Best Times for Twitter, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, Pinterest … Oh My!

For social media and social media posting, the key question is: What is the best time to post to social media?  The answer: know your target audience and know your time zones. Adjust accordingly.   

While the optimal time to update your Twitter or Google+ is included per a variety of resources, your audience may have a different optimal time. It means you need to know—one of the Author U members has a huge LinkedIn and Twitter following and they are active late evening.

Note: all times below are all based on Eastern.

  Facebook … Traffic is highest between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.Best time: Between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.  Wednesdays are hot.Avoid time: 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.
  Twitter … Peak time is Monday –Thursday; peters out after 3 p.m. on Friday through Sunday.Best time: 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.Avoid time: 8 p.m. to 9 a.m.
  Google+ … Think weekday and AMs-best time is between 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., during business hours-traffic fades after 5 p.m. and weekends.
Best time: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Avoid time: 6 p.m. to 8 a.m.

  Pinterest … During the week, from noon to 5 p.m. Best time is Saturday morning to post. Primary piners are women—avoid family demand times.
Best time: 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. or 8 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Avoid time: 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

  LinkedIn … Do your posting before or after business hours and avoid Mondays and Fridays.
Best time: 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. or 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Avoid time: 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

The resources used to compile data included:Mashable.com, Infographics/pic, elainefogel.net, smallbusiness.chron.com, blog.bily.com.  Always keep in mind: social media morphs often—ideal times this month could be different in three months.

 Judith Briles is known as The Book Shepherd (www.TheBookShepherd.com), an author and book publishing expert and the Chief Visionary Officer and Founder of Author U (www.AuthorU.org), a membership organization created for the 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 30 books. Her latest,Author YOU: Creating and Building Your Author and Book Platforms is just out. Join Judith live on Thursdays at 6 p.m. EST for Your Guide to Book publishing on the www.RockStarRadioNetwork.com.Follow @AuthorU and @MyBookShepherd on Twitter and do a “Like” at AuthorU and TheBookShepherd on Facebook.  If you want to create a book that has no regrets, contact her at Judith@Briles.com.

I just want to write my books …

Sometimes the best of an author’s plan goes kaput. The question that should be asked: was it a plan, a real plan … or a fantasy … or a wish?                        

We authors are good at creating the “what ifs” during the germination of a book; during the writing of a book; during the production of a book; during the marketing of a book; during the life of a book. Books are exciting … and when it’s in hand and available, euphoric. It’s your newborn. Of course you want it to do well, to soar.

When do the “what ifs” become a reality? The answer is direct: with a plan, or maybe several. Author success is rarely stumbled upon. It’s not like winning the lottery where you put a few bucks in for achanceat the mega-million dollar pot. Realistically, we know that the odds are humongous against winning, but hey, someone has to and why not “me”?—and if I don’t buy mychance, I can’t play. So there.

Authoring and Book selling isn't the lottery. You don’t buy a chance. The truth is that the creation of a book, even though it took years to do, is a mere fraction of the time, energy, commitment and money needed to teach it to walk. But …

     I just want to write my books. 
    That’s all I want to do. 
    If I just didn’t have to do all this “other stuff” to support the book; to market the      book; to sell the book, I could write more fabulous books. 
    My books are awesome; people just need to find them.
    I just want to write my books.
   Why can’t I just write?

And, gulp, what happens if your newborn doesn’t walk?That definitely wasn’t in the plan. Or, was it? If you failed to put together a plan post the book birth that would train your baby to walk, then run, you failed to plan. And if you did have a plan, and it didn’t work, what did you have in place for Plan B? Plan C? Plan D …?

If you want to be a “kept author” … that takes a plan, not a wish. What’s yours?

 Judith Briles is known as The Book Shepherd (www.TheBookShepherd.com), an author and book publishing expert and the Chief Visionary Officer and Founder of Author U (www.AuthorU.org), a membership organization created for the 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 30 books. Her latest,Author YOU: Creating and Building Your Author and Book Platforms is just out. Join Judith live on Thursdays at 6 p.m. EST for Your Guide to Book publishing on the www.RockStarRadioNetwork.com.Follow @AuthorU and @MyBookShepherd on Twitter and do a “Like” at AuthorU and TheBookShepherd on Facebook.  If you want to create a book that has no regrets, contact her at Judith@Briles.com.

