Monday, December 29, 2014

Is Your #Blog Stuck? Unstick It … Starting Now!

Are you having one of those days? Can’t think of a thing … not a single thing … to blog about? Ideas just don’t gel. The words are stuck. Your creativity spark is on dim. Your fingers can’t move. Are you thinking:
Help! My Blog Has Fallen and It Can’t Get Up!
Is that your problem dear author? Would you like 52 plus blog ideas … one for each week for the next year … and maybe, a few extras? Ideas that will get you and your blog a new life?
help                       
Okay … let’s noodle a bit. Look around. Look inside. Look on your shelves. Scan the headlines. Google something, anything. Add the words “weird” “unbelievable” “rip-off” “fun” etc. in front of your key word(s) and see what surfaces.

Get ready to move from pause to play. Here are 52 other ideas to get the creative juices flowing (plus a bonus):

      Whatever the next phrase/sentence that comes out of your mouth and is thought … insert “what if” in front of it … write it down: tweak it and see what evolves and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

2       Reveal your biggest aha … write it/them down: where did it come from and what happened and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

3       Divulge an epiphany … write it/them down: who, what, when, where, why and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

4       Expose a fear or two … write it/them down: what seeded it and how do you deal with it and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

5       What happened when the GOYA Factor entered your live … the get off your ass goose; write it/them down and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

6       Any embarrassing incidents that you can share publicly? … write it/them down: what happened, what was the outcome and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

      Any belly laugh times out there? … write it/them down: what happened and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

8       Any failures you can share publicly? … people connect with overcoming disasters. Write it/them down, comment and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

9       Problems make the world go round … make a laundry list of common problems you identify in your book, and one by one. Write them down; create a blog on each one, synching with a theme in your book or subject expertise—that’s got be worth at least 10 blog ideas!

10   Turn on the news … what’s the lead? Write it/them down and make a comment and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

11   Watch your favorite TV show(s) … what’s the theme? Write it/them down, comment and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

12   TV again and your show(s) … whose the favorite character and why; write it/them down, comment and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

13   And TV once again … what show can’t you stand or have you abandoned? Write it/them down, comment and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

14   Back to the news … what celebrity is the jerk of the day/week? Write it/them down, comment and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

15   YouTube is a terrific resource … what is on the Home page? Write it/them down, comment and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

16   Check out Twitter, what is the leading hashtag trending … read a few of them. Write it/them down, comment and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

17   Pull a few books off your shelves and read the dust jackets or back cover copy … what motivated you to buy them? Write down your immediate reaction and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

18   Create a Cheat Sheet of tips … add a quick story of why you created the Cheat Sheet and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

19   Fess up to something … reveal your snafu(s) and “oh-oh” moments. Write it/them down, comment and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

20   How-tos are always helpful … go through each chapter in your book and create a list of one-sentence statements. Write it/them down, comment and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise—that too, has got to be worth at least 10 blog ideas.

21   There’s some type of holiday/celebration every month … some months have multiple … what is it/are they? Pull a memory from the past; write it/them down, comment and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

22   Holidays again … what don’t you like—a memory, commercialism, bad date night, what? Write it/them down, comment and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.
23   What delightful, unexpected event has happened in the past? … tell it and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

24   What not so delightful, unexpected event happened in the past? … reveal it and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

25   Vacations count … they create events and memories. Write it/them down, comment and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

26   Vacations again … what was the worst one ever and why? Write it/them down, comment and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

27   Embarrassing incidents … who hasn't had one, a few, maybe too many? Write it/them down, what happened, comment and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

28   OPB-other people’s blogs are loaded with material and fair game (and oh so public!) … any that you thought rocked? Start writing, comment, link to the source blog and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

29   More OPB … any that you thought gave awful info? Fair game, too! Start writing, counter it, link to the source blog and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

30   Go to the movies … what did you see? Share, comment and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

31   What TV talking head pushes your buttons … what and why? Write it/them down, comment and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

32   Think of something silly … what amuses you and why? Write it/them down, comment and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

33   Back to YouTube.com, put in the search box: “fun” and your topic … whatever pops up—watch a few videos (“fun” delivers both fun and funny themes). Write title and immediate reactions down, comment and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

34   Fantasy time … a combo of “what if” and pure “oh my” and let your fingers move into the creation mode. Write it/them all down, add comments and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

35   Weird holidays are a great leaping point … Google the month and day with “weird holiday” after it. Read the background, comment and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

36   Awards are for anything and everything … what have you won (or longed to win), comment and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.
37   Create your own Top 10 list … if it works for Letterman, it will work for you. Write it/them down, comment and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

38   What are common myths in your industry or field? … debunk them, comment and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise (if there are lots, this idea alone could be worth 10 blogs).

