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January 2, 2013
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 Trends
~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: “Little Free Libraries”
~Carolyn's Appearances and Teaching
~Wordstuff ™

This Issue
~Feature: Penny Sansevieri Contributes “10 Things You
Can Do to Sell More Books.”
~Opinion: On Amazon, Ethics, and the Review Process

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:

“Write What Inspires You!” was the subject line of a Christmas greeting I received from writer and longtime subscriber to this SharingwithWriters newsletter Penny Sansevieri. I was moved to share her motto and my take on it with you in this New Year.

We read too often on the Web and elsewhere, that we should research topics, themes, etc. to be sure there is a niche for what we are writing. The thing is, authors may become discouraged. The other thing is, there is really nothing brand spanking new in the world. But even more than those two things is this:
By the time we finish writing a book (sometimes even an article or essay) that has a perfect niche with little or no competition, the moment is often gone. Someone else has done the same thing a minute earlier. Or the national, worldwide, or literary tide has turned. I believe in "Write your heart and someone - - if not the world—will follow."

Joy, Happy Writing, Editing, and Promoting in the New Year!

Carolyn

PS: My husband and I are cross promoting a F R ~ ~ January Kindle Select campaign. (You know how I feel about the value of cross - promotion!) His book is What Foreigners Need To Know About Americans A to Z by Lance Johnson (http://amzn.to/12JoVsa). It will be f r ~ ~ on Amazon from January 13th to 17th. It is serious stuff, but it reads light and easy sparing none of his dry humor about his own, beloved US and his beloved English language.

My f r ~ ~bie is The Great First Impression Book Proposal (http://bit.ly/BkPropKind). It has been around a while. If you have it, you may want the updated version anyway. You do not need to have a Kindle to download either book. And they’re both available for about any reader you prefer to read your e - books on—PC, iPhone, Android, Mac. You download the appropriate free app at

http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000426311

Of course, you will need to circle those dates (Jan. 13th to 17th) to get both or either absolutely f r ^ ^. Please “like” them while you’re surfing Amazon.


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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

Please use this section to chime in on issues in the world of publishing. Every little time your name, title, or link to your site is mentioned, it adds to your overall exposure.


Your letter, rant, or idea for others could go here.


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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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In the News: Time magazine asked uberbiographer Edmund Morris if fiction would outlive biography as Virginia Wolf suggested. He said, "No. I think fiction now is becoming less and less interesting and important. Many of the things fiction used to do are done better…in other media." This made me sad and then made me laugh. Morris is—after all—the biographer who plunked himself as a fictional character into his biography of Reagan (Dutch, published in 1999). Maybe he thinks the more nonfiction writers borrow from fiction writers the more relevant it will become, pushing fiction out of favor?



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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: Looking for a last - minute gift for clients or business associates?

Or one more piece of content for your membership site?
Or an image to pin to one of your Pinterest boards on publicity or PR?

Consider Joan Stewart’s free e - book, "The Best of The Publicity Hound's Tips of the Week of 2012." Click this link: http://budurl.com/Bestof2012Tips . She also gives you nine other ideas on how to use an e - book on this blog post.


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Please paste this little blurb—perhaps with a little endorsement—in your newsletter or Web site: To subscribe to Sharing with Writers send an e - mail with SUBSCRIBE in the subject line to HoJoNews@aol.com or go to www.howtodoitfrugally.com for an auto subscribe box. Let me know you did it so I can do something similar for you on my Resources for Readers page at www.howtodoitfrugally.com.
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Tip: It seems as if using a copyright symbol when we publish our work on the Web should be a given. Certainly we should all have a copyright page in our books and even our promotional white papers and e - booklets. Still, many forget. The recent Book Business Magazine (http://bookbusinessmag.com) reminds us that this one simple action can help deter piracy and plagiarism. You did know that your Word program can be set up to make copyright symbols automatically by typing: parentheses, c, close parentheses, right? It looks like this ©. If you can’t read this symbol, copy and paste the link at the top of this page to get the pdf version of this newsletter.


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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: Novelist Randall Platt has used doorknob hangars to publicize her books. They are adorable and could be used by advertising companies that actually go around door to door and hang things on people's doorknobs. But they could also be used as giveaways at book fairs, etc. I like that they have more room on them for chattiness, author's pictures, book covers, etc., than bookmarks. The headline she uses on hers is "Do Not Disturb! I'm reading Randall Platt's New Novel!" Learn more about Randall at http://plattbooks.com.


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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.”

