Nonfiction narrative - which format to follow for proposal?

[Anat]

I have been using this site as a resource for the past week in my search for an agent. It’s been the most informative and helpful site I’ve come across, thank you all! I know that my question may sound simple, but since the process of writing and publishing is very new to me, I want to try to avoid the typical “rookie’s” mistakes.

I have just completed my first manuscript; it is a true story about my work with a psychiatric patient (I am a clinical psychologist) who was diagnosed as schizophrenic. Among other things she was speaking to voices. The story is not written as a case study, but as a journey of two people who are trying to understand what the voices are saying, and as a result, go through their own process of transformation.


I would classify the book as a non fiction narrative. However, most of the agencies have a clear division between fiction and non fiction submissions. The non fiction submission requires a very different approach to the fiction one, and most of the information required for the non fiction submission is not relevant to my manuscript ( Such as chapters summary, competitors). .Yet I cannot pitch it under fiction, as it isn’t.

So my question is: under which section should I submit my proposal, and with which heading and details? I would like to try and do things right the first time.

Any advice or suggestions are welcome

Anat

[Gatita]

Submit it as narrative nonfiction. You will need a proposal and a writing sample.

A great book to guide you on the proposal-writing is The "Elements of Narrative Nonfiction: How to Write & Sell the Novel of True Events" by Peter Rubie.

Best of luck to you!

PS. The proposal is often quite lengthy and detailed. Mine was 38 pages long, plus another 40 of sample writing.

[Anat]

thank you Gatita, working on it...