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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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Agency

Who and What I’m Looking for in 2022 (Bob Hostetler)

By Bob Hostetleron January 26, 2022
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(Updated 1/26/2022)

As the hippie chanteuse sang, “The seasons, they go ‘round and ‘round.” Boy howdy. It’s hard to believe that it’s 2022. I’m still writing 1977 on all my checks.

In a few months, I will have been an agent with The Steve Laube Agency for five years. And I’m still learning something new every day—such as which jokes annoy the boss more than which other jokes. But it’s not all about annoying the boss; some of it is valuable insights and strategies for Christian publishing in 2022. So, with that in mind, let me offer this updated answer to the frequent question I field from aspiring, developing, accomplished, and skilled writers: “What are you looking for as a literary agent?”

Influence

Aspiring writers often imagine, “Once I have a book published, people will listen to me.” That’s exactly backwards. Like every publisher and editor I know, I’m looking for people who are already having an impact. They’re writing blog posts that a lot of people read, share, and subscribe to. They’re connecting and engaging with large numbers of people on social media. They’re speaking at events large and small, far and wide. They are not waiting for readers, listeners, and followers to come to them; they are already engaging with people about their genre and topic.

Inspiration

My primary expertise as a writer and speaker has been the Christian market. So, as an agent, I focus my efforts in representing books—both fiction and nonfiction—for the Christian market (though if a proposal has crossover appeal, the resources are available to me to take it to the general market). In particular, I will be interested in:

Fiction: women’s contemporary, historical, timeslip, romance, suspense, thriller.

Nonfiction: Christian living, women’s nonfiction, gift books, devotionals, humor, marriage and family, parenting, prayer, spiritual growth, teens/young adult.

As a rule, I will not be looking at:

Fiction: fantasy, horror, science fiction, middle grade, young adult (YA).

Nonfiction: academic, autobiography/biography, Bible studies, cookbooks, doctrinal issues, memoir, pastoral helps, poetry, sermons, theology.

Investment

I’m not interested in “one-and-done” authors. If you have only one book in you, then I wish you well. But I’m not the right person to help you get it published. I’m looking for writers who have already begun investing in the lifelong task of writing what matters and finding fresh and innovative ways to convey an idea and reach an audience. I’m looking for writers who are teachable, who study their craft, and are willing to accept criticism and correction. I’m looking for writers who love words, phrases, and sentences. I’m looking for writers who are reading widely in their genre (at least), who invite thorough critique, and who will never use the awareness and appreciation of their strengths as an excuse not to work on their weaknesses. I’m looking for writers who are attending writers conferences to educate themselves, network with others, and get better and better at proposals and pitches.

Originality

You thought I was going to insert another “I” word here, right? Tough. Because I’m not looking for predictability. I’m not looking for the next C. S. Lewis, Max Lucado, Priscilla Shirer, or Francine Rivers. They’re all wonderful writers, but I’m looking for ideas and writing so fresh it could never be confused with another writer. I want to see book proposals that surprise me and delight me. I want to represent writers who can flat write. Who can transport me. And who will do it again and again.

_____

Please see the “Guidelines” link above and follow that information meticulously before submitting a proposal to Bob Hostetler.

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Category: Agency, Agents, Book ProposalsTag: Agency, Agents, Get Published

Bring the Books (What Steve Laube Is Looking For)

By Steve Laubeon January 24, 2022
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“Bring the books, especially the parchments,” is a sentence in 2 Timothy 4:13 that has teased readers for 2,000 years. What books did the Apostle Paul want to read while waiting for trial? Theology? History? How-to? (Maybe a little escape reading? Pun intended.)