Morgan St. James Is USA Book News Finalist ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Morgan St. James and her writing partner Meredith Holland are celebrating. She says, "Whoopee, our funny crime caper Who's Got the Money? (http://tinyurl.com/WGTM1) is a finalist in the 2012 USA Book News Best Book Awards. That makes twice a book Morgan co - authored has placed in this national competition. In 2007 the first Silver Sisters Mystery, A Corpse in the Soup, was named Best Mystery Audio Book. http://tinyurl.com/insoup1

A NYT best - selling author said, "Every time you think you've figured [the mystery] out, another surprise awaits." Learn more about Morgan at http://morganstjames - author.com.

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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


Noble (Not Nobel!) Prize Is Here
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I have given a Noble Prize to literary books for…can't remember…about ten years now. The 2012 winners are in my Back to Literature column at http://www.myshelf.com/backtoliterature/column.htm . You can enter for next year. There is no charge other than providing the book. And a blurb and link. There is also no requirement that the book must be new. So check out the column. If you were a winner this year (or past years), 2013 is a good time to download the banner on that same page and let it shout out that your book deserves special recognition.



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

Opinion


On Amazon, Ethics, and the Review Process
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Howard Kurz of CNN’s Reliable Sources program covers the media including journalism ethics. Kurz departed a bit from their usual focus Sunday morning (8 am Pacific Time) to talk about Amazon reviews! Yes! Amazon reviews! And how they are trying to do away with reviews written by authors’ mothers and other closely related folks—and not necessarily only those related by blood.

Apparently, Amazon is doing to these folks what they’ve done with reviews written by those who review for other media. That is they unceremoniously obliterate (delete!) the reviews. And they often—if not always—do it without notifying the reviewer.

Kurz noted that it’s not really kosher for authors to ask readers or fans to post reviews. I don’t see why not. Even reviewers who get paid for writing for The New York Times may well be fans of that author. That seems like an ethical line impossible to draw. In fact, if they have read all the books by that author, that would only put them in a position to write a more fully considered review.

In the next breath, Kurz notes that with all this care, Amazon is taking to purify their review process, they still haven’t taken much of a stand against those who haven’t read the book at all.

But making that move may put Amazon on rather shaky ground. It is hard to determine whether someone has read any given book. Just because they didn’t buy the book from Amazon is not an indication that they didn’t read it. They may have received it as a gift or borrowed it from the library. Or the author’s publisher might have supplied a review copy.

Even when the reviewer doesn’t get lots of things right it doesn’t prove it’s a fraudulent review. I’m convinced that many reviewers either don’t read well, read too fast, or simply don’t know very much about critiquing a written work. Having said that, I’ve read many reviews in which the reviewer admits that they’ve judged the book by its cover, its first typo, or its first chapter. (I’ve yet to see a reviewer admit that they’ve given a one - star review because they hated the title.) I’ve also noticed that there are a whole lot of these review that Amazon hasn’t deleted!

I love Reliable Sources. I watch it most every Sunday. I really like Howard Kurz. He’s a journalism pro. But as a critiquer of reviews and the review process, I think he needs a guest who knows more than he does to help him out.

Perhaps one or two SharingwithWriters readers would be up to the task.

CHJ


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

Feature

Quickie Tips for Promotion from Penny Sansevieri
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It's often been said that we all need to learn to ask for what we need. Especially women. I'd say especially women and authors. Here's a list of ways from Penny Sansevieri to get your friends to help sell your books. I'm pretty sure you would help them out when needed!

10 Things Your Friends Can do to Help you Sell More Books
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Successful authors are not loners. They get out and they talk about their book, they engage people, they market and they enlist the help of their team. In this case, we're talking about your friends. Getting friends (and family) to help you market your book might be the best thing you can do for your book's success, but how you go about engaging their help is another matter entirely. Friends and family who haven't spent any time in the book industry might be at a loss for what to do and because of that, might end up doing nothing. I find that when I talk to folks they tell me they'd love to help but have no clue where to start. So take this list and pass it out to everyone you know, this should give them a good jump - off point and could certainly help boost your sales!

1. Do you have promotional pieces? T - shirts, postcards, bookmarks, hats, magnets? Send some to all of your friends and ask them to pass them out or leave them in places where your readers might shop.

2. Send friends and family an announcement e - mail and ask if they'll send it to ten (or more) people they know with their endorsement to buy the book or better yet, if they have a newsletter or mailing list, see if they'll announce your book to their newsletter readers!

3. Have them go into their local bookstore and talk to the manager about inviting you in for a local event or better yet, see if they'll stock your book.