Publishing Predator Update … Hello Author Solutions … Hello Class Action Lawsuit

The favorite sound of every publishing predator is: Cha-king … Cha-king … Cha-king

Author Solutions tentacles are massive. AuthorHouse is its mothership. Then there is Xlibris and iUniverse and Trafford Publishing and Booktango and Palibrio and those expanding “strategic partnerships” with Balboa Press (Hay House) | Archway Publishing (Simon and Schuster) | WestBow Press (Thomas Nelson)| Abbott Press (Readers Digest) | Inspiring Voices (Guideposts) | LifeRich Publishing (Readers Digest) … stealthful relationships that most authors are clueless that they have engaged Author Solutions/House until the emails and calls start.

Cha-king … Cha-king … Cha-king is filtered through the DNA of those who work for the Author Solutions empire, now owned by the Penguin Group. I wonder if the money counters at Author Solutions, also AuthorHouse and a bunch of its other branded names, truly believe that the little people—the thousands of authors who have been misled, abused, assaulted and then had the soul of their author essence literally sucked away because the author just couldn’t take it anymore—wouldn’t start uniting … squawking … and finally take some action?

One whipped author confessed that they reason he finally “signed” with them because he just wanted to stop the phone calls. The AuthorHouse phone machine was bombarding him with calls throughout the day.

Stop the noise … stop the hounding … I’ll do anything to make it stop.

Please go away… and still, they don’t. They won’t. Now the art of up-sale starts … you need this publicity package … it’s only $14,999 … What? … AuthorHouse sells stuff for 15 grand? Yes indeed … and it has a truckload of other services to seduce your ego or your ignorance as long as your credit card has an open line.

On the same day, two calls came in from authors who kissed off over $10,000. One woman was seduced by the allure of publishing with Hay House; she was a naïve author who flocked to Balboa Press because she truly believed that Hay House oversaw all things Balboa Press and ended up be dragged through the predator coals by the Author Solution organization.

Another was given a gift by someone close to her for a package with WestBow, not understanding that it was AuthorHouse who they would be dealing with, not Thomas Nelson. The mega amounts of money that she spent after the massive pitches are too awful to disclose, not to mention that they convinced her to print many, many thousands of books—far more than a typical print run a traditional publisher does today for most of its authors.

Many think that what they are getting is the “norm” … that’s because they didn’t know better—after all, if you are new to authoring and publishing, you may not know what “nice” is; what “professional” is. And heck, getting your book into the publishing arena ranges via Author House can start at their Foundation package for only $749 to their Pinnacle package to $2,299. The lower price won’t register your copyright but the higher price one will.

Enough is enough. A class action lawsuit was filed this spring.

From the website of the law firm of Giskan Solotaroff Anderson & Stewart LLP:

On April 26, 2013, Giskan Solotaroff Anderson & Stewart LLP filed a lawsuit against Author Solutions. Authors using Author Solutions have complained of deceptive practices, including enticing authors to purchase promotional services that are not provided or are worthless and failing to pay royalties.

If you have had any hiccups, I suggest you check into the class action suit that is building steam. Here’s the website:http://lnkd.in/KHAf2V

The lawsuit is over 30 pages. One section alleges (don’t you love that word!):

Author Solutions misrepresents itself, luring authors in with claims that its books can compete with “traditional publishers,” offering “greater speed, higher royalties, and more control for its authors.” The company then profits from “fraudulent” practices, the complaint alleges, including “delaying publication, publishing manuscripts with errors to generate fees, and selling worthless services, or services that fail to accomplish what they promise.”

It goes on to allege that Author Solutions fails to pay its authors the royalties they are due. A sentence that I’ve painfully heard multiple times.

And if you want to read the formal complaint, here’s the link for that gem: http://www.gslawny.com/files/stamped_complaint.pdf

If you feel that you have been duped or conned in dealings with any of the Author Solutions companies, speak up. If you know of anyone who has, contact them. Most people, no matter who they are, don’t. Whether it’s “I don’t want to get involved” or “I don’t want to let anyone know that I screwed up” or something in between, this isn’t a time to go silent. Silence condones bad behavior and bad business.

