"Sharing with Writers" is from the desks of Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER (USA Book News' "Best Professional Book 2004" and an Irwin Award winner) and THE FRUGAL EDITOR, winner of USA Book News Best Book award and Reader Views Literary Award, and her writing friends. Writing friends. That's YOU.
It is a place where you'll find writing and promotion tips and where you can share your own writing sucesses with other writers.
Newsletter Dated: 2/19/2011 10:26:25 AMSubject: [SharingwithWriters] Big Brag, Killer Postage and Funeral Potatoes
If you prefer to read this letter in its not - so - glorious full formatted version ( - : copy and paste this URL into your browser:
http://www.AuthorsDen.com/adstorage/1713/SharingwithWriters_Feb_15_2011.pdf
Feburary 18, 2011
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
Regular Features
~Note from Carolyn
~Letters - to - the - Editor
~Thank Yous (where you also find leads and great resources!)
~Tips and News Galore! (They're scattered, you'll just have to find them!)
~Opportunities: Do You Write Green?
~On Poetry
~Author Successes
~Mindy Lawrence's Itty Bitty Column: “Gratis”
~Carolyn's Appearances and Teaching
~Wordstuff ™
This Issue
~Feature: Frugal Business Expenses for Authors,
Raff Ellis
~My Memoir: “Mormon Funeral Potatoes”
~Big Brag and Tips on Alerts
Note: You may have better luck with the URLs in this newsletter if you copy and paste them into your browser window. I leave the links long rather than use hyperlinks because the letter is available in plain text in your e - mail window as well as a .pdf format.
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Note from Carolyn
Dear Subscribers:
Now I know what my husband does when he isn’t finding obscure movies and plays for us to go to. He’s surfing the Web. But lucky me! He found these quotes for me from John Steinbeck, one of my favorite writers. In fact, Grapes of Wrath was probably instrumental in my choice of themes for both my novel This Is the Place (www.budurl.com/ThisIsthePlace) and lots of my poetry. I thought you’d love them so here they are:
The profession of book writing makes horse racing seem like a solid, stable business.
Quotation of John Steinbeck
The writer must believe that what he is doing is the most important thing in the world. And he must hold to this illusion even when he knows it is not true.
Quotation of John Steinbeck
Unless a reviewer has the courage to give you unqualified praise, I say ignore the bastard.
Quotation of John Steinbeck
Writers are a little below clowns and a little above trained seals.
Quotation of John Steinbeck
I hold that a writer who does not passionately believe in the perfectibility of man has no dedication nor any membership in literature.
Quotation of John Steinbeck
In utter loneliness a writer tries to explain the inexplicable.
Quotation of John Steinbeck
No one wants advice - only corroboration.
Quotation of John Steinbeck
The discipline of the written word punishes both stupidity and dishonesty.
Quotation of John Steinbeck
Happy Writing, Editing and Promoting
Carolyn
PS: I’m tired of the term “shameless self promotion.” I’m also tired of the term “self promotion!” To see why, check out this Rock Your Writing blog and my comment. http://rockyourwriting.com/2011/02/the - shame - in - shameless - self - promotion/ Maybe you’ll help me drum the terms with all their negative connotations from our intercourse.
PPS: Call in: 323 - 417 - 6707. Lawrence J. King and Carolyn will discuss first impressions and her The Great First Impression Book Proposal booklet on the 21st of Feb 2011 at 9:00 am Pacific time. Find it at: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/lawrence - j - king Find the book proposal booklet at www.budurl.com/BookProposals.
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Needing something more meaningful for the celebrations in your life? Something that stays within your budget? Check out Cherished Pulse (www.budurl.com/CherishedPulse) ($6.95) for someone you love. 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). 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. Plan next Christmas early. And ask about my special price on chapbook/cards purchased in bulk! All these chapbooks are from the Celebration Series of poetry from Magdalena Ball and me.
