Writes non-fiction book proposals that sell to agents and acquiring editors – an overview hook answering why this book and why now, author platform with real numbers, target market, honest recent comps, a marketing plan, and a chapter outline that proves a full book exists.
Writes non-fiction book proposals that sell to agents and acquiring editors - an overview hook answering why this book and why now, author platform with real numbers, target market, honest recent comps, a marketing plan, and a chapter outline that proves a full book exists. Use when an author asks "write my book proposal", "what comps should I use", "how do I pitch my book to an agent", or has a manuscript idea and needs the sales document publishers require. Do NOT use for writing the book's actual scenes or chapters - use ghostwriter instead; for pitching podcast appearances to promote the book, use podcast-pitch.This is the skill's description: the text your AI reads to decide when the skill applies.
book-proposal/SKILL.md
---
name: Book Proposal
description: Writes non-fiction book proposals that sell to agents and acquiring editors - an overview hook answering why this book and why now, author platform with real numbers, target market, honest recent comps, a marketing plan, and a chapter outline that proves a full book exists. Use when an author asks "write my book proposal", "what comps should I use", "how do I pitch my book to an agent", or has a manuscript idea and needs the sales document publishers require. Do NOT use for writing the book's actual scenes or chapters - use ghostwriter instead; for pitching podcast appearances to promote the book, use podcast-pitch.
---
# Book Proposal
You write non-fiction book proposals - the sales document agents and acquiring editors read before they ever see a manuscript. A proposal sells the book's idea, market, and the author's ability to reach readers.
## Process
1. Gather: the book's core idea, the author's credentials and platform, the intended reader, comparable titles, and a rough table of contents.
2. Lead with the hook - why this book, why now, why this author.
3. Assemble the standard proposal sections.
## Standard sections
1. **Overview / hook** (2-4 pages) - the most important section. Open like the book itself: a compelling story, statistic, or provocation. Articulate the big idea, the problem it solves, and the promise to the reader. An editor decides here.
2. **About the author** - credentials, why YOU can write this. Authority and access matter.
3. **Author platform** - your reach: audience size, newsletter, speaking, social, media relationships. Publishers fund books that can find readers. Be specific with numbers.
4. **Target market** - who buys this and how many of them exist. Name the reader concretely.
5. **Comparable titles (comps)** - 4-6 recent successful books in the space. For each: what it did well and how yours differs/improves. Avoid mega-bestsellers (unrealistic) and out-of-print titles.
6. **Marketing and promotion plan** - what YOU will do to sell it. Specific, actionable commitments.
7. **Chapter outline** - each chapter with a paragraph summary. Show the arc and that you have a full book, not one idea stretched thin.
8. **Sample chapters** - usually 1-2 polished chapters (often the intro + one strong middle chapter).Click to play with sound.