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February 15, 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: (Mindy is snowed
in this issue! Watch for her column in the next
issue.)
~Carolyn's Appearances and Teaching
~Wordstuff ™

This Issue
~Feature: An Intro to Making Book Clubs Work for You
~Feature: On Posting Reviews Others Have Written for
Your Book on Amazon by Jim Cox

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:

I’ve been trying to inspire some of my most talented clients these days. When I was sharing this little affirmation with them, it occurred to me that, you, too, might need some inspiration. So here it is. One must believe in oneself. Here’s what I said to them:

If you do—or you do not—believe in the law of attraction, copy and paste this little affirmation and print it out. Put it on your bathroom mirror and on your computer and say it once a day—or more—with passion. Sing it. Come to believe it. Make it and the universe know you are sincere and it will work miracles for you. It’s about energy and even quantum (particle) physicists are coming to understand and believe this process’s magical powers are, in fact, science.

The Universal Intelligence gave me the ideas
for my book and the motivation to learn about writing one and then to do the job.
I accept that the Creative Intelligence within me opens the door to its perfect fulfillment.
I know that the Law of Attraction is working for me and that I am attracting the right people who will accept and promote my work.
I give my book to my deeper mind, the Miracle of the Universe.
I know that just as a seed deposited in the soil grows, expands, and unfolds so will my novel deposited with positive thoughts be manifested and fulfilled.


Joy, Happy Writing, Editing, and Promoting
Carolyn

PS: Speaking of connections—people to universe—people to people—my Web site has a travel page on it. It isn’t directly tied to my writing, but it’s a way for me brand myself as, you know, a human being with interests apart from writing. (That I use travel to inspire my writing and poetry is all I really need to make it seem relevant!) I just posted a poem on what I was doing (where in the world I was) when Osama was killed. Anyway, I thought this would be a good time for you to see how I do this by going to www.howtodoitfrugally.com/travels_with_carolyn.htm and from there to the home page—just to see how they are connected on a Web site about writing. I’d love to hear what you are sharing to make yourself seem more like a person to your readers (and how you do it!).

PPS: MaAnna Stephenson is one of those interviewers who keeps to the subject—plenty of tips and ideas on publishing and marketing. She interviewed me this week. And it’s f r ^ ^.
Here’s the link. Listen while you work at something else:
http://www.blogaid.net/blogaid - podcast - online - promotion - with - carolyn - howard - johnson

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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. 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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F r ^ ^ Offer: The world of publishing has been evolving rapidly over the past few years. Gone are the days of submitting a book to a publisher and waiting for months just to hear that they don’t want it. These are the days where you can self - publish your own book in eight steps from start to finish… . Wait, can it really be that simple? The answer is a resounding “yes!"And Self Publishing Coach Shelley Hitz is helping authors do just that. Her latest PDF resource is called “8 Simple Steps to Self Publishing Books” and is yours for the taking. She is offering it to Sharing with Writers subscribers. Download your fr^^ copy at: http://www.self - publishing - coach.com/support - files/8 - simple - steps - to - self - publishing - books.pdf


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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. =============================================

Tip: The key to writing great sales copy is passion (and letting your enthusiasm come through!). That goes for pitches and, when we think about it, our books, too!


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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: If you write nonfiction or nonfiction articles to promote your fiction, this tip is for you. Don’t just tell a reader what to do, tell him or her how to do it. Example: Don’t just say “If you want your book turned into a film, send producers and directors query letters." Instead include a template or sample of such a letter. Break the letter down into segments so that a novice can easily understand the process. I did exactly that in my Frugal Book Promoter (www.budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo) and that’s why the Appendix is so thick. And by the way, I’ve seen how - to books that don’t even list resources. They just say something like “Research the names of Hollywood producers and send them query letters. ” So just where would authors get that information, huh? Yep, it is in The Frugal Book Promoter.


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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 called 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 money. 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

Book Clubs: An Intro to Making Them Work for You
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Note: I’m thinking about extending this article on making book clubs work for you to become a booklet with tons of specific ideas and resources. I’d like your input. What do you think a booklet on book clubs should include? Would you buy a little $2.99 e - book on the subject? Do you have any ideas I can put into it? E - mail me with your suggestion and if I can use it, I’ll mention your title with a link as the source of the idea. So, here’s—basically—a draft of the first section:

A few large publishers assiduously pursue book club appearances—both in person and online—for their authors. Most publishers—large or small—don’t.
Some authors pursue this marketing method, but not enough. Fiction writers do more of it than nonfiction writers and that is as it should be because more book clubs choose fiction titles than nonfiction. Having said that, many clubs do select nonfiction, especially memoirs, and some of them specialize in topics like current events that are perfect for many nonfiction titles. In either case, it seems a shame that more authors (and their publishers) don’t avail themselves of this marketing tool.

