#TipfulTuesday The Key Ingredient to Publication: A Stellar Proposal

The Conference season is in full swing. Some have ended, some are yet to come. THIS TOPIC is crucial for writers hoping to land an agent or book contract while there.

After many years of attending writing conferences, classes, and reading books on writing, I have learned the key ingredient to publication, second only to a magnificent manuscript, is a stellar proposal.

Not the number of followers.

A stellar proposal is the answer.

The first instructor I heard give this advice said, "You spend months maybe years crafting a good manuscript. The proposal should have as much attention." Write To Publish Conference Instructor, Wheaton Illinois 2002.

Devote Time to Crafting a Stellar Proposal

What did he mean by that? A proposal is simply a collection of facts about your book and you, right? 

Not really. The hours spent collecting that data and splashing them on a page is only a tiny portion. We are writers and must convey the information in a compelling manner.

Perfect the Writing and Formatting

While at the Blue Ridge Conference, a Books and Such agent scanned through my proposal and pointed out several phrases. "I don't need that. Or that." Without her guidance I wouldn't have notice.

Agents and publishers receive numerous submissions daily. They will scan your proposal like a reader scans a new book. They are first looking for something that interests them. If their eyes fall on wordy phrases, superfluous information, or poor writing, the proposal will be rejected in the same way a reader will put the new book back on the shelf and walk away. 

Include Only Relevant Information

Think of a resume. If you applied for a medical position, you wouldn't note the art class you teach. 

However, say my story had homeless characters, I could include my Masters in Guidance and Counseling, my work as a caseworker for the homeless, or my volunteer work at the homeless mission because this shows credibility.

Vigilance not stagnation

Also, Agent Cyle Young, whom I spoke with at an American Christian Fiction Writers' Conference  (ACFW) state chapter meeting, showed me a few items to delete because, although they were relevant, the numbers generated did not create a positive impression. What did he mean? All information should reflect your efforts to get your message out. It should demonstrate your vigilance not stagnation.

Writing a proposal takes much more than looking at a sample from online and tailoring the style/formatting to suit your manuscript.

Bob Hostetler, agent with Steve Laube Agency, finds the proposal a key tool in selling his client's books to publishers. His 2019 BRMCWC class had a great focus on this topic. Articles on proposals are available on the Steve Laube Agency website: https://stevelaube.com/?s=proposals

*Set aside some time each week to research how to write a proposal. 

*Read in-depth blog posts, watch You Tube videos, read several books, and take classes on-line. 

*Practice

*Have Your Proposal Critiqued by one or more persons who have mastered the art of proposal writing.

*Refine

Without a stellar Book Proposal, a magnificent manuscript may never be read

And we want you to be successful!

~Mary Vee
Photo Credit: Mary Vee

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Mary Vee -Rock climbing, white-water rafting, and hiking top Mary’s list of ways to enjoy a day. She was homeless for a time, was a teacher, a missionary, and married an Air Force vet. Mary has been a finalist in several writing contests and writes for her King.

Visit Mary at her Website, Blog, and her ministry blog to families: God Loves Kids. Or chat on Facebook or Twitter

The Illusive Writer's Voice

Among the numerous benefits of attending a writing conference is the opportunity to learn something new. Or better yet, finally untangling that crazy misconception of a specific topic.

I admit it, sharpening the focus on "voice" in terms of writing, has been as difficult for me as learning how to crochet. I still don't know how to crochet. 

BUT

Thanks to author Lisa Carter, an instructor at the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writer's Conference, I FINALLY UNDERSTAND completely, exactly, totally what an agent means when he or she says, I want to see your voice in your story. 

I can't help but tell the world of writers and spare the masses from the same puzzled look I've had.

When an agent or editor says he wants to see your voice in the manuscript, he or she expects to begin reading your story on page one, and due to the engaging writing and deep story, he feels more than compelled to read on...and dreads the bell ending the appointment time. Your twist on the plot. Your presentation of the characters. Your edited writing has sucked the reader into the story.

Any writer can write a given story. The resulting manuscripts of five authors given the same topic will be completely different because we include what we know, what we have experienced, our tastes, perceptions, feelings, hopes, anticipations, dreams, and etc. No two people, even twins, have walked the same exact road and therefore no two stories will be written the same exact way.

These are some ways to ensure our voice is present on the page:
1. Don't allow fear to stop you from confronting your fears and utter joys when keying words onto the page. Not fake, superficial emotions. Touch the heart.

2. Explore your passions. Although we are told to write what we know, we should write what we love. Then and only then will your voice enrich the story.

3. Keep a journal of your experiences. Record clear descriptions that tend to fade with time. Pour your emotions on the page so you can remember the feelings, then give those feelings to your characters.

4. Also, record daily details. What you see and think. Today you saw two people walking across the street. Yesterday you saw two different people walking across the street. How were they different. Dress. Body Language. Voice. These notes will enhance your writing. Most likely if I had seen the same two people, my observation list would look different. These differences are what flavor our voice when writing. If we both wrote a story about the two individuals, do you think the story would be different? Absolutely. 

Lisa gave several more points. Hopefully, the few I've highlights helped you to understand the concept.

One day at the conference, I saw an agent see my voice in my manuscript. This was the first time for me! The agent glanced at my one sheet, slightly grinned and tipped his head to the right then to the left. He asked for my first three chapters and began reading. He shielded his eyes with his hands blocking out other appointment distractions and read on. His eyes slid left to right and down the page. He whipped the first page aside and read on through the second page then looked at the time. 

His smile said he saw my voice in the story. 

I may not be able to crochet, but I finally, after so many years of learning how to write, have discovered how to write my voice into story.

Do you have questions?

~Mary Vee
Photo by Mary Vee

Link to Mary's books: https://amzn.to/2Fq4Jbm

Mary Vee -Rock climbing, white-water rafting, and hiking top Mary’s list of ways to enjoy a day. She was homeless for a time, was a teacher, a missionary, and married an Air Force vet. Mary has been a finalist in several writing contests and writes for her King.

Visit Mary at her Website, Blog, and her ministry blog to families: God Loves Kids. Or chat on Facebook or Twitter