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May 28, 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:
~Carolyn's Appearances and Teaching
~Wordstuff ™

This Issue
~Frugal Book Promoter Excerpt: Tradeshows Like BEA May
Not Be What You Think
~Q&A: Are These Book Fairs a Scam?
~Q&A: So Why Do We Need Two Facebook Pages Again?

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 in a .pdf format.

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Note from Carolyn

Dear Subscribers:

Oh, wow! Look the Facebook fan page my poetry partner Magdalena Ball did for our poetry and dessert recipe book combination. It’s being shopped by our great agent Terrie Wolf! Hope you'll drop by and LIKE and maybe tweet or recommend it your FB friends. We need your participation to make the page go public! You probably know that one needs 50 likes in order to do that! ( - :

And we need participating chefs! You know. To help with the recipes for the book. The recipes will illustrate some of our foody poems. Or maybe vice versa. Maybe we’ll get poetic about their signature dessert dish!

At this point we’re just looking for interest from some but I should think it would be great marketing for a restaurateur or a chef to have a gift book available near their checkout stand or in their gift shop that features their recipes (and their famous selves!). We’ll promote it and them like crazy. Do you know any? ( - :

Here’s the link: https://www.facebook.com/PersephonesJuicyJewels.

And it would be really neat if you’d also write a little comment. Include the link to your book when you do it. That way we all benefit! ( - :

Joy, Happy Writing, Editing, and Promoting
Carolyn


PS: Watch for the sample poem from the poetry when you scroll this newsletter. It’s one that helped Magdalena and me snag a great agent. It’s in the poetry corner.

PPS: Thanks to those of you who dropped by to “like” my lonely, out of print Tracings (www.budurl.com/CarolynsTracings), my chapbook published by Finishing Line Press. It looks much less lonely now. I’m not requesting that Amazon remove it because it’s still available as a used book and a reader of a used book is still a reader. As authors, we should treasure anyone who reads.

PPPS: I’m be signing at Book Expo America in New York this year. If you’ll be there, let me know. We’ll figure something out, maybe even plan a little get - together. HoJoNews@aol.com. Also, see the little excerpt from a section on tradeshows like BEA from The Frugal Book Promoter below.

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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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Tip: Joan Stewart has a good article on Pinterest at http://publicityhound.net/?p=10848. She also took a screenshot of my bulletin board full of “Books by Friends.” Is an image of your book cover there? It can be on my one of my boards when you follow me on Pinterest (www.pinterest.com/chowardjohnson) and pin one of my books to one of your boards. ( - : You’ve heard me rave about Joan’s newsletter before, so I won’t go on and on.


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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: Have you heard of the Writing Wall? You can use it on your Web site. My writing pal Annie says, “This is an interactive writing wall you can put up on your site to allow visitors the chance to pin post - it comments on any question you like to ask.”
http://slowandsteadywriters.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/writing - wall.html . Do yourself a favor and at least peek at the concept!


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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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In the News: On his blog, Lee Lofland reports "on average, authors who self - publish sell 100 - 150 copies of their book. Considering the average Facebook user has 130 friends, this is right in the wheelhouse for explaining who is buying most self - published books: friends and family of the author. Of course, as this is an average, there are a handful of breakout self - publishing authors who are keeping the number elevated and making up for the thousands of writers who sell 50 or 25 copies, or worse." Read more at:
http://www.leelofland.com/wordpress/9 - signs - self - publishing - is - out - of - control - opinion - or - fact/

I am including this in Sharing with Writers not to discourage new authors but to keep new authors from spending a fortune (large or small) on their book until they are sure that they can recoup their expenses. Thus, The Frugal Book Promoter was born and thrives. I might add, many authors do succeed nicely—the ones that are produced by people who learn more about their craft and are willing and able to market their books.

