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June 30, 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 twice a month (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: Barnes & Noble, Vroman's and
Publishing Trend
~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: Sweating Out a
Story
~Carolyn's Appearances and Teaching
~Wordstuff ™

This Issue

~BEA Report: Why You Need to Promote Your Book
Regardless of Who Publishes It
~Feature: Newsletter Services: Part II (Note:
Continued from last issues articles on word that get
caught in s p ~ m filters, etc.)
~Q&A a la Ann Landers: The Pseudonym Conundrum


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
For a fun way to get our cover images on Pinterest, trade bookcover image pins with me:
www.Pinterest.com/chowardjohnson


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:

We writers (and the few retailers who follow this letter) have a reason—a very small reason—to celebrate.

Barnes and Noble is doing better.

The LA Times business section reports that the esteemed bookstore chain's profit loss narrowed in the last quarter. Some may think that just having a little less loss than the quarter before is no big guns, but Chief Executive William Lynch attributes this positive step to their Nook, one presumes both the sales of the device and the books offered on it.

And, if you'll allow me to extrapolate a tad here. Many of the titles on Nook are from the big gun publishers but many are also from indies. So a success like this may foreshadow a further acceptance of good books in the marketplace no matter how they are published. Wouldn’t it be nice that meant an end to judging a book by its cover or by the press it's printed on is in sight.

Another indicator of this trend is the new Vroman's consignment program. (Vroman's is one of the nation's most venerable independent bookstores.) I learned about it when I was a guest lecturer at UCLA last week for Eve Caram's beginning fiction class. Because there is a $35 charge for the service, my kneejerk reaction was that it's another way to scam authors and make them pay for things they shouldn't in the vein of pay - for reviews (like the ones at Kirkus), pay for agent - reading services, etc. I also didn't like the idea that the program doesn't appear to be vetted in any way. I mean, if poorly produced books are stocked, isn't that a disservice to the rest of the participating authors with well - thought out books—and to their customers who expect quality? I mean, Vroman's has a reputation—a brand—to uphold. They've been in Pasadena, CA since 1894.

But having thought it over, I think this move from Vroman's may be a move in the right direction—that they apparently understand the demand for self - published books. Maybe this change in attitude has occurred because independent publishers got better at putting out well - written and more professional products on a greater scale. It seems to me that it’s a program that many authors, specifically LA local authors and authors willing to promote their books as being available at Vroman's, might benefit from. There may be other bookstores doing the same thing. Here is Vroman's link to learn more:

http://www.vromansbookstore.com/general - policy - information

I will try this program with some of my books. I suspect my poetry chapbooks would not qualify because chapbooks don't have a spine and bookstores tend to eschew books without spines even when they come from the most recognized publishers. But after I've tested the program with my books that qualify, I'll let you know more about the program.

I have some questions that can only be answered by trying the program first hand. I asked these questions but didn't get a clear answer on them
.
• Does Vroman's set these books aside in a separate department which would then encourage their customers (readers) to view them differently?

• Does Vroman's list them in their online catalog so that the books are easily found (and sold) when their customers ask for them by name?

So, watch this newsletter for more on the subject and do let me know if there are bookstores in your area that have a similar policy.

Joy, Happy Writing, Editing, and Promoting
Carolyn

PS: Last issue I promised you something on I call the "big dichotomy" that was so evident at BEA. Don't panic. I'm not saying it's not right. I'm just saying it's something we authors must deal with. Scroll down.

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Needing something more meaningful for the celebrations in your life? Something that stays within your budget? Check out Cherished Pulse (www.budurl.com/CherishedPulse) ($6.95) for someone you love. Try Imagining the Future: Ruminations on Fathers and Other Masculine Apparitions for the men in your life. Sure, they like fusses made over them, too! (www.budurl.com/Imagining) ($6.95). She Wore Emerald Then (www.budurl.com/MotherChapbook) ($12.95), for mothers and other women, Deeper in the Pond, for the feminists in your life—both men and women (www.budurl.com/DeeperPond) ($6.95) and Blooming Red (www.budurl.com/BloomingRed), to use as Christmas cards or incidental holiday gifts. Plan next Christmas early. And ask about my special price on chapbook/cards purchased in bulk! All these chapbooks are from the Celebration Series of poetry from Magdalena Ball and me.
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Letters - to - the - Editor:

This is a letter that answers a Facebook question Shirley Corder asked in a recent edition of this SharingwithWriters newsletter. Shirley was having trouble getting her personal Facebook page to link to her author's page (or fan page). Lea Ellen writes an editing blog at http://nightowlinil.wordpress.com/). She left a new comment on one of my blog posts. Lea says:

I hope this is the correct place to answer Shirley Corder's question.

