Latest NEWS from The Book Shepherd this week / have you watched The Social Dilemma?

Book Marketing and Publishing Tips for Authors

Newsletter Issue #257 – November 16, 2022

Publisher: Judith Briles

Practical Publishing Advice and Guidance for Authors

In This Issue

1. Author Tips & Tools ... Discover The Social Dilemma

2. AuthorYOU VIP Member Benefit … Meet Judith Briles’ Author Friendly Fridays

3. December Holiday Gathering ... December 11th—be there ... celebrate authors, food and fun—come!

4. AuthorYOU Salons … Posted through February

5. Hot podcasts for November… Add to your calendar and listen

6. Question of the Week … Should I have an LCCN?

7. Book Shepherd “Fun” of the Week … cat mischief

This is the second heart I’ve been gifted with—one was hanging on my large maple in the front this summer. It’s now up on my porch. I have no idea who the mystery community creator is. On my back deck, I have a Ukrainian flag draped over the rails.

Looking forward to spending time with authors who “get” that speaking is the #1 way to sell truckloads of books this Friday and Saturday. Joining me in my lower offices will be 10 authors over two days to craft their speaking skills and plan out where they will that them going forward.

And as the temps drop into the teens and single digits this week, the January Publishing at Sea cruise and the Western Caribbean with 22 authors is sounding mighty fine to me.

Our final Barnes & Noble Bookfair happens on Thanksgiving weekend. Several of the AuthorYOU members signed up to have their books represented. We will be at Southlands in Aurora on Saturday, November 26, and at Colorado Blvd on Sunday, September 27. Long days. Fun ... and lots of books will be sold. If in Colorado ... come see us ... support the Authors Hall of Fame.

1. November 18-19 Speaking Unplugged IN-PERSON

2. November 26 BN Author Event – Colorado Blvd in Glendale, CO

3. November 27 BN Author Event – Southlands, Aurora, CO

4. December 10 1st Saturday AuthorYOU program – ZOOM

5. December 11 AuthorYOU Holiday party

6. January 7 1st Saturday AuthorYOU program – ZOOM Book Design and Swag Popapalooza

7. January 14 AuthorYOU Salons –check for IN-PERSON or ONLINE - AuthorYOU members only

8. January 21-28 Publishing at Sea – IN PERSON

9. February 4 1st Saturday AuthorYOU program –

10. February 8, 15, 22, 1 Amazon Bestseller Campaign Workshop

11. February 11 AuthorYOU Salons – IN-PERSON & ONLINE - AuthorYOU members only

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 a year ago that explores the human impact from 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

JOIN Author Friendly Fridays: a fun, sharing and a dynamic closed group. You can join it the next week. It’s a full hour when you can ask questions—any questions. It always kicks off with tips and tools plus 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. Cost is $37 a month with a three-month commitment. Here’s the link to take advantage of it and subscribe: https://thebookshepherd.com/author-friendly-fridays/

Join your fellow authors for fun, laughter, great food, interesting gifts, schmoozing, and networking. No need to cook, Judith will have her chef hat on, and will be providing a buffet late lunch. Of course, there will be plenty of beverages to go around. Previous attendees loved having it earlier in the day—it’s December; it’s Winter Solstice approaching; the daylight is getting shorter; and who knows what the weather will be. Personally, I like being able to see clearly where my feet land in the winter months. AND … bonus … for football devotees—you can still see the afternoon games. For shoppers—go for it.

Just bring an unmarked gift to exchange in the off-the-wall Wacko Pick and Steal after lunch. If there are two in your party, bring two gifts so that everyone can leave with something. Be creative! The gifts tend to get pretty wild and fun.

Location: Judith and John’s Home: 8122 S Quatar Cir, Aurora, CO 80016

Gifts: We do an exchange–the Wacko Pick and Steal exchange to be exact; please keep your cost value to less than $20—hot items in the past: wine; nifty gadgets from Home Depot and Costco; sports stuff; movie tickets; goofy and quirky can be fun … please, no rejects from something past.

DATE and TIME: Sunday, December 11th from 1 to ??? IN-PERSON

COST: Members $20 ... $30 per couple

REGISTER: https://authoru.org/events.html

Register for the next few months – The Saturday AuthorYou Salon will be ONLINE only starting at 7 to 8.30am MT. AuthorYou members will be emailed the link on Friday. Salons are a Free benefit for VIP AuthorYOU members only.

RULES …
1. You must register for this.
2. If less than 5 people are registered by Noon on the Friday before, event will be canceled. No exceptions.

If you have book marketing, writing, publishing questions, get answers. Or, you just want to schmooze a bit, It’s ONLINE and IN-PERSON on the second Saturday of each month. You MUST be a paid member of AuthorYOU.org to participate. ONLINE starts at 7 am to 8.30 am MT – IN-PERSON at 9 am MT. Here’s the link to register and getting notices/reminders forward:

Register here: https://www.meetup.com/AuthorYOUSalons/

Answer: Yes—especially if you desire to pitch to libraries. At least twice a month, I get a “help” email from an author that a publisher didn’t apply for an LCCN. What do they do?

Once a book is published, it is out of the gate and too late. Authors need to apply for their pre-assigned number BEFORE publication. What to do? Well, if the author is in control and deems it’s important to have the LCCN … start anew. Revise “something”—a chapter, new cover, pull down a new ISBN—apply again. It comes back quickly via email—add to the © page, along with the ISBN change. Make sure you also alter the bar code on the back cover to reflect the updated ISBN.

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

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 250,000 downloads a month. Her website is www.TheBookShepherd, email: JudithBriles.com and phone: 303-885-2207.