August 03, 2007
Sharing with Writers
A newsletter that is also a community. Share your ideas. Learn from theirs!

From the Desks of
Carolyn Howard-Johnson and Authors' Coalition Friends
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"Sharing with Writers" is the official newsletter of Authors' Coalition,

http://authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com

an organization of writers who help writers.

To read this letter in plain vanilla text, scroll down. To read this newsletter with a bit more pizzazz (not much, though!) at Authors Den go to:

http://www.AuthorsDen.com/adstorage/1713/Sharingwithwriters_Aug_No1Week2007.doc

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Note from Carolyn:

My fellow AC Members and SWW Subscribers:

Have I told you subscribers before how I love you? And how service to writers is next only to writing itself in my book of pleasures?

Well, last week I got an invitation to serve on the advisory board of the Spirited Woman, led by Nancy Mills. It is a pleasure to be there with The Publicity Hound, Joan Stewart, the great literary writer, Fannie Flagg (I've always wished I'd been the one to writer Fried Green Tomatoes!), Linda Hollander, Barbara Nowak and Bev Wichman, Elizabeth Gortschacher, Karen Olson and Phyllis Stoller, spirited women all.

Go to: http://www.thespiritedwoman.com/advisory_board/. to see what you might find of inspiration there. One thing that will interest you for sure, is Nancy's CD series--interviews of women active in publishing--whether that's writing, agenting or whatever.

Very best,

Happy, happy writing and promoting!
Carolyn Howard-Johnson
HoJoNews@aol.com
Websites: http://carolynhoward-johnson.com and www.HowToDoItFrugally.com
http://authorscoalitionandredenginepess.com Blogs: A blog focused on book fairs at
http://redenginepress.com/chjohnson and another blog that is about writing and reading at http://www.sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com and
http://www.thenewbookreview.blogspot.com

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New members will help Authors' Coalition serve all its members better! Ask your writing friends to join at http://authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com. Paid members get a favorite review posted, consideration for an interview or review in Yarnspinners and Wordweavers and ditto for The Fiction Flyer. Membership is reasonable, too.
Tell friends to visit our blog. There they'll learn how to spark generally insipid book fairs by using value-added promotions: http://redenginepress.com/chjohnson .
http://authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com
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Letters-to-the-Editor

Hi Carolyn,

Here's an "increasing readership" tip for you whenever you post a link in an email, always include the http:// part in front of it, which makes it instantly clickable depending upon what email reader someone is using. If you just make it www.domain, for example, the link isn't clickable and there's a greater likelihood someone won't take the time to cut and paste it into their browser. More clicks = more connections = more sales, right?

I noticed that some of the links in your sig line had the full http address, but some, like www.sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com and
www.thenewbookreview.blogspot.com didn't, so this is just a heads-up helpful hint.

Keep up the good work!

Karen Winters
http://www.karenwinters.com
http://www.karensblog.com

Editor's Note: Check out Karen's beautiful artwork. Is there a way you might use it in your next book? Or use her cards as thank yous?

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Subscribers who have websites or newsletters of their own may be interested in the Free Articles 4 Readers and Writers on my site, www.howtodoitfrugally.com. I try to add new articles to it each week. If you don't see what you need for your blog, or newsletter, just ask. HoJoNews@aol.com.
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TIP: Sean O'Reilly, editor at Travelers' Tales www.travelerstales.com suggests www.redbrazil.com as a place to buy books He says, "one million titles and better prices on new books than Amazon." The price on my This Is the Place (definitely not new!) is also less than Amazon's. (-: Is your book there?
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Thank Yous

(There are leads here, just as you'll find in all the most innocent-looking areas of this newsletter. You never know when you'll find a name or a site that will help you network or write better!)

