From Idea to Ink: 3-Pass Non-Fiction Book Proposal Review & Mentoring

From Idea to Ink: 3-Pass Nonfiction Book Proposal Review & Mentoring

Personalized Editorial Mentoring | 30-Minute Strategy Consultation + 3 Comprehensive Reviews of a Nonfiction Book Proposal Up to 15,000 Words

Develop your nonfiction book proposal through three rounds of professional feedback, revision, and refinement.

A strong nonfiction book proposal doesn't simply describe the book you want to write.

It needs to make a convincing case for the concept, audience, market position, structure, and author behind the project.

Getting all those pieces to work together often takes more than one draft.

From Idea to Ink is an in-depth, three-pass editorial mentoring service for writers who want professional guidance as they develop and refine a complete nonfiction book proposal.

Whether you're proposing a food or travel memoir, cookbook, travel narrative, lifestyle guide, guidebook, or other nonfiction project, we'll work through your proposal in stages.

The first pass focuses on the big picture. You'll revise based on that feedback and return the proposal for a second review focused more deeply on content, organization, voice, and execution. After another round of revisions, I'll review the proposal a third time for final refinement and submission readiness.

Throughout the process, you remain the author.

I won't rewrite your proposal. Instead, I'll help you understand what's working, identify what needs attention, and provide specific guidance you can use to make your own informed revisions.

The result is more than an edited proposal. It's an opportunity to better understand how a nonfiction book proposal works and how each section contributes to the case you're making for your book.

What's Included

✔ 30-Minute Private Strategy Consultation

We'll begin with a private Zoom conversation about your book concept, intended audience, publishing goals, potential publishers or agents, professional background, and where you are in the proposal process.

We'll also discuss any particular areas of the proposal you're concerned about before I begin the first review.

✔ Pass 1: Concept, Strategy & Positioning

The first review looks at your proposal from the big-picture perspective.

I'll evaluate how effectively the proposal communicates:

• Your core book concept
• The promise of the book
• Target audience
• Market position
• Comparable titles
• Your qualifications to write the book
• Overall structure
• Chapter organization
• Strength and relevance of the sample material

I'll identify gaps, questions, inconsistencies, and opportunities for development and provide specific recommendations for your first major revision.

You'll then revise the proposal before submitting it for Pass 2.

✔ Pass 2: Content, Structure & Voice

The second review evaluates how the proposal has developed following your revisions.

We'll go deeper into the individual sections and examine how effectively they work together.

I'll provide feedback on areas such as:

• Clarity and focus of the overview
• Definition of the target audience
• Strength of the market argument
• Effectiveness of comparable titles
• Author bio and positioning
• Chapter descriptions and progression
• Organization and flow
• Tone and author voice
• Sample material
• Areas that still need development or clarification

You'll use this second round of feedback to revise the proposal again before returning it for the final pass.

✔ Pass 3: Final Review & Submission Preparation

The third pass focuses on the proposal as a completed package.

I'll look for remaining issues with clarity, consistency, organization, tone, flow, grammar, wording, and presentation while also considering whether the proposal makes a cohesive case for the book you're proposing.

This final review helps you identify anything that still needs attention before you begin—or continue—approaching agents and publishers.

Sections Typically Reviewed

✔ Overview & Book Concept

Does the proposal quickly communicate what the book is about, why it matters, and what readers will gain?

✔ Target Audience

Is the intended reader clearly defined, and does the proposal make a credible case that this audience exists?

✔ Market Positioning & Comparable Titles

Do your comparable titles show where the book fits in the marketplace while also explaining what distinguishes your project?

✔ Author Bio & Qualifications

Does your bio establish why you're the appropriate person to write this book?

We'll look at your relevant experience, expertise, credentials, platform, and connection to the subject.

✔ Chapter Outline

Does the chapter outline demonstrate the structure and progression of the proposed book?

I'll evaluate whether the chapter descriptions give an agent or publisher enough information to understand how the complete book will develop.

✔ Sample Chapter(s)

Does the sample material deliver on the proposal's promise?

I'll provide feedback on voice, clarity, organization, tone, and how effectively the sample represents the book you're proposing.

Why Three Passes?

The value of this service isn't simply that I read your proposal three times.

It's what happens between those reviews.

You'll receive feedback, consider it, make your own editorial decisions, revise the proposal, and then receive professional feedback on the revised work.

That lets us address issues a one-time critique can't always resolve.

• An unclear concept can be sharpened.
• An overly broad audience can be reconsidered.
• Comparable titles can be reevaluated.
• Chapter descriptions can become more specific.
• Your author positioning can evolve.

And the proposal can become more cohesive as each section begins supporting the same central case for the book.

This is an editorial development and mentoring process, not simply three rounds of proofreading.

Perfect For You If…

• You have a nonfiction book proposal and want substantial guidance developing it
• You want more support than a single professional critique provides
• You're preparing to approach agents or publishers
• You're unsure whether your concept or market positioning is strong enough
• You need help evaluating your audience or comparable titles
• You want professional feedback as you revise rather than after you've finished
• You value understanding why changes may strengthen the proposal
• You want to develop skills you can apply to future book projects
• You're prepared to do the revision work between each round of feedback

How It Works

1. Purchase From Idea to Ink. Your service includes three comprehensive reviews of one nonfiction book proposal of up to 15,000 words, including sample chapters.
2. Schedule your 30-minute strategy consultation. After checkout, you'll receive instructions for booking your private Zoom call.
3. Submit your complete proposal. I'll begin Pass 1 after receiving your proposal and any agreed-upon supporting materials.
4. Receive your first review. Please allow up to three weeks from the date I receive your complete proposal for each round of editorial review.
5. Revise and resubmit. Use the Pass 1 feedback to revise your proposal, then return the new version for Pass 2.
6. Receive your second review and revise again. We'll continue developing and refining the proposal based on the revised material.
7. Submit your final revision. I'll complete Pass 3, focusing on final refinement and submission preparation.
8. Complete the process. All three rounds of review must be completed within six months of your kickoff consultation.

Each pass covers the revised version of the same book proposal, up to 15,000 words, including sample chapters.

What You'll Receive

• 30-minute private Zoom strategy consultation
• 3 comprehensive editorial reviews
• Review of one nonfiction book proposal of up to 15,000 words, including sample chapters
• Up to three weeks turnaround for each review
• Strategic feedback on your book concept and positioning
• Target audience evaluation
• Market positioning and comparable-title feedback
• Author bio and qualifications review
• Chapter outline evaluation
• Feedback on included sample material
• Guidance on structure, clarity, tone, voice, and organization
• Line-level comments and editing recommendations where appropriate
• Professional feedback on two rounds of your revisions
• Final review and submission preparation
• A mentoring process designed to help you understand and strengthen your proposal
• Six months to complete all three passes
• Price: $2,400

Develop the proposal—and your understanding of how to make the case for your book.

Bring me your nonfiction book proposal, and we'll work through it together over three rounds—evaluate, revise, refine—so you finish with a stronger proposal and a clearer understanding of the decisions behind it.