Has Your Computer Turned into Your Foe? Get Help Now!

A week doesn’t go by when authors and writers don’t come across a technology rooted dilemma. You, me … all of us deal with the gremlins that have invaded our lives with technology. When it’s working, it’s awesome. When not, it becomes the saboteur in your midst.

It started with a question … then a statement.

The question: Could you … would you resend all the Word files that you sent over last week?

The follow-up statement: I scheduled this weekend to go through everything. My computer is so old, it just doesn’t handle anything very well.

My first reaction, thought was GRRRR. Really? Now, I must trace back what I sent … then not resend what I originally sent but create new emails—there were seven of them and she’s already said that her computer is kluzty and sort of on its last legs.

You may be thinking … why didn’t you just do a WeTransfer or a Dropbox. Well, sometimes the tech savvy are so receptive to using WeTransfer which include another step. And, long ago, I had to step away from Dropbox because clients would so load mine up that it became inoperable. When I would say—send me your top 10 photos and we will decide which are best for website and book—200 would come over. And I couldn’t delete or remove them because “I didn’t have administrative rights” as the owner of the photos to do so. After repeated requests for the author to remove from their side, I threw in the towel. I now move and receive all large files and folders via WeTransfer.

So … let me say this loudly and clearly: If technology is not your thing, hire someone who embraces it. And secondly, technology changes as the world turns. If your gizmos and gadgets and yes, computers, are more than a few years old, it’s time for a replacement. At least have a savvy computer expert do updates—I did a happy dance when we just did a replacement of the battery that had started to warp.

For computers, if you are now using an Apple product and know it, then go there for your replacement—learning a new software system can be an overwhelm. If you are using a PC, then go there.

I’m not suggesting you reinvent your brain is some ways (although that has great merit in my opinion) … what I am encouraging you to do is add to it to make your work life easier.

Stop fighting the obvious elephant in your workspace. Fix what you have. If unfixable, replace it. Don’t ignore the obvious.

 As my client Ray McKinley says in his book of the same title: Ride the Elephant.

My two bits for this week.

Judith Briles is a book publishing expert and coach. She empowers authors and works directly with authors who want to be seriously successful and has been writing about and conducting workshops on publishing since the ’80s. Judith is the author of 37 books including Author YOU: Creating and Building Your Author and Book Platforms, Snappy Sassy Salty: Wise Words for Authors and Writers, and How to Create a $1,000,000 Speech. Her personal memoir When God Says NO-Revealing the YES When Adversity and Loss Are Present is a #1 bestseller on Amazon. Collectively, her books have earned over 45 book awards. Judith speaks throughout the year at publishing conferences. 

Throughout the year, she holds Judith Briles Book Unplugged experiences: Publishing, Speaking, Marketing, and Social Media. All are two-day intensive limited to a small group of authors who want to be seriously successful. Join Judith live for the “AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing” podcast on the Toginet Radio Network HERE. 

Follow @AuthorUYOUBooks and @MyBookShepherd on Twitter and do a “Like” at AuthorU, and join the Facebook group Book Publishing with The Book Shepherd. If you want to create a book that has no regrets, contact me.

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