Huge “waves of change,” are barreling in from every direction and shaking up the basic foundations of everything we thought we knew and know about publishing. There isn’t a week that goes by that some new tidbit has come to the surface. For some authors, that new tidbit has the capability of capsizing them.

With the “e”volution of the past few years, these publishing change waves will continue to increase and come at a faster rate. Traditional publishers are finally acknowledging that a Nor-eastern is in their midst. The good news is that the independents are more adaptable and can maneuver across the waves. We may not have the credit lines the big boys have; what we do have is the ability to stay in front of the waves. Traditional publishers traditional wait for the wave to move. We small guys are moving within the wave—a huge difference.

There are several Surfer Rules … adapting them for publishing include:

Surfers Love What They Do … Be Passionate
The best surfers live and breathe their sport. The most successful authors live and breathe their books, their vision, their commitment. It all starts with the Passion Factor. If you don’t have a fire in your belly about your book equally matched with a giant helping of enthusiasm, the waves and riptides of publishing will crush you. The Passion Factor is the high octane of your fuel system. The hiccups you will run into become minor obstacles … many can turn into opportunities.

Surfers Have Flare … Push Your Limits with Flash
If you do whatever other author is doing, is writing about, is speaking about … what you get is boring. You are bored … and so is the audience. You’ve got to bring some pop and pizzazz to your voice and your words. You’ve got to bring the same pop and pizzazz to your presentations and marketing. Are you up to it?

Top performers in any area are never satisfied and thus they’re constantly pushing their limits. Good surfers are continually trying innovative new moves, new equipment, new places and going for bigger waves and longer rides. Staying ahead of a wave demands taking risks, trying new approaches and constantly challenging yourself and those around you.

Surfers Wipe Out … and So Do Authors … Expect It
If you think you are going to catch the perfect wave every time, you are in for a rude awakening. No one does. Surfers have to be patient. They know when the big one is coming in. They sense it; they feel it; they have prepped for it. So must an author.

If you think that everything that you will do, and that you engage others to do, will be perfect—that’s an “oh-oh” moment. They aren’t. Many authors get frustrated with what they perceive as failure of a marketing plan. Maybe it was; maybe it wasn’t. Marketing isn’t a one-time shot. It’s patience, over time, loaded with commitment and a game plan. Some marketing works, some doesn’t.

Surfers Look to the Outside … Authors Must Anticipate What’s Coming
The next wave, or the next, next wave could be the “big” one. Authors have to anticipate what’s coming along. That’s why the authoring commitment creates a life-long learning opportunity. The huge mistake that most authors make is that they think that once the book is printed/published, the world comes to them. That’s where the Wipe-Out factor comes into play. The publishing world continues to morph; the Internet delivers a variety of new ideas and opportunities (as well as crashing waves) on a weekly basis.

Once you put your toe into the authoring wave, you now must commit to continuing education. Schmoozing with other authors, attending conferences, absorbing the latest trends is essential if you are going to continue to ride the publishing waves.

Surfers Don’t Just Sit There … Authors Must Keep Scanning the Horizon
If you’ve even watched a surfer; he starts paddling long before he is in the wave. Publishing is no different. If you wait to long to get into the wave—to get your book going, you will get caught up in the backwash—sometimes knocking you down in the process and stopping you cold. In publishing, the author usually has to get into the wave—move—before it overtakes him or her. Yes, maybe one more interview will add more flavor to your book, or one more study. But, could that be the next book?

It’s not uncommon for authors to get caught up in “one for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, three to get ready, three to get ready.” Catch the wave!

Surfers Don’t Surf Alone … Authors Shouldn’t Publish Alone … Ever!
One of the traits of successful authors and indie publishers is that they’ve learned that they don’t, and can’t, do it alone. Nor does the savvy surfer surf alone. Determine who you need on your team—book designer, cover designer, printer, editor, book coach … who else. Get them engaged as you scan the publishing horizon.

Publishing is an exciting place to be. Your words can feed your family and untold thousands, even millions. It’s your future … and theirs. Get your foot into the sand … it’s a great place to be!

