Don’t Be a Screwed Up, Misguided, Resistant Author at Work

Holy Moley … I just got off the phone with one of the many trust publishing service providers I work with and refer clients to. This time, I was the listener to my colleague’s rant—she was exhausted in working with a particular client … on that always had the “but” in her vocabulary, ready to flow at a moment’s wink. Repeated phone and Skype calls asking the same questions over and over. When the solution/response was generated, virtual heels were dug in.

What gives? Should there be a Caution Alert posted … maybe for the benefit of all:

Caution: Screwed Up, Misguided, Resistant Author in the Midst

Authors … when you are engaging consultants … either in the interview stage to see if working with them is a fit or you have hired them … LISTEN. Don’t talk over them and interrupt. Their years of experience is what will make your book, website, art work, structure, etc., sing. Are the situations when they are the wrong fit? Of course –that’s what the interview or a sample of work is all about.

And … just because you don’t have face-to-face time with them doesn’t mean that they aren’t noodling your book or in many cases, doing direct work on it. There isn’t a consultant that I work with who doesn’t generously give of his or her time where the author gets a “free ride” and is never billed. It's what many of us do because we believe ... you need to as well.

Judith Briles is a book publishing expert and coach. She empowers authors and 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 34 books including Author YOU: Creating and Building Your Author and Book Platforms (ForeWord IndieFab Book of the Year), Snappy Sassy Salty: Wise Words for Authors and Writers and a speaker at publishing conferences. Book #34 was published this summer: The CrowdFunding Guide for Authors & Writers. Get your copy.

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 Book Publishing Unplugged, a three 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 bit.ly/PublishingShow .

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 U is a non-profit membership organization dedicated to the author who wants to be seriously successful. Monthly education programs delivered face-to-face and online, The Author Resource ezine, BookCamps and the annual Author U Extravaganza are tools designed for authors pre, during and post publishing of their books. Join AuthorU.org today.

 If you are looking for FREE author and book coaching ... call in to Judith's Author Monday Mornings at NOON Eastern each Monday. The number is 218-632-9854; Access Code 1239874444 ... have your questions ready--there's a full hour to ask and listen.

Book Launch Day is Approaching ... Are You Ready?

Plenty of authors have winter and spring books that are now at printers. AuthorU's question is: what are you going to do to launch your book?

 

In fact, there are more questions. What did you do before you sent it to the printer? What was your prep work for your book day? Are you planning an all out blitz to the world? Or are you doing one with mini-steps? Or, is it possible that you haven't really thought about it.

Ideally, in the months before your book launches, you were up to your eyeballs with marketing related tasks. Creating mass social media contacts; figuring out what technology you would be using; who would be part of your marketing/shout out team; who in your circle of friends and colleagues would be in your camp to eblast their worlds that your book was HOT and that they should get a copy on your big day/week; contacts for guest blog posts; even pitching media and journalists.  

At the AuthorU Extravaganza in 2015, Bill Van Orsdel of BookFuel.com gave an excellent presentation on Super Readers and Super Fans. You want them--in fact, in marketing your books, they are your secret sauce. The prepping for the book launch includes finding, cultivating and keeping them.  You can order Bill VanOrsdel's CD # E8 from his presentation here.

Why? Simply this: Super Readers devour anything in the genre that

they love; Super Fans are authorcentric ... whatever has your name on it, it's inhaled. At one of the Extravaganzas, best-selling author and entrepreneur Guy Kawasakai was the opening speaker. His books were gobbled up by all as they became Super Fans.

This is the army you want to build--Super Fans and Super Readers ... and you start building it as early as possible. With Blogs, Tweets, Postings, Author Chats, Podcasts, Blog Tours, Book Clubs, Book Signings and Events ... anywhere you can create the hook and following for you and your book.

In other words, they are in so many places--visible and buried. The Internet is your town hall ... where you get to stand on your soap box and announce the birth. When you do all the set up pre-book, you have supplied our building army with great ahas, content, resources, ideas ... they will be ready to follow and support you. If you haven't said hello to Goodreads and Amazon's Author Central, it's a must do. Add Facebook, Twitter,  LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram on to this list. If you are writing for the YA crowd, then SnapChat and Tumblr is important.

And a website is a must have--one that is visitor friendly and easily collects emails by offering a great take-away. Some FREE. Once you have emails, you have gold. You can regularly stay connected with them. They have become Fans ... you great content provided as you communicate will turn them into Super Fans.

Author overwhelm can set in as book day approaches. Finding Super Fans to celebrate your book launch and fuel your book marketing is key to its success.

Your book launch day is approaching ... are you ready?