WHEN 8 weeks, December 3 - February 4 Online chats: Wednesdays, 9-10 pm EST WHERE Online. Click here for more information. LEVEL Intermediate PRICE $499 ($475 for ) more info

Course Details

Nowadays, big publishers simply don't read unsolicited material. They depend on agents to muck through the slush pile in search of the gems. If you want to get a book published, knowing and using the correct format for a book proposal is paramount. Equally important is coming up with a great idea that you are passionate about and that will hook your intended audience. Put both of these components together and you have a great chance of winning over that agent, selling your idea, and securing a book contract.

Nonfiction books -- a market easier to break into than fiction -- are the backbone of publishing. Whether self-help, travel, health, memoir, business, current affairs, or any other number of categories, there will never be a shortage of readers for nonfiction that teaches, transforms, and captivates readers interested in a particular subject. In this class, you'll learn how to convey your idea in a winning book proposal and why taking the time to do so will make or break your chances of getting it noticed?and sold. You'll also learn what is appropriate for writers who already have an idea for a book, but would like to know the complete and correct execution of this vital marketing product.

In this class, you will learn:

By the end of class, you will have:
A marketable nonfiction book proposal package ready to send out to agents, including a query letter and a sample chapter.

Students who have taken this class have published:
The Unlikely Lavender Queen: A Memoir of Unexpected Blossoming (Broadway), Cheer! Three Teams on a Quest for College Cheerleading's Ultimate Prize (Simon and Schuster), Something New: Wedding Etiquette for Rule Breakers, Traditionalists, and Everyone In Between (Simon Spotlight), The Hudson Rediscovered (Free Press), and more.

Admission Requirements:
Please submit a one to two page description of your book idea as well as a brief work history.

The online classroom has several interactive components:

Related Courses

Instructor Bio

Jill Rothenberg's Courses

For thirteen years editor Jill Rothenberg has helped a wide range of journalists and writers develop their nonfiction book proposals and transform them into award-winning and commercially successful titles. At Westview Press/Perseus Book Group, these included Blood Diamonds: Tracing the Path of the World's Most Deadly Stones, which was made into the film of the same name starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Most recently, at Seal Press/Avalon Publishing Group, she edited Confessions of a Naughty Mommy: How I Found My Lost Libido, which was featured on the Today Show. She also acquired the forthcoming book by writer and frequent mediabistro instructor Susan Shapiro, Only As Good as Your Word: Lessons from My Favorite Literary Gurus. Her work has also appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle, Urban Moto Magazine, and Woman's Best Friend: Women Writers on the Dogs in Their Lives (Seal Press). She lives in Boulder, CO.

Testimonials

My query letter, written with help from the class and Jill, resulted in a well-regarded agent requesting my proposal. I'm thrilled! -- Marge Thorell

"Jill was a wonderful instructor -- friendly, encouraging, and always ready and willing to answer questions." -- Shann Fountain-Culo

"Jill was an outstanding instructor. She gave honest, constructive feedback that made my proposal 10 times better." -- Marla Majewski

"Jill's experience, knowledge, and insight of the publishing industry, plus the structure and format of the class, made it an incredible experience and really taught me how to fine-tune my pitch and craft a stellar proposal." -- Kristi Daniels

"Jill guides her students with clear lectures, detailed critiques, and lively chats. By the end of Jill's course I had a solid book proposal and a clear idea of the content of my entire book." -- Jill Johnson

"Jill's a great motivator, cheerleader, and fountain of knowledge about the business aspect of publishing, and she is a spot-on editor. Jill is the most thorough class instructor I have encountered." -- Lovelace Cook

"Jill will be at the top of my book's acknowledgement page. I would totally take another class from her!" -- Anna Cox

"Jill's expert information, her kind, supportive advice and feedback, and her belief in all of the writers to create excellent nonfiction book proposals made getting a book published a reality." -- Patricia Wilkinson