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January 16, 2012
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 booboos. We're all human. This letter comes out weekly (except when I'm traveling or on deadline) and it's long!
This newsletter is powered by AuthorsDen.com.
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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 (You’ll find them in several places.)
~Accessible Contests
~On Poetry
~Author Successes
~Mindy Lawrence's Itty Bitty Column: “For the Love of God,
Montresor!”
~Carolyn's Appearances and Teaching
~Wordstuff ™

This Issue
~New Feature: Links to Help Your Career: Question and
Answers from Subscriber
~Feature: Review of F r ^ ^ Web Site Trial
~Feature: Relationships: Applying the Friend - Building
Skills You Already Have

Join me
For more writers’ resources on Twitter:
www.twitter.com/FrugalBkProm
For resources and more personal fun on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/carolynhowardjohnson
For special help for fiction writers:
www.fictionmarketing.com
For writers’ resources of all kinds:
www.HowToDoItFrugally.com


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:

Our tradition of making resolutions on January 1 doesn’t work well. We’re busy with so many holiday duties - - cleaning, decorating, shopping - - we just can’t give making resolutions its due. Besides, making resolutions is kind of boring, isn’t it?

On the other hand, in the new edition of The Frugal Book Promoter (www.budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo) I suggest a step - by - step goal - making technique that can be done all year round. One must do this task anyway, and the process is a little like making resolutions in that it helps us evaluate, keeps us on track, and even keeps a record of our accomplishments and careers. But it does more than that. It keeps us grateful

What could something like that have to do with frugal book promotion you might ask? Well, it involves your media kit. As you know, I believe in recycling and the different segments of your kit (because we use computers, we’ll call them folders!) help you see at a glance what you need to make your writing career move forward—and it’s all broken down into media kit categories so it’s easy to see at a glance. But the biggest advantage is that the process gives us confidence because we can see the strides we’ve taken and makes us grateful because we can see how much we’ve achieved even in our most depressed moments. Of course, it also keeps our media kits up to date.
And there is an even more important benefit. When we can see how well we’ve done, it’s easier to be generous with others.

So, though some may think it’s a little late for resolutions, I think the timing is perfect. And I hope you’ll consider putting one other resolution I think works for most authors on your list, too: http://www.bookbuzzr.com/blog/book - marketing/resolutions - tis - the - season - for - supporting - the - industry/. That’s a guest blog post I did for Bookbuzzr.com.

It may not be that way for everyone but writing brings me as much joy as about any other one thing I do, and I probably do those others better because of the happiness it brings me.

So, I wish for you the same Joy, Happy Writing, Editing, and Promoting and it isn’t too late to wish you a great New Year, is it?

Carolyn


PS: One of my favorite blog articles was contributed by Sharing with Writers subscriber Kristine Lowder. If you think you don’t need it because humor isn’t necessarily what you write, think again. Humor can help every writer sooner or later—sooner possibly being your next query letter. Find Kristine’s good advice here:

http://sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com/2012/01/kristine - lowder - gives - tips - on - writing.html

PPS: Get ready to make your reading list for 2012 using my annual Noble (Not Nobel!) Prize list at: http://www.myshelf.com/backtoliterature/column.htm. You’ll find guidelines for entering your own literary effort for next year’s prize there, too.


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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, Deeper in the Pond, for the feminists in your life—both men and women (www.budurl.com/DeeperPond) ($6.95) 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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Letters - to - the - Editor

Your letter could appear here. Tell your fellow readers what you are thinking.


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My review blog is my gift to authors. It’s a place for you to honor authors and books you’ve loved with a review. It’s a place to recycle the review of your own book, the one you love most. It’s f r ^ ^. Submission guidelines are in the left column at www.TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com. =============================================


Tech Tip: One of my favorite keyboard command shortcut is to hold down the CTRL key and press A to select everything in a document. It saves a couple clicks and having to fool with the cursor but on the rare occasions that you must copy and paste your whole book, it’s a regular miracle.


