Author Headlines: Be Smart … or Be Square

How many times have you noodled your lead or headline to trash it, over and over? It could be for a blog, an article, a speech … and gulp, your book. Don’t you wish the headline gods would drop in, give you your zinger, so you can write or finish what you are working on?

Or, have you gone blank and you just can’t get the promo piece together? Or, how about trying to come up with something that can tie into an event, happening, or even newsy type of item that you think would be a hook for your community?

For the annual Author U Extravaganza, One of Author U’s Premier Partners Dave Raymond and Thomson Shore created an email that was sent to his lists:

  Guy Kawasaki is the opening keynote on Friday am at the Extravaganza. All attendees will get a copy of APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur,  his latest book. As the former Chief Evangelist for Apple computer and author of multiple NY Times bestsellers, he knows books, authoring and publishing. Be there. If you are an author who wants to be serious successful … you will be at the Extravaganza. No excuses allowed.

Here’s his Five Simple Ways to Improve your Ranking on Google a la Guy Kawasaki …

Sear In fact, Google is too smart for most “black hat” marketers. On average, Google changes their algorithms over 500 times a year. Why do they do this? Well, mostly to make sure that websites that are focused on content farming and other black hat SEO tactics don’t climb up the search engine ranking.

Last year, Author U created it’s radio show, Your Guide to Book Publishing, that is available for downloads with the last five available for instant download on the Home page of www.AuthorU.org.  

This year, Author U is kicking it up. We will be videoing many of our workshops and presentations … and the Extravaganza. Those videos will be available for purchase to start your own Video Library. The first available comes from the rock star event that was held in January.

Of the four years we have been doing AuthorU BookCamps, January’s workshop with online expert Amber Ludwig, was the single best one that we’ve done. The topic?

 6 Pillars to Build Your Author and Book Business Online

It included hot strategies and tools for authors with topics including: brand identity, website development, content strategy, building your readership, product development, social media and advanced training on affiliate marketing and join venture partnerships. Amber Ludwig rocked. And so will you.

Emotions and Intentions. They affect us all when it comes to the book.

Sharing with a publishing colleague that I’m always amazed that authors wait until the last minute to sign up for things. “Pay more later for the same thing that I could have gotten for less sooner,” is their operating model. Or, “I just can’t make up my mind what I want to do, to be.” Or, “I don’t like to, don’t want, to prioritize.” Or, “My book success really isn’t critical … at least now.”

What prompted our discussion was a recent conversation with a client who said that she wouldn’t be attending the Author U Extravaganza May 2-4, 2013 because she had another workshop that she was going to register for the same week—it was one with a business sales orientation. I had held a spot for her at the early bird rate. Well, business sales are important. But …

It took me fifteen years to discover I had no talent for writing, but I couldn’t give it up because by that time I was too famous. – Robert Benchley

      Today, Your Guide to Book Publishing with Judith Briles and Nicholas Taylor where the focus was on online marketing for books, especially fiction.  You can go to the Home page of http://www.AuthorU.org, scroll down and click on any of the past five show—just click and you are instantly there!

Here’s your Top Ten Tweets for the past week  

Tweets are faster than a speeding bird … below are Author U’s Top Ten Tweets from the past week that you may have missed …

Success & Resources

The best revenge is success. Have you had book rejects? Here’s a list of 30 mega sellers who have had multiple.    http://ow.ly/hNoaY

Author Update on Amazon E-book Borrowing http://t.co/h3DANVry

Do you want to be successful! How about seriously successful?

