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Book Marketing and Publishing Tips for Authors–

eZine Issue #150 – November 18, 2020
Publisher: Judith Briles

Practical Publishing Advice and Guidance for Authors

In This Issue

           
1. Author Tools … Discover The Social Dilemma

2. AuthorYOU VIP Member Benefit … Meet Author Friendly Friday

3. Do You Need Help with Overwhelm? … Get the Author’s Assistant

4. Create an Amazon Bestseller Campaign in January

5. AuthorYOU Salons … register for Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar now

6. Hot podcasts for November … Add to your calendar and listen/learn

     7. Question of the Week … Where and How should I print my book?

     8. Book Shepherd “Fun” of the Week …

This Week Under The Book Shepherd’s Roof

Hello and Good Publishing Day to YOU …
Last Saturday, the AuthorYOU Salons started at 9 am MT for two solid hours, 20 authors participated. As always, it’s an open mic, bring any question you have and get answers. There is never a specific program or agenda but JUST ASK–your questions are the program. Sign up now for December through March sessions via our sister Meetup.com site: www.Meetup.com/AuthorYOUSalons.

It’s a boo-boo to miss out on this info laden session—no pitches, just sharing, gathering tidbits that you didn’t know you could use, and having a combo of the learning curve plus a little fun on a Saturday morning.


It’s a tree trunk wrapping in my neck of the woods … plus the weather has been decent—meaning sun during the day—freezing at night. We are putting up our Christmas lights, slated to be done by this weekend, tested, and ready to go live on Thanksgiving. The back deck is done and now for the front of the house. The weather gods are suggesting that snow will arrive this weekend.

And woot … all my ankle stitches from my last surgery are removed. The dreaded heavy boot has been put to rest … I can put a shoe on along with an ankle brace for day time. Happy days. It’s been five long months. Three hospitalizations. Two surgeries. One near-death experience. Yet, I kept working. Gads.

Oh, I’m being careful and know my limitations for movement. I have one more surgeon visit the day before Thanksgiving, four more weeks of physical therapy, and then … I declare my “misadventure” done. Hello to my new year (and foot)!

This week has been “studio taping” time—six hours worth of video and voice-overs. The 5-Star Speaking program that my partner Jaclyn Kostner and I have put together is stellar visually and content-wise. Based on my bestseller book, How to Create a $1,000,000 Speech, it’s a complete online streaming course on creating presentations and the infrastructure you need online and in-person along with finding your audience for both in-person and virtual presentations. As participants work through the five sections and complete them, their outcomes will be significant. From wannabes to the so-so presenter to one of the best speakers out there. It will be ready to publicly roll out in early 2021.

Bravo to Casey Demchak … his excellent “how-to” in creating sizzling satisfying sales and marketing copy enters its third and final session tomorrow. Feedback from participants has been excellent. Looking forward to session #3 tomorrow. We will repeat this next year.

I’ve had fun with the November online sessions of How to Create an Amazon Bestseller. Yup, my “system” works. Next up is Ron Beach for his book The Virtual Divide slated for eBook launch November 25-27—will be fun to watch how it does.

Results do count … if you want practical publishing and book marketing guidance in grabbing multiple #1 spots, get registered for January’s short but effective 4-week session. If creating an Amazon bestseller is something that you want in your midst … join me for a fun (and I promise, it’s fun, but a true hands-on “learn this and get ready to implement” experience), join me. The September and November sessions were SOLD OUT.  Each is 90 minutes; the time is fast, informative, and definitely a “how-to”. We start and end on time each week. If you miss one, I send the recording plus all handouts. Details below.

I’ll be doing three of my Unplugged programs online. On  Janurary 29-30, it’s Book Publishing Unplugged, February 26-27, Book Marketing Unplugged—and introducing Social Media Unplugged for March 26-27.
Each four-hour session will start at Noon. Details will be on the website soon. Each session will be recorded for registrants who miss or can’t attend via Zoom.

That’s my week and the one coming up … how’s yours?    

Have you ever explored the network website where I store all my podcasts? … Holy Moly … over 4 million downloads of various podcasts in 2020 already! Fun watching the download numbers—something that I look at each morning with my hot mug of tea.

Last week, Mara Purl joined me for her author’s journey plus a variety of tips for writers forward. This week, Sandy Gould from Color House Graphics joins me for a Book Printing Power, POP & Trends session to reveal the ins and outs of book printing today. Lots of info on the AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing podcast. Join me.

