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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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Home » Agency » Page 4

Agency

2014 – A Year in Review

By Steve Laubeon January 5, 2015
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Another year has passed. Another year full of thrills, chills, and bills. Like in past years (2013, 2012, 2011, 2009) I’d like to take a look at what has transpired and put things in perspective.

The Agency

Another stellar year for our agency. We finished with nearly 100 new contracts which include over 150 future books. It is exciting to note that eleven of those contracts were for debut authors!

In mid-year we redesigned this web site to be more multi-screen friendly so you can read it on any device. It was a major overhaul of the site and we hope you have enjoyed the changes. Thank you for being a faithful reader!

It was exciting to have clients win various awards: The RITA award to Carla Laureano. Another Christy Award to Susan May Warren. Patrick Carr won his first Carol award. He also won the Clive Staples Lewis Award for best speculative fiction. Jennifer Sienes won the Genesis Award. Renee Andrews won the Reader’s Choice Award from RT Book Reviews. Both Ronie Kendig and Margaret Daley won a Lime Award in their respective categories from The Christian Manifesto.

A number of clients made a repeat appearance on the bestseller lists (Cindy Woodsmall, Lynette Eason, Susan May Warren, Kim Vogel Sawyer, and Ronie Kendig). Others made their first appearance (Sarah Ladd, Pam Hillman, and Chuck Black). In addition, Margaret Daley and Pamela Tracy were part of a group of authors who combined forces to create an indie novella collection that hit the USA Today bestseller list!

I have been so pleased with the work of Tamela Hancock Murray, Karen Ball, and Dan Balow throughout the year. We have found a camaraderie and a unity in our approach to this business. I am truly blessed to have such a strong and veteran team on board. With over 200 authors under our collective care it is a privilege to be a partner in the business of changing the world word by word.

The Industry

2014 was another year of change. If nothing new happens in 2015 we will know something odd is going on. That is because change is Normal! We see favorite editors lose their jobs only to see them resurface at another publisher. We see more publishers drop a fiction line and yet we still sell a lot of fiction projects. We have detailed all these major changes throughout the year on this blog. Each squeeze makes the job that much harder but we are confident that in the end it will make us all better.

This year saw a surge in authors either going 100% Indie or doing the Hybrid method of mixing traditional with Indie efforts. Many discovered it is hard to find that pot of gold with either method simply because there is a plethora of books available online either in ebook or in print. Others have found a comfortable place using either method and are making sure the industry knows how much work it takes to be successful. The word “discoverability” went from a fresh new term to a cliche. But it still describes the challenge all authors and publishers face with both their new books and their backlist.

Enclave Publishing

January 1, 2014 I bought Marcher Lord Press from Jeff Gerke. I have long been an advocate of Science Fiction & Fantasy written by authors with a Christian worldview. This opportunity was a chance to get my hands messy and continue to build on what Jeff had begun. I began the lengthy process of rebuilding its infrastructure and rebranding the company into Enclave Publishing with a new website, new accounting systems, new marketing director, a new assistant, and acquiring a bunch of new authors.

We released five new books in October and plan for twelve more in 2015. It is a fun challenge in many ways and has provided tremendous insight into the production, marketing, and sales process that every traditional publisher faces.

I have worked diligently to keep the Agency and the Publishing ventures separate so that neither feels any lack of attention.

The Future

Where will it all go in 2015? To risk a cliche, “everything will remain the same, but will be different at the same time.” Great stories and Great ideas will be sought after projects. Readers still want impact books…that has not changed and will never change. What has changed, to a certain extent, is who produces the great books. Traditional publishing still carries that banner, but the Independent authors have begun to take their turn.

I, for one, am looking forward to an exciting year.

Let’s make great books together.

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Category: AgencyTag: 2014, Agency

The Joy of a Client Christmas Card List

By Steve Laubeon December 15, 2014
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It’s that time of year where notes, cards, and gifts are exchanged. A family and friends list of names is one thing (my wife wonderfully handles those), but it is that list of clients where I spend a lot of time. Yes it is considerable work but quite satisfying. Recite the Story When going through the client list it is fun to stop and think about each author before writing their card. Every author …

Read moreThe Joy of a Client Christmas Card List
Category: AgencyTag: Agency, Christmas, Clients

Happy 10th Anniversary!

