In the late 1990s, Malcolm Gladwell was working as a staff writer for The New Yorker magazine. He had written an article about the sudden drop in crime in New York City, exploring the idea that small changes can have big effects. This concept fascinated him, and he began to see examples of it in various fields.
He developed a book proposal expanding on this idea, which he called “the tipping point.” The proposal outlined how small actions or changes can reach a critical mass and then spread rapidly, like an epidemic. He proposed examining this phenomenon across diverse areas like fashion trends, crime rates, and viral marketing.
What made Gladwell’s proposal stand out was his ability to synthesise research from various disciplines and present it in an engaging, accessible way. He combined academic studies with compelling anecdotes and case studies, promising to reveal the hidden patterns behind social phenomena.
The proposal caught the attention of literary agent Tina Bennett, who recognised its potential. She helped Gladwell refine it and submitted it to publishers. This led to a bidding war. Little, Brown and Company ultimately won the rights to publish The Tipping Point with a substantial advance, and it came out in 2000. The book spent 28 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and sold millions of copies worldwide.
He was already a writer on The New Yorker, which is no small thing. As a magazine writer myself, I was both a huge fan of Gladwell and very envious.
The book proposal, then the book, launched his career as a bestselling author and sought-after public speaker.
Gladwell took a complex, interdisciplinary concept and crafted a proposal that made it accessible and exciting to publishers and general readers. His approach, combining academic research with storytelling and real-world examples became a template for many popular nonfiction books exploring big ideas.
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Another writer whose book proposal was hugely successful is Elizabeth Gilbert. In 2003, Gilbert was going through divorce and decided to take a year-long journey of self-discovery through Italy, India, and Indonesia.
Before embarking on her trip, she wrote a book proposal outlining her planned travels and the spiritual/personal growth journey she hoped to document.
What made Gilbert’s proposal unique and compelling was that she hadn’t actually taken the trip yet – she was pitching a memoir about experiences she hadn’t had. Viking Press took a chance on the unwritten book, offering Gilbert a modest advance that allowed her to take the trip.
Gilbert spent a next year traveling and gathering material for what would become Eat, Pray, Love. It was published in 2006 and became an international bestseller, selling over 12 million copies worldwide. It spent 187 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list and was eventually adapted into a film starring Julia Roberts.
I was never envious of Gilbert. But I did actually meet her once, when we were both speakers at a big conference. I humiliated myself spectacularly, in front of Gilbert and tons of other famous people, but she was very good about it and we had a fun lunch together.
(To find out what happened, you’ll have to read A Modest Book About How To Make An Adequate Speech. In fact, now I think about it, I used exactly the same teaser in the book proposal.)
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Long after all this, the British author and feminist Caroline Criado Perez wrote a proposal for what would become her book Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men.
For the book proposal, she meticulously researched and compiled data to illustrate the pervasive issue of gender bias in data collection and its real-world consequences. She included compelling case studies that demonstrated the book’s relevance, potential to spark conversations and drive real change.
Her background as a well-known activist and writer added credibility to her proposal, making it clear that she was uniquely positioned to tackle this subject.
“Invisible Women” was published by Chatto & Windus. It became a bestseller and won several awards, including the Royal Society Science Book Prize in 2019. A compelling proposal can secure a book deal – and also contribute to social change.
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So, anyway.
I used to hate writing book proposals, but practice has made it less painful. In fact, to be completely honest, I quite like it. Having now helped quite a few other people write proposals I can see there’s no need to be quite so agonised.
Here are some tips, wrapped around the stories of Gladwell, Gilbert, Perez and a few others:
Develop a compelling concept: Elizabeth Gilbert’s proposal for Eat, Pray, Love stood out because she pitched a memoir about experiences she hadn’t yet had. This unique angle intrigued publishers and secured her an advance to actually take the journey she proposed writing about.
Showcase your unique voice and perspective: Cheryl Strayed’s proposal for Wild captured publishers’ attention with her raw, honest voice and ability to frame her personal story as a universal tale of grief, healing, and self-discovery.
Demonstrate market potential: Malcolm Gladwell’s proposal for The Tipping Point synthesised research from various disciplines and presented it in an engaging, accessible way. He showed how his book would fill a gap in the market for big idea nonfiction.
Highlight your expertise and platform: Caroline Criado Perez’s proposal for Invisible Women emphasised her background as a well-known activist and writer, establishing her credibility to tackle the subject of gender data bias.
Be persistent and refine your approach: Raynor Winn’s The Salt Path was her debut book, but her deeply personal and compelling proposal eventually found the right agent and publisher, even though she had never written a book before.
Craft a strong overview and sample chapters: Perez’s proposal for Invisible Women included sample chapters showcasing her ability to blend rigorous research with engaging storytelling, and a clear outline of how she would explore this bias across various sectors of society.
Show passion for your subject: Throughout these success stories, a common thread is the authors’ genuine enthusiasm for their topics. This passion often shines through in the proposal and can be a key factor in capturing publishers’ interest.
Be open to feedback and willing to revise: Several of these authors refined their proposals based on feedback from industry professionals before finding success.
Research the market and position your book effectively: Successful proposals often include thorough market analysis, demonstrating how the book fills a gap or meets a specific demand.
Network and find the right agent and / or publisher: Many of these authors found success by connecting with agents who truly understood and believed in their projects, often through personal connections or industry events.
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Write A Book Proposal
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