Judith Briles is known as The Book Shepherd, a book publishing coach and the Founder of Author U (niversity) 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. She’s the author of 30 books including Show Me About Book Publishing, co-written with John Kremer and Rick Frishman and a speaker at publishing conferences. Her next audio and workbook series, Creating Your Book and Author Platform will be available in the Spring of 2012. 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.

Yep, there are millions of books out there … is yours contributing to book pollution … or do you have a unique voice, something new to bring to the party, a twist to something old … in other words, can you break from the pack? Or, will you continue to be a sardine in the vast sea?

And the answer is … yes indeed.

There are a variety of ways to stand out from the crowd. Start with:

1. Decide you want to do it. Good idea … It will take some effort on your side to shine above, to create the hook and twist that allows others to see you in a different way. It doesn’t mean you have to spend a fortune in the process … what it does mean is that you have to bring some vision and passion to the process. Tis also a good idea to go with what you know … or at least have some expertise in … which leads to the next point.

2. Don’t re-invent the wheel. Yes it’s a cliché … but still, pay attention. Look around you—what is your book, your idea that is already out there that others know about. Do you think Starbucks invented coffee; that McDonalds invented burgers; or that Dominos invented pizza? Those products have been around for more years than I have toes … yet with a twist and a tweak, they scored big time.

Did Stephen King write the first horror novel; JK Rowling the first witches and fantasy novel; or Ken Blanchard the first management book? No to all. But what they did was turn their genres upside down—imagine, a skinny management book with lots of stories—who could have thought of something like that?

Ken Blanchard in his One Minute Manager series. Stephen King’s, The Shinning, took a well-known estate in a Colorado area and turned it into a creep factory. JK Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone morphed witches, bad guys and good guys on the first page.

3. Create an Experience. When Blanchard wrote his book, The One Minute Manager, he so connected with his reader—managers are OD’d with things to do, and manage. Here’s a blue print to do it in a minute—what a concept! Rowling created the Harry Potter series with her amazing story telling ability—readers of all ages opened the pages and fell into the books. Experiences up the kazoo that her followers couldn’t get enough of. Stephen King is just different—a superb writer, but with a creep factor … and if you like creep, he’s your guy.

What separates the successful author from the run-of-the mill author is the experience. When the connection happens, they will continue to come. It’s a wonderful thing.

4. Don’t get stuck on pricing. Yes, you need to pay attention to it; it does make sense to know what other books similar to yours are going for. But, and it’s a huge but, don’t price your book because of fear. When my book, Zapping Conflict in the Health Care Workplace was initially published, we priced it at $29. On the second printing, it was increased to $35.

The distributor and book stores said it was too high. Listening, than choosing to ignore their input, I went with my gut. The product was needed in my niche market—it wasn’t just another book on conflict resolution—there were many of those. It was a book that was based on a survey of health care professionals and woven with health care stories. In other words, I built it for them—not the distributor or the book store.

There was no resistance to the price. Conflict was big in health care—I had some solutions with a twist. We sold mega- thousands and enjoyed multiple printings.

5. ID your niche. Oh yes … this is a biggie in the author success model. The kiss of death for the author is when he or she thinks their book is for everyone. Get over it—it’s not … create your own community of readers and followers.

With the Zapping Conflict in the Health Care Workplace that was followed by Stabotage! How Deal with the Pit Bulls, Skunks, Snakes, Scorpions & Slugs in the Health Care Workplace, I was able to tap into my financial, number-crunching pedigree and factor in just what toxic behavior cost the health care workplace—quantifying got leadership’s attention. A community was created.

Who needs, really needs/wants your subject? The more you narrow it, the bigger you can become within it.

6. Build it, they will come . Starting as the sardine is just fine … you’ve got to get some legs in the authoring and publishing sea. When you build it, when you break out, you will no longer be the sardine in the sea … you will be the whale…. better, much better.

