5 Great Research Tips Before You Write a Book Proposal

Posted by Writers Republic on November 7th, 2019

A Book Proposal takes a great deal of time and work to make. This is because a lot is resting on the success of the book proposal. Creating a great book proposal is necessary for you to find the right book publisher. This is why you should take the time to do research before you write the book proposal. Doing research allows you to be more prepared to write a book proposal. By researching properly you are given a better starting point to write the best book proposal possible.

Here are some great research tips on how to write a Book Proposal.

1. Identify your target market

Before you even think of writing your book proposal you should be able to identify your target market. What is your genre? Which demographic should you cater to? Why should you cater to them? You will have to be able to answer these questions before you start writing your book proposal. Being able to identify your target market will allow you to maximize your efforts in creating the right book proposal. It will also help you avoid wasting time and effort on demographics that are not likely to have an interest in your book.

Once you have identified your target market you will be able to craft a book proposal that will allow you to cater to what they want in a book.  Being attuned to their likes will also help you when you start building a fan base for your book.

2. Know your competition

Like a boxer scouting out his next opponent, you will need to know your book’s potential competition. Knowing your competition will allow you to steer away from any topic that is similar to yours. This will also help you to avoid nasty accusations of copyright infringement in the future. It will also allow you to create a truly unique work that has no similarities to any book in the market. Knowing what your competition is like will also help you gain a more flexible outlook on your writing and make the necessary changes when needed.

3. Scout out the internet

The internet is one of the most potent sources in the world. It is also a great way to market your book. This is why you should scour the internet and see what may prove advantageous for your book proposal. Search the internet for any potential rivals in the future. Are there any authors who write in the same genre as you? Have they already released their books?

You can also look for book publishers that you can send your book proposal to. You can also do a thorough research of any potential competition with bloggers. This is because content in books is not your only competition. So you should do your best to look through various blog sites before you think of writing a book proposal.

4. Identify your sources

This is very important because you do not want to offend your sources by not citing them as a source. Whether you are writing a non-fiction or fiction book it is always important that you cite your sources. This way you can give them their due credit and at the same time your book will be considerably more legitimate.  It is imperative that you do proper research on your facts and list them down promptly. That way you can avoid disagreements with readers in the future by having a well-researched book. It is also a way to protect yourself from the scrutiny of over judicious readers looking for mistakes on your part.

5. Decide on how you are going to present your book

Before you even start writing your book proposal you should know how you will present your book to the book publishers. This is because book publishers are very picky on which books to publish. So you should already have a thought out plan on presenting your book. This includes who you should present your book to and how you should present it to them. Having a pre-made plan allows you to look for any potential drawbacks and make the needed changes.