39   Do a Q & A with yourself … all those questions you want people to ask/ items you want them to know about your book and topic. Write it/them down, comment and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

40   What is the #1 question(s) you wished people would ask and they don’t? … ID, write it/them down, comment and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

41   Do a review of a book, theater production, movie, concert or any event … what worked, what didn't? Write 
it/them down, comment and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

42   Do a Q & A with another expert in your field … Tie in their expertise with yours. Write it/them down, comment and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

43   Never under-rate sex, sin, birth and death … there’s always something in the news or in the buzz that has one or the other tied to it. Write it/them down, comment and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

44   Pick up a copy of the National Enquirer and just read the headlines … what tickles your fancy, is appalling or just makes you think “You’ve got to be freak ‘in kidding …” Write it/them down, comment and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise. My all-time favorite was:  I gave birth in a snake infested tree! My immediate thoughts were: Whoa … really? How did she get up that tree with her big belly? What were all those snakes doing in it? Why was she in the tree in the first place? What happened? Etc., etc., etc. Great headlines stir up questions.

45   Use a major event (personal or historical) … Write it/them down, comment and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

46   What’s taboo? … agree, disagree, hedge whatever it is. Write it/them down, comment and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

47   Become the source, excerpt your own book … Copy/paste key phrase, paragraph, small section. Comment and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

48   Invite guest bloggers to sub in … do an Intro and Final comment that sandwiches the guest blog and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise (if there are lots, this idea alone could be worth 10 more blogs).

49   Mentors—do you have any? … create a blog around the three most important lessons ingrained, comment and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

50   Questions beg for answers … create a list of provocative ones and let your subscribers supply the answers. You comment back with each one, always synched with a theme in your book or subject expertise (guaranteed, the answers will breed another 10 blogs).

51   Fads and trends in your field yield a viable starting point … what are then? Write it/them down, comment and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

52   Get out your magic wand and make some predictions … perfect for the year end, comment and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise.

53   Bonus: Pick me, choose me! Look at the variety of Blogs that’ I've posted on the sites at AuthorU.org and TheBookShepherd.com. Feel free to re-post any of my blog post links and share them with others.

Take #33: Back to YouTube.com, search for “fun” and your topic … whatever pops up—watch a few, then comment and synch with a theme in your book or subject expertise (“fun” delivers and fun and funny). I discovered a short video that revealed 10,000 iPhones lined up in a domino snake-type wall.
Three things hit me: where did all those phones come from; how long did it take to set up; and the two minute video was awesome. And guess what, YouTube has a video on how they made it!

The final touch on your blog is your headline
Does yours create a response or is it ho-hum? Here’s a trick: check out the “emotional” value of your headline at the Advanced Marketing Institute. Tweak your headline until you have one that pulls in the crowd. http://www.aminstitute.com/headline/
You've got plenty of ideas to pull you out of the rut in my list above. Use them all or create your own. Have some fun in the process. Happy blogging!

2014_JBriles-1Judith Briles is known as The Book Shepherd a book publishing expert and coach. She is the Founder of Author U, a membership organization created for the serious author who wants to be seriously successful. She’s been writing about and conducting workshops on publishing since the 80s. Judith is the author of 31 books including Author YOU: Creating and Building Your Author and Book Platforms (ForeWord Indie/Fab Book of the Year), Snappy Sassy Salty: Wise Words for Authors and Writers and a speaker at publishing conferences.
Become part of her inner circle by joining the Author’s Ark and exclusive monthly webinar and coaching event. Each summer, she holds Judith Briles Unplugged, a two and 1/2 day intensive limited to a small group of authors who want to be seriously successful. In 2015, the dates are August 27-29th.  Her audio and workbook series, Creating Your Book and Author Platform is now available. Join Judith live on Thursdays at 6 p.m. EST for Author U – Your Guide to Book Publishing on the Toginet Network at http://tinyurl.com/AuthorURoadio. Follow @AuthorU and @MyBookShepherd on Twitter and do a “Like” at AuthorU and Judith Briles – TheBookShepherd on Facebook. If you want to create a book that has no regrets, contact Judith at Judith@Briles.com.

