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Book Marketing and Publishing Tips for Authors–

eZine Issue #162 – February 10, 2021
Publisher: Judith Briles

Practical Publishing Advice and Guidance for Authors

In This Issue


1. Author Tools … Discover How to avoid Amazon scams

2. AuthorYOU VIP Member Benefit … ISBN discounts

3. AuthorYOU March Program … Guidelines to Get 60,000+ Eyeballs on Your Words

4. Dr. Judith Briles’ Unplugged Experiences … Book Marketing Unplugged this month

5. Create an Amazon Bestseller Campaign in March

6. AuthorYOU Salons … register for February through April

7. Hot podcasts for February… add to your calendar and listen/learn

    8. Question of the Week … When do I bring in an editor?

    9. Book Shepherd “Fun” of the Week …  catnip delight

This Week Under The Book Shepherd’s Roof
Hello and Good Publishing Day to YOU …

My personal note to you today is a long one—get ready to take notes … lots happening.

This Saturday is the online AuthorYOU Salons for AuthorYOU members only—a freebie. Wherever you are, it’s a streaming ASK, get ANSWERS, and SHARE morning. An announcement to all AuthorYOU members will be in an email to them on Friday with the link. It’s also on the www.Meetup.com/AuthorYouSalons .

The clock is ticking … if you want Book Marketing Success, get registered for my Book Publishing Unplugged that rolls out the last weekend of this month: February 26-27 starting at noon until 4.30 each day. The early bird rate ends on the 12th. All I can say is BE THERE. Huge take-aways and how-to. Plus, it’s fun.

The virtual Unplugged Experiences will roll out for all MONTHS except November and December this year. Next up is Book Marketing Unplugged  February 26-27; and the NEW Social Media Unplugged March 26-27. Book Publishing will be available April 23-24 and then the repeat.  Info below, details are on TheBookShepherd.com website.

AuthorYOU member Sonja Wendt grabbed FOUR #1 spots and held them for three solid days for her new children’s book, Can Old Be Beautiful? Sonja participated in my Create an Amazon Bestseller workshop class (new one starts in March—info below). Bravo for her and her book.

I’ll be working with Deb Armstrong and Mara Purl in their upcoming pushes to grab the golden Amazon seal for their books. I know that lots of #1's should be coming their way.

This is my birthday month. The all-new revised paper edition of my inspirational memoir, When God Says NO is now available. The eBook has been revised to reflect the changes and over my birthday weekend starting February 18-21, the eBook will be available for free via Amazon, Grab it, and share it with your friends.

A week doesn’t go by that I don’t get an email from one of my followers about an email that has popped up in their email stream that an order has been requested from Amazon … or should they purchase some offer to market their books. My answer is consistent—NO. And don’t acknowledge the Amazon phony order. What you should do is report it to Amazon—see the Tools #1 below. Next week, my Tuesday blog will focus on scammers and what to do. AND make sure you read yesterday’s blog on book piracy HERE.

More drumrolls. Last Saturday’s combo AuthorYOU program that focused on childrens’ book and press coverage with Nick Zelinger and Mitch Davis was a huge hit. For AuthorYOU members, the cost is ONLY $15—what all don’t sign up for these online programs is a head-scratcher for me. Nonmembers pay $25—and if you can’t attend LIVE, I send you the recording. Tis a no-brainer.

In March, it’s a workshop format as we dive into the depths of Medium and show you how to get 60,000+ eyeballs on you and your work. Info is below.

And …. another drumroll … watch for the announcement of my new podcast next week, Author Insights with Judith Briles … Savvy Secret Interviews. I will be doing awesome one-on-one interviews with individual authors for promotion, marketing tools for authors to use PLUS, my media team will be aggressively pushing out each interview to build traction and support for the author forward. Jazzed as this comes together—I’ve been noodling it for a few years. Work … but fun.


Our podcast is doing well, actually, quite well. AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing podcast is now added to the Google podcast roaster. That means we are heard on 10 different platforms—very cool! Did you know that the average podcast is downloaded 2500 times a month? Looks like ours could cross a MILLION downloads for this month alone.

