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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 » Book Review

Book Review

Criticism Is an Unhappy Part of the Business

By Steve Laubeon April 22, 2019
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Let me tell you about a rather interesting day. I spent an entire morning going through my unsolicited proposals in-box. I marked them all for my assistant to send fairly standard email rejection letters, since none were anything our agency could/would handle.

Very soon I received three separate responses via email:

(1) Criticized me for sending an impersonal note, saying they spent considerable time with the proposal and the least I could do was give a corresponding critique. Never mind that the writer failed to follow the guidelines on the site he claimed to have read.

(2) Wrote me to say, “I consider it a disgrace that any American would ignore this story, particularly a man with access to our Christian media outlets who calls himself my ‘brother in the Lord.’ You must not be a prayer warrior, Mr. Laube, because if you were, He’d have guided you as He has me in this decision. Therefore, I wouldn’t want you handling this book.”

(3) Wrote a one word, very personal, extremely vulgar adjective in reply to my rejection letter.

All in one afternoon. So you see, even the agent side of the business receives its share of criticism that is ill-founded, ignorant, and inappropriate.

Next time a critic gives you a negative book review or an editor sends you a sixteen-page, single-spaced, scourging of your manuscript. remember that everyone is entitled to their opinion. Your response will determine much about your success as a writer. One of our clients claims that the one thing a writer needs to develop, in order to survive this profession, is a thick skin.

How do you respond to critics?

 

[A previous version of this post ran in early March 2011.]

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Category: Agency, Get Published, RejectionTag: Book Review, Criticism, crtics, Editors, Rejection, Writing Craft

Six Books I’ve Already Recommended

By Bob Hostetleron August 16, 2017
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I have been a literary agent for a whole month now. I’m still waiting for my anniversary letter and gift from the Steve Laube Agency. I’m sure it’s on the way. I would say it has been a whirlwind so far, but that would be a cliché. And clichés are old hat. But I already feel blessed by the interactions I’ve had with clients, potential clients, editors, fellow agents, and others. And what is more …

Read moreSix Books I’ve Already Recommended
Category: Book Review, Craft, Writing CraftTag: Book Review, Craft, Writing Craft

How to Write Better Novels

By Steve Laubeon June 26, 2017
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The Christian Writers Institute is excited to announce a new book by Kathy Tyers called, Writing Deep Viewpoint: Invite Your Readers Into Your Story. (releasing July 14th.) It is one of few fiction craft books to explore the topic of writing the deep point-of-view. Here is what bestselling author Davis Bunn has to say about it: There is no single component of the writing craft as vital to good …

Read moreHow to Write Better Novels
Category: Book Review, Craft, Writing CraftTag: Book Review, Deep POV, Writing Craft

A Ghostwriting Masterpiece

By Steve Laubeon March 6, 2017
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The Christian Writers Institute has just released a marvelous book by Cec Murphey, Ghostwriting: the Murphey Method. It is a wonderful look behind the scenes in how so many bestselling books are created. Cec is the writer who helped craft many bestselling books including Gifted Hands by Ben Carson and 90 Minutes in Heaven by Don Piper. In the book he turns back the curtain and through dozens of …

Read moreA Ghostwriting Masterpiece
Category: Book Business, Book Review, Christian Writers Institute, Contracts, Reading, The Writing LifeTag: Book Review, Ghostwriting, Reading

My Most Frequently Used Reference Book

By Steve Laubeon April 28, 2014
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by Steve Laube After pulling down this book from my shelf twice this past week I realized there is no other reference book I use more frequently. The book? The Synonym Finder by J.I. Rodale. I prefer it over Roget’s Thesaurus because it is laid out logically – in alphabetical order. There are multiple occasions where I need an alternative word to the one I’m trying to use. So I …

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Category: Book Review, Craft, Creativity, Personal, Reading, Steve, Writing CraftTag: Book Review, Craft, Creativity

Stories in Hiding Places

By Dan Balowon April 15, 2014
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Since I blog on Tuesdays and the next April 15 to fall on a Tuesday is not for another eleven years, I felt like I couldn’t pass up this opportunity. Corrie ten Boom was born on this date in 1892 and died on this date in 1983.  If Evangelicals were in the habit of naming saints, she would be among them. For those unaware of this great Christian woman, she and her family helped many Jews escape the …

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Category: Book Review, Christian, Dan, Faith, Personal, Writing CraftTag: Book Review, Faith, publishing, Reading

Why Did I Keep Reading?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon January 30, 2014
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As I believe I've mentioned on this blog, along with Christian books, I try to keep abreast of general market books. But I admit, I don't always finish reading the books I begin reading. So what makes me stick with a book from cover to cover? Here's just one example for nonfiction:

Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life of Huguette Clark and the Spending of a Great American Fortune  by Bill Dedman …

Read moreWhy Did I Keep Reading?
Category: Book Review, Craft, Creativity, Reading, Tamela, Writing CraftTag: Book Review, Reading

A New Book by C.S. Lewis!

By Steve Laubeon December 2, 2013
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by Steve Laube

If you want the perfect gift for the bibliophile in your life consider this new book from C. S. Lewis called Image and Imagination (under $20 in paperback). To quote the description from the Cambridge University Press site:
This selection from the writings of C. S. Lewis gathers together forty book reviews, never before reprinted, as well as four major essays which have been …

Read moreA New Book by C.S. Lewis!
Category: Book Review, Reading, SteveTag: Book Review, C.S. Lewis, Reading

What Did You Read This Summer?

By Steve Laubeon August 26, 2013
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by Steve Laube

In 1957 H.L. Mencken coined a new word to describe a group of people which he called the bibliobibuli, which means "People who read too much." (From the Greek "biblio", meaning books, and the Latin "bibulous", from "bibere", to drink.)

But how much is too much? And who decides that? I happen to believe that there is always room for more. I was once asked what I did for a …

Read moreWhat Did You Read This Summer?
Category: Book Review, Reading, SteveTag: Book Review, Reading

Back to School for You

By Steve Laubeon August 19, 2013
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by Steve Laube

I'm of the generation that remembers the day after Labor Day being the first day of school. But no more. All through August kids of all ages have been headed back to the classroom. When our daughters were in Marching Band they had rehearsals on the field twice a day, starting two weeks before school began...which put their practices into the month of July...in …

Read moreBack to School for You
Category: Book Business, Book Review, Career, Craft, Get Published, Marketing, Reading, SteveTag: Book Review, Reading, School
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