• Skip to main content
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer

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

  • Home
  • About
    • Who We Are
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Interview with Steve Laube
    • Statement of Faith
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
  • Guidelines
  • Authors
    • Who We Represent
    • Awards and Recognition
  • Resources
    • Recommended Reading
    • Christian Writers Market Guide Online
    • Christian Writers Institute
    • Writers Conferences
    • Freelance Editorial Services
    • Copyright Resources
    • Research Tools
    • Selling What You Write
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Twitter
  • FaceBook
  • RSS Feed
  • Get Published
  • Book Proposals
  • Book Business
  • Writing Craft
    • Conferences
    • Copyright
    • Craft
    • Creativity
    • Grammar
  • Fun Fridays
Home » The Writing Life » Page 65

The Writing Life

A Year in Review – a Look at 2018

By Steve Laubeon January 7, 2019
Share
Tweet
14

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 light of the modest size of the Christian retailing industry, Christian publishers are finding new places to sell books through strategic partnerships. Amazon.com remains as the number one account for most publishers. Many do 50% of their business with Amazon. But don’t forget the other half!  It is encouraging to talk with special-market sales experts who are always thinking a few steps ahead.

Another group of great editors retired this year. The hardest part is no longer having the privilege of working with these long-time friends. But each publisher has found some great new talent: people with new ideas and perspectives. Spend any length of time with the top editors in the industry and you will be impressed. I know I am.

Worthy Publishing was purchased by FaithWords (a division of Hachette), which moved another strong publisher under a new umbrella. We don’t know if it will become a named imprint of FaithWords or soon fall under the parent’s name. This includes the entire catalog of Worthy/Ideals, which is a strong children’s book publishing program.

In September the Christian publishing industry was shaken by the news of bad behavior by faculty at Christian writers conferences. (Here is a link to the Publisher’s Weekly article “Sexual Harassment Uncovered at Christian Writing Conferences.”) I’ve talked to a number of conference directors, and they all have taken steps to help prevent this behavior in the future. I addressed the issue in a post about the importance of integrity in all things.

Our Agency

What a year it was! I spoke at six events during the year and was a guest on three podcasts. As an agency, we all canvassed the country from North Carolina to Washington state, attending nearly 20 different writers conferences.

The first part of the year saw us working to integrate the clients we inherited after I purchased the Les Stobbe Literary Agency. Bob Hostetler did the heavy lifting and is doing an admirable job.

In October Dan Balow left the agency to pursue his work with Gilead Publishing full-time. (I will miss having him to kick around.) So I hired Thomas Umstattd Jr. to join the agency. He quickly established our new weekly podcast “The Christian Publishing Show” that airs every Tuesday. Check out our past shows and subscribe!

Meanwhile, Tamela continues to find new writers and grow her existing clients with grace and expertise. Well done, Tamela.

We now have the privilege of working with nearly 300 authors. This situation resulted in securing contracts for 169 new books! Sixteen were for first-time authors. This is very exciting and sends a message that both our agency and the publishing industry are looking for new voices all the time.

It was another fun year for author recognition. During the year we had four finalists for the Christy Award (Susan May Warren, Morgan Busse, Mesu Andrews, and Elizabeth Camden); and Mesu won for the best historical novel! Both Nancy Pearcey (current events) and Josh Chatraw (apologetics) had books named as book of the year by The Gospel Coalition. We had three winners of the Carol Award: Susan May Warren for best romance, Susan Sleeman for best romantic suspense, and Morgan Busse for best speculative novel. Katy Lee was a finalist for the RITA award. Ronie Kendig won the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Inspirational Thriller. Joanna Davidson Politano won an ISPY award for best debut fiction. Hugh Ross was a shortlist finalist in World magazine’s book of the year in the science category. Both Jessica Brode (contemporary fiction) and Leanna Lindsey Hollis (mystery/suspense/thriller) were honored as Genesis Award winners.

The Christian Writers Institute and The Christian Writers Market Guide

The Christian Writers Institute continues to grow. The opportunity for writers to further their education via the convenience of online audio and video courses is a wonderful thing. We are constantly adding new course material. We reworked many of our classes this past year, and added both my updated “Elements of a Book Proposal” class and Laci Williams’ “The Smart Indie” six hour course.

The new 2019 edition of The Christian Writers Market Guide is available now in paperback and ebook. Or you can subscribe to the information online and have access to up-to-date content all the time, on any device. We will continue to release the new paper/ebook edition each December and keep the online version constantly updated.

The Future

I rarely like to speculate on the future of our industry. We are often at the mercy of the volatile economy and world events. However, 2019 promises to be another great year in publishing. The need for great stories will drive the fiction market. The issues in moral apologetics and both theological and political conversations need to be addressed. Believers desire to grow spiritually and understand how to apply their faith to their daily lives. Audio is a growing format for busy readers. Visual media in all its forms—online, TV, and film—influence our content creators and content curators. My hope is that our agency’s efforts via this blog and our ongoing support of clients and aspiring authors will help add to the growth of God’s Kingdom.

