Question about "sample chapters"?

proposal and sample chapters

Non fiction is reality so keeping it as timely as possible is as tough as the clock ticking each day. I am in a n/f piece and proprosal process and I think the best thing to do is to submit your best work and adapt and change closer to the ms completion or as applicable.

Don't let this stop you from turning in the proposal or submitting etc as it will only delay if you wait that is my opinion only

I have a different take on it. If you think the added info/writing would make the book much more compelling/timely/whatever, then I would send out the proposal with the new chpts (and it's very likely you can just send 2, not 3 so hopefully that's less rewriting for you at this point). If you can see an agent saying, "WOW" more readily with the new info included, I would wait.

Also, is it possible (since I assume you're sending to agents who have expressed interest in whatever field your NF is in) that the agents will know about the new developments and w/o them in your proposal, might say "no" based on it feeling dated?

Just my opinion, but ALWAYS send out your best work.

What worked well for me was to send out queries in batches of 6-12 or so. I'd usually get requests for 3-4 proposals out of that. Then I'd take whatever feedback I got from the rejections and use it to rework the proposal before sending out a new batch of queries. Most of the time the feedback (when given) was right on. Perhaps if the one agent you've already sent to says "no" he/she will also give you some pointers you can use when you send elsewhere.

Best of luck with your book!