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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 so I can do something similar for you on my Resources for Readers page at www.howtodoitfrugally.com.
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Tip: Did you read my going - in - the - back - door tip for getting reviews in the second edition of The Frugal Book Promoter (http://budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo)? Many large review sites provide a way to get reviews from their stable of reviewers, but it is a crowded field and simply applying often doesn't work. But if an author reads the site, familiarizes herself with the individual reviewers (their preferences), and then does a little Googling, she may be able to contact those reviewers individually. That allows her to make a point that she read the reviewer's piece on XX title, maybe even mention the reviewer’s style, and then ask for a review. A little individualization in a query letter can go a long way! I used this method to land a review in the Library Journal for my novel and it was nearly a year after that journal's deadline.


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This is the only site I know that can help novelists, screenwriters, and playwrights get noticed by directors and producers. It’s BooksToFilm and it’s run by iFOGO’s Gene Cartwright. It isn’t as frugal as I’d like, but there are times it pays to spend a little. One of those times would be if our investment leads to something big: http://www.ifogo.com/buy/order_chj.html .
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Feature

Free Web Site Trial Review
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I’d rather be positive and tell you what I love, but sometimes it’s almost as good to get the downside of an experience. For one thing, when authors see what others are doing wrong in terms of marketing, they can apply those lessons to their own marketing campaigns.

Many adore SocialOomph.com to manage their social networks. I’ve used the basic f r ^ ^ version for a time (since they were called Tweetlater!), but decided to give the f r ^ ^ premium version a ride and see what it would do for me. The trial felt like bait and switch. Once I signed, they wouldn’t let me try the most desirable feature with the excuse they were trying to prevent spam. They had also shortened a 30 - day trial to a few days. This in a down economy?

I used my f r ^ ^ time to do what I’d always done with it only more extensively. Then I poked around in some of the other features but didn’t find a tool that would be worth a subscription of almost $300 a year. Most of the features I’d use were available in the f r ^ ^ versions of some of the other services I use.

So, here’s my recommendation: Use it. It’s a very handy management tool. But go to the trial with no great expectations. If you do, you may get ticked off as I did and leave without signing anyway.

Here’s a disclaimer: I’ve heard many say they couldn’t operate their marketing campaigns without it, but I’d rather take more time to schedule my tweets and feeds carefully to save the dollars. In my opinion, feeds from Twitter to Facebook, as an example, can be better controlled the slow, more frugal way and they’ll end up looking more personal.



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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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Author Successes

Rules for this Section: Only subscribers’ successes are listed in this section. Thus, I do not pick up news of new releases or awards from general media releases for there is usually no way for me to know those releases come from subscribers. If you have an Author Success, please identify yourself as a subscriber in the subject line of your e - mail. Something like: “MEDIA RELEASE: Subscriber’s Success.”

Getting on a Respected Critics Annual List is Indeed Coup!
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Critic David Kipen's list of his Best Books Published includes "Exhibitionist," April Dammann's story of Earl Stendahl and his art gallery from Angel City Press. Kipen gave his list on "The Madeleine Brand Show" on KPCC and April (www.aprildammann.com) is one of my former UCLA students and subscriber to Sharing with Writers.


New Middle Grade Fantasy Series from Kevin Gerard! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Crying Cougar Press is excited to announce the release of Diego's Dragon, the first book in the Spirits of the Sun series by author Kevin Gerard.
An eleven - year - old Hispanic boy wins a district - wide writing contest for sixth grade students. When an author visits his elementary school to award his prize, Diego Ramirez has no idea how much his life is about to change.

Nathan Sullivan hands Diego his statue, a handsome, glistening black dragon. He shakes his hand, smiles, and leaves him to his friends. The other students crowd around Diego and his amazing prize, begging for a chance to hold it.

After hearing the name Magnifico spoken aloud by family and friends, Diego awards gives that name to his new dragon. If he only knew! Magnifico is the leader of the Sol Dragones, an assembly of dragons that live within the magical fires of the sun. Nathan Sullivan is the earth's connection to the mysterious dragons. It is his task to find the proper "guide" for Magnifico.

