What Should Authors Have in Common with Bees?

What Should Authors Have in Common with Bees?

It’s wintertime, and the only thing I really like about it is that I don’t have much outdoor maintenance in my home … unless it’s an emergency of some sort. My attention is on indoor needs: writing, getting ready for the next season to unfold, continuing clearing out the basement area, and reducing the care of a large home.

My eyes are on alert as the Winter Solstice passed, knowing that January will deliver two more minutes of sunlight each day as the season begins to morph and February will generate three minutes more daily. I embrace the promise of warmth and daylight to come. I wonder, what day will I see my first bee? A promise that spring and warmth is coming will arrive. A promise of growth. A promise of sustainability and rebirths.

I’m a fan of honey bees. Amazed at what these insects do and are. One summer, I found myself in the gardens of impressionist painter Claude Monet in Giverny, France. Mesmerized by the bee dance that unfolded in front of me. Each bee doing solo steps, but all in synch with their tasks—the gathering of the pollen. Their tiny legs were laden with the golden harvest. I spent hours just watching them before my daughter pulled me out with her, “Mom, everyone is looking for you. The bus has to leave.”

It has been one of my favorite memories. The brilliant colors of the gardens. The extreme calm I felt as a myopic voyeur of the bee dance. In awe of the amount of pollen that they accumulated on their legs, ready to transfer to their hive. Just being there. My kind of a drop-out and drop-in day. A perfect day.

Which brings me to authors … just what do we authors have in common with bees … or should have?

Lots.

The worker bees that I observed were working individually but gathering for the masses within their hive. They had one job—get the pollen and bring it back. As wintertime comes to an end, a new Queen will be hatched. The old Queen leaves the hive with about half of the bees to start a new hive, leaving the one behind with a new crop of bees, and Queen. It’s all about increasing.

As an author, think about the “increase” … your increase. What would it look like for you? More writing? Faster publishing? Become more efficient? Successful marketing? What?

Ask yourself, do you need to bring in other bees to assist you? What about your own productivity? What can you do to eliminate what’s not working and enhance what can? If interruptions are constant, what can you do to reduce them?

Focusing is always a factor for book marketing success. Identify your distraction factors and create boundaries around them.

Bees are myopically focused. A good idea for a new year.

Dr. Judith Briles is a book publishing expert and coach. Often, she must roll up her writing sleeves and become a Book Doctor, juicing up storylines and author words. She empowers authors and works directly with authors who want to be seriously successful and has been writing about and conducting workshops on publishing since the ’80s. Judith is the author of 45 books including Author YOU: Creating and Building Your Author and Book Platforms, Snappy Sassy Salty: Success for Authors and Writers, and How to Create a Million Dollar Speech. Her personal memoir When God Says NO-Revealing the YES When Adversity and Loss Are Present is a #1 bestseller on Amazon and her historical fiction debut The Secret Journey and The Secret Hamlet. Collectively, her books have earned over 50 book awards. Judith speaks throughout the year at publishing conferences.

Throughout the year, she holds Judith Briles Book Unplugged in-person and online experiences: Publishing, Speaking, Marketing, and Social Media. All are two-day intensives limited to a small group of authors who want to be seriously successful. Join Judith live for the “AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing” podcast on the Toginet Radio Network HERE. The AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Marketing podcast is ranked in the TOP 10 podcasts for book marketing by Mashable and Feedspot.

Follow @AuthorUYOUBooks and @MyBookShepherd on Twitter and do a “Like” at AuthorYOU, and join the Facebook group Book Publishing with The Book Shepherd. If you want to create a book that has no regrets, contact her.