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November 10, 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 - - 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: 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: Mindy will be back next issue after she gets her knee fixed. ( - :
~Carolyn's Appearances and Teaching
~Wordstuff ™


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 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 your SharingwithWriters 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:

You may recall my go around with white supremists taking over my Twitter account and how I couldn't reach Twitter to help out for weeks, even with the help of thousands of Tweeters and several computer geniuses.

Well, it appears someone was listening.
Only a few days ago an LA Times headline read "Twitter blocks German neo - Nazi group." Now, I have no idea if this was "my" Neo Nazi group but at least it's a start. Not that I am not for free speech. But there is a difference between free speech and the theft of someone's reputation and online accounts to spread whatever message a group sees fit.

The dateline was "Berlin" and the opening paragraph said, "Twitter…blocked users in Germany from viewing the messages of a neo - Nazi group, as the site for the first time withheld content in a specific country under a policy aimed at complying with local laws while allowing free speech."

The group being blocked was allegedly "inciting racial hatred and forming a criminal association." That may give you an idea of why I didn't want them bombarding my followers with their message. It doesn't sound as if this policy change on the part of Twitter will fix a hacking problem such as mine, but it's a start.

It would also be very nice if they solved the problem by providing access to them in case tweeters run into similar problems. It is unconscionable to have no way to reach an personal help desk except by having followers Tweet their @safety Twitter address. They finally got the message, but it took several weeks. I think they should do better than that when something as important as hate mail—free speech or not—is being spewed in the name of an innocent third party.


Joy, Happy Writing, Editing, and Promoting
Carolyn

PS: My first person essay about how my spell with cancer inspired me to begin to write again is featured in a new anthology edited by Dawn Colclasure. Her e - book was inspired by National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and royalties benefit a related charity.
To order it directly from the publisher go to: http://www.gypsyshadow.com/DawnColclasure.html#PinkAngels

Learn more about Dawn at http://dmcwriter.tripod.com/. And please like "our" anthology on its Facebook fan page at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dawn - Colclasure/193258357379929


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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 at HoJoNews@aol.com. All these chapbooks are from the Celebration Series of poetry from Magdalena Ball and me.
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Letters to the Editor



I got an email from a Better Business Bureau. The subject line said “appeal #” and a bunch of numbers. It said that it had received a claim from one of my customers about me, with a link to check it out. I emailed my local BBB and got the reply below that it was a scam and what to do. The letter they sent is below and I'm passing it to others who might benefit. Sigh.
Karin Karin Ireland, author of The Job Survival Instruction Book: 400+ Tips, Tricks, and Techniques to Stay Employed, and Take Charge of Your Career! 365 Tips, Tricks, and Techniques to Achieve Happiness at Work and in Life
Dear Consumer:

Thank you for contacting the Council of Better
Business Bureaus.

You may have received an email that says your
company is the subject of a complaint filed with
BBB, or that a customer review about your business
has been posted. It may reference a case number or
a particular scam, or it may be vague on the
details.

These emails are going to companies AND
individuals. In each case, they ask you to click
on a link that appears to go to a BBB page, or you
are asked to download a file, sometimes referred
to as a "self - extracting archive Adobe PDF" file.

These are very dangerous emails. It is important
that you do NOT click on any of the links in the
emails or download any attachments.

If you did click on a link or open or download any
attachments, your computer may have unwittingly
downloaded a stealthy malware program which is
able to pass by most anti - virus programs
undetected. In the event you clicked on a link,
you should consider having your computer scanned
by a trusted computer repair facility to see if
any malware is present and, if so, can be removed.

If you did not click on any links or attachments,
you are still strongly encouraged to run a
complete virus scan on your system.

You can learn more about these bogus phishing
scams at http://www.bbb.org/us/article/email - phishing - scam -
hijacks - bbb - name - again - 36089.

In the future, if you receive an email that
appears to come from Better Business Bureau,
please check with your local BBB office to
determine whether it is legitimate. You can find
your local BBB office by visiting
http://www.bbb.org/us/find - a - bbb/. You can also
forward the email to phishing@council.bbb.org for
assistance.

Thank you for contacting the Council of Better
Business Bureaus, Inc. We hope this information
is helpful.

