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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 » The Writing Life » Page 65

The Writing Life

One Agent’s Rearview Mirror

By Bob Hostetleron January 9, 2019
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Since I was nineteen years old (yes, I was that young once, smart aleck), I’ve set goals every January instead of making resolutions. I set one-year, three-year, five-year, and lifetime goals in six categories: spiritual life, physical/health, intellectual/educational, marriage/family, financial/household, and professional (writing, speaking, agenting).

Yes, I am a tad obsessive-compulsive.

Believe it or not, it’s fun for me. And it’s even more fun to do a six-month and end-of-year review of what goals I achieved, which ones I partly achieved, and which I totally tanked on.

This habit makes this blog post a lot easier, as I look back on 2018 and reflect on my first full year as a big, important, high-powered literary agent. I’ll leave it to others to reflect on the industry at large, but here are some of the points I will take with me from 2018 into 2019:

  1. Change is constant.

My status as the “fresh face” at The Steve Laube Agency bit the dust when our friend and coworker Dan Balow moved on in October to devote himself more fully to his work at Gilead Publishing and Thomas Umstattd joined the agency soon thereafter. That’s closest to home, of course, but a whole bunch of my friends and acquaintances who work in publishing changed positions and locations. Worthy Publishers was acquired by Hachette/FaithWords, and the CBA (Christian Booksellers’ Association) announced key high-level personnel departures even as the Munce Group announced the formation of a new trade association: Christian Retail Association, Inc. It’s a good thing Steve Laube has a head for all this stuff because I can’t even keep track of where I put the pair of scissors.

  1. Books are in demand.

I know that many authors and publishers bewail the state of things today—and there’s no denying that writing and publishing are very different than they were just a few years ago—but this is still a great time to be a writer and an agent. Christian publishers are still publishing great books, and they’re always looking for original and well-written content. Yes, platform is important and will remain so; but everyone I know in this industry gets all goose-pimply at unique ideas, distinctive voices, and breathtaking prose. And they’re still willing to consider debut authors. None of us really knows for sure where everything is going to land in the near future, but we know that books will continue to be written, and published, and read.

  1. Being an agent is fun.

I know I’m just getting started, but I was honored and thrilled to finalize more than twenty book deals with and for my clients in 2018—and eight of those were by debut authors. I hope and plan for those numbers to grow, of course; but more important than the numbers is the exceptional quality of those clients and their upcoming books—both fiction and nonfiction. I was honored to be featured as an agent in Writer’s Digest and Today’s Christian Living. I had a marvelous time presenting and meeting with writers, editors, and fellow agents at eleven writers conferences in 2018, from New England to Florida to Oregon, and gained a lot of valuable information myself from those events. And speaking of valuable information, I continue to learn from and lean on Steve Laube, Tamela Hancock Murray, Thomas Umstattd, and our erstwhile colleague, Dan Balow, who are the finest and smartest people I could ever hope to steal ideas and glory from.

  1. Life is a joy.

Of the twenty-two personal and professional goals I set at the beginning of 2018, I met (fully or partly) fourteen of them. (The ones I didn’t meet all had a price tag attached, so…..) I count that as a win. And, though my beloved mother-in-law went to heaven and my daughter and son-in-law moved (with three of our grandchildren) to California, so much good stuff still came my way in 2018 in addition to my goals. My wife, the lovely Robin, and I saw Hamilton live on stage, took in two live Shakespeare plays (Othello, A Midsummer Night’s Dream), and enjoyed Alison Krauss live in concert. I gave blood six times and exercised more than a hundred times. I wrote a new book (Closer to God) and republished another (The Bone Box). And the lovely Robin and I enjoyed three trips out west to visit with our children, their spouses, and our grandchildren.

It’s been a whirlwind 525,600 minutes, but many daylights, some sunsets, a few midnights, countless cups of coffee, laughter, tears, very little strife, and (as Hamlet would say), “words, words, words.”

 

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Category: Agency, The Publishing Life, The Writing Life

A Year in Review – a Look at 2018

By Steve Laubeon January 7, 2019
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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 …

Read moreA Year in Review – a Look at 2018
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
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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
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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 …

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Category: Craft, Creativity, Inspiration, The Writing Life

006 – Why Facebook is Overrated for Book Promotion

By Thomas Umstattd, Jr.on December 10, 2018
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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
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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 …

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Category: The Writing Life

7 Favorite Keyboard Shortcuts

By Bob Hostetleron December 5, 2018
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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 …

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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
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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
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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 …

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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
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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
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