Facts for a weekend for you to noodle on:
1 Authors need traditional publishing less and less. Oh my, that hurts, but it’s the truth. With all the resources available to new and old authors, the question has to be asked: do we need you? With all the resources like IngramSpark, great blogs that we put out on both The Book Shepherd and AuthorU sites plus the zillions of others, the information is readily available to write, create and publish a book. The savvy author gets that this is a business–learn it and you will never look back! Traditional publishers are the newest dinosaur and buggy whip.
2 Keep your Passion and Vision Factors upfront at all times. It’s not always about the money. You may be filling a hole that delivers for a cause that is important to you, yet has few followers, at least for now. Don’t give up. Sometimes those passions burst open and lead to amazing outcomes.
3 Always remember that books have legs. They may not take off the week, the month, even the year that they are first published. Some take a long them to mesh with their readers-to-be … to be found. Don’t give up. Your marketing efforts, your willingness to support your book will kick it alive. And then, all of a sudden … eureka. You are found. For fiction, it’s not uncommon for book #3 to create the discovery, then go back and pick up #1 and #2 for the ride. My combined books have never hit a NY Times list, and yet have sold more than a million copies–and they didn’t really start selling until I started selling them as both author and publisher.
Judith Briles is known as The Book Shepherd a book publishing expert and coach. She is the Founder of Author U, 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. Judith is the author of 35 books including Author YOU: Creating and Building Your Author and Book Platforms, Snappy Sassy Salty: Wise Words for Authors and Writers and a speaker at publishing conferences. How to Avoid 101 Book Publishing Blunders, Bloopers & Boo-Boos has just been released.
Next year’s Judith Briles Book Publishing Unplugged will be held in Denver, CO June 22-24, 2017. The annual PublishingAtSea cruise is held each January. Become part of her inner circle by joining the Author’s Ark and exclusive monthly webinar and coaching event. Her audio and workbook series, Creating Your Book and Author Platform is now available. Join Judith live on Thursdays at 6 p.m. EST for Author U – Your Guide to Book Publishing on the Toginet Network at http://tinyurl.com/AuthorURadio . 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 Judith at Judith@Briles.com.
Author U is a non-profit membership organization dedicated to the author who wants to be seriously successful. Monthly education programs delivered face-to-face and online, The Author Resource ezine, BookCamps and the annual Author U Extravaganza are tools designed for authors pre, during and post publishing of their books. Join AuthorU.org today.
If you are looking for FREE author and book coaching … call in to Judith’s Author Monday Mornings at NOON Eastern each Monday. The number is 218-632-9854; Access Code 1239874444 … have your questions ready–there’s a full hour to ask and listen.