Clifford Kurt
Council of Better Business Bureaus
ckurt@council.bbb.org
703.247.9391


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Endorsement: “Your book is a tremendous help to me as a first time published author, and the discount for Display Stands 4 You in the back of the new edition was very nice too.” ~Ginger K. King, cookbook author, blogs at https://corkandforkblog.wordpress.com/
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Tip: In The Frugal Book Promoter (http://budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo), I suggest that authors reread their books with the express intent of finding demographics ripe for a focused marketing campaign—demographics beyond the book's genre. But it's also important to reread your book before your guest appearance on TV, radio, or podcast. As you read, keep your hosts specific audience in mind—by profession, by interest, by locale, and by what is currently in the news.


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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: LinkedIn has a new easy - schmeezy endorsement system. I learned about it when I started getting e - mails that people had endorsed me in my e - mail box. I found the system had a problem, though. When I clicked through on the notification, I found a wonderful feature that made it easy to endorse my LinkedIn contacts, but no easy way to thank those who had endorsed me. Mea culpa! One of those LinkedIn friends who thanked me told me that I needed to scroll to the very bottom of the page. Duhhhh. There I found a list with avatars of all those who had endorsed me and they were listed by the categories they had endorsed. All I needed to do was click on them to send a thank you message. It's an easy - access click to those who have done you a favor. And something so basic as a scroll could have saved me some anguish. If you want to explore this new feature, it's easy to just start endorsing. Find me at http://www.linkedin.com/in/carolynhowardjohnson

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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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Q&A a la Ann Landers

Simple Stuff We May Have Missed About Links
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Anonymous asked:
Can I ask you what you meant when you wrote: "might want to send links to the award pages, too."

Answer:
This question was asked when I encouraged an author with a long list of awards to submit a more complete review for my alternative review blog, The New Book Review (http://TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com). Here's what I told her:

What I meant by links for your awards is that blogs are usually informational and they are often read by people to glean resources. So when an author mentions that their book won the "Mom Awards" readers would like to be able to just click through on those words or on a link in parentheses after the words to learn more about that award. These links benefit the reader. And they benefit you when they learn more about the award and are impressed. And it benefits those who are kind enough to give us authors awards.

So, your copy would say something like: "Helland's book is a Mom's Award winner (http://Mom'sAward.com). Or you could use a link to take them directly to the page where your award is announced rather than the home page.



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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 to give our work a chance at the bigtime. http://www.ifogo.com/buy/order_chj.html .
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Tip: When you are being interviewed on radio or TV, be prepared with soundbites and the core message you want to get across. Use anecdotes to illustrate that message. And don't be afraid to repeat the message in different ways. Repetition is not a bad thing. A phrase suggested by my coach, Pamela Kelly, a UCLA master instructor, is: "So far I've shown you (or we've talked about)…" Then you fill in the blanks. Use the phrase before you move on to another point or message.


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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 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.”

Aaron Paul Lazar Cozy Mystery EPIC Finalist ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Essentially Yours, book number two in the Tall Pines Mystery series by award - winning author Aaron Paul Lazar was named a finalist in the 2013 EPIC Book Awards. The final judging for the winner in the suspense/thriller category will take place in 2013. This bodes well for the series, as book #1, For the Birds, was a finalist in the ForeWord Book of the Year Awards for 2011. The third book, Sanctuary, will be released by Twilight Times Books in spring of 2013. "Aaron Paul Lazar’s novel Essentially Yours keep you feverishly turning pages. The sensuality of his vivid descriptions draw you into his story and keep you there through all the excitement and fear and romance." Joan Hall Hovey, author of The Abduction of Mary Rose.


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Here's 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


2013 Global Ebook Award
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Dan Poynter says "ebook" and I say "e - book," but on most things to do with publishing we agree, including the importance of his Global Ebook Awards. Now is the time to enter for his 2013 award. http://globalebookawards.com/registration/. I am proud of my honorable mention for The Frugal Book Promoter, 2012 (http/budurl.com/FrugalBkProKindle ). He does it right.


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Book Proposal Help: The Great First Impression Book Proposal: Everything
You Need To Know To Sell Your Book in 30 Minutes or Less is now an
e - booklet ($2.99) or paperback booklet (only $6.95). The perfect giftlet for nonfiction and even some fiction writers. Find it at http://budurl.com/BookProposals =============================================


Tip: Your Pinterest pins will be more effective marketing tools if you pin directly from your blog, your Web site, and your online bookstore sales page. That's because Pinterest links back to the source of the image.