Another writer chimed in a while ago by saying “Of making many books there is no end.” (Ecclesiastes 12:12) And if we read the …

Read moreBring the Books (What Steve Laube Is Looking For)
Category: Agency, Book Proposals, Creativity, TrendsTag: Agency, book proposals

Book Proposals I’d Love to See (What Tamela Hancock Murray Is Looking For)

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon January 20, 2022
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(Updated 1/20/2022) Every morning, I wake up thankful to the Lord to be a literary agent working for Him in Christian publishing. I’m grateful to the readers of this blog for being part of our writing community. I always tell writers that I want you not to be with just any agent, but with the right agent for yourself. As for approaching me with your work, we can start with whether or not you are …

Read moreBook Proposals I’d Love to See (What Tamela Hancock Murray Is Looking For)
Category: Agency, Book Business, Book Proposals, Career, Craft, Creativity, Romance, Trends, Writing CraftTag: Agency, book proposals

What I Am Looking For (Dan Balow)

By Dan Balowon January 19, 2022
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(Updated 1/19/2022) I know it is frustrating for aspiring authors to “decode” the processes involved when working to get published. It seems everything is organized to keep people out, rather than find new writers. On top of this, the publishing world is highly subjective, where no one can speak with absolute certainty about much of anything. How do I know if something is good? I don’t know, but I …

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Category: Agency, Book ProposalsTag: Agency, book proposals

Welcome Back, Dan Balow!

By Steve Laubeon January 18, 2021
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by Steve Laube

I am very excited to announce that Dan Balow has joined our agency as the Director of Publishing Development and Literary Agent. This gives us four members of our team, me, Tamela Hancock Murray, Karen Ball, and Dan.

I’ve been looking for ways to increase the services our agency provides to current and potential clients. I have known Dan for 15 years and by adding him to our …

Read moreWelcome Back, Dan Balow!
Category: Agency, Book BusinessTag: Agency, Dan Balow

Choosing the Best Agent

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon August 2, 2018
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Selecting the best agent is pivotal to the career of any author seeking a traditional publisher. A few traditional publishers accept unsolicited (read: unagented) proposals, but as submissions increase thanks to efficient technology and the growing number of aspiring authors, those publishers are becoming fewer. Most traditional publishers prefer agented submissions. In fact, at many conferences, …

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Category: Agency, AgentsTag: Agency, Agents

Three Things I’ve Learned as an Agent

By Bob Hostetleron January 10, 2018
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Just over six months ago, I became a literary agent with the Steve Laube Agency. Hoo boy. It has been some ride.  Lots o’ fun, lots o’ work, and lots o’ learning. So I thought I’d take a few minutes (it’s all I have before the boss calls and starts yelling at me again) to reflect on what I’ve learned in that short period of time. It’s not an easy task, considering I already knew pretty much …

Read moreThree Things I’ve Learned as an Agent
Category: Agency, Agents, Book Business, Indie, Self-Publishing, The Publishing Life, The Writing LifeTag: Agency, Agents

A Year in Review – A Look at 2017

By Steve Laubeon January 8, 2018
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I find it a healthy exercise to review the past as it can be encouraging to note progress and look at the foundation for the future. The Industry Our industry continues to create tremendous books but few new ones “break out.” It is hard to gain the attention of readers and buyers in our media-saturated society. And yet books continue to sell! It was almost a foregone conclusion, so in February …

Read moreA Year in Review – A Look at 2017
Category: Agency, News You Can Use, Personal, The Publishing Life, The Writing Life, TrendsTag: Agency, News, Trends

The Gift of Readers

By Steve Laubeon December 18, 2017
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I thought it apropos to talk about gifts during this Christmas season. There is one gift in particular that has been given to us year round. You. As a reader of this blog you give us the gift of your time, energy, and attention. According to Google Analytics there have been over 70,000 users who have visited our site more than once this year. I had no idea. If only one percent of those returnees …

Read moreThe Gift of Readers
Category: Agency, PersonalTag: Agency, Christmas, Gift, readers

The Steve Laube Agency Acquires the Leslie H. Stobbe Literary Agency

By Steve Laubeon December 4, 2017
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(Phoenix, AZ) Steve Laube, president of The Steve Laube Agency, has announced the acquisition of the Leslie H. Stobbe Literary Agency. Les Stobbe has been a part of the Christian publishing industry for 62 years, starting as an editor and book buyer, then publisher, book coach, ghostwriter, and the last 25 as a literary agent. Les has been awarded five Lifetime Achievement Awards by writers’ …

Read moreThe Steve Laube Agency Acquires the Leslie H. Stobbe Literary Agency
Category: Agency, Publishing News, The Publishing LifeTag: Agency, Publishing News
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