You can find the AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing podcast on Google here: http://ow.ly/qEAR30rrx2J

Remember—your voice, your influence, your actions matter. That’s my week … how’s yours?

Have you ever explored the network website where I store all my podcasts? … Holy Moly … over 4 million downloads of various podcasts in 2020 already! Fun watching the download numbers—something that I look at each morning with my hot mug of tea.

Last week, award-winning book designer Nick Zelinger joined me with over 416,672 downloads (as of this AM, a record for our show) already—all about creating books for kids. The week before with Mitch Davis on press releases, over 400,000 downloads. This week, Paul Griffin joins me to share awesome Zoom tips.

Lots of info on the AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing podcast.
You can select which podcast is for you from over 350 shows and 4,000,000 total downloads … the latest will always be posted on top of the show page: http://bit.ly/BookPublishingPodcast--it goes directly to the Show Page, where you can view all podcasts at once—just scroll … you’ve got a lot to pick from to expand your learning and how to curve.

Add these to your calendar now. Details will all be posted under the Events tab on the website.

Dates are subject to change due to COVID-19 notices

1.   February 13 – AuthorYOU Salons – online for AuthorYOU members only

2.   February 26-27 – Book Marketing Unplugged Online

3.   March 6 – First Saturday AuthorYOU program online-discover the power of Medium

4.   March 10, 17, 24, 31– Amazon eBook Bestseller Online Course

5.   March 13 – AuthorYOU Salons – online for AuthorYOU members only

6.   March 26-27 – Social Media Unplugged Online

7.   April 3 – First Saturday AuthorYOU program online - Updates on Legal and Copyrights for Authors (huge changes!) – online

8.   April 10 – AuthorYOU Salons – online for AuthorYOU members only

9.   April 23-24  – Book Publishing Unplugged Online

10.  June 25-26 - Speaking Unplugged IN PERSON … Denver

AuthorYOU members the February second Saturday AuthorYOU Salons of the year is slated for February 13th   WILL BE VIRTUAL, most likely through April. It starts at 9.00 a.m., ending at 11.30 a.m. This is where the ONLY agenda is YOU … and YOUR questions … bring and ask … and get answers.

Held via Zoom, a special email blast will be sent to AuthorYOU members … it’s a day by day scenario in a COVID world. BRING YOUR QUESTIONS—see you there.

 
I love mentoring authors, their books, and supporting their vision. If you want intense, one-on-one time with me over a several month time frame PLUS the ability to call me or email with a quick response, join my Mentor Program. There is 2 spots opening in March and April —if you want an accelerated six months that deals with your infrastructure; your influence building; your what? … this may be the missing ingredient in your mix.

Want tips for authoring and Publishing? Last week’s podcast was all about swag and bling for your book, to support your book and book marketing forward! Make sure you have paper and pen out … and ready to click on your computer fast.
http://bit.ly/BookPublishingPodcast

 
1
Discover and DON’T Experience … Amazon Spoofing

The number of reported suspicious emails, phone calls, text messages and links to phony webpages are growing like topsy. DO NOT RESPOND to them. If they have Amazon’s name in them (many do), this is what you do:
Report them immediately … to Amazon.

It takes fraud, scam, phishing, and spoofing attempts seriously. If you receive correspondence you think may not be from Amazon, let them know immediately. Here’s how:

Suspicious Emails or Webpages
To report a phishing or spoofed email or webpage:

1. Open a new email and attach the email you suspect is fake.

For suspicious webpages, copy & paste the link into the email body.

If you can't send the email as an attachment, forward it.

2. Send the email to stop-spoofing@amazon.com

Note: Sending the suspicious email as an attachment is the best way for us to track it.

Note: Amazon can't respond personally when you report a suspicious correspondence to stop-spoofing@amazon.com, but you may receive an automatic confirmation.

 
2
AuthorYOU VIP Member Benefit … ISBNs
The new 2021 code for getting a discount on ISBNs (you save 15%) is now posted in the AuthorYOU benefits section of the AuthorYOU.org website. You need to login to grab your code. By Spring, we will have all the discount code updates, and Bobby Crew will email each member with a new PDF reflecting what to use. Keep it on your computer or print out.
3
 
 
 
 
Take the freeze off March… Attend AuthorYOU’s online program—it’s March 6th.

