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Book Marketing and Publishing Tips for Authors–

eZine Issue #17
May 02, 2018
Publisher: Judith Briles


Practical Publishing Advice and Guidance for Authors

In This Issue

1.    May 12th Workshop: Create a snappy sizzle reel
2.   Why books are HOT year round gifts
3.   Hot podcasts for the month coming …
4.   Webinars slated for May and June …
5.   Question of the Week …
        6.  Book Shepherd "Fun" of the Week …


This Week Under The Book Shepherd’s Roof:

Hello and Good Day to all of you. It was a true "in the garden" time for me this past weekend. After hauling in and spreading around 50 cubic feet of mulch (that’s 25 of those big bags); planting 6 new trees; adding to the perennial mix (with a few more to come); and the annual. Veggies go in soon.

Book Publishing isn’t for Sissies; either is Book Marketing. If you need one-on-one-time with me, I’m always open for a few minutes to give you some quick input. But, and it’s a BIG BUT, many call and expect far more than a few minutes. This is called a "consult" and I would be delighted to schedule time with you for "just you and your many questions" that need answers.

You can book time with me it at:

https://thebookshepherd.com/pick-judiths-brain

Author Friendly Friday this week … 9 Eastern time and again at 2 pm ET. It’s a full hour when you can ask questions—any question. Starting now, it’s for paid subscribers ONLY. Here’s the link to take advantage of it and subscribe: https://thebookshepherd.com/product/author-friendly-fridays-subscription

Judith Briles Book Publishing Unplugged … only 6 Seats are left—w0ill one of them be yours? The early bird pricing special ended on Monday with 7 weeks to go before my 3-day event begins. Looking forward to working with awesome authors from IL, MI, TX, AZ, OH, FL and of course, CO.

Cinco de Mayo is the next AuthorYOU Circles gathering and slated for this Saturday AM in my home. Hmmm, maybe a little guacamole and taquitos will show up as one of the snacks to share? See those of you in Colorado on the 5th. Register at www.Meetup.com/AuthorYOU

Sizzling Video BookCamp … Get ready to roll up your sleeves and walk away with a video to post on your website AND everywhere. Hold the afternoon of Saturday, May 12th. Details below.

And, what, there’s more. We have all new webinars set up through June. Details below.

AND … How’s your week going?

 
1 Create a Snappy Sizzle Reel
Sizzle Reel Mini Book Camp @ CADA
May 12 @ 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm


At the all-day AuthorYOU Book Camp in April, master of videos and TV commercials Susie Scott showed how to create sizzling videos–from the DIY versions to professionally created was HOT! So hot, that we are going to do an intense mini-Book Camp version with Susie and Kelly Johnson at a special May event.

Get your "chores" done in the AM and join us for a sizzling afternoon on Saturday, May 12th. We are maxing this workshop, so signup early.

   · Create a sizzle reel for your BOOK.

  · Create a sizzle reel for YOU as an AUTHOR.

   · Create a sizzle reel for you as a SPEAKER.

· Create a sizzle reel for pitching ANY PRODUCT you have.

Get ready for a fun, fun session that creates a huge takeaway that you will add to your website and use to market with at the end of the session. How HOT is that? Smok’n!

Your must-brings if you are participating:

1. Your laptop … you will create a video during the session.

2. A folder on your laptop loaded with pictures and images that you can "pull" from to insert into your video.

3. A folder/file with phrases, sayings, short promo says that can be used in the video.

Your cost to enhance your website, your social media and your marketing for:

Sizzle Time – You Are On the Air! Create Your Video
– ONLY $45

Early Bird ends on May 5th – space is limited...

Register here: http://bit.ly/SizzleReelMiniBookCamp

2
Why Books Are HOT Year Round Gifts

Of many of my favorite things, books top the list. If you are stymied of what to give to a favorite aunt, a good friend, something that says, "I’m thinking of you … and put some thought into it." It there is one item where there is "something for everyone one"—it’s a book.
The same book isn’t for everyone … but there is a book that is. Throughout the year, there are special days. Coming up in May brings Mother’s Day (hello to your favorite Mom or Heart Mom);  Memorial Day (who’s been in the military that you would like to make a gift to … or a family member in memory); June deliver’s Father’s Day (sports and adventure reading are tops on the list); summer rolls around and there are oodles of "beach" and "vacation" reading opportunities; fall rears its head with bookloads of selling and celebrating oodles of book selling possibilites as the Holidays come into play.

Heck, why not make your own Holiday—name it; claim it; and market it to it. Have some fun—do a month-long promo.

