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Book Marketing and Publishing Tips for Authors–

eZine Issue #135 –August 5, 2020
Publisher: Judith Briles

Practical Publishing Advice and Guidance for Authors

In This Issue

           
1. Author Tools … Discover Free Press Release Source

2. AuthorYOU VIP Member Benefit … Meet Publishers Weekly via BookLife

3. New Webinar …  Get More People to Buy Your Book

4. Webinar Replays … Dazzling Graphics, Tiny Content and Workbooks

5. Hot podcasts for AUGUST … Add to your calendar and listen/learn

6. Mentoring Program … Is this your missing ingredient?

7. Question of the Week … How many book reviews do I need?

     8. Book Shepherd “Fun” of the Week …  Sneaky rescue cat

This Week Under The Book Shepherd’s Roof

Hello and Good Publishing Day to YOU …
If you are an AuthorYOU member, this Saturday is the monthly (now online) gathering for schmoozing, gathering and getting any questions you have asked and answered. The link and password for the Zoom meeting will be sent out to all members on Friday. Time is 9 am MT to 11.30 am. See you there. Oh someday, we will gather once again in person.

Woot … Nominations are NOW open for next year’s Induction for the Colorado Authors’ Hall of Fame. What authors have made an impact on your life? Are they connect to Colorado in some way—by birth; by living in the state at some time; by coming to Colorado to write and work on a book; by writing about Colorado in some way; or by using locations or elements of Colorado in their writing? That opens the door … then it’s all about the value and impact of what they produced. All the details are on Hall’s website. Visit, explore … look over the fabulous Inductees from 2019 … and Nominate!

Nominations are created and submitted online this year. Inductees will be announced in June of next year and the fabulous Gala will be held on Saturday, September 18m 2021. Put the date on your calendar. Last year, it was a wonderful dinner event with the Inductees sharing insights, funnies, and ahas as they accepted their Induction. And, it was SOLD OUT. You want to be there in 2021.

And it’s a transition week … I start on crutches at last. What a seven-week pain in the tush a broken ankle has been. My surgeon is happy with the progress—and my next visit to the OR is slated for next month for a final fix. I would say fingers crossed and all goes well … but in this case, I’ll push for the toes doing their job!


Onward …
Have you ever explored the network website where I store all my podcasts? … Holy Moly … over 1,000,000 downloads of various podcasts over the month … We crossed the magic ONE MILLION downloads in a single month. Fun watching the download numbers—something that I look at each morning with my hot mug of tea.

This week, I’ll be doing a deep dive into the steps to create an Amazon Bestseller campaign. Lots of excellent tips 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. August 8 – AuthorYOU Salons-free for AuthorYOU members only via Zoom

2. August 11 – Webinar-For Authors: Targeting Book Reviewers

3. August 18 – Grabbing Book Reviews webinar

4. August 25 – Discover the Power of Book Brush webinar

5. September 12 -- AuthorYOU Salons-free for AuthorYOU members only


AuthorYOU members … the AUGUST second Saturday AuthorYOU Salons of the year is August 8th WILL BE either live in my home or virtual—it depends on the status of where Colorado is on “Stay home”. It starts at 9:00 a.m., ending at 11.30 a.m.

As of this writing, it will be an in-person event—if it changes and goes virtual via Zoom, a special email blast will be created with a password on Friday, August 7th… 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 4 spots opening in September—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, presentation and webinar guru Jacklyn Kostner was on the “warm seat” and this week, I’ll do a solo run with a step by step of how to create and roll out an Amazon Best Seller Campaign that works all day long!

 
JOIN the new AuthorYOU …

Renewals were in January for AuthorYOU … if you didn’t, it’s an oh-oh. You have been blocked from the updated benefits and discount codes.

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—

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Discover and USE – PR Urgent News


Authors are creating press releases … here’s another free source.

PR Urgent News is kind to authors—it offers a tutorial/how-to write a press release. It’s a full service website where you distribute your news at no cost to places like Google, Bing, and MSN. Press releases are simple to create, and approval is done within 24 hours—it also has an express service for $9.95. Stuck for time … PR Urgent News will find a writer to get your words out if you don’t have time. https://www.prurgent.com/

 
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AuthorYOU VIP Member Benefit... Discover BookLife

A BookLife Review is a respectful, knowledgeable, detailed review of your book that includes a variety of marketing insights and critical assessments, all crafted by a professional Publishers Weekly reviewer who’s an expert in your genre or field. The mission of BookLife Reviews is to support indie authors through one of the most challenging parts of self-publishing: marketing the finished book. An honest and detailed 300-word review from BookLife Reviews highlights your book’s strengths and analyzes its potential for reaching an audience while giving you a valuable assessment of ways that future editions or future books can be made even better.

And it’s a way to get your foot in the Publishers Weekly door.
Marketing insights help you target promotional efforts to the readers who are most likely to enjoy your book, and the review is designed to provide accurate, positive quotes and a pithy one-sentence takeaway aimed directly at the book’s best audience.

For just $399, you’re guaranteed to receive a review within six weeks (four weeks for an additional expediting fee). Marketing can be complicated and daunting; a BookLife Review will help to guide you through. AuthorYOU members save 10%.
https://booklife.com/

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August 18 4 pm MT 
How To Get More People To Buy Your Book …
Author Problems Fixed Here



 
August’s webinar is all about solving common problems that authors face when publishing and selling books. It’s about getting MORE people to buy your book and get reviews.
One of the problems that authors face is lack of sales.

