Book Proposal Coaching
You want your book proposal to give an agent a sense of the emotional journey your manuscript takes readers on. I help you shape the proposal so it conveys the impact of your story and gives you a strong foundation for pitching your book with confidence.
Build the case for your book that gives agents a clear reason to pay attention to your book.
Develop a pitch-ready proposal.
A proposal communicates what kind of book it is, who it is for and what kind of transformation it offers. We clarify why readers need it, where it belongs in the marketplace and how it compares to existing books.
$1,900
This is for serious nonfiction writers who want to deliver a clear transformation for the reader. You don’t need a finished manuscript but you need an idea you’re ready to develop into a nonfiction book proposal and commit to a minimum two-month engagement.
Take Your Nonfiction Book to the Marketplace.
Strategy
Position your book for the marketplace:
– Research competitive titles.
– Identify how your book stands out.
– Establish a pitch plan that you can lean on when overwhelmed in the process.
– Find appropriate agents at the pitch stage.
– Write an enticing query letter.
We’ll develop the proposal in relationship to the marketplace and identify appropriate agents when you’re ready to pitch.
Structure
Develop the components of your proposal:
– Table of Contents, your story’s spine.
– Overview, the nuts and bolts of you project.
– Chapter outline and chapter summaries, the core of your story.
– Sample excerpt, this shows the kind of writer you are.
– Author bio, establish your platform.
You’ll gain clarity about how to present your book that stands out in the marketplace.
Support
You don’t have to figure it out by yourself:
– Two one-hour coaching calls each month to support your progress.
– Two submissions per month of up to 5,000 words each to keep you accountable.
– In-depth editorial feedback to improve your writing.
– Actionable next steps to make you feel confident in approaching an agent.
You’ll create a strong foundation on which to approach agents and pitch your project.
I can’t promise that your proposal will land you an agent or a book deal.
I can help you develop a proposal that presents your book clearly, positions it in the marketplace, and gives you a strong foundation for approaching agents.
Interested in Working With Me?
Tell me a little about your book. Where are you in the process and what do you want to accomplish with your proposal? After you submit the questionnaire, I’ll invite you to schedule a free discovery call with me.
Tell me About Your Book
Once you’ve booked my services
We’ll begin our work together with a 20-minute kick-off call to plan our two months working together.
– You commit to four one-hour zoom calls scheduled within two months, twice per month, following the agreed-upon deadlines for revision.
– You’ll send up to a total of 20,000 words for the proposal for review.
– You’ll review any edits or feedback before our next scheduled call.
– Be open to guidance, new ideas, and new tools you may not have used before.
– Be honest about what is or is not working in our editing and coaching partnership.
– Ask for help if you need it.
Michaela von Schweinitz is a member of Women’s Fiction Writers Association, New York Women in Film and Television, and a founding member of Greenlight Women and Memoir Nation.
“As an Author Accelerator certified book coach, I am qualified to coach writers using Author Accelerator’s strategy, methods, and materials, but I operate independently of Author Accelerator and am not affiliated with them.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I self-publish or pursue traditional publishing?
There’s no universally “right” answer — it depends on your goals, timeline, and how much control you want over the process.
Both routes of publishing have their advantages and disadvantages and sometimes a hybrid publisher might be the right choice for you.
Many writers benefit from talking through their specific project and goals before deciding.
Traditional publishing offers wider distribution and industry validation but comes with a slower, more competitive path (querying agents, submission rounds) and less creative/financial control.
Self-publishing gives you speed and full control, but requires you to manage (or hire out) editing, design, and marketing yourself.
Do I need to have a finished manuscript to work with you?
No. You can work with me at different stages of the writing process. You need to know what your book is about and have an idea who your ideal reader is. To submit a book proposal you need between ten pages and two chapters.
You may come to me with an idea or a first draft of your non-fiction book. Or you might have a completed manuscript and need help writing a pitch and query agents.
What kinds of books do you coach?
I work with memoir, fiction, and nonfiction, including writers who are adapting a screenplay into a novel.
For nonfiction writers who are preparing to approach agents and publishers, I also offer specialized Book Proposal Coaching focused on developing and presenting the book for the publishing marketplace.
I do not coach books generated by AI.
I am not the right coach for stories that describe violence in explicit, vivid, and disturbing detail.