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Book Marketing and Publishing Tips for Authors–
eZine Issue #88 September 11, 2019
Publisher: Judith Briles
Practical Publishing Advice and Guidance for Authors
In This Issue
1. Author Tools … Alert to Facebook Message scams
2. Unplugged … Book Marketing is coming in October 18-19—be there
3. Come cruise with me … January 2020—it’s the last chance to add
4. Hot podcasts for SEPTEMBER … 4 to put on your calendar
5. Question of the Week … How do I get a guarantee that books will sell mega thousands of copies?
6. Book Shepherd "Fun" of the Week … the dog ride of the week!
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This Week Under The Book Shepherd’s Roof:
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Hello and Good Publishing Day to
YOU.
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WOWSA … Septembr is one of our "short" months … yet it is so packed with author options. How can the Authors Hall of Fame debut be only THREE days away? How can that be. And YES … it is SOLD OUT. I’m tickled with the enthusiasm from our attendees AND the reponse from the community. Features happening this week from the local "weeklies" and the Denver Post, Westword, Colorado Springs Gazette, and Greeley Tribune. We sent out the final "pre event" press release this AM. It will be an evening of fun and
surprises. The sign above greeted us as we the team met for our meal planning session last week.
The next Hall Induction event will be in the 2021. Will you be there? Stay caught up. Check out the website at www.ColoradoAuthorsHallofFame.org and sign up for event posts. I promise: your email box will not be loaded with triva!
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| AND … the Publicity Palooza … Joan Stewart’s final in-person presentation was one that if you were there … was magical for you and your book. When we originally planned it, we were going to do just two Hot Seats … instead, we hot-seated all. Hands-on coaching from the master of positional publicity. It was a great day … and the weather? Perfect.
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| Post the event, Joan and I put on "our aprons" and cooked from my garden while she was here. My zucchini banana bread laced with cinnamon was a yummers; the potato onion omelette with guacamole on top we created for a dinner party appetizer was a "wowsa" as it was devoured by all.
Come cruising with me. TWO cabins are
left … is one yours? The 2020 Publishing at Sea cruise begins in Miami, FL on January 25, 2020.
The power of the "in-person" connecting with other authors is stratospheric. The support. The insights. The ahas that can just pop up and out.
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The September Saturday AuthorYOU Salon will be held on Saturday, September 14th – join me at my home—we call it Casa Quatar! It starts at 8.30 am to 11.30—why, because it’s Induction day for the Authors Hall of Fame and yours truly has tons to do for prep.
The AuthorYOU Salons—if you are in Colorado—come for coffee or tea … it’s on me.It’s a perfect way to start your Saturday for author savvy and know-how. Details HERE. https://www.meetup.com/AuthorYOUSalons/events/260321129/
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Want Tips for Authoring and Publishing?This week on our podcast: AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing, it’s all about writing the memoir that people will care about. Tips and tricks from author Lori Golden.
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The next Unplugged is a new one: Book Marketing Unplugged. Book Marketing
Unplugged! Want to morph your author and book life. Join me in June for two fun and deep-diving days at my annual Book Publishing Unplugged event.
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| The dates are October 18-19. The Hotel is the Hilton Inverness (nice!). October is beautiful in Denver and our classroom overlooks a small pond and golf course where you will be able to view the changing colors. Perfecto for learning, a bit of escape and spending two days with me. Space is always limited. Always new info—come! Details below. The early bird registration is on and I expect this baby to sell out early.
Another heavy-duty writing week for me on a variety of projects. Plus, the prepping and execution of TWO big events this month.
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| JOIN the new AuthorYOU …
If you don’t, it’s a publishing boo-boo. AuthorYOU promises its members a lot and delivers more. And wait ‘til you see the bundle of goodies and discounts we are
starting to post on the website for Members only. All will be up before the end of the month. Yup, it’s a good idea. Not a paid-up member? JOIN AuthorYOU today.
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| And a heads up—hold the FIRST Saturday of each month for our live event meetings—
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Author Tools – Alert to Facebook Message Scams
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Author HUGE Alert …Keep an eye out for Facebook scam messages with the phrase "I can’t believe it’s you" and a link that looks legit. Like this:
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If you click the link, a phishing website is most likely waiting for you. Instructing you to login to see the image or video that the "I can’t believe it’s you" message is referencing. What’s really happening: It’s FAKE and designed to look like it is part of the true Facebook website.
The goal: First: seduce you to click away. Next, If you link in, the bad hacking guys await you. Your account will be used to distribute scam and spam messages and posts in your name on Facebook and who knows where else. You have been hijacked!
Links in some versions of these messages may open websites that are loaded with malware or redirect to survey scams or takes the viewer into some very bad sites. Your computer has been hijacked and a giant mess is coming your way.
The "I can’t believe it’s you" messages are just one version of a long-running series of bogus Facebook messages designed to you into clicking links that open scam websites. Some claim that a friend has seen you in a compromising video or online image. Some claim that you have been featured in a viral YouTube video. The goal of these scam messages is to trick you into clicking a link that opens a phishing or malware
website.
Another alert … your FB friends may have already been hijacked. You may be more inclined to believe that the messages are genuine because they appear to have been sent by one of them. They haven’t …your friend’s account has been hijacked and used to send you the scam message. A nasty cycle is in play.
What to
do: Get help. Call your tech person. Secure your website ASAP. Send out an email and POST that you have been duped and compromised by a scam. Post to your Facebook sites that your account has been compromised and be on alert for scam posts sent in your name.
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The Book Marketing Unplugged is Coming … Early Bird Rates Up NOW … and don’t miss this!
Question: When should authors start marketing their books?