Book clubs’ biggest advantage to an author or publisher is that they create buzz. We all know that word - of - mouth is a wonderful marketing tool. Book clubs also sell books, though generally they’re discounted to compete with the other offers they may get. I mean, you won’t be the only person competing for book clubs’ attention.

Authors interested in pursuing the joys of book clubbing should know:

 It takes some time, effort, and knowhow to build up steam for book club appearances. Persistence is key. And teamwork between author, publisher, and publicist.

 Authors who are comfortable in groups are most suited to this kind of promotion. Authors who have taken care to build speaking skills as advised in The Frugal Book Promoter (www.budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo) are most likely to succeed.

 Authors who have taken care to make their books book - club friendly by using a reading - group guide in the backmatter of their books will have an edge, though guides may be distributed in a multitude of other ways including handouts and on the author’s or publisher’s Web site.

Hint: A shoutout about book club availability of the cover of your book can be helpful, too! And a book’s publisher should highlight a book’s availability as a book club choice on their Web site and in their catalog.

 Authors should take promotion materials to any event they do, but especially reader group events. That includes bookmarks, fliers, postcards. In The Frugal Book Promoter (www.budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo), I explain how to use inserts that ask for referrals that can be placed in cartons when authors ship books, given out when they give seminars, etc. The secret is in designing the forms with exact instructions for providing leads, using prepaid postage so the people will actually send them back to you, and offering a little ethical bribe (gift) to those who do.

 Authors must be committed. They must be willing to invest a good deal of time to the effort, even to enlist (hire?) help.

Hint: Authors who use book clubs to develop personal relationships with their readers are often most successful. Authors have been known to encourage book club members to send them pictures of themselves with their title so they can be posted on their Web site’s Book Club page. Authors can also collect e - mail addresses at presentations so authors can stay in touch with their readers in meaningful ways that connect reader to the author and the subject matter of her book.

 Authors who have maintained contact lists of readers and the media are likely to reap better results from their book club queries. And get better media exposure from their efforts.

 Because getting an autographed copy is important to many book club members, books should be available in printed form.

Hint: That does not mean that e - books don’t qualify, but it is better if the publisher and author figure out a way to provide their book in both formats. Consider the e - book/paperback digital model provided by Createspace.com.

More to be made available…maybe. ( - :

CHJ



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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.”

Subscriber Develops Idea to Appeal to Readers Short on Time
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With Internet use on the rise and television still dominating much of our time, Americans now have fewer hours to devote to pleasure reading. Novelist, Karen Mueller Bryson, came up with an innovative idea for people, who like to read but don’t have much time.

Short on Time Books are fast - paced and fun novels for readers on the go. All Short on Time Books can be completed in one sitting. Readers can now enjoy a complete story while they’re traveling, commuting, spending an afternoon on the beach, or even taking a bath.

Bryson came up with the idea for Short on Time Books when she took a business trip from her home outside Phoenix to Los Angeles. She bought a memoir in the Phoenix airport bookstore that she hoped to finish on her trip. She read as much as she could traveling to LA and then tried to finish the book on her return trip to Phoenix.

Unfortunately, she was only able to complete about 60 percent of the book and still hasn’t finished it because she hasn’t found the time. That’s when Bryson decided to put her story - telling talent to work creating novels readers could finish in an hour or two and Short on Time Books was born.

Short on Time Books currently offers four titles for adult readers and one title for tweens. A young adult title is set for release in February and additional titles in all three age groups are set for release every two months. Short on Time Books are available in print and eBook formats and all eBooks are priced at only $2.99.

