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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 » Book Proposals » Page 2

Book Proposals

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

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon January 14, 2026
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(Updated 1/14/2026)

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 fan base. I’m privileged to represent many significant authors in this space. I would like to see category novels and longer stories. The suspense author creates a realistic situation involving immediate, life-threatening danger that doesn’t diminish until the perpetrator is apprehended. Authors must know proper law enforcement procedures, weapons, and how criminals think and operate. The plot needs to be logical. The motive must be strong enough to justify the crime. The reader is waiting to see the reason for the crime, so a weak motive will diminish the reader’s enjoyment. But a twisty conclusion will encourage readers to become lifelong fans! Romantic suspense novelists should follow the above guidelines, but stories must feature a compelling and natural romance. The couple is in imminent danger. The romantic protagonists are appealing both inside and out, emphasizing personality and integrity over physical appearance.

Historical and Contemporary Christian Romance Novels

Christian romance readers love their authors and books. I’m honored to be an agent entrusted by many prominent authors to represent their work. I would like to see category romance novels, as well as longer novels. This author creates a fresh take on traditional plots for uplifting, inspiring stories. The author is an expert in the chosen setting, attitudes, and mores of the time. For example, to ensure accuracy, authors of Amish fiction should have a close connection with the particular community they’re portraying in their novels. When considering historical novels, choose an era you’re passionate about enough to spend numberless hours researching. Hone the discipline to include historical elements the reader needs to know and will enjoy while keeping nonessential factoids off the page. As with all Christian romance novels, the star couple is attractive inside and out, emphasizing sincere charm, temperament, and integrity over physical attributes.

Other Christian Fiction

I seek a tale well told that deserves a place in CBA. While novels not within a genre may have fewer guidelines, traditional publishers seek a word-count range. For example, a standalone 30,000-word novella and a 250,000-word novel from an unproven author are each likely to secure rejections from traditional publishers. Unfortunately, I must decline many submissions because of length.

Nonfiction

The importance of platform here is magnified a thousandfold in comparison with fiction. I need to see an author already connecting with a sizable number of potential readers. ​Nonfiction readers seek insight, help, knowledge, and encouragement. An author must show authority in the chosen topic when delivering a book to these readers. Dynamic writing is essential, even when the topic is intense. I love books that beg me to read them even when the subject doesn’t apply to me. Now that’s a well-written and engaging book.

Read Before Writing

Writers eager to be published must know the competition, so read what’s already available, preferably published within the last couple of years. Take notes to keep from repeating the same settings or ideas in fiction. The nonfiction author should make sure an author with an international platform has yet to publish a similar book. Visit publishers’ websites to discover their books. Some publishers offer submissions guidelines.

Hearing From Me

We aren’t perfect in our response speed. Please follow up if you don’t hear from us. Every submission we receive is reviewed. We attempt to respond to every offer. You can send proposals to ewilson@stevelaube.com. (Please visit the guidelines for specifics.) I look forward to hearing from you!

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Category: Agency, Book Business, Book Proposals, Career, Craft, Creativity, Romance, Trends, Writing CraftTag: Agency, book proposals

Proof Is in the Platform

By Dan Balowon December 11, 2025
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In many areas of business or ministry, before beginning to do something, staff members typically test whether the service, product, or approach can work in practice. At the very least, some level of research is conducted to ensure interest exists in what they are doing. Listening to feedback and identifying potential challenges is always wise before starting out. The only exceptions might be …

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Category: Book Business, Book Proposals, The Writing Life

The Section Most Often Omitted in a Book Proposal

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon November 19, 2025
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When I receive proposals from authors new to me, they often omit the “Comparables” segment. I understand that authors may not be aware this section is needed, or that including it may seem like fluff. However, this portion is an essential piece of the proposal puzzle for editors and agents as we consider an author’s work. What do I need to include in my overall proposal? First, to be sure your …

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Category: Book Proposals

Jenga Books

By Dan Balowon October 23, 2025
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Jenga is a game invented over 50 years ago, consisting of 54 small wooden blocks stacked in a tower. Players take turns removing blocks from the stack and placing them on top, making the tower increasingly unstable. When someone causes the tower to fall, they lose. The trick is to place a block in a precarious position, so the next player has no option but to make the stack collapse. Personally, …

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Category: Book Business, Book Proposals, Pitching, The Publishing Life, The Writing Life

7 Most Common Mistakes Writers Make

By Bob Hostetleron October 1, 2025
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An insightful writers conference attendee recently asked me to list the most common mistakes writers make. (She was insightful mostly because she was talking to me instead of some other author or agent at the conference, but also because it’s a good question.) I attempted an answer in the moment but have since come up with a few more. These are not primarily writing mistakes, mind you. Those are …

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Category: Book Proposals, Common Questoins, The Writing Life, Writing Craft

Mistakes Writers Make in Their Queries

By Steve Laubeon September 8, 2025
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I’m feeling a bit snarky today. The collection of unsolicited proposals, queries, and manuscripts is an unending source of delight and frustration. Delight when an amazing idea from an amazing writer arrives like a special holiday gift. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen as often as I would like. Instead, there is a litany of things authors do time and again. If writers would treat their …

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Category: Book Proposals, Career

Act Now! Revolutionary Words for Your Publishing Success

By Steve Laubeon August 11, 2025
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Did that headline get your attention? It was intentional. There are two key words in it, act and now, that are trigger words to make you read what I have written. When the words revolutionary and success are added, it targets the readers of this blog. And to top it off, it was made personal by using the word your. It is possible to make this “revolutionary” keyword work in several …

Read moreAct Now! Revolutionary Words for Your Publishing Success
Category: Book Proposals, Branding, MarketingTag: Copy Writing, Marketing

Why Should I Follow Your Guidelines?

By Steve Laubeon July 21, 2025
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Believe it or not, we once had someone write and say that forcing an author to follow our guidelines when submitting a proposal is the height of arrogance. An artist should be allowed artistic freedom of expression, and cramming ideas into a preprescribed format is squelching that creativity. While I understand the frustration and the amount of work involved in creating a proposal, there are …

Read moreWhy Should I Follow Your Guidelines?
Category: Book Proposals, Get Published, Marketing, PlatformTag: book proposals, Get Published, Guidelines

Nail the Hook, Nail the Book

By Bob Hostetleron June 4, 2025
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I get together often with other writers—at conferences, online, via email, etc. So I’m often asked, “What are you looking for as an agent?” My typical answer: “Irresistible hooks and irresistible writing.” When I say that, I’m talking about both fiction and nonfiction. And you’ll notice I didn’t mention that wretched word “platform.” To be fair, I don’t mind “irresistible platforms,” either; but …

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Category: Book Proposals, Pitching

What Is the Best Way to Submit My Self-Published Book?

By Steve Laubeon April 21, 2025
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We are asked this question so frequently that I have to re-run this post on a regular basis! Since it has become so easy to self-publish, many authors are creating their own books, both in ebook and print form. Later, those authors are not quite sure what to do if/when they want to approach an agent. Or pitch to an editor at a conference. Should they just send a copy of the book with a letter? Or …

Read moreWhat Is the Best Way to Submit My Self-Published Book?
Category: Book Proposals, Indie, Self-PublishingTag: book proposals, Get Published, Self-Publishing
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