If you want to learn how to become a whale, THe Book Shepherd highly recommends that you attend Author U’s 2012 Extravaganza in Denver, CO on  May 3-5. All the book marketing pros will be there to guide you through the sea -  Author U (niversity)

Judith Briles is known as The Book Shepherd, a book publishing coach and the Founder of Author U (niversity) 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. She’s the author of 30 books including Show Me About Book Publishing, co-written with John Kremer and Rick Frishman and a speaker at publishing conferences. Her next audio and workbook series, Creating Your Book and Author Platform will be available in the Spring of 2012. 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.

Two publishing scenarios …do you choose self-publishing/independent or traditional? … that’s the question.

Here’s an astonishing fact: Three books on the top 10 titles on the Combined Print and E-Book Fiction Best Seller List last fall were self-published: #4 Blind Faith by CJ Lyons, #5 The Mill River Recluse by Darcie Chan, and #6 The Abbey by Chris Culver. All published under the own imprints—all very successful.

Self-publishing is increasing exponentially.  It has moved into the ranks of the honorable—authors who felt that … and publishers who believed—that New York was the only true way to publish are quickly becoming the dinosaurs of the literary world.

Publishing your own books isn’t easy. You still have to write a good book and sell it largely on your own. You have to work your tush off … no exceptions. But it’s faster, you have more control over it, and you get a bigger share of the profits.

Amazing … how this world of publishing has changed. The rapid speed with which self and independent books have risen in acceptance and success is something traditional publishers never anticipated. And probably didn’t want to dream about.

Another author chose to go the New York route. When Kathryn Stockett submitted her manuscript, she was almost giddy when her first few rejections came in from agents—remarks like, “It didn’t sustain my interest,” to “There is no market for this kind of tiring writing,” were the norm. She just kept tweaking her manuscript believing a publisher would fall in love with her manuscript. Those first few rejections were a badge of honor.

At rejection 15, she was feeling less giddy; at 40, she felt that the past year and one-half of rejections was getting old—she began to lie to her friends about what she did on the weekends … as she continued to tweak her manuscript. When she hit rejection #45, neurosis hit—all she could think about was getting an agent, revising the book, and getting it published. Even the advanced labor contractions of her daughter’s pending arrival couldn’t pull her away from the rewrites—to make her book better, more compelling, readable.

After five years of writing and three and one-half years of rejections, she hit pay dirt shortly after the arrival of rejection #60. Number 61 wanted her book. It was a good thing for all of us, as millions have enjoyed the sassy spirit of The Help.

What if Kathryn Stockett had given up after the first rejection … or the 15^th … the 30^th … the 45^th … or the 60^th? The answer is that she wouldn’t have sold her book, much less found it in the movie theaters. What about the self and independent author? Can she or he make it to the big screen or a major best-seller list? Yes—but in either case, it’s going to be about persistence, perseverance and passion—all elements of the Author’s Platform.

Most New York published authors now sell less than 1,000 books—surely a number that any self and independent published author can run circles around. Why?—because they know that they have to do the work to move their book where the New York author truly believes that their publisher will do the work. In their dreams …

Judith Briles is known as The Book Shepherd, a book publishing coach and the Founder of Author U (niversity) 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. She’s the author of 30 books including Show Me About Book Publishing, co-written with John Kremer and Rick Frishman and a speaker at publishing conferences. Her next audio and workbook series, Creating Your Book and Author Platform will be available in the Spring of 2012. 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.

Authors sometimes don’t want to hear what works in creating a successful book campaign—campaigns that include the creation, the marketing and the sales of a book … they would rather keep doing the same thing … the thing that has produced no results. Which is usually sitting on their tush. Or if they did try “something” and it didn’t work, that they then choose to sit on their tush because nothing else will work. Or, if they had cost overruns in creating the book (and just who is responsible for that?—yes, dear author—look in the mirror), they refuse to do anything to support/market their book once they have all those books sitting in the garage.

Stop the Insanity … And please, pass me the barf bag so I can continue …

Great—you’ve got a book. What’s next? What’s next has to be marketing and selling of it. What’s next is teaching it and you how to connect with others. What’s next is telling the world. What’s next is to stop rationalizing, making excuses and justifying why you can’t market it. What’s next is for you, dear author, to commit—recommit—to your book and yourself.