You can select which podcast is for you from over 350 shows … the latest will always be posted on top of the show page: http://bit.ly/BookPublishingPodcast--it goes directly to the Show Page, where you can view all podcasts at once—just scroll … you’ve got a lot to pick from to expand your learning and how to curve.

Add these to your calendar now. Details will all be posted under the Events tab on the website.

Dates are subject to change due to COVID-19 notices



1. November 4, 11, 18, 25– Amazon eBook Bestseller Online Course

4. November 5, 12, 19 – 3 week online class How to Write Sizzling Book Marketing Copy

5. November 6, 13, 20, 27 – Judith’s Friday Friendly Private Coaching

6.November 7 – AuthorYOU Zoom online morning program –It’s the Author’s Writing Bonanza

7. November 14 – AuthorYOU Salons-free for AuthorYOU members only

8. December 4, 11, 18, 24 – Judith’s Friday Friendly Private Coaching

9. December 12 – AuthorYOU Salons-free for AuthorYOU members only

10. January 6, 13, 20, 27 Amazon Bestseller Campaign Online

11. January 29-30 – Book Publishing Unplugged Online

12. February 26-27 – Book Marketing Unplugged Online

13. March 26-27 – Social Media Unplugged Online

AuthorYOU members the December second Saturday AuthorYOU Salons of the year is slated for December 12th   WILL BE VIRTUAL, most likely through March. It starts at 9.00 a.m., ending at 11.30 a.m. This is where the ONLY agenda is YOU … and YOUR questions … bring and ask … and get answers.

Held via Zoom, a special email blast will be created with a password on Friday, November 13th… it’s a day by day scenario in a COVID world. BRING YOUR QUESTIONS—see you there.

 
I love mentoring authors, their books, and supporting their vision. If you want intense, one-on-one time with me over a several month time frame PLUS the ability to call me or email with a quick response, join my Mentor Program. There are 3 spots open —if you want an accelerated six months that deals with your infrastructure; your influence building; your what? … this may be the missing ingredient in your mix.

Want Tips for Authoring and Publishing? Last week’s podcast was all about book design! This week is printing tips. Make sure you have paper and pen out … and ready to click on your computer fast. http://bit.ly/BookPublishingPodcast

 
JOIN the new AuthorYOU …
Stay involved—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 or RENEW AuthorYOU today. Benefits galore.   
JOIN AuthorYOU today. https://mp.gg/e9d1o
And a heads up—hold the FIRST Saturday of each month for our live event meetings—

1
Discover and Experience The Social Dilemma
Normally, I don’t suggest a film as a “tool” … today is an exception. Social media is the town hall for marketing for authors. Netflix released a documentary-drama that explores the human impact of social networking. The ones sounding the alarms are techies who work for the industry and were key players in the creation of major platforms—think Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. For authors, it’s not a “do not use it”—definitely do. But do it wisely—and the warnings for parenting and kids are important. The Social Dilemma is a freebie on Netflix: www.netflix.com/title/81254224 
 
2
AuthorYOU VIP Member Benefit … Judith Briles’
Author Friendly Fridays   
Discover and JOIN Author Friendly Fridays: a fun, sharing and a dynamic closed group. You can join it 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. For authors of all genres—fiction and nonfiction.

It’s for paid subscribers ONLY and we do it on Zoom. 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. An excellent way to start your Friday. 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: http://bit.ly/JudithCoaching

3
Hey Authors … there is only 1 spot left …

Do you suffer from publishing overwhelm?
Do you find that you don’t have enough time to invest in yourself?
Do you struggle with social media and email marketing?
Do you need someone to help you create online content or to manage and schedule posts to promote your book, business, or expertise?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you probably need an assistant, and it’s more affordable than you think.

Whatever your needs are, I will work with you to help make your author and publishing life easier.

What Can Your Author’s Assistant Do for You?

- Manage your Social Media Platforms

- Manage your Email Marketing.

- Website Maintenance

- Manuscript Evaluations

- Publishing Support

- Presentation Support

- Write Press Releases

- Write Query Letters

- Event Planning and Event Coordinating

- Manage your Product Sales System and CRM

Step One is to commit to yourself, your book, and your business.
Ready? Next, contact Bobby Crew at Bobby@AuthorYou.org; call 303-257-2748
4
AuthorYOU Salons … register for December - January now
If you have book marketing, writing, publishing questions, show up. It’s online on the second Saturday beginning at 9 am Mountain time. Here’s the link to register: https://www.meetup.com/authoryousalons/

5
Create an Amazon Bestseller Campaign in January 2021 …

for Your eBook Online Course in 4 weeks
– next session starts January 6, 2021

There are 23 steps in your journey … a journey where you could pay someone to travel and implement for you … or one where you can roll up your sleeves and learn how to create, implement, and execute. As in DIY.
The Create an Amazon Bestseller Campaign for Your eBook Online course is the latest. I will take you through each step during the four weeks. When you complete #17, you are ready to execute.

