The Steve Laube Agency

Helping to Change the World…Word by Word

The Steve Laube Agency

Helping to Change the World Word by Word

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Encouragement

Dealing with Bad Publishing News

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Remember the media principle of “if it bleeds it leads,” which means bad news or salacious headlines are designed to grab our attention. When authors are constantly barraged by bad news, it can be demotivating at the very least.

I’m sure sales for your book could be better. I’m with you. Instead, you might consider the number that have sold. If it is only 100 copies, put all 100 people in a room and stand in front of them and discuss the ideas your book presents and how those ideas have changed their lives.

The prophet Jeremiah toiled for 40 years and had only one convert (his secretary Baruch). His words were burned by the King, piece by piece as they were read (Jeremiah 36:20-27). Not once did he see any change in the people of Judah. But his words were not wasted.

Therefore, when any industry news crosses your eyes or ears (closure of a favorite store, a less-than-stellar royalty report, Amazon is taking over the world, etc.), take heart. Books are still selling. Words still matter. Writers are still needed. Oh, and one last thing, God is still sovereign over all things.

 

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My Favorite Blog Comments

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If you’re reading these words, you’re probably aware of the richly informative and entertaining blog posts the agents of the Steve Laube Agency post daily (Monday-Friday). I’m constantly amazed by the wealth of free and valuable information my colleagues share (and I pitch in every Wednesday with some drivel of my own). As helpful as I try to be in my posts, it’s consistently the comments that …

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A Year in Review – a Look at 2018

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It is a good thing to periodically take a look at the past, especially as a way to count our blessings. Here are some thoughts on the last twelve months. The Industry The publishing industry continues to pursue the best content possible. Market forces continue to press for the need to find those titles that will bring a return on their investment. Books continue to sell at an incredible pace. In …

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Writers Give to Others

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My hope is that this headline is true. While the writing profession (or obsession as some describe it) is a solitary one, it is in giving to others where its impact can be felt.

Time

The gift of time is precious as we are given a finite amount in this life. To mentor another writer. To blog freely. To teach at a conference or school setting. All are example of a beautiful way to both give …

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Writers Expect Good News

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Writers expect good news...any day now. Is it the curse of eternal optimism?There is this hope within each writer that it will be their manuscript that is chosen for publication. And the money will rain on them like a spring shower.

Despite the odds.

Despite the competition.

Despite the cynical, horrible, no-good, very-bad agents who review them.

Expectations

Are these expectations …

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Lessons Learned As a Literary Agent

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Dan is leaving the agency at the end of this month to focus his attention on the work of Gilead Publishing, the company he started in 2016. Here are some parting thoughts. _____ I’ve been a literary agent for about 2,000 of the 13,000 total days spent working with and for book publishers over the last thirty-five years. It’s been a great experience, for sure; but as I look back at the thousands of …

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Encouraging Writers

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Anyone committed to building a career in writing should spend a good deal of time with others who have a similar desire. Physical proximity to one another is a good thing; but these days, communication and connection can happen using a myriad of tools. Knowing others experience the same things you do is a core benefit of attending gatherings of writers, either aspiring or experienced, at retreats …

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Making Decisions for Others

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Because book publishing is surrounded by semi-regular failure, no matter if you are an agent, author, or publisher, the ability to deal with adversity is a defining characteristic of anyone who is successful in it. It’s a lot like baseball, where a high level of failure and adversity are part of any successful player or team. Tonight is the major league baseball All-Star Game in Washington, DC. …

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Søren Kierkegaard on Writing

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Søren Kierkegaard was a Danish philosopher and writer in the mid-1800s. His works have been highly influential for the past 170 years. He is not without his critics but a couple years ago Christianity Today ran an article titled, “Why We Still Need Kierkegaard.” My own journey has included wrestling with Fear and Trembling, Sickness Unto Death, and Purity of Heart is to Will One Thing. Recently I …

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Four Ways to Apprentice as a Writer

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One of the things that struck me as I read Stephen King’s On Writing (besides his reliance on the “S” word!) was his depiction of some of his first steps as a writer. Back then, a fiction writer could cut his teeth, so to speak, writing for pulp magazines (Weird Tales, Amazing Stories, etc.), weeklies (Saturday Evening Post, etc.), monthlies (including so-called men’s magazines), and so on, before …

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