Karen Mueller Bryson, Ph.D. is an award - winning screenwriter, produced playwright and the author of seven published books. She is also a tenured faculty member at a private university.
Please see the website for additional information on Short on Time Books: http://www.shortontimebooks.com
Learn more about Karen Mueller Bryson, Ph.D. at her website: http://www.ahorsewithnoname.com


Harry Gilleland Reaps Promotion Material by Offering His Book on Amazon’s KDP Feature
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Harry Gilleland took advantage of the Amazon Kindle KDP program that I mentioned as a tip in the last issue of Sharing with Writers. KDP lets you make your e - book exclusive to Kindle for at least 90 days, during
which time it will be part of the Kindle Owners' Lending Library where Amazon Prime members can borrow it for fr ^ ^ and you will earn your share of a monthly fund when readers borrow your book from the
library. In addition, you will also be able to promote your e - book as fr^^ for everyone to download up to 5 days during these 90 days. This is a way self - published authors can offer their e - book on Kindle
fr ^ ^. Harry used the program for his new poetry e - book, Poetry Books Don't Sell! He used the feature that allowed him to offer it to all Kindle users for fr^ ^ download for two days, during which it was downloaded 63 times. That caused the e - book's ranking to reach the # 3 spot on the Top 100 Fr ^ ^ E - books for the America Poetry list and position # 24 on the Top 100 Fr ^ ^ for the Fiction, Poetry list. This is an excellent means to gain attention for your new e - book and the information that qualifies it as a bestseller can be used long after the promotion is over.

Poetry Books Don't Sell! sells for $2.99 on Kindle:
http://www.amazon.com/Poetry - Books - Dont - Sell - ebook/dp/B0070RARL8/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital - text&ie=UTF8&qid=1327379664&sr=1 - 1

It is also available at Lulu Press as a print book for $10.39:
( http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/poetry - books - dont - sell/18838395?productTrackingContext=search_results/search_shelf/center/3 ). So you can see that its paperback availability didn’t affect Harry’s book's qualifying for the KDP e - book program.


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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 ($2.99) or paperback booklet (Only $6.95). The perfect giftlet for nonfiction writers. Find it at http://budurl.com/BookProposals =================================================


Tip: Here’s a resource for those of you who want to turn your books into a screenplay: Marla A. White is a script consultant and story analyst. Find her at www.thescriptfixer.com.



================================================= 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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Tip: Looking for a review? Booklore is a UK review site that many American authors may overlook when it comes time to query for reviews. And this month they were kind enough to post my article on how to format a book for Kindle. Here is the link. http://www.booklore.co.uk/Articles/Carolyn/KindleFormattingArticle.htm While you’re there, poke around for submission and query guidelines.


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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! =================================================


Quote: In an essay for The New Yorker, Louis Menand decries the use of IQ Tests. His theory is that “college is, essentially, a four - year intelligence test.” He says, “There is no intellectual equivalent of the hundred - yard dash. An intelligent person is open - mined, an outside - of - the - box thinker, an effective communicator, is prudent, self - critical, consistent, and so on. These are not qualities readily subject to measurement.”


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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: In an article on “Ways your Friends Can Help You Sell More Books,” Penny Sansevieri says, “I know this one [rating books on Amazon—reviews and stars] should be obvious. But even the best of friends don’t completely get that this is a big deal and can help you immensely. So briefly explain it to them, and ask for an honest review of your book on Amazon. Let them know that this simple act, more than anything, can help fuel you success as an author, given that it can influence how often your book shows up in searches… .” That’s true of authors helping authors, too. I’m taking her advice. Please “Like” my The Frugal Editor (www.budurl.com/TheFrugalEditor) on Amazon. The “Like” button also allows you to Tweet it.


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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.


T.S. Eliot Quote
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“Poetry is not turning loose of emotion, but an escape from emotion; it is not the expression of personality, but an escape from personality.”


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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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Quote: “If Dickens had been around for the first Nobel, he wouldn’t have won it. His style drew scorn from critics for much of the early 20th century when complicated, even inhospitable writing like that of James Joyce and Virginia Woolf came into fashion.” From an essay for Time, by Radhika Jones.


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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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On Marketing: So are you one of those who think marketing is beneath an author? Nicholas Dames, chair of the English Department at Columbia says, “[Dickens] invented merchandising.” Think of how he timed A Christmas Carol for the holidays. “All those things that we associated with publishing culture—he was essentially the first.” Time magazine says “…and Dickens knew it. He called himself ‘the inimitable,’ a name that stuck.”


