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December, 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



Contents
~Just Asking a Favor Today
~And One Timely Tip—a la Ann Landers, just ‘cause I couldn’t resist
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Note from Carolyn

Dear Subscribers:

This is a holiday greeting with a holiday gift in it for you. I’m also a asking a holiday favor.

First, the gift. Famous founder of The Compulsive Reader.com Maggie Ball and I wrote a Christmas chapbook together and want to offer it you for Christmas. All you need do is send me an e - mail at HoJoNews@aol.com with CHRISTMAS CHAPBOOK in the subject line. It comes to you with love for your support. It also comes to you with permission to print any poem in it on your blog, in your newsletter, on your Web site or wherever else you’d like to use it. (Please credit to us with a © symbol and this buy link: www.budurl.com/BloomingRed.

Now, the favor. I would consider it a special holiday favor if you’ nominate this letter or my Web site, www.thefrugaleditor.com for the Writer’s Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers list. I am grateful that my SharingwithWriters blog made their list and know how much such an award can do to get the word out to more and more authors—especially newbies who have little or no idea what they’re getting into! ( - :

All you do is send an e - mail sending to writersdigest@fwmedia.com. Put "101 Websites" in the subject line and include a brief note about how either this Sharing with Writers letter or the editing blog has helped you. Copy me your nomination if you feel like it. It’s all part of great networking.

Happy Writing, Editing and Promoting
Carolyn

PS: See the Q&A a la Ann Landers below. I wanted to get it out to you before Christmas so you get the most out of the time you put into marketing your book. The next real issue will be coming in January.


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Needing something more meaningful for the celebrations in your life? Something that stays within your budget? Try Imagining the Future: Ruminations on Fathers and Other Masculine Apparitions for the men in your life. Sure, they like fusses made over them, too! (www.budurl.com/Imagining) ($6.95). Cherished Pulse (www.budurl.com/CherishedPulse) ($6.95) for someone you love. She Wore Emerald Then (www.budurl.com/MotherChapbook) ($12.95), for mothers and other women, and Blooming Red (www,budurl.com/BloomingRed), to use as Christmas cards or incidental holiday gifts. They’re from the Celebration Series of poetry from Magdalena Ball and me.
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Q&A a la Ann Landers

Is December the Month for Marketing? ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Question:

What do you think of querying literary agents between Thanksgiving and New Years? Agents get hundreds of query letters on a regular basis, and since many people are out of the office during the holidays, it might be best to wait until January to begin this process. Thanks in advance for your expert advice.

Yvonne Perry
Owner, Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services, a team of highly - qualified writers and editors with many years of experience in writing for articles, books, ad copy, media releases, PR kits, Web text, biographical sketches, and newsletters. Editing, proofreading, book review and book evaluation services offered individually and as packages. Find us online at http://www.writersinthesky.com

Answer:

You are right on target, Yvonne. In most cases, it's dumb to waste our time trying to reach agents or editors! Agents don't even send queries to acquisition editors in December - - for the same reason. Something similar is at work when people contact editors at magazines or newspapers just as their deadlines loom. The media often works months ahead readying their seasonal stories, so it’s way too late for that and way too busy for them to pay attention to ideas for winter or spring.

An - any - time - of - the - year tip here: When contacting anyone with a query or news ask that one great question, "Do you have just a minute?" Or "Have I reached you at a convenient time?" Consideration will go a long, long way with editors, even if they are tearing their hair out with stress.
CHJ


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Wordstuff ™

Something to Make Writers Smile
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(Fun with language from The Washington Post and other publications.)

Decafalon (n.): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.

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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,
E - book: https://www.createspace.com/3468136

Great Little Last - Minute Editing Tips for Writers: The Ultimate Frugal Booklet for Avoiding Word Trippers and Crafting Gatekeeper - Perfect Copy
E - book: https://www.createspace.com/3422926

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