It’s shocking to me that authors continue to sign up with this group when there is so much out there. Author beware. Stay away.

 Judith Briles is known as The Book Shepherd (www.TheBookShepherd.com), an author and book publishing expert and the Chief Visionary Officer and Founder of Author U (www.AuthorU.org), a membership organization created for the 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 30 books. Her latest, Author YOU: Creating and Building Your Author and Book Platforms is just out. Join Judith live on Thursdays at 6 p.m. EST for Your Guide to Book publishing on the www.RockStarRadioNetwork.com.

Follow @AuthorU and @MyBookShepherd on Twitter and do a “Like” at AuthorU and TheBookShepherd on Facebook.  If you want to create a book that has no regrets, contact her at Judith@Briles.com.

Don't Confuse Independent Publishing with Self-Publishing

Indie, Independent and Small Press Publishing Are So, Soooooo Different from Self-Publishing, Vanity Presses and Pay-to-Publish “Publishing”

I've said it once, I've said it a zillion times: yes, dear author-to-be (and those already published), there is a difference between self-publishing, vanity presses, pay-to-publish, a small press, and independent publishing. Don’t mix them up. Don’t get confused.

Use Wikipedia as an initial guide:

“The terms “small press”, “indie publisher”, and “independent press” are often used interchangeably, with “independent press” defined as publishers that are not part of large conglomerates or multinational corporations. Defined this way, these presses make up approximately half of the market share of the book publishing industry. Many small presses rely on specialization in genre fiction, poetry, or limited-edition books or magazines, but there are also thousands that focus on niche non-fiction markets."

Did you read that? One-half of the market share of the book publishing industry! Do you understand what it says/means? It means most authors today whose objective is to be successful create a small or independent press. They create their own “imprints”—publishing houses only on a mini scale. Authors find that books breed books, more will come. As a small, independent press, all can be published under their publishing house.

“Small presses should not be confused with “vanity presses”. Vanity or subsidy presses usually require payment by authors, or a minimum purchase of copies.

Small presses make their profits by selling books to consumers, rather than selling services to authors or selling a small number of copies to the author’s friends.”

Vanity presses and the “pay-to-publish” crowd often prey on the would-be and naïve author. It’s a maze out there and it all there hype about creating books for a few hundred (to sometimes thousands of dollars) sounds ducky when the right jargon is pitched at you. Avoid. Avoid. Avoid the likes of Author House, Author Solutions, and their offspring and kin. Publishing predators.

“The majority of small presses are independent or indie publishers, this

means that they are separate from the handful of major publishing house conglomerates, such as Random House or Hachette. The term ‘indie publisher’ should not be confused with ‘self-publisher’, which is where the author publishes only their own books.”

The small press, indie or independent publisher IS NOT THE SAME as self-publishing … which is what vanity press is all about. There is not the commitment mentally, financially, even spiritually, that those who create the Vision for themselves as authors do who support their Passion to carry the book project through and are enveloped with the Commitment of their time, energy and money. Many who get sucked into the vanity, pay-to-publish and self-publish routes do it because 1) they don’t know better; 2) they’ve been bamboozled; 3) they don’t think/know there is another option; 4) they think that this is a way to start out with minimal moneys, not knowing that they, in turn, become a money pit for the company they sign up with. You own it all, from the ISBN to the rights to do what you want and with who you want to work with.

Do yourself and your book a favor. If you want to start small, while you learn about publishing along with what to do and what not to do, use either CreateSpace or Lightning Source as the “tool” to get your foot in the door. Both are POD-print on demand operations; both have the bells and whistles beginner authors need; both have windows to get your book into readers’ hands. When you are ready to transition to your own imprint or another option, you won’t be held hostage. Always a good thing.