On your regular, personal page (if it's the Timeline one) - click on the 'About' tab. You'll see a section called 'Contact Info'. Click on that edit tab. In the screen that pops open, go to the 'Website' section. Copy and paste your author FB page:
(http://www.facebook.com/Shirley.M.Corder). Then click on the 'Save' tab and you're done. You should be able to do this in the reverse to list your personal FB on your author page.

Lea Ellen who calls herself the night owl in Illinois.

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

Editing Tip: I've decided to do a series of quick editing tips on my editing blog including the kind you can get your computer to help with. I do a lot of this kind of thing in little shout - out boxes in The Frugal Editor (www.budurl.com/TheFrugalEditor), but I thought tips would be a good reminders on my Frugal, Smart, and Tuned - In Editor blog, too. The first is on the intricacies (really not so intricate!) of curly and straight quotes, when and where to use them and how to make your Word program do it for you. Go to: http://thefrugaleditor.blogspot.com/2012/06/on - gremlins - curly - quotes - and - straights.html. Please leave comments if you have ideas that will help fellow authors or questions for that matter. And watch on July 7th for the next installment.


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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: A recent Pew survey indicates that "e - book readers have been relatively slow to borrow digital works from the library, deterred by limited selections and by not even knowing whether their local branch offers e - releases… ." Reported by AP (Associated Press), they also note that many major publishers have "limited e - book offerings to libraries or declined to make any available, citing concerns that the ease of free downloads would hurt sales." I'm not so sure these publishers are wrong. What do you think? Penguin is participating in a pilot program where they offer books as e - books to libraries six months after their release.

Another interesting statistic: Those who borrow e - books from libraries tend to read more—29 books a year—than readers who don't use the library. (They read only read 23 books a year).

BTW, the same study stated that many respondents said they would be very interested in borrowing if libraries offered them a reading device (presumably like Nook or Kindle) with a book already loaded. I thought that was a brilliant idea but can see how theft might be a problem.

Mindy Lawrence says, "In the Walker Percy Library that I once went to in Greenville, MS, children could check out RABBITS! Yes, I mean real ones. I’m sure there was some way the library had to get them back there safely. I’d think a Nook or Kindle would be easier to track than a bunny."

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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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Tip: If you haven't been to a book fair or participated in one because you think it won't work or there is nothing in them for you, you might watch this video produced by www.AuthorsBroadCast.com at http://youtu.be/NbZHMR_kCgM. It is worth watching all the way through to get the information on how pitch sessions go and how other writer benefits that may be offered at book fairs work.


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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.”


Original SWW Subscriber Receives Lifetime Press Club Award!
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Walter Brasch, one of my first SWW subscribers, received the Lifetime Communicator of Achievement award from the Pennsylvania Press Club at its annual dinner, June 3, in Gettysburg.
The honor is the organization’s highest award. It recognizes both significant journalistic achievement and community service. The last time it was awarded was in 2005.

Brasch has a long history of activism in human rights/social justice issues, dating from the mid - 1960s in southern and central California. He was president for six years of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, from which he won the national Freedom of Information Award; founding president of Pennsylvania Journalism Educators; and president of the PPC. He is vice - president of the Central Susquehanna ACLU chapter.

Dr. Brasch’s syndicated column focuses on social issues. He is also a frequent guest on radio shows throughout the country, averaging 4 - 10 per month. His expertise is on pop culture, the media, government/politics, civil rights, and First Amendment issues. In addition, he does a weekly commentary for eleven radio stations. In addition to his print column, Brasch does a syndicated radio commentary. He won first from the PPC and third from the AP Broadcast Association.

He was named a finalist in both the USA Book Awards and the ForeWord Reviews Book of the Year competitions for his social issues novel, Before the First Snow, which looks at American counterculture from 1964 to the eve of Operation Desert Storm. It is the only work of fiction among his seventeen books.

His next book will be about the health, environmental, and political issues associated with fracking. Learn more about him at www.walterbrasch.com


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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

Noble (Not Nobel) Prize for MyShelf.com
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If you have a literary novel or book or chapbook of poetry that you'd like to have me consider for my Noble (Not Nobel!) award for MyShelf.com, please let me know at HoJoNews@aol.com. I started the award years ago to honor under recognized books of merit that address the human condition. It is a f r ~ ~ contest. Books must be submitted with a blurb (endorsement) about their literary merit. Please put NOBLE (NOT NOBEL) in the subject line and I will send you the shipping address. Deadline is August 30 and you will not be reminded again. Believe it or not.