How Would You Like
60 Million+ Eyeballs on Your Words?
AuthorYOU has a critical question for ALL authors:

Are you curating your own work? 

Where “repurposing” is a tweaking with a slight rewrite … “curate” just pulls what you have and re-pushes it.

So, are you curating your words? You should be …

The March Saturday AuthorYOU program is all about discovering the power of Medium, the perfect platform for authors and experts.
Afterward, you will be. Author and Medium user and enthusiast, Mary Jo Wagner, will do a deep-dive into the What, Why and How of using Medium … a platform that could quickly become one of your positioning and marketing platforms best friends! Could it be your perfect platform?
This will be a “roll up your sleeves” and do it Saturday morning.

Register NOW for the Saturday, March 6th
program to take away 10 essential tips  and strategies that will spread your savvy words to 60 million readers.

HERE: https://authoru.org/events.html
Cost:  $15 AuthorYOU members $25 nonmembers 
Price will increase to $25 for AY members and $35 nonmembers on March 4th

WHEN: Saturday, March 6
TIME: 9 AM Mountain
WHERE: Your computer via Zoom
COST: $15 AuthorYOU members - $25 non-members Registration increases $10 March 4th

4
Register for Unplugged Experiences Now!
They are all up on the website with discounts for participating in multiples. The Speaking Unplugged Experience will be held in person this summer in Denver.
Are you ready to take your writing, your manuscript, your book to Book Marketing Success?
Would you be willing to invest two afternoons over a Friday and Saturday to get all the book marketing, strategy, and tools you need ... information and strategies that will create the Marketing Game Plan to be an awesome and seriously successful author?  

It’s Book Marketing or Bust time February 26-27, 2021
Don't be a tardy bird... Early Bird savings ends on February 12th!

Location: Your Computer.

Savvy, successful authors have learned that they cannot solve their marketing problem the next day by simply repeating what you did yesterday, last week, last month … or certainly, last year. Reserve Your Spot NOW
It’s time to morph … it’s time to get help.

Details here for Online Book Marketing Unplugged in February
https://thebookshepherd.com/online-book-marketing-on-february.html

Would you like to turn YOU and the BOOK you have or are creating into the book and authoring success you want?
Would you be willing to trade just 2 afternoons over the weekend to get all the social media influence building and positioning information you need ... information and strategies that will create the success ladder to be an awesome author?  

-This is the WHY
-This is the STRATEGY
-This is the HOW
-This is the WHAT to USE
-This is the YES … YOU CAN!

It’s time for Kick Butt Social Media Influencing March 26-27, 2021

Location: Your Computer.

Create the bestseller you dream of ... turn into the award-winning and sought after author you aspire to ... get the answers to the questions you have ... all of them … become the influencer you and your book should be. Reserve Your Spot NOW

Details here for Online Social Media Unplugged in March
https://thebookshepherd.com/11522-2.html


Are you ready to take your writing, your manuscript, your book to Publishing Success?
Would you be willing to invest two afternoons over a Friday and Saturday to get all the publishing and strategy information you need ... information and strategies that will create the Game Plan to be an awesome and seriously successful author?   

April 23-24, 2021 will change your authoring life ...

Experience two days of Judith ... no pitches, just Judith Briles Book Publishing Unplugged delivering an amazing depth of publishing, authoring, and marketing information that she has derived from her 30 + years in the publishing field and as The Book Shepherd.

Create the bestseller you dream of ... turn into the award-winning and sought after author you aspire to ... brainstorm the crowdfunding program to fund your project ... get the answers to the questions you have ... all of them.

Reserve Your Spot NOW

Location? Your computer.

