Help! I Can’t Figure Out the “It” Factor for My Book Pitch
I am procrastinating by writing this blog. While working on a book proposal, I found myself beating my creative head against a wall of potential ideas for turning a well-established concept into a compelling fresh angle. My mind started to spin in all directions to the point I felt like I was going backward. I grew obsessed by trying to crack this potential book’s code and come up with an irresistible paragraph that captures the essence of the theme, argument, and key takeaways. I went down the proverbial rabbit hole, and it didn’t help that a version of the proposal had already been turned down by a slew of editors at traditional publishing houses. One editor, however, expressed interest but not unless the proposal was re-imagined—hence my entrance to the project. The gist of the all-too-familiar rejection by this editor:
I didn’t feel like anything in this proposal was new enough or discussed in a fresh enough way.
I would love to know how his work is different and what concepts he has that can make him stand out.
If he decides to rework this proposal or has a fresher way of talking about all of the work he has done that debunks myths, makes a solid promise for today’s times, I’d be happy to reconsider or read a new pitch.
I love the potential of what this man can do given his background and research and credentials but this proposal is not living up to it.
Challenge taken!
I won’t get into the details of this particular project’s content other than to say it’s about (don’t laugh) stress, the author is (thankfully) highly credentialed, and we all know that we’re living in uncertain times where (most) everyone seeks proven, practical ways to deal with stress and all its kissing cousins—anxiety, worry, dread, trauma, PTSD, and so on.
When teaching the craft of proposal writing, I am often asked how one can best stand out when writing about a subject matter already saturated with competitive books. My response is always the same: you package your material in a way that’s unique to you and that reflects your signature style and perspective. Sure, there are other books that cover similar territory. The key is to identify at least one nugget in the material that you can describe in a provocative manner and present with a bang.
In my search for my golden key to the kingdom of this new project, here’s what I’ve been doing:
Devouring the author’s written works, presentations, and interviews. What does he say that unexpectedly pricks my ears up and gets my attention? How does he speak on the subject that sounds different, counterintuitive, perhaps innovative?
Exploring other competing, successful books on the topic. What do those books cover—and don’t? How can the author bring something distinct to the conversation? Is there anything proprietary about the author’s perspective, approach, and philosophy?
Playing around with prompts in AI tools. “If X were to write a book based on his pioneering research and ideas, what would be his chief thesis statement?” “What distinguishes X from others in the field?” “What about X’s work sets him apart from others studying and publishing about Y?”
Sometimes you simply must sit and think it out. Gather all the clues and see them as pieces to a gigantic puzzle. The execution of your ideas is what affords you the opportunity to separate yourself from the noise. Look at the current nonfiction bestseller lists and ask yourself: How many of these books have siblings written by other authors? Peter Attia’s megahit Outlive on longevity shares the same space with countless other books on the topic. Before Morgan Housel’s The Psychology of Money, Dave Ramsey and Suze Orman published a whole series of works about money from their perspectives. Charles Duhigg’s The Power of Habit (2012) didn’t prevent James Clear from making a big splash on the same subject six years later with Atomic Habits. And how many books have been written lately about intermittent fasting? A small sampling: Fast. Feast. Repeat.; The Obesity Code; The Complete Guide to Fasting; Delay, Don’t Deny; Eat Stop Eat; Fast Like a Girl; The Longevity Diet. Each of these authors managed to spin the tale in their own way and inject their own interpretations of studies, flavor of storytelling, and evidence-backed prescriptions.
Again, it’s not only about the idea. It’s about the execution. Make readers embrace an old hypothesis like new again.
Find your angle. Then bend it your way. Back to my stress.
Credit: Photo by Mohamed Marey on Unsplash