“I’m tired.” So … we all are. The creation of a book can lead to Book Fatigue Syndrome—I get it, you need a rest. Take a week or two off … but then, it’s back to work.

“I’ve already committed so much money, I can’t put another penny on my credit card …” What were you thinking in the first place—that if you just held a copy of your finished book that the world would flock to the stores, the Internet, your website, your front door, you ,to get a copy? Get over it—you need expert marketing help … starting right now.

“I just want to write …” This is so yesteryear. No author gets to do the ostrich bit these days. Part of authoring is connecting with potential and ongoing book buyers. It means marketing, marketing, and more marketing.

“I hired the wrong person …” Yep, it happens. Lick your wounds—determine what went wrong in the process—then get back to work.

“I don’t know how to do all this social media stuff…” Welcome to the crowd … but there are those out there that do … and guess what—they are part of the book marketing campaign—your book marketing campaign. Your book budget.

Too, too many authors abandon the book ship early in the process. And what do they do? Many start another book—maybe a variation of what they just did. And what will happen when they finish? Most likely, abandonment. In effect, you’ve become an unfit author/parent. What are you thinking? Stop the insanity. Today. Now.

I’m proud that I created Author U and actively belong to it–Author U has your marketing answers/solutions. It’s at the Extravaganza in just four short weeks from now: May 3-5. Fiction, Nonfiction, eBook or pBook–you name it. All meals and workshop materials are included in the price. You and your book can’t afford to miss it.

Stop the Book Insanity … Today … Now! Please … Stop the Book Insanity … Register: www.AuthorU.org

Judith Briles is known as The Book Shepherd, a book publishing coach and the Founder of Author U (niversity) 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. She’s the author of 30 books including Show Me About Book Publishing, co-written with John Kremer and Rick Frishman and a speaker at publishing conferences. Her next audio and workbook series, Creating Your Book and Author Platform will be available in the Spring of 2012. 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.

Sometimes it’s not easy being an author … there’s rejection—sometimes in a cascading abundance; sometimes we authors feel that everything attempted is a massive flop; sometimes we think we should be committed for spending the time and money in creating our books; sometimes we think there’s no freakin way we can sell any; and sometimes we just think …

But then, a nudge comes into play. You love your topic. The cover makes you happy. You remember the unbelievable sense of pride when you held that first book in your hand. A kind word, email, or note comes your way that you’ve made a difference, solved a problem or just provided a new fan with a terrific story.

Authoring … what a journey. Highs and lows. Hopes and fears. Tears and joy. And a journey that requires perseverance. Webster’s defines perseverance as continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition.

Isn’t that what we authors face—sometimes on a daily basis? Are you thrilled with your book sales? Would you like to increase them? Book sales don’t come from luck … they come from marketing work. And perseverance.

Your book is like an iceberg—5 percent is the writing; the other 95 percent is below the surface … everything that you do to kick start sales, your marketing, and your on-going plan. The continuation of your Book and Author Platforms. Everything.

For sure, authoring isn’t for sissies. Successful authors have more rejections than Hogan’s got goats. Successful authors have it the wall of dismal sales more times than they care to count. Successful authors have received more negative reviews than their walls have room to post them on. Successful authors have had days, sometimes weeks, months, even years when they have wondered, “What was I thinking …”

Yes, authoring is hard work … what separates the successful author from the non-successful one? One word: perseverance.
The choice is yours.

Judith Briles is known as The Book Shepherd, a book publishing coach and the Founder of Author U (niversity) 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. She’s the author of 30 books including Show Me About Book Publishing, co-written with John Kremer and Rick Frishman and a speaker at publishing conferences. Her next audio and workbook series, Creating Your Book and Author Platform will be available in the Spring of 2012. 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.

This week, I send three emails to three separate authors that I had shepherded and agreed to co-publish their books about the lack of sales. Publishers don’t love the term, “lack of sales.” None of these authors should have got the “Wake up and smell the book roses … possible death toll bell” from me.

I hated writing them … I hated sending them.

