Book Proposal Tables of Contents - Why You Need Two
Why should I even bother with a table of contents for my book proposal? you say.
The book proposal itself is so short, anyone who picks it up can simply leaf through until they find the section they want.
This is a common misconception shared by beginning and experienced writers alike.
The answer to the question is twofold.
Your book proposal needs a table of contents because it helps people find the section they want to read, even if it's only a ten-page book proposal.
Second, the table of contents indicates that you have an orderly mind, which is something editors like.
"But no one's going be hunting through my book proposal looking for various sections," some writers say.
"They'll read the whole thing from first page to last, right?" DON'T COUNT ON ANYONE READING YOUR ENTIRE BOOK PROPOSAL Most people will not read your entire book proposal.
Sad, but true.
The only one you can count on reading your entire book proposal is your literary agent.
The acquiring editor might read it completely, and really should read it completely, especially if she's thinking seriously about buying the book.
But often editors are pressed for time.
Before they make a decision, they may just want to look at the overview and the about the author section.
If you make it difficult for them to find that section, they may just toss the book proposal onto the reject pile.
So make it easy on your readers.
Provide a table of contents for your book proposal.
Typically it will contain the following headings: Overview, Marketing, Promotion, Competing Books, About the Author, List of Chapters, Chapter-by-Chapter Summaries, and Sample Chapters.
WHY YOU NEED TWO TABLES OF CONTENTS But that's just the table of contents for your book proposal.
Your book proposal also needs a list of chapters for your proposed book.
This list of chapters is also the table of contents for your book.
Even though your book is not written at this point, you still need to provide a table of contents for it, just as if it were already written and ready to be sent to bookstores.
"How do I write a table of contents for a book that's not yet written?" writers ask.
"Things may change as I write, and I might want to change the order of the chapters or eliminate some chapters or add other chapters down the line.
Isn't it a waste of time to make up a table of contents now?" No, it's not a waste of time.
In fact you need to provide a finished table of contents that is perfect in every way, that contains all the chapters your finished book will have, and that shows order and progression.
Editors realize that things may change as you write the book.
They don't expect what you submit here to be the final word.
As they look over the book proposal, ideas may occur to them, and they may even suggest chapters to add or subtract.
That's one of the reasons you write a book proposal -- to give an editor a chance to suggest changes.
Sometimes they have nothing to suggest, but sometimes they do.
In any case, you need to include a table of contents for your book in your book proposal -- every literary agent and every editor will expect to see it.
If you follow these suggestions your book proposal will wind up having two tables of contents.
The first will appear on page two of your book proposal and will simply be a table of contents for your book proposal.
The second will appear around page 8 or 9 in your book proposal and will be the table of contents for your proposed book.
The book proposal itself is so short, anyone who picks it up can simply leaf through until they find the section they want.
This is a common misconception shared by beginning and experienced writers alike.
The answer to the question is twofold.
Your book proposal needs a table of contents because it helps people find the section they want to read, even if it's only a ten-page book proposal.
Second, the table of contents indicates that you have an orderly mind, which is something editors like.
"But no one's going be hunting through my book proposal looking for various sections," some writers say.
"They'll read the whole thing from first page to last, right?" DON'T COUNT ON ANYONE READING YOUR ENTIRE BOOK PROPOSAL Most people will not read your entire book proposal.
Sad, but true.
The only one you can count on reading your entire book proposal is your literary agent.
The acquiring editor might read it completely, and really should read it completely, especially if she's thinking seriously about buying the book.
But often editors are pressed for time.
Before they make a decision, they may just want to look at the overview and the about the author section.
If you make it difficult for them to find that section, they may just toss the book proposal onto the reject pile.
So make it easy on your readers.
Provide a table of contents for your book proposal.
Typically it will contain the following headings: Overview, Marketing, Promotion, Competing Books, About the Author, List of Chapters, Chapter-by-Chapter Summaries, and Sample Chapters.
WHY YOU NEED TWO TABLES OF CONTENTS But that's just the table of contents for your book proposal.
Your book proposal also needs a list of chapters for your proposed book.
This list of chapters is also the table of contents for your book.
Even though your book is not written at this point, you still need to provide a table of contents for it, just as if it were already written and ready to be sent to bookstores.
"How do I write a table of contents for a book that's not yet written?" writers ask.
"Things may change as I write, and I might want to change the order of the chapters or eliminate some chapters or add other chapters down the line.
Isn't it a waste of time to make up a table of contents now?" No, it's not a waste of time.
In fact you need to provide a finished table of contents that is perfect in every way, that contains all the chapters your finished book will have, and that shows order and progression.
Editors realize that things may change as you write the book.
They don't expect what you submit here to be the final word.
As they look over the book proposal, ideas may occur to them, and they may even suggest chapters to add or subtract.
That's one of the reasons you write a book proposal -- to give an editor a chance to suggest changes.
Sometimes they have nothing to suggest, but sometimes they do.
In any case, you need to include a table of contents for your book in your book proposal -- every literary agent and every editor will expect to see it.
If you follow these suggestions your book proposal will wind up having two tables of contents.
The first will appear on page two of your book proposal and will simply be a table of contents for your book proposal.
The second will appear around page 8 or 9 in your book proposal and will be the table of contents for your proposed book.
