The System Broke … 

Last week, several biggies in social media took a nose dive. As in they weren’t accessible for anyone to post on; to receive messages via; to log into. For mega hours, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, and Amazon’s algorithms left the building. I saw retail prices for books flip their prices … no rankings were posted for days.

It was the pits for those who relied on social media to stay connected. To maintain visibility. To get promotions out.

The system was broken.

So … how can an author …YOU … stay connected when the “norm” is not norm when you need to reach many?

It’s called email. Something I’ve said a gazillion times. Authors should be collecting emails. Emails from those they know; those they meet; and those who discover their websites.

Whenever I am in a bookstore, I know I will come away with at least 20 new emails and names … sometimes even the mobile number of the person who gave it to me. It’s added to my database within 48 hours of collection. A person “thank you” for buying my book is emailed from me to the book buyer who gave me their name and email. I will share updates on book creation and news when I’m in another bookstore. Emails that are generated from my bookstore events hear from me once or twice a month.

From my website, I have an “opt-in” on the Home page that gives a freebie aha for book marketing. The exchange happens when an email is entered. Forward, this group will hear from me once or twice a week.

Your emails are gold … you want to collect and grow them.

P.S. … My reminder: Your email list is a treasure chest in your book marketing tool kit. And I will ask and Again … Have you Built the platform? Are you Growing it? Are you Using it?

Dr. Judith Briles is the award-winning and bestselling author of 49 books and calls Colorado home. When she’s not in the kitchen or in the garden, she’s working with clients as The Book Shepherd, a book and publishing consulting and project management firm that works with authors at all stages of their book to create and publish a book they never regret! She’s the founder of the first Authors’ Hall of Fame exclusively dedicated to ensuring the legacy of authors connected in some way with Colorado.

Judith’s books have been translated into 17 countries with over 1,000,000 copies sold! They have been featured in over 2,000 radio and TV shows including repeat appearances on CNN, CNBC, and Oprah. She has worked with over 1,500 authors and created 500 plus bestsellers. Print publications include Newsweek, People, Time, The Wall Street Journal and … The National Enquirer! Her popular podcast, AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing is dedicated to authors and writers and their success and is ranked in the top ten in four categories on GoodPods.

©2026 Judith Briles – The Book Shepherd™ All Rights Reserved.