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Tip: Just learned something new about Twitter. It may be a new Twitter feature since I wrote my book Frugal and Focused Tweeting Twitter (www.budurl.com/Tweeting4Retailers ). Maybe it came with the new Twitter format upgrade. Anyway, if you click on the how - many - minutes - ago link underneath each tweet, you get a capturable screen and a URL to that specific tweet in the browser window that can be copied and pasted anywhere. A sample below. The link you’d click on is the one that says “29 Jan.” Sometimes they say something like “20 seconds ago.”
@JohnKremer John Kremer
Amazon now selling more Kindle ebooks every month than paperback books and 3 times more than hardcovers.
29 Jan via web Favorite Retweet Reply
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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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Feature
Frugal Business Expenses for Authors ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
By Raff Ellis
The cost of mailing books is going up!
I have been selling autographed copies of my book Kisses from a Distance from my home for over three years. Readers order through my Web site or by mail, which is quite convenient for me and them.
Early on I invested in a Dymo label maker and subscribed to Dymo Stamps, which allows me to print the proper postage. I have literally sent out hundreds of copies by simply printing the label, postage for the envelope, and putting them in my mailbox. If I have more than three going at the same time, I will run them down to the Post Office. I once took eighty at the same time and the postal clerk wasn't happy. He groused about the media mail option, “Don’t know why we even have this rate,” he snarled. In any event, I like to do it myself, and just put them in my big mailbox at the curb.
Imagine my surprise when a recent envelope came back to me two days after I handed it off to my mail carrier. The sticker on it says that if a package is over 13 oz. it must be taken to the Post Office, and handed to a clerk. I know this limitation applies to mailboxes on the street, and to boxes outside the Post Office. Little did I know that giving it to my mail carrier was the same as putting it in a mailbox. This never happened before.
So, if I go to the Post Office, even though I have the proper postage affixed, I must go inside stand in line, and hand it to a “retail service associate.” Now I will have to use a dollar’s worth of gas (one - third of a gallon @ $3.00/gal.) to make a round trip of 6.4 miles. I also have to spend the better part of a half - hour of my time, if there are no crowds at the Post Office, that is. And I owe it all to “heightened security” requirements. Do they really think I would send a bomb from my home, with my return address on it? Also a note on the package said it can be sent via surface transportation only. I don’t know how long it’ll now take a book to get to California.
I guess I will now have to charge more for shipping and handling. I had been billing $3.00 per order for shipping. The postage (including the fee for printing the stamp from home) and the padded envelope, discounting the cost of the mailing label and any time spent in preparation, is $3.55. Because of this inane security requirement, it has now gone up to $4.55. This is how we reduce our carbon footprint, I guess.
So, thanks a lot Uncle Sam. I feel eminently safer now that I saw the clerk toss my package into a bin without so much as a glance at it. Now that I know you are using such common sense in protecting us from ourselves, I will rest easier.
Today's guest blogger is author and lecturer Raff Ellis (http://raffellis.com/Raffs_new_site/Site_Entry.html). He blogs at http://raffellis.blogspot.com/ and you can see the trailer for his book at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohsvMi - VCjI.
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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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Big Brag and Tip on Alerts: Getting alerts is a miraculous thing. I woke this morning to an alert from Social Oomph that Thornton Publishing had named The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success #1 book for authors who want to put out a professional self - published book. Boy, was I all puffed up and happy. What a gift! Find it at http://ping.fm/bMnCb or http://advancedbookmarketing.com/BookEditing.php.
But this morning surprise is a gift I might not have known about were I not using the alert functions of services like SocialOoomph.com and Google Alerts. Measuring Marketing Success - - the results of techniques I espouse in The Frugal Book Promoter as an example - - is not easy. Authors who are disappointed in the results of their marketing are often the same ones who don’t use alerts to let them know when their name or title is being mentioned on the Web. So, if you aren't doing this, go to your Google account and sign up for their Alerts. Then hustle on over to SocialOomph.com and let them alert you when people are tweeting about you!