As Magnifico comes to life and grows to his mature size, he becomes quite mischievous, playing tricks on Diego to embarrass him. As he discovers his bloodline, however, Diego assumes greater control over his dragon and his destiny. In the climactic journey, he frees his people and suffers a terrible loss by guiding Magnifico to their goal.

See www.diegosdragon.com for videos, artwork, and to read the first chapter!

See http://www.conorandthecrossworlds.com/fanpageblog.html for information regarding a contest for young readers!
Conor and the Crossworlds, the first middle grade fantasy series written by Mr. Gerard, is enjoying a growing fan base in six countries. Gerard, a long time Sharing with Writers subscriber, visits schools regularly, speaks on panels at science fiction/fantasy conventions, and recently accepted an invitation to the Humboldt County Author Festival in Eureka, California. He appeared with twenty - four authors handpicked from around the country by the selection committee.


Foreign Rights Sold for Brandon Wilson’s Travel Adventures!
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Happy New Year! I've enjoyed a few successes recently that I'd like to share.

My 2009 (Society of American Travel Writers Foundation) Lowell Thomas Gold Award - winning book, Along the Templar Trail: Seven Million Steps for Peace, (http://www.amazon.com/Along - Templar - Trail - Seven - Million/dp/0977053687/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_4) was just released in a new German edition. Auf dem Templerweg: Sieben Millionen Schritte für den Frieden (http://www.amazon.com/Auf - dem - Templerweg - Millionen - Schritte/dp/097705361X/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_7) chronicles my peace walk from France to Jerusalem.

My Yak Butter Blues has also been re - published as A Tibetan Trek of Faith: Yak Butter Blues by Heritage, a Delhi - based publisher, for the south Asia market and several of my other books have been published digitally. Learn more about me at www.pilgrimstales.com.


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Book Proposal Help: The Great First Impression Book Proposal: Everything
You Need To Know To Sell Your Book in 20 Minutes or Less is now an
e - book or paperback booklet (Only $6.95). The perfect giftlet for nonfiction writers. Find it at http://budurl.com/BookProposals =================================================


Tech Tip: Expert writers, publishers, formatters and others often prefer to use keyboard commands because it is faster. One I’m training myself to use more often is one that increases the size of a font. Highlight what you want bigger, hold down CNTL + SHIFT keys and then type >. Repeat for still larger. Use the same method with the reverse symbol ( < ) to decrease the size.


================================================= Social networking is one of the best ways to make valuable contacts 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 iFOGO. Subscribe at http://www.ifogo.com/buy/order_chj.html
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Nonfiction Tip: Allyn Evans, author, award - winning speaker, and Sharing with Writers subscriber, mentioned that Suze Orman uses links in her books to direct readers back to her Web site to get additional information. I do that, too. It’s a real information - expander, helps you keep fast - moving resources current, and a great way to build Web site traffic! ( - :


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I’ve reworked my Web site. Please use the huge Resources for Writers section http://www.howtodoitfrugally.com/links_for_writers.htm. And please let me know if you find broken links. I need your help! =================================================


Tip: On my last trip we were pleased to find that Holland America lines offered f r ^ ^ tech classes sponsored by Microsoft to passengers. I had a ball with them. They were better than many of the ones on other lines that I had paid for! One of the classes was in Windows Live Photo Gallery and one of my fave tips was using a pop art technique to change a photo into something that resembles a Warhol or Lichtenstein litho. I see now that lots of magazine and TV art uses this technique or something similar. I see it as a fun experiment for any of you working on your own cover art.


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I am journalist in residence at Book in Sync, which means you can find my articles in their newsletter each month and even access old ones in the archives. Go to http://www.booksinsync.com/booksinsyncjournalist.html.
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TIP: I’ve been working with a client who is writing his first query letter. Because his novel is literary/mainstream we opted to begin the letter with a quote from his book as I suggest it The Frugal Editor (www.budurl.com/TheFrugalEditor). That helps the agent or publisher the query is being sent to get a feel for the novel’s voice and it sets the query apart from the many thousands agents get each day without getting too cutsie. When and author chooses to do this, special formatting of the letter is indicated. There are instruction and templates in The Frugal Editor.


