• Skip to main content
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer

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

  • Home
  • About
    • Who We Are
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Interview with Steve Laube
    • Statement of Faith
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
  • Guidelines
  • Authors
    • Who We Represent
    • Awards and Recognition
  • Resources
    • Recommended Reading
    • Christian Writers Market Guide Online
    • Christian Writers Institute
    • Writers Conferences
    • Freelance Editorial Services
    • Copyright Resources
    • Research Tools
    • Selling What You Write
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Twitter
  • FaceBook
  • RSS Feed
  • Get Published
  • Book Proposals
  • Book Business
  • Writing Craft
    • Conferences
    • Copyright
    • Craft
    • Creativity
    • Grammar
  • Fun Fridays
Home » book proposals

book proposals

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

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon January 19, 2023
Share325
Tweet
48

(Updated 1/19/2023)

I’m thankful to the Lord that I’m 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.

As for approaching me with your work, let’s see if our passions match:

Christian Romantic Suspense and Suspense

Readers of Christian romantic suspense and suspense are a large and devoted fan base. I’m privileged to represent many significant authors in this space. I would like to see category novels and longer stories.

The suspense author creates a realistic situation involving immediate, life-threatening danger that doesn’t diminish until the perpetrator is apprehended. Authors must know proper law enforcement procedures, weapons, and how criminals think and operate. The plot needs to be logical. The motive must be strong enough to justify the crime. The reader is waiting to see the reason for the crime, so a weak motive will diminish the reader’s enjoyment of the novel. But a twisty conclusion will encourage readers to become lifelong fans!

Romantic suspense novelists should follow the above guidelines, but stories must feature a compelling and natural romance. The couple is in imminent danger. The romantic protagonists are appealing both inside and out, emphasizing personality and integrity over physical appearance.

Historical and Contemporary Christian Romance Novels

Christian romance readers love their authors and books. I’m honored to be an agent entrusted by many prominent authors to represent their work. I would like to see category romance novels, as well as longer novels.

This author creates a fresh take on traditional plots for uplifting, inspiring stories. The author is an expert in the chosen setting, attitudes, and mores of the time. For example, to ensure accuracy, authors of Amish fiction should have a close connection with the particular community they’re portraying in their novels.

When considering historical novels, choose an era you’re passionate about enough to spend numberless hours researching. Hone the discipline to include historical elements the reader needs to know and will enjoy while keeping nonessential factoids off the page.

As with all Christian romance novels, the star couple is attractive inside and out, emphasizing sincere charm, temperament, and integrity over physical attributes.

Other Christian Fiction

I seek a tale well told that deserves a place in CBA. While novels not within a genre may have fewer guidelines, traditional publishers seek a word-count range. For example, a standalone 30,000-word novella and a 250,000-word novel from an unproven author are each likely to secure rejections from traditional publishers. Unfortunately, I must decline many submissions because of length.

General Market Fiction

My list boasts successful authors writing for the general market. Some authors on my roster write for both the Christian and general market because I only represent clean reads. This author has studied the market and knows where and why the work will fit.

Nonfiction

The importance of platform here is magnified a thousandfold in comparison with fiction. I need to see an author already connecting with a sizable number of potential readers.

Nonfiction readers seek insight, help, knowledge, and encouragement. An author must show authority in the chosen topic when delivering a book to these readers.

Dynamic writing is essential, even when the topic is intense. I love books that beg me to read them even when the subject doesn’t apply to me. Now that’s a well-written and engaging book.

Read Before Writing

Writers eager to be published must know the competition, so read what’s already available, preferably published within the last couple of years. Take notes to keep from repeating the same settings or ideas in fiction. The nonfiction author should make sure an author with an international platform has yet to publish a similar book.

Visit publishers’ websites to discover their books. Some publishers offer submissions guidelines.

Hearing From Me

We aren’t perfect in our response speed. Please follow up if you don’t hear from us. Every submission we receive is reviewed. We attempt to respond to every offer. You can send proposals to ewilson@www.stevelaube.com. (Please visit the guidelines for specifics.)

I look forward to hearing from you!

 

Leave a Comment
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 18, 2023
Share60
Tweet
31

(Updated 1/18/2023) One of the great challenges for any agent is to figure out what publishers might be looking to publish. But it gets even more complicated when you consider they are looking for books to publish a year or more into the future. Add on the time it takes to write a book and get it ready to publish, and we are all in the guessing game of what people might want to read in 2024 and …

Read moreWhat I Am Looking For (Dan Balow)
Category: Agency, Book ProposalsTag: Agency, book proposals

Bring the Books (What Steve Laube Is Looking For)

By Steve Laubeon January 16, 2023
Share270
Tweet
52
Read moreBring the Books (What Steve Laube Is Looking For)
Category: Agency, Book Proposals, Creativity, TrendsTag: Agency, book proposals

4 Questions a Fiction Proposal Must Answer

By Steve Laubeon August 1, 2022
Share33
Tweet
14

Last week we dealt with five questions a nonfiction proposal must answer. As promised, we now turn to those who are putting together a novel proposal. If you compare these two posts, you’ll see why a one-size-fits-all proposal template isn’t always helpful. There are differences between the two types of proposals. Please try not to shoehorn a novel proposal into a nonfiction presentation. What Is …

Read more4 Questions a Fiction Proposal Must Answer
Category: Book Proposals, Get PublishedTag: book proposals, fiction, Get Published

5 Questions a NonFiction Proposal Must Answer

By Steve Laubeon July 25, 2022
Share11
Tweet
7

All novelists will have to wait until next week’s blog which will address fiction proposals. Today’s topic is nonfiction. What is the Big Idea? Trying to find something unique and never before addressed in book form is nearly impossible. But each proposal needs to be clear what the book is about. You’d be amazed how many proposals I’ve seen where they try to hide the “pay-off.” If the book is …

Read more5 Questions a NonFiction Proposal Must Answer
Category: Book Proposals, Get PublishedTag: book proposals, Get Published, Non-Fiction

Hints for a Great Cover Letter

By Steve Laubeon June 13, 2022
Share95
Tweet
87

Here are a few suggestions for you to consider when approaching an agent. Remember to use these as hints…do not follow them slavishly as if a literary agent is going to spend their time critiquing your cover letter.