Leave a Comment
Category: Agency, Awards, Christian Publishing Show, Christian Writers Institute, Encouragement, Podcast, The Publishing Life, The Writing Life

007 – The State of The Christian Fiction Kindle Market with Alex Newton

By Thomas Umstattd, Jr.on December 18, 2018
Share
Tweet
0

Today we are going to talk about one of my favorite topics, data! Alex Newton, the CEO and Founder of K-Lytics.com a leading market research resource for authors and publishers or put in terms we care about his company and expertise helps authors sell more books, face less competition, and get a bigger return on the […]
You can listen to this episode 007 – The State of The Christian Fiction Kindle …

Read more007 – The State of The Christian Fiction Kindle Market with Alex Newton
Category: The Writing Life

4 Keys to Creativity

By Bob Hostetleron December 12, 2018
Share
Tweet
27

Maybe you’re not one of those writers who sometimes says (or thinks), “I’m just not very creative.” But you may sometimes be jealous of others’ creativity. Or wish at times that you were more so. Join the club. We could all use at least a little more creativity in our lives, our thinking, and our writing. So, since my weekly “midrash” (Bible study) group has been discussing the first chapters of …

Read more4 Keys to Creativity
Category: Craft, Creativity, Inspiration, The Writing Life

006 – Why Facebook is Overrated for Book Promotion

By Thomas Umstattd, Jr.on December 10, 2018
Share
Tweet
0

Facebook is overrated for building an author platform the following 8 reasons.
You can listen to this episode 006 – Why Facebook is Overrated for Book Promotion on Christian Publishing Show.

Read more006 – Why Facebook is Overrated for Book Promotion
Category: The Writing Life

Lesson One from Sailor Bob

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon December 6, 2018
Share
Tweet
33

When I was four or five years old, a local celebrity from NBC television in Richmond, Virginia, made an appearance at Bill’s Supermarket in Kenbridge. This event was quite exciting for me. Nothing much ever happened in our county, and we were going to have a chance to see Sailor Bob! That sunny afternoon, the store was packed. My mother and I stood in line awhile. Finally, it was my turn to sit on …

Read moreLesson One from Sailor Bob
Category: The Writing Life

7 Favorite Keyboard Shortcuts

By Bob Hostetleron December 5, 2018
Share
Tweet
44

I’m not as computer savvy as my adult children are (who among us is?), but I spend a lot of time on the computer, writing, editing, emailing, and more. So I rely on keyboard shortcuts to work faster and smarter. Each shortcut may save only a few seconds at a time compared to using the mouse or trackpad and pull-down menu; but when those seconds are multiplied over the course of an …

Read more7 Favorite Keyboard Shortcuts
Category: The Writing Life

005 How James L. Rubart Went From Rejected and Unpublished to Bestselling Author

By Thomas Umstattd, Jr.on December 3, 2018
Share
Tweet
0

How James L. Rubart Went From Rejected and Unpublished to Bestselling Author
You can listen to this episode 005 How James L. Rubart Went From Rejected and Unpublished to Bestselling Author on Christian Publishing Show.

Read more005 How James L. Rubart Went From Rejected and Unpublished to Bestselling Author
Category: The Writing Life

Keep Your Post-Draft Tasks Distinct

By Bob Hostetleron November 28, 2018
Share
Tweet
36

Writers are not all the same. I realize that may come as a shock to you, but it’s true. Trust me. Job One (or something very close to it) for every writer is to find the rhythms and routines that work for you. That may be quite different from what works for other writers. And that’s okay. Say it with me: “That’s okay.”   Still, whatever suits you as a writer, there’s a good chance that keeping …

Read moreKeep Your Post-Draft Tasks Distinct
Category: Craft, The Writing Life, Writing Craft

004 – The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association and Publishing Trends with Stan Jantz

By Thomas Umstattd, Jr.on November 27, 2018
Share
Tweet
0

The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association and Publishing Trends with Stan Jantz
You can listen to this episode 004 – The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association and Publishing Trends with Stan Jantz on Christian Publishing Show.

Read more004 – The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association and Publishing Trends with Stan Jantz
Category: The Writing Life

Are You a “Christian Writer?”

By Bob Hostetleron November 21, 2018
Share
Tweet
34

I am a Christian writer. Sure. To some, that confession implies that I write Christian books. That happens to be true, but that’s not the only possibility. Others might infer that I am a writer of cheesy, preachy prose and poetry. I hope not, but I must leave it to others to judge. Still others may interpret the phrase “Christian writer” as referring to someone who writes only on Christian …

Read moreAre You a “Christian Writer?”
Category: Inspiration, Platform, The Writing Life, Theology
  • Previous
  • Page 1
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 63
  • Page 64
  • Page 65
  • Page 66
  • Page 67
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 85
  • Next
  • Home
  • About
    • Who We Are
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Interview with Steve Laube
    • Statement of Faith
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
  • Guidelines
  • Authors
    • Who We Represent
    • Awards and Recognition
  • Resources
    • Recommended Reading
    • Christian Writers Market Guide Online
    • Christian Writers Institute
    • Writers Conferences
    • Freelance Editorial Services
    • Copyright Resources
    • Research Tools
    • Selling What You Write
  • Blog
  • Contact

Copyright © 2025 · The Steve Laube Agency · All Rights Reserved · Website by Stormhill Media