Thinking of writing a nonfiction book? Have a half-finished manuscript already tucked away in a desk drawer? Preparing a long list of publishers to whom you will send your completed manuscript? Regardless of where you are in the process of writing your book, please, please, PLEASE resist the urge to send your finished manuscript to publishers “over the transom” (uninvited). It is a glaring mark of an amateur and rarely will a publisher do anything but line his/her trash can with your carefully crafted and formatted “baby.” The truth is that it doesn’t matter if you write your entire book first—as long as the first thing a publisher or agent sees is your book proposal. A book proposal includes specific elements that help you put a professional foot forward. But, before you begin to write one, keep these three things in mind: Read the rest of this entry