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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

On Posting Reviews Others Have Written for Your Book on Amazon
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Published with permission of the author, Jim Cox, Midwest Book Review Guru’s Webmaster

Amazon has a new policy prohibiting professional review resources like the Midwest Book Review from posting their own reviews, but they let authors and publishers post those same reviews. I thought it would be useful to provide a general "how to" instruction guide for those who are not familiar with the process of posting reviews on the Amazon web site. The following was prepared by my web master:
Book Review Posting Guide for Amazon.com

1. To post a customer review on the Amazon web site at www.amazon.com, you first have to create an amazon.com account.
2. If you don't have an amazon.com account, look at the top of Amazon.com's home page where it says "Sign in to get personalized recommendations. New customer? Start here." Click on the "Start here" link.
3. You will be prompted to enter an email address. Enter an email address that you will use reliably, and click on the circle in front of "No, I am a new customer" to fill it in with a dot. Then click on the button that prompts you to take the next step.
4. From here, Amazon.com will spell out the necessary steps to finish creating your account. You'll have to think of a password, ideally one with both letters and numbers, and you'll also set the answers to some security questions. These are so a random person can't sign into Amazon using your name and buy stuff on your credit card.
5. Amazon will walk you through the process with step - by - step instructions; the final step will be to go to your email account and click on the link in an automated email that amazon.com has sent you.
6. Once you have created an account, you will have to use it to buy something before you can post reviews on Amazon.com. This will most likely involve adding credit card information to your account, which is why the password and security questions are so important. I recommend buying a cheap digital download item if you want to start posting customer reviews right away.
7. Once you have created an account and bought something with it, you can go to almost any book displayed on Amazon.com and click on the "create your own review" link to submit a review for that book.

[Note: Be sure to identify the journal the review was published in and the reviewer because the review will come up under your name, and you don’t want to look as if you are writing your own reviews. And you want to credit the talent of others. - CHJ]

8. Amazon itself has a lengthy Help section about customer reviews, displayed on its website at
http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=hp_rel_topic?ie=UTF8&nodeId=200791000

That authors and publishers can post book reviews by Midwest Book Review on Amazon seems to be going quite well. I know this because Amazon keeps sending me little emails when there are reader comments with respect to these posted reviews. The following is an example:

From: delivers@amazon.com
To: mwbookrevw@aol.com
Sent: 1/28/2012 12:45:04 P.M. Central Standard Time
Subj: New comment on your review of Tiffany by Design: An In - Depth Look at Tiffany Lamps (Schiffer Book for Designers & Collectors)
Greetings from Amazon.com Customer Discussions,
Because you requested to be notified when people commented on your review of "Tiffany by Design: An In - Depth Look at Tiffany Lamps (Schiffer Book for Designers & Collectors)", we are sending you this e - mail.
Jan 28, 2012 10:44:59 AM PST DON MCLENNAN says:
Having viewed the Neustadt collection of Tiffany lamps at an exhibit at the Biltmore Estate, I found myself interested in this particular collection. This book identifies the lamps with key information about each one. It is a lovely collection. Because one is not permitted to take photographs while viewing the traveling exhibit - the book offers that physical keepsake that keeps the collection a part of the experience of actually seeing the lamps.
Tracked review: Tiffany by Design: An In - Depth Look at Tiffany Lamps (Schiffer Book for Designers & Collectors) An outstanding reference, December 9, 2006

Jim Cox

Note: Here’s a tip for SWW Subscribers. If your book was reviewed by Midwest or another online review journal, it may have been removed from your book’s sales page. As you can see from above, you may repost it yourself if you wish. 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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Tip: Last week, subscriber Chris Meeks passed along a tip that will help authors format e - books. Here’s another resource, this time absolutely
f r ^^ but it’s exclusively for Mac users. Download the program here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ibooks - author/id490152466?enlh=9&mt=12&ls=1

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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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Quote: “Once, an educated person could read pretty much everything important, because there weren’t as many books and an educated person, by definition possessed the money to buy books and the leisure to read them. The same publishing machine that helped spread literacy in the 19th century made it impossible for all the readers to read anywhere near all the books. Now, with more than 30,000 novels published last year in the U.S. alone, the idea is laughable.” ~Radhika Jones, Time

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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: March is coming! March is coming! And Canada has recognized that e - publishing has contributed to their economy. Thus they have named March as Read an E - book Month. Now, how can you use that to send out a release and perhaps glean a little extra publicity in your local (or national!) press? It might even work for US citizens, especially if some humor about how we are lagging behind Canada on this count.


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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

These are, indeed, thank yous but it occurs to me that many Sharing with Writers readers are not using them as resources. Often the blogs, newsletters, Web sites, and other entities mentioned might be perfect vehicles for exposing your books to new readers. It is up to you to click or copy and paste to see which might be suitable—and for inspiration on how to make what you do a match for them.


Thanks to Valerie Allen... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
. . .for recommending The Frugal Book Promoter when she spoke to the Space Coast Writers' Guild state conference in Cocoa Beach, FL. Her topic was Writing for Fund and Profit. She notes that “Mutual support is a great thing!” Learn more about this powerhouse in the writing community at www.ValerieAllenWriter.com or on her blog at www.ValerieAllenWriter.WordPress.com.