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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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Q&A A La Ann Landers

So Why Do We Need Two Facebook Pages Again? ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

QUESTION:

Carolyn, At the moment, my FB opens at http://www.facebook.com/shirl.corder which is my normal page (don't know what else to call it!) But I can't find how to put a link at the top to my new author page http://www.facebook.com/Shirley.M.Corder. So of course no one goes there unless I ask them to.
How do others work this?
In anticipation,
Shirley Corder
Writing to Inspire
http://www.shirleycorder.com

ANSWER:

Shirl, you're way ahead of me. I have resisted doing a fan or author page on Facebook. Three reasons. One is that I'd have to tend two pages that way - - for the most part. The other is that I'd have to somehow get my many friends (I haven't checked the number lately - - but lots) over to the author page and might lose some in the process. I keep what you call your normal friends page pretty authorly anyway. It's not that I don't do any personal stuff, but nothing too personal and, I hope, just enough to look human instead of like a one big sales ploy.

I did attend Maggie Ball’s Webinar on FB pages and it was great, but I'm still only thinking about actually doing one myself. BTW, that Webinar is available to all authors at no cost; names of those who attend will be added to WritersOntheMove mailing lists (and that list is always used appropriately). http://www.writersonthemove.com/p/writers - on - move - workshop.html.


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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 or send me a guest post. www.warpeacetolerance.blogspot.com
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Author Successes

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.”


Women’s Fiction Published
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When Port Townsend University dance teacher, Suzann Zimmerman (Zoozle), chooses drugs over career, she hits bottom. With the help of a therapy dog and his suave master, Phillip McKillop, she starts over. Phillip is just the kind of man her mother, Jolene, has been looking for - - for herself.

Stairs of Sand by Eileen Granfors is women's fiction, focusing on the ambitions of a mother versus the needs of child. This book has been a popular book club choice.

One of the Amazon reviewers noted, "The story highlights the importance of listening with a heart, and not making judgments or criticisms when our children are not perfect copies of their parents. Zoozle and Jolene have wonderful helpers who guide them. I loved the style, with both Jolene and Zoozle telling their own story with their own feelings and emotions."

Available in paperback and Kindle.
http://www.amazon.com/Stairs - Sand - Eileen - Granfors/dp/1461109493/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1333817502&sr=1 - 1


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It's book fair and trade show season: Here are a bakers' dozen of ideas to make BEA (Book Expo America) and other book shows easier and more productive: http://sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com/2007/03/bakers - dozen - work - bea - frugal - way.html Please leave comments with ideas of your own - - and links to your book's sales page.
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Accessible Contests for You to Build Your Platform

Indie Award Offers Ops in Several Categories
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My Frugal Book Promoter was just named a finalist in the New Generation Book Awards. They honor books in several categories which increases our chances of winning an award that will help set your book apart from others. Find them at http://indiebookawards.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 ($2.99) or paperback booklet (Only $6.95). The perfect giftlet for nonfiction writers. Find it at http://budurl.com/BookProposals =================================================

Tip: Author Karen Magill shares her experience with Amazon’s KDP Select program with you on my SharingwithWriters blog. While you’re there, won’t you subscribe so you don’t miss any of the posts there? http://sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com/2012/05/karen - magill - shares - amazon - kdp - select.html


================================================= 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: If you missed my mini rant on business cards for authors, please visit Reno Lovison’s blog. http://businesscardtobusiness.com/blog/business - cards - for - the - age - of - tech - and - you/



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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: You may remember how I warn authors in The Frugal Book Promoter against using attachments when they e - mail, especially when contacting the media. Well, now comes confirmation that maybe you will believe. Time magazine includes a warning on their roster page not to do so. It says, “Write to Us: Send an e - mail: letters@time.com. Please do not send attachments.”

I know many of you are still attaching because you attach in your e - mails to me. Often the attachment is easily short enough to fit nicely in the window of an e - mail, so there is no need. Remember how I also say your job is to make it as easy as possible for your contacts to help you promote by using your name, title, articles, etc.? Putting your information in your e - mail rather than attaching makes it easier for them. But more importantly, they will see what you have to say. Many media outlets block e - mail with attachments and/or won’t open or read them. Time is one of those that won’t.


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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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Excerpt


Tradeshows Like BEA May Not Be What You Think
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Excerpt from The Frugal Book Promoter: The chapter this is taken from includes more on signing there, how to get a signing spot via the back door, that tradeshows aren’t just publishing tradeshows and how to find the ones that may benefit your book, etc.

Authors don’t sell books at tradeshows like Book Expo America. We give them away. We’re selling only in the sense that we’re promoting them to the people who come to tradeshows, people who will help us sell them, people like publishers, editors, librarians, and bookstore buyers.

