Book Proposal Template (US)

A proposal is a business case for the book

A proposal needs more than enthusiasm for the manuscript. It should identify the reader, the promise to that reader, the evidence that the author can reach the market and the reason this book is different from comparable titles already available. Editors use that information to assess acquisition risk, not just writing quality.

This template therefore starts with positioning: book title, category, audience, hook, comparable titles and platform. The chapter plan and sample material come later, after the commercial argument has been made.

Comparable titles should be specific and honest

A useful comps section explains how each comparable book is similar and how the proposed book differs. "For fans of every bestselling author in the category" is not useful. The template asks for title, author, publisher, year, audience and differentiator so the comparison can be checked.

For B3 localization, comparable-title conventions may change by market. A proposal for a German-language publisher, for example, may need German-market comps rather than US books translated into German. That is a research task, not a translation task.

Rights and submission status belong in the document

An agent or publisher needs to know whether the work is original, whether rights are available, whether any part has been published before, whether the submission is exclusive and whether other agents or editors are reviewing it. The source template has an "approval" section but no rights section, which is backwards.

This template states that the proposal is nonbinding unless a later written publishing agreement is signed. It also records rights notes, prior publication, simultaneous submissions and sample-material attachments so the recipient is not left guessing.

Platform is evidence, not decoration

For many nonfiction and platform-driven books, the author platform is part of the acquisition case. Email list size, speaking schedule, media experience, professional credentials, community reach and realistic launch support are more useful than a generic "marketing and promotion" paragraph.

The template separates platform evidence from proposed promotion. That makes it easier for an editor to see what already exists and what is merely planned.

Sample material should match the promise

A proposal can make a strong commercial case and still fail if the sample chapter does not prove the voice, authority and structure promised in the overview. The sample should usually come from a representative chapter, not only from the easiest or most dramatic section, and it should be labeled clearly so the recipient knows whether it is polished, partial, draft or excerpted.

For illustrated, workbook, cookbook, academic or heavily sourced projects, the sample-material note should also say what is not included yet: image permissions, recipes testing, source notes, charts, exercises, permissions logs or peer-review material. That prevents a recipient from mistaking an early sample for a production-ready file.

Clause-by-clause guide

Overview and hook

One paragraph stating the book, audience, promise and why it matters now.

Market and audience

The readers, problem or appetite the book serves, and evidence that the market exists.

Comparable titles

Specific titles with similarities and differences, not vague references to major bestsellers.

Author platform

Credentials, audience reach, media, speaking, newsletter, community and other evidence of author access to readers.

Chapter plan

A chapter-by-chapter outline with each chapter purpose, not just a list of headings.

Sample material

Identifies the attached sample chapter or sample pages and confirms manuscript status.

Rights and submission status

Records whether rights are available, any prior publication and whether the proposal is exclusive or simultaneous.

Nonbinding status

Makes clear that the proposal is a submission document, not a publishing contract.

US compliance checklist

• Do not submit material you do not control

  A book proposal should distinguish original text from third-party lyrics, images, charts, interviews, recipes or excerpts that may require permission. Copyright protects original expression from fixation, and permission questions should be resolved before a publisher relies on the material.

  U.S. Copyright Office - What is Copyright?

• State rights availability honestly

  If part of the work was previously published, optioned, assigned, licensed, self-published or subject to another submission, disclose that status. A proposal should not imply clean world rights where the author has already granted rights elsewhere.

• Keep endorsement and platform claims supportable

  If the proposal cites endorsements, reviews, audience metrics or launch partners, keep evidence and disclose material relationships where relevant.

  FTC endorsements and reviews guidance

• Do not make the proposal accidentally binding

  A proposal can include commercial terms, but it should say it is nonbinding unless and until the parties sign a separate publishing agreement. Avoid an "approval" signature that could be read as a deal to publish.

• Protect private information in sample material

  Memoir, biography, health, finance and true-crime proposals can contain personal information about living people. Review privacy, defamation and permission risk before circulating broadly.

How to complete this template

1. Define the book and reader. Add the title, subtitle, category, target reader and short hook.
2. Build the market case. Add audience evidence, comparable titles and the ways your book differs.
3. Add author platform. List credentials, audience reach, speaking, media, newsletter and launch assets that already exist.
4. Outline the book. Complete the chapter plan and attach the sample chapter or sample pages.
5. Record rights and submission status. State rights availability, prior publication, exclusivity and simultaneous submissions before sending.

Frequently asked questions

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