wasn’t a louse. She
was just afflicted with a terrible disease, and didn’t know it.
It was time for her to admit that she was suffering from writer’s
block, and go through the necessary steps to knock it down.
Now, this writer was lucky, because she had an understanding editor who
allowed her to get out of the assignment without so much as a scolding.
But even this understanding editor would never give that writer another
assignment until I know she has learned how to deal with her ailment, instead of
throwing in the towel when the going gets tough.
Luckily, writers—especially blocked writers—are also enthusiastic
readers. When the ideas aren’t
flowing as well as they should be, writers often turn to books for inspiration.
This book will fill an important need in writers’ lives, and will
provide them with some much-needed entertainment and camaraderie as they learn
that they’re in good company when they find themselves stuck.
The true measure of the book’s success will be how many readers never
finish it. With any luck, no one
will make it to the last page; they’ll be too busy following their bursts of
brain activity, setting the book aside like Christopher Robin did to Pooh when
he was no longer needed… _______________________________________ Promotion My
work has a built-in audience on the Internet, as I run a major web portal for
writers. I am the editor-in-chief
of Absolute Write (http://www.absolutewrite.com) and Absolute Markets (http://www.absolutewrite.com/marketplace.htm). Both have weekly newsletters, with opt-in subscriber bases of
10,000 and more than 25,000, respectively.
In
addition, I am a regular contributor to several other writing magazines and
websites, including Writer’s Digest (circulation: 200,000), Scr(i)pt
(circulation: 47,000), Screentalk (800,000 impressions per month; new in print),
Screenwriters Utopia (more than 150,000 page views per month), Writer’s Weekly
(60,000 subscribers), Eworkingwomen.com (where I am the “freelance writing
expert”), etc., and am able to include my book’s ordering information in my
bios. I am well-known in the online
writing community, and I am thrilled to do promotional work. I would be happy to work with a publisher to ensure that this
book reaches the largest potential audience. More
than 500 colleges and universities in the United States offer majors in
journalism and/or creative writing, and nearly all colleges offer writing
courses. This
audience can be reached in a variety of ways.
Writer’s Market 2002 lists 25 trade magazines for “journalism and
writing,” including Writer’s Digest (circulation: over 200,000), Poets &
Writers (circulation: over 200,000), etc. There
are also countless websites, e-mail discussion lists, unions, conferences, and
local groups for writers. Among the
most prominent: WritersWeekly.com (60,000 weekly subscribers), Write4Kids.com
(35,000 monthly subscribers), Absolutewrite.com (my website), and the National
Writers Union (I am a member). I
have extensive knowledge of and contacts within the writing community, and will
have many avenues of free publicity open to my book.
I have been interviewed for, featured by, or reviewed in nearly every
significant website for writers on the Internet. The
subject matter lends itself easily to guest speaking engagements, as well. Aside
from bookstore sales, the book could also make an excellent candidate as a
Writer’s Digest Book Club title. It
will also sell at major writers’ conferences and seminars (such as the Maui
Writers’ Conference, Santa Barbara Writers’ Conference, Southwest Writers’
Conference, Moondance Screenwriting Conference, Nashville Screenwriters’
Conference, etc.). I
have promotional experience, and have been a guest on radio shows, local talk
shows, and television specials (Lifetime television’s “Love Letters of a
Lifetime”). Woman’s World
recently featured an article about me, and I am in the process of optioning my
life rights to a television producer. _______________________________________ About the Author Jenna
Glatzer holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Boston University
(cum laude). She has done
post-graduate work in writing at Hofstra University. Jenna
served as the advertising editor for Boston
Publisher’s Consortium literary journals
(Partisan Review, Harvard Review, and Agni)
from 1996-7. She is the founder and
editor of Absolute Write (www.absolutewrite.com) since 1998, served as the
Director of Public Relations for the upcoming film CURSE OF THE BOG WOMEN, and
was the editor-in-chief of Writer Online until it closed in December, 2001. Jenna
has written for hundreds of national, regional, and online publications,
recently including: Writer’s Digest, Woman’s World, Woman’s Own, Salon,
Link Magazine, College Bound Magazine, Writers Weekly, Boaters.com, Conversely,
Screentalk, Fiction Writer, American Profile, Zooba.com, Scr(i)pt, KidsGrowth
