Search Results for: proposals

Ask Me Anything

By Steve Laubeon July 17, 2017

With Summer in full mid-form and some planning the rest of their year’s writing efforts, I thought it might be a good chance for you to post below any question you might have about the publishing business.

Editing? Proposals? Why so many rejections? How does it all work? Will Amazon doom us all? Are bookstores dying? etc. I only ask that you keep within the topic of writing and publishing. I can’t solve your calculus homework. I won’t comment on political debate. And while I might like to weigh in on the Kenotic Theory regarding Jesus’ incarnation, it would not be a good fit for this blog.

Some may be answered below. Some may be saved for a longer blog post later this Summer. Be aware that some questions may not be able to be properly answered in a short post.

I recently did a “Ask Me Anything” session at a writers conference. It was scheduled for an hour. The fifty people who attended had a lot of questions and it lasted three hours (with me losing my voice by the end)!

Please let us help you on your journey.

You can also ask more than one question. There isn’t a limit.

Category: Agents, The Publishing LifeTag: publishing, questions, Writing Craft

Oh, What a Time I’ve Had

By Karen Ballon July 5, 2017

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There are so many things about being an agent that I love. Finding new writers whose work resonated with, and moved, me. Building relationships with my amazing clients. The joy of working with them on their projects. Playing “matchmaker” and finding just the right publisher for them. Seeing publishers treat these wonderful writers with such enthusiasm and respect. Working with Steve, Tamela, and …

Category: Agency, Editing, Encouragement, Inspiration, Karen, PersonalTag: Agency, Karen Ball, Personal

Is Your Glass Half Empty?

By Steve Laubeon June 12, 2017

Over the decades it has been interesting to listen to and read the various pundits regarding the publishing industry. Typically those who spell out doom and gloom get the attention (fortifying the idea that “if it bleeds, it leads”). At the same time there is the optimist position which is often derided for being unrealistic. After awhile I’ve learned to smile and simply get back …

Category: Christian, Encouragement, Faith, Inspiration, Personal, The Publishing Life, The Writing Life, TheologyTag: Encouragement, Faith, The Publishing Life

Test Marketing Books

By Dan Balowon May 23, 2017

In the traditional book-publishing world, insiders often refer to the initial release of a book from a new author as a marketing test…more R&D than launching and promoting a known product. The self-publishing process can function in a similar role of market testing for a first time author. You won’t know for certain how it will be received, but it is worth the effort to try. Most authors …

Category: Book Business, Indie, Marketing, Self-Publishing, The Publishing LifeTag: Indie, Marketing, Self-Publishing, The Publishing Life

The Endangered Author

By Dan Balowon May 9, 2017

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There are many kinds of creative writing, for personal enjoyment to the type for which you are paid. As an agent earning a living selling book proposals to traditional publishers, I evaluate everything based both on whether it fits the type of content I want to represent, but also if it is commercially viable for those publishers. Depending on where you are on the spectrum as an author, maybe …

Category: Book Business, Career

“Response” Books

By Dan Balowon April 11, 2017

When considering a topic for your next book, I suggest you avoid a response to another message in the media, especially in another book. Publishers and readers love books which are fresh, containing original thinking, and are well written, creative, with an identifiable purpose, a strong message and usually not springing from what someone else wrote. I am not talking about “connection” books, such …

Category: Genre, TrendsTag: Trends

Where Do You Find New Clients?

By Steve Laubeon April 3, 2017

“As an agent, what percentage of your new clients come from meetings at conferences vs. general email or postal proposals? Can you address the importance of conferences?” Thanks to Scott for the question. It is a good one. Another way to frame it is “Where do you find new clients? Blind submissions or conferences?” The answer, as always, is “It depends.” Meeting someone at a conference is a …

Category: Book Proposals, Christian Writers Institute, Conferences, ConventionsTag: Agency, book proposals, Christian Writers Institute, writers conferences

Frustrated by Rejection or No Response? Try This

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon March 30, 2017

Last week I wrote about authors who send agents submissions despite the fact those agents clearly state that they don’t represent those categories. When this happens, I sense one of three things from the author: exuberance, ignorance, or frustration. Exuberance An author who’s been successful for decades still can be exuberant about her work. That’s not what I mean here. In this case, the author …

Category: Book Proposals, Pitch, Pitching, PlatformTag: Agents, book proposals, Frustration, Pitching

The Ambitious Author

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon March 16, 2017

Recently my office received an unsolicited submission from an author unfamiliar to us. Of course, this is not unusual. But here is a list of what is unusual: The submission was openly cc’ed to 185 agents. The author sent writing samples for 28 books. The author said she wants to write across all genres. At least one entry offered graphic detail of a sexual encounter. The author stated her age as …

Category: Agents, Book ProposalsTag: book proposals, Queries

WHAT Were They Thinking??

By Karen Ballon March 8, 2017

You know, one of the things I’ve learned since becoming an agent is that people have an odd sense of what’s appropriate. Happily, quite a lot of what I receive is well prepared and enjoyable to read. But I’d have to say that anywhere from a fourth to even, on a bad week, a third, of what comes in falls squarely in the “I don’t THINK so” camp. So here, just to help you avoid such things, are some …

Category: Book Proposals, Humor, PitchingTag: book proposals, Pitching