Judith Briles is known as The Book Shepherd (www.TheBookShepherd.com), an author and book publishing expert and the Chief Visionary Officer and Founder of Author U (www.AuthorU.org), a membership organization created for the 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 30 books. Her latest,

Author YOU: Creating and Building Your Author and Book Platforms is just out. Join Judith live on Thursdays at 6 p.m. EST for Your Guide to Book publishing on the www.RockStarRadioNetwork.com. Follow @AuthorU and @MyBookShepherd on Twitter and do a “Like” at AuthorU and TheBookShepherd on Facebook.  If you want to create a book that has no regrets

Author Twitter Tweets for the Week of May 30th

Author smarts: Get the CDs and DVDs from the Author U 2013 Extravaganza … order yours today!     http://ncrsusa.com/cgi-bin/store/main-authoru.html


The professional writer says, ‘It is almost certain that most of what I write will not resonate with most people who read it, but over time, I will gain an audience who trusts me to, at the very least, be interesting.’ ~ Seth Godin


Today,
Your Guide to Book Publishing will focus on all things that make you into a marketing guru and influence maker. Award winning author Lisa Alpine will be will be Judith’s guest–the topic is all about narrative non-fiction writing and publishing. Tune in at 6 Eastern, 5 Central, 4 Mountain, 3 Pacific and for our out-of-the-country members and followers … you are going to have to do the clock crunching for your time zone at http://rsrn.us/youpublish.  You can also go to the Home page of http://www.AuthorU.org, scroll down and click on any of the past shows—just click and you are instantly there!



Here’s your Top Ten Tweets for the past week  '

Tweets are faster than a speeding bird … below are Author U’s Top Ten Tweets from the past week that you may have missed …


Success & Resources

Book Design, Internet Marketing and the Nature of Human Consciousness dld.bz/c8REP

15 Questions for #authors- Should You #Self-Publish? http://t.co/2lqmgIF5NT

12 Tips for Authors from Association for Psychological Science http://t.co/gTSuxdlGHD

Infographic: 5 Key Book Publishing Paths”  http://t.co/YQugCRpCrj


Writing
For fiction: Example of a synopsis for a thriller: “Ransom” tinyurl.com/apeqmrf

Savvy writing and author advice from Stephen King and why he doesn’t watch Mad Man. http://ow.ly/lqMRL

Social Media and Marketing Strategies

Is your #book cover tired, old, or just not working? A makeover may be just the perfect thing to rejuvenate your baby! http://ow.ly/lpi0f

Cool and Sometimes Smart General Info

It’s summertime-and the driving can be loose and easy-and accidents happen. Here are smart tips if one does: http://ow.ly/lpp71

Are you traveling this summer? Get inside hotel tips from the author of Heads in the Bed. ow.ly/lqKHn

How to share books & eBooks with soldiers overseas–Memorial Day should be every day: http://t.co/d89qOPgs76


Bonus:  Last week’s
Your Guide to Book Publishing was with Lisa Alpine and “told all” about creating characters and marketing for fiction. Listen in. http://rsrn.us/youpublish  or you can download directly from the AuthorU.org website.

Don’t forget to fill out “About” on your FB page. It’s what people see! Add your URL there.

Not following Author U on Twitter? Change that and follow: @AuthorU

Not in Author U LinkedIn Group? Join on LinkedIn today.

Who’s In Your Mind When You Are Writing Your Book?

At the Author U Extravaganza, it was interesting to hear many authors stumble when asked three simple questions:

1. Who is your book for? 
2. What’s your target market? 
3. Can you summarize your book in less than 30 seconds? 

 And too many couldn’t respond with clarity, or quickly. Oh, they loved the idea and the art of writing. But, really, “You want me to tell you who is supposed to be reading, buying my book? Me?”

Why yes, that’s exactly what was being asked … and expected to be able to give a quick and clear response.

The very first step toward Author Success is to be clear and succinct about who, and what, your reading audience is. The kiss of book death is the response: everybody— It is not everybody.

How about women? Are you writing about women? For women? It’s a basic category, but it is not just all women (or men or children, etc.)—that’s a huge ding if you settle for just that. It may be for women … but which women? Young women? Women over 50? Women who have the child-bearing clock ticking? Divorced women? Working women? Women who homeschool their children? Women who work at nickel and dime jobs? Women who have had cancer? Women who have had a specific type of cancer? Women who are single and loving it? Women who are single and hating it? Women who are serial lovers? Women who have affairs (or want to)? Women who work in health care? Women who were wild in college? Women who were abused? Women who have deep secrets? Women who are getting married? Women who want to get married? Women who don’t want to marry? Women who want to be kept? Women who are addicted … and to what? Women who were raised in cults? Women who just want to have fun? Women who are hoarders? Women who hate cooking? Women who credit card binge? Women who …

You get the picture. Dive down. Drill deeply. Know who you are writing for to the core of his, her, their fiber. What nuances; what hiccups; what the beliefs are. Imagine having your favorite beverage with them. Who are they; what are they; what are they hopes, dreams, fears; what is their background; what brings them to your topic; what will your book do for them?

