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The Steve Laube Agency

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Helping to Change the World Word by Word

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Home » Archives for Bob Hostetler » Page 2

Bob Hostetler

Who and What I’m Looking for (Bob Hostetler)

By Bob Hostetleron January 25, 2023
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(Updated 1/25/2023)

As the world turns and 2022 gives way to 2023, I have been a literary agent with The Steve Laube Agency for five-and-a-half years. In many ways, 2022 was my most surprising and successful year yet as an agent. My clients made me look good, and my boss so far hasn’t made me look for a new job; so I’ve got those things going for me. With all that in mind, let me offer an updated answer to the frequent question I field from aspiring, developing, accomplished, and skilled writers: “What are you looking for?”

Influence

Aspiring writers often imagine, “Once I have a book published, people will listen to me.” That’s exactly backwards. I’m looking for people who are already having an impact, people whose influence is expanding, people who aren’t waiting to reach people with their message. Like every publisher and editor I know, I’m looking for people who understand today’s publishing realities and have a track record that says they can effectively partner with publishers in getting their message out. They’re writing blog posts and email newsletters that a lot of people read, share, and subscribe to. They’re connecting and engaging with large numbers of people on social media. They’re speaking at events large and small, far and wide. They are not waiting for readers, listeners, and followers to come to them; they are already engaging with people about their genre and topic.

Inspiration

My primary expertise as a writer and speaker has been the Christian market. So, as an agent, I focus my efforts in representing books—both fiction and nonfiction—for the Christian market (though when a proposal has broad appeal for the general market, the resources are available to me to take it there). In particular, I am interested in:

Fiction: women’s contemporary, historical, timeslip, romance, suspense, thriller.

Nonfiction: Christian living, women’s nonfiction, gift books, devotionals, humor, marriage and family, parenting, prayer, spiritual growth, teens/young adult.

As a rule, I will not be looking at:

Fiction: fantasy, science fiction, time travel, horror, middle grade, young adult (YA).

Nonfiction: academic, autobiography/biography, Bible studies, cookbooks, doctrinal issues, memoir, pastoral helps, poetry, sermons, theology.

Investment

I’m not interested in “one-and-done” authors. If you have only one book in you, then I wish you well; but I’m not the right person to help you get it published. I’m looking for writers who have already begun investing in the lifelong task of writing what matters and finding fresh and innovative ways to convey an idea and reach an audience. I’m looking for writers who are teachable, who study their craft, and are willing to accept criticism and correction. I’m looking for writers who love words, phrases, and sentences. I’m looking for writers who are reading widely in their genre (at least), who invite thorough critique, and will never use the awareness and appreciation of their strengths as an excuse not to work on their weaknesses. I’m looking for writers who are attending writers conferences to educate themselves, network with others, and get better and better at proposals and pitches.

Originality

You thought I was going to insert another “I” word here, right? Tough. Because I’m not looking for predictability. I’m not looking for “cute.” I’m also not looking for the next C. S. Lewis, Max Lucado, Priscilla Shirer, or Francine Rivers. They’re all wonderful writers, but I’m looking for ideas and writing so fresh it could never be confused with another writer. I want to see book proposals that surprise and delight me. I want to represent writers who can flat write. Who can transport me. Who make it impossible for me to stop reading. And who will do it again and again.

____________

Please see the Guidelines link above, and follow that information meticulously before submitting a proposal to Bob Hostetler.

