Steve Laube

Our Agency’s 15th Anniversary

By Steve Laubeon May 20, 2019

Hard to believe that it was 15 years ago this week that The Steve Laube Agency was formed. Happy anniversary to us!

Since those nervous beginnings, we have been blessed by so many wonderful clients and publishing relationships. Over the years we have secured about 1,000 new contracts for more than 1,700 new books. Those books have sold more than 24 million copies so far.

We continue to have the honor of working with some of the very best writers our industry has to offer, with more than 300 now under our care. Beginning in 2011 our team grew to eventually include fellow agents Tamela Hancock Murray (2011), Bob Hostetler (2017), and Thomas Umstattd (2018). Karen Ball (2011-2017) and Dan Balow (2013-2018) were great colleagues as well. In addition, in 2017 we bought the Les Stobbe Agency, which added a number of new authors to the roster.

We truly have experienced this verse: “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8).

May our work continue to help change the world, word by word.

Fun Fridays – May 17, 2019

By Steve Laubeon May 17, 2019

I found this video about the man behind the paper props you see in movies fascinating. The attention to detail for something that is only there for a split second is quite extraordinary. (five minutes in length)

Category: Fun Fridays

Every Word Counts

By Steve Laubeon May 13, 2019

The popularity of last week's post on the phrase counter set me on a journey to find something that would do the same sort of "counting" but instead focus on single word usage instead of phrases.

Use this link to the Word Counter web site and run your WIP (work in progress) within its walls.

Category: Editing, Grammar, Writing CraftTag: Editing, words

Fun Fridays – May 10, 2019

By Steve Laubeon May 10, 2019

Today’s video is of three professionals against 100 school children. Someone said, “This shows some sort of publishing metaphor just waiting to get out!” (The first two minutes are enough to get the idea.) What do you think this is showing as it relates to the pursuit of publishing? HT: Dan Balow

Category: Dan, Fun Fridays

Would You Buy Your Own Book?

By Steve Laubeon May 6, 2019

When I ask a room of writers if they would buy their own book if they saw it on the shelf at a major bookstore I am met with a variety of reactions. Laughter. Pensiveness. Surprise. And even a few scowls. How would you answer that question?

But the question is meant to ask if your book idea is unique. Whether it will stand out among the noise of the competition.

It is not a question of …

Category: Book Business, Book Proposals, Get Published, Marketing, Pitch, Pitching, Platform, The Publishing Life, Writing CraftTag: Marketing, Pitching, Proposals

Fun Fridays – May 3, 2019

By Steve Laubeon May 3, 2019

This video shows what an author will always do upon hearing they have received a contract offer. They can do it on one leg too!

Category: Fun Fridays

What Makes You Click?

By Steve Laubeon April 29, 2019

Below is a visual representation of some astounding statistics regarding Internet usage. A little more than twelve years ago I wrote a chapter for a writing book on how to use the Internet for research. I re-read that article recently...umm, Google didn't even exist back then (founded in September 1998), much less Wikipedia (where the jury is still out if is a reliable source for verifiable …

Category: Branding, Marketing, Pitch, Pitching, PlatformTag: Digital Books, Facebook, Internet Usage

Fun Fridays – April 26, 2019

By Steve Laubeon April 26, 2019

Today’s video features Victor Borge at his concert-conducting best. One of the finest musical comedians of all time.

Category: Fun Fridays

Criticism Is an Unhappy Part of the Business

By Steve Laubeon April 22, 2019

I would like to tell you about a most enjoyable day. Our agency's guidelines request that unsolicited manuscripts come via the post (I know it's old-school but it works for us), but we still receive e-mail submissions. I spent an entire morning going through that particular in-box, having an assistant send standard e-mail rejection letters, since none were anything our agency could/would …

Category: Agency, Get Published, RejectionTag: Book Review, Criticism, crtics, Editors, Rejection, Writing Craft

Even the Best Get Rejected

By Steve Laubeon April 15, 2019

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I've written about rejection before and yet it is a topic that continues to fascinate.

Recently Adrienne Crezo did an article on famous authors and their worst rejection letters. I thought you might enjoy reading a couple highlights of that article and some additional stories I have collected over the years.

George Orwell's Animal Farm was rejected by Alfred Knopf saying it …

Category: Career, Get Published, Rejection, Writing CraftTag: Rejection, Writing Craft