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The Steve Laube Agency

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The Steve Laube Agency

The Steve Laube Agency

Helping to Change the World Word by Word

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Home » Archives for Dan Balow » Page 3

Dan Balow

What I Am Looking For (Dan Balow)

By Dan Balowon January 18, 2023
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(Updated 1/18/2023)

One of the great challenges for any agent is to figure out what publishers might be looking to publish. But it gets even more complicated when you consider they are looking for books to publish a year or more into the future. Add on the time it takes to write a book and get it ready to publish, and we are all in the guessing game of what people might want to read in 2024 and beyond.

Will Covid-19 still be a “thing” in the mind of readers in 2024?

What will be the discussion around the abortion issue in three years?

What issues will confront the Church in 2024 and beyond?

Books are not blog posts commenting on something happening right now. They are about big, complicated ideas needing tens of thousands of words to fully explore and explain. They take time to write and get right.

On top of this, the publishing world is highly subjective, where no one can speak with absolute certainty about much of anything when it comes to what people will be reading several years into the future.

So, what am I looking for this year? How do I know if something is good?

I don’t know, but I know it when I see it. And even then, others might not agree with me.

Since most of my connections are with publishers of Christian-themed books, I need to start there to give an idea of what I look for in a client.

I look for authors of nonfiction works, mainly for adults but will consider nonfiction for younger groups once in a while. I will also expand to consider compelling content for children.

I do not consider authors of fiction. Other agents are far better than I for that area.

Overall, I need to view the world through the eyes of publishers, so I ask questions of potential clients consistent with publisher requirements. Other than compelling writing, here are three other things I am looking for in authors:

  • Credibility: Qualified to write on the topic. Theology books by respected theologians, apologetics books by respected apologists, history books by historians, etc. Even if you are an excellent writer, you need to have the credentials accompanying whatever you create.
  • Focus: Few authors navigate a wide variety of categories successfully, and they are usually successful in one before trying the other. You need to start somewhere. Pick a lane.
  • Marketing: Great writing still counts, but you won’t get far without a good start on personal marketing. The lack of an author platform will be a problem down the line, so get started now if you haven’t already.

Finally, I like writers who are writing consistently or are working writers. The book they propose is not the only thing they have to show, and they are continually honing their skills.

Just like you, the agents with The Steve Laube Agency exercise our gifts, deal with disappointment, and learn to trust God more and more each day. We all pray for God’s wisdom to make wise decisions and serve authors, so they are published well.

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Category: Agency, Book ProposalsTag: Agency, book proposals

365 Days to Sing God’s Praise

By Dan Balowon January 1, 2023
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Happy New Year! Today marks the 250th anniversary of the first performance of “Amazing Grace,” written by pastor John Newton to accompany his sermon. It was originally written as poetry. The familiar melody was added in 1835, though the words were sung to various traditional tunes before that. At the time, Newton was parish priest of the Anglican church in Olney, Buckinghamshire, England. (If you …

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Category: Inspiration, Personal, Theology

Christmas Questions

By Dan Balowon December 22, 2022
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When Christian singer/songwriters Mark Lowry and Buddy Greene collaborated on the modern Christmas classic “Mary Did You Know?” they hit on some meaningful themes that inspire millions each year. Honestly, I think they were a little presumptuous asking a pregnant lady or mother of a young child so many questions, but at least the song doesn’t wait for her responses! She had enough on her mind. I …

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Category: Creativity, Theology

Repetition Is Talent

By Dan Balowon December 14, 2022
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Early in my career, I attended a business conference that had a profound effect on my view of work ever since. First, I recall the presenter talking about the use of statistics and data in business. Data can support any position, depending on how you use it. It is like having an opinion and finding Scripture to back it up. Almost always the text is taken out of context. The same thing happens with …

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Category: Career, The Writing Life

Pet Peeves

By Dan Balowon December 1, 2022
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Pet peeves. We all have them, and we all do things that are pet peeves for others. How about starting a blog post with a two-word sentence, which isn’t a sentence? Anyone? Bueller? My Pet Peeves On one hand, I am like everyone else. I don’t like repetitive tapping or spam phone calls late at night. Those are the easy ones. I am also incredibly annoyed by bicyclists who never, ever observe any kind …

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Category: Agents, Humor

What’s the Deal With One-Sheets?  

By Dan Balowon November 17, 2022
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I believe it is safe to say almost every book is purchased before it is read. Or, at the very least, the decision to read it is made before it is read. Wow, we are mining the depths of Dan’s publishing wisdom today. There’s a reason aspiring and even experienced authors are encouraged to create a one-page pitch sheet for their books. If you can’t explain your work in relatively few words, you need …

Read moreWhat’s the Deal With One-Sheets?  
Category: Book Proposals, Pitching

Give Away Your Story

By Dan Balowon November 9, 2022
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Agents have a difficult time selling any kind of personal story, from memoirs that contain memories from one’s life to other types of autobiographical works that might recap the author’s story as a series of events. Regardless of the type, this writing generates very limited interest from traditional publishers, unless the author has a good-size marketing platform because they achieved a level of …

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Category: Book Proposals, Indie, Inspiration, Marketing

Just Write the Opposite

By Dan Balowon October 27, 2022
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From season five of the television sitcom Seinfeld, a revealing quote from the character George Costanza: “It all became very clear to me sitting out there today, that every decision I’ve ever made, in my entire life, has been wrong. My life is the complete opposite of everything I want it to be. Every instinct I have, in every aspect of life, be it something to wear, something to …

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Category: The Writing Life, Theology

Building Your Platform Without Becoming a Narcissist

By Dan Balowon October 19, 2022
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Authors in the process of building and maintaining their media platforms can easily slip into a self-focused effort, evaluating every relationship with an eye toward their personal benefit, seeking attention in any way possible, and exhibiting all the traits of destructive pride. Well now, there’s a cheery thought to start the day. Some little hairs must have gotten under my collar after my last …

Read moreBuilding Your Platform Without Becoming a Narcissist
Category: Branding, Marketing, Social Media, The Writing Life

Publishing Is Publishing

By Dan Balowon October 6, 2022
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Every part of the book publishing ecosystem adjusted its perspective to accommodate both traditional publishing and author-published works. It wasn’t long ago these two paths were treated as either/or decisions; but now they are both/and. Many traditional publishers offer author-paid services, some agents have indie services for clients, and a large number of authors publish both traditional and …

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Category: Book Business, Book Business, Indie, Marketing, Self-Publishing, Trends
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