Author and Book Success: In Sight … In Mind

Typically, most view January as the month of Resolutions. I suggest you don’t. Why—simply this: most Resolutions are trashed within a few weeks of making them. It’s estimated that over 75 percent of resolutions are quickly side-stepped.

 
no resolutions

What are the top reasons resolutions become out of sight … out of mind?

1 Creating an All or Nothing Scenario

Almost guaranteed to set any author up for failure, we authors sometimes think of success in a black and white format. Usually it is kicked-off with the word “instant” … as in I need to sell 500 books in the next two weeks; I need to get on a national TV show this month; I need to ________. The publishing journey is a marathon, not the mythical short sprint that most just published authors think.

2 Lapsing and Relapsing

ODing either way … happens if there is a relapse … then you promise yourself (or others) that you will get back on track … and you do until you run into another hiccup. Then it moves into an all or none strategy that rarely goes flawless in execution or succeeding. Hiccups happen, get that it’s part of the journey. They hurt, but are rarely fatal.

3 Rewards Work

Every author has something different that motivates him or her. What’s yours? Do it; enjoy it; celebrate whatever your “it” is. Growth and success comes in a variety of steps and stages. One of my favorite books is Mastery by George Leonard. Required reading when I worked on my MBA years ago, its aha was the value of setbacks and plateaus … events that would enable/encourage one to regroup, relearn, practice and then woot … a huge leap in progress becomes highly probable.

4 Re-instill Vision

When you started on the Author Journey, you had a vision for either you or your book, preferably both. It’s time to revisit it. Clarify and goose your motivation.

5 Accountability and Action

Your Author and Book GamePlan for success require all of the above plus it needs action that has accountability tied to it.
Many jump on the authoring journey without putting one together. If that’s you, it’s never too late—you just may not like some of the revealing “hiccups” that your lack of a GamePlan didn't include. If you had one, you could be under the influence of Author Fatigue Syndrome—you are pooped.
Let’s try something different. It’s time to revisit it and reward yourself for the milestones you can mark off as DONE. Instead of vowing that you won’t do this or that you will do that … create a new GamePlan for 2015. If you have book in hand, it’s all about marketing and positioning. If your book is being written or in production, it’s ditto along with making sure that “your team” is creating the book that is your vision and one that you have no regrets about.
Lots going on in January. The PublishingAtSea.com sets to sea on the 18th … a great was to concentrate on lots of publishing info PLUS have a vacation on the side PLUS have it tax deductible. How cool is that?
The Author’s Ark will be starting up in February—THREE intense months of coaching with me. Get signed up NOW. http://bit.ly/1fWGR9Y
The Draft to Dream Book Publishing Competition ends on the 15th … if you have a manuscript that hasn’t been published, this is a HUGE window of opportunity. All details are on the www.AuthorU.org website. DO IT>  http://ow.ly/Co6DM
Early bird registration for the AuthorU.org Extravaganza is just around the corner. All the main publishing players will be there… the question is… well YOU. Rates will increase $100 on February 1st.
2015 is the year for in sight, in mind for you and your book’s success. I’m committed to it … are you?
 
2014_JBriles-1Judith Briles is known as The Book Shepherd a book publishing expert and coach. She is the Founder of Author U, a membership organization created for the serious author who wants to be seriously successful. She’s been writing about and conducting workshops on publishing since the 80s. Judith is the author of 31 books including Author YOU: Creating and Building Your Author and Book Platforms (ForeWord Indie/Fab Book of the Year), Snappy Sassy Salty: Wise Words for Authors and Writers and a speaker at publishing conferences.
Become part of her inner circle by joining the Author’s Ark and exclusive monthly webinar and coaching event. Each summer, she holds Judith Briles Unplugged, a two and 1/2 day intensive limited to a small group of authors who want to be seriously successful. In 2015, the dates are August 27-29th.  Her audio and workbook series, Creating Your Book and Author Platform is now available. Join Judith live on Thursdays at 6 p.m. EST for Author U – Your Guide to Book Publishing on the Toginet Network at http://tinyurl.com/AuthorURadio . Follow @AuthorU and @MyBookShepherd on Twitter and do a “Like” at AuthorU and Judith Briles – TheBookShepherd on Facebook. If you want to create a book that has no regrets, contact Judith at Judith@Briles.com.