==============================================Social networking is one of the best ways to make valuable contacts and build a list of readers. Join me on Pinterest. You pin one of my book covers on one of your bulletin boards and I’ll pin yours on one of mine. http://Pinterest.com/chowardjohnson ==============================================


Tip: Authors often think that Pinterest won't work for them. Not true. Here's an idea that works for writers of fiction. Set up a bulletin board about the locale (setting) of your book, post enticing images from that area, and be sure to mention the book in the descriptive passages you add to each of those pins.


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I keep adding new resources for authors on 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: Another Pinterest idea here: Hold a contest and ask people to submit photos of themselves doing something interesting with your book. Award prizes. Pin all those that are suitable to a special board. You could also ask entrants to include a phrase or sentence featuring what they like about your book and include that in the image description. BTW, did you know that, though I don't believe in tit - for - tat trades, I'll try to pin your book cover on one of my boards if you pin mine. I'm at http://Pinterest.com/chowardjohnson


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Here is the link for the page on my Web Site that lists some of my favorite accessible contests, an article on using contests, and more. http://howtodoitfrugally.com/contests.htm. ==============================================


Tip: I promised you a followup on my experience with Google Adwords. Even though Adwords can be target to niche markets and keywords, I wasn't impressed. It may work better for books that aren't a severely niched market, but I doubt most writers can break even, let along make a profit after the advertising costs. Guess I'll have to start listening to my own advice in The Frugal Book Promoter where I advise against most paid - for advertising.


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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.

Poetry Marketing
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A Los Angeles area poet (Yes, he shall be named in the spirit of great poetry marketing everywhere!) erected a real - estate - type brochure dispenser in front of his home. On a Saturday he filled it with 30 copies of one of his poems and the Los Angeles Times reported that he said, "…by Monday they were gone." He has continued doing adding new poems to his box. He also noted that e - mail poems aren't quite the same…paper is going out of our lives. A poem on paper is tangible." I should think if you printed the copies on nice paper and included an artistic image, people would use your poems as little gifts. And do include a brief credit line with a link to your most recent online poem or chapbook. Of course!

Oh, yes. The poet's name is Peleg Top. Here is a quote from the first poem he used in a brochure:

"I look ahead and see no destination
I look behind and see thousands of questions
I look down and hear my heart melting…"

Learn more about him at http://pelegtop.com/poetry


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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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Wanted: Calling all Los Angeles area real estate folks or those with connections. I need a used real - estate - type brochure dispenser that is moldering in a garage somewhere. I'd be happy to pick it up. HoJoNews@aol.com. (See above for an explanation of why.) I would also happily accept a real estate business sponsorship and credit the sponsor.


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A general marketing rule is that a product must be seen seven times before it is purchased. That is just as true for books (because they are products, like it or not!). Let people see that book cover image! To do that, you are invited to advertise as a site sponsor at www.howtodoitfrugally.com/advertising.htm for only $35 a year. Yep, the frugal way! Click on the Advertising tab at the top of the page or contact me personally at hojonews@aol.com.
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Tip: I finally started using Google + and I just learned that I can tag people in my circles by using the + sign before their names. It works like the "@ plus name" on Twitter and Facebook. That one feature alone ups the value of using Google + considerably. Do a search on my name to add me to your circles and I'll add you back.


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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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Writing Tip: I am reading Harvey Stanbrough's Seven Writerly Sins and in it he mentions a writing style that isn't exactly wrong, just wordy, a bit annoying, and an odd use of the verb "gave." He uses this example; "I gave a quick look at Nick Campbell, and he gave me a subtle nod for me to continue." Harvey suggests, "I glanced at Nick Campbell and he nodded, indicating that I should continue," or just "I glanced a Nick Campbell and he nodded." I prefer the latter because I try to avoid "ing" constructions, too. Harvey points out that the word "give" is "most often a transitive verb, meaning you actually give (or hand or grant) something to someone." You can see how an affectation like this could be a problem if it's not used very, very judiciously.

By the way, Harvey gives this booklet away to those who subscribe to his newsletter or follow his other free services. Learn more at http://harveystanbrough.com.


