Guides • Understanding Publishing
Last updated on Apr 23, 2021
How to Publish a Nonfiction Book: Land a Book Deal in 5 Steps
About the author
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Savannah is a senior editor with Reedsy and a published writer whose work has appeared on Slate, Kirkus, and BookTrib. Her short fiction has appeared in the Owl Canyon Press anthology, "No Bars and a Dead Battery".
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Rebecca van Laer is a writer, editor, and the author of two books, including the novella How to Adjust to the Dark. Her work has been featured in literary magazines such as AGNI, Breadcrumbs, and TriQuarterly.
Learn more →Publishing a book is a lifelong dream for many people. But just because you have a great idea for a nonfiction book, that doesn’t mean you know how to publish a nonfiction book.
Those familiar with the ins and outs of publishing novels will be surprised at the difference in how fiction and nonfiction get pitched and acquired by publishing houses. If you’d like to learn about how to publish a book yourself instead, hop on over to our guide about self-publishing. In this post, however, we'll walk you through a 5-step approach to selling your book to a traditional publisher. Let's dive in!
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Step 1: Don’t write your whole book first
As counter-intuitive as it seems, the first step toward selling a nonfiction book is not to write a great nonfiction book. Or, to clarify, publishers in nonfiction acquire a book based on the pitch (the idea of the book), rather than the book itself.
Why? Nonfiction publishers work a lot more closely with their writers than those on the fiction side of things. Where fiction might be more of an art, writing non-fiction is more of a science. You can't throw chemicals around the lab without the other scientists' permission — there are procedures in place for a reason. So if your goal is to traditionally publish your nonfiction book, focus on really getting a handle on what your book will be — and who it's for.
Step 2: Research your category and validate your idea
When considering nonfiction authors, the gatekeepers are always on the lookout for people who understand their category. They not only want you to know which books are doing well in your particular type of nonfiction, but they want you to tell them about the marketing potential.
By the time you pitch your book to somebody, you want to know exactly what you’re up against, and that you have an actual opportunity to sell books in your category.
Hire an expert
Michael B.
Available to hire
I have many years experience of editing Open University materials - Spanish, education, history, music and ELT. I now edit fiction as well.
Melissa P.
Available to hire
Highly experienced, dynamic and astute Australian line/copy editor. I have a global client base.
Ellie W.
Available to hire
A children’s author, editor and publisher with over 17 years' experience who can help shape your idea into a beautiful children's book.
To start your research:
- Head to Amazon and find out if similar books have already been published.
- Get an estimate of those books’ daily sales by running their Amazon ranks through an Amazon calculator.
- Go into big-box and local bookstores and see how well your category "represents" on the shelves.
If you’re struggling to find similar books, it could mean that you’ve struck gold with an original idea. More often than not, though, it probably means that there’s no market for it (at least not yet).
Free course: Validate your book idea
What if you knew that your book would be a hit before you wrote it? Well, you can. To find out how, get started today.
Step 3: Refine your book's commercial potential
Fiction fans read for pleasure and often seek books that are similar to the ones they already love. For that reason, the market can handle publishing novels that are "more of the same." Nonfiction, on the other hand, can be a lot more competitive.
Nonfiction readers commonly look to books to solve a problem. How can they get better at playing the guitar? How can they learn to code Python? If there’s already a seminal book out there that offers the exact same thing as yours, you might be in trouble.
What is special about you and your book?
Once again, put yourself into the shoes of an industrious publisher who wants to shift some copies: what would compel them to buy your book? Here are a few ways to answer that question:
- “There’s an interest in the topic I’m writing about.” Are there already books in the same ballpark as yours that are selling well?
- “My book has a unique selling point.” There must be something compelling about your idea that separates it from the current successful titles on the market.
- “I’m uniquely qualified to write about this.” Unlike in fiction, where it really doesn’t matter who the author is, you need to justify why you are the person that’s best to put together this book. A book about air disasters written by an accountant is not as compelling as one written by a 30-year veteran of the FAA.
Q: For nonfiction authors creating a book proposal, do you have any tips for choosing comp titles?
Suggested answer
When selecting comparison (comp) titles for your nonfiction book proposal, think of them as the company your book keeps. They help agents and publishers visualize where your book fits in the market and why it deserves a spot on the shelf. Here are some key tips:
Keep It Recent: Focus on books published within the last five years. This shows you’re aware of current trends and helps publishers gauge the book’s potential in today’s market.
Go Traditional: Choose traditionally published titles. They serve as credible benchmarks for what publishers are looking for, especially in terms of quality and market viability.
Successful but Not Untouchable: Look for books that performed well but aren’t necessarily runaway bestsellers. Aiming too high can make your proposal seem unrealistic, while too niche or obscure might suggest there’s limited demand.
Think Like a Bookbuyer: Imagine where your book would sit on a buyer’s shelf. What titles would sit alongside it? This helps publishers see your book’s relevance in its genre or category.
Finally, explain why you chose each title. Highlight similarities in audience, tone, or subject matter while emphasizing what makes your book distinct. A thoughtful comp list demonstrates market awareness and strengthens your proposal.