Friday, December 26, 2014

The ABCs of Publishing Terminology Today

Are you confused in which way to publish today? And for that matter, what are the publishing options? Join the club! Traditional publishing, self-publishing and independent publishing are tossed in the air with the flick of the tongue. Just what are they? Authors feel like they are going bonkers with the choices, that unfortunately, lead to plenty of disillusionment.



Traditional publishing is the easiest to get … and digest. The biggies in the field today are: Simon & Schuster, Wiley, Hachette, HarperCollins, Penguin, Random House and Macmillian. They acquire authors and manuscripts. They promise to publish your book, do some editing, cover and interior design, print it and maybe, maybe some publicity and marketing. In return, you may get an advance—which means they give you up-front money that is an advance payment against/toward future royalties. The good news is that if the book doesn't do so well, you keep the money. The bad news, it’s not usually a lot and the process takes many, many months-sometimes years to see additional moneys.
The real confusion and culprit is in the “self-publishing” terminology. It’s misused and bastardized on a daily basis.

Self-publishing is well, self-publishing—the DIY model. And, it has lots of modes you can take. It gets interchanged with Independent publishing (or Indie publishing as many call it). One of the key differences between the two is that “self” is usually on a smaller production scale—the “indies” think nothing of print 1,000 plus copies and selling all of them … and back to print. The self-publishing author is thinking that 100 is a BIG step.

Independent publishing  You, the author, handle all the details under your own name/company—your imprint. You hire designers, illustrators, editors, printers and anyone else to create your masterpiece. Yes, all costs are yours, but you also get the difference between cost and selling point (If the cost of printing a book is $3.25 and you resell it for $15, you put $11.75 in your bank account). Authors who transitioned into the Independent publishing model are serious authors, understanding the business side of publishing. AND ... this is a must ... you need to understand, embrace, that this is a business. It you go down the "hobby" path, your results will be mediocre at best. End of my sermon.
Pay-to-publish is when YOU pay a company to do the publishing process. You can pay them to get editing done, the cover, the layout, the publicity and the marketing. You have much more control than with traditional, but all costs are out of pocket. YOU PAY ALL. Even though you are footing the bill, you still get royalties (a percent of the cover price--some gloat that they pay the best rates, like 20 percent). Not much here … and the quality is well, questionable. Many of the "pay to publish"—which includes Author Solutions, Author House, LuLu, Red Dog, Tate (I'm working on getting two authors out of a very messy situation/disaster with Tate as I write this), Balboa, Westbow, iUniverse, XLibris—the author sells an average of 100 book—100!!!! Ugh to that. The pay to publish crowd routinely say "self-publish" ... it is not. It is a business that takes just about any author who has got a checkbook or credit card, fills in the necessary paperwork, submits the necessary Word documents to their process … and voila  … a book is created.
My advice … if you are going to do all the intellectual work, need to save money, find resources that don’t suck you in for the $297 or $397 or $577 or whatever their “cheap” lure is and then you get hit with all the "up-selling." Always Google the name of the company—add “complaints,” “scams,” "ripoffs," "con," "lawsuits" and or “problems” behind it and read … dig down. READ EVERYTHING -- don't stop on the first page.

It's Easy to Get Lost in Publishing Terminology
Dear, Dear Authors... if you are going to do the work of writing a book ... you are going to market you book—NO ONE else is—thinking that another publisher—traditional or the pay-to-publish crowd will--it is today’s author fantasy land ... if you don't land a deal with a traditional publisher .. bypass "pay to publish" ...you are going to end up coughing up several thousand dollars by the time you are done; end up with a so-so product (as one of the AuthorU.org members said about Tate, “A 5-year-old could have made a better cover.”; and then you fumble with what to do next. If you are going to end up spending several thousand dollars, invest in learning about publishing and "buy" what you need to create your vision.
If money is a challenge—at least get your book edited; have a professional cover designer create your cover; get the interior layed-out by someone who does interiors—you will spend a few thousand dollars if you do it RIGHT and it will be money well spent … then you can go the cheap route: have your interior designer load up to Create Space—at least you've get the visuals of a solid book on your side and the content solid—you've got mammoth Amazon there ready to do the POD print and you can buy the book for most likely less than $3 a copy (less than the pay-to-publish model—trust me here). Amazon can then create the eBook in a nano-second for mini-costs.
Now, you can do the Create Space option and bypass your own designer … and you get what you get—it will look “self” published—I have yet to see a Create Space that the author has just down the “dump” process—used their templates, picked a plain vanilla type of cover they created and see the results as stellar. My thing is to work with authors to create a book that they don’t regret. If you want a Book that you don’t have to apologize for, get some professional input. Please.