Many tradeshows will not let booth participants sell merchandise directly from the tradeshow show. Tradeshows are about marketing, though customers may place orders with vendors for future delivery. It’s safe to say that tradeshows exist for every industry. In general, they are huge, very busy, creative places. They’re also confusing and can be very expensive to participate in.

It confuses many writers that these shows often call themselves book fairs. To keep our terms straight, we’ll speak of book fairs as those where readers (and yes, others!) come for a fun day of book - browsing and maybe some buying.

Probably the most famous tradeshows in the world of publishing are Book Expo America, London, and Frankfurt. Library organizations hold regional tradeshows for easy access by librarians. To help you see the difference between tradeshows and book fairs, two of the most famous book fairs in the U. S. are the one founded by Laura Bush in Washington DC and the one sponsored by the LA Times in Los Angeles.

Authors dream of being part of tradeshows but often don’t get to participate because booths are expensive, travel is expensive and access is closed to individual authors and they don’t know how to get around those restrictions.

Services have sprung up to fill the void. Some organizations offer to put your book on display in their booths at these publishing - industry shows for a more reasonable cost than renting a booth on your own. Booths can easily run over $1500 and these services usually cost $200 to $500. But your book will get lost among dozens, if not hundreds that they “feature.”

The sponsors of these booths often claim to have great success selling the foreign rights to books or pitching self - published books to large publishers. If authors can’t be on the premises to show, talk about, and sign their own books, the money spent for these services will almost certainly be wasted. The fee is paid up front, so the caretakers of the booth will not be invested in the success of the books on display. The sales person in the booth will never have read the book or met the author. There is usually no way to hold the organization accountable for lack of a success they didn’t really promise to begin with.

If you are considering a service like this, ask if they are willing to provide their service and get paid only if they produce results. When I say “results” I don’t mean a list of publishers who have “shown an interest.” The lists I was given were either not detailed enough for me to reach the “interested party” or were generic lists given to all their clients. Many of these services do their best, I’m sure. I just think that you can probably spend your money more effectively.

If you can afford to be in these booths in person, here are the advantages:
 Bookstore buyers, acquisition librarians, and the media do attend tradeshows and you might generate interest for your book with some of them.
 Tradeshows can be great learning and networking experiences. Publishers, distributors, warehousers, book - oriented media, foreign rights agents, and publicists will be there. And they expect to be pitched! Most tradeshows even include great education programs taught by the best in the industry.
 If you’re there on a press pass (and you may be able to get one if you are a bona fide reviewer or writer on matters of publishing for any branch of the media), you will have access to the press room where you can stock their shelves with your media kits and pick up others kits, too.
 You may someday be a presenter or panelist at one of these shows. If you are an expert on some aspect of publishing and have some speaking credentials, put your expert query letter skills to good use and see what happens.

~CHJ. This article and others are available for reprint upon request.


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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.

F R ^ ^ Poetry and Contest Podcast
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Please scroll down to my appearances section in this newsletter to learn more about how to tune in on May 28th.

Poetry (and Short Story) Resource ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
My poetry partner Magdalena Ball had a short story titled “Time Lapse Tillie” published in the online journal Cyclamen and Swords. I have had poetry published there, too. They seem accessible and certainly credible. Find Maggie’s story at.
http://www.cyclamensandswords.com/april_2012_magdalena_ball.php . You’ll love the poignant story of a young woman giving up her dreams for a man—the way it was then and sometimes still is. Poke around the site while you’re there.


Poetry Reviews Offered ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The Poetry Market newsletter is accepting submissions of reviews of poetry chapbooks or poetry books. Guidelines:

http://www.thepoetrymarket.com (click on ABOUT)

or request an address for mailing a paper copy by emailing thepoetrymarket@yahoo.com.
You might also want to subscribe to the newsletter which always includes resources for submissions and contests.


Poetry Reviews Offered ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Here’s a sample poem from what Magdalena Ball and I hope will be a gift book featuring a couple of poets and some nationally - known or world - famous chefs.

Crucibles

I cry to flee
my cloying Kool - Aid town,
Postum city, devoid of caffeine - kick,
east of Golden Gates
west of Central Park.
Crucibles of learning.
...