And, I had to do it. As the publisher, because it’s business. As The Book Shepherd, because they chose to ignore the hours of brainstorm about strategies to market, position and sell their books. As the publisher, I got the books into national distribution at all major channels—even Barnes and Noble ordered them.

And they failed. Two of them have done zip in marketing support. ZIP. The third did an announcement on her Facebook page and has created a few speaking engagements. Granted, those sold books on site, which is a great strategy and was part of the game plan. But, that’s it.

The Ego Factor
Authors have got to deal with their egos–they are always part of the formula. Do they want their books available in book stores, or at least available, so that a book store can easily order it? So buyers can buy the book? So that they can tell their friends that it’s at the book store? So that they can actively tell people to buy the book at a book store, or at least Amazon to buy the book? Or, is it a stroke to their ego–a badge of an honor to have their book in the store that they can brag about?

If authors are not going to drive book buyers to book stores … they don’t need a distributor. Distributors make money when books are sold through book stores and libraries. If authors aren’t going to encourage buyers to go to stores, to Amazon, to B&N, to libraries (yes, if libraries get demand, they buy books for inventory), there is no need for representation via a distributor.

If so, they MUST understand the game … and the game is … drive buyers to book stores if the publisher arranges for that option. Why should a book store carry a book or make it available if people aren’t encouraged to buy the book through them? If the book doesn’t sell, any future books may carry “baggage” with them … as is, “Why should we carry this book?–all of the author’s previous book were returned.”

Were the books good? Did they solve pain or provide a solution to something that a viable audience was in search of? Did they contain stories and humor to support their themes and key concepts? Yes, Yes and Yes. Oh yes. I loved them all … and so did the authors. I believed in every one of them—they were well-written; beautifully designed on the interior; and each had an excellent cover.

Authors Can’t Be Too Pooped to Market!
Most authors are pooped by the time they have book in hand. I get that—it’s quite a journey getting there. When the book is finally a book, available to the public, is when the author’s support/energy/creativity/WORK really must go into high gear.

The support for the book—whether its eBook, pBook, book, book—is HUGE at this point. Five percent of the author’s time went into creation of the masterpiece—the remaining 95 percent will go into marketing and support of it over a period of time.

Your book, and the support of it, is a long-term investment. It will take your time, your energy, your creativity, your commitment … and yes, some money. Sometimes lots of money, depending on your marketing game plan; sometimes minimal moneys but lots of time, again, depending on your marketing game plan.

Can those three authors change the limp direction of their book—even when it’s been out for some time? Absolutely! It will take some time. It will need a marketing re-direct. It will take a commitment. Will they do it? Only time will tell.

Author U Extravaganza May 3-5, 2012

Author U will present its annual Extravaganza May 3-5 in Colorado. The theme this year is It Takes a Village to Create and Market Your Book. All the top marketing and publishing gurus will be presenting hands-on workshops over the three days. For an investment of a few hundred dollars, the Village will deliver a variety of strategies and techniques for all types of books—the emphasis is marketing, marketing, marketing. If you want to be seriously successful, you will be there. I will—I have a new book birthing this year—I want to support it, as well as other books that I have that are available.

The success of your book is up to you. If you want it, commit to it. Implement it. Rejoice in it. My lecture is done.

Judith Briles is known as The Book Shepherd, a book publishing coach and the Founder of Author U (niversity) 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. She’s the author of 30 books including Show Me About Book Publishing, co-written with John Kremer and Rick Frishman and a speaker at publishing conferences. Her next audio and workbook series, Creating Your Book and Author Platform will be available in the Spring of 2012. Join Judith live on Thursdays at 6 p.m. EST for Your Guide to Book publishing on the 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.