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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: While we’re on a frugal business expense kick (see the feature article by Raff Ellis earlier in this newsletter), I recycle mailing envelopes. I print on my label that I recycle shabby envelopes and packing material in the interest of the environment and the frugal message I espouse. The labels themselves are printed on the back of paper I already used once (and was made from recycled materials to being with!). They are really advertisements with the images of my book covers on them. I drop in seasonal art for holidays. I don’t know how many people have chuckled, but no one has ever sent me a “cheap - o” message of complaint.
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II’m reworked my Web site. Please use the huge Resources for Writers sectionhttp://www.howtodoitfrugally.com/links_for_writers.htm. And please let me know if you find broken links. I need your help! =================================================
Suggested Reading: I’m not much about euphemisms. For me, even when people I love go away they “die,” they don’t “pass away.” I think is psychologically sounder to be upfront—and certainly constitutes better speech and writing. There is a new book out by Ralph Keyes. It is Euphemania: Our Love Affair with Euphemisms (Little Brown). It is an interesting commentary on our culture, our language, and—as writers—our careers. Highly recommended! Read it and edit out your euphemism—there are sure to be a few that aren’t working well.
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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.howtodoitfrugally.com/advertising.htm at less per year than most sites charge for a single month. Find classified there, too.
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Tip: Mathew Oliver just posted “Top 25 Blog Posts for Saving Money on Your Cell Phone Bill”
http://www.mbadegreesonline.com/top - 25 - blog - posts - for - saving - money - on - your - cell - phone - bill/. We authors can all save money on our phone bills. ( - :
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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, http://howtodoitfrugally.com/free_content.htm. 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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On Poetry
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This is a running feature for the poets among us and those who would like to try writing poetry but feel . . . well, inadequate about the writing or the promotion. Please send in your poetry tips and resources for this section.
What Poetry Does
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Did you know that the helicopter that took our soldiers out of the jungle in Vietnam was being retired? That’s often what poetry does. It makes us aware of what we otherwise would see differently or never see at all. Here is a poem by Mike D. “Moon” Mullins that made me see:
http://mwsamembertalk.blogspot.com/2011/02/honoring - retirement - of - uh - 1 - huey.html
You will also see that this is the official Military Writers Society of America blog. That group has many poets and writers of every ilk—both those associated in some way with the military and those not. It is a group that encourages writers in many ways, including providing reviews (those sometime elusive entities!) for their members. No, there is no fee for that service. Those reviews are rated and winners are given awards—there is even a poetry award—that can then be used to market their books.
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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: Did you know you don’t need an ISBN to publish a book as a Kindle?
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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/advertising.htm for only $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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Marketing Tip: LA Times reports that Obama’s motto “New Foundation” didn’t fly but that his “Win the Future” is doing better. Why do you think? From a marketing point of view, “foundation” is staid and “win” is fun and active. “Future” holds promise. Are you analyzing your soundbites? We don’t have to agree or disagree with politicians to learn something about how they use language. You’ve seen me recommend Republican and marketing wizard Dr. Frank Luntz’s book Words the Work (www.budurl.com/WordsThatWork ) here, so I’m not showing partiality.
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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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Tip: Many use bit.ly to shorten their URLs. And that works. But I like budurl.com because you can use real words in the address like www.budurl.com/TheFrugalEditor which is longer than some bit.ly addresses but it also helps with your branding. Read “branding” as name recognition. Also, it's more memorable. So if you have a long address (like a buy page for Amazon) you need to shorten frequently, you won't need to formulate a new one (or research and old one) every time you need it if you shorten with budurl.
=================================================Are you confused about how to credit facts or quotes when you write articles or nonfiction? Check out my Frugal, Smart and Tuned - In Editor blog: http://thefrugaleditor.blogspot.com/2010/10/q - la - ann - landers - academic - accreditation.html
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An Itty - Bitty Column on Writing
GRATIS!
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Regardless of what you write or do creatively, there is probably a source for it on the Internet por nada (that GRATIS for you Latin speakers and FREE if you stick to English). I decided to do a Web search to see what I could come up with just for fun.
