Monthly Archives: December 2014

Is Your #Blog Stuck? Unstick It … Starting Now!

Is Your #Blog Stuck? Unstick It … Starting Now!

Are you having one of those days? Can’t think of a thing … not a single thing … to blog about? Ideas just don’t gel. The words are stuck. Your creativity spark is on dim. Your fingers can’t move. Are you thinking:
Help! My Blog Has Fallen and It Can’t Get Up!
Is that your problem dear author? Would you like 52 plus blog ideas … one for each week for the next year … and maybe, …

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Authors, Books and Webinars Go Together

Authors, Books and Webinars Go Together

One of the challenges that every Webinar seems to encounter is the talking head syndrome. In TV land, this is typical of your news shows. Your Webinar needs even more energy and when your attendees can’t see you. Your challenge is to create action in their eyes with your words, your phrases, your pausing, your illustrations, your speaking style, your examples, your stories, your segways, your everything … it’s your show and whether the attendee comes back for another Webinar will be based on whether you can connect with your audience or not.

Top Ten Twitter Tweets of December 25

Top Ten Twitter Tweets of December 25

It’s Thursday at


Peace – Joy – Love
 
 Today
Author U – Your Guide to Book Publishing is featuring Kelly Johnson of Cornerstone VA and Judith Briles of The Book Shepherd. Indepth info and how-tos around the best Gizmos and Gadgets for authors to be using NOW. Tune in at 6 Eastern, 5 Central, 4 Mountain, 3 Pacific and for our out-of-the-country members and followers … you are going to have to do the clock crunching for your …

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15 Reasons Why Books Are THE Best Gift for Last Minute Shoppers!

15 Reasons Why Books Are THE Best Gift for Last Minute Shoppers!

 
AuthorU.org started in Denver, Colorado via a Meetup.com group just five years ago. It’s evolved to include members in many states and even a few outside of the United States. One of the “hot” newish places to hang out, plan an event (I’m doing a two-parter on Publishing Ins and Outs February 1st and 8th next year), schmooze with authors, have a glass of vivo, ETC., is the BookBar in Denver. This is the time …

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5 Hot Tips for Self-Publishing and Indie Authors during the Holidays

5 Hot Tips for Self-Publishing and Indie Authors  during the Holidays

Black Friday and Cyber Monday have passed… Now “ads” are popping to snag all those who might have missed out … and guess what, some of the deals will be better than what were originally offered.
If you think you missed out on the holiday book-buying rush by not getting your book in all the Black Friday/Cyber Monday rush, you didn’t. Why, you ask? Because books are year round … holidays every month to play with …

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Top Ten Twitter Tweets of December 18

Top Ten Twitter Tweets of December 18

It’s Thursday at

 FUN! … we are in the midst of the Hanukah celebration and getting ready for Christmas next week. Enjoy the season … spend time with friends … catch a movie … read the book you’ve been wanting to … take a few days off! 
 Today
Author U – Your Guide to Book Publishing is featuring Kelly Johnson of Cornerstone VA and Judith Briles of The Book Shepherd. Indepth info and how-tos around the best Gizmos …

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Getting Inside Amazon’s “Head” with Your eBook Category

Getting Inside Amazon’s “Head” with Your eBook Category

Let’s face it, most authors scratch their heads when it comes to figuring out where they should be in the Amazon machine. Oh, they have a general idea … but how in the heck does one drill down into some of the odd-ball categories so frankly, they can own it. With the millions (yes millions) of books in the “e” world popping annual, claiming the top spot(s) in categories can push book sales. Doing …

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Don’t Wait til Next Year … Set Book and Author Goals Now!

Don’t Wait til Next Year … Set Book and Author Goals Now!

Most authors wait until the new year to think about goals for books and themselves.

Don’t.  Get out your crystal ball, shake it up, and gaze into it. What worked this past year? What didn’t? If you have the magic wand, what would you like NEXT year to do for you … for your book? Whatever it is … you need a plan.
No author plans to fail; what they do is fail to plan.      
                                              -Snappy Sassy Salty                                                  
When …

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Top Ten Twitter Tweets of December 11

Top Ten Twitter Tweets of December 11

It’s Thursday at

FUN! … what a gathering of fabulous authors last Saturday at the annual Holiday gathering. Over 60 feasted on yummy Vietnamese delights—chocolates and wine were coveted by many! Have you registered for the January 3rd program on everything “e” around your books and publishing.
 
 Today
Author U – Your Guide to Book Publishing is featuring Kelly Johnson of Cornerstone VA and Judith Briles of The Book Shepherd. Indepth info and how-tos around the best Gizmos …

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Don’t Confuse Independent Publishing with Self-Publishing

Don’t Confuse Independent Publishing with Self-Publishing

Indie, Independent and Small Press Publishing Are So, Soooooo Different from Self-Publishing, Vanity Presses and Pay-to-Publish “Publishing”

I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a zillion times: yes, dear author-to-be (and those already published), there is a difference between self-publishing, vanity presses, pay-to-publish, a small press, and independent publishing. Don’t mix them up. Don’t get confused.
Use Wikipedia as an initial guide:
“The terms “small press”, “indie publisher”, and “independent press” are often used interchangeably, with “independent press” defined …

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