Details here for Online Book Publishing Unplugged in April
https://thebookshepherd.com/online-book-publishing-unplugged-on-april.html

5
AuthorYOU Salons … register for February - April
FORWARD … Salons are a Free benefit for VIP AuthorYOU members.

If you have book marketing, writing, publishing questions, show up. It’s online on the second Saturday beginning at 9 am Mountain time. Here’s the link to register: https://www.meetup.com/authoryousalons/

If you have book marketing, writing, publishing questions, show up. It’s online on the second Saturday beginning at 9 am Mountain time. Here’s the link to register and getting notices/reminders forward: https://www.meetup.com/authoryousalons/

6
Create an Amazon Bestseller Campaign in March 2021 … for Your bestseller course in 4 weeks
November and January were SOLD OUTnew session begins March 10—get registered … it works

If you want a FUN, INFORMATIVE, HOW TO 90 minutes on one-on-one time during each session for book marketing and best seller position, this is what you want to do.

There are 23 steps in your journey … a journey where you could pay someone to travel and implement for you … or one where you can roll up your sleeves and learn how to create, implement, and execute. As in DIY.

The Create an Amazon Bestseller Campaign for Your eBook Online course is the latest. I will take you through each step during the four weeks. When you complete #17, you are ready to execute.

My goal is for you to have all components for your campaign DONE before your implementation/execution day. All social media tease pushouts done and scheduled before the big day starts—and I help you write each one of them!

Dates:  WEDNESDAYs at 4 pm MT for each 90-minute session: :
March 2021: 10, 17, 24, 31
 

Register: https://thebookshepherd.com/create-an-amazon-bestseller-campaign-for-your-ebook-online-course-in-4-weeks.html

 
7
Hot podcasts slated for this month
You can always listen in via our websites: www.AuthorYOU.org  (click on the On the Air image on the Home page—wait for it to upload. Or
www.TheBookShepherd.com (click on the Resources tab).

February 4   Creating and Publishing a Children’s Book – Nick Zelinger

February 11  Zoom Tips for Authors and Connecting Paul Griffin

February 18  How to Turn Your Book into a Speech Patricia Fripp

February 25  
Essential Book Printing Questions Answered – Rebecca Humrich



8
Questions of the Week:


Question: When do I bring an editor in?

Answer: Good question … If you are on a writing roll—keep writing, don’t interrupt yourself to do “a wait” to hear back from an editor. Ideally, we like to see the entire manuscript of a fiction book before the editor digs in. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be self-editing as you do your rereads. The reality is, the more you write, the better you will get. For me, how I wrote years ago is dramatically different from how I write today. It will be for you as well. For nonfiction, once you have a few chapters, having an editor look it over for flow and framing can be helpful for recommendations … then finish the book.

9
Book Shepherd “Fun” or an “Uh-Oh” of the Week

Love it when I find a fun shorty—a quick smile, a laugh out loud, a learn something new, and a sip of tea … and back to work—perfect. Cat Feasts On Catnip As Owner Tries To Stop Them

 
Get your copy today – Available in Print, eBook, Audiobook  http://bit.ly/1000000speech
 
You can pick my brain … minimum time is 30 minutes. If you need one-on-one-time with me, I’m always open for a few minutes to give you some quick input. But, and it’s a BIG BUT, many call and expect far more than a few minutes.

This is called a “consult” and I would be delighted to schedule time with you for “just you and your many questions” that need answers. You can book time with me it at: http://bit.ly/JudithCoaching


Author Friendly Friday this week …

Join Author Friendly Fridays: a fun, sharing and a dynamic closed group. You can join in the next week. It’s a full hour when you can ask questions—any question. And, I always include a few strategies to get your authoring life ahead of the competition.

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. 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  

Podcast expands to 11 networks … Follow us and learn …
new shows every Thursday.

GO to the SHOW page and select which podcast is for you… the latest will always be posted on top: http://bit.ly/BookPublishingPodcast

And, if you have listened, support our podcast and post a review. Thank you!

The AuthorU – Your Guide to Book Publishing podcast is now heard on eleven podcast channels. How cool is that? Listeners can tune into the weekly (always new – no repeats) show on:
Get the latest #AuthorU-Your Guide to #Book #Publishing radio podcast with @MyBookShepherd via iTunes here:   http://bit.ly/PublishingPodcast


That’s my author and publishing news for today … what’s yours?
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 100,000 downloads a month. Her website is www.TheBookShepherd, email: JudithBriles.com and phone: 303-885-2207.

 
 
 
The Book Shepherd


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