Thanks to Billia A. Williams…
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . . . for including my little how - to piece on formatting for Kindle in two of her blogs
http://printedwords.blogspot.com/2012/02/kindle - formatting - made - easy.html and http://www.isthereawomanicantalkto.com/Blog/recommended - reading/ . Don’t you just love the title of the second one, Is There a Woman I Can Talk To? I love how it is targeted, but also open enough to cover a wealth of topics! By the way, you can subscribe to Billie’s newsletter which often covers authorly topics at http://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/manage/optin?v=001K_4EBhhTrxTy23DI6p6yQTaHgQaz1QIx


Thanks to LaShaunda C. Hoffman…
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…publisher of Sormag and leader at SORMAG@YahooGroups.com for running an article in her publication and—very sweetly—an ad for The Frugal Book Promoter. She also blogs at http://sormag.blogspot.com


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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: Dan Poynter’s newsletter recommended Bob Bly for great information on writing great copy—and that’s quite different from writing great fiction or even nonfiction! You can get Bly’s newsletter and four f r E E white papers here: http://www.bly.com/reports



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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

Brevard FL Authors’ Book Fair Registration
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Brevard Authors' Book Fair
March 31, 2012
Central Brevard Library & Reference Center
308 Forrest Ave., Cocoa, FL 32922
Time: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Registration Deadline: March 25, 2012

Your contacts are www.AuthorsForAuthors.com
Valerie Allen (VAllenWriter@cs.com)
Marshall Frank (MLF283@aol.com)
Holly Fox Vellekoop (HVellekoop@cfl.rr.com)

Authors and Book Sellers’ Booths:
" ½ of six foot long table (two authors per table)
" Cost = $20.00
" Bring your own food/lunch
" Water, ice and light refreshments will be provided
" Free presentations included in your registration fee

Display Books Only: (opportunity for those who cannot attend in person)
" Cost: $5.00 per book (cash only)
" Enclose book, business cards, and payment in zip lock bag with your contact information
" If you want your book returned, please enclose a SASE
" All must be delivered or mailed to: 101 E. New Haven Av, Melbourne, FL 32901
(or put in drop box in back door) on or before 3/20/12
" Your book(s) and business cards are placed face out on display table (no sales involved)

Karina Fabian Offers Help for Authors
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If you need some practical lessons in editing and experience working with a mentor, Karina Fabian’s editing class is coming up in March. “Editing: Not for Wimps” is being held through Savvy Authors March 19 - April 1. You should have a nearly finished WIP to use in class. http://www.savvyauthors.com/vb/showevent.php?eventid=1321
If you need work on making your world come alive in your novel, Worldbuilding 201 is an advanced worldbuilding class that concentrates on the writing aspect. We’ll cover introducing your world to the reader, seeing the world through the characters’ eyes, explaining your world, and more. Attendees should have a well - built world they are ready to write about. Worldbuilding 201 is taught by award - winning fantasy/sci - fi author Karina Fabian and offered through Savvy Authors March 12 - April 8. http://www.savvyauthors.com/vb/showevent.php?eventid=1320

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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

BooksinSync Offers Book Cover Contest and More
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BooksinSync offers book cover contest (http://www.booksinsync.com/bookcovercontest.html) and book trailer contest (http://www.booksinsync.com/booktrailercontest.html). Winners are chose by ballot. Winners are featured in their Cold Coffee magazine. It’s a good way to begin to build a platform! Here is the link for their other open contests: http://booksinsync.com/freecontests.html

Dan Poynter Sponsors Contest that Helps You Promote Before You Win!
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Multiply Publicity for Your Ebooks

The greatest challenge for e - book authors, both fiction and nonfiction, is getting them known. Known, read, loved, and recommended to others. This is the best publicity: “word of mouth.” The predicament is finding readers interested in your subject. Judges for the Global Ebook Awards select the categories of books in which they have an expertise and want to read. They are avid readers who voluntarily come to your e - book.
Enter now:

Being nominated for an e - book award multiplies your investment three ways.

1. More reviews for your book.
Judges range from book bloggers to book reviewers, librarians, book club & reading circle members, publicists, book shepherds, as well as professional critics and subject - matter experts in the category they prefer.

Many of the more than 250 judges need material for their (category) blogs and many will review your book at Amazon, B&N.com, Midwest Book Review, etc. See the list of judges at
List of Judges (http://globalebookawards.com/2012 - judges/).