Professional, and Chickclick.com. She
is the author of Conquering Panic and Anxiety Disorders (Hunter House,
fall, 2002), Exploration of the Moon
(OTTN Publishing, spring, 2002), Native
American Festivals and Ceremonies (OTTN Publishing, spring, 2002), Taking
Down Syndrome to School (JayJo
Books, spring, 2002), and The More Than Any Human Being Needs To Know About
Freelance Writing Workbook (Booklocker.com, June, 2000). Jenna’s
specialties include humor, disabilities, topics pertaining to film and writing,
personal essays and columns, and human-interest stories. She
has interviewed hundreds of writers for her syndicated “Words From The
Wordsmiths” column, including screenwriters, novelists, nonfiction writers,
comic book writers, greeting card writers, etc. Her
work has appeared or is scheduled to appear in several anthologies,
including Love Letters of a Lifetime (Hyperion/Lifetime TV), The
Moment of Truth: Women’s Funniest Romantic Failures (Seal Press), A Cup
of Comfort (Adams Media), Women Forged In Fire (E. Danlyn), and Friendship
Springs (PRG). She
is a produced playwright and optioned screenwriter.
She has done copywriting for Destego boats, the Boys And Girls Club of
America, the South Shore Marlin and Tuna Club, Fairness.com, and several local
businesses. She has also written
everything from greeting cards to slogans for buttons, t-shirts, magnets, bumper
stickers, doormats and aprons for companies like High Cotton, Ephemera, Northern
Cards, the James Lawrence Company, and Paradise Greetings. She
is a current nominee in the Preditors and Editors Readers Poll in two
categories: Best Author and Best Nonfiction Magazine/E-zine Editor. Jenna
is a member of the National Writer’s Union, The Net Wits (humor columnists),
and The Screenplayers. Praise
for Jenna Glatzer’s Books and Courses for Writers Reviews
of The More Than Any Human Being Needs To Know About Freelance Writing
Workbook: “I must say I was very impressed… Ms. Glatzer
uses humor to make the book a very enjoyable read.
I highly recommend this ebook to anyone in need of information about the
business of freelance writing.” -- Jennifer Gibson, co-moderator of
ForAllWriters “A fresh, innovative and direct-experience look at
the world of freelancing… This book is a must-have.” -- Angela Barbeisch,
humor columnist “Wow! What a terrific book. Everything you need to
know about freelancing, with up-to-date information and relevant examples--all
in a warm, approachable style. I wish I had this five years ago; I'm glad I have
it now.” -- Review by Betsy Morris, screenwriter “If you are considering taking up freelancing as a
career, I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Jenna's style is informal yet knowledgeable, her content is
extensive and her advice is incredible. GET THIS BOOK! ” -- Review by Sandy
Cummins, editor, Writers Exchange (www.writers-exchange.com) “While out looking for some good books to pass on
to my ‘business of writing’ class, I came across yours. Great
stuff! It's tightly organized with excellent examples and exercises.
I gotta say, I think you just made this week's class a lot easier.” -- Dee Van
Dyk, Writing Instructor “Her lesson plans are creative, accurate and very
‘usable.’ For new and old writers, this is the workbook of the year!” --
Danielle Naibert (www.thebookreviewersite.com) “This book is exactly the kind of resource I wish
had been around twenty years ago when I started writing. If you want to write,
this book will shave several years off your dues-paying period.” -- Angela
Booth (www.ibizwriters.com) “Written in a warm, witty style, the author takes
on the role of mentor. You can likely tell that I gave this book a rating of
‘excellent.’ I recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about how to
become a freelance writer, or for any freelancer who wants to renew enthusiasm
for the freelancing way of life.” -- Judy Justice (Midwest Book Review) Comments from students in the Query Letter Clinic
course: "You pass on invaluable information on where to find paying markets. You not only tell participants how to write a query; you also tell them how to get their article published! Basically, I think people get more than they bargained for when they take your class." "I want to thank you again. Your feedback has been tremendously helpful. I had taken a live feature writing course last year, but didn't get much out of it and was actually uninspired by the end. This clinic, on the other hand, is just the ticket. The individual critiques are unbeatable." "I really did get a lot of the class. It
didn't even compare with [the other online class I took]; there was so much good
basic knowledge. I've been to quite a few writers' conferences, but most of them
are cheerleader schools where you get pumped up and go back home. Your
class was great in that it gave us guidelines about how to do it... You do an
outstanding job!"
