Ok, so I feel wonderful today because, after months of brainstorming, writing, thinking, conceptualizing, etc. I am finally at the stage of putting together my book proposal to send to literary agents. My fellow entreprehustler and motivator Farrah Parker suggested that I could pitch my own book to publishers, but I really want to be free to just be creative in this situation.
The proposal for a nonfiction book contains the following elements:
Cover Letter
Book Overview
Marketing Potential
Table of Contents
Sample Chapters
Writer's CV
Other relevant information
I am happy to say that I have almost all these parts completed, plus a lot more writing done than is necessary for the pitch. For the rest of this month, I am focusing on getting each of these things in the best shape possible so that by November 1st, I am confident to send out my packet and see what comes back.
I am extremely optimistic about my ability to land an agent and I have been visualizing the success of my book. I feel like the timing is perfect, not just for my subject matter, but also for me personally. My baby is due December 1st and I need to take at least 3 months to devote all of my time to her. I also know that rejection is a major part of the process, so having a new baby to look after will ward off the depression that such rejection can cause.
The Difficulties of Writing Such a Personal Piece
The People
As I write, I am finding that my story is not my story alone, but includes many people that may have an opinion about what I write. I think I am a clever enough writer to be completely honest without throwing other people under the bus, but I honestly did not anticipate how many people's names would actually end up printed in my book. I plan to send everyone mentioned a copy of the part of the book about them, so this should be interesting.
The Obstacles
There are certain occurrences or event in my life that have shaped who I am and speak to my journey to uncover why networking is the other N word. Many of these are very personal and I have not shared them with anyone who was not privy to them as they occurred. Some stories I have really just started confronting over the last year. These are the most difficult to write, one because they bring up so much emotion and, two because I need to frame them in a way that makes me comfortable yet provides the proper context for the book.
Muse Moment
Needless to say, I am super proud of myself for reaching this goal that I set out at the beginning of this process. I have committed to this singular goal and have not let other opportunities distract me. Every time I write, I get a great feeling and I know that this book is a huge stepping stone toward my ultimate destiny. I believe that your 30s are for finding yourself and the people who are destined for greatness are putting the work in now. I know that I will be counted among the greats and I am ready to do what it takes to make sure this happens.
