Description
This workshop, led by Writers House literary agent Stacy Testa, will teach writers of nonfiction the key components of a successful book proposal. Participants will learn clear, specific guidelines about what to include (and what not to include!) in their proposal. Perhaps more importantly, participants will come to understand the nature of the book proposal — what are the intangible elements that would convince a publisher to say yes? What must a book proposal communicate to its reader? What questions must it answer? Through a combination of presentation and group discussion, participants will learn the answers to these questions and develop a better understanding of the medium.
This workshop will also include distribution of valuable sample materials, i.e. actual book proposals that have sold to major Big Five publishing houses. These sample proposals will serve as a template and jumping-off point for conversation. Collectively, the class will discuss what they find engaging about these proposals, and what may have proved convincing to their eventual publishers.
Finally, participants will have time in class to review their own proposals with these new lessons and sample materials freshly in mind. They will then be invited to share key takeaways with the group: What are they now identifying in their own work that they would like to change based on their new learnings? Conversely, what elements do they now feel particularly confident in? Time-permitting, a few brave participants will have the opportunity to share segments of their proposal with the group and solicit feedback from the group, and a critique from Stacy.
Ultimately, participants will leave this workshop with a clear template for writing or revising their book proposal, a true understanding of the role a proposal plays in the publication process, and the confidence to embark upon that path.
Stacy Testa is a Senior Literary Agent at Writers House, where she began her publishing career 13 years ago after graduating from Princeton University with a degree in English Literature. She represents a wide range of award-winning and bestselling novelists across the literary, historical, upmarket, and commercial genres, including Julie Carrick Dalton, Kim Michele Richardson, Chantal V. Johnson, Karen Marie Moning, Sahar Delijani, Kathryn Ma, Lisa Gornick, and Martha Southgate. She also represents memoirists and authors of narrative nonfiction, including Sarah Wilson, Allison Raskin, Clara Bensen, Gerta Keller, and Kemi Nekvapil. She has a special interest in book-to-film/tv adaptations, having previously served as the Media Rights Manager for Writers House.
