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The Steve Laube Agency

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Helping to Change the World Word by Word

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Home » Career » Page 34

Career

Avoid Trashing a Book Online

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon August 29, 2013
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destroy

When I’m thinking of buying a book, I do read the one-star reviews. There. I admitted it. But would I write one? No, and here are three reasons why:

The author is not a moneymaking machine, but a human. A mean reviewer won’t see the fallout of posting a nasty review, but writers cry, get angry, sulk and fall into depressions over one-star reviews. It’s not fair to use the Internet to vent at a target you think is safe because you are in a bad mood that day or just angry in general. I know I’m preaching to the proverbial choir because I don’t sense angry dispositions among our regular blog readers, but we’ve all seen reviews from people who need a chill pill. If a book happens to hit all your HATE IT buttons, take your chill pill before bequeathing a one-star review. Wait a day or two before spouting off. Or better yet, don’t.

Reviews are read by the author’s publishing team. I don’t believe one bad review will keep an author from gaining her next contract. But it doesn’t help, even though the publishing team possesses discernment in assessing the merit of all reviews. An author drafting his friends and family to give nothing but five-star reviews may bring up the idea that only the author’s friends are reading the book. And speaking of the publishing team…

A bad review insults everyone involved in the book, not just the author. This is a point especially to consider if you are a writer. The publisher and author are obvious, but it will be hard for you to find out who’s editing what. If you unwittingly insult most of the books edited by Mr. Major Editor, how likely is he to buy your precious words, no matter how many times he has lunch with Your Big-Time Agent?

If you don’t normally read the genre and find you don’t care for the book, why trash it? Some reviewers will admit they usually don’t read a certain type of book and proceed to criticize everything about it. I suggest chalking it up to a learning experience and saving vitriol for books you really know about.

But what if a book really and truly deserves a bad review? Find out what to do on next week’s post.

Your turn:

Do book reviews influence your book-buying choices?

Have your feelings ever been hurt by a review?

What have you learned from bad reviews, either as a reader or writer?

Leave a Comment
Category: Career, Reading, Reviews, TamelaTag: Reading, reviews

Success! Now What?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon August 22, 2013
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Christian publishing professionals want to honor God with success. Sometimes God grants recognition quickly. Other times, He does not. And since Christians are human, it's hard not to be a little jealous of acclaimed authors.

But what about success? Are you ready for it?

Here are just a few concerns I've seen from various published authors:

1.) I'm nervous about my advance. What if I …

Read moreSuccess! Now What?
Category: Book Business, Career, TamelaTag: Book Business, Career, Success

Brainstorming: The Ground Rules

By Karen Ballon August 21, 2013
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Thanks for your thoughts and comments last week. Loved seeing your excitement about getting into a brainstorming group. It really can be a blessing unlike any other. So how do you go about getting started? Well, first, let’s take a look at the ground rules for effective brainstorming. There are several of them, so this week we’ll consider the first three:

1. Steep your sessions in …

Read moreBrainstorming: The Ground Rules
Category: Career, Craft, Creativity, Karen, Writing CraftTag: brainstorming, Creativity, Writing Craft

Back to School for You

By Steve Laubeon August 19, 2013
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by Steve Laube

I'm of the generation that remembers the day after Labor Day being the first day of school. But no more. All through August kids of all ages have been headed back to the classroom. When our daughters were in Marching Band they had rehearsals on the field twice a day, starting two weeks before school began...which put their practices into the month of July...in …

Read moreBack to School for You
Category: Book Business, Book Review, Career, Craft, Get Published, Marketing, Reading, SteveTag: Book Review, Reading, School

Brainstorming Made Easy (Part One)

By Karen Ballon August 14, 2013
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A couple weeks ago I boarded a plane headed north to Idaho for a trip I've taken 9 times. At the end of that flight waited a group of women--Brandilyn Collins, Robin Lee Hatcher, Sunni Jeffers, Tricia Goyer, Tamera Alexander, Janet Ulbright, Sharon Dunn, Gayle DeSalles, Francine Rivers, and Mama Ruth (Brandilyn’s mom)--who have become so much a part of me that I can’t imagine life without them. …

Read moreBrainstorming Made Easy (Part One)
Category: Career, Creativity, Karen, Writing CraftTag: brainstorming, Creativity, Writing Craft

Be More Dog!

By Karen Ballon August 7, 2013
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Last Friday our blog featured a wonderful video called "Be More Dog." My dad had introduced it to me a couple weeks ago.

As I watched it, I realized what great advice this is for us as writers. In your writing, in your career, be more dog! How, you ask? Simple…

Meet each day—and each challenge—with abandon. Jump at the day, ready to take on whatever comes. Live in the moment. Embrace the …

Read moreBe More Dog!
Category: Book Business, Career, Creativity, Fun Fridays, Karen, Personal, Writing CraftTag: Career

One Day at a Time Technology

By Dan Balowon August 6, 2013
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Computers are the perfect example of something we learn about and then must constantly update that knowledge. It’s like we have all had to become scientists or doctors. Just a few years ago, computer storage was measured in megabytes. Then it reached a thousand megabytes and we moved on to gigabytes. When we reach a thousand gigabytes we need terabytes.

As a public service, here is something to …

Read moreOne Day at a Time Technology
Category: Book Business, Career, Dan, Marketing, TechnologyTag: Book Business, Technology

When You Don’t Do Anything At All

By Karen Ballon July 31, 2013
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Do you remember my fable of the Cherry Tree a few weeks ago. During an email exchange with April Gardner, one of my clients, she shared her own fruit tree tale. As soon as I heard it, I asked if I could use it as a follow-up blog. She was happy for me to share it with you, so here you go!
I enjoyed your recent blog post about your cherry tree struggles. I have an apple tree that I do NOTHING to. …

Read moreWhen You Don’t Do Anything At All
Category: Book Business, Career, Karen, Writing CraftTag: Book Business, Career

Attract Attention…(Part Four)

By Karen Ballon July 24, 2013
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So we've considered three of the four BPs of attracting the attention of an agent or editor. BP number one was “Be Professional.” Number two was “Be Passionate.” The third BP was "Be Plugged In."  I've loved the discussion for each one, and look forward to reading what you think of this last BP. Especially since I think this is the hardest one for us. We writers are so focused on learning and …

Read moreAttract Attention…(Part Four)
Category: Agents, Book Business, Book Proposals, Career, Get Published, Karen, Writing CraftTag: Agents, Editors

Quit Your Day Job?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon June 27, 2013
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Writers spend much time and effort creating books, and those who are serious about making a living -- or at least supplementing household income -- invariably reach the proverbial fork in the road when they must ask, "Do I have what it takes?" If you have reached this point, here are a few questions you may find helpful:
1.) Are you willing to rise every morning to face a blank computer screen or …

Read moreQuit Your Day Job?
Category: Book Business, Career, TamelaTag: Career, Full-time writing
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