With the almost 3,000,000 books from all formats published last year, we’ve entered an era of book pollution. Don’t add to it. There are two things authors do that consistently get them, and their books, into trouble:

1                 They rush to publish.

2                 They fail to support the book after it is born.

What does rushing to publish entail? Plenty. Start with content—polishing hasn’t happened; the content can be sucky–let’s face it, not all authors can writer–they need writers to shape their words and thoughts; and editing … “editing” consists of a few friends, or maybe a relative or two, reading it vs. someone who is ready and able to yield the red pen and do slashing, burning and rebuilding when necessary. The editor–one who does it for a living.
The surest way to ID a self-published/vanity book is three-fold: obvious lack of editing, a mediocre cover, sloppy layout. Why an author would think he has the talent to create the cover that beckons to a potential buyer—           I’m here, come to me …           I have the answers …           I can solve your problem …           Buy me—

is a wonder. And not a good one. This is not an area that you go to Fivrr.com for—get it done right. Graphics, colors, fonts and layout are the icing on your cake. Interiors need to be crisp and clean and presented so that the reader falls in. Hyphen mania, paragraph perpetuity, widows, orphans, and just too, too much text without an eye break in sight is a guarantee that the book will be quickly shut and forgotten.

At Author U, several of our Associate members create book covers that are professional and reasonably priced. Several Associate members are interior designers—bringing a book to visual life. Editors are your friends, bringing another set of eyes that every author needs. It takes a village to create a book that doesn’t add to the pollution factor.

In two months, the Extravaganza occurs–if you are an author or one that will give birth this year, attend it. This brings me to point two: failure to support the book once it’s born. Over two-and-a-half days, amazing content will be provided by seasoned pros in multiple aspects of publishing. This year promises a heavy emphasis on marketing—in just about any format an author can imagine. Because of the morphing book-selling world, if the author doesn’t support his new offspring, it’s over. Period. If he doesn’t commit to the marketing aspect of his book, the take-away is zip—nothing—it’s over. An obituary will be the next step. As mega-author Stephen King wrote:

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

Marketing will vary according to genre and format—fiction, nonfiction, eBook, aBook, pBook. It’s a different game today. And for those of you who have made a commitment to support your book, you won’t miss it or miss out. These gurus of publishing, along with a variety of Exhibitors, will show you that It Takes a Village to Create and Market Your Book. The Village is coming to Denver May 3-5. The skies will be clear—no book pollution in sight. You, and your Book, can’t afford to miss the Extravaganza. And you definitely can’t afford being cast as a book polluter!

Moving from Wannabe Author to the Real Thing It never fails … at every conference I speaksat, multiple attendees will say, “I can’t believe you’ve written all these books … I wish I could write a book.” And she always responds, “Why not … you can.”

Is there a book in you? Most people think there is. And most don’t get them out. You could have the makings of a fantastic novel, a creative young adult series, and exquisitely illustrated young children’s stories. Sci-fi could be your genre, a cookbook, romance, intrigue, how-to or business book may be lurking in your creative closet.

You just may be able to take your career to a whole new level with the creation of a book. Adding to your professional credentials, if done right, could position you as the expert in a specific field. A book could talk you to a whole new level, a different type of professional business card.

Many wannabe authors practice the art of one for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, three to get ready, three to get ready … and they never go. They keep reaching for one more thing; one more piece of information; another interview; another who knows what. Sometimes, it’s just another excuse. Their book never gets written, much less published. Their quest for the perfect book has become the enemy of creating a good book, even a great book.

The First Step  Choose a spot … any spot that is yours and yours alone. Authors need their space and time. Space will contain all the ingredients you need to support you. Think computer, phone— if necessary, pens, pencils, paper, files with reference items that you’ve collected, notes you’ve saved or made to support your topic, other reference books, a favorite snack (I confess—I’ve written an entire book with M&Ms being the reward each time I finished a chapter), beverage of choice, toys, etc. Your space. Claim it and let others know that when you are in your space, it’s a “Do Not Disturb” sanctuary.

Find time. Some authors have to work specific hours; others are more loosey-goosey. I’m a binge writer—if someone told me that I had to write/work from the hours of 8 to noon every day—my response would be, “Fat chance.” I’m one of those intensives—when I start, it’s like a train … keep going until it gets to the next station—rarely do I start a chapter without finishing it in a first draft format—bathroom breaks are allowed and fresh tea, but that’s just about it.

The Second Step   Just do it … even if what you get down looks like gibberish. It’s a start. You can’t move forward to publication until you’ve got some words. So dump them out. The more you organize them, the better it is when it comes to the first dump. The general topic, sub-topics, stories/facts/stats to support the topic all go into magic piles.

