In traditional publishing, fiction submissions require a query letter and a fully drafted, revised, and polished manuscript. Nonfiction submissions, however, require a proposal. Often, a book deal is made solely on the proposal (the proven idea) and a few sample chapters; the manuscript doesn’t always need to be completed first.

I’m now offering coaching and editing for authors who need nonfiction proposals! I’ve found this to be a very enjoyable part of my job, and part of that is because I love using creativity to help build a proposal and make it look beautiful.

As an agent, I’m seeking narrative nonfiction because that’s my area of interest. It’s what I enjoy reading and representing, and it’s what I enjoy building proposals for. So, if you have something that’s very academic or something that would make a good textbook subject for the classroom, I’m not the best proposal coach/editor for you.

You should work with an editor who is excited about your project. There are so many nonfiction topics out there—but not every topic interests every person. Your editor doesn’t need to be an expert in your field, but they should have an interest in it so that they’re enthusiastic about working on the project. If you have a narrative nonfiction topic, a hybrid memoir, something fun and unique and interesting, something that might fall under something I’ve listed here on my MSWL, I’m here to help! (And keep in mind, I can’t possibly think of all the fascinating subjects that are of interest to me, so if you’re wondering whether your project is a good fit for me, please reach out and ask.)

If you’ve never built a proposal, save yourself the time and guesswork about what agents and acquiring editors are looking for! You can now get a copy of my comprehensive nonfiction proposal guide to help you figure out what elements to include and why they should be there. Get expert tips and insider advice from the perspective of someone who’s an agent and editor and who has a previous background in marketing and development. Learn how to make your proposal stand out in a sea of Word documents!

Get the guide here for $99 USD/$135 CAD.

Or you can get the guide plus a proposal starting checklist, a comp title worksheet, and an agent-ready checklist PLUS a one-round review of your pitch letter here for $149 USD/$204 CAD.

If you’re looking for more in-depth assistance, here’s a breakdown of the type of proposal services I offer as well as my fees.

Foxx Signature

Expert assistance with the design and content. You have an idea and a basic outline in your head, a platform (or at least a good start on it), people and organizations you can include for promotional help, and written sample pages. I help you put it all together in a snazzy proposal that’s aesthetically customized for your project. It includes:

The result: a beautiful, completed, polished proposal in PDF format that’s ready for agents’ eyes.

Investment

$5,499 USD for a professional, customized, eye-pleasing 20-40-page proposal (plus edited sample pages)

(Does not include ghostwriting your sample chapters.)

Foxx Focus

Less focus on the aesthetics and more focus on strategy. Editing your sample pages. This is a full assessment of the proposal you’ve put together. If you you have a rough draft and feel like it’s missing that “wow factor,” this service is for you. We’ll go over what’s working, what’s not working, what needs to be added, your strategy, etc. I provide a heavy edit and a design guide, and you take it from there. (This does not include inserting your Word document into an eye-popping, visually-focused template.)

The result: A strengthened, polished Word document or PDF designed to grab attention.

Investment

$3999 USD for a professional 20-40-page proposal in document-style (plus edited sample pages)

(Does not include ghostwriting your sample chapters.)

Foxx Flash

This is the “gut check.” Does your completed proposal have what it takes to attract agents’ attention? I’ll look for any holes in the proposal and give you my overall thoughts and recommendations.

The result: A diagnostic check on whether your proposal is ready for agents. Thoughts on where to make improvements and the encouragement to move forward.

Investment

$1199 USD for a full assessment of and report on your completed 20-40-page proposal (plus up to 10,000 words of your sample chapters)

(Does not include ghostwriting or editing your sample chapters or any part of the proposal.)

Foxx Finishing Touch

This is the aesthetic upgrade. You’ve completed your proposal, and it’s been edited, revised, and polished, but you want something more than a plain Word document. This is where we turn your professional Word document into a high-end visual masterpiece.

The result: your pre-polished proposal in a visually appealing format, presented in a snazzy PDF. More ‘umph!’

Investment

$1999 USD for a 20-40-page proposal (plus sample chapters)

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Add-ons

1-page Sell Sheet – $499 USD individually; $299 USD if added to a package above

• This is what you hand someone you meet at a conference, in an elevator, or at a writing event who says, “Send me a quick summary.” This is the kind of document that’s used to sell projects to film/tv companies, to have on hand at book fairs, and to help editors convince marketing departments that a project’s proposal is worth a look.

Deep-Dive Comp Title Analysis – $599 USD individually; $399 USD if added to a package above

• A 3-5 page report on 6-8 titles you can use in your proposal showing covers, metadata, why it’s similar to your project, hook, target audience overlap, why it was successful, stars/reviews, articles about them (if any), etc.

Podcast/Guest Interview Sheet – $499 USD individually; $299 USD if added to a package above

• A 1-page speaker/guest sheet with your headshot, bio, core topics you can speak about, and sample interview questions your host can ask you, all on an aesthetically pleasing page.

Choose any two of the above add-on services for $899 USD or all three for $1399 USD.

Ready to book? Fill out this form and I’ll be in touch via email to discuss your needs!