The Tool That Helped Me Land 3 Book Deals
Strong stories need strong strategy. The proposal brings both.
📬 Want to pitch your Christian picture book to an agent or editor—but don’t know what a good proposal actually looks like? I’ll show you mine. Literally. The Christian KidLit Pitch Kit includes my real proposal (with annotations!) so you can see exactly what works—and why. Join the waitlist to be the first to know when it launches next month!
There’s a reason we start with the manuscript: it’s where the magic begins. But if you want your book to connect with agents, publishers, and readers, the next step is to write the proposal. While I firmly believe that every great book starts with a solid story, I’ve been surprised by how helpful writing the proposal is to my process of truly understanding what I want the story to do and who I believe it’s for.
While it can feel like a proposal is an annoying hoop to jump through, it’s actually a tool to help you clarify your message, audience, and goals. And sometimes? If you get stuck on the proposal you might realize that it’s not the proposal that’s the problem, it’s your story. There’s so much to be learned in the process of writing a proposal—but hang on. Since this is the first time we’ve really talked proposals around these parts, let me back up.
What is a book proposal? A book proposal is a document used to pitch your book to a publisher or agent. It includes everything from a compelling summary to your target audience to sample writing. Think of it as your book’s business plan. And it shows how serious you are about this work.
Why the Proposal Matters
These days, publishers are looking for partners, not just writers. They want to know:
Can this person clearly articulate what their book is about?
Do they know who it’s for and how it fits in the market?
Are they able to talk about this book in interviews, social posts, and pitches?
In other words: Can they help this book succeed beyond just writing it?
The proposal helps answer that.
After every book, once the manuscript is complete and I start working on the proposal, I always find I gain more clarity on how I want to speak about and market my book. It brings clarity to the project, and it makes my confidence grow—because I finally have a framework for what I am doing.
What’s Actually In a Proposal?
While every proposal is a little different (especially across genres), most include these key elements:
Overview & Premise
Target Audience (Demographics + Psychographics)
Comparable Books
Unique Selling Proposition
Author Bio
Marketing
Full Manuscript (for kidlit and fiction only)
We’ll cover these more in depth in future posts, but for now, just know that every section plays a role. It’s your job to tell the story about the story—and why it matters now.
A Final Word
If you feel a little overwhelmed by the idea of writing a proposal, you’re not alone. Most of us didn’t start writing because we love marketing documents. But trust me: learning to write a strong proposal won’t just make you more publishable. It will make you a sharper, more strategic writer.
Plus, I’m putting the final touches on The Christian KidLit Pitch Kit—a brand-new resource designed to help you write a proposal that actually gets attention. Inside, you’ll get a copy of the exact proposal I used to land three book deals (yes, the real one I used to shop “A World Wonder”), plus it includes a sample query letter, video interview with a top agent in the space, and a group coaching call with yours truly. I’m designing it to help you pitch with clarity and confidence. Coming August 2025, get on the waitlist now.
Writing with you,
Laura