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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 to HoJoNews@aol.com .

New National Book Award Honoree
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Time Magazine ran one of its iconic interviews in its December issue. John Ashbery is 84 and has been called America’s most important living poet. He said, “It was a very long time before my poetry was first published and then read and then discussed. Those stages took decades…. My first book only sold 800 copies over a period of eight years. Before it came out, I was expecting to be hailed as [an exemplary] poet the next day in the press.” This is such a great reminder that even people who appear to be overnight successes rarely are and those who don’t have the faintest aura of immediate success may take decades to reach their pinnacle. What is important is the process (including honing craft). Keep at that and the rest comes.


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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 from Subscriber: Donna McDine says, “I always run a "Tip for writers" in my newsletter. Here is the current tip:

"Even if you are not a big goal - setter or think that goals are a waste of time because you can never accomplish them, think about the kinds of things you’d like to do. Where would you like to see yourself six months from now? One year from now? What is the one thing you have always wanted to try but never got around to? Set that as a goal and figure out the steps you’ll need to take to make that goal a reality for you. Take the leap and try to do something you have always wanted to do. Once you accomplish one goal, you’ll feel better about yourself and ready to take on another goal then another. It’s up to you."

Anyone who is interested in signing up for her monthly newsletter can go to her site at http://dmcwriter.tripod.com/ and click on "Newsletter" in the sidebar. Read the most current issue and find information about subscribing at the bottom of the page. Or e - mail her at DMCWriter@gmail.com with "Newsletter Subscription" in the subject line. All subscribers will have their news and announcements included in the next issue of the newsletter absolutely free.


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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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Tip: I’m working at getting things in order to take my Frugal Book Promoter, Second Edition (www.budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo), to Book Expo America in the spring. I’ve done it before and, even if you haven’t considered including BEA in your marketing campaign, I suggest you use the Index in The Frugal Book Promoter to see why it can work for you and how to make it work for you.


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Ta Da! E - books are great tools for promotion
http://www.bookbuzzr.com/blog/book - marketing/ta - da - e - books - are - great - tools - for - promotion/
The Anatomy of a Free (Read that Promotional!) E - Book
http://www.bookbuzzr.com/blog/book - marketing/the - anatomy - of - a - free - read - that - promotional - e - book/
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Feature

Relationships: Applying the Friend - Building Skills You Already Have
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As important as book marketing and promotion is, building relationships (that might be read as networking) is even more important. Certainly networking is part of all parts of marketing—from branding to promotion—but the word “networking” can obscure the real meaning behind relationship building.

We all know what building relationships is. The thing is, with the advent of the Net, the possibilities for relationships are so much greater than they were. Relationships have become—if not a more important part of a good promotion campaign—at least more widespread. “Social networking” is the new term for some of that relationship building and I don’t neglect that concept in the new edition of my The Frugal Book Promoter (www.budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo). Having said that, the basic old - fashioned concepts and tools of public relations with an emphasis on building relationships are still the drivers behind promoting with any kind of marketing including using new media.

Marketing and all it encompasses (PR, branding, promotion, and more!) works, but incrementally better when relationships are built and maintained.

You may well ask, “How do I do that?” Fair question, but unneeded. You’ve been doing it all your life so you know how. Parents. Friends. Teachers. The trouble is, too many writers don’t put that knowhow to work when they go to promote their books. In order to do the long - term maintenance required, you need to keep up your contact lists. But when you think about it, you’ve been keeping lists all your life, too. Think “holiday greeting card list” and you about have it.

Until we get into the habit of applying “relationships” to everything we do, it might help to make yourself a little sign and paste it to your computer. It should say something like “Relationships First.”

That sign will also remind you to apply relationships to every aspect of your marketing campaign. That means encouraging interaction. Maintaining your voice. Using humor. Keeping in contact. Writing thank you notes. Sending birthday and/or holiday wishes. But especially in forgetting about sales and trying to be as helpful as possible to those who are helping you.