Then, then ... you start social media marketing like crazy.
If you decide to pull it from Amazon and choose another option—like creating your own imprint or even selling it to a traditional publishing house, you can easily—you've got all the design done already and you own it.
OK... that's my two-bits for now ... remember: your motto is: "If it's to be, it's up to me ..." and keep my two favorites that I will include in my next book--a book that has won six national book awards, including a coveted Book of the Year from the Indie/Fab awards announced at the 2014  American Library Association annual meeting in Las Vegas ... Author YOU-Creating and Building Your Author and Book Platforms ...
If you never say "no" your "yeses" are worthless ... 


                      Don't do well what you have no business doing ... Nuff said.
 Get the book if you don't have ... and start your GamePlan today.

2014_JBriles-1Judith Briles is known as The Book Shepherd a book publishing expert and coach. She is the Founder of Author U, a membership organization created for the serious author who wants to be seriously successful. She’s been writing about and conducting workshops on publishing since the 80s. Judith is the author of 31 books including Author YOU: Creating and Building Your Author and Book Platforms (ForeWord Indie/Fab Book of the Year), Snappy Sassy Salty: Wise Words for Authors and Writers and a speaker at publishing conferences.
Become part of her inner circle by joining the Author’s Ark and exclusive monthly webinar and coaching event. Each summer, she holds Judith Briles Unplugged, a two and 1/2 day intensive limited to a small group of authors who want to be seriously successful. In 2015, the dates are August 27-29th.  Her audio and workbook series, Creating Your Book and Author Platform is now available. Join Judith live on Thursdays at 6 p.m. EST for Author U – Your Guide to Book Publishing on the Toginet Network at http://tinyurl.com/AuthorURadio . Follow @AuthorU and @MyBookShepherd on Twitter and do a “Like” at AuthorU and Judith Briles – TheBookShepherd on Facebook. If you want to create a book that has no regrets, contact Judith at Judith@Briles.com.

Authors, Books and Webinars Go Together

One of the challenges that every Webinar seems to encounter is the talking head syndrome. In TV land, this is typical of your news shows. Your Webinar needs even more energy and when your attendees can’t see you.
icon_webinargold-3D
Your challenge is to create action in their eyes with your words, your phrases, your pausing, your illustrations, your speaking style, your examples, your stories, your segways, your everything … it’s your show and whether the attendee comes back for another Webinar will be based on whether you can connect with your audience or not.
Why in the world would someone want to sit through 15 minutes, or 120 minutes, of a Webinar? The answer is the same if they were attending a live presentation—to get information and to find solutions that can be implemented without spending a ton of time and money doing it.

The Webinar presenter is the expert. She or he has the answers. That’s you. Know who your audience is—you can do this at the initial registration and/or via a poll given during the Webinar. Don’t tease them with a bait and switch approach, trying to get them to sign up for another program to get “the rest of the story.” Give them what you promised up front in your initial benefit statements that they received prior to registration; tell them, and show when you can, how your concepts work and how they are best implemented; and make sure that you doing a “summing” up at the end of your Webinar—remember, it’s likely that you will have latecomers who will miss some of your key points.

Let’s assume that you’ve wowed your audience with a great presentation – they loved what you had to say and they really like you. You have them where you want them. Now what do you do? Here’s where you can blow it! You just say thanks for coming and good bye. Not good. You didn’t give the attendees a Call to Action. There is No Challenge to your audience, No Special offers, No Next Steps or To-Do List.

Why a “Call to Action”? Remember – they wanted to attend your webinar and they want to do something now. So give them the next possible steps. Make sure they take action of some kind.
As an AuthorU.org member, you get free webinars within the Webinar Gold series each month. We open the mic up at the end to answer questions LIVE ... and keep the learning going. If you aren't participating in them, you are missing out. Held on two Wednesdays a month at 6 Eastern, they are rich with content for both fiction and non-fiction writers. Always check the Event tab on the website for the next one scheduled.