The Dates it will happen:  May 2-4
What will make it happen: the 4^th Annual Author U Extravaganza
Where will it happen: Denver, CO, Renaissance Denver Hotel
 

 Have you signed up for the Author U Extravaganza yet? Why not? Guy Kawasaki will be there; Penny Sansevieri will be there; Cevin Bryerman will be there; Georgia McCabe will be there; Daniel Hall will be there; Judith Briles will be there; Joan Stewart will be there; Joel Friedlander will be there; Greg Godek will be there; Brian  Jud will be there; Peggy McColl will be there; Dan Janal will be there;  Matthew Bennett will be there; Mary Agnes Antonopoulos will be there … and so many more to speak, to brainstorm, to mentor; 30 national publishing Exhibitors will be there–over 50 amazing publishing and author experts will be in Denver, Colorado May 2-4, 2013. The Who’s Who of publishing is coming to Colorado … and so should you. That is, if you want to be seriously successful.  The full Agenda is on the AuthorU.org website. The question is: Will you be there?   http://ow.ly/hM8aZ

January is the month for planning and reflection. What worked last year, what didn’t? What do you, the author, what to accomplish this year? What will work … and what do you think won’t (meaning you avoid like the plague)? Is your book just birthing … and is it a little tired?

Is author and book success in your plan?

If you do, there are 4 things you want to do:

1  Pay attention to our radio show.  This week on the 10^th, Your Guide to Book Publishing is all about BRANDING. Michelle Marchildon, author of Finding Life on the Mat, will reveal how she went from NOBODY in one year to a REAL SOMEBODY. Selling out the first printing of several thousand copies of her book, she’s back to layout on book #2, Theme Weavers. She has succeeded in bringing so many to her website, that she has crashed it several times with the sheer volume—such a problem to have!

Today is National Go Caroling Day … perfect for this time of the year.
 1    Book awards are in the book mix again. USA Book News offers paid up Author U members a $10 discount when entering book awards contest. Here’s the link to get yours: http://usabooknews.com/authoru.html 

2    Hurry and reserve your seat! Early Bird ends December 27^th. Learn the 6 Must-Focus-On Areas to Build Readership, Increase Book Sales and Gain Exposure as an Author for 2013! Here’s what we are covering in a jam-packed day: 

1. Social Media: What social networks to be on, what to say, how to get more likes and shares, website integration and more!
2. Branding and Message: What to brand, how most mess it up, what to consider, plus an exercise to gain brand and message clarity

It’s National Friendship Week … reach out and let someone you care for know that you are thinking of them.        

Tweets are faster than a speeding bird …

below are Author U’s Top Ten Tweets from the past week that you may have missed …

Success & Resources

6 Things Social Media Can’t Do For You http://ow.ly/cRFsg  

Amazon & Book Ownership. Who owns your book review? http://t.co/wkrHoSLh

How to Increase Your Book’s Amazon Rank  http://t.co/IZHx9GJr

Authoring & Writing & Speaking

13 Writing Tips To Make You A Better Blogger http://ow.ly/d4xGL  

Words from the savvy and wise Joel Friedlander: AUTHORNOMICS http://t.co/kEJxNGBv  

Social Media & Marketing  What do you think? 13 Blogging Learned The Hard Way  http://ow.ly/cV0Ll

Online Copywriting Tips for Beginners – How to Craft Killer Copy    http://t.co/WrzoMxA1

Batman makes an appearance in Aurora, CO …

Christian Bale went room to room, visiting the many victims of the theater shooting to their surprise and delight. This is the smart thing for Bale and 20^th Century Fox to do/support.  And Warner Bros. will be making a substantial donation to the charities that support the victims of the shooting.  As the savvy author you are … you’ve noticed that much of the planned publicity for the Batman movie has been scaled back—at least in Colorado.

GO-GO-GO … If you are in Colorado and new to authoring and publishing, don’t forget to register for the August 18^th Is There a Book In YOU? half-day program designed for the Eaglet—the newbie—to the authoring and publishing worlds. It’s only $47 and includes breakfast, workbook and a copy of Judith Briles’ book, Show Me About Book Publishing ($20 value). The early bird was held over to the end of this week.  If you want to save $20, Register NOW at: http://authoru.org/is-there-a-book-in-you.html. Otherwise, it goes to $67 on Friday.