Helping to Change the World…Word by Word
The Steve Laube Agency
Helping to Change the World Word by Word
With July 4th this weekend, we in the United States celebrate Independence Day.
Today, be stirred by this rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner” by Sandi Patty. First sung in 1986, it has become one of the most electrifying performances of all time. Turn up your volume, and stay through to the exhilarating crescendo at the end.
(The video goes black for a moment after the opening screen. It is not a glitch!)
Be careful what you read. It may change your life! Franz Kafka wrote that books can “wound and stab us … wake us up with a blow on the head … affect us like a disaster … grieve us deeply.” As we slide further into Summer, think about the books you plan to read the rest of this year. What is on your to-read list? Is there a book with which you know you will disagree? Is there one that could rattle …
Today, abbreviated, is 6/26/26. Isn’t that fun? To thoroughly geek out about numbers, watch today’s video about the origin of the ISBN number. Yes. It is interesting. I’ve written before about this seemingly unimportant little piece of publishing. Enjoy these other articles: “I Is for ISBN” “The ISBN Turns 50” Then click on today’s video and enjoy a …
Focusing only on the Christian book publishing world, here are some things an author might see as positive about them and their work, but those working in publishing do not view them in the same way. “Money isn’t important to me.” Maybe you feel compelled to mention this to show your priorities are in order. But if you truly believe it, you will be the only person in the entire book industry who …
Hey, friends, here’s the worksheet I promised you. I hope you find it helpful. Your Inciting Incident Worksheet Print this out. Fill it in. Use it on every project. SECTION A: CHARACTER GROUNDWORK My protagonist’s name: Their ordinary world (daily routine, comfort zone): Their deepest wound (what happened in their past): Their greatest fear: Their strongest desire: Their weakest point: SECTION B: …
I have the privilege of reading for a living. Someone once asked, “What do you do for a living?” I replied, “I read.” Then they asked what I did for fun. And I replied with a huge smile, “I read.” But not all reading is alike. There is immersive reading of a technical nature. There is escapist reading of a great thriller. And there is cursory reading where you …
Today is WORLD SAUNTERING DAY! To saunter. To stroll, amble, meander, wander, or mosey. Walk without a plot (like the way many try to write their novels!). Confuse your step counters and productivity apps. Don’t pretend you’re late for something. Drift past signs without reading them. (You’ll forget what they said anyway.) Walk as if your phone battery just died, and you’ve accepted …
Writers write. That may seem just a tad obvious, but it’s true. We write. But—brace yourself—that’s not the whole story, at least not for writers who publish. Those folks wear many hats, so to speak. Some fit better than others, but we ignore them to our peril. Here’s a baker’s dozen of a writer’s many hats, mixed metaphor or not: The writing task requires editing skills, as even the most gifted …
Why Should You Write It? Why Not Someone Else? This is the most personal question of all. Writers often hesitate here, unsure how to present themselves without sounding self-promotional. But this is not about self-aggrandizement. If you cannot explain why you are best suited to write this book, a publisher cannot explain it to a sales team. Then the sales team cannot express it to a vendor. Then …
Today’s video is hilarious! Enjoy a comedic romp with the English language. [If you can’t see the video in the newsletter feed, click through to the site and enjoy.] (Thanks to Dan Balow for sending this!)