To Dawn Colclasure, who ran my recent release on the Noble (Not Nobel!) Prize in her Burning the Midnight Oil e-zine
http://archives.zinester.com/59308/137103.html
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To Terry Whalin for picking up my article on using e-books for f r e e publicity from my F R ^ ^ Content page on www.howtodoitfrugally.com. Find the article along with other relevant information for writers on this page: http://www.right-writing.com/Right_Writing_News-news-news28.html . Scroll down just a bit to find the one on using e-books. (-:
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To Magadalena Ball, editor of www.compulsivereader.com for putting my two books from the How To Do It Frugally Series of books for writers up on her site. You'll all want to explore this site for reading/writing/promotion possibilities for your work. (-:

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No part of this newsletter is paid advertising. If you would like to advertise to subscribers, display ads are available at www.howtodoitfrugally.com at less per year than most sites charge for a single month (see the advertising tab at the top of the page). Authors' Coalition www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com is also accepting ads.
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Blog Link

Anyone for F r ^ ^ Books?

You've probably heard of Powell's books. They now have an online function that is fantastic and I know because Google Alerts let me know that my new The Frugal Editor is now on the site. Naturally, I had to go peek around. And here's the feature I love for both readers and writers who like to promote. People who leave comments on books (sort of like the Amazon reviews I expect!) are eligible for free books. So see my page, leave a comment and let's learn about this together!
http://www.powells.com/biblio/9780978515874?&PID=32186
You'll find my blog on this subject with more details at www.sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com .

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If you enjoy "Sharing with Writers" please nominate it for Writer's Digest's 101 Best Newsletters for Writers. We aren't big, we aren't old. So it would take a huge outpouring from subscribers to make a dent. Send an e-mail to writersdig@fwpubs.com with subject line, "101 Best Newsletters for Authors" and let them know what this newsletter does for you!
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Amazon Vine: A New Amazon Perk
Steve Weber, http://www.weberbooks.com/publish.htmI, has a blog called Plug Your Books. He reports on the possibilities of Amazon's new program called Amazon Vine in which Amazon supplies f r ^ ^ review copies to readers in return for a review on Amazon. As of now the program appears to be by invitation only. Here is Steve's full article. http://e.je/25. Read my blog on the ethical issues regarding this practice and how it might hurt authors and publishers. www.sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com.

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Watch for the third annual All Tips Edition of Sharing with Writers coming in September. Send your favorite tip for inclusion to: HoJoNews@aol.com with "SWW TIP: in the subject line.
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More Amazon Stuff: Your Tags and Search Suggestions Feature Has Changed

Here is the letter, straight from the Mouth of the Amazon:

Dear Amazon.com Customer,

As a previous user of "Search Suggestions", we thought you would like to know about an important change to this feature. "Search Suggestions" is now known as "Tags for Amazon Search". You can access the new feature by signing on to the main Amazon.com website and following the instructions below.

Tagging products for Amazon Search (make a Search Suggestion):

* Go to the Amazon.com detail page for your chosen product (e.g. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0978515870/ [That's my The Frugal Editor page]).

* Find the section titled "Tags customers associate with this product"

* Locate the subsection at the bottom of this section titled "Help others find this product - tag it for Amazon Search"

*You can "tag" the product from here.

[To} manage your existing Tags for Amazon Search (updating Search Suggestions):

* Go to the Amazon.com detail page for one of your products (e.g. http://amazon.com/dp/0978515870 [yours will have your own ISBN number at the end of the URL).

* Find the section titled "Tags customers associate with this product"

* Locate the subsection at the bottom of this section titled "Help others find this product - tag it for Amazon Search"

* You will see the link to manage all your Tags for Amazon Search there.

If you have any further queries, please contact tags-feedback@amazon.com.

Kind regards,
Amazon.com

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Tip: I just re-joined NAWW (National Association of Women's Writers) founded by Sheri' McConnell. Like anything it works if you work it and offers many basic and advanced perks for writers who are making it their career. It also offers critique opportunities and more. With your membership you will receive The Woman's Book of Powerful Quotations (and yes, a couple of my quotations are in there!) but also a list three pages long of how you can get involved. Pick and choose! (-: Just click here to join http://www.profcs.com/app/?af=634221. If you do, please send me your e-mail acceptance and I'll send you a white paper from my new book The Frugal Editor. By the way, that offer doubles with a paid membership (only $20 for the silver membership) to Authors' Coalition.
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Opportunity:

