Of my published books, some have been proposed by the publisher, and I competed with other authors for the opportunity to write them; some have been proposed directly to me with no other authors competing; and some have been based on original ideas of my own, written up in convincing proposals that led publishers to decide that my ideas were worth investing in. This series will provide suggestions from my experience for various elements of your book proposal.
We'll start with tips to help you figure out how to represent the competition in your book proposal so that you can explain how your proposed book will compare, contrast, and extend the field.
One type of research can be carried out by going to the largest and the smallest local bookstore that carry books of the type or on the topic that you're proposing.
At the largest bookstore check for:
• the (rough) number of books on the subject
• what the books have in common visually (i.e., without opening the book):
• cut size
• approximate page count
• paperback vs. hard cover
• which volumes catch your eye on the shelf and why:
• different size from the rest, e.g., oversize, "Nutshell Library"-size
• unusual shape
• striking cover illustration or font
• which publishers are represented
• which authors and how many are represented:
• Is the section dominated by "big names"?
• Are first time author's represented?
• the type(s) of title used:
• the style, e.g., humorous, serious, tongue-in-cheek, etc.
• the title content, e.g. is the subject name included?
If there are a reasonable number, note the titles. If not, we'll be coming back to this.
At the small bookstore look for:
• which titles from the set at the larger bookstore are included
• how the titles strike you in this setting
In the small bookstore, try talking to the owner and/or the person in charge of buying if the owner doesn't do this. Ask about the subject area—
• why the particular books that they carry were chosen
• what the sales in this area look like
• what, in this person's opinion, is great about these volumes and what, if anything, is missing
Now you've laid the groundwork for this part of your proposal, and you haven't even opened a book yet!