Sometimes, I find a book that I know is "perfect" for several of my girlfriends—I buy 10 of them … knowing that it’s what I bring when Holiday hellos and drop-ins are the norms. When my book Snappy, Sassy, Salty: Wise Words for Authors and Writers was first published, my writer friends got it—just wrapped the new baby with a ribbon and gave to their writer and author friends. One time I bought 20 copies of a cookbook when I attended the author’s signing—all my couple foodie friends that we gather quarterly and cook with got it with a note—"At our next gathering that John and I host, each of you are to select a recipe and that will be part of our menu" … and what a delicious and salivating evening it became at our cook together time.


If that doesn’t start you off with a few ideas, here are a few more as to why BOOKS as gifts—and not necessarily yours—should be at the top of your list.

1.   Wrapping is the bestjust get a sheer ribbon that picks up the color of the Holiday, your personal favorite color, or the season of the year. My personal choice is to select a complementary color that is on the book cover—it’s up a nice pop. Rarely an odd size, they fit easily into a bag if that’s your choice and for shipping, a piece of cake.


2.   Books don’t break the bank accountprices can range from a few dollars and up. Last summer, a friend’s housing development had a community garage sale. One home had boxes of books going from ten cents to a dollar—books that looked like they hadn’t been opened. Being the book addict that I am, I dove in and for $10, came away with over 20 books that went into my "gift closet"—three wonderful baskets were created for birthday giving for the fall with a variety of books in each: two for kids in the family and one for a friend in a nursing home.

Watching my 9-year-old grandson literally lay out on the floor the series of Harry Potter books I found at the sale, touching each cover as he drooled over them, made this Gramma’s heart glow. How cool is that?

3. Any age or gender will dofrom the wee ones to the seniors, there’s a book for any age, male or female.


4.   Books are available from countless sources and easy to getthe grocery story; big boxes (Yes, the new homeowner’s perfect gift may just be at Home Depot); online; gift shops and of course, book stores (one of my all-time favorite places to just hang out during the Holidays).


5.   Books delivered via a gift cardalways loved in my household; whether for an online store or brick and mortar … it’s an afternoon delight!


6.    Shipping a book is a piece of cakeif you are ahead of the crowd, media mail works and you can save money; the priority envelop at the USPS takes most books easily.


7.   Books give and givewho hasn’t recirculated something that they loved with a friend or family member? And when a book has "finished" its time in your home, donate it to a group that can start the re-circulation.


8.    Books love to travelwhether print, audio or "e", they are the best of travel companions. If you aren’t sure of which version, the gift card comes into play—if you know what book you want to give—print the cover, include with the gift card and encourage them to select the version desired.


9.    Books are the ideal way to escapewhether a tall adventure, a biography to the past, a laugh until the reader is almost incontinent, books deliver a new world … "a timeout and away."


10. Books keep the brain cells happyyep, no matter what, they are educational and that is good for the cognitive juices.


Not matter what, everyone you know is interested in something … even the "someone" that when you ask, "What would you like?" and responds, "I don’t know," can be taken care of. There’s always a book for something, as weird as that something might be.
 
3
   Hot podcasts slated for         May


Tomorrow, Judith Briles will be focusing on identifying what is HOT in both a Pitch and TED talk. Tune in to keep your learning curve enriched.

· How to POP Your Words and Your Brand with Sam Horn
· The Author Platform Creation with Kimberely Grabas
· Website Delight and Ins and Outs for Today’s Author with Michele Renee
· The Business of Being an Author with Jane Friedman



And, if you have listened, support our podcast and post a review. Thank you!


4
More Webinars are coming … more Webinars are coming



IN MAY...
May 17th  4 PT, 5 MT, 6 CT, 7 ET 
All Roads for Author Success Start with the Platform - How's Yours Doing?

Authors with platforms sell books. It's that simple, and yet, many authors are clueless what a platform is all about; how to build one; and how to sustain it.

Quality platforms take time and personal investment. For the newbie, it’s important to get your platform started now. For already published authors, this is the perfect time to assess what yours is; refine where necessary, or do a makeover.

Register here: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3033015310093761026

Get ready to clarify why you are an author; why you sell books and align yourself with those that care about your work--those who are your buyers.
how to market and promote my work, build community engagement and develop a presence online. Over time, I came to the following conclusions:

-The way you promote, market and sell have changed. You no longer need to push a book. What you need to do "is attract."

-A writing ‘career’ requires both the creative and the business mind.

-Don’t hoard creativity; sharing increases both its flow and value.

-Don’t fight technology, it has teeth. Trying to avoid it only encourages it to bite!