4. Encourage everyone you know to buy a book.
5. Offer them a commission if they sell books on your behalf.

6. If you're in town, see if they'll host a book signing at their home to introduce you to their network of friends.

7. Do they have businesses? See if they'll consider selling your book at their offices. (And remember to give them a percentage!)

8. Do they have any connections with local radio, TV or print? Ask them if they'll make a call for you to see about getting you on the air.

9. Tell your friends what you need. Make up a promotional "wish list" for example "I wish I could do an event at XYZ bookstore, or I wish I could get into XYZ magazine." You never know whom they might know. Remember the six degrees of separation rule. Often friends want to help but they don't know what you need. Tell them.

10. Thank them for all of their efforts and keep them apprised of your success. Often we get so busy promoting our books that we forget to say thank you and, since we hate to boast, we also forget to tell people all the wonderful things that have happened to us and our books. Tell them. They'll be happy for you and it might inspire them to do more!

If some of these tips sound familiar, it may be because many are in The Frugal Book Promoter (http://budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo). It's amazing how often Penny's and my advice are similar.

If you would like a free marketing evaluation of your book, e - mail Penny at penny@amarketingexpert.com . And you can subscribe to her tips at http://www.amarketingexpert.com/.


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

Editing Tip: Avoid the b - o - o - o - ring repetitive phrases that politicians and TV media use ad infinitum in your writing. I’m thinking of phrases like “going forward,” especially when it’s clear in the body of the sentence that something may occur in the future. I mean, English does have a future tense! We don’t have to treat it as if it’s invisible and too difficult to understand.


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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: If you’d like to snag a better spot on search engines—especially Google—then you’ll like this easy to read slide show that gives guidelines for optimizing your site’s search engine visibility yourself (meaning doing it frugally!): http://www.slideshare.net/meshmarketer/how - to - get - better - search - rankings - on - google?from=new_upload_email Some of the entries are bit geekish. That doesn’t mean you won’t learn something from some of them.


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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 Inspiration
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Magdalena Ball and I are working on a book inspired by our environment. A recent poem she is working on for that book was inspired by murmuration. If you don't know what that is or even if you do, watch this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eakKfY5aHmY. May you be so inspired.

Making Your Digital Chapbooks into Print - Yourself Book
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Monika Rose is the editor of one of the journals my poetry appears in. She suggests this link for learning to make our own chapbooks or gift books: http://www.pw.org/content/diy_how_to_make_and_bind_chapbooks.

Learn more about Monika, Editor of the Manzanita Writers Press, at http://monikarosewriter.com. Learn more about Manzanita Press at http://manzapress.com


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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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In the News: Publishers Weekly reports that Penguin has settled the e - book suit brought against them by the US Justice Department. The department accused many of the largest publishers of colluding with Apple to keep e - book prices high. Others like Hachette, HarperCollins, and Simon & Schuster have already settled these "anti - competitive conduct," charges. That means lower prices for e - books from these major publishers may now be available to consumers and that other publishers will be less likely to fix online prices again.


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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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Publishing News: Vantage Press, the publisher that gave us all the horrible term “vanity press” closes. It’s been around since 1949, according to Dan Poynter’s Parapublishing newsletter.


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Ta Da! E - books are great tools for promotion
http://www.bookbuzzr.com/blog/book - marketing/ta - da - e - books - are - great - tools - for - promotion/
The Anatomy of a Free (Read that Promotional!) E - Book
http://www.bookbuzzr.com/blog/book - marketing/the - anatomy - of - a - free - read - that - promotional - e - book/
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Tip: I have been a Joan Stewart fan (AKA The Publicity Hound) for years. She offers a New Year’s gift on her best do - it - yourself publicity tips for you to download f r ~ ~ at http://publicityhound.net/12 - ways - to - use - my - free - ebook - on - diy - publicity - tips/ While you’re there, you’d be doing yourself a favor to sign up for her Publicity Hound newsletter.


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

Tip: In a comment on my blog post about new year resolutions for writers author Devon Ellington says, “I buy books by living authors in the indie stores; buy the dead authors at second hand or get them at the library. This gives me more money to buy living authors and help them keep writing.

What are your ideas for supporting the publishing industry and one another in 2013? Go here to chime in: http://sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com/2012/12/new - year - resolutions - tis - season - for.html


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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: My Yoga instructor doesn’t make new year resolutions. She chooses a word that she wants to inform the year ahead. That seems like an especially good idea for those of us who work with words. I think the universe hears a single heartfelt word and reverberates to its sound much better than something longish like "I want to complete my novel."


