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Spring, 2010
Sharing with Writers
A newsletter that is also a community. Share your ideas. Learn from theirs! Associated with the multi award - winning series of HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers, www.howtodoitfrugally.com


From the Desks of
Carolyn Howard - Johnson
and Sharing with Writers Subscribers

In the spirit of the advice I give in the Frugal Editor - - that is to use an extra pair of eyes whenever possible - - this newsletter is voluntarily copyedited by Mindy Phillips Lawrence ~ mplcreative1@aol.com ~ www.freewebs.com/mplcreative. I also tell writers to be patient with other writers when they make editing boo - boos. We're all human. This letter comes out weekly (except when I'm traveling or on deadline) and it's long!
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Contents
This Is Your AllTips Edition
~Note from Carolyn
~Tips

Note: You may have better luck with the URLs in this newsletter if you copy and paste. The reason that I leave them long rather than use hyperlinks is because this letter is available in plain text in your e - mail window as well as by .pdf.
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Note from Carolyn

Dear Subscribers:

This is my semi - annual AllTips edition of Sharing with Writers so even my note to you is a tip. It’s a simple one. You may have trouble sending large files, especially now people are sending videos (you are using videos to promote, aren’t you?). If your e - mail program won’t handle them, use www.yousendit.com . You may also write a book that is so large you’ll need a little power boost.

My AOL program just enlarged its capacity for sending files, but I used to occasionally send this newsletter to Mindy Lawrence by YouSendIt for its edit.

Ha! I’m sure you have noticed that this letter is not the shortest one on the block. So no comments from the peanut gallery on this one, OK?

Happy Writing, Promoting and Editing in 2010
Carolyn Howard - Johnson

PS: Most Important Tip of the Day: Roman Retreat still has openings. You get so many tips, so much inspiration from conferences, but Rome? It can’t get any better! If you missed the last issue on my Roman Retreat opportunities, find that information on my blog at http://sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com/2010/02/roman - retreat - e - books - and - yes - promotion.html or just go directly to www.budurl.com/RomanRetreat and then just do it. ( - :


===================================================== Two highly recommended e - books for maximizing your Twitter account from Tony Eldridge are written especially for authors: Twitter E - Book: http://www.on2url.com/app/adtrack.asp?MerchantID=150314&AdID=482099 Twitter E - Mail Course: http://www.on2url.com/app/adtrack.asp?MerchantID=150314&AdID=482103 =====================================================

Tip: Sometimes you need to know which blogs are pulling down traffic. Often they are the ones with RSS (Real Simple Syndication) Feeds. www.search4rss.com is a site that will let you search for blogs using keywords.

Tip: Use a statistic counter to see how your Web site is doing. Put it on separate pages to see how popular they are or if they are accessible enough to visitors. You can also measure the effectiveness of specific promotions by using a stat counter on that promotion page. A f r ^ ^ counter is Google Analytics, accessible through your Google Account home page, www.google.com/accounts.

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There is a page of contests on the Resource for Writers page on my Web site: http://www.carolynhowardjohnson.redenginepress.com/contests.htm Follow the links on that page to other valuable lists on my site, too. =====================================================


Tip: Only 35% of Americans get their books in bookstores. What are you doing to make you books available in other venues.

Tip: The most important spot on any Web page is the upper left corner. That’s where I put a subscription form for this newsletter. What do you have in the place most people read first?


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Please paste this little blurb - - perhaps with a little endorsement - - in your newsletter or Web site: To subscribe to Sharing with Writers send an e - mail with SUBSCRIBE in the subject line to HoJoNews@aol.com or go to www.howtodoitfrugally.com for an auto subscribe box. Let me know you did it. I will be able to do something similar for you on my Resources for Readers page at www.howtodoitfrugally.com.
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Tip: Penny Sansevieri asks if you “get lots of newsletter signups when you do book events?” and “Do you make lots of sales?” She wonders if not, why are you doing them? Maybe it’s time for a reality check.

Web Site Tip: For your Web site to rank well in the major search engines, it needs to have lots of links pointing to it. These can be links from other Web sites or blogs OR they can be internal links, meaning links from one page to another on your own site.

