marapurl

“Judith Briles—best-selling author and sought-after national speaker in her own right—is also generous to a fault in sharing her hard-earned publishing savvy. As the Colorado Book Shepherd, she’s unique in that she doesn’t do the work for you. Instead, she teaches, mentors and leads the way, empowering her clients along the otherwise treacherous trails of bringing a book first to press, then to market, and ultimately into the hands of targeted readers.”

Mara Purl
Milford Haven series

annesalisbury

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You are a wise teacher. We appreciate you!”

Greg Meyerhoff and Anne Salisbury, PhD, MA, MBA
Eureka! and The Eureka Factor!

rhondaspellman

“Judith Briles, aka The Book Shepherd, is a true Shepherd of her flock. When I first hired Judith I thought I was “almost there”. I didn’t know what I didn’t know. I had only just begun. I now consider myself transformed into much more than I had envisioned becoming. The best part: we’ve only just begun!”

Rhonda Spellman
The Journey, Home from Autism

victoriamunro

“Judith Briles is one of the most creative people I’ve ever worked with. She has an amazing wealth of knowledge and experience in the book publishing and marketing arenas, as well as a highly successful track record with her own books. She generously shares her valuable network of contacts in the industry. She knows how to create profitable strategies to publish and market books, is able to quickly and accurately understand an author’s work and offer clear, constructive suggestions

“Judith’s consulting services provide incredible value. I heartily recommend her.”

Victoria Munro
The Small Biz Balancing Act

carriebrownwolf

“Not knowing where to begin can be daunting. Until you meet Judith. Working with Judith Briles helped move my book from the computer screen to the printed page.”

Carrie Brown-Wolf
Soul Sunday

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Dayn Conrad
Iris and Her Amazing Garden

lorihanson

“I called Judith when I had issues with an editor on my first book. She was exactly what I needed to rebuild my confidence, get me on track and help me put together a publishing team that works with me. Having Judith as my mentor I’ve been successful in accomplishing many things in a small amount of time. If you want quick results, straight answers and a no BS way to get your book to market successfully. Call Judith!”

Lori Hanson
It Started with Pop-Tarts™

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Cameron Fay
Regional Sales Manager, Friesens Corp.

annkochenburger

“One of the smartest decisions I have ever made was hiring Judith as my Book Shepherd. I had a story to tell, but no idea how to proceed beyond the completion of my manuscript. Judith guided me through revision, recommended an excellent editor and made contacts to publishers, all of which ultimately led to a publisher for Out Of Focus…Again. I admire Judith not only for her expertise, but also for her straight forwardness. She is no nonsense and tells it like it is which is what those of us who want to see our words in print completely appreciate. She saved me much time and thousands of dollars, and is the reason my completed book is of the quality I wanted. I continue to seek Judith’s advice as I promote my book and am currently writing a second one.”

Ann Kochenberger
Out Of Focus…Again

carolkates

“Judith Briles is an incredible coach. She is the most knowledgeable person I have met in the book business. Her workshops are informative, well-organized and fun and give budding authors inspiration as well as encouragement. Judith sets high standards for herself and also her clients—she is never afraid to tell it like it is. She encourages her clients to be their personal best. Judith’s vast knowledge and experience in both publishing and marketing make her an invaluable resource. She takes a personal interest in the authors she works with; and despite a very busy work schedule, she is only a telephone call away when problems arise and need immediate solutions. I would highly recommend Judith Briles.”

Carol Ann Kates
Secret Recipes from the Corner Market

davidhancock

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David L. Hancock
Founder, Morgan James Publishing

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Rita Zamora
Making Referrals a Reality

joanmcwilliams

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“I have enjoyed getting to know Judith and count her as a friend as well as a mentor. Working with her has been my good fortune.”

Joan McWilliams
The Peace Finder—Riley McFee’s Quest for World Peace
Creating Parenting Plans That Work

vikiking

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Viki King
How to Write a Movie in 21 Days

lorendue

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Dr Loren Due
Don’t Say a Word about This

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Marilyn Van Derbur
Miss America by Day

greggodek

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Greg Godek
1001 Ways to be Romantic and The Simple Simon series

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Linda Ann Smith
Power of Rituals

lynnhellerstein

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“Not only was Judith instrumental in my writing and editing process, she coached me on how to enter into the world of niche marketing—from presentations to press releases and marketing strategies.

“I have recommended Judith to many of my professional colleagues and other authors who are looking for assistance in writing or publishing. I thank Judith for joining me on my fascinating journey of becoming an author!”

Lynn F. Hellerstein, O.D., FCOVD, FAAO
See It. Say It. Do It! The Parent’s & Teacher’s Action Guide to Creating Successful Students & Confident Kids

susanmead

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Susan E. Mead, M.H.
Take Back Your Body

janestanfield

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Jane Stanfield
Where Is She Heading

rickfrishman

“Publishing consultants should know publishing inside and out. Few do. Judith Briles does. She has worn many hats—she’s published with major New York houses, then broke away and created her own imprint; has successfully published over 20 books and sold in excess of 1,000,000 copies; understands niche publishing and marketing; has created publicity campaigns for her own work Publishing consultants should know publishing inside and out. Few do. Judith Briles does. She has worn many hats—she’s published with major New York houses, then broke away and created her own imprint; has successfully published over 20 books and sold in excess of 1,000,000 copies; understands niche publishing and marketing; has created publicity campaigns for her own work that landed her on Oprah, Donahue, CNN and even grabbed a cover story in People magazine; she’s penetrated the foreign rights market with her work in 16 countries to date; she has guided and coached many others from creation to completion of their work; she has created and chair several publishing conferences; and she has successfully turned several publishing disasters into successful outcomes for their authors. Judith Briles is the Book Shepherd.”