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


Fiction Writer's Tip: I'm reading a brand new book on writing fiction. The Fiction Writer's Handbook by Shelly Lowenkopf is published by White Whiskers Books. I believe strongly in reading a book like this after you've completed the first draft of a novel. Even if you think a dozen classes and sixteen books you've read in the past are enough. There's something about a new voice, a new inspiration when your own novel is in its formative stage. I promise you, you'll be glad you did.


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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 Karen Fisher - Alaniz … ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
…for the great review of The Frugal Book Promoter on her blog. I think you can all benefit by noticing how she worked her own book and other work into the review itself—a great technique for authors who are using reviews as a way to network and market their own work. It will only work when you're doing the review for your own blog or Web site (not Amazon!), but when you can do this, go for it! http://www.storymatters2.com/2012/11/20/book - review - the - frugal - book - promoter/


Thanks to Barbara Cotter…
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Barbara Cotter, an author from the UK who recently read The Frugal Book Promoter (http://budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo), wrote me a letter that warmed my heart. Too many of us (authors may be especially guilty) may have a misconception of what public relations and marketing is. Too many others tend to search out reading that reinforces their beliefs. It seems contrary to what a writer is or should be. Curious. Always willing (even hopeful!) that they'll see something in a new light, something they can then clarify for others. She, as it turns out, is one of those. She explains on her blog:
http://peripheria.me/2012/12/29/reculer - pour - mieux - sauter/


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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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Opportunities

Learning from Dana Lynn Smith
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Learn How Sell More Books in 2013!
Some book marketing strategies apply to all types of books, but there are some real differences in the most effective ways to promote children's books, novels, and nonfiction books. That's why Dana Lynn Smith introduced three new Savvy Book Marketer author training programs designed to help you sell the type of book that YOU write. Each is $37 and includes the training presentation and a resource guide.

How to Sell More Novels
http://bookmarketingmaven.typepad.com/savvy_book_marketer/how - to - sell - more - novels.html

How to Sell More Nonfiction Books
http://bookmarketingmaven.typepad.com/savvy_book_marketer/sell - more - nonfiction - books.html

How to Sell More Children's Books
http://bookmarketingmaven.typepad.com/savvy_book_marketer/sell - more - childrens - books.html

Click any of the links above to get complete details. And take advantage of this opportunity to learn how to boost sales of your books in 2013!

Great List of Top Literary Contests…
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…for those of you who write fiction or poetry from the Freelancewriting.com site: http://www.freelancewriting.com/writing - contests.php

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Are you an ampersand fan? Chaz DeSimone designs a f r ~ ~ series of art prints & posters featuring “the ampersand as fun & fabulous art.” A new edition is released each month. Each is entirely different, creatively & professionally designed, & each is associated with the ampersand & by extension, our love of writing. They come with directions for printing, framing & making this into a f r ~ ~bie that lasts. To subscribe & see images go to: http://amperart.com
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In The News: One of America's major awards, The National Book Award, was given to Louise Erdrich for her novel The Round House set among the Chippewa Native Americans. Journalist Katherine Boo won for her nonfiction, Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity. Books must be nominated by their publishers for this award and the award generally goes to books that deal with what they call the stories found "in hidden places."


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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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Opportunities

OneHundredFreeBooks.com a Resource for You
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Cheri Crotty of One Hundred Fr ~ ~ Books wrote to tell my poetry partner Magdalena Ball and I that our Blooming Red: Christmas Poetry for the Rational was hand selected for their list. It was fr ~ ~ during a Kindle Select e - book marketing campaign. I wanted to send you the link so you could let Cheri know about your promotion if you should ever have a similar one.

http://onehundredfreebooks.com/blog/2012/12/17/monday - evening - 121712 - five - free - kindle - books/

Their site, onehundredfreebooks.com, has been featured on Time.com, Lifehacker.com, About.com and many others. Reach Cheri and tell her how you learned of her site at ccrotty@onehundredfreebooks.com or http://facebook.com/onehundredfreebooks


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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

Little Free Libraries
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By Mindy Phillips Lawrence

Holly June Graves of Springfield, Missouri
with her Little Free Library
(picture used with permission).

In the world of Kindles and Nooks, the same world in which electronics seem to rule the universe, a strange event is occurring. People are building little libraries in their communities, often outside of their homes and apartments, where anyone can drive or walk by, take a book to read, and either return the same book or bring back another one. I am talking about the phenomenon begun in 2009 called the Little Free Library movement.