==============================================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 ============================================

Tip: When people retweet one of my tweets, I like to thank them. It gives me a chance to retweet the original post, too. But what if several followers retweet one of your tweets? You don't want to bombard your followers again and again. I often thank and give one of them an award for being a great retweeter—sort of a tongue - in - cheek award with a smiley face. Something "Like @namehere is my choice for a super - duper retweeter. Why not follow him?" You could also just comment. Something like "Thanks for the retweet. Good luck in my contest: http://contestsitehere)." The address, of course, leads back to details about the contest.

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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 hourly consultations to help you with your marketing campaign or your path to publishing. http://budurl.com/carolynsconsulting
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Tip: Pinterest works for books, too. You could have an individual site for your book and use different bulletin boards about different aspects of that title. Recipes from kitchen scenes in your book might be the subject of one bulletin board. Another might be books that would extend reading possibilities for those who like the subject of your book. You could have fashions loved by a historical character. You can see how this approach could work for both fiction and nonfiction.


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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: Because I've written several books and have several blogs to support them. I believe in recycling content. So I may use a how - to article on marketing books in my newsletter and pre post it for a future date on the appropriate blog. Because my Web site for writers has a Writers' Resource section, I may post an article or resource list I've constructed for my site on one of my blogs, too. I also recycle tips I put out on Twitter by assembling them into a word file by category and when they magically become a full article, they go up on my blog. This idea is only one you will find in my book Your Business, Your Blog.

Find it on Amazon at http://budurl.com/Blogging4Retailers or learn more on my Web site: http://howtodoitfrugally.com/your_blog_your_business_retailers.htm


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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 Robert Medak… ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~)…reviewer supreme for his review of the second edition of my The Frugal Book Promoter on his blog. http://rjmbookreviews.blogspot.com/2012/02/frugal - book - promoter.html He says, "This reviewer highly recommends The Frugal Book Promoter. It is a must read for anyone thinking of writing a book and getting it into the hands of readers."


Thanks to L. Diane Wolfe
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…for promoting others without being asked. Things like that are always a gift. She says, "If your ears were burning last night, it's because I was doing my online promotions seminar, and I used a screen shot of your blog (http://shargingwithwriters.blogspot.com) when discussing getting readers involved. (Since you have so many great options in one place with your video, newsletter signup, etc.)."
Thanks!
L. Diane Wolfe "Spunk On A Stick"
Professional Speaker & Author
www.spunkonastick.net
www.circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com


Thanks to Dave W. Menefee…
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…for an amazing review of The Frugal Book Promoter at BookPleasures.com. http://goo.gl/6Hj0i. You may want to check out this review site or contact Dave, a prolific writer in his own right, to learn more about him at www.thegreatstars.com.

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Fun and F r ~ ~: If you purchased the Frugal Book Promoter or the Frugal Editor, I'd love you to review it on Amazon or BN.com. Make it simple; just tell what part of it you found most valuable. If you do, send me the review link (URL) and I will send you a 35 - page handout from one of my UCLA marketing classes. As a thank you, of course. HoJoNews@aol.com
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Feature

Cash mobs, Promotion and Your Book
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There's something new on the online horizon. So far it's being used effectively by small retailers, but I see no reason why it couldn't also be used by authors to sell books, or manufacturers to sell particular products and, though so far it has been a flashmob phenomenon, why couldn't it be adapted to online fan pages?

What is it?

It's called cash mobbing, but checks and credit cards are accepted.

It was started by buy - local advocates in the retailing industry. It uses any kind of media including the Web and traditional media to get loyal folks to support a local business on a specific day, sometimes at a specific time. They are encouraged to come spend a minimal amount of money out of loyalty (with, perhaps, a little self interest stirred into the mix), and people do. They come. They come to be supportive, to feel part of the crowd, because it's an event, because it's a fad.

Time magazine reports it was started in 2011 by Chris Smith who read that Groupon methods of increasing business using mass discounts might backfire because retailers or service providers couldn't sustain the discounts and remain profitable. And he liked the term "cash mob." The idea was to get people interested and he did. Time reporter Katy Steinmetz says, "100 of Smith's fellow citizens [in Buffalo, NY] each spent around $10 at a wine shop with local media in tow. He's been hosting cash mobs ever since."

