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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 » Marketing

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4 Tips for Surviving a Writers Conference

By Steve Laubeon June 12, 2023
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I’ve had the fun of teaching at nearly 200 writers conferences over the years. In that time, I’ve noticed several common things that all writers face. Let’s explore a few tips that may help you survive at the next one you attend.

Relax
The most common mistake is viewing the conference as a make-it-or-break-it event. The stress folks place on themselves is palpable. I’ve had people so nervous to meet with me that they burst into tears before they can even begin to talk. (I don’t think I’m THAT hideous to look at!)

Better to plan on going multiple times, like you would to an extended college course. The first time observe the lay of the land and the language spoken there.

It Is a Safe Place to Fail
Where else can you practice your pitch with a professional? Where else can you get a first impression reaction from a professional? Fumbling your words, pitching in the wrong genre or to the wrong editor are not fatal mistakes. We have a number of clients whom we represent who failed over and over again–until finally figuring it out.

Use the opportunity to sit with an agent, an editor, or a freelancer and see how they react to your idea. Watch the body language. Listen to the voice for that crackle of excitement. Learn from the experience.

Beware of the False Positive
It is not fun to tell a writer that their idea won’t work and watch the light go out in their eyes. A terrible thing. Thus many editors or agents will give a word of encouragement, hopefully wrapped in an honest evaluation of the work at hand. Unfortunately, all the writer hears are the words “this is pretty good”; and they ignore everything after the word “but.”

However, when an editor or agent says, “I’d like to see it, please send it to me,” believe them. BUT do not take that as an “I’m only one step away from a book contract!” I’ve seen this reaction far too often. Put the positive response in the right perspective, and you will save yourself a lot of grief.

More than once I have overheard someone talking on their cell phone with a family member proclaiming, “This is my first conference, and [fill in name of major publisher here] wants my book! I can’t believe it!”

The editor or agent genuinely wants to look at your material but can’t fully evaluate it during a 15-minute conversation or in a hurried glance in a hallway between sessions. Back in the office, it will be judged against everything else already on their desk, as it should be. A fantastic proposal will survive every gauntlet, including this one.

I once had a person literally kneel by my chair at a conference banquet, pulling at my sleeve and desperately crying, “You absolutely must become my agent because that editor over there said they liked my story idea!” This person was overreacting to a cordial request, turning it into a false positive.

Follow Through
Don’t get me wrong. Your book has a much greater chance of being accepted if you do indeed send it to the requesting editor or agent than if you don’t. Surprised at this advice? You would be astounded at how many people never send us what we ask for.

And one little hint? If you do follow through, include your picture in the proposal in the bio section. It helps us remember which person we met and where. Earlier this year I received a query letter from an author who opened with “We met in 2017 where I pitched an earlier version of the attached story.” But there was no photo and no indication of where we met. I have to admit: I don’t remember that meeting.

Ultimately, try to enjoy yourself. The conference photo below (from 2014) is delightful as Randy Alcorn thinks he is hilarious. And Malcolm Guite wants to talk about his book! I am an innocent bystander.

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Photo by Lancia Smith
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Category: Conferences, MarketingTag: Get Published, writers conferences

You Gotta Have Friends … and Strangers Too

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon May 31, 2023
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No one likes to see negative book reviews. However, if you earn a negative review or two out of many, don’t despair. This event likely means strangers who have no personal interest in you, but are reading books only for themselves, are engaged with your work. That’s great news! Where Are the Readers? Keep in contact with potential readers so they’ll be amenable to your books and eager …

Read moreYou Gotta Have Friends … and Strangers Too
Category: Branding, Marketing, Platform

The Friends You Make on Social Media

By Dan Balowon March 30, 2023
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Let’s talk about the people you meet and befriend on social media. They are different from actual friends. For the most part, they aren’t real friends. If you have a nice social-media presence with five hundred people, you can enjoy the conversations and connections since it’s on the level of a good-sized church or high-school graduation class. But as you grow your social platform into thousands …

Read moreThe Friends You Make on Social Media
Category: Career, Marketing, Social Media, The Writing Life, time management

Tips for Nonfiction

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon February 22, 2023
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In response to my post “Line Editing,” a faithful blog reader asked me if I had any tips for nonfiction writers. The suggestions here aren’t considered line editing but are more general. I hope they offer insight. Consider your brand. While you want each book to be fresh, you want to stay within your brand, or the brand you’re building, so your readership knows you wrote …

Read moreTips for Nonfiction
Category: Branding, Pitch, Pitching, The Writing Life, Writing Craft

Voices of Courage: Why Military Writers are Important

By Dan Balowon February 8, 2023
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Successful books always come from a writer’s inspired, creative mind and heart. Every time we attempt to make publishing a science, making it more about business nuts and bolts, rather than art, serendipitous creativity seems to find a way around the science, nuts, and bolts. Effective and wise business planning is important, but Christian publishing’s guiding principle should be Proverbs …

Read moreVoices of Courage: Why Military Writers are Important
Category: Agents, Book Business, Branding, Career, Encouragement, Faith, Inspiration

Give Away Your Story

By Dan Balowon November 9, 2022
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Agents have a difficult time selling any kind of personal story, from memoirs that contain memories from one’s life to other types of autobiographical works that might recap the author’s story as a series of events. Regardless of the type, this writing generates very limited interest from traditional publishers, unless the author has a good-size marketing platform because they achieved a level of …

Read moreGive Away Your Story
Category: Book Proposals, Indie, Inspiration, Marketing

Building Your Platform Without Becoming a Narcissist

By Dan Balowon October 19, 2022
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Authors in the process of building and maintaining their media platforms can easily slip into a self-focused effort, evaluating every relationship with an eye toward their personal benefit, seeking attention in any way possible, and exhibiting all the traits of destructive pride. Well now, there’s a cheery thought to start the day. Some little hairs must have gotten under my collar after my last …

Read moreBuilding Your Platform Without Becoming a Narcissist
Category: Branding, Marketing, Social Media, The Writing Life

Publishing Is Publishing

By Dan Balowon October 6, 2022
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Every part of the book publishing ecosystem adjusted its perspective to accommodate both traditional publishing and author-published works. It wasn’t long ago these two paths were treated as either/or decisions; but now they are both/and. Many traditional publishers offer author-paid services, some agents have indie services for clients, and a large number of authors publish both traditional and …

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Category: Book Business, Book Business, Indie, Marketing, Self-Publishing, Trends

Write a Fan Letter Today

By Steve Laubeon September 19, 2022
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Everyone likes being appreciated. It can be as simple as receiving a “thank you.” For the writer, a fan letter is like a cold drink of water in the middle of a desert wasteland. The writing life is a bit like placing your words into a bottle and tossing it into an endless ocean, hoping it doesn’t sink and simultaneously hoping someone somewhere will find those words and be …

Read moreWrite a Fan Letter Today
Category: Book Business, Career, MarketingTag: appreciation, fan mail, thanksgiving

Book Launch Secrets – Free Webinar, April 6

By Steve Laubeon April 4, 2022
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Each year Thomas Umstattd, Jr. and I make this presentation. An email also went out last week to those who are a part of The Christian Writers Institute. So pardon me if this post feels like a repeat. There are already more than 400 registered for this webinar! I don’t want you to miss out. The first 30 days your book is for sale sets the tone for the lifetime of your book. Many physical …

Read moreBook Launch Secrets – Free Webinar, April 6
Category: Agents, Book Business, Marketing, The Writing LifeTag: Book Launch
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