Your guide is Kimberley Grabas who launched YourWriterPlatform.com in 2013, where she helps a growing international community of thousands of rising "authorpreneurs" build their platforms, engage their fans and sell more books.

This webinar will be recorded and all that are registered with get the replay within 18 hours. You will also be added to our preferred mailing list.


After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. AND YES, it will be recorded. Register and get the replay the following day.

JUNE 12, 2018 4 PT, 5 MT, 6 CT, 7 ET  
Authordom and LinkedIn Are a Dynamic Duo - Essential Tips for Authors on How to Use LinkedIn for Positioning, Expertise, Marketing

Register here:
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/215678392109249795

It's time to take the "mystery" out of LinkedIn!

For many authors, LinkedIn may be the ideal place to position you as an expert, resource, marketer.

· Have you created a "company page" on your LinkedIn profile? --Did you know that it’s a way to push out what you are doing and carries additional clout, especially for business and professional services related authors?

· Would you like to learn how you can narrow your ideal connecting and marketing targets?

Don’t miss this in-depth "how-to" and "what to do now" podcast featuring LinkedIn expert Mike O’Neil, CEO of Integrated Alliances. The session will be recorded a copy sent to all who are registered the next day.


AND HERES YOU REPLAY FROM THE PAST WEBINARS



Joan Stewart LIVE – Get the Media’s Attention from the Get GO!

Publicity Hound Joan Stewart will rocked and rolled all webinar attendees yesterday with her how-tos and TELL ALL on how to grab the media’s attention, nail down a response and SOAR with her media and press kits. You want to get the latest on what’s working and what’s not and add these essentials to your author tool kit. It’s a Game Changer for any author who wants publicity.

REPLAY HERE: https://vimeo.com/267550645



WEBINAR

Autopilot is the magic word via Amazon Marketing Ads yesterday. Several ideas were shared on how to get around Amazon’s robots.



REPLAY HERE:


Replay
Holy Guacamole … what a fun webinar Wednesday, March 28th delivered … not the typical "offer" webinar with a commitment of hundreds of dollars.

Nope. We showed you in a LIVE demo through the entire set up to execution process how to create a Grabbr campaign for your book (or any product) and you then push your "start" button. The twist? You don’t pay a dime until a "someone" reacts and "grabs" your offer. The cost is only 16 cents to you when it happens … pennies that EVERY author has.

Get ready to create a viral book marketing opportunity for you and your books. The bonus—you don’t need a gazillion followers, fans, friends and emails. Nor do you need thousands of dollars; hundreds of dollars … you need less than $50! Discover the power of Grabbr.com … how cool it is to think that with just a few readers, thousands of people will be exposed to an author’s book for mini bucks!

1.  Here is the REPLAY link to the full Grabbr webinar:
https://vimeo.com/262326476

2.  Here’s the link for your discount (there is NO time limit)—you get a 20% discount … meaning that if there are "buyers" of your offer, the cost to you is 16 cents vs 20 cents:

https://grabbr.com/register/authors

I’ve had HUGE Thank You’s from those who attended these. Get on the replay, there is no time-limit. You want this baby on your marketing plate.

 
5
Questions of the Week:


Question: What is the cheapest way to publish?


My answer: Finish your manuscript. For eBook, use one of the free converters. Create a cover from Fiverr (or Canva, or Wordswag) cheap to free. Create a KDP account and do a free giveaway—notify all the eBook promo related sites that your book will be free during these days.

Note that I didn’t say anything about editing—the question was about cheap. And without editing, without a professional cover and interior designer involved your "book" will most likely join the trash heap that makes up the majority of what is being published today.

Do your readers a favor; honor yourself as an author; and please, get some help here. Cheap doesn’t usually win followers in the publishing business.



6
Book Shepherd "Fun" of the Week …
Love it when I find a fun shorty—a quick smile, a laugh out loud, a sip of tea … and back to work—perfect. Get on your dancing shoes!  

That’s my author and publishing news for today … what’s yours?


That’s my author and publishing news for today … what’s yours?


About Judith Briles, The Book Shepherd

Book Publishing expert Judith Briles, aka The Book Shepherd
has shepherded more than 1,000 authors and created 500 best-sellers and award-winning books. She knows publishing inside and out from both the traditional and independent sides. Judith is an advocate for authors within her blogs, podcasts and speaking engagements. What’s her pet peeve? Two words: publishing predators.

She hosts the podcast AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing that generates over 100,000 downloads a month. Her website is www.TheBookShepherd, email: JudithBriles.com and phone: 303-885-2207.

The Book Shepherd
 
 
 
 


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