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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 4

Career

Is Your Book a Book?

By Bob Hostetleron February 29, 2024
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When I first began writing for publication, back when Gutenberg was a pup, publishing a book was the goal, the prize, the pinnacle of success.

Nowadays, though, with the Internet and blogs and print-on-demand and Amazon, anyone can publish a book. And pretty much anyone does. Just browse a bit, you’ll see what I mean. Sheesh.

If your definition of success is simply to publish a book, you’re at least twenty years behind the times. And, at the risk of being fired from my position as a big, fancy, important literary agent, I suggest you might be setting the bar far too low.

I ask you to consider a different “pinnacle”—especially for a Christian—and that is to be read, to be heard, to have an influence.

Isn’t that the goal, anyway? After all, we don’t write just for our own vanity. We’re not writing just to be published, to have our bylines in a magazine or see our names on books.

We write—right?—to be read. We communicate to have influence, to touch lives.

That definition can and should change some things.

Because if your goal is to make an impact, then your book may be a book. But maybe not.

Bear with me. Don’t throw stones yet.

If you’re writing for impact and influence, there are other ways to touch the lives of readers and develop and build an audience.

That’s why I suggest that you broaden your thinking. Instead of always or only thinking “book,” think “delivery system.”

I once met with a gifted spoken-word poet at a writers conference. He was struggling with how to put his spoken-word presentations into a book. I suggested instead of thinking “book,” that he think “delivery system.” Such as a YouTube channel. His eyes lit up. He’d never thought of that. But it quickly seemed to both of us a much more suitable delivery system for his gifts and message.

So, sure, as a writer, you may want to draft a book proposal to send to an agent or editor; a book may be just the right vehicle, the right delivery system, for your words.

But maybe not.

It might be a book. It might be a blog. Or “tweets” (Xes?). It might be an email newsletter, a website like ChristianDevotions.us, or letters to the editor of your newspaper. It might be personal notes to military service members. Or seminars, podcast episodes, or online coaching sessions. Or screenplay or teleplay. Or downloadable Bible studies. Or something else entirely.

Books are still—and will continue to be—a great delivery vehicle for ministry and message; and other delivery vehicles may complement a book, or vice versa. But in the twenty-first century, there are other and, in some cases, better ways to get a message across.

So, let’s hear from you. Have you discovered or developed a delivery vehicle other than (or in addition to) books?

 

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Category: Book Business, Career

Only the Rich Get Published (?)

By Steve Laubeon February 26, 2024
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The title of today’s blog came in a question that was much less confrontational but significant nonetheless. In the context of describing the extremely limited amount of money they could spend on writers conferences, online classes, training materials, etc., the writer summarized by asking, “How can an unknown writer with very limited resources expect to get their writing published?” This is a …

Read moreOnly the Rich Get Published (?)
Category: Career, Conferences, Get Published, The Writing LifeTag: Get Published

A Year in Review: A Look Back at 2023

By Steve Laubeon January 15, 2024
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It is always a good idea to reflect on the previous year. As those who follow Jesus Christ, we are pressed because the lost world around us is being crushed by the enemy called sin. And yet we should still count our blessings (and as the hymn reads, “name them one by one”). The goodness of God remains unchanged despite attempts to proclaim otherwise. The following is an attempt to review some …

Read moreA Year in Review: A Look Back at 2023
Category: Agency, Awards, Career, Christian Writers Institute, Encouragement, Historical, Inspiration, Publishing News, The Publishing Life, The Writing Life

Jingle Bells, Taco Shells: The Art of Being a Mom-Writer

By Megan Brownon December 21, 2023
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‘Tis the season to be jolly, right? Well, not if you’re a mom-writer caught in the whirlwind of holiday chaos while trying to meet deadlines, market your latest book, and wear more hats than Santa himself. It’s easy to get swept up in the never-ending to-do list; but what if I told you that it’s okay to give yourself the gift of simply being a mom, especially during this …

Read moreJingle Bells, Taco Shells: The Art of Being a Mom-Writer
Category: Career, Encouragement, Inspiration, The Writing Life

8 Productive Activities for Authors … After Finishing Your Manuscript

By Megan Brownon December 7, 2023
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So, you’ve just completed your manuscript; and the exhilaration of typing “The End” is still coursing through your veins. But before you dive headfirst into the editing process, why not use this interlude to work on several vital activities that will set the stage for your book’s success? When I finished my first manuscript, the waiting was unbearable. After turning in my …

Read more8 Productive Activities for Authors … After Finishing Your Manuscript
Category: Career, Marketing

Are You Sure You Want That Brand?

By Dan Balowon December 6, 2023
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Several years ago, I spoke with an aspiring Christian author who had several good book ideas on a wide range of projects for children to adults but, first, wanted to write about their lifelong struggle with a certain sin issue. Once it was published, they would move on with their life and be a beacon for biblical truth on all sorts of other projects. My initial reaction when they explained their …

Read moreAre You Sure You Want That Brand?
Category: Book Business, Career, Platform, The Writing Life

Building Partnerships: A Better Way to Navigate Publishing

By Megan Brownon November 8, 2023
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In the ever-evolving landscape of the writing and publishing industry, aspiring authors often find themselves caught in the alluring web of building a platform. This platform, commonly characterized by high numbers of social-media engagement and followers, has become a coveted status symbol. But what if I told you that new authors can achieve far more by valuing partnerships over platforms? …

Read moreBuilding Partnerships: A Better Way to Navigate Publishing
Category: Career, Platform

E Is for Editor

By Steve Laubeon October 2, 2023
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Your editor can be your best friend in the industry (besides your agent, of course). Or your editor can be your worst enemy. Bad Side First An editor who doesn’t reply to your email inquiries or return your phone calls is either ignoring you on purpose or is so busy with other pressing matters they can’t get to yours. If you have this problem, make sure you didn’t create it in …

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Category: Book Business, Career, Editing, Publishing A-Z, Writing CraftTag: Editing, Editors

Empathy Maps: How to Discover Your Reader

By Megan Brownon September 28, 2023
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There are a handful of questions I ask aspiring writers to answer to determine if they have a good grasp on their concept or if their proposal could be a viable option for publishing. The first question is this: “Who are you serving?” Many times, the look I receive in response is wide-eyed and uncertain. If an aspiring author isn’t keenly aware of their reader–who they are, what they are …

Read moreEmpathy Maps: How to Discover Your Reader
Category: Book Proposals, Career, Pitching, The Writing Life

The Heavenly Minded Author

By Dan Balowon August 30, 2023
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Some people are so heavenly minded that they are no earthly good. – Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., was quite a guy. A prominent, influential physician and writer, his friends included Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Ralph Waldo Emerson. He was born in 1809 and died in 1894. His son was Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., who fought in some of the bloodiest battles of the …

Read moreThe Heavenly Minded Author
Category: Career, Christian, Theology
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