Book Proposals

Book proposal evaluation, editing, and development consultation

Ready to shop your nonfiction book idea to agents and editors? Or perhaps you already have, and their generic rejection slips aren't telling you what it is about your project that's turning them off? No matter what your nonfiction topic or category, a well-crafted book proposal is usually an essential part of the journey toward publication. Yet for many authors, writing or perfecting a 10-20 page proposal can be more intimidating or baffling than crafting a 200 page manuscript.

TED's book proposal specialists have hands-on agenting and publishing acqusitions experience and are available to provide as much or as little help as is needed to develop a strong proposal and prepare it for agents and publishers.

Proposal Development

Authors needing help developing a book proposal from scratch or distilling one from an existing nonfiction manuscript should contact Ross Browne for pricing information.

Fees will be calculated at .003 per word for review of the source material and $75 per hour for feedback and consultation provided.

Proposal Evaluation

TED's Nonfiction Book Proposal Evaluation connects writers with editors experienced with the acquisitions process.We will evaluate your proposal, paying attention to whether it answers the three major questions that agents, editors, and publishing sales teams want to know:

Is this a good idea? (Content)
Are you the right person to write this book? (Author)
Is this the right time for a book on this subject? (Market)

We'll provide a candid critique of your material and offer clear recommendations to improve your pitch, if necessary, so you can make the best impression possible. While we obviously can't anticipate the subjective tastes and preferences of every reviewer, we can help you avoid many of the mistakes writers often make with their submission materials, giving you a competitive edge in a crowded publishing marketplace.

What To Expect

With the Nonfiction Proposal Evaluation, editors experienced with the ways that agents and publishers acquire new work will review your proposal and first three sample chapters and provide feedback in two forms:

An editorial memo evaluating the overall literary and commercial effectiveness of your proposal in providing compelling copy which describes the content, the author, and the market for your book.

Annotations within your proposal itself that highlight areas for constructive feedback and suggestions for specific improvements.

In cases where a project's premise or conceptual or stylistic weaknesses significantly limit the likelihood of successful placement, the report will explore and explain the challenges in further detail with suggestions on how you might go about rethinking the project and getting it on a better track.

Pricing

$275 For most book proposals, including up to three sample chapters (maximum of 6,000 words). There will be an extra fee for longer sample chapters.

Proposal Editing

We can provide everything from basic correction to polishing edits of book proposals and sample chapters. Please visit our line and copy editing services homepage for more information.