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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: Lance Johnson, author of What Foreigners Need to Know About America From A to Z (http://amzn.to/ForeignersAmericaUS) says this Amazon link will help you search to see if your book is appearing on all the overseas Amazon bookstores:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=487250

While you're visiting each page, check to see if you have enough "likes" there, if you have any reviews, if your book's description is complete, all the things I tell you to do with your Amazon page in The Frugal Book Promoter (www.budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo).



================================================= 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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Along the Way: When I was a guest lecturer at UCLA last week, one of the students had a document called "The Healing Power of Writing" by Dr. Rachel Ballon who works with cancer patients and their caregivers. Ballon gives 20 reasons to write. Here are a couple of them:

Writing helps me overcome dated beliefs, values, and family myths.
When I write I can right the wrongs and face my fears.
When I write about past hurts, I am free of them.

Lovely, huh? Thank you to José Luis Gutierrez - - Writer Fine Artist Calligraphist Film & Movies - - for bringing this to my attention. He is, naturally, a new SharingwithWriters subscriber.




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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: Nina Amir's blog (www.howtoblogabook.com) is the source of her new book, How To Blog A Book (find it at http://amzn.to/NinaAmir) published by Writer's Digest Books. I'm proud that she included my guest post on one of her other famous blogs. Hope you'll read it, leave a comment, and search for more great information from someone who knows. http://writenonfictionnow.com/blogging - booboos - for - beginners - a - bakers - dozen/

Here are some other guest spots that may interest you:

On mistakes to avoid for your Amazon book launch: http://writenonfictionnow.com/mistakes - to - avoid - with - your - amazon - book - launch/
On what I hate about pseudonyms:

http://writenonfictionnow.com/to - pseudonym - or - not - to - pseudonym/

On how and when to love passive construction: http://writenonfictionnow.com/learning - to - love - passive - construction/


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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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Q&A a la Ann Landers

On Pseudonym Conundrums
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Question:

I don't know if Frugal Promoter addresses it and if it does, I'll read through when it arrives. In case it does not, here's a question: If you publish under a pen name (as I do - - Dan Haight), how do you handle author head shots without being creepy or weird?

Answer:

I do address pseudonyms in The Frugal Book Promoter, Dan. Be sure to use the index to check references to pseudonyms and associated keywords so you'll get the complete picture. But here is the short answer:

I'm not much in favor of pen names - - not from the standpoint of marketing. The reason you give (headshots—creepy!) is only one of my objections. Although I've certainly heard of some very good reasons to use pen names, they are a pain when it comes to marketing. Maybe you shouldn't use a headshot at all. Instead, use your book cover image for avatars and about every occasion you come across where one assumes headshots are required. I don't write under a pseudonym and I have to tell you that I still use lots of book cover images instead of avatars. Here are a couple reasons why:

1. Book covers sell books.
2. People need to be familiar with a book (probably see or hear about it seven or so times before they buy so there is an advantage in doing so).

That's not to say that head shots aren't great, too. People love to associate/know the author.

But you said it. Creepy is not good.

CHJ


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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.


Jendi Reiter, Winning Writer Guru, and New Poetry Form
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Occasionally a poet comes up with a form that is sort of an invention of his or her own. I believe that is true for Jendi Reiter, one of the gurus behind WinningWriters.com. When I asked her about it she said, "Thanks for your kind remarks on my poem "Our Story So Far." It is not in any traditional form. You're the second person who's asked about this, though, so maybe I should give it a name and promote it as a new form! It was just an exercise I gave myself to see how many ways I could rearrange certain narrative elements into different storylines. You may have read it before in my chapbook Swallow. If you'd like to buy Swallow, email me (JBReiter (at) aol.com), since my publisher has folded and sold me the remaining inventory, alas!
Our Story So Far
by Jendi Reiter

It snowed harder than it had in years. He hit
her with his car. He apologized. She gave him
her number. The damage was small. She
didn't file a complaint. He called her. They fell
in love. She told the children this story.

She fell in love. He didn't complain. She told
the children a story. It snowed harder than it
had in years. She called him. He apologized.
The damage was small. He hid it in the car.
She had his number.

