Learning the formula for upping your book advance from a meager four-figures, or even mid-five-figures range, into a healthy six-figures, or more -- perhaps with the inclusion of some important author concessions -- is the aim of this advanced session.

Make Your Next Book a Really BIG DEAL, a three-hour session, will be divided into three parts.

During Part One, a panel of New York's leading agents will review proposals from each of their own recent really big book deals, revealing exactly how and why the contents were constructed to increase the advance, and explaining their own big deal strategies.

Part Two will focus on agents answering key audience questions -- written down and submitted during and immediately after Part One.

During Part Three, participants will break into roundtable groups with individual literary agents. Each agent will address specific questions of participants, and offer a critique of participants' in-progress proposals.

If you select this session, you are invited to submit the first five pages of your in-progress book proposal in advance for agent review, critique, and comment during the roundtable. (You may request a particular agent listed below, but be aware we may not be able to honor all such requests.) Your pages won't be circulated among other participants, but the roundtable discussions are intended to be open and instructional to all those involved.

Featured Agents

Jeff Kleinman, Folio Literary Management founding partner, handles narrative and prescriptive nonfiction, and commercial and literary fiction.

Laura Yorke, Carol Mann Agency, former editor at Simon & Schuster and Putnam, co-founder and editorial director of Golden Books Adult Books, focuses on narrative nonfiction, particularly memoirs.

David Dunton, Harvey Klinger, Inc., former Simon & Schuster editor, handles nonfiction (pop culture specialist), and adult and young adult fiction.

Eileen Cope, Trident Media Group, former Putnam editor, handles narrative nonfiction, history, biography, popular culture, health and literary fiction.

How to Submit Proposal Pages

Email submissions only. Send the first five pages of your in-progress proposal within the body of your email message -- no attachments.

Use this format:

• TO: LambBast@aol.com.
• SUBJECT LINE: ASJA REALLY BIG DEAL
• For the message content and order, please use the following:
• Your Name:
• Your Email address:
• Your Book Title:
• Your Book Message Statement: This should be a single sentence of 25 words or less.
• First Five Pages: Cut and paste the first five pages of your proposal here. Check your word limit, if in doubt. Content should be 1,250 words or less.

Email entries must be no later than Monday, April 9, 2007. (You will receive confirmation of receipt within two days.)

Additional Information

See "Writer References" at www.sandralamb.com

See Lamb, Sandra E.. How to Write It Second Edition, Chapter 35, Book Proposal, page 207. Ten Speed Press, 2006.

Questions?

Email Sandra E. Lamb, LambBast@aol.com