Helping to Change the World…Word by Word
The Steve Laube Agency
Helping to Change the World Word by Word
Could you make a paper airplane out of a manila folder? Maybe. But doubtful it would look like this.
I found this story to be a metaphor for those who write. Those who choose each word carefully with the precision of an x-acto knife. Painstakingly crafting their art over years. And being unafraid to delete what doesn’t work.
When I visit the bookstore or library, I seldom fail to see at least one novel where the entire back cover consists of an author photo. That’s it. No endorsements, no story blurb, no author bio. Just a picture of the author. And usually the front cover doesn’t offer many clues, either. Maybe a vague illustration, along with the title and author’s name. To my mind, this means this author has built …
Don’t worry. I hated grade school grammar as much as the next guy. Still, as a magazine editor and, later, as a freelance book editor and (now) literary agent, I have come across far too many grammatical and usage mistakes in writing submitted to me. Not all of us can be Strunk or White (though every writer should own their valuable book, The Elements of Style). But we can profit from a little …
History has always fascinated me. Once you look deeply into it, you see the seeds of an important event being planted years, decades or even centuries before. Nothing happens out of thin air. For instance, it is widely agreed World War Two was a direct result of the way World War One ended. A hundred years ago, Adolph Hitler was a disgruntled corporal in the defeated and humiliated German army. …
Seven years ago I wrote a post about the morality clause in book contracts. It was met with a collective yawn. Today the landscape is a little different and I hope you will take the time to read this carefully. From Hollywood suddenly trying to find a moral compass to corporations trying to define bad behavior, the issue has become the latest buzzing conversation. The issue is not one to be …
This past year, my colleagues in Christian publishing have treated me with immense kindness. Thank you. I wish I could say I have witnessed the same kindness in other arenas. If you follow current events even as a casual observer, I don’t need to recount the bitterness and rancor over ideas, processes, and how to deal with misdeeds. But processing debates helped me progress in my own attitudes. …
Just over six months ago, I became a literary agent with the Steve Laube Agency. Hoo boy. It has been some ride. Lots o’ fun, lots o’ work, and lots o’ learning. So I thought I’d take a few minutes (it’s all I have before the boss calls and starts yelling at me again) to reflect on what I’ve learned in that short period of time. It’s not an easy task, considering I already knew pretty much …
Today we take a glimpse at early 1993 and the books defining culture and thought twenty-five years ago. It’s impossible to know where you are going if you don’t know from where you came…in life or publishing! The January 3, 1993 New York Times Bestseller List: Fiction DOLORES CLAIBORNE, by Stephen King. (Viking) A 1995 film starring Kathy Bates and a 2013 opera…yes, an opera. MIXED BLESSINGS, by …
I find it a healthy exercise to review the past as it can be encouraging to note progress and look at the foundation for the future. The Industry Our industry continues to create tremendous books but few new ones “break out.” It is hard to gain the attention of readers and buyers in our media-saturated society. And yet books continue to sell! It was almost a foregone conclusion, so in February …