By Steve Laubeon May 26, 2014
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by Steve Laube It is hard to believe that this weekend marks ten years since I made the decision to open The Steve Laube Agency in 2004. I can honestly say it has been a blessing to have the opportunity to serve the industry and our authors in this capacity. It is stunning to realize we have secured contracts for over 1,000 books. And the books that have been published have sold over 13,000,000 …

Read moreHappy 10th Anniversary!
Category: Agency, Personal, SteveTag: Agency, Anniversary

It was a Quiet Week

By Steve Laubeon May 19, 2014
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by Steve Laube It was an quiet week in the agenting business. Periodically I like to peel back the curtain on what we do as literary agents because for many it remains a mystery or as a job that is unnecessary. I love my job. I am so very blessed to be able to do something I love and help so many people while doing it. Without further ado, here are a number of things that crossed my path this …

Read moreIt was a Quiet Week
Category: Agency, Agents, Get PublishedTag: Agency, Agents, Get Published

Laube Agency Signs Saul of Tarsus

By Dan Balowon April 1, 2014
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(Phoenix, Arizona) Steve Laube, founder of the Steve Laube Agency announced today that the agency has signed Saul of Tarsus to write in various Christian book categories starting with his debut release in Fall 2014.  Saul will be writing under the pen name of Paul, a name with special meaning to the author, given him after a dramatic personal experience several years ago while on an international …

Read moreLaube Agency Signs Saul of Tarsus
Category: Agency, Dan, HumorTag: Agency, Humor

An Atypical Time in an Agent’s Life

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon March 6, 2014
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I have enjoyed reading various “typical day” posts lately on other blogs, so I thought instead of sharing a typical day, I’d share an atypical month: Sad News for Us My father-in-law, a Baptist minister, passed away at age 89 after two strokes. While our family is sad to lose him, his funeral was a celebration of his life.  Snow, Snow Everywhere! I realize snowfall in Virginia is …

Read moreAn Atypical Time in an Agent’s Life
Category: Agency, Personal, TamelaTag: Agency, Agents

So Long, 2013…HELLO, 2014!

By Karen Ballon January 8, 2014
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2013 was an amazing year full of ups and downs, gain and loss, joy and sadness. I lost 3 dear friends, one of whom was in his 30s, one of whom was just a few years younger than I, and one of whom I’ve known since I was 2 years old. We in the industry lost so many--some, like wonderful agent and friend Lee Hough and the amazing Diann Hunt--far sooner than any of us wished. The joy? They all were …

Read moreSo Long, 2013…HELLO, 2014!
Category: Agency, Karen, PersonalTag: Agency, Personal

A Year in Review

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon January 2, 2014
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This year has been one of success and career growth for me. I am humbled and grateful to work with outstanding writers and the best editors in the business.

Challenges

As with every year, the needs and expectations of publishing houses continue to change and grow. Publishers are maintaining and even exceeding past quality to offer readers the best Christian books possible. This means that …

Read moreA Year in Review
Category: Agency, Personal, TamelaTag: Agency, Personal

2013 – A Year in Review

By Steve Laubeon December 30, 2013
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by Steve Laube What a year it has been. I’m tempted to write that sentence and leave the rest of this page blank. It would be easier than to remember and recite all that has come to pass. But it is a healthy exercise nonetheless.

Agency Business

The biggest news of all was adding another agent to our group. This past Summer we welcomed Dan Balow to our ranks. He is a fabulous addition and …

Read more2013 – A Year in Review
Category: Agency, Personal, SteveTag: Agency

What Am I Looking For?

By Dan Balowon July 23, 2013
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I started in Christian publishing in 1983 working in the telemarketing department for David C. Cook Publishers when they were located in Elgin, Illinois.   As a young guy working for a company that had been around for over 100 years, I was in awe.

Starting to work for Steve Laube and with professionals like Karen Ball and Tamela Hancock Murray, I am stunned once again.  We combine for over 100 …

Read moreWhat Am I Looking For?
Category: Agency, Book Business, Book Proposals, Craft, Creativity, Dan, Writing CraftTag: Agency, book proposals
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