How to Avoid Being a Limp Author

The color purple has been a personal favorite of mine for seven decades … seventy plus years! The visual has always been both calming and exiting to me. It’s meaning conjures up a buffet of adjectives: creativity, wisdom, spirituality, dignity, independence, ambition, and mystery.  And of course, royalty, nobility, luxury, and power.

Whew, fabulous words to envelop my imagination and stretch within. To live and work in … and to remind me of my personal fabric that has evolved from a tapestry of successes and yes, failures.

My world is authors, publishing, writing, and book marketing. My question for you is: Are you a limp author? Mosly talk, little action?

The one word that bridges the wannabes of publishing who talk or think about publishing to the author successes is COMMITMENT. Oh, there are usually a sprinkling of failures along the way, but the commitment factor becomes the driver. When it comes to writing a book, being a published author, and marketing a book, without commitment, it doesn’t happen. Otherwise, you will merely limp along.

Commitment means a priority needs to be in place.

• Is writing your book in your top four things to do?
• Is finishing your book in your top four things to do?
• Is publishing your book in your top four things to do?
• Is learning about publishing in your top four things to do?
• Is book marketing in your top four things to do when?
  

All of these go together—so the “one in your top four”—is a type of web. Now, I will add one more:

• Is connecting with other authors … is showing up at author events in your author success radar?
• Are you a valid member of an online or in-person group in your community?
  

There are oodles of online and in-activities and events to grow and teach you the dos and don’ts … the how-to. Enough with excuses. Become a member. Show up. It’s an investment you can’t afford to skip.

Author Success ALWAYS starts with Commitment. What’s Yours? What’s yours to your book … to your book marketing … to yourself?

Dr. Judith Briles started writing notes to her classmates in first grade … and got into “disruptive trouble” from her teachers. She’s now the author of 48 books and counting, still being a disrupter. Her books have won over 55 book awards and been Amazon bestsellers. You can follow her professional side at www.TheBookShepherd.com where she works with writers to become published authors. Listen in to her weekly podcast: AuthorU: Your Guide to Book Publishing at https://bit.ly/AuthorUPodcast

©2025 Judith Briles – The Book Shepherd™ All Rights Reserved