Bears - Repeating Promo/Web Site Tip: Do not send people to your home page if you’re talking about some other page on your site. Do not send them to your home page if you’re talking about a resource page. Do not send them to your home page if you’re talking about your awards. Point them to exactly where you want them to go. They’ll appreciate it, you won’t lose them in the search process, and they won’t go away ticked off.


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You know there are hundreds of tricky homonyms you don’t know or won’t spot in your own copy. Why not brush up on some of them frugally and have some fun doing it with my Great Little Last - Minute Editing Tips for Writers: The Ultimate Frugal Booklet for Avoiding Word Trippers and Crafting Gatekeeper - Perfect Copy. It’s only $6.95 at www.budurl.com/WordTrippersPB
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Tip: If you’d like to turn a white paper, handout or long article into a nice e - book try this site. http://www.myebook.com/index This suggestions came from author Marian Thomas.

Web Site Tip: Anchor your text on your Web site. That means that you use real words for your links, rather than just the Web address. It also means you use real important words, not just “Click Here.” I have quite a few “Click heres” on my site and I’m slowly replacing them with links the search engines like. By the way, that goes for links that go to pages inside my Web site as well as links that go outside my Web site.

Get Video Tips: www.susangilbert.com/50 - powerful - social - media - tactics - for - youtube/

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My blog, War, Peace, Tolerance and Our Soldiers is where I get to nag and rag and try to make things better for our troops and maybe for the world. It includes a segment of frugal ways to help our troops and veterans. I'd love to have you leave a comment. www.warpeacetolerance.blogspot.com
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Blog Tip: When you get a media release (also - - inaccurately - - called a Press release), don’t use it as - is on your blog. At a very minimum, introduce it with why you are including it. Better, work the information you find there into an article. Remember, if it comes to you in a release, you can quote to your heart’s content without permission.

Promo Tip: I love, love, love the banner I take to book fairs, tradeshows and when I speak. Even when I teach to show my students what I’m talking about. Now SkyMall (the catalog one finds in the pocket of the seat in front of them when they fly!) has them. And Table Throws (like table cloths that advertise!). And Scrolling Banners (they move which means they attract attention!), And Curved Booth Backgrounds. It is promotion heaven! Call 1 800 SkyMall (1 - 800 - 759 - 6255) or go to www.SkyMall.com. The array is on p. 61 of the new issue!

Tip for Poets: A fun tool is www.wordle.net. It makes images out of your poems. You can play with it for color, font, etc. Use it for promotion, maybe holiday cards.

=================================================== Book Proposal Help: "The Great First Impression Book Proposal: Everything You Need To Know To Sell Your Book in 20 Minutes or Less" for 49 cents at http://budurl.com/bookproposalreport =====================================================


Blog Tip: It’s very important for you to provide a link when you talk about something in your blog. And to activate it with the little icon at the top of your blog entry page.

Marketing Tip/Essential: When you market, people then know you and pair all that you do with who you are. It works. But it doesn’t’ work if you don’t do it in the right spirit. Too many forget that marketing is caring."

Tip: Find a compilation of Twitter Tips from this newsletter at http://sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com/2010/01/compilation - of - tips - from - carolyns.html or www.budurl.com/CarolynsTwitterTips.

==================================================== Social networking is one of the best ways to make valuable contact and build a list of readers. The most supportive and interactive one I know with an associated site for displaying fiction to the movie industry is iFOFO. Subscribe at http://www.ifogo.com/buy/order_chj.html
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Tip: Recession tip. People use libraries more in a down economy. What are you doing to foster the good will of your library? The possibilities are endless. Offer a reading. Offer a workshop. Donate a book. Drop by to take a gift book to the event chairperson - - not for the library, for his personal use. Some authors complain that when they donate a book, their book is not catalogued. There are three keys here to changing that, no matter how you are published: A quality book, a relationship with library employees, and a review in library journals.

Tip:From Penny Sansevieri’s newsletter: For a business card with a high - perceived value, how about one on plastic that looks like a credit card. See what you think at www.plasticprinter.com. I think they are expensive, but you may have a need for something special.