That's a big one, right? Get ready to receive more sales and easy ways and systems to do that. Yes, you do need REVIEWS –and that will be covered … but there is so much more …

The 7 common problems are identified and of course, sharing a solution for you right in the training.

Common Problems for lack of sales include:

· Not having an audience
· Not having an automated system to work for you to get reviews and fans
· Not having a way to effectively communicate with your fans
· Easily connecting with POTENTIAL followers...
· and a whole lot more

Yikes, the sad part is that you can have everything RIGHT like:

· The perfect title
· The perfect cover
· The perfect editing
· Even the perfect ending ...

But if you lack certain components in your book listing, you could have worked your butt off for nothing. Oh ugh …
Let’s remove that familiar “ugh” feeing … get registered NOW:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5900115043128830477
Date: Tuesday, August 18 at 4 pm Mountain

 
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Webinar Replays
Discover Book Brush … July 28th

If you are an author who doesn’t know Photoshop from the other—and doesn’t want to spend the money for it OR want to learn it—discover a nifty and elegant multi-facet tool that delivers high-quality images for all things books—even ads!

Learn how to create eye-catching marketing images for all things social media. Plus explore video effects, create Box Set images, design your own covers, and more! You’ll discover handy tips & tricks along the way and there will plenty of time for Q & A.

· It's easy peasy for authors to create high-quality advertising graphics—hands down. The 3D cover templates are awesome.

· If you want to save oodles of time excites you (and reduce frustration), you won’t want to miss this!

Listen and Watch REPLAY: https://vimeo.com/442678704

Replay of July’s Create Big Payoffs with Tiny Content
Discover a 5-Step Process Of Creating Passive Income with the Tiniest Amount of Content

Sometimes called low content, my guest for this all-new webinar workshop calls it tiny content. I like that!

Whatever it is—it’s all about doing just a small amount of work to generate on-going profits in your author and publishing business.
Get ready to learn:

-what low content products are and where you can pull content from.
-how they are so simple to create and put up for sale and get traffic.
-and how they can be very lucrative for virtually anyone. ANYONE!

Replay of June’s Create a Workbook that Pops webinar

Is there a Workbook in your midst? Have you thought about taking your sage advice within the covers of your books and creating a WORKBOOK?  One that you can sell as a new product?

Why not create one … or several?

June’s webinar was all about the “how to” for Workbooks. Lots of  tips and strategies. It’s ideal for the established author, coach … anyone who has advice that can be turned into a new product … and did you know that WORKBOOKs sell for more per unit than a book? Now you do.

Listen to replay: https://debbiedrum.lpages.co/workbook-wealth-judith/

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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).

August 6 Creating an Amazon Bestseller– Judith Briles

August 13 Creating Pre-Launch Book Buzz– Judith Briles

August 20 Create Super Sales – Donald Kerry

August 27 Social Media & PR under COVID – Jules Marie

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Judith's Mentor Program
The publishing giants roamed the publishing world in the ‘90s believing its way and its strategies were king … until they were dethroned. Amazon decided to raid the kingdom opened a new publishing portal … and put traditional publishers on notice. The game changed.

                            Welcome to The Publishing Game of Thrones!
I’m here to help you cross the finish line. Your personal budding author and publishing kingdom can entail:

· A strategy to create your unique brand

· A blog strategy and implementation that builds trust and engagement

· A visual marketing strategy

· A speaking positioning strategy

· A YouTube channel that grows your influence

· News you announce on ideal social media pages and press releases when appropriate

· An online strategy for connecting with the media

· Your own branded digital ezine or newsletter

· Photos and Images on a Pinterest board that gets shared and grows

· A marketing strategy that you can work with

· A Twitter feed that is retweeted

· Positioning for your most recent book

· Strategizing your next book

· What’s on your “to-do” list?

The above may feel like a gargantuan task but you don’t have to do them all. Not at once. A ranking and prioritizing will be done. We will start with one or two things and do them well, before additional and do it well.

Let Me Be Your Guide

Guaranteed, I will shorten your learning curve.

· 6 months of working with Judith

· 180 minutes of One-on-One coaching each month

· Notes and video of online coaching calls

· Unlimited short emails each month

· Unlimited short phone calls each month

· Free attendance of any program that Judith is giving during your six months

I’ll explain what to do first, depending on the goals you’re trying to reach, and I’ll walk you through the process. It will be up to you to decide whether to implement what I recommend. Call or email me to determine if it’s a fit for you. ONLY 4 Spots left

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Questions of the Week:


Question: How many book reviews do I need?

Answer: As many as you can get. You’ve got to ask, re-ask, and ask again. I know it’s a pain in the tush, but this is part of the author game. When you are out and presenting on your book—and there are buyers, get their names and emails. Send a thank you and a request to post a review with a link to where you want it to go. The smart author uses a shortener such as Bit.ly or TinyURL to customize it. And then be prepared to remind them again. Carry a SignIN sheet with you so that you can add names and emails—you never know what group you are maybe with and someone(s) ask to buy your book directly from you. Be prepared.

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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 learn something new, and a sip of tea … and back to work—perfect. Smile time enjoy— Smile time enjoy— Rescue Cat Sneaks Into His Sister's Crib At Night | The Dodo Cat Crazy  



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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