2014_JBriles-1Judith Briles is known as The Book Shepherd a book publishing expert and coach. She is the Founder of Author U, a membership organization created for the serious author who wants to be seriously successful. She’s been writing about and conducting workshops on publishing since the 80s. Judith is the author of 31 books including Author YOU: Creating and Building Your Author and Book Platforms (ForeWord Indie/Fab Book of the Year), Snappy Sassy Salty: Wise Words for Authors and Writers and a speaker at publishing conferences.
Become part of her inner circle by joining the Author’s Ark and exclusive monthly webinar and coaching event. Each summer, she holds Judith Briles Unplugged, a two and 1/2 day intensive limited to a small group of authors who want to be seriously successful. In 2015, the dates are August 27-29th.  Her audio and workbook series, Creating Your Book and Author Platform is now available. Join Judith live on Thursdays at 6 p.m. EST for Author U – Your Guide to Book Publishing on the Toginet Network at http://tinyurl.com/AuthorURoadio. Follow @AuthorU and @MyBookShepherd on Twitter and do a “Like” at AuthorU and Judith Briles – TheBookShepherd on Facebook. If you want to create a book that has no regrets, contact Judith at Judith@Briles.com.

Friday, November 21, 2014

Authors, Judgement and Publishing Predators

   What do you do when you’ve been “had” in the publishing   game/maze?

Who’s the book-buster
       you call in?


Do you moan and groan that you’ve been screwed?


Do you spend countless hours in phone and email hell trying to get to someone who’s
going to fix whatever needs fixing on your
book?

Do you cave in, with book tail between your heart and soul and just slink away?


Do you make a variety of excuses as to why you are in the mess you are?

Do you ignore that you’ve been treated like a piece of yesterday’s trash?


Do you …


How about: let’s kick in “your better judgment”
Do you … and get the heck out of dodge?


Stop working with the people and group that have zapped you.  Just stop. Lick your wounds; you made a mistake that is costing you time, energy and money. I know, it’s the money thing that keeps people in the book and author abuse cycle.

If you don’t, it will suck the passion out of your book and you. Tell everyone you know who they are, what exactly has been the pits and engage with someone who knows what they are doing. And listen to them; dump your ego, not your vision.

There is too, too much information out there available with a few clicks to weed the publishing predators out. Google the names; add “scams”, “problems”, “cons”, “complaints” after their names—read every one of them. Predators & Editors should always be checked out. Ask, Ask, Ask. I had someone who called me last week who admitted after I asked him why he signed with Xlibris–he was sick of being hounded by all the phone calls and just wanted them to stop. He signed a contract, gave them money … because he wanted them to stop calling him!



      Authors—the boiler room operations of Author House, Author Solutions, Xlibris, iUniverse, etc., have hundreds of people “hounding” naive authors-to-be around the clock—it’s their “job”—they are author hounders, lurking in the shadows, ready to root into your creative juices, and yes, your personal vanity, to get your wallet and book.

And Amazon, with all its bucks, needs to kick up its quality control. The results are hit and miss on printing and layout quality for its CreateSpace program. CreateSpace is a pay to publish method, let’s call it what it is. The choice for cover presentation—gloss or gloss—is dismal. Lightning Source is leap years ahead of it. Certainly OK for a “galley” and ARC strategy or to “test” the grounds for a book … but to sell in physical quantity/quality—to compete what books that authors and publishers of any size are putting thought and money into—not so hot. If you don’t care what the physical presentation of your book is, then it doesn’t.

When I look at the finished results of the vanity, pay-to-publish, subsidy crowd, and hear the author tell me in writing or in person that they are OK/happy with the results … just what are the results being comparing to? If he or she doesn’t know better … well … is that really OK? Your choice, you choose … and look in the mirror when you do. I would choose to get out of dodge and start over. Yes, you are out some money and time. And yes, you will get your book and author life back. The book-buster is in the mirror. Your choice, you choose.



Judith Briles is known as The Book Shepherd a book publishing expert and coach. She is the Founder of Author U, a membership organization created for the serious author who wants to be seriously successful. She’s been writing about and conducting workshops on publishing since the 80s. Judith is the author of 31 books including Author YOU: Creating and Building Your Author and Book Platforms (ForeWord Indie/Fab Book of the Year), Snappy Sassy Salty: Wise Words for Authors and Writers and a speaker at publishing conferences.   

Become part of her inner circle by joining the Author’s Ark and exclusive monthly webinar and coaching event. Each summer, she holds Judith Briles Unplugged, a two and 1/2 day intensive limited to a small group of authors who want to be seriously successful. In 2015, the dates are August 27-29th.  Her audio and workbook series, Creating Your Book and Author Platform is now available. Join Judith live on Thursdays at 6 p.m. EST for Author U – Your Guide to Book Publishing on the Toginet Network at http://tinyurl.com/AuthorURadio . Follow @AuthorU and @MyBookShepherd on Twitter and do a “Like” at AuthorU and Judith Briles – TheBookShepherd on Facebook. If you want to create a book that has no regrets, contact Judith at Judith@Briles.com.