To learn more about the project or to refer your foody friends to sign up for participation or just more information on it, go to https://www.facebook.com/PersephonesJuicyJewels. And please like the page.


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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: Aggie Villaneuva has created some Amazon bookstores from my Amazon Associates account. Phyllis Zimbler Miller taught her how to add a bookstore to her Facebook Page: http://www.promotionalacarteblog.com/2012/05/create - a - private - amazon - store - on - your - facebook - page/.

On the category tab titled Recommended, she has three pages (so far) of related books for sale. Mind you, because Aggie did this through her Amazon Associates account she gets passive income when people order through her site and you can do that on your blog and FB account, too! She is including my books and booklets for writers. Thank you Aggie! Read more about how to do this on her blog: http://www.promotionalacarteblog.com/bookstore/


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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: If you are self - publishing, you may need to know how to get barcodes for the back of your book. http://www.tux.org/ ~milgram/bookland offers the service free.


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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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Tip: If you are published with Createspace.com or you are thinking about using them for your next book, you might want to know that they have expanded their distribution channels at no extra cost. They now distributed books to Europe and the UK. Most of my how - to books are now published with them and I was thrilled because I have had many European authors who would have preferred to have my books in paperback but had to settle for the e - book version because of the expense of shipping overseas. By the way, this has to be a smart move for them when one stops to think about the extra profit they’ll get from orders placed in those countries.


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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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In the News: LA Times says the Internet “is becoming a new frontier for animation, in much the same way cable television was in the early 1980s. The Web is creating new opportunities for artists and filmmakers to distribute experimental and often irreverent entertainment to millions…” What reporter Richard Verrier is referring to is a new series conceived by Tom Hanks that will run on—ready for this? Yahoo! It may mean more work for writers. They may begin to look to graphic authors/artists and authors of children’s books for content and ideas. A good way to follow the possibilities is to get Google Alerts to let you know when they are talking about this new cistern that collects talent.


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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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Q&A a la Ann Landers

Are These Fairs a Scam?
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QUESTION:

Hi,
Is the New York Book festival a scam for authors? I have read some reviews that say it is. Is it Legit?
Thanks,
Anonymous

ANSWER:

Sorry about the delay in answering. I was on vacation. I don’t think The New York Book Festival is a scam because book fairs attract readers and help us meet and relate to readers. But I've been dissatisfied with the contests they run. One of my poetry chapbooks was awarded an honorable mention. I think the entry was $79. When I won, I got nothing but a notice and not a personal one at that. In fairness, they don't promise any monetary award for any but the top winners. But I was even expected to pay for a copy of an award certificate and they really missed a promotional bet by not sending out at least a handful of award labels to put on the cover of the book. I didn’t buy any of the marketing aids they offered under the circumstances. And I chose not to send out a media release about the honor. I, of course, will not be entering the contests associated with any of their fairs again and probably wouldn't take a booth with them either, though I'd want to attend one of the fairs and see what attendance is like. There are several fairs worldwide, all run by the same company and they have some well - respected names associated with them. I can only tell you what my personal experience has been with them.


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I need editing questions and tips for my The Frugal, Smart, and Tuned - In Editor blog, www.thefrugaleditor.blogspot.com. Articles, too! With ample credits provided. HoJoNews@aol.com.
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Opportunities

Gene Cartwright To Acquire BooksforOption
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Gene Cartwright announced that he will be acquiring BooksForOption.com. He says, We are so jazzed about the increase in options, we just acquired http://BooksForOption.com.

We will be linking this to our http://booksforfilm.com where we connect your books directly to your BooksForFilm page. A Books for Film membership is required to maximize the potential for your book. Keep watching. We will let our subscribers know when BooksForOption is fully operational. You won't find this anywhere else, guaranteed!”

If you want to be notified as this project progresses e - mail Gene at gc@ifogo.com. Let him know of your interest and he’ll put you on a list.


