How to Submit a Winning Book Proposal to Berrett-Koehler Publishers
At Berrett-Koehler Publishers, our mission is simple yet powerful: Connecting people and ideas to create a world that works for all. We publish books that drive positive change at personal, organizational, and societal levels.
If you have a book idea that aligns with our mission, we’d love to hear from you! To ensure your proposal gets the attention it deserves, please follow these guidelines carefully.
What to include in your proposal
Summarize your book in just a few compelling sentences. What is it about, and why does it matter?
Why is your book timely and necessary? How does it address an urgent or growing interest rather than a passing trend?
How does your book fill the identified need? What unique insights or new contributions does it offer to the field?
What do you hope to achieve with your book? What impact do you want it to have?
- Who will read your book? Be specific—avoid general claims like “business leaders” or “everyone.”
- Identify primary and secondary audiences.
- List professional associations or groups that would find your book relevant.
How will your book make a measurable difference for readers, organizations, and communities? Provide concrete examples.
How will you track and report your book’s impact? Will you include tools, surveys, or other ways for readers to share their results?
- Outline your professional and academic background, research, and experience related to the book’s topic.
- Attach a biography that includes:
- Your previously published works (with publisher names, publication dates, and sales figures)
- Foreign-language editions, if applicable
Provide both your current location and your hometown (if different).
Identify five similar books published in the last two years.
Explain how your book stands out and what unique value it offers.
Attach a detailed chapter-by-chapter breakdown of your book’s planned content.
- If your full manuscript is complete, send it.
- Otherwise, submit two to four sample chapters and indicate when the full draft will be ready.
- Estimate your book’s total word count (e.g., “40,000–50,000 words”).
- List any special elements you plan to include (e.g., charts, tables, graphics, case studies).
What’s your schedule for completing the manuscript?
Your Marketing and Platform
At BK, we believe in partnership publishing, meaning that your involvement in marketing is crucial. Tell us how you’ll help promote your book, both before and after publication.
Please share your specific plans and timelines for:
- Pre-order Campaign—How will you build excitement and drive early sales?
- Launch Campaign—What will you do around the publication date to generate buzz?
- Ongoing Promotion—How will you keep momentum going after launch?
Include detailed numbers and links where possible:
- Email List—How many subscribers? How often do you engage them?
- Social Media—Number of followers per platform (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, etc.).
- Speaking Engagements—Where have you spoken in the past year? Please provide calendar dates, venues, and audience size for speaking engagements in the past year, as well as any events scheduled in the future.
- Bulk Sales Potential—Do you know any organizations that will purchase this book in bulk? Will these organizations commit to these purchases? If not, how confident are you that they will buy?
- Courses You Teach—Include institutions and course names.
- Professional Associations—Include memberships and leadership roles.
- Media Coverage—Past press mentions, interviews, and articles. Please provide dates and links where possible.
- Podcasting—Do you host a podcast? How long, and what are its audience stats?
- Website Presence—Do you have a website? Share traffic data if available.
- Endorsements—Names of thought leaders likely to endorse your book or write a foreword.
Need some time?
We recognize that crafting a compelling book proposal requires thoughtful consideration and time. For your convenience, you can download a PDF version of these guidelines using the button below, allowing you to work offline at your own pace. When you're ready to move forward, simply return here to submit your proposal
Important Notes Before You Submit
- US Presence Matters
Our primary market is the United States. If you’re based outside the US, you must have an established US presence, including regular travel, speaking engagements, and consulting work here. Without this, it will be difficult to gain traction with US audiences. - Marketing Plans Must Be Realistic and Specific
We value ambition, but we also need to understand where you are right now—not just where you hope to be. Be clear about your existing audience, speaking schedule, media presence, and marketing reach. - Format Requirements We only accept proposals in Microsoft Word or PDF format.
We look forward to reviewing your proposal!
If you have any questions or run into any issues submitting your proposal, please feel free to email submissions@bkpub.com