Dear Future and Current John 316 Marketing
Network Members. Please take a few moments to read and digest this information.
1. You must be a member of the John 316 Network for 45 days before announcing a
book launch or posting a launch date on the calendar. If you will be offering
free e-gifts, you need to allow a minimum of one month to prepare for your book
launch.
2. You must have a total of five reviews posted
at http://amazon.com and/or beta reader
feedback before announcing a book launch. Reviews work best for books that are
already published. Beta reader feedback works best for books that are not yet
published. It is an opportunity for readers to sample your book and make
suggestions before your book is published. Beta readers cannot be author
members of the John 316 Marketing Network. The network is building a list of
readers who can be beta readers, and the author should attempt to have several
people read his book before publishing it. If you don’t use beta readers
through the John 316 Marketing Network, make sure you find readers who are not immediate
family members that will give you constructive criticism. Many pairs of eyes
make books better.
3. Before a book is launched on the John 316
Marketing Network, the author is responsible for having his or her book
professionally edited. Please DO NOT submit a book to be launched unless this
requirement is met. No amount of marketing will salvage a book that is full of
grammatical errors, poor sentence structure, disorganized thoughts, boring
content, or nonfiction books that lack documentation. Remember, an author is
writing to sell his next book, not the one he is currently writing. A reader
might be fooled into buying one "bad" book by an author, but he won't
buy a second one by that same author unless he is a fool.
4. While I never make a distinction about how
authors are published, I must point this out because it seems some do not think
they need an editor. An editor is an author's best friend. POD or
self-published authors, please do not skimp on this step. It is not fair to our
network's reputation or the good graces of our member authors to expect them to
promote a book that has not been properly prepared for readers. No ifs, ands,
or buts. Not having the money to pay for it is not an acceptable excuse. And
please do not expect authors to edit your book for free. I hope to start a
critique group within the network this year. Critique groups help authors to
become better writers. But even a critique group is not sufficient. You need to
"hire" someone to perform this service.
5. If you are new and want to do a book launch,
you must first participate in another author's book launch and one showcase by
a second author. Participation is more than just sending out tweets. It
includes featuring a launching author on your blog, offering a free e-gift for
an author's landing page, writing a review for a book launch, and other
activities including Facebook, Twitter, and Good Reads promotions of an
author's book.
6. There are certain words that are absolutely not allowed in a book hosted by the John 316 Marketing Network. These words include the "N" word, the "S" word and the "F" word. We also do not allow the Lord's name to be taken in vain. We do not want to launch a book that would be considered offensive, pornographic, or that promotes a lifestyle in conflict with Scripture. If your book contains "edgy" material, let me (Lorilyn Roberts) know and I will submit it to a panel of pastors within the network for one of them to review. We are a Christian network and some books may not be appropriate for us to launch. If for some reason your book is rejected by the panel for promotion by the network, please do not take offense. It won't mean your book is "bad" or not inspired by the Holy Spirit. It would just mean your book is too edgy. We may even come up with a rating system to promote "edgy" books down the road. Each book presented and considered "edgy" by the author will be approved or denied on a case-by-case basis. If you are in doubt, please check with me.
7. If you are planning on doing a book launch
in the immediate future, say within 60 days, it is expected that you set up
your emails so you can receive them individually or on a once-a-day basis
(condensed). This makes you an “active” member of the network. A personal gripe
of mine is to discover an author who wants to launch a book and he or she is
not a participant on the forum and is only receiving "special
notices" or "no emails." If you are only receiving special
notices or no emails, you are a “non-active” member of the network and are not
eligible to host a book launch with the John 316 Marketing Network. You will
need to change your status to active and wait 45 days before announcing a
launch on the forum or posting one on the calendar.
The reason why you must be an active member of
the John 316 Marketing Network to host a book launch is this: Our network is
built on relationships. If you have isolated yourself and do not want to be
involved with others, please do not expect others to promote your book. Those
who have reached best-seller status on book launches have been those who have
actively participated on the forum and given of themselves, in many cases
sacrificially. They have established relationships here.
8. Please re-read the book How to Launch a Christian Best-Seller Book before setting up your
launch. The book is frequently updated and the information is very detailed.
Some authors make key mistakes that could have been avoided if they had read
the book more closely. I hate being the bad guy when I have to inform an author
that he can't launch his book because he has no reviews. And usually, when
there aren't any reviews, there are other issues that need to be addressed.
9. If you purchased the book through Smashwords, you can download the newest edition at any time. If you bought your copy through Amazon, let me know and I will provide you with a coupon to download it through Smashwords for free. If you received a "free" copy with a coupon, you may need to purchase a new copy. Right now How to Launch a Christian Best Seller is free on Smashwords and only 99 cents on Amazon. It was revised in December so now is a good time to get an updated copy.
10. Please remember we represent the King of the universe. He expects us to give our best. Please don't compromise. Write well; have your book edited by at least one professional, maybe even two; build relationships with others in the network; and read How to Launch a Christian Best-Seller. If you do these things, we will come alongside you and cheer you on. God gets the glory for a job well-done, and, just maybe, readers will buy your book and make you fabulously happy. Whatever the result, the outcome is in God's hands. And usually, when we give God our all, He gives us much more in return.
11. I also want to thank each one of you who
have launched books with the network. We have never launched a book that I am
aware of that did not meet the above requirements. As with any organization,
though, we are going through growing pains. I want to lay a solid foundation
for God to use the John 316 Marketing Network. The publishing world is in a
state of flux, but our commitment to one another, marked with love, truth, and
integrity, will help us to stay on the straight and narrow path of excellence.
As I tell my kids, the world is full of mediocrity; don't be like the world. In
everything you do, do it as if you are doing it unto the Lord, and then give
Him the glory.
Lorilyn Roberts, Founder of the John 316 Marketing Network
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