• Skip to main content
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer

The Steve Laube Agency

Helping to Change the World…Word by Word

The Steve Laube Agency

The Steve Laube Agency

Helping to Change the World Word by Word

  • Home
  • About
    • Who We Are
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Interview with Steve Laube
    • Statement of Faith
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
  • Guidelines
  • Authors
    • Who We Represent
    • Awards and Recognition
  • Resources
    • Recommended Reading
    • Christian Writers Market Guide Online
    • Christian Writers Institute
    • Writers Conferences
    • Freelance Editorial Services
    • Copyright Resources
    • Research Tools
    • Selling What You Write
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Twitter
  • FaceBook
  • RSS Feed
  • Get Published
  • Book Proposals
  • Book Business
  • Writing Craft
    • Conferences
    • Copyright
    • Craft
    • Creativity
    • Grammar
  • Fun Fridays
Home » Archives for Bob Hostetler » Page 22

Bob Hostetler

A Writer’s Phobias

By Bob Hostetleron October 31, 2018
Share
Tweet
40

This world can be a scary place. It is filled with “ghoulies and ghosties and long-leggedy beasties and things that go bump in the night,” as the old Scottish prayer puts it.

It can be especially scary for writers, believe it or not. Even though we don’t get out much. Maybe because we don’t get out much.

Sure, there’s a phobia for just about everything; but some are more acute or common among people who write. The following is just a short list (some of which are officially recognized by VSP—very smart people—and some of which I made up):

Agentophobia: the fear of literary agents. Also exists in more specific forms, the most common of which is Stevephobia.

Amazophobia: the fear of bad reviews, especially those that appear online. From mean people. Who apparently have issues.

Anthropophobia: the fear of people—especially the fear of meeting new people, instead of just staying at home with the dog, the cat, and the computer.

Bibliophobia: the fear of books. Some people really do have a fear of books, bookshelves, and bookstores. But this phobia can also be experienced by writers who confine themselves to writing articles, devotions, short stories, etc. But a whole book? Whoa, Nelly. How many words did you say it should be?

Catagelophobia or katagelophobia: the fear of being ridiculed. This fear may hinder a writer from writing, inviting critique, submitting, etc.

Deuterophobia: the fear that your second book won’t be anywhere near as good as your first. Also the fear of long and difficult books of the Bible.

Enterophobia: the fear of hitting “send” on an email submission.

Glossophobia: the fear of public speaking, such as speaking up in a classroom or critique group, at a speaking engagement, in a radio or television interview, etc. May also refer to a fear of 8×10 glossy photos.

Graphophobia: the fear of writing itself, or of handwriting. Especially when it causes flashbacks to being made to write on the chalkboard, in second or third grade, in cursive, while the teacher looked on. With a ruler in her hand. Or a bazooka.

Interophobia: the fear of the internet. Or technology in general. Isn’t it just better to write with a rock and a chisel? Sure, it’s slower, but it just feels right.

Peniaphobia: the fear of poverty. A very real phobia afflicting writers everywhere.

Phobiaphobia, the fear of fear itself. Also known as FDRaphobia.

Plagiarophobia: the fear of someone stealing my idea, which is the first of its kind in the history of the world—or at least in the history of human language.

Publiophobia: the fear of being published, which is closely related to catagelophobia.

Redinkophobia: the fear of editors, editing, and marked-up manuscripts.

SASEphobia (pronounced “sassyphobia”): the fear of rejection, named for the self-addressed, stamped envelopes that presaged the dreaded pink slips of rejection, back in the olden days.

Scriptophobia: the fear of writing in public. Seriously, it’s a real thing. Writers are a little like vampires; we shrink from the light of day.

Tropophobia: the fear of making changes. May also be related to egotism. Or pride. Or an unbiblical view of inspiration.

Do any of those hit home with you? Or are you afraid to say so (see what I did there)? What would you add to the list?

 

Leave a Comment
Category: Fun Fridays, The Writing Life

The Worst Parts of Being an Agent

By Bob Hostetleron October 24, 2018
Share
Tweet
40

I’m not one to complain. Although I didn’t sleep too well last night, and my coffee was a little weak this morning. And I spilled some on my shirt. But I mean, otherwise, I’m not one to complain. After all, there are many great things happening in my life right now, some of which pertain to me being a literary agent—which I posted about last week (“The Best Parts of Being an Agent“). …

Read moreThe Worst Parts of Being an Agent
Category: Agency, Agents, Book Proposals

The Best Parts of Being an Agent

By Bob Hostetleron October 17, 2018
Share
Tweet
30

I’ve been a literary agent now for just over fifteen months. I pretty much know it all at this point. As Foghorn Leghorn would say, “That’s a joke, son.” If you don’t know who Foghorn Leghorn is, you’re too young for us to be friends. But seriously, folks, I’ve learned a lot since becoming an agent; and number one on the list is how much I have yet to learn. Insanely much. As I’m often asked by …

Read moreThe Best Parts of Being an Agent
Category: Agency, Agents

Remove the Easy “No”

By Bob Hostetleron October 10, 2018
Share
Tweet
20

These are both amazing and perilous times for writers seeking to publish. Whether you’re pitching an idea to a magazine editor, book editor, or agent, an important part of your job is removing the easy “no.” That is, some submissions make it easy for an editor or agent to say, “No, thank you.” Thus, it behooves you (I like saying “behooves”; it sounds fancy) to anticipate the “easy ‘no’” and …

Read moreRemove the Easy “No”
Category: Book Proposals

When Can I Call Myself a Professional Writer?

