Three Steps to Writing a Non-Fiction Book Proposal for Regal Crest Enterprises (RCE)

Step 1

Send an e-mail query letter to non-fiction@regalcrest.biz to "pitch" your project in order to discover if Regal Crest is interested in your project. Unlike many other small presses' expectations, at this stage it is not important that you personalize your query. Address it simply to Dear Non-Fiction Editor.

Do:

• include your name, address, e-mail address, and a phone number
• use a standard fonts such as 10-pt Courier or 12-point Times New Roman
• you may submit the query single-spaced, but make sure that it does not exceed two (2) pages
• ensure that it has no spelling or grammatical mistakes
• make the query letter a part of an e-mail and not an attachment
• indicate if this is a multiple submission

In the body of your query letter, you should include:

• the title and subtitle, if there is a subtitle
• a one-paragraph description of your book including the expected number of words
• the rationale for why you believe people will want to read this topic
• tell us if the book constitutes a unique topic
• tell us why this book should be published if there are other books already on this topic
• a description of the expected audience for whom you are writing
• a brief outline of the training, experience, or study that makes you the right person to write this book
  

Please Note: Submissions should be made by e-mail only. We don't accept faxes or hard copies via post, and please do not send us your work on computer disc. This also means that we cannot accept - nor will we be responsible for - original items such as slides, photographs, artwork, one-of-a-kind mock-ups, or the like.

In addition, due to the volume of work we receive, we cannot offer editorial comments unless we are telling you about specific changes to your project that will make it right for our list.

Step 2

If RCE is interested in your project, you will need to create a short, tight, and professional proposal that clearly describes the entirety of the project. The specific sections of your proposal will look like this:

SECTION ONE - The Opening
The proposal begins with a cover letter based on your pitch letter which reiterates the title, description, expected number of words, rationale for why you think people need your book, who your audience is, and why you are the expert best suited to write it. You will write it in third person, and include a statement as to when you can deliver the finished manuscript.

SECTION TWO - The Book Proposal
In this section, you will include 1) an overview of the book which will be much more detailed than the one-paragraph description; it may be as short a 1-2 pages or as long as 40 pages, 2) copies of (or a list of) illustrations, charts, sidebars, or other supplementary material you will use, 3) a brief description of any bibliography, contributor's section, glossary, resource section, and/or index that will be appended, and 4) any information about cover design/graphics that you wish to include.

SECTION THREE - Promotions Information
Here you will explain specifically what you will do to promote your book. This part may include (but is not limited to) mailings, articles, radio shows, courses you teach, maintaining a newsletter and a Web site, readings/signings, appearances, and speaking tours. Include the names of any appropriate and influential people who have already agreed to give you a blurb for the book cover along with the names of others you believe would be appropriate who you have not yet approached. You may also want to mention here if you have ideas for a sequel or a continued series that could develop from this project.

SECTION FOUR - Sample Work
The last section of the proposal includes

1. the table of contents
2. specific chapter descriptions
3. sample chapters

You will:

1. show the table of contents in its entirety, indicating main titles and descriptive subtitles
2. provide a chapter description for each chapter listed in the table of contents. Generally, each description runs between a couple of lines (at the least) and a page or two (at the most); and
3. include at least one and up to three sample chapter plus any introduction you plan to use. It is your choice as to whether you send your strongest chapters or the first chapters.
   

SECTION FIVE - About the Author
The author biography comes next. Write it in third person and be sure to accurately establish your credentials regarding the topic of the proposal and as a writer. While you will of course want to describe yourself in a good light, it is important that you do not exaggerate or include any inaccurate information. Lack of credentials will not prevent a worthy, well-researched manuscript from being considered, but misrepresentations will.

Items you may wish to highlight in this section: other books you have published (both fiction and non-fiction), relevant articles you have published, hands-on experience you have in the field, your educational degrees, professional and speaking experience, awards you have won, and any other information that you feel is critical for RCE to know. You may also wish to include a personal statement of commitment to or passion for this project. Lastly, if there is anything about the history of this project that you deem interesting or relevant, tell us about that here.

Step 3

E-mail Sections One through Five in the body of an e-mail to:
non-fiction@regalcrest.biz. If you find that any of the sections are too large, you are permitted to include them as attachments. Label them by their section number (SECTION One, etc.) so we know to look at them.

Manuscripts should be:

• Single spaced with a standard margin on all sides
• No page numbers, footers, or headers
• ALL underlined words or phrases must be changed to ITALICS
  

Please do not use HTML. We suggest you use:
- Word 97 or above (avoiding Word Perfect and other oddball programs)
- Rich Text Format

You will receive confirmation that your proposal has been received along with a brief comment as to the approximate timeline that we expect for reviewing your proposal and getting back to you.

Our submissions team tends to stay right on top of things, but if there is a delay, we let writers know. We need to actually read your proposal, so please do not contact us before the timeline elapses. However, if you do not hear from us by the expected date, it could be that our response to you was lost in cyber-space, so do not hesitate to send a brief inquiry.

Your ability to follow directions and to craft a professional book proposal count heavily in the decision-making process. RCE will give your proposal a fair and thorough review to determine if your book is right for our list. Thank you for your patience, and we look forward to reviewing your materials and considering your book for publication.