He apologized for his car. She loved to complain.
He told the children, it snowed harder
than it had in years. Years without
number. When they were in love.
The damage was small. They were a hit. That's
what she called him.

She called the children in from the snow. He
hit it with his car. The complaint had a
number. His story was that he was in love.
The damage was small, he apologized. She
was harder than she'd been in years.

The snow fell on their car. The complaint took
years. They called the children for the story.
No one apologized. It was harder without
them. Perhaps they had hit the numbers.
Perhaps they fell in love.

Follow Jendi on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/jendireiter, and learn tons about poetry contests and more at http://winingwriters.com, a Writer's Digest Best Websites pick.


Carolyn's Poetry Chosen for Anthology
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Editors of Manzanita Press announced that Carolyn Howard - Johnson's Poem "Big Screen Snack" was selected from hundreds of entries from across the nation for publication in their Wine, Cheese and Chocolate: A Taste of Literary Elegance.
Wine, Cheese and Chocolate will be a full - color, glossy - paged collection. A run of 8,000 is being printed for distribution across the US in major wineries, eateries, and establishments that delight in artistic projects. Editor Monika Rose notes, "It’s going to be a fantastic, gorgeous, almost edible anthology. Very chic!" Learn more about the press for your own poetry at www.manzapress.com
Here is a bit of that poem:
Big Screen Snack

I’m on a life - diet.
No frosted Cinnabons with raisins
red roses in February
or secrets in velvet boxes.
No rich raspberry chocolate cones
passionate silk sheets
or midnight showers.

The pantry door closed.

(You'll just have to get a copy of the anthology to see how John Cusack works into this poem! ( - : )



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Endorsement: “I started on FRUGAL and I went, ‘Whoa....damn good book!’ It is
so PROFESSIONAL!” ~ Dorothy Thompson, editor of The Writers Life
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Tip: I picked up this tip at BEA. Use www.NetGalley.com to offer your book digitally to reviewers. It’s credible. You do not pay for reviews, just provide the book.


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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: You've heard me say that one can't really measure the success of any promotion by the number of books you think you can trace to that specific promotion. There are tons of side benefits including one like this: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150972784552302&set=a.10150961649727302.438330.312465942301&type=3&theater It's a photo taken by Lisa Krebs at the IBPA (Independent Book Publishers of America) signing table at BEA (Book Expo America). It was then posted on Facebook, of course. There is only one thing wrong with it. I don't have my book cover showing! Ahem!



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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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BEA Report

Why You Need to Promote Your Book Regardless of Who Publishes It
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This is the "big dichotomy" article on BEA that I promised you last issue.
Some of the major lessons I get a BEA are the ones I already knew. One came up and slapped me in the face when my husband and I found our stack of fr ~ ~bies on our seats at the adult author breakfast. The authors who are speaking always provide gifts to those who pay their $45 for a continental breakfast and the glory of hearing top authors speak. After all, even the author - stars who speak at these events want and need publicity. So, I’m looking forward to this stash I don't have to stand in line on the tradeshow floor to get.

Stephen Colbert is the moderator and a very funny one he is, too. Most of his spiel is about Fifty Shades of Grey, veiled allusions to the idea that great literature may be dead. These jokes may also reflect a little jealousy that the author came up from the self - published ranks with her New York Times bestseller—shall we call it trash? Still it was funny.

As he spoke, I found a minute between bites of the New York bagels or muffins and his jokes to look for his new nonfiction book in my stash. It is America Again: Re - Becoming The Greatness We Never Weren't (http://amzn.to/SColbertAmerica). Then comes the disappointment. It wasn't a book. It was a very elaborate promotional brochure (they called it a blad)—so elaborate that it probably cost more than most full books.

This, of course, was because his book won't be released until fall. Still, here it was. With it's glossy cover of a quality that compares with the best paperback books. The title and author's name in embossed letters. Huge! And in silver, no less. Inside a pair of 3D glasses like the ones we got in the 50s at the first 3D movie we ever attended (nostalgia sells!). And then pages and pages of excerpts from the book (carefully disclaimed as unedited, incomplete, etc.) in a design that had to be the most beautifully integrated branding campaign I've ever seen. And, by the way, the whole interior comes alive in 3D when we put on the glasses, though it is readable without doing so. You know, just in case.

And, yeah. it's now my turn to get this pang of jealousy.