West Hollywood Fair Booth Space
Authors' Coalition is sponsoring a booth at the West Hollywood Fair. Paid participating AC subscribers are Joyce Faulkner, Carol Wood, Erica Stux, Janet Goliger, Jay Bern, Leora Krygier, Walter Brasch, Sona Ovasapyan, Christine Alexanians, and Kevin Gerard. To learn more, e-mail me with BOOK FAIR in the subject line at hojonews@aol.com or go to the new blog on fairs (got a new one that works!) at www.authorscoalition.blogspot.com. By the way, this is a cross-promotion effort. Participants need to plan to send out media releases (with my guidance) and invitations. (-:
Check out the fair at http://www.westhollywoodbookfair.org/

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Please pass this letter on to others. Unlike many others, I do not mind if you use only portions of it as long as you credit the writers and include this subscribe information. "To subscribe to 'Sharing with Writers' send an e-mail to HoJoNews@aol.com with 'subscribe' in the subject line."
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Author Successes

(If you read about others' successes you'll not only be inspired, you'll glean resources for future successes of your own. You are invited to send me news about your successes. Please use "AUTHOR SUCCESSES" as a subject lines.)

Mary Jean Kelso's The Christmas Angel is the story of Melissa, a young girl traveling the Oregon Trail with her parents and the one prized possession she struggles to keep intact. It was just released by Guardianangelpublishing.com
E-book ISBN: 978 1 933090 32 0
Print ISBN: 978 1 933090 58 0

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Fun and F r * *: If you purchased The
Frugal Book Promoter in the past, I'd love for 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 an excerpt from The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success that is now available for pre-order on Amazon. The excerpt includes some of the sidebars from the book that may help you with some tricky grammar. As a thank you, of course. HoJoNews@aol.com, the Frugal Book
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Carolyn's Appearances and Teaching:

Carolyn will moderate a panel titled
Reach for Your Dream: Prepare for Publication the Professional Way
at the West Hollywood Book Fair on September 30. Circle your calendars. From 1:00-1:45 pm. It's f r ^ ^ Even those who are old hands at publishing will learn something new, I promise!
West Hollywood Park
647 N San Vicente Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
Learn more at http://www.westhollywoodbookfair.org/
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Carolyn will speak at the fourth Annual Pen to Paper Literary Symposium October 6, 2007, Dayton Marriott, 1414 S. Patterson Blvd Dayton, Ohio, 45409. The conference, spearheaded by Valerie Coleman, will include tracks for music and screenwriting, in addition to writing and publishing books. Start planning now to attend this elite event and take advantage of the early bird special (www.penofthewriter.com/pentopaper).
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Carolyn Howard-Johnson will speak at the Southern Festival of Books: A Celebration of the Written Word (October 12-14) in Nashville, TN. The subject is Realize Your Dream: From Query Letter to Bestseller--Frugally!
The time will be announced later. And don't you just love the title of the fair? You'll find more information on this fair and others you might participate in at www.howtodoitfrugally.com. Click on the Resources for Writers page and scroll down. For more on this specific fair, go to
http://tn-humanities.org/festival.
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The f r ^ ^ Muse Online Writers' Conference, sponsored by Lea Schizas and Carolyn Howard-Johnson, is accepting early registration. More than 1,000 attended last year and openings are limited. Learn more about this year's conference, October 8 to 14, and how you can assure your spot in 2007. We will present an all-new program soon. Go to:
http://www.freewebs.com/themuseonlinewritersconference/presentersregistration.htm
To see the growing list of presenters go to: http://www.freewebs.com/themuseonlinewritersconference/2007workshops.htm

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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 from scolding Oprah to free speech. 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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Just something of interest: You might want to drop by this blog for a taste of authors and Starbucks. (-: I left a comment. You know how I am always telling you writers to leave comments with your URL! Here it is! http://www.starbuckled.blogspot.com/
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Carolyn's Appearances and Teaching for 2008:

& As you can see 2008 is already beginning to fill. I will be sharing with the nation's humor writers again in the spring of 2008 at Dayton University's Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop. I'll speak twice at the Kennedy Union on campus. http://www.humorwriters.org/

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Booth opportunities at the West Hollywood Book Fair. E-mail me now. They're filling up fast.
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TIP: Please click on my Google Calendar button to learn more about my upcoming UCLA Extension Writers' Program classes, my writers' conference and book fair appearances and more.
http://www.google.com/calendar/render?cid=hojonews%40aol.com&pli=1&gsessionid=Zo-8e2EmPF0