MUSIC
What if you are stuck in a restaurant or library and a melody floats through your head. Oh, if you only had a keyboard handy! Well, you do. You can go to http://www.apronus.com/music/flashpiano.htm and play away. Another site that offers the same thing along with the ability to RECORD what you are dreaming up is http://www.pianoworld.com/fun/javapiano/javapiano.htm. It takes a while to download but it’s fun after it does.
If you are into guitar instead of piano, here’s some info for strummers. The first link is a chart on how to transpose guitar chords from key to key. The site gives lots of good information and offers more if you dig deeper into the links on the page. You can find a free download of a chord transposing program at http://www.slideshare.net/Burke25/download - chord - transposer - 30 - free - download - chord - transposer - 30 - download - and - information - on - chord - transposer - 30. If you just want a neat little chord chart, you can find one at http://www.guitarchordsmagic.com/guitar - chord - charts/free - printable - guitar - chord - chart.html.
ART
If you are an artist, there are gratis goodies for you as well. Here’s a color wheel and some information on how to use it: http://www.color - wheel - artist.com/free - stuff.html. Many places online lead to discounted supplies so look around.
PHOTOS
How about gratis photo editing online? Here’s one of many possibilities: http://www.photoscape.org/ps/main/index.php. There are tons of these around. Google or Bing “free photo editing” and see what you come up with.
This was a fun one. I hope this information helps all you creative endeavors.
~ Mindy Phillips Lawrence, www.freewebs.com/mplcreative, is the author of the poetry collections One Blue Star and Above and Below. She is co - author of The Complete Writer and a publicist. She is in the process of researching a novel titled Alone is Where We Begin. Blogging at: http://mplcreative.blogspot.com/.
Her specialty is helping writers with their media releases. Reach her at mplcreative1@aol.com.
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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: Wow! I want my own book made into a purse like Natalie Portman’s Lolita purse Visit:
http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/how - to - turn - your - book - into - a - handbag_b21329 for video instructions on how to create your own. If you do, send my poetry partner Maggie_Ball@bigpon.com a picture for her newsletter! And if you sew, let’s work out a trade—purse for some publicity? Here’s a short URL just in case: http://dld.bz/M6dF
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Recent guest blog posts: BookBuzzr.com’s regular blog for writers: http://www.bookbuzzr.com/blog/book - marketing/your - stepping - stones - to - credibility/
Recent podcast links: Elemental Musings from Bev Walton - Porter of Scribe and Quill: http://budurl.com/waltonporter
Talking with Funky Writer Rob Batista about starting a career, promoting the hard - to - promote genres:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thefunkywriter/2010/07/30/the - funky - writer - radio - show - episode - 74
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Tip: I’m hearing about capturing Web site pages (screen shots) a lot these days. I finally found a place that makes it easy. It is http://capturefullpage.com Capturing (and showing) a page is an ideal way to show someone else what you’re talking about—in e - mail conversations, as part of Webinars or blog posts and more. How could you use it?
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Here is a list of small publishers for your consideration: www.howtodoitfrugally.com/small_publishers.htm
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Thank Yous
Thanks to Editor Laurel Marshfield . . . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
. . . for mentioning me in on her blog about whether all this bloggin’, tweetin’, FBin’, and commentin’ is worthwhile. Thought you’d like to drop by and follow those great tweeters she recommends: http://www.bookbuzzr.com/blog/book - marketing/will - tweetin - postin - updatin - discussin - get - you - into - your - readers - hearts/
Thanks to Jamie Schaffner . . .
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . . . one of my former UCLA students, for all the mentions of my
f r ^ ^ bie services for writers on her Facebook page. http://www.facebook.com/jamieschaffner
Thanks to Phyllis Zimbler Miller . . .
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. . . for linking to my blog from this post on language. I know you’ll all want to visit this blog. It sure isn’t just blog - fluff! http://www.millermosaicllc.com/branding/branding - importance - of - language/
Thanks to Stephen Tremp . . .