So you make relationship building an integral part of:

Your newsletter.
You blog or blogs.
Your social networks.
Your contact list building process.
Your events.
Your everyday e - mail correspondence.
Your online launch campaign.
Your book signings at bookstores.
Your book reviews.
Your interactions with editors and bloggers.


What else do you do to promote your book? Relationships are a part of it. In the interest of building relationships, I’d like to know the ways you use relationship building in your marketing campaign. E - mail me at HoJoNews@aol.com. Put RELATIONSHIP BUILDING in your subject line and include your contact information and a quick pitch (with a buy link!) for your book. And, if it’s something new or has a new slant to it, I’ll try to include it in this newsletter. In any case, I’ll answer and we’ll build on our relationship. Promise.
CHJ

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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 or the new edition of The Frugal Book Promoter, www.budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo .
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Editing Tip: When you’re editing, check formatting. It’s too easy to concentrate on spelling and grammar and neglect other important things like using too many fonts, or skinny crowded - looking margins.


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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: Do you keep a couple live plants near your work area? It’s said they help the air quality and breathing good air helps our brains work the way they should. I have several. I’m hoping they’ll help my creativity! ( - :


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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: Speaking of relationships, what do you do to build a relationship with your agent? She needs to know you care about what she does in ways that don’t make you into a pest. One way to do that is occasionally suggest a suitable publisher she might try. Another is to ask her if she’d like you to mention her in your Tweets and Facebook updates.


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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 Lynn Goodwin... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
. . .for mentioning the USA Book News award for the second edition of The Frugal Book Promoter (http://budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo) in her WritersAdvice newsletter—the bragboard section - - http://www.writeradvice.com/announcements.html. You’ll want to check out her whole site for writers while you’re there.

Thanks to D. Jean Quarles . . .
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . . . for featuring my story about how I nearly gave up on writing. Sounds like a downer, but it is—I hope—inspirational. Find it at http://djeanquarles.blogspot.com/2012/01/life - begins - at - sixty.html u

Thanks to Morgan St. James . . .
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. . . for linking to the Top Ten list I do each year for MyShelf.com. You’ll also enjoy her article on researching your next book idea before you start to write! http://www.examiner.com/writing - in - las - vegas/writers - tricks - of - the - trade - research - before - you - get - too - starry - eyed


Thanks to Chris Meeks . . .
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…literary author and UCLA Extension Writers’ Program instructor, for recommending The Frugal Book Promoter on his RedRoom.com Web site page: http://christophermeeks.weebly.com/goin - indie.html Check out his other reading and marketing recommendations while you’re there—and, of course, his books.

Thanks to Bloomin’ News . . .
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…a magazine for florists, for running a great review of my A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In - Store Promotions (which I sometimes recommend to writers, too, because understanding retailers’ in - store events can help authors better understand how to approach them for events of their own!) http://www.bloominnews.com/pdfs/BloominNews - Jan2012 - Web.pdf The editor, Peggi Ridgway, is also an author and she is a good person to help you with a new Web site.


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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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Tip: Here’s an example of how to turn a book release or other news that editors might view as ho - hum into something that might get picked up on a news release disseminator (like PRWEB.com) by a business, feature editor, or blogger: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/1/prweb9094304.htm Notice how Chris Meeks uses a combination of several other news stories to support a theme or premise—in this case that we, as authors, can be in charge of our own writing careers.


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Chaz DeSimone has a new f r ^ ^ way to get a great poster for your office or a gift. You subscribe to his free poster offer and newsletter on design (including book cover design) and a different poster will come to your e - mail box about every other week. Each is entirely different, all the highest quality in design and all associated with the ampersand and, by extension, our love of writing. Each also comes with directions for printing, framing, making this into a f r ^ ^ bie that lasts. To subscribe and see images go to: http://forms.aweber.com/form/91/119176491.htm
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Opportunities

Big Doings in the Carolinas
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Please join us for the first annual Book 'Em North Carolina event where authors can meet public and get more loyal followers. If you don’t know how to do that (or even if you do but were disappointed with results at the last book fair you did), read the sections on book fairs, tradeshows, and booktours in The Frugal Book Promoter for my ideas on “value - added promotions.” (www.budurl.com/FrugalBkProm). Please make plans now to join folks like Patricia Terrell, at the First Annual Book 'Em North Carolina (http://www.bookemnc.org/),event - - and help spread the word by forwarding this information to readers who live in the area.