Will this book have competition? Yes.
There are several books that cover the issue of writer’s block, and
they sell beautifully. What will
make Outwitting Writer’s Block and Other Problems of the Pen’s stand
out falls into three main areas: humor, exercises, and anecdotes.
Many “how-to” books get caught up in their own seriousness and fail
to see the entertainment value of this subject; writer’s block isn’t deadly.
It isn’t even contagious. It’s
a subject to be treated with a light, enthusiastic, witty tone.
There are also books that discuss writer’s block until the author (or
the reader) is blue in the face, but fail to deliver any practical methods for
breaking out of it… now! The
“prompts” and exercises I provide are designed to be used immediately, not
to be mulled over and digested. They
are “quick fixes” to get brain synapses jumping with electric currents
again.
Finally, I will tap my vast network of professional writers to garner
lots of terrific anecdotes about overcoming writer’s block, facing writing
“demons,” dealing with deadlines, getting past rejection, etc.
Rather than simple cheerleading, these writers will offer smart, real,
inspiring advice through the examples of their own experiences.
Competing titles include: ·
Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing And Life
by Annie Lamott (Anchor, 1995) Long a favorite among writers, this is a witty and
gritty book about the life of a writer. It
does contain a good deal of advice and commentary about overcoming writer’s
block, but it’s not the overall focus of the book. ·
Writing
Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg (Shambhala
Publications, 1986) Another popular “writer’s self-help” book, this
one is more Oprah-ish and full of warm fuzziness for poets and fiction writers.
Outwitting Writer’s Block and Other Problems of the Pen will NOT
focus on writing as therapy, writing “from the heart,” etc.—certainly
these topics will be covered, but the book will have a stronger focus on writers
who write professionally (which includes many nonfiction authors, journalists,
etc.). ·
The Writer’s Block: 786 Ideas to Jump-Start Your Imagination
by Jason Rekulak (Running Press, 2001) This is a “gimmick” book—it’s actually the
shape of a square block. Writers
are expected to turn to any page in the book for their daily writing prompt.
(Another book with the same basic idea is The Writer’s Idea Book
by Jack Heffron, Writer’s Digest Books, 2000).
Outwitting Writer’s Block and Other Problems of the Pen will
contain prompts and exercises, but it will also contain much more. ·
On Writer’s Block by Victoria Nelson (Houghton Mifflin, 1993) This is one of those “serious” books I warned you
about. Get out your inner child and
lie on the couch with Nelson’s book… or hand your inner child a whoopee
cushion and read Outwitting Writer’s Block and Other Problems of the Pen. ·
Script Magic: Subconscious Techniques to Conquer Writer’s Block
by Marisa D’Vari (Michael Wiese Productions, 2000) Marketed only to screenwriters. Annotated Table of Contents Chapter 1: Know Thy Enemy What
is writer’s block, and who gets it? Overview
of some of the causes for writer’s block and other writing problems. Chapter 2: Myths from the Meanies
A run-down of all the “rules” that are crammed down writers’
throats—such as “you must write every day,” “you must isolate
yourself,” “you must outline before you write,” etc.
An examination of why these messages may cause anxiety and send so many
mixed signals to a budding writer that he or she can’t write a word without
fretting about breaking a rule. Chapter 3: Planning, Scheming, and Dreaming
Setting goals, examining motivations.
