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The Steve Laube Agency

Helping to Change the World…Word by Word

The Steve Laube Agency

The Steve Laube Agency

Helping to Change the World Word by Word

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Writing Rocks and Hard Places

By Dan Balowon November 10, 2021
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Many writers find themselves caught between fulfilling their creative writing desires and activities that pay living expenses. More often than not, they are different things.

Throughout history, highly successful authors had other vocations while they developed their skills for writing books. If you go online and search for “day jobs of famous writers,” you’ll discover the only thing they have in common is the need to make a living.

Doctors, lawyers. salespersons, exterminators, butchers, bakers, and candlestick makers.

Maybe there are a few cases of promising writers underwritten by a benefactor, so they can concentrate on their craft; but most humans need to relegate writing to the spaces between real-life responsibilities.

If real life is the metaphorical rock, on the other side is the hard place, which is the creative restrictions placed on professional writers.

The challenge for any aspiring author is to write something original, but at the same time similar to books already available. New and fresh, but recognizable by the publisher as the sort of thing they successfully publish or by the reader as the kind of book they enjoy.

We can see how this plays out with comparable titles. One reason agents and publishers ask for comparable titles in a book proposal is to test you. If there is “nothing like this currently available,” it means there is no track record for your book type, which is not good. Similarly, if you determine the only comparable titles are iconic bestsellers, you won’t be taken seriously.

Real comps live between extreme examples.

The challenge for authors is to find things to write that are not so far “out of the box” they become too risky to publish.

Just don’t assert your book is unlike anything ever published. These words are translated by those in the book industry as “don’t publish this.”

An even worse-case scenario for an author is their desired book is in a category that has proven not to sell well.

So what’s left for an author who is caught between this rock and a hard place? 

Focus your effort on developing your own writing style.

Consider professional musicians. They are technically proficient and, when in a group, contribute to the overall performance by hitting the right notes at the right time in the right way. They follow the conductor’s instructions.

Now consider solo musicians. They have a style all their own, a recognizable brand, standing out from the choir or orchestra. They still hit the right notes in the right way, but their style sets them apart. Often, the group follows them.

Authors are more like soloists.

If you find yourself between two hard places, focus on nurturing your own creative style. It is far beyond proper spelling, grammar, sentence structure, or story formula. You won’t discover it in a style guide, but in your heart and head.

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Category: Career, The Writing Life

How to Keep Fear from Blocking Your Creativity with David Lee Martin

By Thomas Umstattd, Jr.on November 9, 2021
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You have a creative idea. You feel inspired to pursue it. But your head is filled with doubt. “What if I can’t make it work? What if I can’t provide for my family? What if my work isn’t good enough? What if people think my creation is stupid?” We have a guest on the show […]
You can listen to this episode How to Keep Fear from Blocking Your Creativity with David Lee Martin on Christian Publishing …

Read moreHow to Keep Fear from Blocking Your Creativity with David Lee Martin
Category: The Writing Life

How to Keep Fear from Blocking Your Creativity with David Lee Martin

By Thomas Umstattd, Jr.on November 9, 2021
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You have a creative idea. You feel inspired to pursue it. But your head is filled with doubt. “What if I can’t make it work? What if I can’t provide for my family? What if my work isn’t good enough? What if people think my creation is stupid?” We have a guest on the show […]
You can listen to this episode How to Keep Fear from Blocking Your Creativity with David Lee Martin on Christian Publishing …

Read moreHow to Keep Fear from Blocking Your Creativity with David Lee Martin
Category: The Writing Life

How to Keep Fear from Blocking Your Creativity with David Lee Martin

By Thomas Umstattd, Jr.on November 9, 2021
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You have a creative idea. You feel inspired to pursue it. But your head is filled with doubt. “What if I can’t make it work? What if I can’t provide for my family? What if my work isn’t good enough? What if people think my creation is stupid?” We have a guest on the show […]You can listen to this episode How to Keep Fear from Blocking Your Creativity with David Lee Martin on Christian Publishing …

Read moreHow to Keep Fear from Blocking Your Creativity with David Lee Martin
Category: The Writing Life

What to Do About Morals?

By Steve Laubeon November 8, 2021
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In a post written last weekend Richard Curtis, agent extraordinaire, expressed surprise at a new morality clause that has apparently appeared in HarperCollins' contracts. Read his post here [warning: there is some Adult content and comments included in the post].

What the general market doesn't realize is that many Faith-based publishers have had a "moral turpitude" clause in their contracts …

Read moreWhat to Do About Morals?
Category: Book Business, Contracts, Legal IssuesTag: Book Business, Contracts, Legal Issues

Fun Fridays – November 5, 2021

By Steve Laubeon November 5, 2021
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Do you ever have a physical, visceral reaction to something you don’t want to do? Like write a book proposal? Or write the middle third of your book? Get up in front of a thousand people to speak? Today’s video is the hilarious drama-queen response of a dog getting her nails clipped. I’ll have to admit, this is awfully close to my reaction when I have to have blood drawn. If I …

Read moreFun Fridays – November 5, 2021
Category: The Writing Life

One Approach to Problem Solving

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon November 4, 2021
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I appreciate receiving daily delivery of The Washington Post newspaper. When the paper’s delivery became irregular, I felt disappointed. I figured we had gotten a different carrier. This new person on the job was proving to be a departure from the former prompt and faithful delivery person. But when the paper didn’t arrive three days in a row, I wanted the replacement carrier to be informed and …

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Category: Career

A Peek at an Agent’s Emails

By Bob Hostetleron November 3, 2021
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As a literary agent, I send and receive a lot of emails. A lot. And that’s not even counting the emails offering my helpful diet tips and donut recipes. My emails aren’t always so practical, but it recently occurred to me that some weary or woeful writers might be helped by a peek at some of the wise and witty responses I’ve sent to clients and nonclients (because I’m just that kind of guy). Here …

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Category: Agency, Agents, Book Proposals, Career, Pitch, Pitching

Christy Awards 2021

By Steve Laubeon November 1, 2021
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We are so very proud that Amanda Cox was awarded the Christy Award Book-of-the Year this past week for her novel The Edge of Belonging (Revell)! Amanda is represented by Tamela and we are so thrilled for her. To be eligible she had to also win in her category of best first novel. Way to go! In addition, our agency also saw Roseanna White win the award for best Historical Romance for A Portrait of …

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Category: Awards

Fun Fridays – October 29, 2021

By Steve Laubeon October 29, 2021
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Collective Nouns I have a book of collective nouns that merely proves that English is a strange language (A Compendium of Collective Nouns by Woop Studios, Chronicle Books, 2013). For example:A scourge of mosquitoesA quiver of cobrasA town of prairie dogsA skulk of foxes Which made me wonder. Why should the animals have all the fun? So I thought of some unconventional collective nouns that …

Read moreFun Fridays – October 29, 2021
Category: The Writing Life
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