The Steve Laube Agency is committed to providing top quality guidance to authors and speakers. Our years of experience and success brings a unique service to our clients. We focus primarily in the Christian marketplace and have put together an outstanding gallery of authors and speakers whose books continue to make an impact throughout the world.
Our Service Philosophy
Content
To help the author develop and create the best book possible. Material that has both commercial appeal and long-term value.
Career
To help the author determine the next best step in their writing career. Giving counsel regarding the subtleties of the marketplace as well as the realities of the publishing community.
Contract
To help the author secure the best possible contract. One that partners with the best strategic publisher and one that is mutually beneficial for all parties involved.
Recent Posts
Deadlines Born – Deadlines Made
Deadlines. The bane of every writer’s existence. “A necessary evil.” “My nemesis.”
I talked to an author who changed the internal time clock on his computer just so he could have three extra hours, claiming he was writing on the West coast (USA) instead of where his office was (East coast USA).
Writing Without a Deadline (Deadlines Born)
Not everyone, however, is writing under a deadline. How does an unpublished or uncontracted author write without a deadline?
This takes discipline. An unnatural discipline for some creatives. I’ve heard of authors using their friends as accountability partners. Or their spouse (be careful with that technique…) Or an incentive like food or fun.
An indie author (publishing independently) is technically without a deadline. So how do you go about it?
(Feel free to comment below with your methods)
Writing With a Deadline (Deadlines Made)
I’ve read many writers who eschew deadlines or simply ignore them saying that “one cannot rush art.” At the same time, a contractual agreement, with a deadline, is just that: an agreement. You are responsible to meet your obligations. Of course, if there are circumstances that change, most publishers are willing to extend the deadline. But there are limits to that grace period.
At the very least, try not to have a cavalier attitude toward a deadline. Not everyone can be George R. R. Martin who said, “If the novels are still being read in 50 years, no one is ever going to say: ‘What’s great about that sixth book is that he met his deadline!’ It will be about how the whole thing stands up.”
Discipline, planning, situational awareness, fasting from social media, scheduled writing retreats, daily word-count goals, and more are all methods that I’ve had writers tell me about.
What methods do you use to make your deadlines? Feel free to comment below.
Quotes About Deadlines
“A goal is a dream with a deadline.” Napolean Hill
“I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.” Douglas Adams
“Deadlines just aren’t real to me until I’m staring one in the face.” Rick Riordan
“I am one of those people who thrive on deadlines, nothing brings on inspiration more readily than desperation.” Harry Shearer
“Deadlines aren’t bad. They help you organize your time. They help you set priorities. They make you get going when you might not feel like it.” Harvey Mackay
Leave a Comment
Fun Fridays – March 20, 2026
It’s springtime somewhere. The rabbits are eating your garden. Today, let them make you laugh. Or at least read these to your kids or grandkids. At least they will appreciate the puns! Funny Punny Bunnies What do you get when you cross a rabbit with a leaf blower? A hare dryer! What kind of books do rabbits read? Ones with hoppy endings. Where do rabbits work? At IHOP restaurants! I bought a bunny because everyone needs a friend who is all ears. What do you call rabbits that live at the North Pole? Cold. What do you get when you pour hot …
Lose Your Shoes
Who doesn’t want to be a gifted writer? You know, the next Shakespeare. Or Hemingway. Or Hostetler. Stop laughing. Still, anyone who senses a call from God to write for Him hopes to get really good at it. And the path to the mountaintop, so to speak, will look different for every writer. But we might all do well to take a cue from one of the most reputedly prolific writers in history: Moses. Remember? He literally reached the mountaintop. And thereafter produced writings that are credited to him as “the books of Moses.” Maybe you’ve heard of them. But …
Six Things That Changed the Publishing World
Over the past thirty-plus years, several developments have changed the publishing industry forever. (The first two occurred in 1995.) Amazon.com Dan Balow wrote an excellent piece on this in 2015. It still is quite astounding when you think about it. In 30 years, this little online startup (founded in 1995) became the most dominant online retailer in the Western world. Bookselling will never be the same. Google.com While Google officially did not begin until 1998 (the year they incorporated), it was in 1995 when Larry Page and Sergey Brin started Google as a research project while Ph.D. students at Stanford …
Fun Fridays – March 13, 2026
Today’s video shows what it takes to get published in this competitive environment. Three tries. Now watch and see. (If you can’t see the video in your newsletter, please click through to view it on our website.) ShareTweet