August 12, 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_No2Week2007.doc

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Note from Carolyn:

My fellow AC Members and SWW Subscribers:

Busy is such a, well . . . busy word.

We are all so b-i-z-z-y. We want to learn more about our craft; we want to promote more; we have day jobs. We even have families! Yeeesht!

I write a column for MyShelf.com and one of the editors reminded us that we should be reading the columns of all the other contributors in addition to our own. That reminded me of one of the earliest lessons I learned as a young (very young!) journalist.

Back in those days--in the dark ages--my editor made me read the full newspaper, front to back when I first got to my desk. I would take the bus from my campus to the Tribune building on Main Street eager to start writing by 3 pm. Being only 18 and not wise in the way of bosses, I expressed that reading the newspaper might be a waste of time when I could be writing! She explained that to be a good reporter, I needed to know what was going on in the world, in the city, etc. She raised an eyebrow and pointedly told me I also needed to know what people on the staff were doing well and what they were doing not so well. "All journalists learn from that," she said.

I also figured I could save time by giving the photographers instructions on how to illustrate my stories while I remained in the newsroom to write my next story. Being a slow learner, I voiced that opinion, too. "Nope," she said, "you have to go with them."

She was right. Tagging along with the photographers gave me new ideas for stories. Once I saw a gallery wall winding up a staircase in the home of a physician--something new in those days. It ended up being a full-page spread in what was then the section called Society.

I also learned a lot about photo setups, framing a photo properly, cropping, etc. I didn't learn to use a camera, but, if I'd stayed, I might have learned that, too. My stories were all the better written and all the better illustrated because of all this time I wasted.

So, what are we as writers missing because we're so rushed? And what can we give up in order to get out a bit, to do a bit ore reading?

I can't remember for sure but I think it was our nation's last poet laureate who said that even poets need to write about the world and that to do that, they needed to experience more of it.

So, I'm renewing my efforts. I've giving up watching the local news on TV (really, really a waste of time!) so I can read the fellows' columns on MyShelf.com and take the time to read every word of Joan Stewart's newsletter, Publicity Hound, www.publicityhound.com, not just the cute doggy jokes at the end.

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 www.sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com and
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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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: Writers are often photographers, too. Lynn Eodice's book is featured on an Amazon page along with lots of other books that might interest photographers. It's www.amazon.com/photoworkshop. I'm not sure, but it looks as if this page is something that her publisher (Wiley) purchases from Amazon like advertising space. Lucky Wiley authors!
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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 Jill Ronsley, owner of SUN Editing & Book Design, www.SunEditWrite.com , for nominating this newsletter for Writer's Digest's 101 Best Newsletters for Writers and for letting me know about it so I can thank her! (-:
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To Mayra Calvani for the great review of The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success for the likes of Dark Phantom Wordpress, B&N, Habitual Reader, Associated Content, American Chronicle, Ezine Articles, Midwest Book Review (Sept. issue) and August issues of The Fountain Pen and Voice in the Dark newsletters. Find this and other reviews on the Frugal Editor's review page at
http://www.carolynhowardjohnson.redenginepress.com/reviews3.htm or go directly to her site to see what else it up with her: http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=34213 and at http://thefountainpennewsletter.blogspot.com/
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To Corey Campbell at UCLA Extension Writers' Program for linking two of my blogs to their Writer's Program site. Check out that site (http://www.uclaextensionwritersprogram.blogspot.com/) as well as several from my fellow UCLA instructors like Kerry Madden and Carolyn Leavitt. (-: Tell them I sent you! And, nag, nag! Leave your URL with your signature!
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To Marla Alupoaicei, editor of the blog, Leap of Faith, http://marriageleap.com/2007/08/05/the-simple-life/ for recommending The Frugal Book Promoter. What a nice out-of-the-blue surprise!
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To Connie Gotsch, host of Write On! for including information on my upcoming appearance in Dayton, OH. at the Pen to Paper Literary Symposium on her blog. How might you connect with this well-known Four-Corners area radio host? http://www.conniegotsch.blogspot.com/
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To Tom Barnes and Gloria Oren for their comments on The Frugal Editor page at Powells.com. I've never run across the generosity of commenting on the author in spite of the fact the reviewer hadn't read the book yet. Isn't that just something? See their comments here: http://www.powells.com/biblio/9780978515874?&PID=32186
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To Jared Vineyard of J.D. Vine for listing my books on the community page of his site. http://jdvine.com/Community.html Check it out. He offers a paying anthology market, too. (-:

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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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The "Tell-A-Friend" Link on Amazon

F R ^ ^ Promotion on Amazon

Philip F. Harris, author of Jesus Taught It, Too, sent me a message about his book. Actually he sent it to all of his Amazon list, the list that Amazon calls "Amazon Friends." I'd never used it so I had to go see how it works. Phil says, "Sometimes the easy things are overlooked!"

Go to your book's Amazon page. Look on the right side . . . See exactly how to make this work for you by going to
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0978515870/

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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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Tip: My column this month at MyShelf.com includes idea for reading that should benefit any one my subscriber's careers. Pick and choose. Anything from a book on type face (fonts) to one on the elements of style for the Internet. (-:
http://myshelf.com/backtoliterature/column.htm
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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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Opinion

In the News

In his LA Times column "Regarding Media"(Sat. Aug. 11, p. E14), Tim Rutten reports that the online editions of two of Britain's top papers now have more readers from America than England. It seems there may be more than one reason for this. He mentions the snob factor. I think maybe it has something to do with more Internet connected newsies here. But Rutten thinks the main reason is that the Guardian and the Times of London publish more opinion and more analysis rather than hard news. He sees the future in journalism as a trend toward "viewspapers." Both he and I see this as a huge problem--one we are already experiencing to a certain extent. I think that the media is training us as a populace to prefer invective to unbiased news, is teaching us to literally search out only those who agree with our opinions whether they were formed by careful analysis or from listening to talk radio's diatribes.

So, our newspapers are facing a crisis--online or off. But it is we who ultimately will decide their fates. Have you canceled subscriptions? Do you comment only on the most inflammatory writing or broadcasts? Do you ever tune into an opinion you disagree with and if you do, do you choose those reported even-handedly or with venom?

As a writer who started out as a journalist, I am redoubling my efforts to support journalists (and their journals) in the Edward Murrow mold, or at least as close to him as I can find. Rutten calls them "fact-based" news sources. I call them courageous. That means, newscasters, editors, publishers, etc. who are more concerned with the fate of journalism and our nation than with pandering to the lowest common denominator to sell newspapers--or advertising.

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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.)

Valerie Connely's new book Calling All Authors, How to Publish with Your Eyes Wide Open is now available at www.nightengalepress.com and all online stores.

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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. The conference, spearheaded by Valerie Coleman is sponsored by Dayton Urban League at 907 West Fifth Street Dayton, Ohio 45402. It 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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& Carolyn Howard-Johnson talks to Valerie Connely's audience on

"Editing as Branding: Spelling success from queries to your book's manuscript."

Circle your calendar on Wednesday December 12th at 8PM Eastern, 7PM Central, 5PM Pacific time. More details to come. Reach Valerie at Nightengale Press, 847 810 8498, www.globaltalkradio.com/shows/callingallauthors

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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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TIP: Calling all bloggers, site editors, etc. in search of content. My "Free Articles 4 Writers, Editors" page is for you when you're in a pinch. The most frequent article I posted for you to use is "Let Tom Swift Inform Your Writing--496 Words." Find it along with other articles on writing at: http://www.carolynhowardjohnson.redenginepress.com/free_content.htm. You'll also find rants, articles on tolerance, promotion, editing, and more. (-:

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Carolyn's Appearances and Teaching for 2008:

New! & Carolyn will speak on Jan 2, 2008, at Ridge Writers, the East Sierra Branch of the California Writers Club founded more than 100 years go by Jack London and friends in the Bay area. The provide f r ^ ^ programs for writers at High Desert Haven in Ridgecrest. Learn more at www.ridgenet.net/~curtdan/ridgewriters.
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& 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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& Carolyn Howard-Johnson will appear on Write On Four Corners with host Connie Gotsch on KSJE FM Public Radio from San Juan College. Access the broadcast at: www.ksje.com 10:30 am Wed. 2:30 pm Fri. Mountain Time. Click on the website to listen live in your appropriate time zone. Connie is the author of the mystery suspense novel Snap Me a Future as well as host of Roving with the Arts on KSJE and regular contributor to The Four Corners Free Press www.fourcornersfreepress.com