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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. Let people see that book cover image! So, you are invited to advertise as a site sponsor at www.howtodoitfrugally.com. for a year at the same price many sites frequented by readers and writers charge in 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 just updated the list of book fairs and trade shows on my site. Remember, if you want to present you should plan six to eight months out. If you're doing a booth, still at least three months. Here's the link to the book fair page on my site. http://www.carolynhowardjohnson.redenginepress.com/book_fairs,_tradshows.htm. Or you can just go to www.howtodoitfrugally.com and click on the Resources for Writers link where you'll find tons of other useful stuff, too. (-:
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Available: Audios from Audio Divas on many aspects of building a writing career are published by Double Dragon Press. Here is the page where you'll find the full list (http://www.double-dragon-ebooks.com/glist.php?imprint=AUDIO) including one on "Do It Yourself Indexing." The first audio, "Promoting Easy and Cheap!" is a
F R ^ ^ sample you can download. Each comes with a resource guide. Here is an example of a guide for the audio-lesson Your Divas did on "Contests": http://www.derondouglas.com/audiosample/AwardResourceGuideContests.pdf
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Opportunities:

Publicity Call from Library Journal:

From Ann Burns
Associate Editor, Library Journal

To help libraries prepare for Black History Month as well as support their ongoing purchasing of multicultural books, Library Journal will again feature in its November 1 issue works by and about African American writers.

This issue will include books and audiobooks being published between November 1, 2007 and February 29, 2008. Please supply us with two galleys (or books) and one audiobook if possible in all subject areas . . . as well as promotional information and catalog copy. Please do not
include reprints or children’s books.

This material is due on August 27, 2007. If you have any questions please call (646) 746-6800 or send e-mail to burns@reedbusiness.com .
You may mail information to 360 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10010.

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Authors' Coalition members! For credibility, use the AC logo on your promotional materials. Ask for it by sending an e-mail to HoJoNews@aol.com or download it with a click from the AC site http://authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com.
Be sure to link it to the AC site, too! You know you want it on your website!
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Publication:

Writer Advice is asking for your input. That's a chance for newbies to be published, and other writers to maybe have their book mentioned. Go to: www.writeradvice.com , Deadline is August 28.

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"AC is the current that powers your writing career." http://authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com
Carolyn Howard-Johnson, Authors' Coalition Founder
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Resources
From Elizabeth Lucas-Taylor

(Elizabeth contributes at least one valuable paying resource per SWW issue--either a great place to sell material or find writing craft or promotional idea--and sometimes throws in a resource for you.)

BABY NAMES OF THE WORLD - http://www.babynamesworld.com

NATIVE AMERICAN NAMES w/meaning & tribe http://www.20000-names.com/female_native_american_names.htm and
http://www.behindthename.com/nmc/ame.php
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Find Elizabeth at http://www.authorsden.com/elucastaylor or her new blog at http://www.elucas-taylor.blogspot.com/ or at MySpace http://www.myspace.com/elucastaylor
where you will find a writers' community.

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Reciprocal Links: Many subscribers are in a position to cross-promote. Let me know if you would like to trade some recommendation or promotion for any of my books -- the HowToDoItFrugally Series to my chapbook of poetry -- for a place on my Resources for Writers or Resources for Readers pages on www.HowToDoItFrugally.com.
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Tip: Hot-off-the-press tip! Some days I can't even figure out how stuff comes to me but I found a message from this blog in my e-mail box. Was it S P A M? Don't know. But if it was, it's the kind I love. It appears to be a place where you can weigh in with a criticism of a book, but you might also query for a review of your book there. See what you think! Let me know. http://blogcritics.org/

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I use Vista Print for lots of my promotional materials. Be aware that shipping prices may fluctuate, depending on the deal of the moment. Even at that, the prices generally are good, the products they offer excellent quality and they do short runs. (I don't advise long runs on promotion material because your needs can change very quickly.) Please use this link:
http://www.vistaprint.com/frf?frf=815651421184
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Web Advice from WebforAuthors.com Expert Marshall Turner

Images 1
Everyone has images of some type on their websites. Helping with images is one of WebforAuthors.com's most common support issues, so here are a few things to help you. I will discuss images more over the next few weeks.