Where you choose to “dump” is your choice. Some still write all by hand … if you having been procrastinating or dragging your feet—best to bypass this method and either pick up a speaking program like Dragon’s Naturally Speaking where you can literally put on a headset with a mic and start talking. Your works get transcribed to your computer, and then you clean up spellings and missed words after your dictation is done. Easy, very easy. Or, if you can pound it out on the computer, each document is a major theme/chapter and you start pulling it together in bits and chunks. It won’t be perfect … it’s a START.

The Third Step  Get help … this is where a book shepherd or book coach can come into play. You will need an editor. All authors need editors who edit (this is not your friend or sister, although they can be readers) … all authors no exceptions. Do you have a book in you? Most likely, yes. Could a book help your professional career? No question. Don’t do it cheaply–what does that say about you and the quality of your work?

It’s a new year … changes are everywhere. Get professional help–meaning interior designers, REAL cover designers, book sheperding, editing. Your book can do amazing things … you need to bring the amazing you to the party and invite the pros in for the journey.

Judith Briles is known as The Book Shepherd (www.TheBookShepherd.com), a book publishing coach and the Founder of Author U (niversity (www.AuthorU.org), 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. She’s the author of 28 books including Show Me About Book Publishing, co-written with John Kremer and Rick Frishman and a speaker at publishing conferences. Her next audio and workbook series, Creating Your Book and Author Platform will be available in the Spring of 2012. 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.

You just may be able to take your career to a whole new level with the creation of a book. Adding to your professional credentials, if done right, could position you as the expert in a specific field. A book could talk you to a whole new level, a different type of professional business card.

Many wannabe authors practice the art of one for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, three to get ready, three to get ready … and they never go. They keep reaching for one more thing; one more piece of information; another interview; another who knows what. Sometimes, it’s just another excuse. Their book never gets written, much less published. Their quest for the perfect book has become the enemy of creating a good book, even a great book.

The First Step  Choose a spot … any spot that is yours and yours alone. Authors need their space and time. Space will contain all the ingredients you need to support you. Think computer, phone— if necessary, pens, pencils, paper, files with reference items that you’ve collected, notes you’ve saved or made to support your topic, other reference books, a favorite snack (I confess—I’ve written an entire book with M&Ms being the reward each time I finished a chapter), beverage of choice, toys, etc. Your space. Claim it and let others know that when you are in your space, it’s a “Do Not Disturb” sanctuary.

Find time. Some authors have to work specific hours; others are more loosey-goosey. I’m a binge writer—if someone told me that I had to write/work from the hours of 8 to noon every day—my response would be, “Fat chance.” I’m one of those intensives—when I start, it’s like a train … keep going until it gets to the next station—rarely do I start a chapter without finishing it in a first draft format—bathroom breaks are allowed and fresh tea, but that’s just about it.

The Second Step   Just do it … even if what you get down looks like gibberish. It’s a start. You can’t move forward to publication until you’ve got some words. So dump them out. The more you organize them, the better it is when it comes to the first dump. The general topic, sub-topics, stories/facts/stats to support the topic all go into magic piles.

Where you choose to “dump” is your choice. Some still write all by hand … if you having been procrastinating or dragging your feet—best to bypass this method and either pick up a speaking program like Dragon’s Naturally Speaking where you can literally put on a headset with a mic and start talking. Your works get transcribed to your computer, and then you clean up spellings and missed words after your dictation is done. Easy, very easy. Or, if you can pound it out on the computer, each document is a major theme/chapter and you start pulling it together in bits and chunks. It won’t be perfect … it’s a START.

The Third Step  Get help … this is where a book shepherd or book coach can come into play. You will need an editor. All authors need editors who edit (this is not your friend or sister, although they can be readers) … all authors no exceptions. Do you have a book in you? Most likely, yes. Could a book help your professional career? No question. Don’t do it cheaply–what does that say about you and the quality of your work?

It’s a new year … changes are everywhere. Get professional help–meaning interior designers, REAL cover designers, book sheperding, editing. Your book can do amazing things … you need to bring the amazing you to the party and invite the pros in for the journey.