Then Andrew Samtoy tried it in Cleveland. And he is using @Cashmobs moniker on Twitter to promote these events. He is also incorporated as Cash Mobs, Inc. You could use his service—or do it on your own, but do think of your own name. Samtoy apparently has a stranglehold on "Cashmobs." Yours could be the name of your book or store plus the word "mobs." Of course, if you go the do - it - yourself route, you'd need do your own promotion (which you'd probably need to do some of in any case!).

Do use the second edition of The Frugal Book Promoter (http://budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo) to give you tons of ideas of how to attract the crowds. Let's combine a couple of mottoes. "Just Do It and They Will Come."
Online or in person.

And, if they don't? Well, you'll have gotten tons of exposure and maybe even some news coverage for your efforts. That's called publicity. And it's free.

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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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Carolyn's Occasional Rant

Something Borrowed, Something British
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Alex Williams of The New York Times thinks America is on a slippery slope to sounding like the Brits.
Though my daughter loves the language spouted by her mentor at UCLA and I have been amused by some idioms and colloquialisms I've run into over the decades (like "ladder" for a "run" in one's nylons), I can't say I've much noticed.

As proof of this dangerous tendency to copy language that's not understood by any but Americans immersed in our language from the Brits (or worse!, language that shouldn't be adopted), Alex cites:

• Daniel Gross, an American journalist, who calls Mitt Romney a "bumbling toff."
• American sci - fi author John Calzi who calls the iPad "a lovely piece of kit.
• And the use of "fortnight," which I never consider British other than that almost all of the "American" language came from those islands over there near the English Channel.

Williams, in fact, blames New Yorkers for most of these Britishisms and then proceeds to use a whole lot of them—tongue - in - cheek in the British fashion, I'm supposing. They include relatively obnoxious ones like "crikey." But words like "flat" for apartment and "mobile" for cell phone and "holiday" for vacation are hardly new. A "flat" was a "flat" when I lived in New York in something like…oh, forget it. You don't need to know. And though rarely used these ways, we have used "mobile" for "cell phone" and "holiday" for a little vacation for at least a few decades. There are some advantages to being old. It's easy for us to place things in their appropriate decade
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Williams quotes one American editor of the Oxford Dictionary as saying using Britishisms are only "suitable" when there is no American English equivalent, like the word "'twee" for stuff that smacks of Britishness like Laura Ashley dresses. He cautions against using it on the way to the "loo," because he thinks that is "just being pretentious."
Crikey, I'm thinking. Does one have to use a word that most Americans couldn't interpret before being considered "pretentious?" And isn't it awfully British to consider one darn fun word "suitable" when another is just plain "annoying."

I've been speaking English so long I can't be anything but grateful that we "borrowed" it or that they "lent" it to us back in the early days of Plymouth and Jamestown. Besides, I think "'twee" sounds very Alice - in - Wonderlandish. And I'm wondering where we'd be—and how much poorer Disney would be—if we hadn't borrowed that masterpiece along with Peter Pan and Alice's literary cousins.

I think most Americans would say, "the cat has been out of the bag for some time and it's way too late to coax it back in."

Carolyn Howard - Johnson is the multi award - winning author of The Frugal Editor (http://budurl.com/TheFrugalEditor) and Great Little Last - Minute Editing Tips for Writers: The Ultimate Frugal Booklet for Avoiding Word Trippers and Crafting Gatekeeper - Perfect Copy (http://budurl.com/WordtrippsPB). Learn more about her fiction, poetry, and HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers and retailers at http://HowToDoItFrugally.com. If you would like a free reprint of this little rant, e - mail Carolyn at HoJoNews (at) AOL (dot) com for permission or just use it complete with this credit and a byline and send Carolyn a permalink so she can keep the promotion going.



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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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Publishing Vocabulary: It helps if you know the terms when you're deciding how to publish your book. Say you're publishing a cookbook or a work book and want the printer to use those little springy things that keep the pages together so they'll stay flat. "Comb bound" is the term you're looking for when you contact printers. Do remember, though, many bookstores prefer not to stock comb bound books.


