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What Do Publishers Want?
For those authors desiring to publish with a traditional book publisher, the ever-present question will be, “What do they want?” We maintain detailed overviews of Christian publishers for agency use that are constantly updated, and you would be surprised by how often updates are needed. It is better to answer today’s question with things that are consistent across all publishers and editors, …
Letters I Hate Writing and Letters I Love Writing
At my office, we make every effort to respond to serious queries and proposals. Now, maybe the manufacturer of metal pins based in another country is serious, but we send those emails to the trash bin. Or more accurately, the image of a trash bin on the computer. At least that trash bin doesn’t require Hefty citrus-scented trash bags and is in no danger of attracting hungry bears. And by the way, …
Ask a Literary Agent: Writing Q&A With Steve Laube – Free Webinar, May 13th
Thomas Umstattd, Jr. and I have periodically come together to discuss various topics related to the book world. We are going to do it again! I don’t want you to miss out on the FREE webinar. Date: Wednesday, May 13 Time: 5 p.m. (Eastern Time) We are planning an hour or more of conversation on the questions most pressing to writers and a little about my new book, Sacred Margins, which …
Monday Moments – May 4, 2026
Today’s moment is the third in a series of brief meditations I’ve created based on my new book, Sacred Margins: On the Spiritual Life of a Writer. Let me know your thoughts in the comments. The transcript of the video is below. If you cannot see the video, click through to our website or to YouTube, where you can view it. The book itself will be released on May 19th in paperback, ebook, and …
Fun Fridays – May 1, 2026
Gotta get me one of these! [If you cannot see today’s video in your newsletter feed, please click through to view it on our site.]
The Inciting Incident (Part Three)
We’ve covered a lot of ground in this series. You now know what the inciting incident is. You know what it must do. So, let’s wrap up this series by talking about what goes wrong—and how to get it right in your manuscript. The Four Biggest Mistakes Writers Make with the Inciting Incident Mistake #1: Confusing the Hook with the Inciting Incident This is one of the most common mistakes I …
5 Questions Your Proposal Must Answer: Question 3
How Is Your Book Different (And Is It Different Enough)? Originality is often misunderstood. Your book does not need to say something no one has ever said before. In most categories, that would be nearly impossible. (“There is nothing new under the sun,” Ecclesiastes 1:9). However, it must say something in a way that feels unique, timely, or even timeless. Publishers evaluate proposals within a …
Fun Fridays – April 24, 2026
Today’s video is quite unusual. Watch an artist who uses a hammer on glass to create portraits. You have to see it to believe it. I am constantly amazed by the outrageous creativity of the human mind. Whether one will acknowledge it or not, we are made in the image of God. And, therefore, to quote Tolkien, we can become sub-creators in our art. To quote David Downing, from his excellent …
Also, Stop Doing These Things
When attending a conference, class, or seminar, I’ve disciplined myself over the years to not only take notes but also turn what I learn into action items. I’ll jot down something from the presenter, then create an action point and circle it in my notes so I don’t forget. Once in a while, I’ll even put something down that I need to stop doing. In a similar vein, fellow agent Bob Hostetler wrote …