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Category: Agency, Agents, Book ProposalsTag: Agency, Agents, Get Published

6 Joys of Starting a New Writing Project

By Bob Hostetleron January 12, 2023
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It’s a new year! A fresh start. A turn of the page. What better time is there to start a new writing project, whether that’s a new novel manuscript, book proposal, article query, blog post, or poem? So, what are you waiting for? After all, consider the joys of starting something new: The world is your oyster. Possibilities abound. Whatever and wherever you begin, the first steps of a fresh, new …

Read more6 Joys of Starting a New Writing Project
Category: Career, The Writing Life

Incarnational Writing

By Bob Hostetleron December 21, 2022
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It’s that holy time of year when followers of Jesus around the world contemplate and celebrate the truth of the Incarnation, the miraculous, mind-boggling moment when the Son of God, the Eternal Word, “became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14, NIV). So, first, I wish the readers of this blog a merry and holy Christmas. Second, I’d like to opine for a few moments on the …

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Category: The Writing Life, Theology

Rejection Is NOT Failure

By Bob Hostetleron November 30, 2022
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Hi, my name is Bob; and I get rejected. As a blogger, article writer, game writer, and writer of books, I suffer “rejection” on a nearly daily basis—and not only because of my slovenly appearance. As I often tell people, publishing is a highly subjective business; and what one editor pooh-poohs another may ooh-ooh. “Sure, Bob,” you may say, “but rejection still hurts.” I hear you. It feels awful, …

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Category: The Writing Life

4 Ways to Be a Grateful Writer

By Bob Hostetleron November 16, 2022
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How great is it being a writer? Sure, there are downsides. Rejection. Revision. Poverty. And so on. But all in all, writers are a privileged bunch. We get to write! We get to “live and move and have our being” among words, sentences, magazines, blogs, and books. We know how to use semicolons and apostrophes (well; some of us’ do anyway). We sometimes even experience the joy of knowing someone has …

Read more4 Ways to Be a Grateful Writer
Category: Personal, TheologyTag: thanksgiving

How One Bibliophile Downsized

By Bob Hostetleron November 3, 2022
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I love books. Big surprise, right? I’m supposed to say that, as a literary agent, author, and frequent speaker at writers conferences. But it’s true. Case in point: Over the years, I amassed a personal and professional library of nearly 3,000 books. Hardcover and softcover, mass market and classic leather binding, nonfiction and fiction, reference and gift books, many by friends, some by …

Read moreHow One Bibliophile Downsized
Category: The Writing Life

7 Favorite Writer Destinations

By Bob Hostetleron October 26, 2022
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I recently discovered online (is there any other way to discover things these days?) that there is a Writer’s Museum in Edinburgh. Say what? I have to go. After all, I’m a writer. Plus, it’s free, which is totally in my price range. Until I make that trip, however, I’ll have to reminisce about my favorite writerly destinations I’ve visited over the years—and I’ve had a lot of them. Years, that is. …

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Category: Historical, Inspiration, Personal

Four Short Prayers for Writers

By Bob Hostetleron October 13, 2022
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From time to time, because I believe that prayer is the Christian writer’s first and most important task, I post on this blog a prayer that I’ve written and prayed for my writing. Some, however, are so short that they don’t lend themselves to the kind of superior quality I regularly achieve in my blog posts. (Okay, so I’ll pray for humility—happy now?) So I thought today I would post four—that’s …

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Category: The Writing Life, Theology

Ten Good Things Your Writing Is Doing, Published or Not

By Bob Hostetleron October 5, 2022
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We write to be read. To be published. To make a difference. To touch a life. Right? Of course, right. But those of us who write blog posts, articles, books, and even games (yes, that’s a thing, and maybe I’ll write about it in the near future) put immense pressure on ourselves to be accepted, get a contract, win an award, and so on. But whether or not your work is published, your writing is still …

Read moreTen Good Things Your Writing Is Doing, Published or Not
Category: Career, The Writing Life

What Makes Readers Cross Genres?

By Bob Hostetleron September 22, 2022
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Genre is important. For many reasons, it’s crucial for a writer to know the genre he or she is writing in and to know it well. In some cases, the devoted readers of a certain genre have defined expectations. For example, they may expect certain tropes and taboos to be observed (even if they’ve never thought about their expectations). After all, there are reasons readers prefer certain genres. And …

Read moreWhat Makes Readers Cross Genres?
Category: Craft, Genre
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