Answer: The day they start writing it.
Okay … so must authors don’t get a "pass" on this question. So, let’s reframe the question:
Question: When should authors start marketing their books?
Answer: NOW.
√ When your car begins to make an awful noise and just stops, you know you have a problem … right?
√ When your basement is flooded; when you noticed that
there are watermarks on your ceiling; ,r that water is seeping through your window edges, you have a problem … right?
√ When your computer goes blank and doesn’t respond, you know you have a problem … right?
BUT … what about marketing your book? Do you have a problem? YOU DO, if you have ANY of these symptoms:
· There are
people who would benefit from your book, and you aren’t connecting with them.
· There are people who are interested in your topic or your genre and you haven’t reached out via social media to connect.
· There are
people within social media that are interested in your topic and who aren’t engaging with you.
· There is a
change you are focusing on that relates to the premise of your book … and others "don’t get it."
· You are having difficulty persuading book buyers or your target market to buy your book.
· Your
ideal/target market doesn’t connect with your reasoning, rationale, solutions, or storyline within your book.
· Your social media and email contacts are less than 1,000.
· You have
engaged the "BB" gun approach to marketing—just aim anywhere; push it out to anyone at any time.
Do any of the above sounds like you? If yes, you have a marketing problem.
If that is you, then how much time are you spending working on a marketing solution? What are you investing in your time, energy and money to learn and create a plan that works? Savvy authors have learned that you cannot solve your marketing problem the next day by simply repeating what you did yesterday, last week, last month … or certainly,
last year.
Solution: Attend and participate in the first annual The Book Shepherd’s Book Marketing Unplugged. Successful authors have learned and practice: if my book marketing success is to be … it’s up to me. Join Judith Briles for Book Marketing Unplugged this fall. It’s a two-day intensive with just Judith. And YES, there will be hot seats for each participant.
Date: October 18-19
Site: HILTON DENVER INVERNESS – 200 Inverness Drive West, Englewood, CO 80112
REGISTER: https://thebookshepherd.com/book-marketing-unplugged
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Come Cruise with Me!
Over 7 days fabulous days January 25 to February 1, 2020
Get ready to change your publishing and authoring life.
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| TWO staterooms left in our group
It’s a working, learning vacation on the fabulous Symphony of the
Seas!
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Create Your Ultimate Bestseller
Authors who need a crash course in book publishing before they write; need to create demand for books that aren’t selling; who want to learn the latest strategies in marketing, publicity and how to keep the sanity in an overwhelming world can learn the
inside secrets of how to create, write and market the book success that they envision during a Caribbean cruise.
The "Create the Ultimate Bestseller at Sea!" cruise includes training sessions and laser coaching.
At sea, participants will attend intensive sessions on strategic book marking, distribution, publicity, professional speaking, social media and other topics important to creating a bestseller. They can also take advantage of laser coaching with the four experts. In port, participants are free to relax and enjoy the sites or just lounge around the massive ship that has something for everyone.
COME … there is limited space in our block.
Details at: http://publishingatsea.com/
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Hot podcasts slated for this month
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You can always listen in via our websites: www.AuthorYOU.org (click on the On the Air image on the Home page—wait for it to upload. Or www.TheBookShepherd.com (click on the Resources tab).
Throughout September, Creating a Bestselling Memoir, Integrating with the Author Brand and Tips on How to Create a 1,000 order from Amazon with author Deb Sheppard; Casey Demchak will reveal how to create killer book marketing copy, Jules Mare will walk listeners through using book awards to create a marketing campaign; and Sandra Bond will revisit the agent’s role for authors and publishing today. All happening throughout this month. ,
September 4 – Visualizing Tips for Creating a Bestseller with Deb Sheppard
September 11 – Creating a Killer Book Marketing copy, Part I with Casey Demchak
September 18 – Creating a Killer Book Marketing copy, Part II with Casey Demchak
September 25 –Gathering and Using Book Awards to Market Your Book with Jules Mare
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Question: My book will be available next month. How do I get a guarantee that books will sell mega thousands of copies?
Answer: Some this insanity. Your book isn’t going to sell all by itself. It’s foolish to think … BELIEVE … that the buying world is going to throw its credit card at you as soon as you have a book. It comes with a plan … and with you behind it that drives it. A book is a product. Products don’t get sold by themselves. Waiting for someone to discover them. There is a plan behind it and supported by the author. Period.
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Book Shepherd "Fun" or an "Uh-Oh" 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. Love this … Man’s best friend and "his dude" are visiting all 50 states on a motorcycle.
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You can pick my brain … minimum time is 30 minutes. 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.
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| Author Friendly Friday this week …
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Join Author Friendly Fridays: a fun, sharing and a dynamic closed group. You can join in the next week. It’s a full hour when you can ask questions—any question. And, I always include a few strategies to get your authoring life ahead of the competition.
It’s for paid subscribers ONLY and we do it on Zoom.
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This is how each call starts: I share a few strategies, tips and tools that attendees can immediately start to use. All share … and ask plenty of questions. They get answers. Definitely an excellent way to start a Friday. Those of you who aren’t participating, you are making a mistake. I love the variety of books and authors who have chosen to participate. What’s also fun, is the energy that can be felt with what everyone is working on. Love it!
Here’s the link to take advantage of it and subscribe: https://thebookshepherd.com/product/author-friendly-fridays-subscription
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And, if you have listened, support our podcast and post a review. Thank you!
The AuthorYOU – Your Guide to Book Publishing podcast is now heard on SEVEN podcast channels. How cool is that? Listeners can tune into the weekly (always new – no repeats) show on:
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That’s my author and publishing news for today … what’s yours?
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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.
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