Sally is available to hire on Reedsy ⏺
The best advice for comp titles is to include books that have published within the last 3 years and have good sales tracks without necessarily being bestsellers. It's a tough act to balance, especially when you also consider that your comp titles should be from a variety of publishers; you don't want to include four titles that were all published by Penguin Random House and none from any other publisher.
By being well read in the space and knowing what titles are out there, you can craft your comp titles to be a composition of various parts. Your book could take the tone from one title, with the scientific reference from a second title, and combine it with the overall subject matter of a third title, as a rough example.
As for finding comp titles themselves, you need to read, read, and read some more. Reading makes writers, and while you can use websites like Amazon or Goodreads to get a sense of how well a given book has sold or reached its audience, there's no substitute for reading and truly knowing what is contained within a comp title.
Matt is available to hire on Reedsy ⏺
Dear Writers,
When you are choosing comp titles:
- Read, read, read in your genre.
- Read books that your hoped-for agents have represented. You'll find these listed on their websites.
- Frequent your local bookstores and peruse the shelves. Where is your book going to fit on the bookshelf? What titles are on that shelf? Read the blurbs - do those books have similar elements to yours? Read those books. (You might want to get them from the library ... because if you're a bibliophile like me, it can get expensive!)
- Choose books that were published in the last 2 years. If there's an older-but-perfect comp: 3 years on the outside.
- Read the comps you use, cover to cover. Make notes about how the book is like yours, and how it's not like yours. You'll need this information when you are writing your book proposal, and when you are talking to your agent (when they call you because they loved your query letter). You'll need 4 - 5 comps - two for your query letter, and four to five for your book proposal (for nonfiction). Be sure to include the two you used for your query in your book proposal.
- Check out each potential comp on booksellers' websites. How many people have left reviews? If the reviews are 4's and 5's (out of 5) and the review count is high (in the hundreds at a minimum, in the thousands, even better), that's a good comp. Agents are going to check those numbers, so choose books that have sold well and have lots of positive reviews from readers. But...
- Don't choose a bestseller, even if it's a perfect comp. Keep researching. Look up the book on Amazon and check out the "Customers ... Also Bought" listings under the book's blurb. The books listed there may lead you to other comps that will work for you.
- Check out comps on Amazon and click on the "See All Details" link. What are the book's Amazon ratings? If the ratings are good, choose the book as a comp. If the ratings are not great, record the book's publication information and ratings (you might need them later) and move on.
- On the Amazon ratings list for each book, you'll find a series of keywords categorizing each book. Use those keywords to search for more books in your genre and sub-genre.
Good luck researching your comps!
Michael I
Michael is available to hire on Reedsy ⏺
Step 4: Write a book proposal
As we've said, most nonfiction authors don't write books before they’ve sold them. Instead, they need to create a book proposal — which is more of a business proposal than an artistic document.
If you’ve seen Shark Tank (or Dragon’s Den, or any of its international variants), you know that all investors want to know certain things before they partner with you. Your proposal should answer the main questions an agent or publisher will have — especially the points we covered above.
The proposal will need to touch on:
- your book’s target audience;
- your bona fides in the topic;
- a potential marketing plan, and
- competitive titles.
Your proposal should also include a detailed chapter outline for your nonfiction book and a few sample chapters.
Additional resource: How to Write a Book Proposal avaliable here (guide and template)
FREE RESOURCE
Book Proposal Template
Craft a professional pitch for your nonfiction book with our handy template.
How much does it cost to publish a nonfiction book?
If your book is acquired by a traditional publisher, they’ll pay the production costs. Of course, it never hurts to enlist the help of a book proposal specialist to help you land that deal, but you should only ever pay for publishing if you're self-publishing — beware of scam "publishers" who tell you differently.
Step 5: Query an agent or submit directly to publishers
With your proposal (and pitch) in hand, you're ready to sell your book. As a general rule, if you’re writing general nonfiction — think history books and biographies — or if you want to pitch to a major publisher, then you will probably need an agent.
Luckily, we have just the resource to help you out: this directory of 500+ nonfiction literary agents who are currently accepting submissions! Start browsing today to find your dream agent and get your book published ASAP.
That said, for educational books, and with small- and medium-sized presses (like a lot of cookbook publishers), you might be able to get away without an agent. If you choose to submit your proposal directly, be sure to do your research before you approach a publisher. Ask:
- Does this publisher have a history and interest in my topic?
- Does my book complement what’s already on their backlist?
- Do they accept unsolicited manuscripts?
Additional resource: Submitting a Proposal for Your Book (guide)
Hopefully soon you'll get a response from an interested party and be signing that sweet contract.
Q: Are there any unspoken rules that agents or publishers will expect you to follow when submitting a proposal?
Suggested answer
I really don't think so. There are so many great resources out there for anyone who wants to develop a successful proposal. There are really no excuses for producing a bad/misplaced one.
John is available to hire on Reedsy ⏺
Every publisher will have a different set of expectations based on each project they acquire, but it’s safe to say you’ll be in this for the long haul. Writing a book takes time, and publishers understand this. Between drafting it, finding an editor, and the actual book production process, don’t expect your nonfiction book to hit the shelf for at least a year or two after your land your deal. Still, with perseverance and the right idea, we know you can one day see your work in print!
It always helps to stand out when you're pitching to publishers. Sign up for our free course on building an author platform or check out our post on author platforms to give your book a boost before you even submit your proposal!