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Podcasts are a great way to learn (and be refreshed) on everything from craft to poetry to promotion. Find many f r ^ ^ ones on the sites of those who support writers. You'll find a list of my most recent ones at: www.budurl.com/WritersResources You'll need to scroll down, down, down. That's OK. You may scroll through other resources you need, so read as you go.
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Tip: Does everyone love www.addthis.com like I do? It’s a f r ^^ bie that lets you add buttons (little widgets) that will direct people to all kinds of places on the Web and let them share your blog post or article, too. Think of it as your major viral marketing tool.

Tip: If your book is aimed at business people, get a profile at new site from Business Week: http://bit.ly/9HWBDb

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No part of this newsletter is paid advertising. If you would like to advertise to subscribers, display ads are available at http://www.carolynhowardjohnson.redenginepress.com/advertising.htm at less per year than most sites charge for a single month. Find classified there, too.
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National Geographic on Publicity: “Everyone knows Galileo was the first astronomer to point a telescope at the night sky. But like many fact that everyone know, this one isn’t true. Precedence should probably go to Thomas Harriot. What Harriot didn’t do was publish his observations. Being first is important, but so is publicity.”


Twitter Tip: Want to know when folks unfollow you? Use www.twitterless.com.


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Subscribers who have websites or newsletters of their own may be interested
in the F r ^^ Articles 4 Readers and Writers on my site, www.budurl.com/FreeContent . I try to add new articles to it frequently. If you don't see what you need for your blog or newsletter, just ask. HoJoNews@aol.com.
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Tip: - The Compulsive Reader now Talks! Visit http://www.blogtalkradio.com/compulsivereader to listen to pithy interviews with some of the best names in contemporary literature. It's an audio haven for book lovers!

Tip: Don’t overlook unusual places like your college sorority or fraternity national conventions to sell books. People who belong to your groups tend to be loyal to their own people. Find the convention planner and talk to them about a booth.

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Fun and F r ~ ~: If you purchased the Frugal Book Promoter or the Frugal Editor, I'd love you to review it on Amazon or BN.com. Make it simple; just tell what part of it you found most valuable. If you do, send me the review link (URL) and I will send you a handout from one of my UCLA classes. As a thank you, of course. HoJoNews@aol.com
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Book Cover Tip: Yes, you still need a book cover than can be read from twelve feet for bookstores, but you also need one that pops out at readers when it’s featured on the Web. That means no pale covers that fade into the white background. Try www.chazdesimone.com for a fantastic designer who also knows marketing.



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Endorsement: I wanted to tell you how your workshops, reading your newsletter, and just chatting with you has been a great help to me. I have a background in marketing from the fashion world and even though it has helped me get my foot in the door, I honestly have to say that after getting to know you, reading your books, and everything else I just said has truly helped me put Stories for Children Magazine on the map. ~ VS Grenier, Founder and Editor - in - Chief Stories for Children Magazine. http://storiesforchildrenmagazine.org.
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Tip: Writers just gotta have some fun now and then, too. You might enjoy ordering some of the products at http://www.zazzle.com/abundancelovetrip/gifts .


Tip: If you’re tweeting (and you should be), use www.TwitThis.com in your blog and near articles on your Web site to make it easy for people to pass your brilliance along to their followers.

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A general marketing rule is that a product must be seen seven times before it is purchased. That is just as true for books (because they are products, like it or not!). Let people see that book cover image! To do that, you are invited to advertise as a site sponsor at www.howtodoitfrugally.com for only $25 to $35 a year. Yep, the frugal way! Click on the Advertising tab at the top of the page or contact me personally at hojonews@aol.com.
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Tip: Yesterday I had someone apologize for asking me for an article. She apparently felt guilty because she wasn’t creating all of her blog content herself! No, no! Guest bloggers keep a blogging project within reason and creates promotion partners for you. They will promote the blog they contribute as avidly as you, especially if you suggest ways to do it using Twitter, Facebook, etc.

