Practical Publishing Advice and Guidance for Authors
In This Issue
1.It’s that time of the year again!
2.11 Tips for Book Signings and Trade Shows
3.Being Myopically Focused … Yes, You Can!
4.Do You Know about Snippets? You Should!
5.Book Shepherd “Fun” of the Week …Besides my feet shouting out “enough”, it was busy and we collected plenty of contacts to share with the authors who were represented.
This Week Under The Book Shepherd’s® Roof: It was another WHEW week! Last weekend’s MidWinter American Library Conference in Denver was a three-day marathon.
This AM, I reviewed the podcast that will be live Thursday with social media geek girl Melody Jones, also known as Social Media Melody. We explore how to getmuch-needed breathing space in your book marketing; why you don’t want to look like a “content mill” on social media; why and how to create a Live Video Show on Facebook and
for how long; and our #1 fave: Social Media Examiner for the best step-by-step how-to on just about any program out. Think of it as “social media juice” for the new year. Listen in starting tomorrow.
Cover designer Nick Zelinger did the final tweaks for the front cover of the next book—How to Create a $1,000,000 Speech—love the pop we added.
How’s your week going?
1
It’s that time of the year again … Happy Valentines to you. The heart is an awesome organ … it keeps you alive and when you write from your heart, your words and message connect with your
reader.
Those words could just be the ones that your reader needs … to keep them going … to be alive in what they do. A powerful gift you have—I thank you for them.
2
Get 11 Tips for Book Signings and Trade Shows After the weekend’s library event, I knew I had to revisit “protocol” for book signings and add trade shows with it.
This week’s blog is all about it. Lesson #1 for authors: always have plenty of books. Lesson #2: pre-sign them. Lesson #3: Book signings, exhibits and trade shows are all about marketing—both you and your book.Read on:https://thebookshepherd.com/9-tips-for-book-signings.html
3
Being Myopically Focused … Yes, You Can!
Whatever your goal is, if you narrow your vision; if you narrow what you normally put out in; if you become what I refer to as “myopically focused” … it’s amazing what you can accomplish. My “Yes, I can” experience happened two weeks ago. Taking an extra week to stay on the ship, with few exceptions (like I need another mug of hot tea), I hunkered down. eMail was checked once a day. If necessary, I would dedicate up to 15 minutes a day to return or make phone
calls. In one week, I created the manuscript for my next book, How to Create a $1,000,000 Speech. The final day, it went to the editor. A week later, to layout. And today, out for endorsements and it’s up on Amazon for pre-orders.
It’s what I call being “myopically focused” … something we all need to do if the GOAL is to get it done … whatever the “it” is.
4
Do You Know about Snippets? You Should!
Would you like your website to be featured as the top answer in Google search results? Google’s aim is to provide users with immediate answers to their most pressing questions. It’s specially formatted for mobile viewing (a hot thing to do since 70% of buying and viewing is done this way now) and those who are using voice search on devices like Google Home, Alexa, and Siri. In Susan Gilbert’s recent blog, she reveals the
nitty gritty about Snippets … possibly your new best social media friend! Read morehere.
5
Book Shepherd “Fun” of the Week … Love it when I find a fun shortie—a quick smile, a laugh out loud, a sip of tea … and back to work—perfect. Here are the goofy cats for the week: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Dbvd4E-334
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. Judith is The Book Shepherd.
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