My goal is for you to have all components for your campaign DONE before your implementation/execution day. All social media tease pushouts done and scheduled before the big day starts—and I help you write each one of them!

Dates:  WEDNESDAYs at 4 pm MT for each 90-minute session: January 2021, 6, 13, 20, 27 

Register: https://thebookshepherd.com/create-an-amazon-bestseller-campaign-for-your-ebook-online-course-in-4-weeks.html


Webinar REPLAY…
Book Marketing Copy Secrets and Tips for Authors
Savvy authors who want to be seriously success in book marketing will block 90 minutes on Thursday to discover tips and secrets to writing killer marketing copy.

If that’s not you … STOP—don’t read further.

BUT, IF YOU AREN’T and you want HELP pronto ... Join Judith Briles for an exclusive Author YOU FREE webinar with award-winning Copywriter & Consultant Casey Demchak.

During this webinar, Casey dives into the details of the WHY of writing dynamic marketing copy is essential to the success of your book launch. In fact, to ANY BOOK MARKETING efforts going forward.

Replay HERE: https://vimeo.com/471377081

 
6
Hot podcasts slated for this month
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).

November  5  Book Design Snap, Crackle & POP - Nick Zelinger 

November 12 Writing Finesse, Series & Page Turners - Mara Purl

November 19  Book Printing Power, POP & Trends - Sandy Gould

November 26
The Fiction Author’s New Best Friend - Pierce Gaynor 


7
Questions of the Week:


Question: Which way should I print my book?

Answer: The answer is that there are a variety of ways. YOU, dear author, have got to answer a few questions BEFORE that decision can be made.

1. If you have physical copies—meaning you have cases of books—HOW are you going to sell them?

2. Do you have a dedicated page on your website for your book and how to order it with live links?

3. Have you a solid email list?

4. Do you have a social media presence?

5. Are you doing events—either online or in-person (when you can)—that books can be sold directly to participants?

I need answers to those questions to guide you.

If you are just putting your publishing toes in the water, a true newbie with little social media followers and a minimal email list, I would be recommending starting with POD—print on demand. You don’t need mega hundreds of books gather cobwebs in your garage. You may want to do a “short-run” as in less than 500 copies for buzz-building freebies, selling direct for specials to friends and locals, or if you have a presentation scheduled. AND I’m going to kick you in the tush. WHY weren’t you building your email lists and building your influence during the writing of your book? As in, before you were at the decision point of where do I print my book?

The two main players for POD are Amazon and IngramSpark. If you are going to drive your fans and buyers to bookstores and libraries, you must be on IngramSpark. If you are going to drive buyers to get your book asap, Amazon is your main player. If you start with IngramSpark and orders are coming through Amazon, there has consistently been a lag time in getting POD books to Amazon that in turn fulfills the order.

For eBooks, start with Amazon’s KDP. If you plan on doing a special run for discounting your book or going free for a launch or a special Amazon run, do KDP Select. That means it is exclusive and not available on other platforms. Your eBook is not available on IngramSpark, Kobo, Smashwords, etc. If you aren’t doing any specials, then open your eBook up to other sites.

If you have a website with a dedicated book page and an email following, I would be printing books through a book manufacturer like Color House Graphics, Total Printing Systems, Sheridan Books or Friesens for printing in North America. Printing books is what these companies do—it’s their business. I would have them available via the Amazon Seller platform for online and Plus, I would have cases in my garage that I could quickly fulfill any orders that would be personalized and mailed out.


8
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 learn something new, and a sip of tea … and back to work—perfect. Smile time enjoy— it’s Above And Beyond To Adopt a Fat Cat

 
Get your copy today – Available in Print, eBook, Audiobook  http://bit.ly/1000000speech
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.

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: http://bit.ly/JudithCoaching


Author Friendly Friday this week …

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.

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  

Podcast expands to 7 networks … Follow us and learn …
new shows every Thursday.

GO to the SHOW page and select which podcast is for you… the latest will always be posted on top: http://bit.ly/BookPublishingPodcast

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

The AuthorU – 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:
Get the latest #AuthorU-Your Guide to #Book #Publishing radio podcast with @MyBookShepherd via iTunes here:   http://bit.ly/PublishingPodcast


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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