The Writing Life

For the New Year: Define Success

By Steve Laubeon January 1, 2018

Sometime this week, spend 30 minutes listening to this “Write from the Deep” podcast. Hosted by Karen Ball and Erin Taylor Young, they had me as a guest to discuss how writers define success. My hope is that the message is one that will resonate with you throughout the new year.

You can visit the web site to listen to the interview, read a synopsis of this conversation, and to subscribe to the podcast:
https://www.writefromthedeep.com/success-conversation-steve-laube/

or click the “play” button below and listen.

A Writer’s Magnificat

By Bob Hostetleron December 20, 2017

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How often do you thank God for the words you write? The ideas you’ve had? The things you’ve published? There is no better time to do so than the Christmas season, and the end of a year and beginning of a new year. And there may be no better way to do so than adapting the Magnificat as your prayer. The what? The Magnificat is a name given to the song of Mary after her cousin Elizabeth greeted her …

Category: The Writing Life, TheologyTag: Gratitude, The Writing Life, Theology

Why it’s Okay to Lose a Contest

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon December 14, 2017

Any author who’s entered contests knows that they are difficult to win. The competition is more fierce than ever. For example, I just judged an ACFW competition and would have been happy to represent most of the authors whose work I reviewed. Entries get better every year. This is good news for readers while encouraging authors to fine tune their work. In the case of prestigious contests …

Category: Awards, Career, The Writing LifeTag: Awards, contests, The Writing Life

You Are Not Your Words

By Bob Hostetleron December 6, 2017

Writers love words. That’s a good thing. But when we become attached to our own words, that’s a bad thing. I see it often in meeting with writers and offering critiques at writers’ conferences. The writer will hand me a piece of his or her work, “to see what you think.” I’ll look it over, and identify several things to compliment about the piece. And then I’ll make a suggestion for improvement. I …

Category: Rejection, Reviews, The Writing LifeTag: Craft, Rejection, The Writing Life

Author Platform and The Laws of Attraction

By Dan Balowon December 5, 2017

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Whenever someone communicates anything in any form, the message will either attract or repel readers, listeners or viewers. All communication is like a magnet, with north and south poles. What you do in social media or blog for your author platform will either cost or earn readers. No matter what you do, the best you can hope for is a net positive, with more people friending, following and …

Category: Marketing, Platform, Social Media, The Writing Life, TheologyTag: Faith, Marketing, Platform, Theology

Unnecessary Worry

By Dan Balowon November 28, 2017

In the third and final installment of my “unnecessary” series of blog posts, today we will explore the issue of unnecessary worry. (Yes, I am going for the “w” theme with the posts, starting with words, then work. I am a sucker for intentionality and the obvious.) For followers of Jesus, you cannot venture very far into the issue of worry without bumping into Scripture, as worry is addressed …

Category: Encouragement, Faith, Inspiration, The Writing LifeTag: The Writing Life, Worry

A Writer’s Hope Springs Eternal

By Steve Laubeon November 27, 2017

Writers can be quietly optimistic amidst their seasons of doubt. It is that hope of success that helps make the daily slog a little easier. I reflected on hope by finding a few inspirational quotes: Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness. ― Desmond Tutu Hope is the thing with feathers That perches in the soul And sings the tune without the words And never stops …

Category: Encouragement, Faith, Inspiration, The Writing Life, TheologyTag: Hope

My 600-lb Book Life

By Bob Hostetleron November 22, 2017

Recently I spent a few hours visiting a relative in rehab, and the television was tuned to an episode of the television series, My 600-lb Life. This is why I like to control the TV remote at all times. The episode focused on a fairly young mother of two children who weighed nearly six hundred pounds and was hoping to engage a surgeon for weight-reduction surgery. Her first several consultations …

Category: Marketing, Pitching, Platform, The Writing LifeTag: Marketing, Platform, The Writing Life

Unnecessary Work

By Dan Balowon November 21, 2017

Continuing with my series of “unnecessary” blog posts (last week Unnecessary Words), today we cover unnecessary work, which I define as making something more difficult than it needs to be. So you understand my worldview, I always take the escalator, elevator or moving sidewalk, I know all the shortcuts on my computer keyboard and I love microwaves. Why make something harder than it needs to be? …

Category: Agents, Get Published, The Writing LifeTag: Networking, Platform, The Writing Life, Work

The Curse of the Writer

By Steve Laubeon November 20, 2017

Speaking from an agent's perspective...
I have more conversations with clients about their feelings of anxiety, apprehension or insecurity than almost any other topic. Almost every writer I have ever worked with as an editor or an agent severely doubts themselves at some point in the process.

Doubts occur in the midst of creation.
Doubts occur when the disappointing royalty statement …

Category: Career, Encouragement, Faith, Inspiration, Reviews, The Writing LifeTag: Book Business, Doubt, Editors, Get Published, Pitching, Rejection, Writing Craft, Writing Life