Judith Briles is known as The Book Shepherd (www.TheBookShepherd.com), a book publishing coach and the Founder of Author U (niversity (www.AuthorU.org), 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. She’s the author of 28 books including Show Me About Book Publishing, co-written with John Kremer and Rick Frishman and a speaker at publishing conferences. Her next audio and workbook series, Creating Your Book and Author Platform will be available in the Spring of 2012. 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.

Do authors need ISBNs? If you plan on selling your book, the answer is yes. If you are creating something that is not for re-sale—from the family history to your high school reunion … most likely not. How many should you have … just the one for your book or do you need others? What about eBooks and other book formats? Below are answers to the top three questions that I frequently get:

Should you eBook have an ISBN?
Most will respond, “It depends.” If you plan to have your eBook available for iPad readers, than you must have an ISBN. Remember, your ISBN is the ID that the rest of the book retail world sees. It’s mandatory if your book is available in bookstores as well as with distributors and wholesalers. Amazon doesn’t require one—you get assigned the Amazon ASIN number–which stands for Amazon Standard Book Number. If you already have an ISBN, then you will enter that number during the publishing process with them–just click on the upload image tab. Others, such as B&N’s new PubIt doesn’t require it … they will assigned you a number

“It depends,” is technically correct … but if there’s just one format that requires it … the answer is YES. My advice: just do it and if you have a print edition, put both ISBNs on the © page stating which is which.

Can you use the same ISBN for print and eBook formats?
In a nutshell—no. Each is a unique edition and requires an identity. Think of the ISBN (International Standard Book Number) as your book’s Social Security number. It’s the magic number that keeps track of what is selling. Beware, Beware, Beware of publishers who lump books together and register all their books with a master ISBN for sales to outlets such as Amazon. What are they? Crooks. This has been a practice with some of the vanity presses.

The International ISBN Agency recommends that publishers assign ISBNs to each format. That means print, eBook, audio, video and anything else that comes along.

How many ISBNs should you get?
Start with 10 (it’s cheaper to buy them this way). Go straight to www.Bowker.com and purchase them for $275 (includes process fee). It identifies your “publishing house” and gives you enough to cover the current edition, as well as any revised. Keep in mind: you need a different number for each format—hardback; paperback; audio; video; eBook, etc. If your book goes from hardback to paper, it’s another number. If you revise your book or create a new edition, it’s a new number.

Judith Briles is known as The Book Shepherd (www.TheBookShepherd.com), a book publishing coach and the Founder of Author U (niversity (www.AuthorU.org), 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. She’s the author of 28 books including Show Me About Book Publishing, co-written with John Kremer and Rick Frishman and a speaker at publishing conferences. Her next audio and workbook series, Creating Your Book and Author Platform will be available in the Spring of 2012. 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.

Some will require payment—either a lump sum or royalty arrangement–it will depend if you create it yourself with your own product/material that your own outright or one that you have to make an arrangement with the holder of the copyright if it isn’t you.

I  turned one of the critters in my book Stabotage!™ How to Deal with the Pit Bulls, Snakes, Skunks, Scorpions & Slugs in the Health Care Workplace book into a 2 x 3 pin that cost 60 cents that sells for $5—markets my books whenever it is displayed or worn. We’ve got one of our logos on a mug that sells and created a tee-shirt with one of the “Keepers” from a book that has sold thousands.  Taking a key tool from the Stabotage! book, a bookmark with created with a tassel that sells for $5–an easy add to each sale of a book. Then we lumped 10 of them together, tied a purple ribbon around them and sold those at a discount for $40–we’ve sold thousands of those.

Don’t just stop at the book.  There may be gold between the covers and on top of them. Create products that will continue with your brand.

Judith Briles is known as The Book Shepherd (www.TheBookShepherd.com), a book publishing coach and the Founder of Author U (niversity (www.AuthorU.org), 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. She’s the author of 28 books including Show Me About Book Publishing, co-written with John Kremer and Rick Frishman and a speaker at publishing conferences. 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.