Authors searching for bulletproof advice about creating successful proposals will be very pleased to discover Pam Brodowsky and Eric Neuhaus’ Bulletproof Book Proposals.  I’ve spent a lot of time with it this week, and I’ve grown to appreciate the authors’ conversational, but concise, writing style.

The authors write from a position of hands-on experience. Both have extensive experience. Both are published, multi-title authors.

Pamela K. Brodowsky is an experienced literary agent. Eric Neuhaus is a writer, journalist, award-winning television producer and educator.

Important lessons, concisely communicated

At several points, I was impressed by the authors’ ability to simplify helpful ideas and suggestions down to communicate-at-a-glance bullet lists.  For example, on page 65, in the chapter on creating chapter outlines, the authors write:

…Here are five ways to organize the material in your book:

1. Time
2. Importance
3. Classification and Division
4. Step by Step
5. Argument

What a great example of simple, straightforward writing! In a few lines, it provides a way for authors of nonfiction books to view their content options and be better able to evaluate the structure of competing books.

Following a discussion of the basics, Bulletproof Book Proposals contains a detailed discussion of 12 book proposals, each  addressed from the author’s, agent’s, and publisher’s point of view. This is a very worthwhile book for anyone considering writing a nonfiction book.