The Polished Proposal: Crafting a Nonfiction Book Proposal That Gets Attention
Date: May 17, 2025
Time: 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Location:Adult / Teen Tent
Class Size: n/a
Audience: Adults & Teens
Description
Nonfiction authors seeking to get a book contract need to distinguish themselves from among a crowd of writers. Dr. Sherri M. Williams, a journalism and media studies professor who teaches at American University, will help you focus your pitch on what makes your book distinct. Sharpen your book proposal from a synopsis of the book down to the chapter descriptions. Dr. Williams will also share tips that she used to obtain two book contracts. Leave with a plan to start and finish a polished book proposal.
Dr. Sherri M. Williams
Dr. Sherri Williams is a journalism and media studies professor who teaches classes on race and representation at American University. Her research centers media portrayals of Black women. Williams believes that storytelling can be a tool for liberation. She teaches her students to produce stories that center the marginalized. Williams is the author of “Black Social Television: How Black Twitter Changed Television” and a forthcoming book on race and reporting. Williams was the 2021 National Association of Black Journalists’ Journalism Educator of the Year. She worked as a journalist for a decade, including at the Associated Press.