Our Agency Welcomes the opportunity to review your work. As of July 20, 2020, we are no longer accepting email queries. Please submit your query or proposal via QueryManager.

https://QueryManager.com/MargretMcBrideLiteraryAgency

Please note, for works of nonfiction, we require a complete, polished book proposal. Your book proposal should include a 1-2 page overview of the book (think of it as your elevator pitch), information regarding your author platform, a promotion/marketing plan, a comparative works section, chapter summaries, and at least two sample chapters. We have included general proposal guidelines below. For more detailed information and guidance about writing book proposals, we recommend the books Write the Perfect Book Proposal by Jeff Herman and Deborah Levine-Herman, How To Write a Book Proposal by Michael Larsen, and this excellent post about book proposals on Jane Friedman’s website.

Due to the volume of queries we receive, we ask that you allow six to eight weeks for a response. In the meantime, please inform us if you receive interest from other agents, or if you have contracted with another agent.

FORMAT:

Please make sure your manuscript or proposal follows our formatting preferences:

  • Word or PDF document

  • 12 point font

  • 1-inch margins (minimum)

  • 1.5 or double-spaced text

  • indented paragraphs

  • consecutively numbered pages

PROPOSAL GUIDELINES:

We require a complete book proposal for all works of nonfiction.

Overview: this is a synopsis of the book and typically “pitches” the idea to the publisher; it is a brief statement (1-4 pages) of the project’s overall concept and why there is a need for the book.

Author Platform information: Please include any relevant information about your author platform. If your unsure what an “author platform” is, we encourage you to research this term online. Please include any information about your social media following and website visitor stats, speaking and online seminar schedules, sales figures for previously published books, links to recent press you’ve received, podcast appearances, and clientele list—if applicable.

Marketing and Promotional Plan: Explain how you plan to market or promote the book, whether through speaking engagements, online marketing, seminars, videos, television appearances, radio, advertisement, podcast (your own, or guest appearances), blogs, your social media following, influencers who will help you get the word out (and what, specifically, they will do in this regard), etc.

Competitive Title Analysis (aka Comparative Works): this is a list of other published books (published within the past 5 years) that cover similar subject matter. The author should be convincing about how his/her book is unique in its approach, style and subject, and why it will stand out. There is no need to bash other books or their authors; simply make a case for what sets your book apart, or why someone who enjoyed these titles would also purchase your work.

Author Bio: This shows the publisher that the author has the research, background and/or credentials to write this book.

Chapter Summaries: Give the publisher a glance at how the entire book will read. One paragraph per chapter is adequate. This lets the publisher know you have the book planned from beginning to end.

Sample Chapters: At least two complete sample chapters should be provided in the proposal.

If you have any questions about any of the information above, please email staff@mcbridelit.com