Your Book Proposal Will Make You a Better Writer

Your Book Proposal Will Make You a Better Writer

Did you know that your book proposal will make you a better writer?

You may think that creating a book proposal is something you must do to get in front of agents or publishers.

And while your book proposal IS the ticket for entry to traditional book publishing and often hybrid publishing, there are incredible benefits to you as a writer, business owner, and human.

So, in today’s post, I want to talk about the benefits you’ll personally experience from the proposal process.

And, if you’ve been putting it off or dreading getting started, this information will help you reframe it as an enjoyable creative pursuit to achieve this dream of yours.

As you know, I nerd out about book proposals because I know ALL the ways they can make your book dreams happen. But, for this post, we’ll focus on how writing a book proposal will make you a better writer, and, dare I say, person!

Let’s get into it.

(Prefer to listen? Head over to this episode of my Bound + Determined podcast).

Becoming a Better Writer Requires Confidence & Comfort

I can’t tell you the visible difference I see in aspiring authors’ pre- and post-book proposals. Understandably they start out unsure and a bit self-conscious. While they want to write a book, they’re not confident they have a book in them. Or, they have no idea what to focus on because they have so many ideas. Maybe you can relate?

If so, working through your book proposal will give you confidence and comfort because as you focus on each section, you’ll get more specific about what you’ll cover. That focus and clarity will sprout new sub-topics or chapter ideas. What you know will bubble up to the surface and suddenly make sense in the larger picture. Plus, because writing your book proposal will require you to go over it many times, you’ll start to see a mission statement emerging.

The natural progress you make on your book sparks confidence and comfort — a game-changer for aspiring authors. In addition to confidence and comfort, you’ll also get clarity.

Clarity Will Make You a Better Writer (and make for a better book!)

When you’re building on a book proposal, it’s more than just an outline or a business plan for your book. And while we like to give those sorts of terms to the process, it goes much deeper than that.

If you sat down to try and write a book right now, you probably wouldn’t have a lot of clarity.

Clarity comes from reworking the idea and looking at it from multiple angles. As you narrow down your focus areas and how to best communicate those to your reader, ideas about how to share it across your platform (newsletter, blog, social media channels, etc.) will emerge.

And the repetition of looking at it from different angles and being pushed to dive deeper and deeper gives you a level of detail in what you teach and write about that you can’t get anywhere else.

Plus, as you continue to write, your natural voice will come out, and honing your voice is the key to popping off the page of your book proposal and book.

Be a Better Writer by Honing Your Voice 

Part of the book proposal process is figuring out who you are as a writer.

What feels authentic to you?

How do you showcase your personality and still deliver the message you want that attracts suitable agents, publishers and readers?

I like to tell clients that the book proposal is a test document. You get to fiddle and play with it until it’s right. And if you seek feedback from a book coach like me, you’ll get useful insight that will further help you train your writing muscle.

The book proposal process also helps you develop the necessary components of the book. Whether it’s a new framework, self-reflection questions, or a signature process you’ve developed based on your expertise, the book proposal will show you how to bring it to the page and infuse your personality.

There’s so much freedom and empowerment in that!

Better Writers Understand Their Audience

So far, we’ve touched on gaining confidence and clarity and honing your voice and teaching style. Your book proposal will also help you understand as much as you can about your audience before writing your book.

You’ve heard me say it, a book is about you, but it’s not for you. It’s for the people out there that need to hear the message you have for them.

That means to reach them, you must have a deep understanding of who your ideal readers are that you want to pick up this book.

Part of that is understanding their struggles, goals and how they want to feel, among a million other things! When you get a firm grasp on these details, you’re better able to write to that person and make an impact with your book.

The idea of impact brings me to one of my favorite benefits of a book proposal: it gives you ideas for your business.

Generate More Creative Ideas

I’ve seen people create new courses, programs, retreats, or entirely new businesses based on their discoveries in the book proposal process.

I had a client last year who was writing her book proposal. As she worked through all the sections, she realized what she wanted to do in her book and her future coaching business tied into her 20 years of corporate experience. Finding that through-line between what she does every day and what she wants to do with her future was eye-opening.

I see it repeatedly; what seems like a scary undertaking gives birth to new and exciting ideas.

Better Writers Think Strategically  

Writing a book proposal can also help you think strategically about the marketing of your book before you even reach out to an agent or publisher.

It can serve as a trial run of sorts. It’s a place to experiment and take risks to see if the book you’re envisioning is the right one for you to write now.

It’s also an opportunity to practice speaking the language of book sales and to develop ideas for marketing to capture the right people’s attention.

Working with a trusted consultant can be invaluable in this process, as they can help you think of ideas and strategies you may not have considered on your own.

(Want my help to make your big book dreams a reality? Learn more here!)

Ultimately, the book proposal is an important part of the publishing process that can give you the confidence to move forward with your project.

Become a Better Writer with My Help!

Writing a book proposal is so much more than just having a business plan for your book.

Not only does it make you a better writer, giving you confidence and comfort in your message, it’ll also make you a more effective teacher and advocate of your work.

It will help you to discover who you are as a writer and understand if the book you want to write is the best one to serve you and your readers.

Plus, your audience will become clearer as you take the time to really get to know them, so you can better serve them in your book and your business.

It can also be an intentional act, helping you to become a better all-around author, creative marketer, and capable salesperson.

If you’d like more detailed direction and a book publishing pro to help you navigate the book proposal process, check out my 10-week Book Proposal Blueprint here.