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The Steve Laube Agency

Helping to Change the World…Word by Word

The Steve Laube Agency

The Steve Laube Agency

Helping to Change the World Word by Word

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The Challenge for the Debut Author

By Steve Laubeon May 15, 2017
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What are the chances of a debut author getting a contract with a major publisher? What if the author does not have an agent?

It’s always hard to get the first contract for any author. It’s a little like “American Idol” with hundreds, if not thousands, of people in line hoping for their chance.

In non-fiction it can be a number of things that help with the process.

  • The “Platform” is crucial for many publishers. They want to have the confidence that they can sell a boatload of copies right away to your built-in constituency. But not every debut author has an overwhelming “platform.”
  • The type of book you are writing can be a factor. For example, a devotional with a clever hook can be just what the publisher is looking for because devotionals often are not celebrity driven. Jesus Calling is an example. That was Sarah Young’s first book.

But if your book is on an evergreen topic like marriage or finances you need to have something very unique or a massive platform to attract a publisher’s attention. There are too many “classics” in those categories. Or they have a dominant player like Dave Ramsey in that space.

  • It may be that the author has top-level endorsements as part of the proposal. The author is well known and respected by a number of “famous” people who have agreed to endorse the book before it has even been published. I saw this turn the heads of a publication meeting. Their first reaction was “who is this guy” but when they saw the endorsements they knew he was something special.
  • The author may have met an editor at a conference and made a personal connection there. I’ve seen this happen dozens of times. The editor loves the project and can cite their experience with the author when the book is pitched in-house. I have a client who was speaking at an event…afterwards an editor from a major publisher, who was in the audience, came up and asked about writing for them. Book seven will come out next Spring.

In fiction, we often say, “it is all about the story.” But that’s really just one factor.

  • If your brilliant novel, set in the Civil War, arrives right after the major publisher has contracted another author’s Civil War novel, yours won’t be picked. But it may be the other way around in your case. Yours is chosen and someone else gets the boot.
  • It is fascinating to watch the ebb and flow of popularity with various genres. Historical fiction seems to be in a cycle about every five years. It’s hot, then it’s not, then it’s hot again. Recently dystopian novels were all the rage, but not any more. The editors were fatigued by all the submissions and the marketplace ended up close to a saturation point. Romantic Suspense is getting a lot of attention these days, but soon those slots will be filled and something else will become the new flavor.

Think about other genres, like Amish. Ten years ago it was unbelievably hot. Publishers and writers were diving into the genre with abandon. Now it has settled into a strong category with a few dominant authors. Breaking in as a debut Amish author can be done, but it takes special story telling skills to get the attention of the editor whose line is already “full.”

The question we started with had another aspect. What about the unagented debut author?

It is possible to get a deal without an agent. Primarily the writers conference or an editor approaching you is the main way that happens. There are stories of the unsolicited proposal hitting the major publisher’s desk and becoming a bestseller, but those stories are told because they are so rare and exceptional.

The issue for the unagented author is not getting the deal, it is the contract itself. If you don’t want an agent but would rather use a literary attorney, that is fine. Just make sure you know what you are signing. Those contracts can be onerous if you are not careful. I teach a class called “Landmines in Your Book Contract” for a reason!

 

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Category: Agents, Genre, Get Published, The Writing LifeTag: Agents, Get Published

Fun Fridays – May 12, 2017

By Steve Laubeon May 12, 2017
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The video where the original marketing plan was discussed. Sometimes it just doesn’t make sense, but it still works! Enjoy Jon Christ’s video channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFq7vUgpjnVRZI-MzSvRZAA

Read moreFun Fridays – May 12, 2017
Category: Fun Fridays

Ignored? Could be an Error or a Philosophy

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon May 11, 2017
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This post is inspired by a question posed by Cindy (Thank you!) on a recent entry regarding rejection. (Click here to find the original entry) Despite following all the guidelines, this author never received a response from an agent and wondered why. The reasons may be quite simple: Office Error My office tries not to ignore emails, although we certainly aren’t mistake-proof. If we ignored you, …

Read moreIgnored? Could be an Error or a Philosophy
Category: Agents, Book Proposals

The Lies That Bind

By Karen Ballon May 10, 2017
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 Years ago at a writer’s conference I was confronted by a pastor who demanded to know why I promoted lies to God’s family. As you can imagine, I was somewhat taken aback at this accusation and asked the irate man to explain what he meant. “Those books you write. Those novels. They’re lies!” I pointed out that if I was lying by telling stories, then so was Christ seeing as He did the same with the …

Read moreThe Lies That Bind
Category: Career, The Writing Life, TheologyTag: Career, Faith, The Writing Life

The Endangered Author

By Dan Balowon May 9, 2017
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There are many kinds of creative writing, for personal enjoyment to the type for which you are paid. As an agent earning a living selling book proposals to traditional publishers, I evaluate everything based both on whether it fits the type of content I want to represent, but also if it is commercially viable for those publishers.  Depending on where you are on the spectrum as an author, maybe …

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Category: Book Business, Career

Are Agents Necessary?

By Steve Laubeon May 8, 2017
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Bill asked the question, “How necessary are agents in the modern publishing environment?” It depends. I have to smile when asked that question because asking an agent if agents are necessary it’s a bit obvious what the answer will be… However, there are some things that should go into your decision of whether to pursue representation or not. Goals What are your goals as a …

Read moreAre Agents Necessary?
Category: Agency, Agents, Book BusinessTag: Agents, Book Business

Fun Fridays – May 5, 2017

By Steve Laubeon May 5, 2017
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For those of you who love the smell of printed books, here is the chemical composition of what you are enjoying. Book nerds of the world, unite! (Link to the full size PDF is below) Link to full size version: http://www.compoundchem.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Aroma-Chemistry-The-Smell-of-New-Old-Books.pdf Accompanying article is here: http://www.compoundchem.com/2014/06/01/newoldbooksmell/ …

Read moreFun Fridays – May 5, 2017
Category: Fun Fridays

Criticizing the Reader

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon May 4, 2017
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Since I’ve been in publishing, I’ve heard rumblings of why can’t Christian novels be “edgy” or “better” in avoiding tropes, formulas, and the like. In other words, why can’t Christians write and publish great literature? Know that the definition of great literature varies from person to person. A Google search reveals many articles on this topic. But when an author submits what he labels …

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Category: Book Business, ReadingTag: Book Business, Literary Fiction, Reading

Choosing Your Words Wisely, Part 2

By Dan Balowon May 2, 2017
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Here are some of my all-time favorite jokes: To get to the other side. Hugh and only Hugh can stamp out florist friars. Silly Rabbi, kicks are for Trids! Oh, my baking yak! Minnie was called, but Chew was frozen. I better run this through again! Give me a couple of eggs. Place one of these on every corner and wait for my signal! After all these years, those jokes still make me laugh. What? …

Read moreChoosing Your Words Wisely, Part 2
Category: Craft, CreativityTag: Language, Writing Craft

Print and Prejudice

By Steve Laubeon May 1, 2017
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For the last ten years, since the unveiling of the Kindle reader, there has been a constant conversation about reader’s preferences. Print or Ebook? While ebook sales grew exponentially and paper sales stagnated many declared victory for the ebook. I have a number of friends who have not purchased a paper edition of a book for quite some time. Some libraries have removed all their books and gone …

Read morePrint and Prejudice
Category: Book Business, E-Books, Personal, ReadingTag: Book Business, ebooks, Reading
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