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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

Mindy will be back next issue. She is having knee surgery. Send your wishes for a hasty recuperation to mplcreative1@yahoo.com.
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I believe in social networks. Big and small. Sometimes the smaller ones are easier to make lasting and more productive contacts on. I recommend iFOGO (http://www.ifogo.com/buy/order_chj.html) which is small in part because there is a small membership fee. And, of course, my usual. No membership is good unless it's an active membership.
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Tip: When you begin your campaign to get your book into libraries, it is the acquisitions or collection development librarians you want to reach.


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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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Publishing Terms: Back Matter or End Matter: You'll sometimes see these terms become one word, i. e. "backmatter" and "endmatter." They are the material that comes at end of the main text. They often contain a bibliography, index, and appendixes. They may also include the author's bio and—more and more often—advertising related to the subject of a book. An aside: I see way too many self - published books ignore or short change the backmatter of their books.



Carolyn's Appearances and Teaching ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I will be speaking on several panels at the Book ‘Em Book Fair in North Carolina Feb. 23, 2013. Go to http://www.bookemnc.org/. Panel #1: Getting Published: What Do Publishers Want? 10:00 am in the Lewis Auditorium at Robeson Community College with Jason Huddle, publisher Comfort Publishing, Andrew Rickis, Terrie Wolfe, AKA Literary, and Barbara Casey, Barbara Casey Literary.
Panel #2: Book Promotion: The Name of the Game
2:00 pm in the Blue Room at Robeson Community College with Susan Sloate and Linda Morelli, authors.
Panel #3. Publishing Superpower: The Team 12:00 noon in the Lewis Auditorium at Robeson Community College with Kristi Huddle, publisher, Susan Sloate and Chris Roerden, authors; Terrie Wolf, and Barbara Casey, agents.

And they're all free. Note Eastern times.

It is headed by mystery writer p.m. terrell. 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.


New Info! Make plans for the online 2013 Catholic Writers’ Conference (http://www.catholicwritersconference.com/) now. I know many are disappointed when they can’t sign up for my chat after the registration deadline. If they knew what else they’d missed, they’d really be sad. The Conference is March 4 - 15, with chats March 4 - 10 and forums March 8 - 15. I’ll be conducting a chats on Sunday March 10:
Chat/Seminar #1: Secrets of Pinterest for Authors at noon Pacific Time
Chat/Seminar #2 Getting Published: Putting your best food forward with query letters at 1 pm Pacific Time
Chat/Seminar #3: Twitter: Marketing secrets for authors at 2 pm, Pacific time. Please invite others to attend. Register at http://catholicwritersconference.com/index.php?name=Your_Account&file=register Registration closes Feb 15th.



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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.)

PSYCHOLOGIST: A man who watches everyone else when a beautiful girl enters the room.
Alternatively:

PSYCHOLOGIST: A woman who watches everyone else when a handsome man enters the room.



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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 CarolynHowardJ (at) aol (dot) 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 CarolynHowardJ (at) aol (dot) 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 CarolynHowardJ (at) aol (dot) 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://budurl.com/FrugalBkProKindle




The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success
E - book: http://budurl.com/FrugalEditorKindle
Paperback: 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: http://budurl.com/bookproposalskindle

Great Little Last - Minute Editing Tips for Writers: The Ultimate Frugal Booklet for Avoiding Word Trippers and Crafting Gatekeeper - Perfect Copy
Paperback: http://budurl.com/WordtrippersPB
E - book: http://budurl.com/WordtrippersKindle


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
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

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
For Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004GXB4AW

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

Blooming Red: Christmas Poetry for the Rational
Coauthored with Magdalena Ball. Artwork by Vicki Thomas
USA Book News finalist, Silver Award from Military Writers’ Society of America
To order e - book: https://www.createspace.com/dr16064
To order paperback: http://budurl.com/BloomingRed
Part of the Celebration Series by Carolyn Howard - Johnson, this little $6.95 book was written with passion and love for those who understand all the ramifications of the holiday that dominates celebrations throughout most of the English - speaking world. It is a lovely tuck - in gift that goes beyond the typical greeting card and is available in quantity discounts to use as a holiday greeting by contacting the authors at HoJoNews@aol.com.

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.

Pinterest: Repin one of my book covers, I’ll pin yours to one of my boards. http://pinterest.com/chowardjohnson

Tweeting at:
www.twitter.com/frugalbookpromo
www.twitter.com/frugalretailing