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. . . for letting people know about the frugal Valentine’s gift I coauthored with Magdalena Ball. Read the comments and see how you could make it even more special by adding a satin bookmark and a rose! ( - : Next “love” holiday coming up—Mother’s Day!
http://stephentremp.blogspot.com/2011/02/valentine - poetry - instead - of - greeting.html
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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 35 - page handout from one of my UCLA classes. As a thank you, of course. HoJoNews@aol.com
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Editing Tip: Thinking of using “e.g.?” Substitute the words “as an example.” If they work, then you’re probably using “e.g.” correctly. For lots more little tips like this, consider Great Little Last - Minute Editing Tips for Writers: The Ultimate Frugal Booklet for Avoiding Word Trippers and Crafting Gatekeeper - Perfect Copy (www.budurl.com/WordtrippersPB).
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Unsolicited endorsement from Chaz DeSimone, book cover designer extraordinaire (www.chazdesimone.com): “Carolyn, the Frugal Book Promoter is amazingly comprehensive, understandable, and is using up all my highlighter ink.” Heidi (one of his clients): Start reading! It'll get you excited about promoting, and getting your promotion all ready ahead of time. ================================================
Opportunities
Do You Write Green?
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2011 GREEN BOOK FESTIVAL CALL FOR ENTRIES
The 2011 Green Book Festival is calling for entries to its annual competition honoring books that contribute to greater understanding, respect and positive action on the changing worldwide environment.
The 2011 Green Book Festival considers published, self - published. and independent publisher works in the following categories: nonfiction, fiction, children's books, teenage, how - to, audio/spoken word, comics/graphic novels, poetry, science fiction/horror, biography/autobiography, gardening, cookbooks, animals, photography/art, e - books, wild card (anything goes!), scientific, white paper, legal, business, mystery and spiritual.
Entries can be in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese or Italian. Our grand prize for the 2011 Green Book Festival is $1500 and transportation to our May awards in San Francisco OR an equivalent amount donated in your name to the environmental charity of your choice.
TO ENTER: Entry forms are available online at http://www.greenbookfestival.com
Perfecting Your Blog, Anyone? ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Carolyn,
I wanted to share with you another great resource for you and your readers. I just added several articles to my site about blogging. Two in particular that I think you might be interested in:
• 50 ways to increase blog traffic:
http://www.self - publishing - coach.com/increase - blog - traffic.html
• 50 topics to blog about:
http://www.self - publishing - coach.com/how - to - blog.html
Shelley
www.ShelleyHitz.com
www.FindYourTrueBeauty.com
Writer Advice Short Fiction Contest. . .
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Mesmerize us with your best short fiction or memoir up to 750 words. Deadline: April 15. First prize: $150. Fee: $10 for processing only or $20 for detailed evaluation. US dollars please. Visit www.writeradvice.com for complete guidelines. E - mail questions but not submissions to Lgood67334@comcast.net.
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From Carolyn’s Coming Memoir/NotACookbook
Here’s How I Don’t Cook
As many of you know, I’m from Utah. This is our most famous regional recipe. It accompanies a chapter on how my Mormon relatives sent me this covered dish to help out when my mother was sick; they probably thought I wouldn’t know that the dish is traditionally for funerals. Needless to say, I didn’t tell my mom about it. I didn’t want her to think that anyone might think she wasn’t going to make it. ( - :
Here’s the excerpt.
Mormon Funeral Potatoes
I admit I have never made these potatoes. But I've eaten a lot of them. In Utah tales are told of people who trail after hearses to join families they never met at funeral get - togethers for people they never knew in order to get a serving of funeral potatoes. The recipes vary slightly. I copied this one and simplified it thinking I might someday make them. That was probably somewhere around 1970.
Ingredients
6 cups diced potatoes
1 can (10 ¾ oz.) condensed Campbell's cream of chicken soup (I'd use cream of mushroom or cream of celery now that I am a vegetarian.)
