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Welcome to Season 2 of The Book Marketing Action Podcast with Becky Robinson, where we give you information that you can immediately implement to increase your influence and market your books more successfully. In this episode, we are joined by Barb Roose — Speaker, Author, and Literary Agent.

Today’s episode is continuing the “Author Journey” series, based on Becky’s book, which is scheduled for release from Berrett Koehler Publishers in April 2022. The book is called Reach: Creating the Biggest Possible Audience for Your Message, Book, or Cause.

Key Points From This Episode:

[02:16] Barb gives advice for submitting the first draft of a manuscript and how to handle edits.

[05:14] Why is “10,000 books sold in the first year” often the goal of an author? Barb explains. 

[06:41] Barb reveals which of her books has sold the most copies, and if it will be surpassed.

[07:57] Barb shares her perspective about the difficulties that people from marginalized communities face in creating traction for their books, businesses, messages, or causes. 

[10:12] There are four specific dials for BIPOC and other diverse writers, and Barb explains each one.

[14:10] Learn how to increase the visibility of diverse voices without causing the person to feel that they’re only being invited in order to create more diversity.

[15:34] Barb reveals what contributed to her being able to turn up the dial on her credibility and visibility, as well as what she sees other people struggling to overcome.

[18:10] Barb concludes with some final thoughts about how members of the majority can help elevate and amplify people with marginalized voices.

Action Steps:

  1. Follow 10 diverse voices on Instagram. Take whatever your area of interest is — business, self-help, memoirs, etc. — and make connections with diverse voices within that genre. Like and comment on their posts. Find out more about them.
  2. Buy the books of authors with marginalized voices. Buy three books and read them to begin expanding your own world and knowledge.
  3. Work with people of diverse voices. Find one person in the next six months and interview them for your podcast, write a blog post about them, or invite them to have a conversation on Zoom. Whatever it is, work with them.

Resources:

  • Explore Barb’s website and invite her to speak at your next event.
  • Browse Barb’s books and Bible studies, and buy your own copy of her devotional, Surrendered.
  • Listen to Barb’s podcast, Better Together.
  • Get in touch with Barb by filling out this form.
  • Follow Barb on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Tweetables and quotes:

If you choose to share on Twitter, don’t forget to tag @barbroose so she knows you enjoyed this episode!

The editing process is an invitation to allow our work to grow. – Barb Roose

BIPOC and diverse authors do not, by and large, have the access to connections or acquaintances that many other people have in publishing. When I show up at writers conferences, they are overwhelmingly, by and large, Caucasian. And what that means is that BIPOC and other diverse writers do not know about these conferences. They also are unable to take the time off or afford to attend them. And they also are not sure if they will feel welcomed. – Barb Roose

Diverse voices add to the flavor and texture of our lives. We’re all missing something from each other when we don’t get a chance to learn from each other. – Barb Roose

We can turn up the dial on visibility by making sure that diverse faces are in the spaces where they can be seen. – Barb Roose

A rising tide lifts all ships. We have to have an abundance mentality when we approach this. If you are a part of helping someone else, it’s going to help you as well. And it may not be dollar for dollar, follower for follower. It will create abundance in your heart, and in your content, and in your vision for what you do. – Barb Roose

If you found value in today’s episode, we hope you’ll take a moment to share it with someone else who might benefit from it. If you have any questions or topics you’d like us to cover, please email Becky Robinson here.

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