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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 Reno Lovison ... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
. . . for using the article on business cards from the April 1 edition of this SharingwithWriters newsletter on his great business/marketing blog at www.businesscardtobusiness.com/blog If you missed it, please see it there! There are ways to use business cards to promote books that are quite unlike what you may have thought about before. You’ll also find information on how to use them for the bettering of your book in The Frugal Book Promoter (www.budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo)


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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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In the News: The justice department may soon halt a deal involving Apple and some major publishers that prevented them from selling books at a lower price than their listings on Apple’s iTunes. Some believe that the result will be a lowering of e - book prices over all. I wouldn’t be thrilled if that should happen. Books are not the paper they are printed on. Books are about content. Thus, I believe a good e - book is as valuable as a good print book; though prices should reflect lower cost, they shouldn’t get too low. There is no incentive for authors to sell their talents for nothing or next to nothing, except for an occasional promotion.


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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 fr^^ 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


New Pitch - Your - Work Web Site to Benefit Authors ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Exciting New Website: www.pitchyourwork.com

Take advantage of this new opportunity for you to get your work out there, offering it to as many potential buyers as possible in the shortest amount of time.

A “Pitch” is a presentation in which you present your idea (Book, Screenplay or TV Series) as concisely as possible. A “Pitch” is a vital tool to help individuals sell their works. If you don’t know how to write a good one, go to your copy of The Frugal Book Promoter (www.budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo) and look up “pitch,” “logline,” “query,” and other associated words in the index.

PitchYourWork.com mission is to offer a central location for authors and screenwriters to Pitch Your Work via the Internet to agents, producers, editors and other industry executives to whom you might otherwise not have access and to offer a central location for agents, producers, editors and other industry executives to quickly review the works of new authors and screenwriters or the work of seasoned authors and screenwriters who are seeking change.

Visit www.pitchyourwork.com to get your work product out there! I have this theory that sometimes Web sites that are new are more effective than the ones that have been around a while.


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Aggie Villaneuva is a resource you need to know. So, go to my article on how to format your book for Kindle in just a few easy steps and while you're there, poke around for Aggie’s assortment of marketing aids including her app service. http://www.promotionalacarteblog.com/2012/02/kindle - formatting - made - easy - by - carolyn - howard - johnson/
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Tip: I love Google Alerts for many things but http://hyperalert.com is also f r ^ ^ and it will send you alerts on mentions about you on others’ Facebook business pages (not their personal pages). It’s a handy tool for keeping a tab on your reach.


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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

You Can’t Back Up
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By Mindy Phillips Lawrence
“Keep moving forward. That is probably the best advice I can give you as you continue toward your writing goals, whatever they may be. Just keep moving forward.”

~ Chuck Sambuchino, Editor of Guide to Literary Agents



Life doesn’t have a beep, beep, beep alarm that allows you to back up and do something over again. You MUST go forward. The good old days weren’t. They are a concept in someone’s mind and different for every person. Going back to the old publishing model and the old way of writing won’t work anymore. Traditional publishing isn’t dead, but it must be shaped into a different mold if it wants to survive.


Think about the airplane. The one that everyone said wouldn’t get off the ground. Have you been looking up lately? They’re overhead every hour of the day. Cars were never supposed to take the place of a horse and buggy. Now self - driving cars may soon be licensed in Colorado. They aren’t supposed to make it either but don’t bet currency on it.

You have to learn NEW. When you start looking backward instead of forward, you miss the present and are clueless to the future. When you write, don’t just write what you used to. Branch out. Go a different direction and see where it takes you. You’ll find some dead ends but keep trying. You’ll discover that you can do much more than you ever dreamed by looking forward instead of backward.

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Writer Lost: Carlos Fuentes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Fuentes

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Links

Writer Unboxed
http://writerunboxed.com/

Keep Moving Forward
http://www.inspiredwebworks.com/inspiration - and - dreaming - big/5 - winning - strategies - to - keep - moving - forward.html

Working Through the Writing Process
http://www.csun.edu/ ~hflrc006/coaching_student.html

Forward Thinking
http://www.arts.qld.gov.au/blog/index.php/think - forward - think - big/

Journalism’s Future
http://www.therisetothetop.com/davids - blog/journalisms - future - writing - web - adwords - business - pundits - drea - knufken/



~ Mindy Phillips Lawrence, www.freewebs.com/mplcreative, is the author of the poetry collections One Blue Star and Above and Below. She is co - author of The Complete Writer, an editor and a publicist. She is in the process of putting together an e - book and paperback based on her Itty - Bitty Column for Sharing with Writers. Blogging at:http://mplcreative.blogspot.com/. Her specialty is helping writers with their media releases. Reach her at mplcreative1@aol.com.