Holly June Graves and her husband E.W. have built the little library shown in the picture above. She’s an avid reader and he’s a retired mechanic who became interested in carpentry. He made birdhouses and bookshelves until Holly plugged him into the idea of building libraries. The libraries he builds are not on the Carnegie Library scale. Instead, they are tiny offerings of books to the public, block by block. These containers can be one - story or two - story edifices. In fact, someone converted an old bread box from the thrift store into a Little Library. They’ve spurred creativity, reading and community sharing.

The Little Free Library idea was born in Wisconsin. According to its Mission Statement on it webpage, they are designed to:

*Promote literacy and the love of reading by building free book exchanges worldwide.

*Build a sense of community as we share skills, creativity, and wisdom across generations.

*Build more than 2,500 libraries around the world—more that Andrew Carnegie—and then more. One has opened in Ghana!

If you want to know if there are any Little Free Libraries in your area, go to:

http://tinyurl.com/7gkbyhm. Search the map to see where to find a library in your neck of the woods. Not all of them are registered but many are.

If you find a Little Free Library near you, take something to read and bring something back. You might also leave a small kindly written note while you are there saying, “Thank you.”


LINKS
Little Free Library Organization
http://www.littlefreelibrary.org/


Using Books to Build Community
http://dailynightly.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/03/10/10634425 - using - books - to - build - community


Community Closeup – Little Free Library
http://articles.kspr.com/2012 - 11 - 28/library_35418641


Little Free Libraries – Austin, Texas
http://www.statesman.com/news/lifestyles/home - garden/growing - the - love - of - reading - free - libraries - pop - up - /nSwPp/


Facebook – Little Free Library
http://www.facebook.com/LittleFreeLibrary?filter=1


Little Free Libraries – Green Bay, Wisconsin
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20121123/GPG0101/311230289/ - Little - libraries - encourage - reading - community - through - free - book - exchanges?odyssey=nav%7Chead&nclick_check=1


Build Your OWN Little Free Library
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/build - your - own - little - free - library - 175402

Little Free Libraries Movement Keeps Gaining Momentum
http://badgerherald.com/artsetc/2012/11/08/little_free_library_.php

~Mindy Phillips Lawrence is a writer, editor and artist based in Springfield, Missouri. You can reach her at mplcreative at yahoo.com or view her Web site at http://mplcreative.webs.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: You probably knew but just in case: Facebook is building its own little main street shopping area for its employees at their campus in Menlo Park, California!

It seems that any retailer who wanted to apply for a location would have a captive audience there - - an audience with plenty of new - - media money in their pockets.

A general stores is planned, and a gallery. But I saw no plans for a bookstore (really! do all those FB types really read only e - books!). And no plans for a real gift store, card shop, or clothing store (really, do they all only wear stretched - out T - shirts and second hand jeans?). http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4056580309029737750#editor/target=post;postID=8102453575057459336


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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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Tip: Terry Whalin has been using Fiverr.com to get expert designers to juggle logos and banners for his myriad of new projects. http://fiverr.com He's also an expert speaker. Reach him at terry@terrywhalin.com.


Carolyn's Appearances and Teaching ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
New Info!  I will be doing a Webinar on January 18 at 11 AM PST 12 PM MST 1 PM CST 2 PM EST 11 with the National Association of Memoir Writers (http://namw.org ) president, Linda Joy Myers. It is Magic Marketing for Memoir: It's Never Too Late or Too Early to Do Right by Your Book. Too many memoirists and others who write in literary genres like poetry have come to believe that marketing or promotion won't work for them. Worse, they believe it can't be done. Worse still, that it is counter to their artistic intent. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Some of our greatest writers and artists have been master marketers. Think Mark Twain, Dickens, Andy Warhol, Peter Max. Think, too, how many more people they reached and inspired because they were. Won't you join us?

 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.

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.


 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.


New!  Carve out time for a panel on great book marketing on Sunday, June 23, from 3:30 to 4:45 at the Pasadena Hilton Hotel in Pasadena, CA. I'll also be signing books. Of course the entire conference will be a winner for writers, too. Hosts are CCWC members Patty Smiley and Dianne Emley. Learn more about the organization and the conference at http://www.ccwconference.org/


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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.)


TOMORROW: One of the greatest labor saving devices of today.


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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

Find Magdalena Ball's and my poetry fanpage at http://facebook.com/CelebrationSeriesPoetryChapbooks




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 e - books:

She Wore Emerald Then: Reflections on Motherhood, a chapbook of poetry. Coauthored with Magdalena Ball.
Paperback and Kindle: http://budurl.com/MotherChapbook
For e - books:
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
To order as a paperback or for Kindle: http://bururl.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