Helping to Change the World…Word by Word
The Steve Laube Agency
Helping to Change the World Word by Word
During a rain delay at a recent baseball game the opposing team pitchers, waiting in the bullpen, had some fun. Enjoy the oneupmanship!
Since I’m from Arizona (go Diamondbacks) and Dan Balow is from Chicago (go Cubs) this was a fun showdown. The correct team won the competition.
I listen regularly to a half-dozen podcasts. One of them recently talked about how valuable “systems” are in making life run more smoothly. The podcast host said that making something a habit is the simplest but also one of the most effective “systems” a person can install in his or her life, because it eliminates the need for decision-making. For example, he said, did you decide to brush your …
Did you know there are nine ways for a batter to reach first base in the game of baseball? A few are obvious, of course. The batter could get a hit. Or a walk. Or even be hit by a pitch. But those are not the only options. The batter could reach on a fielding error. Or hit into a fielder’s choice, a play in which the fielder could throw him out at first but instead chooses to throw to another …
I’ve met some fast talking editors and authors…but none can match John Moschitta. The Guinness Book of Records “Fastest Talking Man.” First is the original Federal Express commercial that made him famous. Then is a fun interview with him reciting an entire Michael Jackson song in 20 seconds.
So, when querying me, maybe you followed my guidelines, submitted an appropriate manuscript, and your work has much to recommend itself. So why am I not getting back to you right away? Am I ignoring you? I’m sure it feels that way, and I’m sorry. What has probably happened is that your manuscript (and yours is not alone), has me sitting on the fence. Think about that expression. Who wants to sit …
Anyone can easily identify a person who has been damaged by life and in need of help. The same is true with damaged authors. If you are in this category, writing about your experiences and the lessons learned can be both cathartic and spiritually fruitful, but taking a damaged-life perspective into the professional world of book publishing will rarely work for anyone. If you know someone who is …
What are the chances of a debut author getting a contract with a major publisher? What if the author does not have an agent? It’s always hard to get the first contract for any author. It’s a little like “American Idol” with hundreds, if not thousands, of people in line hoping for their chance. In non-fiction it can be a number of things that help with the process. The “Platform” is crucial for …
For the last ten years, since the unveiling of the Kindle reader, there has been a constant conversation about reader’s preferences. Print or Ebook? While ebook sales grew exponentially and paper sales stagnated many declared victory for the ebook. I have a number of friends who have not purchased a paper edition of a book for quite some time. Some libraries have removed all their books and gone …
Our guest post is by Ginny L. Yttrup who is the award-winning author of five novels including her latest, Home, which released earlier this month. She writes contemporary women’s fiction and enjoys exploring the issues everyday women face. “Publishers Weekly” dubbed Ginny’s work “as inspiring as it is entertaining.” When not writing, Ginny coaches writers, …
“Are today’s publishers more interested in an individual novel or a trilogy? Also, when submitting a proposal for the completed first novel in a planned trilogy, is it better to focus on the first novel or give an overview of the complete trilogy? Is there an upper limit to how many books should be in a series?” These are some excellent questions submitted by both Peter and …