Where & When
Robeson Community College
A.D. Lewis Auditorium (Building 15)
5160 Fayetteville Road
Lumberton, North Carolina 28358
February 25, 2012
9:30 AM - 4:00 PM


Don’t Lag with iPhone Marketing!
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Did you know the Internet is losing users and business people by the millions? We authors can’t afford to ignore the already - billions of smartphone owners. A huge population of those users read only on this device. They don’t own a Kindle or iPad or Nook or any other e - readers — only their phones. For that matter more and more smartphone users no longer even own a computer!

We can't afford to ignore this market any longer. View this remarkably informative video,The Next Internet by expert Roger McNamee http://www.twistimage.com/blog/archives/the - next - internet - perspective - is - everything/
to learn just how important it is to have your own author app.

Check out GalleyCat’s article, How to Budget for an App,
"A standalone book app could cost $15,000 to $20,000" http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/app - budget - tips - for - authors - publishers_b43547

Have you seen author apps in the Android/iPhone Marketplace?

Do you want to enter the mobile market with your own app?

Do you think you can’t afford to have it programmed?

With Aggie Villaneuva’s entry Android Author App you can afford it NOW!
And for just a few hundred dollars instead of thousands!
http://www.mybookmarketingsystems.com/getyourownauthorapps/iphone - author - app/

Here’s the official android app page http://www.mybookmarketingsystems.com/getyourownauthorapps/android - author - app/. You’ll find full contact information at the bottom of the page if you need to talk to Aggie.

To continue to learn more about this service register for a subscription at http://forms.aweber.com/form/16/652621716.htm



Reviewer Opportunities To Grow Your Network…
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Lois W. Stern has begun an Authors Helping Authors project and is searching for reviewers to help her. It is a win - win for reviewing gives authors lots of networking opportunities, links, and exposure for their books. I will be posting reviews of the work submitted to her TALES2INSPIRE contest on my New Book Review at www.TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com
She needs a few competent reviewers to provide unbiased written reviews of up to 100 words per tale, ending with the reviewer's name and credentials. Competency is key to selection. You don't need to be famous! Members of writer groups, writing classes, or experienced individual reviewers are welcome. This is an ‘Authors Helping Authors’ project and as such, there is no financial payment for this service.

And for all of you with an inspiring story to share, be sure to visit: WWW.TALES2INSPIRE.COM for all the exciting details about this
Unusual contest. Deadline for entries: February 29, 2012.


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A free book from my marketing friend Dana Lynn Smith:
http://sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com/2011/04/free - e - book - from - master - marketer - dana.html =================================================

Accessible Contests for You to Build Your Platform

A Contest and a Little Writer’s Prompt
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ABC Tales is running a creative - writing competition for members of the site (it is free and easy to join). Entries can be either poems or prose (maximum length 2000 words) and have to contain both the phrases "black shoes" and "prawn sandwich". There is an entry fee of £5 (about $8) and the closing date is 31st January 2012. Full details are available at http://www.abctales.com/node/618194.
With very best wishes,
Mark Logie, award - winning author of You Have No Power Over Me and On the Road to Infinity


List of DIY Book Fairs and Contests:
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The New York Book Festival (www.newyorkbookfestival.com);
The Beach Book Festival (www.beachbookfestival.com);
The San Francisco Book Festival (www.sanfranciscobookfestival.com);
The Green Book Festival (www.greenbookfestival.com);
The Paris Book Festival (www.parisbookfestival.com);
The Hollywood Book Festival (www.hollywoodbookfestival.com)
The tenth annual DIY Book Festival (www.diyconvention.com).