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I talk about what QR codes are and how you can use them to promote your writing on my SharingwithWriters blog at http://sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com/2011/07/cracking - qr - code - for - iphones.html
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Tip: If you don’t think Twitter is worth it, you may be wrong. This report from Tweetreach.com gives you an idea of how only 50 of my tweets extended my reach to people who aren’t my followers:

TweetReach Report for
@frugalbookpromo
54,814 accounts reached.

It gives other figures, too. If you want to see how your tweeting is doing, use http://Tweetreach.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 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
New!  Calling all poets, and, really anyone interested in awards and contests to promote a writing career! A free podcast of one of the Write On interviews with the publisher at LadybugBooks is coming on May 28th.
Please join us. A direct link to Write On page is: www.ladybuglive.com/writeon.htm

New!  I’ve been invited as a guest of The Publishing Insiders. Hosted by Penny C. Sansevieri and cohost Paula Krapf, this program focuses on strategies for marketing your book, hot new releases, latest publishing trends, and the secrets of New York publishing. It’s very frugal (meaning f r ^ ^). On Tuesday, May 29, at 4 pm (Pacific Time), I’ll be talking about: just that—frugality. We’re calling it: No Money Out of Pocket: Shooting Your Book to Stardom with Carolyn Howard - Johnson’s Favorite Frugal Book Promotion Ideas. Call in to listen at 347 - 838 - 9287. The Publishing Insiders can be found at:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thepublishinginsiders/2012/05/29/no - money - out - of - pocket - shooting - your - book - to - stardom

Our topic comes with a disclaimer. There are times when we writers must know the difference between cheap and frugal. You use the best of the freebies and also know when to bite the bullet and spend a little for services you can’t do yourself or haven’t the time to do yourself.

New! Going to BEA (Book Expo America)? June 7 at 10 to 10:30 a.m. I’ll be signing the second edition of my Frugal Book Promoter at the IBPA (International Book Publishers Association) booth on the floor of this giant publishing industry trade show. Those of you who review (or willing to review), and those of you who would like to mention the book on your blog, etc, please feel free to drop by and get your f r ^ ^ signed copy! From 10:30 to 11 a.m. on the same day, Lance Johnson will be signing his What Foreigners Need To Know About America A to Z (a book I edited). I’d love to have you come introduce yourself to him and see his book, too! We’ll be in the Main Hall at Javits Center, booth #3044.

 Those of you who live in Southern California will want to mark Tuesday, June 19 to hear me speak on Summertime Book Promotion for Author’s Corner for a women's entrepreneurial group out in the San Fernando Valley called Made in the Valley. More information to come.

New!  July 8th, 6PM Eastern, 3 pm Pacific with The Funky Writer, aka Rob Batista. He’s been doing this for a while. This is my second appearance with him and it will be fun the second time around. If you’re interested in querying him find him at thefunkywriter@yahoo.com. More information to come.


 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/.

 I will be speaking on several panels at the Book ‘Em Book Fair in North Carolina in Feb of 2013. Go to http://www.bookemnc.org/ for opportunities for your book and watch for more on my appearances there in this newsletter. It is headed by mystery writer p.m. terrell and the purpose of The Book 'Em Foundation and this event is to raise public awareness of the link between high crime rates and high illiteracy rates. Proceeds from the Book 'Em North Carolina book fairs go directly to increasing literacy in Robeson County, North Carolina and to reducing crime in the area.

 Make plans for the 2013 Catholic Writers’ Conference now. I know many are disappointed when they can’t sign up for my chat after the registration deadline and if they knew what else they’d missed, they’d really be sad. So mark it on your calendar—maybe to register in December of 2012. The Conference is March 4 - 15, with chats March 4 - 10 and forums March 8 - 15. I’ll be conducting a couple of chats if I’m not traveling.


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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.)

NAIL POLISH: Part of an assortment of make - up items such as lipstick, eyeliner, blush etc., which ironically make Mom look better while making her young daughter look "like a tramp."



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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