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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 » Career » Page 24

Career

I’ve Been There and Now I’m Going There – For You

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon August 13, 2015
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In this era of, “What can an agent do for you?” I thought a blog about the intangible benefits of visibility and relationships would be worth your time.

As a literary agent, I am blessed to speak with a great number of talented authors. Many of them are where I once was — mothers with young children at home. They are lucky to have any time to write. Travel to a writers conference? Maybe once in a while, but at great personal sacrifice. At least, even with a supportive husband, that’s how it was for me before my daughters were grown.

You don’t have to be a young mother to feel this pinch. Any writer can be overwhelmed with commitments, and perhaps financially and geographically. Family responsibilities vary. Just because your elderly relatives don’t live in your house (or maybe they do) doesn’t mean you feel you can leave town easily. And what if you’re responsible for livestock, or even family pets? “Footloose and fancy free” no longer applies to you.

Of course, conferences aren’t the only way to foster relationships. Those develop over time, for different reasons, and through various interactions. Here again, most writers are at a disadvantage over literary agents. They don’t have the opportunity or reason to interact with publishers and editors, and certainly not with a number of them, so those relationships simply don’t have a chance to be initiated, much less mature. A writer may, over time form a friendship with an editor, but casting a wide net isn’t likely for the typical writer. Not so with agent interacting with editors every day.

When a writer signs with an agent, the writer is benefiting from the agent’s relationships with publishers and ability to be visible. The writer benefits in part because editors take our calls.

Have you ever tried to telephone an editor as an unknown writer? I have. (Good luck. Results may vary!)

Every interaction I have with your editor or potential editor won’t be about you. But if I represent you, that interaction stands to benefit you, because my reputation and interactions have the potential to benefit all of my clients.

So while authors do have the ability to be visible and to interact with their editors, because of the nature of their careers, literary agents have the opportunity and ability to cast a much wider net. As always, we are here to serve you.

Your turn:

Can you name some other intangible benefits of having a literary agent?

How visible to you want your literary agent to be?

 

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Category: Agents, Book Business, Career, Communication, Get PublishedTag: Agents, Get Published, Relationships

Bad Reviews

By Dan Balowon August 11, 2015
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This post isn’t about what you think. I am not going to address how to handle the emotional sting of a bad review. Instead, I am going to talk about those closest to you, showing how your friends and family can hinder your writing career. If you cannot stand the thought those you love may be undermining your career, stop reading now and go make yourself a smoothie and relax. For those of you who …

Read moreBad Reviews
Category: Book Proposals, Book Review, Career, Get PublishedTag: Family and Friends, Get Published, reviews

Your Agent’s Brand (And Why You Should Care)

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon August 6, 2015
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I’ve been privileged to have a career as a literary agent for many years now, and early on, I developed a brand and stuck with it. No, I didn’t hire a consultant to sit down and figure out what my “brand” is. And it’s not a tag line I put on business cards, or even anything I say aloud or post on social media. But most people who study agents have an idea about me …

Read moreYour Agent’s Brand (And Why You Should Care)
Category: Agents, Branding, Career, Get PublishedTag: Agents, Branding, Get Published

What Have You Outgrown?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon July 23, 2015
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You can hardly swing a computer keyboard around (well, okay, I don’t recommend swinging a computer keyboard around, but anyway…) without seeing a chance to take a workshop on how to utilize social media. Taking a workshop on social media is a great idea. I’m a huge advocate of using social media for fun, to connect, and, while you’re at it, to let people know you’re a …

Read moreWhat Have You Outgrown?
Category: Branding, Career, Marketing, Social MediaTag: Career, Changes, Social Media

One Thing

By Dan Balowon July 21, 2015
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Most successful authors are known for one thing, not a variety of things. Even if they publish many books, their name is identified with one thing. The one thing isn’t necessarily one book, but it might be. Catherine Marshall, author of the classic novel Christy, actually published over two-dozen books. But she is remembered by most for one thing. Stephen King, author of many bestsellers has an …

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Category: Art, Book Business, Branding, Career, MarketingTag: Branding, Career

Fiction: Contemporary or Historical?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon July 16, 2015
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Recently I noted an article in a prestigious publishing journal that says readers are looking for more fiction. I hope the article is right! To narrow this down, we can look to historical versus contemporary, since many authors write both. To clarify, for the purposes of this blog, I am limiting my discussion to traditional CBA trade book fare of strong stories heavy on romance. I am not …

Read moreFiction: Contemporary or Historical?
Category: Career, Craft, Creativity, Genre, Get Published, Romance, TrendsTag: Contemporary Fiction, Genre, Historical Fiction

Please…Preach to the Choir

By Karen Ballon July 15, 2015
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  How often have you heard a writer say, “My book isn’t for church people. I mean, I don’t want to preach to the choir, I want to reach those searching for Christ.” Not for nothing, but friends, who do you think is in the choir? Sure, some of the people sitting in the pews of any given church are life-long believers who know all they need to know about God and living a life of faith. I mean, …

Read morePlease…Preach to the Choir
Category: Book Business, Book Business, Book Proposals, Career, Christian, Creativity, Faith, TrendsTag: Christian, Craft, Faith

The How-To of Legacy

By Karen Ballon July 8, 2015
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Wonderful thoughts last week.  Thanks so much for sharing your experiences, honesty, and wisdom. Just one of the many reasons I so admire you folks. So here are my thoughts on this topic. As Connie Almony wrote, it’s not about the big things we do, it’s the small, everyday things. In fact, it’s about one specific thing: Choices. Legacy stems from the multitude of choices we make every day. It’s …

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Category: Branding, Career, Marketing, Personal, TheologyTag: Career, Legacy

How to Know When to Stop Writing

By Dan Balowon July 7, 2015
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At one time or another every person in the world must make a similar decision. We all need to decide when it is time to quit doing something. It is a metaphor-rich moment. Put your foot down. Put a fork in it. Walk away and don’t look back. The end of the road. Pack it in. Stop playing the game. Not going to take it any more. Close the book.         Uncle. How do you know when it is time to stop …

Read moreHow to Know When to Stop Writing
Category: Career, PlatformTag: Career

Are You Leaving a Legacy Now?

By Karen Ballon July 1, 2015
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Two weeks ago I wrote about a video made to honor Paul Lee, a student at Seattle Pacific University whose life was ended too soon in the shooting a year ago. The video mourned his loss, but it also celebrated his life and showed the impact he’d had on those he met in his few years of life. When I first watched the video, it inspired and challenged me. Paul’s legacy is one of joy and dance and …

Read moreAre You Leaving a Legacy Now?
Category: Career, CraftTag: Career, Legacy
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