How to Avoid 101 Book Publishing Blunders, Bloopers & Boo-Boos: how to successful publish a book

by Judith Briles

Honored with eleven #1 positions in various categories in 2020! Are you feeling overwhelmed in writing and publishing your book? Have you stumbled into a publishing pit? Would you like practical publishing advice? Winner of 8 book awards … You are writing a book...or you have one already published and the OMG moment hits. You have made a mistake (or maybe a lot of them)...screwed up...or you may feel clueless about the tsunami of items you need to deal with. You do not want to fall further into the abyss of book creation and publishing. You need help and savvy guidance. How to Avoid 101 Book Publishing Blunders, Bloopers and Boo-Boos reveal 101 strategies and tips to ensure your publishing success. Create design elements that keep readers coming back for more. Identify readability factors to ensure your reader ease and aha take-aways. Determine who the publishing predators are and how to avoid their traps. Pinpoint the essentials that every successful author must include in a book. Get hot tips for creating and maintaining momentum in book marketing. Structure social media that is ideal for your book and expertise. Learn what to avoid in contracts and how to end them if necessary. Finally, here is the guide authors and writers have been looking for. It is easy and understandable - one that shows you how to avoid the potholes that litter the publishing maze. With How to Avoid 101 Book Publishing Blunders, Bloopers, and Boo-Boos, you have got Judith Briles at your side. As The Book Shepherd, publishing expert and author of 37 books, she knows what the roadblocks and pitfalls are that authors encounter. And now, you will know too and what to do when you encounter them.

Genres: Writing

282 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 19, 2016

About the author

Judith Briles is an advocate for authors and writers and is known as The Book Shepherd. Delivering practical authoring and publishing information and guidance, she has authored 37 books, won multiple book awards and co-founded Mile High Press. Judith is the Chief Visionary Officer of AuthorU.org, a membership organization dedicated to the author who wants to be seriously successful and founder of the Colorado Authors Hall of Fame.

Each summer, she presents Judith Briles Unplugged, a two-day exclusive “happening” for authors who want to create and put their Book and Author GamePlan into action.

Judith knows publishing and she gets the challenges that authors go through in creating and publishing their books. Known as The Book Shepherd to many, she’s personally guided thousands of publishing clients throughout the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zeeland. If you were to describe her, she would say, “I’m a blunt, butt-kicking, benevolent book coach and book doctor.”

Her latest book is Snappy Sassy Salty: Wise Words for Authors and Writers joining her multi-award winning and #1 bestseller on Amazon, Author YOU: Creating and Building Your Author and Book Platforms. She lives Colorado, working with authors in her offices remotely, reaching out to Australia, New Zeeland and China.

Her books and her mouth have generated in excess of $5,000,000 in revenues and taken her from Oprah to GMA to CNN to Time to People to the Wall Street Journal. Her websites are TheBookShepherd.com and AuthorU.org.

Reviews

[Kerry Reis · Rating 4 out of 5]

For first time authors seeking to use the independent publishing route, this “how-to” book provides a lot of insight into what to look out for as they navigate the process to publish and market that first book within a crowded digital market. From dealing with editing, design, and legal contractual concerns to understanding the marketing and publicity barriers to selling the completed works, the author lays it straight out as warnings that can upend or hurt success. Her bio demonstrates a long history of working with traditional and self-publishing avenues, so this list of potential problems is based on fundamental experience. However, one is given a sense from the writing that all of these “blunders” are pertinent to all genres and types of creative works, but I felt some tips would be better for non-fiction handbooks, where expertise would be more important in the marketing tip; whereas in fictional storytelling, the creative exuberance would need to be considered. For first-time authors of fiction who suddenly write that first novel from a sudden idea that drives a creative burst, this book may be seen as a warning of discouragement for not seeing the marketing before the storytelling, but I feel that some of the marketing ideas can still be valid after a book is formed. Authors should use this book as a positive means to learn the background on the new world of book publishing, not as a potential discouragement to their creativity.

