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The Steve Laube Agency

The Steve Laube Agency

Helping to Change the World Word by Word

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Home » Career

Career

I’ve Put Off Writing This Blog Post Long Enough

By Bob Hostetleron June 30, 2022
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I wear many hats (so to speak) as an author, blogger, game writer, speaker, literary agent, and man-about-town. People sometimes ask me how I get it all done. Usually I answer with something self-effacing, such as, “I’m just awesome that way.” But when pressed, I’ll attribute whatever productivity I have to careful organizing, scheduling, and—most importantly—maniacally avoiding procrastination.

Yes, I know writers are creative folk who often frolic through time and space with nary a care. They can’t be bothered with such things as clocks and calendars.

Those writers, with few exceptions, starve.

The rest of us have to pay at least some attention to detail, and I’m tellin’ ya, working writers who eschew procrastination will help themselves tremendously by avoiding at least seven consequences of procrastination:

1. Risk of failure

Waiting until the last minute to study for a test is the prime example, but there are many more. Sure, you may say, “I work best under pressure.” But there’s always the risk of dropping the ball, missing a deadline, or having to choose the lesser of two evils—which, by the way, is still an “evil.”

2. Limited choices

I’ve seen it often (I won’t mention names here, but they’re not “Bob”) that people who have procrastinated end up in a position where they can’t say yes to something new because they’re running so late on something overdue.

3. Heightened stress

I work ahead because deadlines stress me out. But when I’ve crossed off something from my to-do list a few days (or weeks) in advance, it no longer occupies space in my cluttered mind. I can relax.

4. Lesser quality

The more you have to scramble to meet a deadline, the more likely you’ll be to overlook an important detail, make a big mistake, or even just generally cut corners. Not a good look.

5. Higher costs

I booked a flight yesterday for an event that’s nearly five months away—and I’d already been tracking airfares for a couple months. Crazy, right? But obviously, if I’d waited until a month or a couple weeks before I had to make the trip, I’d have been very, very sorry. Avoiding procrastination helps to avoid overspending (including late fees and penalties) in many categories, not only airfare.

6. Increased aggravation—for others

Whether you cancel a date with your significant other because an assignment is due tomorrow, or you absolutely must bow out of chaperoning your kid’s school trip because you just pulled an all-nighter, procrastinating will affect not only you, but also the people around you.

7. Damaged reputation

Do you want to be the guy who’s “always late?” Or would you rather be the person who always delivers (as one of my earliest editors said of me) “good copy, on time?” Or, better, “early.”

I realize that these consequences are probably no surprise to any of us. In fact, I fully expect some readers of this blog to add to the above list (when you get around to it). I look forward to those in the comments. And, if readers would also comment with helpful tips or techniques for preventing procrastination, I’ll take that as permission to quote them in my next post, on the topic, “Stop Procrastinating—Right Now!”

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Category: Career, The Writing Life

When You Hit the Wall of Discouragement

By Steve Laubeon June 6, 2022
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by Steve Laube
 
I recently received the following question from a client (an award winning author):
Is it common for an author to hit a wall of discouragement? To feel as though they're working so hard for so little? To question why they're doing this?

Unfortunately it is quite common. Doesn't mean it aches any less. Sort of like getting old…everyone does and it aches, but it is a common …

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Category: Book Business, Career, Personal, Writing CraftTag: Career, Discouragement

Publishing in Generalities

By Dan Balowon May 25, 2022
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While agents and publishers accept book proposals because they contain a number of specific things they like, most book proposals are turned down because of a general reason. For example, refer to the “Who We Are,” section of this website. Each agent has a set of filters we use to focus our efforts. The filters reflect our strengths and/or personal preferences. Outside of these, we decline. …

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Category: Book Proposals, Career, Get Published, Inspiration, The Writing Life

The Way Publishing Never Was

By Dan Balowon April 21, 2022
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In 1999, the book The Way Things Never Were: The Truth About the “Good Old Days” by Norman Finkelstein was published. I have a copy. My family grew weary of me referring to it in every conversation twenty years ago, so there it sits on the shelf. It is less than 100 pages, with plenty of pictures, so no one has the excuse that it is too long and complicated to read. Chapter titles …

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Category: Book Business, Career, Publishing History

Be Proactively Lazy

By Bob Hostetleron April 7, 2022
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In James Clear’s excellent, bestselling book Atomic Habits, he writes about a man who set up a number of systems and habits that impressed others, who commented on his energy and hard work in getting so much done. He shrugged off the compliments, however, saying something like, “I’m actually not that hard-working; I’m just proactively lazy.” I love it. I think “proactive laziness” is a good modus …

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Category: Career, Encouragement, Inspiration, The Writing Life

Chemistry Matters

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon March 24, 2022
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We’ve all heard about the stars who turned down roles that turned out to become cultural icons. For instance, at least six actors turned down the part of Neo in The Matrix.  Perhaps those who turned down roles might say, “Wow, that could have been me! I missed a great opportunity!”  Maybe. Or maybe not. Why? Because those films wouldn’t have been the same with the other actors. Perhaps the …

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Category: Career

Fearful Writing

By Dan Balowon March 23, 2022
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It is important for Christian writers to be bold, not worrying so much about who might be offended by the gospel or who might take biblical truth the wrong way. Despite society being fragile these days with so many people triggered by the littlest thing, this situation shouldn’t stop us from proclaiming God’s truth. We all need to be more fearless in the way we live and communicate. After all, as …

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Category: Career, Christian, Inspiration

Not Only the Lonely

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon March 16, 2022
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Since many publishers ask that authors have a robust online presence, I’m revisiting a topic that, sadly, hasn’t gone away since I wrote about it a few years ago. This article is worth everyone’s time if I can save even one person from being scammed. Recently, I received a private message on Facebook from a man I didn’t know, saying that he liked my profile and would like …

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Category: Career, Social Media

A Is for Agent

By Steve Laubeon March 14, 2022
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by Steve Laube

I thought it might be fun to write a series that addresses some of the basic terms that define our industry. The perfect place to start, of course, is the letter "A." And even better to start with the word "Agent."

If you are a writer, you've got it easy. When you say you are a writer your audience lights up because they know what that means. (Their perception is that you …

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Category: Agents, Book Business, Book Business, Career, Creativity, E-Books, Legal Issues, Publishing A-Z, Writing CraftTag: Agent, Book Business, publishing

An Agent’s Curmudgeonly Rant

By Bob Hostetleron March 9, 2022
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Sometimes I just have to rant. You understand, don’t you? Maybe it comes with age, and you’re not yet old enough to understand. Or grumpy enough. Or OCD enough. Nevertheless, I hope you’ll allow me to vent for today’s post. And I should say that I’m not asking you to agree with me, though my regard will certainly increase if you do. It’s just that there are some things that get on my nerves as I …

Read moreAn Agent’s Curmudgeonly Rant
Category: Career, Get Published, Grammar
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