Query: Nirvana: Absolute Freedom: Spiritual Non-fiction

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kans_007
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Query: Nirvana: Absolute Freedom: Spiritual Non-fiction

Post by kans_007 » October 25th, 2010, 11:46 pm

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priya g.
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Re: Query: Nirvana: Absolute Freedom: Spiritual Non-fiction

Post by priya g. » October 26th, 2010, 4:41 am

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Re: Query: Nirvana: Absolute Freedom: Spiritual Non-fiction

Post by kans_007 » October 26th, 2010, 11:51 am

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Re: Query: Nirvana: Absolute Freedom: Spiritual Non-fiction

Post by priya g. » October 26th, 2010, 1:13 pm

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Quill
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Re: Query: Nirvana: Absolute Freedom: Spiritual Non-fiction

Post by Quill » October 26th, 2010, 3:56 pm

Indeed we need to know more about what is your teaching. What practices does the book advocate.

But truly, so far as I know, this type of project is not sold through a query letter and manuscript, but by means of a book proposal.

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Re: Query: Nirvana: Absolute Freedom: Spiritual Non-fiction

Post by Down the well » October 26th, 2010, 4:22 pm

Quill wrote:But truly, so far as I know, this type of project is not sold through a query letter and manuscript, but by means of a book proposal.
This is true. If your book is non-fiction, you do not query as you would with a novel. Here's a link to Nathan's blog where he talks about how to write a non-fiction proposal. There are other posts on the subject as well. Just do a search on his blog page and see what it comes up with. Good luck.

http://blog.nathanbransford.com/2007/02 ... posal.html

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Re: Query: Nirvana: Absolute Freedom: Spiritual Non-fiction

Post by kans_007 » October 26th, 2010, 7:28 pm

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rose
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Re: Query: Nirvana: Absolute Freedom: Spiritual Non-fiction

Post by rose » October 27th, 2010, 12:14 pm

Also, non-fiction how-to's proposals can be sold almost single handedly on the size of the author's platform. Celebrity author's don't have to work nearly as hard. Or in lieu of a huge audience, publishers might be swayed by an author's unique qualifications for writing the book he/she is writing.

But, of course (I like to believe) really excellent writing trumps everything else. In the spiritual NF field, I find that although an author may think he or she is writing a how-to book, but the story really needs to be told in memoir form. If the author has a strong voice, this is always the better choice.

good luck,
rose
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Truth and Fiction
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Re: Query: Nirvana: Absolute Freedom: Spiritual Non-fiction

Post by Truth and Fiction » October 27th, 2010, 1:05 pm

I'm not a nonfiction person, but I have to wonder -- is 23,000 an appropriate length for certain types of nonfiction books? When I first saw the word count, I assumed photos/diagrams/illustrations/etc. must play a large role in the book since it's so short. I would have thought around 50,000 words would be a minimum for this type of book, but again, I don't really know. Can anyone clarify for me?

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Re: Query: Nirvana: Absolute Freedom: Spiritual Non-fiction

Post by kans_007 » October 28th, 2010, 1:06 pm

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edit: "Truth and fiction," please note that the current published length of the book is about 35,000 words. The book has been revised and expanded since the query was initially posted. Namaste.
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Quill
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Re: Query: Nirvana: Absolute Freedom: Spiritual Non-fiction

Post by Quill » October 28th, 2010, 3:53 pm

A 20k minimum for all non-fiction seems too vague to be useful. A how-to-build-a-deck book may only need 10k words because it is loaded with illustrations, while a 20k book exploring the Battle of Gettysburg would not fly at all (it would need to be at least 70k, I would think).

In fact, the spiritual/self help realm allows a wide range of lengths. One of the most popular titles of the last 20 years, THE FOUR AGREEMENTS, I doubt is even 15k. Maybe not even 10k. In this genre, it's quality over quantity.


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Re: Query: Nirvana: Absolute Freedom: Spiritual Non-fiction

Post by Michael Roland » November 4th, 2010, 2:23 pm

Going crazy with queries here. I'm still trying to get the hang of it.
It happens that I have experience and some degree of expertise in your subject matter, for better or worse.

Firs of all, to be redundant again, this looks like a straight nonfiction title that should be pitched with a proposal rather than a query. The sad thing is, as near as I can tell. No platform = no nonfiction publishing deal for most people. So, this is going to be a tough sell, as if all books from unknown authors aren't!

With that out of the way, I will take a shot.


I noticed that you represented X1 and Y1, and I believe that my book is similar. I am seeking representation for my completed 23,000-word spiritual/inspirational non-fiction work titled "Nirvana: Absolute Freedom". This looks like it should be at or near the end, not the beginning

What is absolute freedom, and how can we realize it? Agree with above, no rhetorical questions, period.

The popular materialistic world-view is that absolute freedom is the ability to fulfill all your desires.Is it? I didn't know that. I'm not sure all agents would know that either. Should this be a quote from someone famous or respected? This you can do by gaining wealth, power, authority, fame, respect, beauty etc., and to be able to have it you need to strive and compete with the rest of the world. The fittest and the luckiest will succeed in this race, and the rest are going to lose out. OK, nothing new here.

The popular religious world-view is that absolute freedom is to be found in an after-life in heaven. For this you just need to believe in and follow the religious teachings which will confirm your ticket to heaven. Again, nothing new here. I mean to say that you are not informing anyone of something they didn't already know OR might not agree with.

And then there is the spiritual world-view that you are already free,Again, I question, is this the "spiritual world view?" Is it well understood to be the case and documented? and that there is no need to pursue this freedom; there is only a need to realize this as your true and absolute nature. In Nirvana, we go on a journey together examining and inquiring into the true nature of freedom, and how it is to be realized.Ah! So, now I know what the book is about!...in paragraph 5

Which of these world views is correct? How can we find out the truth and experience true and lasting freedom? You just told us that you were going to answer this question in your book, back in paragraph 5, did you not?

Nirvana is a spiritual/inspirational non-fiction work for people of all ages between young adults and middle age,All ages or young adults to middle age? Is it too late for senior citizens? completed at 23000 words. Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.

I hope I don't sound like a complete jerk, but this is nonfiction material on a subject that you are an expert. As a reader or an agent, I wan't to feel confident that you know what you are talking about AND what the book is about...So far, this is the only clue, "In Nirvana, we go on a journey together examining and inquiring into the true nature of freedom, and how it is to be realized." So perhaps this should be reshaped into the first sentence and then you could tell us, briefly how you are going to do that and what we will gain by reading it.

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