Oh yeah, this is my first post, so hi everyone! I decided to take the plunge and start working on a book, and managed to stumble onto the site when researching the whole agent thing. I'm a couple months away from sending anything out, but wanted to be prepared when the time came.
Anyway, leaping into my question: from looking around, there didn't appear to be too many science nonfiction writers here, but I was hoping another of the nonfiction writers here may be able to help out. So (I think) I have a great idea for a book, have been doing some chapter outlines and some of the other work that goes into the book proposal, and came across a big problem.
Basically, I'm extremely confident in my ability to write a compelling book about a subject that's just now starting to become relevant. However, I'm more or less "just some random kid" who's graduating from college in May...here's my c.v. as it relates to the subject I'm writing about:
-In 2006, I was a member of a student research team that presented at an international competition related to the subject. We didn't win anything--in fact, none of our work panned out at all--but my name's there; the work was later published in a scientific journal (my name's also on that paper, with the rest of the team).
-Two years later, while working as the science correspondent for a local Boston website, I covered the same competition and they included my coverage on their homepage.
-I've also somewhat familiar to some of the principals in the field (including the guy who's written the only other book on the topic, which just came out this month).
In other words, pretty thin gruel. So nonfiction vets, please let me know what you think...is this a case where agents are inclined to say, "Nice idea, but who are you, again?"
Anyway, leaping into my question: from looking around, there didn't appear to be too many science nonfiction writers here, but I was hoping another of the nonfiction writers here may be able to help out. So (I think) I have a great idea for a book, have been doing some chapter outlines and some of the other work that goes into the book proposal, and came across a big problem.
Basically, I'm extremely confident in my ability to write a compelling book about a subject that's just now starting to become relevant. However, I'm more or less "just some random kid" who's graduating from college in May...here's my c.v. as it relates to the subject I'm writing about:
-In 2006, I was a member of a student research team that presented at an international competition related to the subject. We didn't win anything--in fact, none of our work panned out at all--but my name's there; the work was later published in a scientific journal (my name's also on that paper, with the rest of the team).
-Two years later, while working as the science correspondent for a local Boston website, I covered the same competition and they included my coverage on their homepage.
-I've also somewhat familiar to some of the principals in the field (including the guy who's written the only other book on the topic, which just came out this month).
In other words, pretty thin gruel. So nonfiction vets, please let me know what you think...is this a case where agents are inclined to say, "Nice idea, but who are you, again?"
