Choose Mentors; Not Mistakes By Janice F. Baca

Today's guest is Janice F. Baca, who will share with us the importance of having mentors and how these mentors can help us avoid many of the book marketing mistakes we'd make without them.



Before we get to Janice's posts, I want to thank everyone for your support with my books. The Samson Effect is still doing well and my new novel, The Lottery Ticket, is outpacing The Samson Effect at the same time it was selling. And thanks to some added exposure, my Twitter marketing book, Conducting Effective Twitter Contests is doing well too. Thanks to everyone for your help!



Now, on to Janices' post...





Choose Mentors; Not Mistakes

By Janice F. Baca



Publishing my first book launched me into an exciting new world. I found myself hungry for knowledge and seeking the wisdom of those who have gone before me. In fact, that "hunger" pushed me to a place where even experienced authors seek my advice. Why? Because my desire to learn from others taught me how to succeed in marketing my book, Gods Healing Plan.



When Tony asked me to write a guest blog, I knew I needed to encourage new, as well as, experienced authors to never grow weary of seeking mentorship.



A dear friend once told me, "Seek mentors, not mistakes."



Who wants to learn from mistakes? Not me! I went through hours of hard work to publish my book. It's not worth losing the marketing potential because of bad decisions or laziness. Publishing a book requires both the "author's hat" and the "marketing hat" in order to succeed.



So, what does this mean for you? It means that seeking mentorship may, or may not be a direct face-to-face relationship. But it what it does mean is that we, who desire to learn and grow, need to constantly seek wisdom from others who have succeeded. That's why I follow Tony's blogs. Tony's success is something I strive to achieve with my own books. Therefore, I chose him as my mentor.



In fact, I didn't realize how much I learned until I attended my first book signing at the local book fair. I prepared my table with all my marketing material, books, and computer to play my book trailer. 



There were 12 other authors at the book fair with me. All were seasoned authors and had multiple books proudly displayed. I was the only author with one book.



My table was attractive and well organized. My marketing material was on my table, as well as in my hand, ready to hand to those who were interested.



When I stepped to the front of my table, I was approached by one of the seasoned authors. With 13 books on display and more in the publication process, I was intrigued by his experience, and was hoping to learn from him. Instead, he introduced the man next to him. He stated his friend was recently accepted for publication and was in the process of peer review.



"Janice, you really have it together and seem to know a great deal about marketing," the season author stated.



I was taken back by his comments. I didn't realize he overheard my conversations with my table buddy.  He knew my publisher taught me to succeed. He too wanted to succeed; even if it meant learning from a first-time author.



Since that first book fair, I've had a number of seasoned authors request I mentor them.



My research, diligence, and learning from experts such as Tony paid off. I may not have a bestseller — yet; but I'm on the right path to get there.



Below are a few tips I've learned while publishing my book. But the first thing I recommend is mentorship. Never be too proud to seek those who have succeeded. They have a great deal to offer you and me.


It's okay to ask questions. Don't ask your uncle whose books are stacked high in the trash to teach you about marketing. Learn from those who have succeeded. Take advantage of their blog comment section or email opportunities. You may be surprised how many are willing to offer advice to those who are eager to learn.




Don't fall into laziness! We have obstacles to overcome. Bookstores won't automatically stock our books. We must be diligent and work to get our books sold. That's why my publisher, Tate Publishing, recommends we partner with them to market our books. Through our combined efforts, we are guaranteed a success.




It's never too late. If one marketing tool works for one person and doesn't seem to work well for you, then make an adjustment. It's never too late to make small changes that result in huge returns.




Don't give up. Persistence pays off. If publishing a book is really your passion, as I know it probably is. Then your passion is worth the time and effort needed to succeed. In the end, you will reap the benefits of your hard work.



Being a first-time author is an exciting challenge. You had a dream to publish — and your dream is worth striving to achieve! You have a choice to learn from mentors or mistakes; choose mentors.



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Janice F. Baca is the author of Gods Healing Plan. She is also a Life Breakthrough Coach, inspirational writer, speaker, and a registered nurse.



Janice served over 9 years as an officer in the United States Air Force where she nursed America's troops during times of conflict and war.



Janice graduated with her Baccalaureate degree in Nursing at Lamar University and is currently pursuing her Masters of Theology degree at St. Mary's University.



Currently, Janice continues to serve as a Life Breakthrough Coach helping others discover, recover, and fulfill their greatest dreams.



Janice is also an active member of her community and is currently serving as a Trustee to The Coming King Foundation.



www.JaniceFBaca.com















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-------- Tony Eldridge is the author of The Samson Effect , an action/adventure novel that Clive Cussler calls a "first rate thriller brimming with intrigue and adventure." He is also the author of the Twitter marketing book, Conducting Effective Twitter Contests . His new novel, The Lottery Ticket , was just recently released on Kindle.