Query, Synopsis, and Proposal Examples
The Business of Being a Writer includes many pages of advice on how to write queries, synopses, and book proposals, but there was limited space to include full-length examples of these materials. Here, I hope to provide even more specific direction on what good submissions materials look like, as well as other business-related information. If you’re willing to share examples that can be publicly posted here, please get in touch.
Query Letter Examples
- Mainstream novel: The Spring House (unpublished)
- Historical novel: The Emissaries (unpublished)
- Historical romance: Inside Donatella (unpublished)
- Crime novel: The Girl From Blind River (published)
- Narrative nonfiction: Running with Raven (published)
- Narrative nonfiction: All About Bone (published)
- Health: The Hidden Epidemic (unpublished)
- Memoir: Swing (found agent, but self-published)
- Memoir: Matched (found agent—story here)
- Essay collection: My Oceans (found agent)
Synopsis Examples
- Novel: The Spring House by Mary Ann Henry (unpublished)
Book Proposal Examples
- Poe for Your Problems by Catherine Baab-Muguira — PDF download
- Healing with Cannabis by Cheryl Pellerin — PDF download
- My Creative Space by Donald Rattner — PDF download
- Matched (memoir) by Denise Massar; the proposal secured a literary agent — PDF download
- The Business of Being a Writer by Jane Friedman — PDF download
Query and proposal examples from others
- Agent Eric Smith has a rich collection of queries and book proposals (YA heavy)
Additional Resources
- Book P&L (profit & loss statement)
- Author Questionnaire Sample (Word doc download)
- Contracts 101: The Grant of Rights clause (PDF)
- Key Book Publishing Paths (PDF / chart)