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Audio divas bring you audios on many aspects of building a writing career:
www.tri - studio.com/writers.html. Titles include:
Contest Facts: How to Add “Award - winning” to Your Name;
Do It Yourself Indexing: The Way to Sell Your Book to Libraries, Schools and Anyone Else That Buys Nonfiction;
Fury and Destruction: How to Use Violence Effectively in Your Writing
And more.
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Twitter Tip Article: A bunch of Twitter tips straight from this newsletter plus a few more. http://www.thelongridgewritersgroup.com/T6020/rx/wc04/twitter_article_for_blogs.shtml


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I highly recommend Jozette Aaron's f r ^ ^ DeSilva's News for writers: http://jozette.webs.com/ not just because I write a column for her. =====================================================


Tip: Want to talk with THE Authority in a certain industry...check out this new
service on the Diva Toolbox http://bit.ly/c4WF9F.


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Yes, I do consult. I tailor my fees to your needs - - everything from coaching to full edits (sorry no partial edits) to hour consultations to help you with your marketing campaign or your path to publishing. http://budurl.com/carolynsconsulting.
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Tip: Aggie Villaneuva runs a blog with really helpful stuff for writers. Find two of my articles using these links. One is on avoiding wordiness in query letters and the other is full of ideas that fiction writers can blog about and still say focused on their books.
http://www.visualartsjunction.com/?p=5893
http://www.visualartsjunction.com/?p=4838


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Visit one of my blogs. Experiment a bit with the little green Tweetmeme logo if you haven't used one before. And, please let me know if mine is working for you. I think the one at www.thefrugaleditor.blogspot.com is working. I used the second offering down on the tweetmeme site and replaced the suggested code with the address of my blog. =====================================================


Tips: Newbie's Magazine is a free monthly online publication dedicated to connecting passionate authors with passionate readers. Flip, share and enjoy a great digital experience. To go directly to magazine click: http://www.myebook.com/ebook_viewer.php?ebookId=29474
To Visit the Newbie's Magazine Website click:
http://www.newbiesmagazine.com


===================================================== If you're starting your own blog or want to market the one you have or focus it better here’s a f r ^^ chapter from Phyllis Zimbler Miller’s and my upcoming book. Download it now at http://budurl.com/bloggingchapter. =====================================================

Tip: There's a new Ning group for writers out there. Sometimes getting in on ground level with groups is a good idea. Bo Drury, the owner, adds blogs and the notice goes directly to Twitter. It is: http://bodrury.ning.com/ . By the way, Bo is the author of Once Upon A Time Out West, a book of short stories...


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Unsolicited endorsement from a reader: I read The Frugal Book Promoter early last year and became an instant fan. Your common sense, easily accessible and easily implemented tips were a godsend as I entered the promotion for my second novel. You have so much knowledge to share! I wonder if you would be interested in an interview on the blog AuthorCulture, for which I write? ~Katie Weiland, Author of Behold the Dawn and A Man Called Outlaw, http://authorculture.blogspot.com/ =====================================================

Tip: You who promote your books and want to know more about the real working of publicity and promotion really should subscribe to Terry Cordingly's blog : http://bit.ly/56VQy5



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This is an example of one of my Twitters: "FrugalBookPromo New trend? Borders will buy nonreturnable books from HarperStudio in return for a deeper discount." My tweets cover everything from news to more tips and resources, all in 140 characters or less. If you don’t want to tweet, at least follow me. Make a profile page and invite me at www.twitter.com/frugalbookpromo. =====================================================
Tip: My friend Terry Whalin did a wonderful f r ^ ^ podcast on selling your books to libraries. Find it at http://www.askterrywhalin.com/

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The New Book Review is a f r ^ ^ service of this newsletter. It allows authors to get more exposure from their favorite review and reviewers a chance to have more readers see their reviews - - with links, of course. Please check the guidelines on the blog site at www.TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com.
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Carolyn's Appearances and Teaching
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 Carolyn Howard - Johnson and fellow UCLA Writers' Program Instructor, Eve LaSalle Caram (a UCLA Award - Winning Instructor at that - - yes note the caps!) are planning an amazing intimate conference in Rome for October, 2010. Find details at www.budurl.com/RomanRetreat. Jo Linsell - Feliciano, a writer living in Rome and founder of the online conference PROMO Day, will also be offering a seminar. Accommodations are extremely limited.

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 The Muse Online Writers Conference cosponsored by Lea Schizas and Carolyn Howard - Johnson is now taking reservations for the f r ^ ^ event beginning October 11 of 2010. http://themuseonlinewritersconference.com/ To avoid a small late registration fee, please register before Aug. 15.


