Author Savvy: Dumb is Always Comes Before Smart

To Become a MASTER … Authors Begin the Journey as a DUMMY

Throughout the year, my favorite Geek Girl, Kelly Johnson and I create a mini intensive on a specific topic … the goal is always to talk our small enclave of dummies to ace users over a three hour period of time. In the three years, we have delivered Tech Tool Boxes for the AuthorU community, the transition never fails.

Being DUMB and IGNORANT is the starting point to becoming highly proficient and SMART. At each session, are timid, curious, frustrated and dumb participants display some level of resistance. They know there’s “something” in that pile that could just be the perfect gizmo or gadget to add to their Tech Tool Box … yet … the almost fearfulness of “brain damage/drain” or just more time sucking is in the eyes.

Kelly and my objective is to always reveal tricks and tips to the “tool” we are covering; reveal just why it could be the cat’s meow to support their authoring and publishing endeavors; and of course, have fun in the process.

But—the sometimes “OMG, what am I doing here” look in the eyes is revealed … sometimes, it is verbalized.

DUMB is always the Staring Point of Being SMART

I confess up front … do I routinely use every tool consistently that we focus on during the session? No … but the ones that I learn about from Kelly that I hadn’t already been familiar with (I too can be in the official dummy crowd) opens a new window of opportunity. I have become a MASTER is a variety of areas of publishing. Each journey began with ignorance—at times, I felt I was a dummy of all things.

My 30+ year journey through the publishing maze has delivered an array of experiences, ahas and yes, crashes. I now can quickly evaluate whether it makes sense to keep using and mastering … or to just put it in my “good to know” file the truckload of tools that I come across.

• Is the opportunity right for me?
• Does it fit and support the work that I do?
• Does it add to my social media marketing?
• Is it something that my full time VA can use to enhance my social media that she puts out daily?
• Does it open up an avenue that I haven’t thought about?

Because I allowed myself to be DUMB, I enable myself to begin the journey to being a MASTER. How cool is that?

As an author, no matter where you are on the path: just starting—almost there to completion of your manuscript or with book in hand—frustration is most likely a familiar road sign you’ve encountered.

Drive through it. Those 15, 30, even 60 minutes of being overwhelmed, frustrated and let’s face it: feeling/saying, “Screw it,” and wanting to throw in the towel may be the seed to a giant WOOT! I’ve been there, done that.

Complacency will never move you to mastery in anything. Curiosity and Persistence will. Embrace your dumbness and celebrate the coming smartness. 

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.

7 Tips to Get Book Endorsement

Endorsements … Should You or Shouldn’t You
 and How Do
     You Get Them?

                                                                                                                                      
One of the most common questions authors ask is: should I get endorsements for my book? The answer is yes. The real question is: where should I put them?

 Ahhh, that opens up another window. Maybe on the cover. Maybe on the back cover. Maybe on a flap or dust jacket if your book has that type of cover. Maybe in the opening pages of your book. Maybe …                                                     

Your book cover is about marketing. The only endorsements that should go on a cover / back cover are ones that will absolutely connect with your reader.It’s not your friend, your mother, your cronies in your club. Unless they are rock stars and publicly know

                         

My personal preference is “less is more.” If you have a stellar endorsement that is well known within your field or genre –most     likely I would put it on the back cover and in a call out type of format so it will pop. If it is from a key review source, such as Publishers Weekly, Foreword, Kirkus, or Library Journal, I would do a “sprinkle” and have the cover designer drop the line(s) so that they do a pop. If any are long endorsements, pull a few of the key sentences out as an excerpt and put the entire endorsement within the opening pages of the book along with others that aren’t used on the cover real estate–these are placed in the first few pages of the book, before the Title page.

 1.Look at the most current books. How are they using cover and interior endorsements? What types  of names are citing books (business, celebs, other authors)? How long are they? Where are they        placed? These are usually generated from advanced reader copies or galleys.  In nonfiction, you will a variety of names and types. In fiction, it’s usually from other authors and typically within the same  genre.

2.Finding endorsers. If you had your choice, who would you want? What’s your Wish List? Do you know them? Then ask. If you don’t, do you know someone who does? What are social media groups—are they within any that you are a member of? This is a time of who do you know who … it’s networking time. If you are looking for celebs, works leaders, etc., The Celebrity Black Book has all the contacts. Your library might
have it or pick up a used edition on Amazon. There’s always Google, but it will most likely not be the source here.

3.Create a cover letter that grabs them and is compelling. Such as:  “If you love to cook … within these pages are the best 200 recipes using Paprika from Hungary.” “If you love mysteries, imagine Sherlock Holmes having High Tea with the Queen while James Bond is seducing his latest female colleague while Jessica Fletcher is tripping over bodies in Cabot Cove and he gets a call for help.”

4.Share something on the inside — as in key insights that were revealed as you created your masterpiece. From the “…if I knew 20 years ago what I know now …” or “…I’ll be requiring this for every client I work with (class I teach, patient I see, and workshop I give …). Was there anything that was shocking or left you shaking your head in disbelief or sheer wonder? Share it.

5.When seeking blurb age, ask what format the reader would like—printed manuscript sent to you, PDF via email, a few chapters … what and how? Reveal your drop dead deadline for having them back. You could even include some ideal samples” of blurbs. Many will take those and tweak them. Make it easy.

 6.Is a particular bent or focus you want? Let them know what you are looking for.

7.Ask for the way you want his or her name included after the endorsement. If they are published, which book they would like to include under their name

8.When you have published book in hand, send a copy to your endorser. Always with a glowing, happy dance thank you note


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/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.

Getting Your Book into the Friendly Skies

Do you want your book in the airport?          

If you do, you need to know that Hudson News
(NJ based)
                                  
or The Paradies Shops (GA based) are the only players for airport book sales. Pitch it to headquarters—it’s all about the book … has to be designed and written well. The book hook is critical. Offer a special “Cooperative Rate”—i.e., you offer a special reduction on the first order only that amounts to a $2 credit per book over the regular discount.  Alert: return rates are 60-70% … unless the book takes off and then reorders happen.

Seek out the bookstore
at your airport the next time you are flying.
Spend some time and discover what types of books they are carrying. Ask the manager which types of books move. If she has the time, tell her that you are weighing the possibility of marketing your book to Hudson News or The Paradies Shops—the owner of the store— for inclusion. Have your SHORT book pitch on the tip of your tongue and state who the reader is. Does she think your book could move?

Caution—many of these stores only have one, possibly two people working, so be precise and honor their time.

If you land a spot on an airport bookstore, you have a very short window to support it. Massive email time to all you know within your social media channels: Twitter, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, etc. You need to, you must, create shout outs from you to your communities. Remind them that the book will be in the airline stores for the time frame and encourage them to pick up a copy … and tell others as well. Write a blog and post a picture of your book in one of the stores. Market, Market, Market.
                                
                                 

Airline Specialty Magazines. The captive audience is what the author desires to shout out their book to … and airlines provide that audience every day of the week. Next time you are on a plane, take the magazine in the pocket in front of you … study it. What types of articles are included? Could the genesis of your book be a fit? All the contact info is on an interior page.

Airports and airlines may be a perfect fit for you and your books.

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 Writer
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.