I received a copy of this book from the author at a recent book fair.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book contains a wealth of information. Getting a book before the public has never been easier. That means making mistakes in the process has never been easier too. I had no idea how many ways one can blunder in getting a book published. Briles gives tips on everything from preventing being ripped off to tips on writing.

You want to write a book. Maybe you have the manuscript completed. Now what? Briles gives tons of information on how to go through the publishing process and what to watch out for. She writes about generating captivating headlines, how to avoid the “Did It Yourself” look. She clarifies what you need to do as the author and when to hire professionals. She helps with getting your book in libraries. She even includes tips on how to get reviewers for your book. She writes about working with Amazon and gives suggestions for marketing.

The best part of the book just might be the resources Briles includes. Many are websites with free tutorials and aids. Just when you think you've seen all the online resources, Briles lists more at the end of the book.

I highly recommend this book to potential writers and authors who are ready to publish their work. You'll find out pretty much everything you need to know to make your book launch a success while avoiding a bunch of potential blunders.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from the author. My comments are an independent and honest review.

[Rita Reali · Rating 4 out of 5]

Novelist and longtime professional manuscript editor here. I found extremely helpful information in Briles' book, "How to Avoid 101 Book Publishing Blunders, Bloopers & Boo-Boos (Kindle Edition)" – particularly with regard to marketing. Kudos to her on that! I can see myself returning to follow up on several excellent pieces of advice. And Briles' advice to authors about getting their manuscripts professionally edited was spot on.

However, future versions of this useful little ebook would benefit from another proofread. Occasional typos are understandable – no editor will catch everything, after all – but some obvious gaffes made me cringe (e.g., her repeated use of "layed" instead of "laid" in discussing interior layout).

[Sky Greene · Rating 4 out of 5]

I met Judith at a conference and am so glad I got her book. There are so many great tips and resources throughout this book. I loved that it is quick info about a variety of things that need to be considered for publishing. Great combo of self publishing and traditional info. I especially liked that she lists free resources that can further your understanding into this often overwhelming aspect of being an author.

[E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some useful information

Though there is good information, I found some of it more geared to far higher budget than a newer author with little to no budget could hope to attain. It is a good book which one can take away some good ideas. Some ideas do have free options so overall good information review.

[Dorothy Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Important Information

If you seriously want tp write books and do very well in the process, then this is the book for you. If you only want to write as a hobby, then this is the book for you. This book will open your eyes to everything you need to know about the business.

[Aurora · Rating 3 out of 5]

great for authors to be

Also great if you are thinking about being an author, on the fence, have been published and wondering if a book is next. This book could have benefitted from one more proofreading session.

[Nancy Ragno]

If you are an author or aspiring author ready to treat your writing/publishing as a serious business, this book is for you. You’ll find it to be an invaluable resource for the up-to-date, need-to-know information and strategies that will label your work as “professional.” Not only will you learn what to do, but just as important, what NOT to do – what schemes and scams to beware of and how to avoid the “blunders, bloopers, and boo-boos” all of us authors are subject to – regardless of our level of experience.

I especially like the organization of the book, which makes it easy to find what you’re looking for among its 101 tips and many details. It would have been easy to organize the book as a numbered list of tips. instead, the tips are grouped logically into chapters that address major questions and needs of authors. For example, chapter titles include: “The Business of Publishing & Platforms,” “Writing Smarts,” “Cover & Interior Design,” and “Ninja Marketing.” Suppose you wanted to review a tip you had read about embedding a book’s price in its ISBN number. To find it you’d just check the table of contents and find the appropriate chapter (Chapter 6. “Front Matter Must Haves”). When you turn to that chapter you’d find “Tip 34: Don’t Bypass Using an ISBN on Your Book That Embeds the Price,” complete with a discussion and illustration.

I highly recommend this book. If you are an author or would-be author it is a must-read. Plus, it is a good read! As you can see from the chapter titles quoted above, Briles’ style is straightforward, down-to-earth, lively and witty. You’ll smile as you learn! I love this book. In fact, I bought the audio-book version, as well, so I can listen to and absorb Briles’ tips while I’m in the car or gardening. Whether you’re an author or would-be author, you owe it to yourself to get this book!