Authors need feedback, reality checks and plain old-fashion butt-kicking. And they need a little kindness. Few think about putting together an “official” type of board to serve in the feedback/reality check/butt-kicking honors. An Author Inner Circle … a type of Advisory Board.

Who Belongs in Your Inner Circle?

It’s time to create yours. The Author Inner Circle … trusted colleagues, pals, and always someone who has “been there, done that.” Most likely, it’s not going to be your sibling, mom or dad. Not unless they’ve authored or work with authors, publishing, books. You want someone who has got an inkling of what is going on in the publishing business; someone who is connected with others; someone who has a sense of humor; someone who has a kaleidoscope of business experience; someone who will say it as it is and not side-step the elephant in the room (which could be you); someone who loves to brainstorming and bounce off-the-wall ideas around; someone who will move you to action; someone who gets what social media marketing is about; someone who gets your Vision for your book and where you want to go with it.

As it should be … today is National School Librarian Day … hugs, flowers, supporting, reminding the community and its leaders to keep the doors open, visit and discover your local  school library and just say, “Thank you.” Sci-fi writer Ray Bradbury told Judith Briles, “My idea of education is locking a kid in the library and letting him out when he’s 18.”

Today, Your Guide to Book Publishing will focus on all things that makes authors into rock stars with Lori Ruff, one of the top 10 connected women on LinkedIn and Mike O’Neil. 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 time zone at http://rsrn.us/youpublish.  You can also 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!

 Author U continues to grow and grow. We have just received notification that we are the proud owner of an official registered trademark! The Extravaganza has only 30 seats left and six weeks to fill them! The odds are high—we will be sold out this year. All Exhibitor spots are already taken. The Author Shark Tank already has one member ready to take a swim. The Extravaganza is going to show every participant how to create the “edge” as an author; and for their book.

We have plans for many new programs and services to help our Author U® members create quality books, as well as market and sell more books. Meaning money and adding to your bank account.  In other words: achieve success as an author. Isn’t that your goal?

The hiccup is that we need some assist.  We have more ideas than people to implement them. Are you feeling creative? Would you be willing to volunteer some time to help us continue to grow?

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

Have you wondered why celebrities being interviewed on television can look so calm when millions of people are watching them?  And have you ever wondered if you could do that?

At the Extravaganza you will learn how to perform on national television and radio while appearing calm and collected.

The key to any good performance is preparation. Just as actors do, media guests need to know what they are going to say during all their performances and practice their delivery of each word beforehand. Adequate preparation will make you more confident in your ability to perform and help you relax while you are on the air. 

You have probably heard that practice makes perfect. However, that is not necessarily true. Practice makes permanent, so you have to make sure you are rehearsing the right things. At the Extravaganza, you will discover the right techniques that you can make permanent.

Why video:

One of the most common questions that authors ask is about the Copyright page and “What should my copyright page look like?” Good question, here’s an answer:

The Copyright Page, which follows the title page of your manuscript, is a flexible document with respect to format, but several elements must be included.  The most confusing two are the ISBN and LOCN.  Detailed instructions for sending for them are included below:                                                                                                    

• Copyright

-The copyright symbol,

          -Followed by the copyright year

          -Followed by who (the author) or what (the publisher) is      responsible for (owner of) the copyright

          -Followed by the phrase, “All Rights Reserved”

Example: © 2013 Jane Johnson.  All Rights Reserved.

• The Title
• Warning against Copying without Permission
• A Disclaimer mentioning the author(s)’ name and/or publisher’s name (if different)

                      Get Your LCCN

(Library of Congress Catalog Control Number)

One question that most authors don’t know to ask is, “How do I get the LCCN?” What’s a LCCN? Good question—it’s the Library of Congress number that shows that you exist, and the one that any library that you are pitching your book to wants to know you have.

The good news is that these are free (although going through the two steps to get them can sometimes be a pain in the tush.

Here are your steps:

The LCCN:  The Library of Congress Control Number. It is free and can be obtained fairly quickly―a week or less― although we’ve received them within just a day or two. You must have your ISBN to get it. Once you have the LCCN, it will cover case bound (hard, paper, eBook)

Today is Clean Out the Refrigerator Day … make yours look snappy and you will be happy! (maybe)

Today, Your Guide to Book Publishing will focus Kickstater—a way to gather moneys from fans and new friends to support your book project. 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 time zone. Remember—you can go to the AuthorU.org website, scroll down on the Home page and see the last five shows—just click and you are instantly there!

Tonight, If there is an inkling of a chance that you might sell your book, or be picked up by a publisher, than GO, GO, GO to tonight’s Dinner and a Program slated for November 15th. Register on the AuthorU.org site.

Here’s your Top Ten Tweets for the past week—

Who would have thought … two giants in publishing are doing the merger waltz? —this times it’s Penguin and Random House. The negotiations are on for what the surviving and new publishing company will look like including who will be exiting the building. The new company, to be called Penguin Random House, will boast $4 billion in revenue and control about 25 percent of the worldwide consumer book market.

There will be obvious changes: to save money … to make money. When two companies, any company that has a similarity such as Penguin and Random House, Noah’s Ark doesn’t work. Picture this: Between the two, there are over 9,000 employees across the globe. Some, maybe plenty, are going to go—it’s the Noah’s Ark factor. Expect to see imprints disappear; with them, editors will get the pink slip. The multiple duplicate accounts—the warehousing, distribution, accounting, technology and operations in general … all will most likely come under a single operation when it’s over.