A real page turner!
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Ask a Literary Agent: Writing Q&A With Steve Laube – Free Webinar, May 13th
Thomas Umstattd, Jr. and I have periodically come together to discuss various topics related to the book world. We are going to do it again! I don’t want you to miss out on the FREE webinar. Date: Wednesday, May 13 Time: 5 p.m. (Eastern Time) We are planning an hour or more of conversation on the questions most pressing to writers and a little about my new book, Sacred Margins, which …
Monday Moments – May 4, 2026
Today’s moment is the third in a series of brief meditations I’ve created based on my new book, Sacred Margins: On the Spiritual Life of a Writer. Let me know your thoughts in the comments. The transcript of the video is below. If you cannot see the video, click through to our website or to YouTube, where you can view it. The book itself will be released on May 19th in paperback, ebook, and …
Fun Fridays – May 1, 2026
Gotta get me one of these! [If you cannot see today’s video in your newsletter feed, please click through to view it on our site.]
5 Questions Your Proposal Must Answer: Question 3
How Is Your Book Different (And Is It Different Enough)? Originality is often misunderstood. Your book does not need to say something no one has ever said before. In most categories, that would be nearly impossible. (“There is nothing new under the sun,” Ecclesiastes 1:9). However, it must say something in a way that feels unique, timely, or even timeless. Publishers evaluate proposals within a …
Fun Fridays – April 24, 2026
Today’s video is quite unusual. Watch an artist who uses a hammer on glass to create portraits. You have to see it to believe it. I am constantly amazed by the outrageous creativity of the human mind. Whether one will acknowledge it or not, we are made in the image of God. And, therefore, to quote Tolkien, we can become sub-creators in our art. To quote David Downing, from his excellent …
5 Questions Your Proposal Must Answer: Question 2
Is Your Idea a Book or a Magazine Article? Not every good idea is a book-length idea. This can be a challenge for any writer to accept. A nonfiction book requires breadth, depth, and durability. It must sustain a reader’s attention over 40,000 to 60,000 words (or more) without thinning out or repeating itself. Many proposals begin with a compelling premise; but when examined closely, they …
Fun Fridays – April 17, 2026
Enjoy today’s video of a solo guitarist. It is wonderful to watch a gifted artist maximizing their creativity. Notice a couple things. (1) He is left-handed. That is rare to see because most guitars are strung for a right-handed player. I know I’m showing ignorance here, but that was a delight to observe. (2) He uses so many difficult techniques that if you close your eyes they might …
5 Questions Your Proposal Must Answer: Question 1
Is Your Audience/Platform Big Enough? This platform question is one of the more aggravating and frustrating issues most writers face. Either they try to explain it away, overestimate it, or avoid it entirely. A publisher is not asking whether your topic has a large audience in theory. They are asking whether you can reach enough of that audience in practice. There is a difference. Many proposals …
Fun Fridays – April 10, 2026
Back before Captain Cook sailed the Seven Seas, I went to high school in Honolulu. (I know, someone’s gotta do it.) Today’s video was something I never knew about the state of Hawaii. Enjoy the trivia! (If you can’t see the video in your emailed newsletter, please click through to the site and view it there.)