How to Write a Book Proposal by Michael Larsen (2004, Paperback)

The one thing a book on this subject must have, above all else, is brevity. Michael Larsen's suitably thin volume has this and many other qualities, making it a very useful tool for the writer who seriously wishes to publish. I can't say whether it actually works or not, as I have not yet sent off a proposal based on this work. However, I have laboriously put together one proposal (for a book which missed its deadline and has become, at least for the moment, rather defunct) using this work as a guide. I can affirm that its wisdom is distilled in sufficiently short order so that it is possible to find your way about in it all, as you are trying to come to grips with the finer details (and not forget anything). A larger book would, in contrast, have you wallowing. In any case, Larsen has built this text from his own experience: he knows it works and he manages to convey that sort of confidence to the reader of "How to Write a Book Proposal." Anyone thinking of writing something publishable would do well to get this beforehand - much of the roadwork can be done on the way and it helps enormously to know what your chances are, before coughing up 200,000 words or more on a subject that no-one will publish anyway.
To anyone trying to publish a book in the future, I therefore say: good luck, and you can increase your chances by reading and understanding this book first.

This book gives an insider's view of what publishers are looking for and it details the necessary information in "easy-to-follow" instructions. It also gives tips on other important components that publishers look for in choosing a book for publishing. I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in publishing.