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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 3

Career

Define Success

By Steve Laubeon July 15, 2024
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Success.

It is a word that has a “sweet smell” for some and is the “gold ring” of achievement for others.

But in order to appreciate success, we must first define it. And there is the rub. Each one of us defines success differently, especially writers.

Here are some definitions I’ve heard or seen:

  • Getting an agent
  • My first book contract
  • Selling 20,000 copies of my book
  • Selling any copies of my book
  • Producing my own book as an indie author
  • Getting my second book contract
  • Making the bestseller list (which bestseller list?)
  • Earning enough money over expenses with writing that I owe income tax!

That list illustrates a bit of the diversity of the definition. I’ve had an author say their book was quite successful when describing one of their previous works. When I asked for specifics, they enthusiastically said, “I sold 800 copies!” I’ve had an author also say, “My book didn’t do very well; it only sold 20,000 copies.”

I remember one man calling me asking about our agency’s services. “Do you like making lots of money?” I stammered a nonanswer and replied, “Why do you ask?” “Because I won’t accept anything less than a $100,000 advance for my book, so if you can’t get that amount, I don’t want you representing it.” Needless to say, I admitted my defeat, and we ended the call. His definition of success was unrealistic. (His book was also completely unsellable in the commercial market.)

I have been told that success, as I’m describing above, is actually a series of achievements or goals. Granted. That is one way to view it. But I have to ask, “What happens if you don’t achieve your goals?” or conversely, “What happens if you do achieve your goals?”

Defining Success

Take a moment and think about success and what it means to you. At the same time, remember that your definition is not necessarily pertinent to the next person. This can be a problem when dispensing advice to others because they can use your definition as their own when it doesn’t fit their situation.

1. Make sure you have your values set first. Otherwise, wild success could destroy you (Proverbs 16:18).

2. Also define “contentment.” Or another way to put it is to define “good enough” (1 Timothy 6:6).

3. “More” is not a goal. This is a red flag for any measurable activity. Think of businesses that care more about profit than people. Or churches that lose their way in an attempt to “grow numbers.”

4. Be very careful about using money or unit sales as your measure. (See #3 above.) I’ve seen many writers’ entire attitudes toward this business change when money began to flow their way. And I’ve seen many writers lose all contentment when their unit book sales deviate from the norm. But I have also seen many writers who have handled success with grace and humility. Success does not have to destroy people!

Lately, I’ve been putting it this way:

Today, and I mean right now, define success for yourself as a writer. But remove publication from the definition. Now, define success. If publication is in the definition and it is achieved, you might take the credit. But if publication is a gift, not a goal, then it is God’s doing, not yours.

I believe that writing is obedience. Obedience to a calling. Thus, one writes because they “must.”

Sure, many writers write for a living, so the “must” is related to being paid. I don’t dispute that. I’m trying to make a different point.

Too many writers set unrealistic expectations for their work and suffer from feelings of failure. Often, they quit. And when that happens, the enemy wins.

I want you to be successful. All of us at the agency work hard to help you achieve that goal. Today, let’s take a moment to make sure your definition of that success is in line with your calling as a writer and to a set of reasonable expectations. It is there, in that place, where true success lies.

 

 

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Category: Book Business, Career, MoneyTag: Career, Money, Success

The Power of Mentorship: Why Every Writer Needs a Wise Guide

By Megan Brownon July 10, 2024
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When I first dipped my toes into the world of writing Bible studies, I found myself captivated by the work of Erica Wiggenhorn and Kim Erickson. These two remarkable women were pioneers in launching what would become Moody Publisher’s women’s line, and their dedication to teaching the Word with both depth and practicality left me inspired and eager to follow in their footsteps. Nearly …

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Category: Agents, Career, The Writing Life

What Is One Thing You Wish You Had Known?

By Steve Laubeon July 8, 2024
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For years, Reg Forder, at his ACW writers conferences, liked to ask his faculty panel, “What is one thing you wish you had known before you became a writer?” Since I joined the publishing side of things after being a bookseller and later became a literary agent, I have given the question some thought. Coming from retail, the hardest thing to grasp was how long it takes to get from a …

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Category: Book Business, CareerTag: Book Business, Career, publishing

Pursuing Purpose: How Your Writing Can Serve and Inspire Others

By Megan Brownon June 20, 2024
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What if I challenged you to think outside the box and consider new ways to wield your pen—or keyboard—for good? A few years ago, I stumbled on an exciting revelation about freelancing. It wasn’t only about churning out articles or snagging bylines—it was about using my words to shine a spotlight on the unsung heroes in my community, the ones making a real difference. By 2017 I found myself …

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Category: Career, Christian, The Writing Life

Weirdest Book-Signing Experience

By Steve Laubeon June 3, 2024
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I came across today’s rather strange photo and thought it a good metaphor for the weird things that can and have happened at an author’s book-signing. Over the years, I’ve either stood in line, organized, facilitated, or observed hundreds of author book-signings. Everything from popular celebrities to a local self-published author trying to make a mark. Every once in a while, …

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Category: Career, MarketingTag: booksigning, Marketing

Adopting a Gameday Attitude

By Dan Balowon May 15, 2024
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When I am with people who share my interests, I often say that one of the reasons I like sports is that they provide a metaphor for just about everything in life. Dealing with adversity, losing, winning, preparation, and teamwork have direct-line comparisons in much of life, including every aspect of publishing. This also includes one’s personal life. The term “Gameday” is a not-so-subtle codeword …

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Category: Career, The Writing Life

I Was Wrong

By Steve Laubeon April 21, 2024
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“I was wrong.” Three words that are really hard to say…especially in public. In the business community and the marketplace, it takes courage to admit mistakes. A Famous “Oops” One of the most famous business mistakes came when Coca-Cola tried to retire the “old Coke” and release a “new Coke” flavor almost exactly forty years ago in April 1985. They shocked the world with a reinvention of their …

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Category: Career, Communication, TheologyTag: Career, Communication

Navigating Writing Through Seasons of Transition

By Megan Brownon April 11, 2024
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After two decades of service in the US Air Force, my husband hung up his uniform, marking the beginning of a new chapter for our family. With all of us finally under the same roof and a more manageable schedule, we’re filled with anticipation for the future. Yet, amidst the excitement, the uncertainty of what’s next and the complexities of merging our parallel lives into one shared …

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Category: Career, Personal

What Do You Do When Your Technology Fails?

By Steve Laubeon March 25, 2024
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Today, I tell the story of an author’s tragedy. We had a client who lost their entire manuscript the day of their deadline. Poof. It was gone. Their thumb drive malfunctioned too; it was empty. Because they had borrowed a laptop, the author didn’t know it was programmed to empty the trash each time it was rebooted. The author had moved the manuscript to the trash after emailing it to …

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Category: Book Business, Career, Technology, The Writing LifeTag: Book Business, Career, Technology, The Writing Life

When You Are on the Bench

By Steve Laubeon March 18, 2024
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The NCAA Basketball Tournament is upon us, with lots of drama accompanying March Madness. As you watch a game, of any team sport, the focus is on the players in the contest. The camera follows the stars and their every move. What you rarely do is watch the bench or the players on the sidelines. I find this to be a fascinating metaphor for the writing and publishing “game.” There are …

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Category: Book Business, Career, Encouragement, Writing CraftTag: Career
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