There are two things that you want to convince a publisher:
- that your book matters and people will want to read (and preferably buy) it
- that you are the best person to write it.
Your idea should be original (but not too much so), your proposal should be easy-to-read and have a clear ‘hook’. It should set out a very clear sense of what you will cover and how – just because a book is nonfiction does not mean that it shouldn’t have a narrative thread. You should also ensure that you list potential marketing avenues.
Don’t:
- re-hash existing ideas or books
- compare your book to existing best-sellers
- forget to list any other publishing experience you’ve had
- try an impress with overly clever writing styles.