Led by expert editor and former publisher Hannah Boursnell, this practical one-day course will delve into the all-important elements that make a great non-fiction proposal – from writing an effective summary and chapter outline to crafting a clear pitch and nailing your USP.
You’ll discover how to present yourself as an expert and answer the question ‘Why are you the right person to write this book?’. Hannah will help you to identify where your book sits in the current market, and who your reader will be. Through tasks and discussion, you’ll explore the key questions that sit at the heart of a proposal. In the afternoon, you’ll have the opportunity to introduce your non-fiction book to a literary agent and receive brief on-the-spot feedback on your idea, and to ask any questions you have about catching an agent’s eye with your proposal.
By the end of the day, you’ll have a clear understanding of what goes into a proposal, you’ll have made a start on shaping yours and you’ll leave with the tools you need to move forwards with clarity.
This course is ideal for anyone with a non-fiction idea, including journalists, academics and experts in their fields – as well as anyone with a unique fascination for a topic who wants to develop their knowledge into a non-fiction book. To get the best out of the course, you’ll have an idea for your book already and started writing your early chapters.
This course is for writers working on non-fiction. If you're writing fiction and are interested in learning how to pitch, please sign up for our Pitching Your Novel one-day course.
