“It’s only natural for those locked out to despise the gatekeepers, but what about those of us in the reading public? Shouldn’t we be grateful that it’s someone else’s job to weed out the inane, the insipid, the incompetent? Not that they always do such a great job of it, given some of the books that do get published by actual publishers. But at least they provide some buffer between us and the many aspiring authors who are like the wannabe pop stars in the opening weeks of each American Idol season: How many instant novelists are as deluded as the singers who make with the strangled-cat noises believing they have Arethaen pipes?… No doubt there are geniuses languishing in obscurity. Who knows how many great books are just waiting to be discovered? But are we really more likely to find them once the publishing pros have been handed their hats and shown the door? I rather doubt it.”
J.K. Rowling Leaves Her Literary Agent for Another – Her, now former, agent Christopher Little has a testy response. Little’s representative claims the departure “came out of the blue. He was surprised to say the least. He has contracts in place with [Ms Rowling], and he has contracts in place with Neil Blair. He is still considering his options.” Which implies a possible lawsuit may be in the future. Majority of Science Fiction/Fantasy Readers Read E-books – I was just saying this to some editors last week! The technological revolution is going to initially be dominated by those already predisposed to gadgets. Southern Baptists Officially Condemn the NIV 2011 Version – At their recent convention they unanimously voted on the new translation. The old 1984 edition of the NIV is still considered okay. The resolution may effect the Lifeway stores and is a significant blow to Biblica and Zondervan who spent so much time trying to update the translation and avoid this very thing. You might think, “who cares?” But the next time you quote a verse in your book you may want to think carefully about which translation you are quoting depending on the audience to which you are writing. The Death of the Serial Comma? – Has the University of Oxford Writing and Style Guide has decided to drop the comma before the “and” in a series? That original post created a storm of online controversy which led to this new post. Which leads me to this cartoon (I know it isn’t a serial comma, but it is still funny):Search Results for: rejection
A Defense of Traditional Publishing: Part One
INTRODUCTION
There has been a plethora of new developments in the publishing industry causing the blogosphere, writers groups, and print media to light up with opinions, reflections, and advice. Some of it has been quite brilliant, other parts, not so much.
I would like to attempt to address the positive elements of traditional (or legacy) publishing as a defense of the latest …
What’s up with Christian Retail?
Twice in the last 30 days I have been interviewed about the "state of the industry." The journalist's questions were insightful and thought I would share some of them with you. My answers have been expanded beyond the original ones since I have more space to work with here.
1. What do you believe to be the most important trend in Christian publishing and why?
This can be a complex …
Incoming Proposals
To your left is an actual picture of the pile of proposals our office has received since December 1, 2009. About 30 days worth of incoming mail...during a slow time of the year. The stack of books next to the pile include books sent for review (consideration) and recent publications that I want to look at.
That does not include the myriad of email submissions we get (many simply ignoring our …
Guidelines
There are a number of ways to do a good book proposal. We’ve met many writers who get bogged down in the details. The bottom line is whether your idea has traction and if your writing delivers. Since your book proposal is like a job application, you want to present yourself in the most professional manner possible. Your proposal will be a simple vehicle to convey your idea to us, and …
Interview with Steve Laube
This interview with Steve Laube is based, in part, on a month-long, online discussion. This version of the interview has been adapted, corrected, and expanded into something that we hope can help you get to know him and the publishing industry a little better.[updated April 17, 2021] Where were you born and where did you grow up? Born in Anchorage, Alaska. Moved to Honolulu when I was 14 and …
Complete Resume
STEVE LAUBE Complete Resume 24 W. Camelback Rd. A-635 Phoenix, AZ 85013 THE STEVE LAUBE AGENCY 2004 – Present President and founder of the literary agency. Has negotiated over 1,000 contracts for more than 2,000 books since its founding. Literary agent responsible for the discovery, evaluation, and development of potential new books for publication. Review proposals; develop new book concepts, …