You may be an acknowledged expert in your area and have vital information and a great story to tell. But how can you ensure that your project will be accepted for publication and reach a broad audience? This book reveals the trade secrets of an editor/literary agent team with a long track record of success in helping many authors write serious nonfiction books that have become bestsellers and garnered great reviews, even major prizes. Thinking Like Your Editor offers the inside information you need to ensure that your book gets the attention it deserves. Learn the five key questions about your book that your proposal should answer, how to tailor academic writing to a general readership without simplifying ideas or dumming down your work, how to put together a submission package editors cannot ignore, and why your book's introduction is so important, and why it should be written last, not first. Also understand why 'complex ideas, simple structure' is the mantra for creating readable serious nonfiction and why smart nonfiction editors regularly reject flashy writing but find new arguments irresistible.