By Bob Hostetleron October 3, 2018
Share
Tweet
17

I’m occasionally asked the question at writers conferences and via other means: “When can I call myself a writer?” That’s an easy one to answer. “Do you write?” I ask. “Well, yeah.” “Then you’re a writer. Writers write.” Another question, almost as common, is a little more complicated to answer: “When can I call myself a professional writer?” I can think of at least three reasonable ways to answer …

Read moreWhen Can I Call Myself a Professional Writer?
Category: The Writing Life

We Live in Amazing Times

By Bob Hostetleron September 26, 2018
Share
Tweet
32

I shared a table recently with six or seven others at a writers conference. The writer to my right (right?) leaned in my direction and directed a comment to me. “Please tell me something encouraging about publishing now.” Wow. Put me on the spot, why don’t you? But I thought I understood. After all, we were a couple days into the conference. And, as these things go, this writer had made new …

Read moreWe Live in Amazing Times
Category: Book Business, Trends

8 Ways to Write Like Shakespeare (Part 2)

By Bob Hostetleron September 19, 2018
Share
Tweet
10

I started a post last week about how much I owe as a writer to Shakespeare. We never met, of course (I’m old, just not that old); but in addition to the four lessons I listed last week, I also learned these crucial and valuable lessons from the Bard of Avon: Do something new. Shakespeare started his career where others did—imitating Chaucer, Milton, Spencer, and others. He not only borrowed and …

Read more8 Ways to Write Like Shakespeare (Part 2)
Category: The Writing Life, Writing Craft

8 Ways to Write Like Shakespeare (Part 1)

By Bob Hostetleron September 12, 2018
Share
Tweet
36

I learn something new in every article or book I write, but perhaps never as much as I learned while composing my book The Bard and the Bible: A Shakespeare Devotional, a book of daily reflections drawn from a quote from Shakespeare and a verse from the King James Bible. Even after more than forty books, hundreds of articles, and thousands of blog posts, I learned from the Bard of Avon at least …

Read more8 Ways to Write Like Shakespeare (Part 1)
Category: The Writing Life, Writing Craft

A Writer’s Worst Enemy?

By Bob Hostetleron September 5, 2018
Share
Tweet
43

If you’re a writer, what would you say is your worst enemy? Distraction? Procrastination? Starvation? I admit, those are all candidates. And thank you for not saying “agents.” Unless you did. But I doubt that I am alone in thinking that my worst enemy, as a writer, is hurry. Don’t misunderstand. I work on deadlines. Daily, in fact. Book deadlines. Article deadlines. Blog-post …

Read moreA Writer’s Worst Enemy?
Category: The Writing Life

How Authors Make Money

By Bob Hostetleron August 29, 2018
Share
Tweet
20

So, you’ve written a book. Good for you. Now the money will start rolling in, right? Not exactly. There are a number of ways authors make money, but writing a book is only one step in a long and arduous journey. And, though the details vary widely from one author to another (and one book to another), there are six basic ways an author makes money. An advance When you sign a book contract, the …

Read moreHow Authors Make Money
Category: Book Business, Money, The Writing LifeTag: Career, Money, The Writing Life
  • Previous
  • Page 1
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 20
  • Page 21
  • Page 22
  • Page 23
  • Page 24
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 28
  • Next

Sidebar

Get Blog Updates

Enter your email address to get new blog updates delivered via email. You can unsubscribe at any time.

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Grow as a Writer


Find Out More →

Popular Posts

Top Posts on Book Proposals
  • Hints for a Great Cover Letter
  • The Keys to a Great Book Proposal
  • What Steve Laube is Looking For
  • Book Proposals I’d Love to See – Tamela Hancock Murray
  • What I’m Looking for – Bob Hostetler
  • What I’m Looking for – Dan Balow
  • What I’m Looking for – Lynette Eason
  • What’s the Best Way to Submit My Self-Published Book?
  • What Is the Agent Doing While I Wait?
  • God Gave Me This Blog Post
Top Posts on The Business Side
  • When Your Book Becomes Personal
  • The Myth of the Unearned Advance
  • How Long Does it Take to Get Published?
  • What Are Average Book Sales?
  • Can You Plagiarize Yourself?
  • Never Burn a Bridge
  • Who Decides to Publish Your Book?
  • That Conference Appointment
  • Goodbye to Traditional Publishing?
  • Who Owns Whom in Publishing?
  • Ten Commandments for Working with Your Agent
  • Writers Beware! Protect Yourself
Top Series
  • Book Proposal Basics
  • Publishing A-Z
  • A Defense of Traditional Publishing
Top Posts on Rejection
  • The Slush Pile: Enter at Your Own Risk
  • Even the Best Get Rejected
  • Five Reasons Why You May Never Get Published
  • The Unhelpful Rejection Letter
  • Writers Learn to Wait

Blog Post Archives by Month

  • Home
  • About
    • Who We Are
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Interview with Steve Laube
    • Statement of Faith
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
  • Guidelines
  • Authors
    • Who We Represent
    • Awards and Recognition
  • Resources
    • Recommended Reading
    • Christian Writers Market Guide Online
    • Christian Writers Institute
    • Writers Conferences
    • Freelance Editorial Services
    • Copyright Resources
    • Research Tools
    • Selling What You Write
  • Blog
  • Contact

Copyright © 2025 · The Steve Laube Agency · All Rights Reserved · Website by Stormhill Media