BOOKBOUND
COMING THIS FALL!
the e-book
A TRIED-AND-TRUE METHOD FOR TURNING YOUR GREAT IDEA INTO A STANDOUT NONFICTION BOOK PROPOSAL
In nonfiction publishing, authors don't sell full manuscripts; they sell proposals. A proposal is essentially a business plan for your book, helping agents and editors visualize it on shelves and bestseller lists.
Great News: The price of the e-book is just $19.99!
Our BOOKBOUND method, which is tried-and-true, helps you sharpen your idea, develop your publishing strategy, and, ultimately, write the proposal that agents and editors won’t be able to say no to. In this e-book, you will find everything from how to make your book stand out in a crowded market to unlocking your book idea with the perfect guiding image, metaphor, or trope.
We’ve structured the book to be readable by chapter and actionable as a self-guided course. In other words, you can go through the book chapter by chapter at your leisure or use it as a workbook with weekly prompts, mirroring our accelerator and proposal-writing workshop.
We’re critically acclaimed authors and bestselling book coaches, having helped hundreds of women achieve their publishing dreams. By following our method, you’ll write, revise, and iterate until your proposal shines.
If you’re ready to take the plunge, stop writing your book and start writing your proposal. Your book is waiting, and we're here to guide you every step of the way.
Table of Contents
PART ONE: DEVELOP A PUBLISHING STRATEGY + REFINE YOUR IDEA
Chapter One: Find Your Why
Chapter Two: Let’s Get (Playfully) Strategic!
Chapter Three: Discover Your Muse and How You’ll Change Her Life
Chapter Four: Sharpen Your Big, Juicy, Irresistible, Counterintuitive Idea
Chapter Five: Make Your Book Stand Out by Being Completely You
Chapter Six: Unlock Your Book Idea with the Perfect Guiding Image, Metaphor, or Trope
PART TWO: HOW TO WRITE YOUR STAND-OUT PROPOSAL
Chapter Seven: How to Start Writing Your Standout Proposal
Chapter Eight: Title + Overview
Chapter Nine: About the Author + Platform
Chapter Ten: Marketing + Promotion
Chapter Eleven: Structure + Chapter Summaries
Chapter Twelve: Comps
Chapter Thirteen: Sample Chapters
Chapter Fourteen: Let’s Go Back to the Beginning
PART THREE: TEMPLATES, GRIDS AND GRAPHS
Proposal Template
Publishing Paths + Your Why
Meet Bethany & Fran
Bethany Saltman
Bethany Saltman still can’t believe she gets to write and work with books for a living. Her critically acclaimed first book, Strange Situation: A Mother’s Journey Into the Science of Attachment (2020, Random House) was named one of the Top Science Books of 2020 by New Scientist, has been published in five countries, and is included in psychology syllabi around the world. As a bestselling book coach and co-host of the Bookbound podcast, Bethany is obsessed with the art of the non-fiction book proposal and with helping women claim their author-ity. She is also a Brown-University certified leadership coach, and lives in the Catskills of New York with her husband, teenage daughter, and their two standard poodles.
Fran Hauser
Fran Hauser knows books. A bestselling author, speaker, startup advisor, and former media executive, her expertise runs deep. She's also the founder of Bookbound, a consulting service that helps aspiring authors bring their books to life, and co-host of the Bookbound podcast. Fran is the author of two books for professional women who are looking to create careers they love while staying true to themselves: The Myth of the Nice Girl (2018, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) and Embrace the Work, Love Your Career (2022, Collective Book Studio). The Myth of the Nice Girl has been translated into eight languages and earned the prestigious title of "Best Business Book of the Year, 2018" by Audible. Fran resides outside NYC with her husband, two sons, and beloved mini Goldendoodle.