Helping to Change the World…Word by Word
The Steve Laube Agency
Helping to Change the World Word by Word
Earlier this week the TED-Ed site released a good four minute animated video narrated by Nalo Hopkinson on writing great fiction.
Once you are done watching you can take a short quiz and even go deeper on the Ted-Ed site (click here for the quiz).
Enjoy
I love the game of basketball. The Harlem Globetrotters have been entertaining audiences for the last 89 years with their incredible skills. This five minute video shows individual team members setting seven new Guinness World Records last week in one afternoon on November 12th in Phoenix. Go ahead…try any one of these at home and see how hard it is. (By the way, the second record in the …
Blogging can be a bit scary for new writers. It’s time-consuming. It’s a commitment. And besides, what to write about? These are all good questions, but to show agents and editors – and readers – who you are, it’s a great idea to use a blog as a tool. Blogging is even an excellent idea for authors who aren’t yet published. We want to know who you are. How better to find out than to hear from you …
We all know how important first lines are in our writing. Those lines set the stage for the readers, creating a sense of dread or anticipation, excitement or contemplation. First lines can capture and transport, or convict and challenge. When I start a book and the first line grabs me, I always get a bit of a charge. If the first line is that good, I have great hopes that the rest will be great. …
I enjoy history, especially when I can match up certain events which occurred simultaneously in different places, making for an interesting snapshot of the world at a particular moment in time. Two events juxtaposed create a different story than either would individually. Seventy-five years ago this week the classic Disney movie Fantasia debuted in the United States. It was the third Disney movie, …
Today’s guest blog is from Pamela Tracy. Pamela has been a client of Steve Laube for over 11 years! She was one of the first who joined when he put out the agent shingle. She was first published in 1999 and has written over 30 books with over one million copies in print. In 2016 she has four new books coming out (two traditionally published, one Indie, and one repackaged reprint). She has …
There seems to be something in my eye. Maybe watching this story will explain:
Many new authors ask me a good question. “I don’t have a book to promote. How do I build a social media platform?” At this point, you’re becoming a friend to your potential readers. I like to use the example of my mother-in-law. Years ago, she adored watching Regis and Kathie Lee on television. To her, they were like friends. Of course, they weren’t, really. But to her and many others, they felt …
As promised last week, here’s the template for the style sheet I use. Feel free to change, add, and adapt as you wish! Have fun. STYLE SHEET Title: Author: Updated: I find it’s a good idea to put the date I’ve updated the sheet to ensure I send the most recent one with my manuscript. These first sections are for fiction and nonfiction Source Materials This is where I list my primary sources, such …
Whenever you write a proposal for an agent or editor, you are asked to include a section of previously published books that are similar in theme or style to yours. In the guidelines section for proposals submission on our website (link provided below), we say it this way: “A listing of other books available that are similar to yours and a brief explanation of how yours is both different and/or …
