This has been around for five years. It still makes me smile every time.
“When it comes to a good book, Stephen King’s resume just can’t compare.”
Blog
Keys to a Great Synopsis
When I posted my ideas on some Keys to a Great Book Proposal, a few writers said they were challenged to write a synopsis. I agree that writing an interesting synopsis is difficult. However, it’s not an element you want to omit from your proposal because a synopsis orients the editor to the book’s contents. Here are my answers to often-asked questions: 1.) Do I need a …
What’s MY Line? (First Lines – Part Two)
I loved reading your favorite first lines last week. Isn’t it amazing how the right first line sets the stage, how it can pull readers out of reality deep into the story that’s being woven around them? I’m always awed at the power of the written word.
As I said last week, a group of writer friends likes to share the first lines of their works in progress. JUST the first line. Not the first …
News You Can Use – May 22, 2012
Where is Publishing Headed? – This it a great article! Read is carefully and you will want to read more. I recommended John Thompson’s book Merchants of Culture last year (my review is here). Now it is in paperback for $17 (retail price) and for either the Kindle or the Nook for around $10. If you are serious about understanding the book business you owe it to yourself to buy this and …
A One Year Anniversary Announcement
by Steve Laube
A year ago we welcomed Tamela Hancock Murray and Karen Ball to our agency. I couldn't be more pleased.
These two ladies are amazing people. They both work very hard to serve their clients with passion and excellence. I am blessed to have them as part of our team.
Next week will be the eighth anniversary of the founding of The Steve Laube Agency. We have had some …
Fun Fridays – May 8, 2012 -The Chaos of English Pronunciation
Fun Friday - May 18, 2012
Quoted in its entirety from The Better Spelling Society (read their article the history of this piece). My favorite is the last stanza that reads "which rhymes with enough? Though, through, bough, cough, hough, sough, tough??"
The Chaos - by Gerard Nolst Trenité
This version is essentially the author's own final text, as also published by New River Project in 1993. A …
The Keys to a Great Book Proposal
"I think book proposals are one of the most difficult things to write, second only to obituaries."
When I received this email from one of my authors, Sherry Gore, (and yes, I have permission to quote her), I could relate. I've never written obituaries, even though writing one's own is a popular goal-setting exercise. But I have written and read many book proposals so I know they aren't easy to …
In the Beginning…First Lines of a Book
I don’t know about you, but I love great first lines. First lines that intrigue or challenge, that captivate and spark strong emotion or curiosity. Some writers spend hours, even days crafting that perfect first line to draw readers into the book. For others, the line is just…there.
A group of author friends loves to play the first-line game, where we share the first line from our WIPs. I like …
News You Can Use – May 15, 2012
J.A. Konrath Responds - [Warning: There is some coarse language in the post.] Konrath's response to my blog post from yesterday.
Vetting a Freelance Editor - Victoria Strauss writes an incredible article on how to pick the best independent editor for your project.
Icons that Make No Sense to the New Generation of Readers - A tremendous article about words that could "date" your writing if …
Goodbye to Traditional Publishing?
by Steve Laube
Recently Ann Voss Peterson wrote of her decision to never sign another contract with Harlequin. One major statistic from the article is that she sold 170,000 copies of a book but earned only $20,000.
Multiple clients sent me Peterson’s “Harlequin Fail” article and wanted my opinion. My first thought is that this was typical “the publisher is ripping me off” fodder. But …