1/2 of the soup can full of milk
1 cup sour cream
1 cup extra sharp Kraft cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 cup grated onion (optional). I know I would only chop it fine. None of that grating of onions for me—if I did it all.
salt and pepper to taste
3 Tbsp butter, melted
3/4 cup corn flake crumbs
Directions
Cook fresh potatoes (some of us might cheat with thawed frozen potatoes). Slice into a 9x13 Pyrex cake/casserole - type pan. Combine soup, milk, sour cream, cheese, and onion and salt and pepper to taste. For more moisture, add more milk. Mix well. Spread sauce over potatoes.
Combine melted butter with corn flake crumbs. Sprinkle over casserole. Bake uncovered at 350 F for 30 - 45 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
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Watch for my memoir (Here's How I Don't Cook), now being shopped by super - agent Terrie Wolf. And keep your fingers crossed for her success. Please!
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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 will chat with writers (yes! fiction writers, too!) on how to make Twitter work for them. The Catholic Online Writers’ Conference, March 27, 2011, at 10 am Pacific Time. Registration required but it’s free. Limited enrollment so do it now! ( - : http://www.catholicwritersconference.com/.
NEW! Call - in: 323 - 417 - 6707. Lawrence J. King and Carolyn will discuss first impressions and her The Great First Impression Book Proposal booklet on the 21st of Feb 2011 at 9:00 am Pacific time. Find it at: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/lawrence - j - king
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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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(Fun with language from The Washington and other publications.)
Inoculatte (v): To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.
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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.
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Ordering Information
The HowToDoItFrugally Series for Writers
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,
Paperback: http://budurl.com/BookProposals
E - book: https://www.createspace.com/3468136
For Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0042JT1UA
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
The Survive and Thrive Series for Retailers (Authors need to know about retailing, too!)
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
Order in paperback: http://budurl.com/RetailersGuide
For Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004H1TACC
Frugal and Focused Tweeting for Retailers: Tweaking Your Tweets and Other Tips for Integrating Your Social Media
Order in paperback direct from Amazon: http://budurl.com/Tweeting4Retailers
Order for Kindle Reader: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004H4XCCS
Order an e - book from the publisher: http://www.createspace.com/3439623 .
Your Blog, Your Business: A Retailer’s Frugal Guide to Getting Customer Loyalty and Sales—Both In - Store and Online
Sponsored by Gift Shop Magazine
To Order: http://budurl.com/Blogging4Retailers
To Order for Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004H1TACC
Carolyn’s Fiction and Creative Nonfiction
This Is the Place: http://budurl.com/ThisIsthePlace
Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered: http://budurl.com/TrueShortStories
Carolyn’s Poetry
She Wore Emerald Then: Reflections on Motherhood. Coauthored with Magdalena Ball Paperback: www.budurl.com/MotherChapbook
For Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004GXB4AW
Cherished Pulse: Unconventional Love Poetry. Coauthored with Magdalena Ball
For Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004GXB4AW
In print to be used as a greeting card or booklet: www.budurl.com/CherishedPulse
She Wore Emerald Then: Reflections on Motherhood, a chapbook of poetry. Coauthored with Magdalena Ball.
Paperback: http://budurl.com/MotherChapbook
Imagining the Future: Ruminations on Fathers and Other Masculine Apparitions. Coauthored with Magdalena Ball
To order as an e - book: https://www.createspace.com/3419505
To order as a paperback: www.budurl.com/Imagining
Tracings, a chapbook of poetry (Finishing Line Press)
http://budurl.com/CarolynsTracings
Contact Information
Website
http://HowToDoItFrugally.com
Blogs:
http://www.SharingwithWriters.blogspot.com, a blog on all things publishing
http://www.TheFrugalEditor.blogspot.com, all things grammatical and ungrammatical. On editing, formatting, and craft.
http://www.TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog focused on YOUR reviews
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. It is not longer active but there are lots of ideas you can use here, just the same.
Tweeting at:
www.twitter.com/frugalbookpromo
www.twitter.com/frugalretailing