Steve Laube

Fun Fridays – November 20, 2020

By Steve Laubeon November 20, 2020

Did you notice that today can be rendered as 11202020? Just thought I’d mention it. Has nothing to do with today’s video–unless you want it to!

Aaron Yoder has been the world’s fastest backwards runner. He can run the mile in under six minutes, backwards. How many of you can do that running forward? (No, not back when you were a slim athlete, but today.)

All sorts of metaphors for the writing life and the spiritual life crop up when you think about this new perspective. Reminds me of Bryan Chapell’s great book, Praying Backwards (Baker, 2005).

If this spurs your creativity, share your thoughts in the comments.

[If you cannot see the embedded video in your newsletter email, please click the headline and go directly to our site to view it.]

Are You High Maintenance?

By Steve Laubeon November 16, 2020

by Steve Laube

Last week I was asked to define what is meant when an author is deemed "high maintenance" by an agent or a publisher. The more I thought about this the more I realized how difficult it is to quantify. Any attempt to do so is fraught with potential misunderstanding because most people are looking for specific rules to follow.

Normally "high maintenance" is a description of …

Category: Agents, Book Business, Get Published, The Writing LifeTag: Agents, Editors, high maintenance, publishers

Fun Fridays – November 13, 2020

By Steve Laubeon November 13, 2020

Today’s video is one of those brilliant and clever mashups of video clips matched to a familiar song. According to its creator, not a single clip was sped up or slowed down to match the music. It has the appearance of a master choreographer! Can you name all the movies or dancers in this video? If you get stuck, click the closed-caption feature and all is revealed. I couldn’t help but …

Category: Fun Fridays

Ten Commandments for Working with Your Agent

By Steve Laubeon November 9, 2020

By request, here are my ten commandments for working with your agent. Break them at your own peril. Thou shalt vent only to thine agent and never directly to thy publisher or editor. Thou shalt not get whipped into a frenzy by the industry rumor mill fomented by the Internet. Asketh thy agent if what you’ve heard is true. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s success. Be content with …

Category: Agency, Book Business, Get PublishedTag: Book Business, Contracts, Copyright, Facebook, Get Published, Internet Usage, Marketing

Fun Fridays – November 6, 2020

By Steve Laubeon November 6, 2020

We normally hear this song played by strings. But what if this segment of Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” was played at hyperspeed by the brass section? Enjoy today’s breathtaking feast! [If you cannot see the embedded video in your newsletter email, please click the headline and go directly to our site to view it.] HT: Chawna Schroeder

Category: Fun Fridays

Support Your Local Bookstore

By Steve Laubeon November 2, 2020

I spent the first 11 years of my career working in a local Christian bookstore. It was a huge learning experience. I like to say, “The Christian bookstore is the only place in town where there is an ecumenical meeting every day. But no ones knows about it!” Ours was a large store (12,000 square feet) and served nearly 500 churches. Recently, I heard it said that “bookstores are …

Category: Book Sales

Fun Fridays – October 30, 2020

By Steve Laubeon October 30, 2020

On March 1 a worship song called “The Blessing” was first introduced to the congregation at Elevation Church near Charlotte, North Carolina (written by members of their staff). A couple weeks later, during the coronavirus lockdown, a group of thirty churches in Pittsburg performed it on Easter Sunday in a virtual choir (you can find that version at this link). The song began to be sung …

Category: Fun Fridays

What’s in a Name?

By Steve Laubeon October 26, 2020

It’s time to start that great novel you’ve been wanting to write for years. You have the story in mind and even the names of the main characters. But what about the other bit players in your story? What names do you give them? Some authors use relatives or childhood friends as fodder for ideas. Some just randomly choose names from a baby name book. Novelists know that names can often …

Category: Writing CraftTag: Names

Fun Fridays – October 23, 2020

By Steve Laubeon October 23, 2020

Don’t let anything hold you back. You are more than your circumstances or “limitations.” Be inspired by today’s video. [If you cannot see the embedded video in your newsletter email, please click the headline and go directly to our site to view it.]

Category: Fun Fridays

Free Webinar on Building Your Author Platform

By Steve Laubeon October 19, 2020

Why write a book no one will read? I have a theory that a book has no impact unless the book is read. But a book won’t be read until it is purchased. Even if it was given to you, someone bought it. Thus the power of your words begin at the point of sale. In today’s world, that means the book has to be discovered. No matter how good your book is, if someone doesn’t know about it, …

Category: PlatformTag: Author Platform, Platform, Webinar