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I know. I am a glutton for punishment and everyone hates me for my zero - tolerance rule on italics. But I was inoculated with it during UCLA’s Writers’ Program classes and I know anyone would be hard put to find a major writers’ program that doesn’t agree with them. So why risk the ire of exacting agents and publishers. Know the guidelines! http://thefrugaleditor.blogspot.com/2010/10/lets - talk - italics - again.html . Learn other publishing - friendly editing ideas in The Frugal Editor, www.budurl.com/TheFrugalEditor. =================================================


An Itty - Bitty Column on Writing

For the Love of God, Montresor!
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By Mindy Phillips Lawrence

January 19th is Edgar Allan Poe’s birthday, an event I share with him except for the year. When I began to write in junior high school, Poe’s work fascinated me. He jerked my senses around and sunk deeply into my consciousness, a place where he has stayed. His short story, “The Cask of Amontillado,” is only 2376 words but it astounds you with its building action and macabre ending. If you haven’t read it, shame on you! It’s a masterful bit of writing that is a short story course in and of itself. If you use the points on Dennis G. Jerz’s Web site tips on short story writing to judge it (http://jerz.setonhill.edu/writing/creative1/shortstory/), Poe’s “Amontillado” follows every point.

• WRITE A CATCHY FIRST PARAGRAPH

“THE thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge.”

Bingo! In the first sentence, we learn that the main character is plotting revenge against his friend Fortunato, which ironically means “good fortune,” for a perceived insult. Poe uses the first paragraph to introduce the murderer, whose name we do not learn until the latter part of the story, and his assumption that he has suffered a wrong worthy or murder.

• DEVELOP YOUR CHARACTERS

Short stories should have a limited number of characters. In this case, Poe uses two, Fortunato and Montresor, one who has offended the other. He develops one character through the use of the other, allowing us to also know the storyteller through his statements.


• CHOOSE A POINT OF VIEW

Poe uses first person, mostly narrative, which allows Montresor to tell his side of the story only. This form of first person is called imperfect first person by some as the mental clarity of the teller is cloudy. He may or may not be telling the truth. His telling of the story unfolds the method of revenge and also gradually reveals the strands of Montresor’s insanity.


• WRITE MEANINGFUL DIALOGUE

Poe achieves the powerful development of this story with little use of dialogue. Every word he does use in the conversations has a special meaning, usually ironic as in...

“But now there came from out the niche a low laugh that erected the hairs upon my head. It was succeeded by a sad voice, which I had difficulty in recognizing as that of the noble Fortunato. The voice said - -
"Ha! ha! ha! - - he! he! he! - - a very good joke, indeed - - an excellent jest. We will have many a rich laugh about it at the palazzo - - he! he! he! - - over our wine - - he! he! he!"

"The Amontillado!" I said.

"He! he! he! - - he! he! he! - - yes, the Amontillado. But is it not getting late? Will not they be awaiting us at the palazzo, the Lady Fortunato and the rest? Let us be gone."

"Yes," I said, "let us be gone."

"For the love of God, Montresor!"

"Yes," I said, "for the love of God!"

• USE SETTING AND CONTEXT

The setting is first in the street and then in the catacombs during Carnival, mostly likely Mardi Gras. The setting mingles the raucous celebration with the impending doom of Fortunato.

• SET UP THE PLOT

The plot in the story is simple: Montresor has a grievance against Fortunato. He chooses murder to solve the grievance and devises a way to commit the perfect revenge. With this simple outline of events, Poe carries us, step - by - step, toward Fortunato’s demise.


• CREATE CONFLICT AND TENSION

Conflict and tension build with Montresor’s description of the relationship between him and Fortunato, the ironic conversation they carry on in which Fortunato means one thing by a statement while Montresor means something completely different. By having Fortunato drunk, Poe obscures any sensibility that his character has.


• BUILD TO A CRISIS OR A CLIMAX

Every line in the story points to the climax. When we learn of the trowel that Montresor has brought into the catacombs, we know his method of revenge. It’s the deliberate telling of each step of the process that both sickens and thrills readers.


