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Fun Fridays – October 20, 2017

By Steve Laubeon October 20, 2017

A change of pace today.

Do yourself a favor. Set aside 10 minutes. Turn up your speakers. Quiet your mind and heart. Close your eyes. Then play this video. The song “Alleluia” by Eric Whitaker is performed. (There is nothing to watch, only the album cover is displayed.)

While you let the music wash over you, pray.
Lift your burdens before the One and Only One who can help you carry your burdens.

Martin Luther wrote, “My heart, which is so full to overflowing, has often been solaced and refreshed by music when sick and weary.”

Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “Music… will help dissolve your perplexities and purify your character and sensibilities, and in time of care and sorrow, will keep a fountain of joy alive in you.”

In our world aggrieved by turmoil, tragedy, evil, loss, and pain it is my prayer that for these few moments your spirit can find comfort.

Yes, It’s Personal

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon October 19, 2017

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We’d all like to think everyone will love all our books. But it just won’t happen. It’s personal, and that’s okay. Based on past posts, regular followers of this blog might conclude that I don’t like any book I start. That’s not true, but I’ll admit I’ve ditched a couple more books lately. One is a classic, but I didn’t like spending time with a protagonist mixing copious amounts of drink and …

Category: Book Proposals, Book Review, Get Published, The Writing LifeTag: Agents, book proposals, Pitching

Be Published? or Be Read?

By Bob Hostetleron October 18, 2017

Is your goal “being published” or “being read?” What pieces of writing and publishing advice do professional agents and editors wish would go away…forever? I asked that question of some of my friends in the industry (yes, I have friends, and most are much smarter than me). The last two weeks I have posted (here and here) some of their responses. But I’ve saved one more for last. One savvy, …

Category: Book Business, Book Sales, Career, Marketing, Platform, The Writing LifeTag: Book Business, Book Sales, Get Published, Marketing

The Damaged Reader

By Dan Balowon October 17, 2017

Not like I am some overly sensitive guy, but often when I hear a sermon in church or some Christian presentation, I cringe when a pastor or speaker might say something to the effect, “Raising a family is the most important thing a married man and woman do in their lives.” I agree it is very important, but I also think about the middle age couple four rows in front of me who had multiple …

Category: Marketing, Reading, TheologyTag: Audience, The Writing Life, Theology

10 Publishing Related Facts About Winnie-the-Pooh

By Steve Laubeon October 14, 2017

Winnie-the-Pooh turned 91 years old today, Saturday, October 14, 2017! The book, Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne, was first published on October 14, 1926. Our family celebrates the day each year. Even with our kids all grown up and married, my wife still bakes Pooh cookies and decorates them. Here are some fun publishing related facts about Winnie-the-Pooh: ‘Winnie-the-Pooh’ was …

Category: Humor

What Makes a Great Hook?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon October 12, 2017

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Lately, smart publishing professionals have been saying “it needs a great hook” to describe books they seek. Recently I wrote about the all-important first page, which of course should seize the reader and not let go. However, that’s not the same as the story hook itself. The hook must make the consumer say, “I’ve got to read this!” even before she turns to page one. Nonfiction: The …

Category: Book Proposals, MarketingTag: book proposals, Hooks, Marketing

Writing Advice We Wish Would Go Away

By Bob Hostetleron October 11, 2017

I mentioned in last week’s blog that I asked some of my writing and publishing friends to tell me what one “writing rule” they’d like to see go away…forever. Many cited the timeworn, “Write what you know” (see here). Others, however, gave different but similarly helpful answers. Author, speaker, and writers conference director Lin Johnson said, “I heard this often in my early freelance days and …

Category: The Publishing Life, The Writing LifeTag: The Writing Life, Writing rules

Attack of the Writing Robots

By Dan Balowon October 10, 2017

I have a number of personal friends and long-time acquaintances who are talented voice-over artists. They work in radio, television and narrate audio books. I frequently get together with three other guys who are all professional speakers and radio people. I sound like Elmer Fudd when I am around those guys. So, with this background, no wonder I am disturbed when I see the increased use of …

Category: TechnologyTag: Technology, Text-to-Speech

Grammar and the Singular “They”

By Steve Laubeon October 9, 2017

Yesterday I opened a can of worms. There were many worms in the can; some male and some female. I discovered that a few of the worms were married to each other. One couple was having a marital disagreement. They were arguing about grammar, of all things. The fight was about the proper use of gender pronouns. Here is the sentence under dispute:

“When a spouse greets a partner with derision …

Category: GrammarTag: Grammar, pronouns

Fun Fridays – October 6, 2017

By Steve Laubeon October 6, 2017

“Destroy a Book Title with One Word” A fun game to play today! This hilarious pun-related exercise has been around for years but thought we might have fun with it today. Below are some Christian book titles which either have a word added, a word changed, or a letter added or changed, with bizarre results! The first nine are my own creations and the rest are ones I’ve come across …

Category: Fun Fridays, Humor