Let’s continue our deep dive into the world of nonfiction book proposals. So far we’ve talked about the Overview and the Author’s Bio, and today we’re going to tackle the Competitive Analysis.
This is by far my favorite section of the book proposal. Why? Because you get to do “research” – by reading. 😍
The point of the Competitive Analysis is to show agents and editors that you are savvy, and to illustrate that there is already a market for a book like yours – and then illustrate for them why your book deserves a spot on bookstore shelves.
There is a good chance that you are already pretty familiar with other successful books in your genre/subject area. Ask yourself who are the successful authors? What sets their books apart from others? And what sets yours apart from theirs?
You can use Amazon as a tool as you’re doing your research – select the top five or six (up to eight) books with content that is most similar to yours (and that are selling well – look for sales rankings of 150,000 or above). Read the book blurbs – for extra credit, order and read the books, too.
When you’re writing your analysis, first you want to give the book’s publication information – I’m talking about title, author name, publishing company, publishing year, and Amazon sales ranking. For example: You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero (Running Press, 2013) – Amazon Sales Ranking #113.
Then you want to get into the nitty gritty – what do these books do well? What do they struggle with? What do you bring to the table that’s new or better or different? It’s best to use a positive, negative, positive style. For example:
Positive – “You Are a Badass is inspirational and hilarious, and the author writes in a style that gives the reader the idea that they are talking to their very best friend.
Negative – “However, the author does not give specific advice to address marriage and relationship issues.”
Positive – “My book, Wife Life: How to Ace the Marriage Game, is just as sassy as You Are a Badass, but it also gives readers concrete steps to take to improve their self-confidence and their marriage.”
Ideally you want a few sentences per “section,” but again, the point is to illustrate that there is a need for your book and that your book can fulfill that need better than the books that are already out there.
So, get to reading – and writing! Good luck.
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