Kristen Havens: Writer, Ghostwriter, Developmental Editor – Los Angeles, CA
Note: This article was originally published on my blog in October 2009.
A friend of mine came to me recently with a challenge. She was asked to write a book proposal based on a brief article she’d written, but she wasn’t sure which way to go with her story. What direction would make the best book? There were so many ways she could go, but she wasn’t sure which concept would be the most compelling.
Here’s what I suggested.
Photo by freddie marriage on Unsplash
This blog post is not for everyone. It’s for writers who are just beginning to create books–specifically, nonfiction books (health, how-to, business, etc.). The message is:
Over the years, I’ve noticed that many authors write books with a “field of dreams” mentality: “If I write this, they will come.” Often, these authors, when asked, “What’s your target audience?” respond, “Everyone,” or “All women,” or “Women over the age of 35, because those are the ones buying books.”
To the people faced with the prospect of selling your book, this response sounds like you have unrealistic expectations. In a best case scenario, your PR and sales team may under-deliver on your expectations, and you may part ways feeling unsatisfied. More worrisome than bad feelings, though, is bad product; “My book is for everyone” often means the writer hasn’t thought about audience while writing. The result can be an unsalable book–well-written, maybe, but without a clear angle that can be pitched effectively to media and, more importantly, to consumers.
Inspired by something I saw recently on The Rumpus, the following is constructed completely from actual comments I’ve received when my work has been turned down.
These comments span 14 years of rejection, from 1999 to the present. They cover all genres: TV pilots, screenplays, poems, short stories, novellas, and article pitches.