No way is any self - published book or book published by a small press going to get this kind of play. No way is a book from a literary author - - even the most talented literary or most famous - - going to get this kind of attention. No way would our land's most famous poet laureate experience this kind of marketing.
Well, that pang (pain?) lasted about two seconds. This is business, after all. We live in a capitalistic society. I have…ahem!...marketing instincts. Of course. I know something about our beloved industry. Celebrity sells. Humor sells. Politics sells. And when something sells, there is more money for marketing of every kind. Hatchette, the publisher of Colbert's book, obviously expects big sales from America.
If you would like your publisher to treat you like this, do one or both of these things:

1. Write a book you know has huge potential for sales. This is a great idea, but it's hard to time a book just right to match the next big trend. I also believe in following one's passion. If you don't have the passion, forget number one.

2. Figure out a marketing campaign that will make your book—and your career—the best it can be. Not to compete with Colbert's. We have to be realistic. But one that sparkles, that lets people know how they will benefit from what you have written. If someone else (like Hatchette!) will be doing it for you, learn how you can best partner with them so that you can learn as much as you can to apply to the next book you write and so that their efforts will be compounded.

Oh, and number three. Buy a few books this year. Our industry needs our support. We don't have time for pangs of jealousy unless we turn them to something positive. We're all in this together. You go, Stephen! If your book sells tons, maybe Hatchette will add more authors to their midlist in 2013.


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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: Manage your passwords the right way to avoid being hacked or have your identity stolen. Though they aren't completely secure, password management programs will let you do this. Try Roboform.com or LastPass.com. Or do it the old fashioned way. Keep a list of your passwords offline in a little notebook in your desk drawer. I'll have a middle - of - the - road tip on passwords for you in my next issue.


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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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Feature

Newsletter Services: Part II
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Here is a continuation of our newsletter discussion from the last issue of SharingwithWriters. It's simply a list of things you shouldn’t do or say if you don’t want your newsletter to get caught in spam folders and other techy devices.

 Don’t use symbols, especially dollar signs. Notice, I've stopped evening using the (at) symbol in e - mail addresses in this newsletter—just in case
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 Offer a way to unsubscribe from your letter.

 Don’t let your exclamation points and question marks run wild. Editors frown on it, so it’s a good thing to avoid in any case.

 Use any length subject line in the e - mail you wish, but key information must go into the first 50 character spaces. Besides, it’s not nice to try to mislead Mother Nature or anyone else.

 Avoid overused marketing phrases like the ones suggested by Linda Carlson of Independent Book Publishers Association slick magazine, IBPA Independent. Most sound creepy anyway! I can’t put them in this letter but if you’ll e - mail me at HoJoNews (at) AOL (dot) com, I’ll send it to you. Or try this link: http://www.ehow.com/info_8523616_list - keyword - criteria - spam - filters.html


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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! You ask and I'll provide ample credits and links to whatever site you choose. HoJoNews@aol.com. =============================================



TIP: Authors who have read my The Great First Impression Book Proposal (www.budurl.com/WordtrippsPB)often write to me to say that spinoffs can't possibly work for their books. I usually tell them to think again. Well, E. L. James' book Fifty Shades of Grey doesn't feel eminently suited either, but here come boxer shorts, hosiery, lingerie, stationery, sleepwear and, yes, T - shirts. The developer of James' brand is CopCorp Licensing.


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You'll find a myriad of writer helps at http://www.howtodoitfrugally.com/links_for_writers.htm It includes a list of small presses of various kinds that I am familiar with. =============================================


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 are 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 Mindy Philips Lawrence... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
…for her very regular Itty Bitty columns and for editing this letter each issue. And thank you to all your subscribers who send me tips, letters, questions and anything else that strikes you.

Thanks to Robin Quinn... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
…editor and ghostwriter extraordinaire, for asking me to serve on a panel for Author’s Corner, a division of a women's entrepreneurial group out in the San Fernando Valley called Made in the Valley.


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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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Book Proposal Tip: Let your voice come through your book proposal. Don't emulate the driest text you ever read. The agent or publisher you are sending a proposal to may have a dozen sitting on his or her desk. Guess which one is going to get the most attention! The one with zing!


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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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Editing Tip: Two commonly confused words are disperse and disburse. In my Great Little Last - Minute Editing Tips for Writers booklet(www.budurl.com/WordtrippersPB) I say, "Disperse means to scatter and disburse means to give or pay out money, usually very carefully and not in a shotgun fashion.