I'm not a reader of horror, but I am a huge fan of Stephen King. His book, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, is one that I routinely recommend to all of my clients. Some of my favorite words that's I've saved over the years that he wrote:

"If a book is not alive in the writer's mind, it is as dead as year-old horse-shit."

Here’s my take:

"If the reader for the book is not alive in the author’s mind, it’s yesterday’s poop.” and “The more you niche yourself as an author, and your book, the bigger your market will become.”

With clarity, your writing, and your marketing, is so much easier. And that’s a very good thing.

Judith Briles is known as The Book Shepherd (www.TheBookShepherd.com), an author and book publishing expert and the Founder of Author U (www.AuthorU.org), a membership organization created for the 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 30 books. Her latest, Author YOU: Creating and Building Your Author and Book Platforms is just out. Join Judith live on Thursdays at 6 p.m. EST for Your Guide to Book publishing on the www.RockStarRadioNetwork.com. Follow @AuthorU and @MyBookShepherd on Twitter and do a “Like” at AuthorU and TheBookShepherd on Facebook. If you want to create a book that has no regrets, contact her at Judith@Briles.com.

Author U’s Top Twitter Tips for the Week

Wahoo! You can now order the CDs and DVDs from the Author U 2013 Extravaganza … order yours today! http://ncrsusa.com/cgi-bin/store/main-authoru.html

Authors: don’t trash everything, you just may have a hidden nugget there: “Mistakes are the portals of discovery.” ~James Joyce

Today, Your Guide to Book Publishing will focus on all things that makes books into masterpieces, both on the exterior and interior. Award winning cover and book designer Nick Zelinger is Judith’s guest. Tune in at 6 Eastern, 5 Central, 4 Mountain, 3 Pacific and for our out-of-the-country members and followers … you are going to have to do the clock crunching for your time zone at http://rsrn.us/youpublish.  You can also go to the Home page of http://www.AuthorU.org, scroll down and click on any of the past shows—just click and you are instantly there!

Here’s your Top Ten Tweets for the past week:  

Tweets are faster than a speeding bird … below are Author U’s Top Ten Tweets from the past week that you may have missed …

Success & Resources

All the CDs and DVDs from the Author U Extravaganza can now be ordered from the website. You can also order all the handouts from the speaker sessions that were taped. CDs are $8, DVDs $. http://ow.ly/l4mrh

10 Biggest Book Adaptation Flops | PWxyz pwne.ws/13oVucZ

Writing 

Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg have teamed up for a dynamic new series featuring an FBI agent who’s on the hunt…http://t.co/3yDgFBTKx9

Handwritten outlines of famous authors [it's what I do with sticky notes] http://t.co/TaraEFkrfs

Social Media and Marketing Strategies

6 Twitter tips for authors and book marketing and Social Media success. http://ow.ly/l2aSm

3 Ways To Measure ROI For #social #customer Service –http://ow.ly/kYtuz

Google+ Gets Dozens of New Features, and a Big Facelift …http://t.co/Fmbw1GS5DJ  

How to Have a Successful Book Giveaway – http://t.co/JgTKiosZtL 

Cool 

This guy is pretty amazing–loved him working with kids with only 4 strings and the ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro. Get a cup of tea or coffee and just listen in. http://ow.ly/l2a4a    

Got kids? Weekend is coming. Here’s over a dozen fun garden projects to do with them this spring/summer. http://ow.ly/lb0mg

Bonus: 

Last week’s

Your Guide to Book Publishingwas with Judith Briles, who delivered a “how to” pot load of information on strategies for authors to create their GamePlan for themselves and their books. Listen in. http://rsrn.us/youpublish  or you can download directly from the AuthorU.org website.

Don’t forget to fill out “About” on your FB page. It’s what people see! Add your URL there.

Not following Author U on Twitter? Change that and follow:

@AuthorU

Not in Author U LinkedIn Group? Join on LinkedIn today.