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 Carolyn Howard - Johnson will teach a one - day seminar in book promotion including a planning a thrifty online campaign. The place? UCLA Extension's Writers' Program on campus, of course. Mark August 7, 2010, on your calendar. Sign up online at www.uclaextension.edu
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 Carolyn Howard Johnson, author of A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In - Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns w th Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques, will make a guest appearance on Paul Bruno's Career Czar® radio program. We'll talk making retailing work in a down economy and how authors can make their case to retailers to let them boost profits with a book signing on December 17, 2010 at 10:00 am Pacific at www.alltalkradio.net/careerczar. You can also listen at www.alltalkradio./careerczar/career121710.mp3 In the meantime, listen to his other shows at www.alltalkradio.net/careerczar or at the show's blog at www.careerczar.wordpress.com. Ask to be on Paul's notification list for free podcasts.

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 Carolyn Howard - Johnson will be a featured speaker at the Wisconsin Regional Writers Association Conference in Madison, Wisconsin, in the fall of 2010. Find information on that at www.wrwa.net. This active group invites writers from everywhere to join. Find their blog at wrwaonline.blogspot.com.


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Sign up to receive a copy of my Sharing with Writers blog in your e - mail box. It is a focused blog on all things related to writing and publishing. Go to www.sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com. Sign up in the left hand column. Find related resources by scrolling to the bottom of the blog.
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Wordstuff ™

Something to Make Writers Smile
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(Definitions in the next few newsletters are from www.butlerwebs.com/jokes/definitions.htm. You might have some favorite neologisms, metaphors or similes that make you smile. If so, please contribute.)

Abdicate (v.), to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.


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Essential Book and Record Keeping:

This is a place to share with others and learn from others.

Although I do attempt to verify information used within this newsletter's pages, Sharing with Writers does not guarantee entities or information. Subscribers should research resources.

To submit information articles, tips or other information, e - mail Carolyn at HoJoNews@aol.com. Please put "Submission: Sharing with Writers" in the subject line.

If you do not care to receive this newsletter, send an e - mail to HoJoNews@aol.com with "Unsubscribe” in the subject line, but please, please don't tell me you've given up writing or promoting!

To subscribe to Sharing with Writers send an e - mail with "Subscribe" in the subject line to:: HoJoNews@aol.com.

Please pass this newsletter to friends or e - groups. It needn't be pasted in its complete form, but please credit this newsletter, and the individual contributors with anything you snip and paste.

Ordering Information:
Frugal Book Promoter: How to Do What Your Publisher Won't http://budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo
The e - book at http://starpublishllc.com/id43.html

The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success
http://budurl.com/TheFrugalEditor

The Great First Impression Book Proposal: Everything You Need To Know About Selling Your Book in 20 Minutes or Less, http://www.amazon.com/Great - First - Impression - Book - Proposal/dp/B000YG6O5U/

A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In - Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques http://budurl.com/RetailersGuide
To learn more about This Is the Place,
Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered, Tracings, and She Wore Emerald Then: www.carolynhoward - johnson.com.

She Wore Emerald Then: Reflections on Motherhood, a chapbook of poetry coauthored with Magdalena Ball. http://budurl.com/MotherChapbook

Tracings, a chapbook of poetry (Finishing Line Press)
www.budurl.com/CarolynsTracings

Contact Information
Websites:
http://carolynhoward - Johnson.com (literary)
http://HowToDoItFrugally.com (all things about writing)


Blogs:

http://www.SharingwithWriters.blogspot.com, a blog on all things publishing
http://www.TheFrugalEditor.blogspot.com, all things grammatical and ungrammatical
http://www.TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog focused on YOUR reviews
http://www.TheFrugalEditor.blogspot.com, a blog focused on editing, formatting and craft
http://www.WarPeaceTolerance.blogspot.com War. Peace. Tolerance. And Our Soldiers.
http://www.sizzlingbookfairbooths.blogspot.com, a blog where you can learn to get some mojo behind your own booth by learning from the successes and mistakes of others.

Tweeting at:
www.twitter.com/frugalbookpromo
www.twitter.com/frugalretailing