2. Six promotional projects.
Once your ebook is accepted into Nomination, you will receive a promotional project each week for six weeks. These projects will show you where to publicize your book’s nomination and how to track the results. You can use these publicity ideas and projects for this and all future e - books.

3. Nominated “sticker.”
Bring attention to your e - book by placing a Nominated sticker in your blog, website, emails, etc.
Being accepted into Nomination into the Global Ebook Awards is a stepping - stone to more publicity. Reviews and publicity projects multiply your investment and maximize publicity for your book.
Your ebook will benefit from this fabulous publicity system for just $79 per ebook, per category. Enter now.

Entering Your Ebook (http://globalebookawards.com/instructions - for - entering/).
Accepting entries: Now, from ebook authors and publishers.
Eligibility: Ebook released anytime on or before March 11, 2012.
Application deadline: March 12, 2012 (midnight Pacific Time).

The Second Annual Global Ebook Award ceremony will be held in gorgeous Santa Barbara on Saturday, August 18, 2012. To see what happened in 2011, go to
Award Ceremony 2011

(http://globalebookawards.com/awards - ceremony - 2011/)
The Global eBook Awards are designed to help you achieve these publicity goals. The Awards are more than a “sticker” they come with a built - in publicity machine. Submitting your eBook for a Global Ebook Award is a publicity investment. Your ebook deserves this exposure.


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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. =================================================


Tip: The biggest mistakes self - published or indie - published authors make is using the date their book comes of the press as the official release date. That leaves no time for them to query the big journals for reviews. You know, the big journals that bookstores and libraries use as guides to for their buy lists. The Frugal Book Promoter (www.budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo) gives authors the steps and resources for both the release and for querying those journals (including contact information).


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I talked about the new, very useful QR codes in The Frugal Book Promoter (www.budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo). I use one on the back of the new edition of The Frugal Book Promoter (and other places) to lead authors to the huge authors’ resources section on my Web site at www.HowToDoItFrugally.com. My QR code is at the left. If those of you who read this newsletter in plain text want to use it to navigate to that page, you need to pick up this letter in its magnificent pdf form. Use the pdf link at the top of the letter.
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Tip: If you’re interested in literary, read this article by well - known literary agent Jane Friedman. http://janefriedman.com/2011/12/12/win - a - pulitizer/


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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!  Carolyn Howard - Johnson will by a guest speaker at Coffee Time Romance forum/chat on the Internet from March 3 to 10, 2012. http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/board/forumdisplay.php?f=1851

We’ll talk about Query Letters: Your Major Marketing Tool - from Agent to Publishing to Bestseller. From the minute you go after a publisher writing a great query letter is your single most important marketing skill. One of the agents I interviewed for The Frugal Editor said that authors who follow templates religiously are doing themselves a disservice. She hints that if they can't let their voice come through in a letter, then why should she trust them to write a book. You'll learn the pet peeves of agents I interviewed and some techniques for making your letter stand out without resorting to kitschy or downright annoying tactics. Learn more about the multi award - winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers.

Carolyn will be in forums daily at 1 pm EST / 12 pm Central / 10 am Pacific for questions
Carolyn Howard - Johnson is our Seminar Host - Press Kit


 Those of you who live in Southern California please mark April 11 on your calendar to hear Carolyn Howard - Johnson talk about how to make book fair and tradeshow 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, dessert and tip is only about $29. The program is fr ^ ^. 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 your 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/.


Coming!  Watch for more news on the coming Catholic Writers’ Guild Conference from March 17 to 31. (It’s f r ^^!) They have chats, forums and more! I’ll be presenting on two topics: Turning Dreadful Adverbs into Nuggets of Gold: We all resist chopping away at our precious adverbs and adjectives. They are such handy little pals to have around. Trouble is they tend to discourage strong verbs and metaphors. Let's discuss how during your editing process you can make them to work to your advantage rather than just telling you not to use them. Which is ridiculous. They are useful parts of speech, after all!
And Making Twitter Work For You: How writers (including fiction writers) can make Twitter work for them. Twitter can drive traffic to blogs, Web sites and other social networks. It can even sell books!
There will also be online pitch sessions with noted Catholic publishers and secular publishers as well. The conference is held via chats and forums at http:// www.catholicwritersconference.com. Interested authors need to register on the Web site before March 1, 2012.

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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.)

Caterpallor (n.): The color you turn after finding half a grub in the fruit you're eating.

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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