Literary agents: what are they? What do they do? Do you even need one? And how do you get one? 

Joining us today to talk about this is a thirty-year veteran of Christian publishing. He has been a writer, magazine editor, freelance book editor, and author of fifty books, both fiction and non-fiction.  He is also a literary agent with the Steve Laube Agency and an interesting fellow.  

Bob Hostetler, welcome to the Christian Publishing Show!

Questions:

  • Pretend I’m 10 years old. Now, what is a literary agent?
  • Are literary agents important? Aren’t agents just leeches taking away 15% of an author’s money?
  • How does an author get an agent?
  • Why is getting an agent so hard for Christian authors?
  • When does an author need an agent? Or, put another way, when should an author start pursuing an agent?
  • Any final tips or encouragement?
  • What do you look for in a potential author?
  • What happens to authors who don’t have an agent?

Webinar: Literary Agent Q&A with Bob Hostetler 

Webinar Details:

  • Cost: Free
  • When: Wednesday at 4 pm Central Time (Convert Timezone)
  • Where: Register Here
  • Why: Learn how podcasts work and easy ways to start using them to write better books and build a bigger platform. 

Can’t make it? You can register for the replay.  

Sponsor: Christian Writers Institute’s Literary Agent Bundle

Normally we feature an individual course, but today we are featuring a course bundle. 

Mistakes New Writers Make by Kathy Ide

Explore the biggest mistakes writers make and how you can avoid them. A four-part video course.

The Ten Enemies of Good Writing by Rene Gutteridge

The better your writing, the easier it is to find an agent. 

The 10 Ks of a Good Book or How You Can Make 10k on Your Next One! by Steve Laube

Steve talks about what makes for a good book. This talk is also a special glimpse into the mind of an agent. Find out what they are really looking for. 

Do I Need an Agent? by Steve Laube

Find out what an agent does and why you need one for your career. Not all authors need agents.

The Publishing Process by Len Goss

Learn the process of turning a manuscript into a book.

The Elements of an Effective Book Proposal by Steve Laube

Create a book proposal that gets noticed! A complete audio presentation. Plus BONUS materials including book proposal templates and examples. 

How to Sell Everything You Write by Bob Hostetler

Learn Bob’s special approach that ensures he sells everything he writes.

Redeeming Rejection by Steve Laube

Perhaps the most powerful talk in this whole course. How you handle rejections defines your character as an author.

The Power Book Proposal by David Horton

Engage an editor with a powerful book proposal for both nonfiction and fiction. 

How to Use The Christian Writers Market Guide by Bob Hostetler

This is a key tool for finding an agent. Learn how to use it from the man himself. 

This bundle is an entire writers conference worth of lectures. But unlike a writers conference, it doesn’t cost $500. It is normally $85, but for the month of October, you can get it for 70% off! That brings down the price to $25.50. Use coupon code “oct2019” at checkout or click the link in the show notes.

If you are listening to this after October has passed, you can still use the coupon code “podcast” to save 10% or click the link in the show notes to activate the coupon code automatically.