Do you really want to write, or do you just want to have a finished
product to show off? Are your
primary interests driven by money, fame, creativity, therapy, desire to share a
message? Making decisions about
what the writer wishes to accomplish, and how s/he will take steps to get there.
Discussion of how a writer’s “real” goals may be in conflict with
the goals they’ve imposed on themselves, and how this causes dissonance and
creative blocks. Chapter 4: Percolate
Oftentimes, writing isn’t flowing because the idea isn’t fully
hatched, or the writer hasn’t done enough preliminary research.
Tips for laying the groundwork before setting pen to paper or fingers to
keys, and places to look when the cartoon light bulbs have stopped appearing
over your head. Chapter 5: Self-Doubt and Other Stupid Garbage The
psychological component of writer’s block.
Why writers fear the blank page. How
to get over the “what if it’s no good and everyone thinks I’m a hack?”
phase. Chapter 6: Ohmmmm, Ohmmmm Relaxation
techniques to get a writer away from the stress of writer’s block and toward
the nirvana of writing “in flow.” Chapter 7: O Deadline, My Deadline
They can be the cause or the cure of the dreaded block. For those who freeze up when a deadline is looming,
techniques for dealing with time constraints.
For those who can’t motivate themselves, recommendations for creating
self-imposed deadlines, or taking on assignments that will force them to work
right away. Chapter 8: Dead Ends and Wrong Ways How
to know when you’ve really lost interest in an idea, when it’s not going to
work, or when it’s not worth finishing, versus when it just needs a new twist,
a little time to “breathe,” or a new approach. Chapter 9: The Opposite Game
For fiction writers: sometimes writers can break out of a block by
changing their male lead character to a female, or moving the location from New
York to Idaho, or changing someone’s profession from doctor to waiter.
For nonfiction writers: If you’re stuck on a heavy-research article,
exercise your brain by working on a dirty limerick.
And so on. Chapter 10: Mind Your Own Business
Why the best cure for writer’s block is the timeless advice: “Apply
seat of pants to chair.” How to
look at writing as a job like any other, with set hours and required levels of
output. Chapter 11: Your Writing Oasis
How to set up your writing space, office, desk, and even small things
like computer screensaver and favorite mug for optimal performance. Small doses of Feng Shui, small doses of Stuart Smalley,
and—forgive me—small doses of Martha Stewart.
Bigger doses of “you can write in the middle of a subway in Manhattan
if you’re doing it right.” Chapter 12: Branching Out
Writers put restrictions on themselves by labeling themselves as
“poets,” “screenwriters,” “romance authors,” etc.
Maybe your so-called novel is a screenplay dying to get out.
Maybe your book is really an article.
How to tell if you’ve chosen the wrong form, and how to tell if it’s
time to pick a new genre or media. Chapter 13: It’s Not You, It’s Me
And maybe you’re just in a funk. Happens
to the best of us. Examining other
causes—lifestyle changes, depression, stress, etc. that may need to be
addressed before writing can flow. Chapter 14: People Who Need People
Sometimes the block is too big to break alone.
Advice about taking courses, attending conferences, finding writing
partners, critique groups, writers’ clubs and unions, etc. Chapter 15: Kicking The Critic In The Head
Many writers get blocked because they get too wrapped up in trying to be
perfect when what they really should be doing is writing schlock.
First drafts are no place for the critic.
How to knock the editor off your shoulder and free yourself up to write
as terribly as possible so he’ll still have a job to do later on. Chapter 16: Please, Don’t Let This Feeling End
Taking advantage of the times when writing is flowing freely.
Never quitting writing at the end of a chapter, but instead, leaving off
at a cliffhanger, so you’ll have a compelling reason to return to the keys.
Chapter 17: Stocking Your Toolbox
Keeping your “tricks of the trade” stocked, even when the block has
vanished. Tools to collect while
writing is flowing, so the next incident of writer’s block won’t have a
chance to make itself comfortable. _______________________________________ (Following the book proposal, you should enclose 1-3 sample chapters.)
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