#3 How Do Judges in Book Contests Really Judge? 12-11-2025
How Do Book Judges in Book Contests Really Judge?
In this week’s AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing, Host Dr. Judith Briles invites Jules Marie who has judged over 2,000 books for a variety of book contests to share her tips on creating a book that has the WOW factor in the judges' eyes. It was ranked #3 in overall downloads with 150,000+ listeners.
Your takeaways include:
- Entering book contests are part of your marketing plan.
- Before you enter, what’s the “why”?
- Make sure your name and book title is listed on Google Alerts and Talk Walker.
- Determine your costs and set a budget—invest in your book.
- Why book covers should reflect content between the covers.
- Usually there is an editorial judge and design judge.
- Find the contests that are a fit for your book’s genre and theme.
And, of course, much more.
Tune in for lots of ideas and how-to tactics via the AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing podcast. It’s ranked in the Top Ten of book marketing campaigns. Since its inception seven years ago, the AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing podcast with over 21 million listeners downloading various shows for practical publishing and book marketing guidance. Join me and become a regular subscriber.
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#4 How to Create the Author Speaking GamePlan for Success 12-04-2025
In this week’s AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing, Host Dr. Judith Briles opens the door to the #1 way to sell mega cases of your book at full price with immediate payment and not returns. It was the fourth greatest number of downloads of the AuthorU-Your guide to Book Publishing podcast. You will get plenty of tips and strategies to get started and build momentum. You can listen in audio and video on YouTube.
Can speaking on your book … your expertise … morph your book sales? Why yes … YES it can. And the sooner you start speaking on both, the better for your influence building, your social media presence, and of course, your book sales. The podcast is available on both audio and video.
Your takeaways include:
-Why you should be speaking on your book and when to start.
-How to structure the perfect sandwich speech.
-When to start charging and what to charge for your speaking fee.
-Why handouts are a must and what each should always include.
-The key components that every presentation needs.
-Why every presentation should have a contract, even free ones.
And, of course, much more.
Tune in for lots of ideas and how-to tactics via the AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing podcast. It’s ranked in the Top Ten of bookmarketing campaigns. Since its inception seven years ago, the AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing podcast with over 21 million listeners downloading various shows for practical publishing and book marketing guidance. Join me and become a regular subscriber.
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Is there a book in your Part 4 11-27-2025
It's time to bring the elements of your ideas and draft together to create your manuscript for publishing.
Judith Briles, The Book Shepherd and the author of 48 books, guides you through all the elements for putting your first or next book together in today’s AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing podcast. She will be the solo voice for the Why, How, and When of creating yours.
It’s time to eliminate the Superfluous Parts
and Create the Best Book You Can for Your Buyer.
Your books are BUSINESS. There isn’t a book out that doesn’t have some fluff—filler material that is nice to have, yet not crucial to the storyline, your expertise or solution to the underlying theme of your book. With short being the new black, but brutal becomes part of your vocabulary. Along with ruthless editing!. The word cutting room is at your fingertips. To be successful, you’ve got to be willing and able to cut.
What you’ll have when you’re finished is a far better product than the gangly, over-wordy sentences and chapters you started with. Trust me. It might just have the makings of a bestseller!
Welcome to the world of authors and publishing.
Tune in for lots of ideas and how-to tactics via the AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing podcast. It’s ranked in the Top Ten of bookmarketing campaigns. Since its inception seven years ago, the AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing podcast with over 21 million listeners downloading various shows for practical publishing and book marketing guidance. Join me and become a regular subscriber.
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Is there a book in you? Part 3 Amazon Bestseller 11-20-2025
Judith teaches authors how to create Amazon Bestsellers. Today, the AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing Host will be the solo voice for the Why, How, and When of creating yours.
This week’s is about the power and privilege of creating an Amazon Bestseller Campaign and become a true #1 on its platform—not for an hour … for many days. It’s a book marketing platform that should not be ignored.
-Can being a #1 bestseller on Amazon make a difference in your book marketing forward?
-Can it enhance your influence factor and expertise?
-Can it increase your book sales?
Why YES … YES being able to claim that you and your book is a #1 Amazon bestseller can.
Whether you have a new book; one that has been limping along; or one that is an “oldie” but a “goodie”, participating in my Amazon Bestseller Campaign class is what this book coach and doctor recommends. It takes a little work, minimal moneys, and some of your time.
The sooner you commit to start on the path on both, the better for your influence building, your social media presence, and of course, your book sales.
Your listening takeaways include:
-The Who, Where, Why, Why, and When of your campaign.
-What the essential components of every campaign must include.
-How to create a “set it and forget it” strategy.
-How to start the shout out rollout.
-What to do after you become a #1 bestseller.
And, of course, much more.
Tune in for lots of ideas and how-to tactics via the AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing podcast. It’s ranked in the Top Ten of bookmarketing campaigns. Since its inception seven years ago, the AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing podcast with over 21 million listeners downloading various shows for practical publishing and book marketing guidance. Join me and become a regular subscriber
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Is There a Book in YOU? Part 2 11-13-2025
Is There a Book in You? Part TWO is designed for the aspiring author of fiction or nonfiction to get started on their journey of publishing their work.
The number one tip for the four podcasts beginning in November was to start writing--don't edit at this juncture. Judith will take you through a step-by-step process all the way to the final product in publishing.
Participants will take away tips and strategies for publishing their book in today's changing publishing world.
-the WHO you are writing for
-how to use comparable authors to know what social media and keywords to use
-how to lay out chapters
-how to use writing prompts
and much more!
Join Dr. Judith Briles and the award winning Your Guide to Book Publishing podcast.
The AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing podcast is ranked by Feedspot in the TOP 10 podcasts for Book Marketing and in the Top 100 in Author-Publishing Careers by Goodpods.
If you want to write and publish a book ... if you want to know the latest in book marketing strategies ... if you want to know what tools an author should be using ... and if you want to be successful as an author, Author YOU - Your Guide to Book Publishing with Dr. Judith Briles ... Everything You Want to Know But Didn't Know What to Ask is for you.
You will hear about statistics, scenarios, and strategies on what to do now! Judith features a variety of experts, besides herself, that are visionaries in publishing, book marketing experts, book design experts—anything that will get your book and YOU as the author—to the next, next level of success.
Sometimes, it's one step at a time; other times, you will leapfrog up the ladder. As The Book Shepherd, Dr. Judith Briles leads the conversation each week. She will include publishing professionals that will reveal tips and secrets to the author's journey. Sometimes, she goes solo and just shares her expertise that she has earned and learned over a 40-year period from the publication of her first book. Each week, you will get a new show, no repeats.
If there is a book in you, then you will want to listen and learn each and every week with Dr. Judith Briles, your Book Shepherd.