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Fun Fridays – March 16, 2018

By Steve Laubeon March 16, 2018

It is good to put things in perspective. Today’s video compares the size of various stars in the known and measured universe…then placed next to earth.

Only one response. Worship.

In these last days God has spoken to us by his Son [Jesus], whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. All things were made through [Jesus], and without [Jesus] was not anything made that was made. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.

There is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

[Hebrews 1:2; John 1:3; Colossians 1:16; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Colossians 1:17]

Why You Don’t Want to be the Exception

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon March 15, 2018

In a recent post on the top three reasons why my office sends rejection letters, I referred to authors sending me out-of-category submissions. Spaghetti Against the Wall First, I mentioned that some authors don’t do their research. They don’t take the five to ten minutes tops to find out what we’re seeking. We even have a handy-dandy tab on our site. I think most authors who don’t consider what …

Category: Book Proposals, RejectionTag: book proposals, Rejection

25 Rules for Writers

By Bob Hostetleron March 14, 2018

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Yes, W. Somerset Maugham famously said, “There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.” But that hasn’t stopped many of the best and/or most famous writers in English from suggesting rules for both fiction and nonfiction. So here is a list of twenty-five of my favorite rules for writers, offered for your contemplation, consideration, and maybe even …

Category: The Writing Life, Writing CraftTag: Rules, The Writing Life, Writing Craft

The Minimum Wage Author

By Dan Balowon March 13, 2018

Most authors earn less than legal minimum wage writing books. Most do so for their entire writing careers. (U.S. Federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. A full time person working 40 hours per week would earn an annual revenue of $15,000 at that rate.) In fact, they work for free for a long time before getting paid and once they do get paid, the amount earned almost never makes up for the long …

Category: Economics, Money, The Writing LifeTag: Career, Money, The Writing Life

Fun Fridays – March 9, 2018

By Steve Laubeon March 9, 2018

It is Spring Training time for Major League Baseball. Fifteen teams come to Arizona (the other 15 are in Florida) for the month of March. A lot of fans come to watch (1.9 million last year). In honor of a new baseball season we just have to watch the classic “Who’s on First” by Abbot and Costello. When I was in high school I remember performing this with my Dad at a church get …

Category: Get Published

The Top Three Reasons My Office Rejects Submissions

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon March 8, 2018

So you got a rejection saying the submission isn’t right for us? That’s a typical decline, isn’t it? Frustrating, I know. But it’s typical because it’s so common. Let’s look at the top three reasons my office sends rejection letters. The submission isn’t right for us. When you receive this letter, you may feel as though we blew off your work and chose a pig-in-a-poke excuse because we had to fill …

Category: Agents, RejectionTag: Agents, book proposal, Rejection

It’s Not What You Know; It’s Who You Know

By Bob Hostetleron March 7, 2018

It is usually said by someone who is not progressing as quickly as they would like in their career. It applies to writing for publication as much—or more so—as in other endeavors. You’ve heard it often: “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” It may sound cynical. It may be discouraging. You may not want to believe it. But it’s true. To some, of course, that means everyone else gets the …

Category: Book Business, Career, ConferencesTag: Book Business, Career, The Writing Life

Creative or Effective? You Decide

By Dan Balowon March 6, 2018

Very early in my working life, I was involved in advertising sales for a radio station. Probably because I was pretty much a “blank slate” back then, I remember the first advertising seminar I attended like it was yesterday. People who know me well, might smile (or roll their eyes) when I’ll repeat a sales or marketing principle I learned decades ago. They are “on to me.” At the first seminar, I …

Category: Book Proposals, Branding, Marketing, Pitch, PitchingTag: book proposal, Cover Letter, Creativity, Marketing

Your Money is Your Business or Keep a Lid on How Much Money You Make

By Steve Laubeon March 5, 2018

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How much should author friends reveal to each other about contracts or other business dealings when they have business with the same publisher?

I think it is a huge mistake to reveal the amount of your advances to other authors. This is similar to finding out the salary of the co-worker in the office cubicle next to yours. When I was a retail store manager we had major problems when salaries …

Category: Book Business, Career, Communication, MoneyTag: Book Business, Contracts, Facebook, Gossip, Money, rumors

Fun Friday – March 2, 2018

By Steve Laubeon March 2, 2018

I’m trying to imagine this young lady pitching her book to me during an appointment at a writers conference. Imagine how much she could present in only 15 non-stop minutes! There have been times where someone’s nerves kicked their verbal presentation into high gear and they ended up emulating her talent. Please don’t do that! I would prefer a tranquil conversation. If you start …

Category: Fun Fridays