As an acquisitions editor, my job is to shop for books, but of course it’s not the final bound product I’m looking for. I shop for the material needed to create books – a commercial idea, a promotable author, and solid writing. All of these elements come through in a successful book proposal. Book proposals are the universal language authors use to convey the value of their work and get a contract -- either from an editor or an agent. All good ones follow a certain formula, which Writers Marketplace and numerous other resources can demonstrate. But there’s a certain panache that comes through when you understand a bit about the publishing process. Here’s an insider’s look at