By the way, we make a distinction between a cover letter and a query letter. A cover letter is what goes on top of a longer proposal and sample chapters. The query letter is a …

Read moreHints for a Great Cover Letter
Category: Book Proposals, Get Published, Publishing A-Z, Writing CraftTag: book proposals, Cover Letter, Pitching

Two Mistakes Made in Some Book Proposals

By Steve Laubeon May 2, 2022
Share37
Tweet
12

by Steve Laube

Putting together a great book proposal takes a lot of work. I suggest writers look at them as if they were a job application, and they are. You are trying to get someone to pay you to write your book via a stellar "job application" or book proposal.

But every once in a while we get something that is not going to work, for obvious reason. Here are two mistakes:

1. Divine …

Read moreTwo Mistakes Made in Some Book Proposals
Category: Book Proposals, Get Published, PlatformTag: book proposals, Get Published, Platform

When Your Proposal Doesn’t Sell

By Steve Laubeon May 10, 2021
Share26
Tweet
11

by Steve Laube

It happens. Despite all efforts and good intentions not every proposal we shop will end up being contracted by a major publisher. Of course our agency tries our best to keep that from happening. We carefully choose which projects and authors we represent. And our success rate is extremely high.

But that success rate is not 100%.

Here are a few examples of projects that …

Read moreWhen Your Proposal Doesn’t Sell
Category: Agency, Book Business, Book Proposals, Get Published, Self-Publishing, The Writing LifeTag: book proposals, Get Published

What Is the Best Way to Submit My Self-Published Book?

By Steve Laubeon May 18, 2020
Share72
Tweet
15

Since it has become so easy to self-publish, many authors are creating their own books, both in ebook and print form. Later those authors are not quite sure what to do if/when they want to approach an agent. Or pitch to an editor at a conference. Should they just send a copy of the book with a letter? Or should they create a proposal? Or do both? Is there truly a right way and a wrong way? And if …

Read moreWhat Is the Best Way to Submit My Self-Published Book?
Category: Book Proposals, Indie, Self-PublishingTag: book proposals, Get Published, Self-Publishing

Is It Okay for Me to Resubmit?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon June 28, 2018
Share27
Tweet
29

When approaching agents and editors, sometimes even veteran authors are unsure if there is some unwritten rule they may unwittingly violate. I assure you, all of us in the industry appreciate your thoughtfulness. But we don’t want fear to cause you to miss an opportunity! Over the past few conferences, one statement I heard often is: “I was already turned down by someone else at your agency. I …

Read moreIs It Okay for Me to Resubmit?
Category: Book Proposals, Pitch, PitchingTag: Agents, book proposals, pitch
  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to page 3
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 11
  • Next

Sidebar

Get Blog Updates

Enter your email address to get new blog updates delivered via email. You can unsubscribe at any time.

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Grow as a Writer


Find Out More →

Popular Posts

Top Posts on Book Proposals
  • Hints for a Great Cover Letter
  • The Keys to a Great Book Proposal
  • What Steve Laube is Looking For
  • Book Proposals I’d Love to See – Tamela Hancock Murray
  • What I’m Looking for – Bob Hostetler
  • What I’m Looking for – Dan Balow
  • What’s the Best Way to Submit My Self-Published Book?
  • What Is the Agent Doing While I Wait?
  • God Gave Me This Blog Post
Top Posts on The Business Side
  • When Your Book Becomes Personal
  • The Myth of the Unearned Advance
  • How Long Does it Take to Get Published?
  • What Are Average Book Sales?
  • Can You Plagiarize Yourself?
  • Never Burn a Bridge
  • Who Decides to Publish Your Book?
  • That Conference Appointment
  • Goodbye to Traditional Publishing?
  • Who Owns Whom in Publishing?
  • Ten Commandments for Working with Your Agent
  • Writers Beware! Protect Yourself
Top Series
  • Book Proposal Basics
  • Publishing A-Z
  • A Defense of Traditional Publishing
Top Posts on Rejection
  • The Slush Pile: Enter at Your Own Risk
  • Even the Best Get Rejected
  • Five Reasons Why You May Never Get Published
  • The Unhelpful Rejection Letter
  • Writers Learn to Wait

Blog Post Archives by Month

  • Home
  • About
    • Who We Are
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Interview with Steve Laube
    • Statement of Faith
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
  • Guidelines
  • Authors
    • Who We Represent
    • Awards and Recognition
  • Resources
    • Recommended Reading
    • Christian Writers Market Guide Online
    • Christian Writers Institute
    • Writers Conferences
    • Freelance Editorial Services
    • Copyright Resources
    • Research Tools
    • Selling What You Write
  • Blog
  • Contact

Copyright © 2023 · The Steve Laube Agency · All Rights Reserved · Website by Stormhill Media