Monday, November 17, 2014

The Author’s Inner Circle … Who Are You Going to Call?

Authors need feedback, reality checks and plain old-fashion butt-kicking. And they need a little kindness. Few think about putting together an “official” type of board to serve in the feedback/reality check/butt-kicking honors. An Author Inner Circle
                  ....  a type of Advisory Board.


                                                                                  

Who Belongs in Your Inner Circle?


It’s time to create yours. The Author Inner Circle … trusted colleagues, pals, and always someone who has “been there, done that.” Most likely, it’s not going to be your sibling, mom or dad. Not unless they’ve authored or work with authors, publishing, books. You want someone who has got an inkling of what is going on in the publishing business; someone who is connected with others; someone who has a sense of humor; someone who has a kaleidoscope of business experience; someone who will say it as it is and not side-step the elephant in the room (which could be you); someone who loves to brainstorming and bounce off-the-wall ideas around; someone who will move you to action; someone who gets what social media marketing is about; someone who gets your Vision for your book and where you want to go with it.
                
        

Here are nine someones that can make the difference between success and failure:

1 You want someone who will say it as it is and not side-step any elephant in the room, including you. Let’s face it; we all get stubborn at times; quite myopic in the author paths we get into our head. You need a reality checker. Who is out there and has the guts to tell you you are off your authoring/book rocker?

2 You want someone who is connected with others and opens doors. Yes you do—someone with a phone call or email can get you to a source—someone who knows someone else that can smooth your way.

3 You want someone who has a sense of humor. Not only can authoring and publishing be lonely it times as you tunnel yourself into the completing of your book—there are booby traps along the way. Having a sense of humor helps; having someone within your Circle can lighten the load and ease the pain.

4 You want someone who has a kaleidoscope of business experience. Absolutely—one of the key failure factors in the authoring/publishing business is that most authors don’t recognize. This person gets a P & L, understands contracts and negotiating. If they know publishing, it’s a bonus.

5 You want someone who has got an inkling of what is going on in the publishing business. We all know publishing is in a combo evolution and revolution. Who is out there in the midst of it?

6  You want someone who loves brainstorming and off-the-wall ideas. Eccentric, a tad wacky—you name it, this person walks to a different tune … most of them you don’t get, but once in a while, your unique and odd-ball someone hits it out of the park.

7 You want a “Go-Go-Go” person who gets you into action. No butt-sitting allowed or procrastination allowed.

8 You want some who gets social media marketing. But there’s a catch, this person has to be able to articulate in your mother tongue what he or she is saying and you understand it. It doesn’t mean that you are going to be the full time implementer of

9 You want someone who gets your Vision for your book and where you want to go with it. They get it; they get you; and they are your cheerleader. They get the Passion you have and totally get the amount of time, energy and money you invest in your Commitment to the Book.

There you have it. Who’s in your Author Inner Circle? Who do you need … and who should you delete?

           

   
Judith Briles is known as The Book Shepherd a book publishing expert and coach. She is the Founder of Author U, a membership organization created for the serious author who wants to be seriously successful. She’s been writing about and conducting workshops on publishing since the 80s. Judith is the author of 31 books including Author YOU: Creating and Building Your Author and Book Platforms (ForeWord Indie/Fab Book of the Year), Snappy Sassy Salty: Wise Words for Authors and Writers and a speaker at publishing conferences.

Become part of her inner circle by joining the Author’s Ark and exclusive monthly webinar and coaching event. Each summer, she holds Judith Briles Unplugged, a two and 1/2 day intensive limited to a small group of authors who want to be seriously successful. In 2015, the dates are August 27-29th.  Her audio and workbook series, Creating Your Book and Author Platform is now available. Join Judith live on Thursdays at 6 p.m. EST for Author U – Your Guide to Book Publishing on the Toginet Network at http://tinyurl.com/AuthorURadio . Follow @AuthorU and @MyBookShepherd on Twitter and do a “Like” at AuthorU and Judith Briles – TheBookShepherd on Facebook. If you want to create a book that has no regrets, contact Judith at Judith@Briles.com.