Websites use two image types, JPEG and GIF. Forget about using anything else! JPEG works best for continuous tone images like pictures. The GIF format works best for images with solid colors and lines, so it is typically used for drawings, logo, etc. The JPEG can have up to 16 million colors (see why it's best for pictures,) while GIF is limited to 256 colors. In addition, a GIF can do something a JPEG cannot - it can have a transparent background.

While JPEG is best for pictures, it is a "lossy" format, meaning that some information is thrown away to reduce file size. On the other hand, GIF is "lossless" because it does not throw anything away to reduce the file size.
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website at http://www.webforauthors.com/ or contact Marshall at mturner@webforauthors.com.


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The New Book Review is a service of this newsletter and Authors' Coalition. It allows authors to get more exposure from their favorite review and reviewers a chance to have more readers see their reviews--with links, of course. Please check the guidelines on the blog site at www.TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com. This has been popular so please allow some time before your review will be posted. =====================================================

E-Tips for E-Promotion

Yvonne Perry at www.yvonneperry.blogspot.com uses something called a blog chain. These work better for cross-promotion if you can put them upfront and center as she has done. That's because people can see their links easily and people can see the immediate advantage of having a link featured so prominently. I have one on each of my blogs, too (one blog is www.sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com), but my blog page format requires that one scroll to the bottom of the blog to see it in all its glory. I'm working to see if I can fix that.
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This is a regular Sharing with Writers feature by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of USA Book News' Best Professional Book THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T and the soon-to-be released THE FRUGAL EDITOR: PUT YOUR BEST BOOK FORWARD TO AVOID HUMILIATION AND ENSURE SUCCESS. (E-tips for E-promotion was originally a regular feature of SellWritingOnline.com.)

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Endorsement:
"www.HowToDoItFrugally.com , by Carolyn Howard--Johnson [is] a top website for writers . . . I'd say my ROI is over 1,000%. The advice is particularly strong in addressing the new author where they are in learning the publishing/selling process. Very practical. The site is excellent." ~ Hill Kemp, author of Capitol Offense, http://www.capitoloffense.com/, and contributor to Secrets, Fact or Fiction? I, ISBN 0-9737282-5-6 and Secrets, Fact or Fiction? II, ISBN 1-59594-062-6, LOC 2006904627, http://www.secretsfactorfiction.com
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Wordstuff ™

Something to Make Writers Smile
(Every year the Washington Post conducts a neologism contest. These are the winners, one at a time. You might have some favorite neologisms metaphors or similes that make you smile. If so, please contribute.)

"Arachnoleptic fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web."

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Essential Book and Record Keeping:

This letter is an entity of Authors' Coalition http://authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com

Edited and distributed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson,

http://carolynhoward-johnson.com

author of This Is the Place, Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered, Tracings, and the How To Do It Frugally Series of books for writers, www.howtodoitfrugally.com.

This is a place to share with others and learn from others.

Though I do attempt to verify information used within this newsletter's pages, Sharing with Writers does not guarantee entities or information. Subscribers should research resources

To submit information articles, tips or other information e-mail Carolyn at HoJoNews@aol.com. Please put "Submission: Sharing with Writers" in the subject line.

If you do not care to receive this letter, send an e-mail to HoJoNews@aol.com with "Unsubscribe in the subject line, but please, please don't tell me you've given up writing or promoting!

To subscribe to Sharing with Writers send an e-mail with "Subscribe" in the subject line to: HoJoNews@aol.com

Please pass this newsletter on to friends or e-groups. It needn't be pasted in its complete form, but please credit this newsletter, Authors' Coalition and the individual contributors with anything you snip and paste.

Order the Frugal Book Promoter: How to Do What Your Publisher Won't
at stores like UCLA, Dayton University and San Diego State University's bookstores. Order it as an e-book at http://starpublish.com/carolyn_howard-johnson.htm

or paperback at Amazon where it is discounted:
www.amazon.com/gp/product/193299310X/qid=1149015406/sr=2-1/

Tracings, a chapbook of poetry, published by Finishing Line Press may be ordered at www.amazon.com/gp/product/1599240173/qid=1139084827/sr=1-1/