For those of you who don't know, Michael Larsen is an agent at Michael Larsen - Elizabeth Pomada Literary Agents in San Francisco. He's also the author of How to Write a Book Proposal.
He also happens to list all the basics on his website under Proposal Guidelines.
He lists all the necessary components along with links to the explanations of each:
1. cover
2. title page
3. what people are saying about the author and his/her work
4. proposal contents
5. the pitch
6. the book
7. the audience
8. the competition
9. the author
10. the author's promotional platform and plan
11. book contents and specifications
12. chapter summaries
13. sample chapter
This a good point at which to remind writers that agents expect such a detailed proposal for any nonfiction book, whether for essays, memoirs, histories or how-to books.
Happy writing!
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