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54 Pieces of Advice for Your Writers Conference Success

By Steve Laubeon August 15, 2016

Our agency believes in the importance of a writer’s education and the value of the writers conference experience. We have written over 50 articles that can help you make the most of your conference experience, all of them are listed below. If bound in a single volume it would be a book of nearly 40,000 words. Enjoy!

Conference Preparation

The Writers Conference Decision

Six Excuses (That Don’t Work) for Not Attending a Conference (Guest blog by Linda Taylor)

Get Thee to a Writers Conference (Guest blog by James Scott Bell)

Preparing for a Conference

What Should I Wear to a Conference?

What You May Not Know Before Going to a Conference

Can’t Go to the Conference? Don’t Despair!

The Conference Itself

Conquering Conference Jitters

To Conference We Shall Go!

Goofus and Gallant Go to a Writers Conference

4 Tips for Surviving a Writers Conference

One Word to Increase Your Conference Enjoyment

4 Conference Success Secrets

Tools from the Front Lines: Writers Conferences

Conference Travel Mishaps

Conference Travel: What Could Go Wrong?

Once You are at the Conference

The Editor/Agent Appointment

That Conference Appointment

When Your Agent Appointment Flops

What Editors Wish You Knew About Meeting Them at a Writers Conference

Your Pitch

Do You Have Perfect Pitch?

One-Sheets versus Queries

The Wild Pitch

Get Attention with the Right Title

Do You Have a Great Title for Your Book?

High Concept: Catching Readers One at a Time

The Ultimate Sound Bite

A Great Hook!

Proposals: Creating a Strong Hook

This Offer Does Not Expire

Your Book Proposal

Hints for a Great Cover Letter

A Perfect Proposal

The Keys to a Great Book Proposal

Keys to a Great Synopsis

The Synopsis Tells the Tale

Synopsis Made Easy – I Promise!

Read All About It! – The Back Cover Copy

Would You Buy Your Own Book?

Setting Yourself Apart

My Book is Like…

Will You Vouch for Me?

Endorsements: How Important Are They?

Who Am I? – About the Author

Agents and Proposals: What to Expect

Two Mistakes Made in Some Recent Book Proposals

Attract Attention…in a GOOD Way!

An Agent’s Perspective

Why Do You Go to Conferences?

What Makes an Agent Say Wow?

Did I Say That?

Aftermath

Your Post-Conference Strategy

What Keeps You from Following Up?

The Beauty of Community

Making Friends at a Writers Conference

Starting Your Own Writers Conference

Fun Fridays – August 12, 2016

By Steve Laubeon August 12, 2016

Enjoy the hilarious Victor Borge! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Utm-8mandM

Category: Fun Fridays

Great Customer Service

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon August 11, 2016

Last week I blogged about a poor experience I had with a hotel, comparing it to a great experience with a different property. This week, I offer a few more tips on how writers can meet and exceed expectations in customer service. Answer in Person I was interested in a particular clothing line and called ahead to the store since it was located in the next state. Excellent customer service point …

Category: Career, Communication, EditingTag: Career, Communication

Why Attend a Writer’s Conference?

By Karen Ballon August 10, 2016

In my blog of May 25, 2016, I invited folks to submit ideas for future blogs. Today’s blog is to respond to Rebekah Love Dorris’s question: “As a busy parent of young children, I scramble to find time to even write. How necessary is it to attend conferences if I study the writing craft as much as I can here and there?” I know it’s not easy to attend a writers’ conference. For one thing, it takes …

Category: Conferences, Get PublishedTag: Get Published, writers conferences

You Say Tomato, I Hear Guacamole, Parte Dos (Part 2)

By Dan Balowon August 9, 2016

A while ago I made a weak attempt at humor with my post about hearing something different than was spoken to me. Today is part two on a similar theme, getting serious this time about understanding something different than was actually communicated. Through this process you might get a glimpse into the heart and mind of non-Christian and even some Christian readers as well. To be blunt, Christians …

Category: Christian, Communication, CraftTag: Christian, Communication

Fun Fridays – August 5, 2016

By Steve Laubeon August 5, 2016

Up close view of Vivaldi’s “Summer – presto” performed by virtuoso David Garrett. Proves the value of practice. Apply to your profession and watch for the results! It also illustrates the genius of the composer. Someone had to write the music first… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZV4dZuKavM

Category: Fun Fridays

Not So Great Customer Service

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon August 4, 2016

In publishing, all of us are really in Customer Service. The agent serves the writer. The writer serves the editor. The editor serves the publisher. The publisher serves the reader. Of course, there’s lots of overlap, but you get the idea. Recently I had a not-so-great customer service experience when I tried to check into a hotel early thanks to a morning flight, a situation I could not control. …

Category: Career, Communication, EncouragementTag: Career, Communication

The Best Time to Submit to an Agent

By Karen Ballon August 3, 2016

Thanks to Katie Powner for her question on my May 25, 2016 blog, which sparked this blog. There have been many changes in publishing over the last few years. In fact, it seems we just get used to some element of publishing, and wham! It’s turned on its head. But there is something that hasn’t changed. Something I don’t think will ever change. At least, I pray it won’t. Story trumps all. Oh, I …

Category: Agents, Book Proposals, Get PublishedTag: Agents, book proposals, Get Published, story

Confusing Hindsight with Wisdom

By Dan Balowon August 2, 2016

Book publishing is filled with people having substantial experience and who know a lot about how things work in the publishing world. Authors, publisher staff, retailers and agents have a bevy of information and make informed decisions every day. But book publishing is a humility-building pursuit because a good amount of this great wisdom is nothing more than 20/20 hindsight. “I knew it wouldn’t …

Category: Agents, Book Business, Career, Marketing, The Publishing LifeTag: Book Business, Hindsight, The Publishing Life

Realm Makers 2016

By Steve Laubeon August 1, 2016

I just spent the last few days with a lot of fun people! The Realm Makers conference was held on the Villianova University campus in Philadelphia with nearly 200 in attendance. I had the honor of teaching nearly six hours in a continuing session on the spiritual life of the writer. It is truly great when many like-minded people gather to explore the Word together. The costume banquet on Friday …

Category: Conferences, Get PublishedTag: Realm Makers, writers conferences