• DELIVER A RESOLUTION

The resolution in this story is two - fold: Montresor succeeds in bricking Fortunato’s body in the catacomb and for a half - century no one had found the body. A perfect crime! Or maybe not!


If you follow the development of this story and use is as a guide to write your own, you will find the process to be a great lesson in short story writing. Let me know how you come out.


LINKS
Short Story Writing
http://jerz.setonhill.edu/writing/creative1/shortstory/

The Cast of Amontillado
http://xroads.virginia.edu/ ~hyper/POE/cask.html

Amontillado
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amontillado

Study Guide: the Cask of Amontillado
http://www.cummingsstudyguides.net/Guides2/Caskof.html


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Mindy Phillips Lawrence–who shares a birthday with Dolly Parton, Dogen, Janis Joplin, Paula Deen and Edgar Allan Poe–is a writer, editor, and artist living in Springfield, Missouri. She is working on both the book and Kindle versions of her Itty Bitty column for publication later in 2012.


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I talked about Your Soaring Book Sales: How to use F r ^ ^ e - books and QR codes to sell more of what you want to sell! with the famous Career Czar Paul and his nutty sidekicks Coach Christine and Millian. Tune in at http://www.careerczar.com/mp3/career093011B.mp3 =================================================


Tip: Your LinkedIn profile could be doing more for you according to Joan Stewart. Learn how you can improve it at http://www.GetLinkedInHelp.com.


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I have a series of retail books that authors could benefit from. The reason? Authors are retailers, too. They must sell their books. But A Retailer’s Guide to In - Store Promotion will be especially valuable because it will give authors insight on how to convince retail outlets that a partnership (like a book signing, workshop or seminar) with them will benefit their bottom line. Find this book at www.budurl.com/RetailersGuide or more about the whole series at www.howtodoitfrugally.com/retailers_books.htm
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Carolyn's Appearances and Teaching
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New! Those of you who live in Southern California will want to mark April 11 on your calendar to hear Carolyn Howard - Johnson talk about how to make book fair booths work for you at the Book Publicists of Southern California meeting at Sportsmen’s Lodge. All are welcome. A salmon/chicken buffet with salad, drink, and dessert is only about $29. E - mail PR guru Irwin Zucker with your reservation (IrwinZuckerPR@aol.com).


As a co - sponsor of the Muse Online Writers’ Conference (and the first one at that!), I’d like you to put a tickler file on you calendar to register for the 2012 weeklong event in October. I can’t tell you how many of my subscribers have been disappointed that they can’t avail themselves of this f r ^ ^ conference (every year!) because they miss the deadline. August would be a good time to let your digital calendar remind you to enroll at http://themuseonlinewritersconference.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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(Fun with language from The Washington Post and other publications.)

Arachnoleptic fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web.

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Essential Book and Record Keeping:

This is the 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

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
For Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/imagining - the - future - magdalena - ball/1021152596?ean=2940000904893&itm=4&usri=magdalena+ball
She Wore Emerald Then: Reflections on Motherhood, a chapbook of poetry. Coauthored with Magdalena Ball.
Paperback and Kindle: http://budurl.com/MotherChapbook
For Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/she - wore - emerald - then - magdalena - ball/1020032782?ean=2940000807408&itm=5&usri=magdalena+ball

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
For Nook:http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/imagining - the - future - magdalena - ball/1021152596?ean=2940000904893&itm=4&usri=magdalena+ball
To order as a paperback or for Kindle: www.budurl.com/Imagining
Deeper into the Pond: A Celebration of Femininity, Co - Authored with Magdalena Ball. Artwork by Jacquie Schmall
To order as an e - book: https://www.createspace.com/3608866 To order as a paperback: http://budurl.com/DeeperPond
Tracings, a chapbook of poetry (Finishing Line Press)
http://budurl.com/CarolynsTracings

Contact Information

Websites
http://HowToDoItFrugally.com
For special help for fiction writers
http://www.fictionmarketing.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 no 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