So you're going to propose the book to publishers before it's finished? How many chapters do you need for a proposal? I hope you're well on your way to reaching your goal.

Best

My writing coach says you really only need one good chapter with a series of other things for a book proposal - bio, market comparision, CV and other details about the full vision of the book.

I am excited and nervous at the same time to put it out there, however it feels like the absolute right time and place to do this in my life.

So with that one chapter you're basically pitching your idea and why you should receive an advance to complete the book?

Timing is everything, as they say.

It is necessary that I will recieve an advance, but I may be given a contract for the first product with payment at the end. Does that make sense?

Are you working on a book?

Yes, I am. Currently working on a non-fiction book and on a television pilot with a friend of mine who is a director. My manager for acting is also a literary agent and producer. My plan is to take the finished script to him first.

For the book, I used to intern with this literary agent in Beverly Hills whose biggest client is John Updike. The agent only accepts solicited materials but told me that I could submit to him once the manuscript was complete and include with it a 2-paged synopsis.

So, is the process different because you're pitching to a publisher and not a literary agent? I doubt agents accept incomplete manuscripts. Do you have a good history with this publisher?

Thanks.

I am jsut learning all of this via my writing coach. I think she is looking for me to find a literary agent. I have no history with anyone.

It sounds like you have experience in this realm... any suggestions?

I know that different agents have different submission guidelines. Also, pitching your book straight to a publisher is very viable and has been done. In fact, with the middle-man out of the picture (the agent,) there's more cash to go around.

We can continue this dialog off-line if you'd like. I think it would help us both to trade notes and egg each other on.