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Carolyn's new blog for the participants in Authors' Coalition-sponsored booth is designed to help all authors learn to make often hum-drum book fair booths into sizzling successes. Visit at www.authorscoalition.blogspot.com. Leave comments, of course. ====================================

TIP from May Lattanzio, newly published poet on her first submission of poetry: "Poetry became important to me during a disastrous divorce, late in life. My poems were full of fear, pain, anger and finally, relief and hope. I wrote for self-therapy. Since then, my poetry has become gentler. I liked what I was producing; the real me. You can't lie when you write poetry. Never thinking anyone would be interested in publishing my poetry, I submitted (with great trepidation and fear of rejection), the first poem to Coffee Press Journal, a fine place for poets and essayists, online and in print. Now I am a returning poet, and I'm sure James Brown, Editor, would love to review your submissions for publication. Be inspired! Write your passion. Check out www.coffeepressjournal.com and see if this if this is a good fit for you. A cup of coffee with good company is always a pleasure. (And in the current issue, you will find my poem, "Laughing at the Moon".)"

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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: Sue Donckels, editor at Women on Writing and her team have an article on writing greeting cards and a piece on writing about food. These are subjects we don't see covered too often. They also have one on writing slogans! Find them at http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/
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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:

Call for Submissions:
The Creative Writer from J. D. Vine Publications
Deadline: August 30th
Category: Fiction (no word count limit)
Entry Fee: $5
Prize: Winner gets $150 and becomes the Featured Author of the next book in The Creative Writer series. Other stories will be chosen for publication.
Misc.: Poetry submissions are accepted with no fee for publication consideration. All writers retain their copyright.
http://www.jdvine.com/

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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.)


WORST VIRUS EVER --- CNN ANNOUNCED
A new virus has just been discovered that has be en classified by Microsoft as the most destructive ever. This virus was discovered by McAfee, and destroys Sector Zero from the hard disk, where vital information for its functioning is stored.

This virus acts in the following manner:
It sends itself automatically to all contacts on your address list with the title: "A Card for You".
As soon as the supposed virtual card is opened the computer freezes so that the user has to reboot. When the ctrl+alt+ del keys or the reset button are pressed, the virus destroys Sector Zero, thus permanently destroying the hard disk. In just a few hours this virus caused panic in New York, according to news broadcast by CNN.

So don't open any mails with subject: "A Virtual Card for You." As soon as you get the mail, delete it!! Even if you know the sender!

I've received this notice several times already this past month, and it is a nice reminder, especially with birthdays and anniversaries coming up. Verified by Snopes, July 1, 2007 - very bad, http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/postcard.asp
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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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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 2
Many authors receive their book cover in a PDF format - this is the Adobe Acrobat format. But you cannot use a PDF image on your webpage because it is not supported by web browsers! So be sure to ask for a JPEG file, too. To save a PDF as a JPEG, you typically would need Acrobat or another graphics application that can read PDF and write JPEG. However, it can be done with Acrobat Reader if you know the steps. First open the file in Acrobat Reader, click to select the book cover image and choose copy. You can then paste the image into a graphics application such as Microsoft Paint and save it as a JPEG file. Next week we will discuss file size.
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Learn more about WebforAuthors.com at http://www.webforauthors.com/ or contact Marshall at mturner@webforauthors.com.





===================================TThe 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

Warning: If you choose to use Shelfari.com for fun or promotion, avoid using the feature they provide where you can send invitations to everyone in your AOL, Yahoo, or Gmail file with a single click. Or, if you use it, carefully go through it to prune out anyone who could possibly be offended by multiple e-mails. Once you choose to invite someone on your list, Shelfari apparently sends out multiple invitations and still more reminders. It's more than a tad overbearing for some. BTW, I really like it in many other ways and see some strong possibilities for passing the word about your books and those of others.
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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.)

"Caterpallor (n.): The color you turn after finding half a grub in the fruit you're eating."

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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/