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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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Home » Agency

Agency

Who and What I’m Looking for (Bob Hostetler)

By Bob Hostetleron January 25, 2023
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(Updated 1/25/2023)

As the world turns and 2022 gives way to 2023, I have been a literary agent with The Steve Laube Agency for five-and-a-half years. In many ways, 2022 was my most surprising and successful year yet as an agent. My clients made me look good, and my boss so far hasn’t made me look for a new job; so I’ve got those things going for me. With all that in mind, let me offer an updated answer to the frequent question I field from aspiring, developing, accomplished, and skilled writers: “What are you looking for?”

Influence

Aspiring writers often imagine, “Once I have a book published, people will listen to me.” That’s exactly backwards. I’m looking for people who are already having an impact, people whose influence is expanding, people who aren’t waiting to reach people with their message. Like every publisher and editor I know, I’m looking for people who understand today’s publishing realities and have a track record that says they can effectively partner with publishers in getting their message out. They’re writing blog posts and email newsletters that a lot of people read, share, and subscribe to. They’re connecting and engaging with large numbers of people on social media. They’re speaking at events large and small, far and wide. They are not waiting for readers, listeners, and followers to come to them; they are already engaging with people about their genre and topic.

Inspiration

My primary expertise as a writer and speaker has been the Christian market. So, as an agent, I focus my efforts in representing books—both fiction and nonfiction—for the Christian market (though when a proposal has broad appeal for the general market, the resources are available to me to take it there). In particular, I am interested in:

Fiction: women’s contemporary, historical, timeslip, romance, suspense, thriller.

Nonfiction: Christian living, women’s nonfiction, gift books, devotionals, humor, marriage and family, parenting, prayer, spiritual growth, teens/young adult.

As a rule, I will not be looking at:

Fiction: fantasy, science fiction, time travel, horror, middle grade, young adult (YA).

Nonfiction: academic, autobiography/biography, Bible studies, cookbooks, doctrinal issues, memoir, pastoral helps, poetry, sermons, theology.

Investment

I’m not interested in “one-and-done” authors. If you have only one book in you, then I wish you well; but I’m not the right person to help you get it published. I’m looking for writers who have already begun investing in the lifelong task of writing what matters and finding fresh and innovative ways to convey an idea and reach an audience. I’m looking for writers who are teachable, who study their craft, and are willing to accept criticism and correction. I’m looking for writers who love words, phrases, and sentences. I’m looking for writers who are reading widely in their genre (at least), who invite thorough critique, and will never use the awareness and appreciation of their strengths as an excuse not to work on their weaknesses. I’m looking for writers who are attending writers conferences to educate themselves, network with others, and get better and better at proposals and pitches.

Originality

You thought I was going to insert another “I” word here, right? Tough. Because I’m not looking for predictability. I’m not looking for “cute.” I’m also not looking for the next C. S. Lewis, Max Lucado, Priscilla Shirer, or Francine Rivers. They’re all wonderful writers, but I’m looking for ideas and writing so fresh it could never be confused with another writer. I want to see book proposals that surprise and delight me. I want to represent writers who can flat write. Who can transport me. Who make it impossible for me to stop reading. And who will do it again and again.

____________

Please see the Guidelines link above, and follow that information meticulously before submitting a proposal to Bob Hostetler.

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Category: Agency, Agents, Book ProposalsTag: Agency, Agents, Get Published

Book Proposals I’d Love to See (What Tamela Hancock Murray Is Looking For)

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon January 19, 2023
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(Updated 1/19/2023) I’m thankful to the Lord that I’m a literary agent working for Him in Christian publishing. I’m grateful to the readers of this blog for being part of our writing community. As for approaching me with your work, let’s see if our passions match: Christian Romantic Suspense and Suspense Readers of Christian romantic suspense and suspense are a large and devoted …

Read moreBook Proposals I’d Love to See (What Tamela Hancock Murray Is Looking For)
Category: Agency, Book Business, Book Proposals, Career, Craft, Creativity, Romance, Trends, Writing CraftTag: Agency, book proposals

What I Am Looking For (Dan Balow)

By Dan Balowon January 18, 2023
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(Updated 1/18/2023) One of the great challenges for any agent is to figure out what publishers might be looking to publish. But it gets even more complicated when you consider they are looking for books to publish a year or more into the future. Add on the time it takes to write a book and get it ready to publish, and we are all in the guessing game of what people might want to read in 2024 and …

Read moreWhat I Am Looking For (Dan Balow)
Category: Agency, Book ProposalsTag: Agency, book proposals

Bring the Books (What Steve Laube Is Looking For)

By Steve Laubeon January 16, 2023
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Read moreBring the Books (What Steve Laube Is Looking For)
Category: Agency, Book Proposals, Creativity, TrendsTag: Agency, book proposals

A Year in Review: A Look at 2022

By Steve Laubeon January 9, 2023
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When we reflect on a prior year, it can be hard to recall highlights or lowlights. They sort of blend together. The constant barrage of wretched news media fills in the moments of silence and crowds out the goodness of God that should be readily apparent in our everyday lives. My attempt in this article is to focus only on our industry, our agency, and a couple of other good things we have going. …

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Category: Agency, Awards, Historical

Merry Christmas!

By Steve Laubeon December 24, 2022
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Merry Christmas! We will be taking a Christmas break for the next two weeks. Back with our regular posts on January 9. May you and yours have a blessed and merry Christmas.

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Category: Agency

A Is for Advance

By Steve Laubeon November 22, 2021
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by Steve Laube

Whenever I lecture about money the room becomes unusually quiet. Instead of a common restlessness from listeners there is a thrumming impatience to reveal the punch line. The punch line that declares every writer will be rich.

Now that I have our attention let’s turn to the topic of the day. The Advance. This is defined as the money a publisher pays to the author in …

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Category: Agency, Book Business, Publishing A-ZTag: advances, Book Business, Publishing A-Z

We Have It All!

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon November 17, 2021
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Recently I received several boxes of books from Steve Laube. Inside were dozens of sample books published by our agency clients. Since he is cheap, frugal, thrifty, fantastic for being concerned about the environment, he sent my books in repurposed containers. One was labeled “Reformed Systematic Theology,” scratched through with a black Sharpie pen. Another bore the Harlequin logo familiar to …

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Category: Agency

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

A Literary Agent Guarantees Your Publishing Success (Or Not?)

By Steve Laubeon July 12, 2021
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You finally landed your “dream” agent. You did the hard work and crafted your manuscript. Created a stellar proposal. Comported yourself with excellence during the phone/Zoom calls. Congratulations. Now you can sit back and let the agent do their magic. All you have to do is start planning for your retirement with all the dough that is going to flow in your direction. Right? Sorry. Connecting with …

Read moreA Literary Agent Guarantees Your Publishing Success (Or Not?)
Category: Agency, Agents, The Writing Life
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    • Who We Are
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    • Statement of Faith
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
  • Guidelines
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    • Who We Represent
    • Awards and Recognition
  • Resources
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    • Christian Writers Market Guide Online
    • Christian Writers Institute
    • Writers Conferences
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    • Copyright Resources
    • Research Tools
    • Selling What You Write
  • Blog
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