Pitch Perfect Proposal and The Length of Brilliance

Two new Lit Coach columns this month!

Over on Lisa Rivero's Everyday Intensity blog, I consider marketing guru and publishing pioneer Seth Godin's take on the length of brilliance, what that means to someone like me who has trained my ADHD brain (for 30 years!) to focus and what that means to writers in general. Stick around on Lisa's blog - she never fails to deliver something to chew on.

Also, for you nonfiction writers ready to craft your nonfiction book proposals, check out my latest column for Pitch University about how to hook an agent with a clean and thorough Markets section. If you haven't had an opportunity to thoroughly check out Pitch U, I encourage you to find the time - a fantastic free resource for writers.


Happy Summer, all!

TLC

New Service Packages for Nonfiction Authors

As I mentioned last week, I've come up with a few new service packages for fiction and nonfiction authors. This week, I'd like to share with you the highlighted version of a few of my new packages for nonfiction authors.

Full Length Nonfiction Proposal Read and Critique

Is your book proposal ready to hook an agent or editor? Does it look professional? Is the concept strong? Will the book marketing and book promotion section convince a publishing team to invest in your book?

What I Do: Thoroughly review your nonfiction book proposal and offer detailed editorial critique and suggestions for improvement.

What We Do Together: We'll have one, one-hour phone/skype session to discuss your proposal and my notes/direction as well as any questions you may have.


Nonfiction Author Platform Development Package

Ideally, before you put your message into book format, you've invested real time and energy into building your author platform - all the ways in which you're visible to your audience and all the ways your message is available to them (think newsletters, blogs, social media, articles, columns, book contributions, etc.). However, many nonfiction writers who approach agents with their nonfiction work have yet to develop this piece of their brand.

Whether you choose to publish traditionally or self-publish (E or otherwise), people must know you as an expert in your field. Your platform is how you reach your audience. Agents and publishers won't consider your work if you don't have a platform. Readers won't know how to find your book if you self-publish.

What I Do: Full assessment of your book material and any sample work you've written about your subject matter so far. Review your expertise, education, and experience. Full exploration of your career and publishing goals.

What We Do Together: Develop a strategy for you to begin meeting your career/publishing goals; ensure your method of communication is aligned with your brand; develop a way for you to capitalize on your current experience/education while seeking opportunity to expand in these areas further strengthening your platform and adding value to your brand; perfect your pitch to your target audience, collaborators, potential agents and the publishing world. BONUS: One, one-hour agent readiness counsel session OR publishing options counsel.

I also have two Entrepreneurial Nonfiction Author Packages designed for the entrepreneur who has already built their platform and are ready to expand their brand by publishing traditionally or self-publish. This list of what I do and what the author and I do together is extensive. I invite you to check out these packages on my site, thelitcoach.com.

Please note, if you're writing memoir, the process to develop a platform is a little less intense but important to your overall success, nonetheless.

How can I help you with your nonfiction project? Email me and let's begin the discussion.

Thank you for your readership!

TLC

The Lit Coach and Pitch University

I'm happy to announce I've been selected as a regular columnist for Pitch University, a new, valuable resource for writers centered on all things pitching! Lead by the totally lovely authoress and sales guru, Diane Holmes, Pitch University was created to serve as a thorough resource for writers who need help getting around this big, intimidating, daunting idea of crafting "The Big Pitch." Rather, Holmes says, "what we will be doing here at Pitch University is learning how to 'speak our story.'"

My weekly column, "Pitch Perfect Proposal: Crafting Your Nonfiction Book Proposal From Concept to Pitch," will post every Thursday on Pitch U. The column will educate writers on how to craft the perfect book proposal by examining each element of a well crafted book proposal and later, how to pitch your concept to:

* Agents
* Collaborators
* Editors
* Your Audience

I urge you to check out the site - lots of great info for novelists and nonfiction authors!

Other faculty include:

Jennifer Wilkov, Author, Creator and CEO of Your Book is Your Hook
Katharine Sands, Literary Agent with the Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency
Michael Larson - Literary Agent with the Elizabeth Pommada Literary Agents
Christine Whitthohn - Literary Agent, Book Cents Literary Agency
...and many more experts in the publishing, marketing and publicity industry.

Thanks for reading. Let me know what you think of the site!

TLC