Rick Frishman
Exec. VP, Morgan James Publishing
Founder, Planned TV Arts

jimhall

“You just finished a masterpiece, just put your creative passion into it, and now don’t know what to do about it? Call for the assistance of Judith Briles, The Book Shepherd. Judith has the knowledge at her fingertips from taking your idea and putting it into words to finding the right editors and the right printers. Need advice on how to market your book? She has a myriad of ideas and knowledge of the ways to do it. Judith is an extraordinary woman who will be YOUR personal shepherd.

“She has been there for us through good and bad, happiness and frustration. We don’t know what we would do without her calmness—we sometimes feel max-frustration.”

Georgann and Jim Hall
Parachuting for Gold in Old Mexico

brianjud

“Judith Briles is one of the most strategically creative, professional and competent people I have met in my 20+ years in book publishing.”

Brian Jud
How to Make Real Money Selling Books and Beyond the Bookstore

domtesta

“A shepherd is defined as one who “protects, guides, and watches over.” That’s exactly what Judith Briles brings to your book and/or speaking project. She won’t write your book for you, but she protects you from making senseless mistakes, she guides you through the meticulous process, and she watches over your journey from beginning to end. Working with Judith is one of the best investments I’ve made in my business.”

Dom Testa
The Galahad series

danpoynter

“Judith Briles knows publishing. She cuts through the myriad of details and snafus that authors face, saving them thousands of dollars in the publishing process.
Judith has authored and published more than 20 books, won multiple awards and has converted her expertise into savvy, doable strategies for authors who want to create, achieve and be financially successful.”

Dan Poynter
The Self-Publishing Manual

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Independence Day for Book Publishing!


 

 

What is Independence in the Author and Book Publishing World?

As the Author and Publishing Worlds Continue to Turn, the words “self” and “independent” have almost become interchangeable. There is a difference, agreed, a fine line at times. What is independence in publishing?

                     

A self-published book can mean almost anything … from what gets spilled out of the fingers and mind of the author to the presentation from the local printing shop and sometimes looking like it was put together at the kitchen table with a glue-stick; to a vanity press like a LuLu, AuthorHouse/Solutions; or an Outskirts Press that offers different types of packages/templates for the author to select from and does far more personalization and hand-holding than a vanity press operation; to Amazon’s CreateSpace; to the author doing the publishing himself with his name or a “looks like a publishing company” name on it (always recommended).

For me, self-published is self-published—not a huge amount of money is expanded; the author has his toe in the publishing water to see if there is a nibble or two. The quality of layout, paper, and cover design is all on a lesser scale; the print run is low—ten, a hundred, maybe a few hundred copies. More like a hobby—one that is loved, just not a career.

The independent author is one that has stepped away from the traditional publishing format that has been shaped by New York. The Publishing Siren has beckoned and the writer has decided to pursue the path doing it solo—it doesn’t mean he or she is any more or less talented/creative than an author who seeks out a traditional publisher.

Is there some stress sprinkled in? You bet—and it comes at various times and degrees. Authors who choose this path MUST have the time, energy and money to support their vision and passion. They must do a reality check to determine if the vision can developed roots and be presented as initial seen, or does it need to be tweaked a tad. They must have trust with who they are working with and understand that it’s a giant type of book stew—some components need searing; some need extra simmering; others a full-blown boil—and at different times. It all adds to the stress factor. Breathe.

An independent published book/press means that that the author is fully committed—has expressed his “independence” from others in control and is taking over—with his time, energy and money. A publishing company is created that is privately owned and answers to itself. Various publishing professionals are engaged to do the work needed—editing, covers, interiors, print, cartoonists/illustrators, book shepherds, marketing strategists, Internet book launches, publicity, Social Media geek wonders to build the crowd to connect to, etc.—whatever it takes to produce the “product”—the book and get it out there. Breathing need here, too.

The announcement of J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter eBooks stepping into the independent publishing world in 2011 with Pottermore.com was explosive, and welcomed. Watch her and enjoy the amazing paper art unfold in the YouTube.com announcement: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5DOKOt7ZF4

Let’s not leave out independent bookstores. Finding one, like the Tattered Cover or the Boulder Book Store in Colorado, is a Mecca for authors and readers alike. The stores don’t have to answer to a corporate dictator—each can work with the locals, meaning authors, publishers and reader/buyers. Certainly, an independent pays attention to what’s happening with the big boys—but if creative and buyer sensitive, an independent bookstore can be very successful. Every state has a book store that shines above the crowd … find yours, celebrate it’s independence and success … and buy books from it.

The independent author/publisher/bookstore answers to him, her, itself. Free to choose which way, which direction to go. A very cool thing this 4th of July Holiday—wouldn’t you agree? Have a grand one everybody.

 

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, Author YOU: Creating Your Book and Author Platform will be available in the Fall 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.

 


 


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