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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: Anyone interested in awards and contests to promote a writing career might want to tune into a free podcast at LadybugBooks. A direct link to Write On page is: www.ladybuglive.com/writeon.htm Click on my name with the little sound insignia by it.


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The Publishing Insiders (Paula Krapf and Penny Sansevieri) and I talk about book promotion on their BookTalkRadio program. I know you’ll pick up some new tips or encouragement. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thepublishinginsiders/2012/05/29/no - money - out - of - pocket - shooting - your - book - to - stardom
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An Itty - Bitty Column on Writing

Sweating Out a Story
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By Mindy Phillips Lawrence

It’s flirting with 100 degrees Fahrenheit here in Springfield. Dry heat isn’t our forte in Missouri. We have the icky - sticky heat that makes armpits and foreheads drip with perspiration.

I work in an office that channels nice, cool air to my desk and allows me not to sweat while I’m typing and waiting on customers. THEY may have been sweating while making the trip to my desk, but I’m cool as the proverbial cucumber.

Now, think of writing for a minute. When you sit at your writing spot, curl on the couch with your laptop or go to a Wi - Fi station that serves smoothies, you aren’t suffering too much. But what if you were out on the street with a notebook and pen, the old fashioned way, interviewing someone or getting as much information as you could before you had to call it in to someone? Well, I don’t guess you have to do that anymore either. Just pull out your iPhone or Android and talk or text while headed for the smoothie factory.

This post is an homage to the good old reporters and writers who knew what it was like to actually sweat out a story…the Murrows and Bourke - Whites of the world.

We have no idea what writing used to be - - no Internet, no Google, no cell phones or other nifty devices for getting the story in to some poor person behind an antiquated typing machine. Nope. We can never pay back that debt. What we can do is remember.

Here are some links to bolster both memory and knowledge of those who have gone before us. These men and women struggled in sweaty newsrooms, city streets, and battlefields to tell us their tale.

Hats off to them!


LINKS

Edward R. Murrow
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_R._Murrow

http://www.museum.tv/eotvsection.php?entrycode=murrowedwar


Margaret Bourke - White
http://lkwdpl.org/wihohio/bour - mar.htm


David Brinkley
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Brinkley

http://www.museum.tv/eotvsection.php?entrycode=brinkleydav


Martha Gellhorn
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martha_Gellhorn


Walter Cronkite
http://www.museum.tv/eotvsection.php?entrycode=brinkleydav


Frances FitzGerald
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frances_FitzGerald_(journalist)


Ernie Pyle
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernie_Pyle


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Mindy Phillips Lawrence is a writer, editor, and PR person from Missouri. She is working on a novel, a poetry chapbook, and a nervous breakdown. You can get her to write a pretty cool press release for you for a very FRUGAL price. But HURRY before the nervous breakdown kicks in! You can reach her at mplcreative (at) yahoo.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: Do you list the address of your media room on your blog? That's where all your recent and aging media release reside—and your downloadable media kit. According to Joan Stewart, you should! See how I've done it at www.sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com. And read more about the things your Web site might be missing in The Frugal Book Promoter.


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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 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
 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.


 July 20 - 22, The Greater Los Angeles Writers Conference will be at the Los Angeles Valley Campus. I’ll be speaking Saturday, the 21st at 12:30 pm. on Building a Platform and on Sunday the 22nd at 10 am on How to Develop a Relationship with a Bookseller. The same day at 3:15 we’ll talk about how It’s Never Too Early or Too Late to Promote Your Book.
The conference includes other speakers and panelists like Morgan St. James, Robin Quinn, and Dan Poynter. http://www.wcwriters.com/faculty/ There will also be an exciting screenplay track. Find the entire schedule here:
Friday: http://www.wcwriters.com/glawc/schedule - fri.html
Saturday: http://www.wcwriters.com/glawc/schedule - sat.html
Sunday: http://www.wcwriters.com/glawc/schedule - sun.html
And this conference is only 79 for one day and 199 for all three. Compare to some other conferences that run as high as 625!


 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 on Secrets of Pinterest for Authors and One on To Italicize or Not to Italicize and Other Professional Editing Secrets. http://www.catholicwritersconference.com/

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Sign up to receive a copy of my Sharing with Writers blog in your e - mail box. It is a focused blog on all things related to writing and publishing. Go to www.sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com. Sign up in the left - hand column. Find related resources by scrolling to the bottom of the blog.
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Wordstuff ™

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

POLITICIAN: One who shakes your hand before elections and your confidence after.



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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