Sept 22, 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_Sep_No4Week_2007.doc

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Note from Carolyn:

Dear Authors' Coalition Members and SWW Subscribers;

It is always fun to speak at a book fair. For one thing, it means rubbing shoulders with readers, scads of readers!

But one of the neatest things about the Southern Festival of Books (See Carolyn's appearances below) is that I'll be there with Elizabeth Edwards. Now, I don't mind telling you that woman has made a fan of me so -- maybe for the first time, really -- I will be running off to get someone else's autograph at a book fair! Here is the list of authors who will be there, and I am just so proud to be among them! http://www.humanitiestennessee.org/festival/authors.php .

The other thing is that I get to visit a part of the country I rarely see, maybe even wear chilly weather clothes! And, a very special southern galfriend, Georgia Richardson (one of the funniest writers ever--even her e-mails are funny!) will be driving an hour and a half to come to the fair to my seminar and to help and to have lunch. This is the kind of thing that makes writing feel as if it truly is a sharing process. I love my keyboard but for all its allure, it really doesn't beat this!

Happy, happy writing and promoting and, yes, EDITING, too.
Carolyn Howard-Johnson
HoJoNews@aol.com
Websites: http://carolynhoward-johnson.com and www.HowToDoItFrugally.com
http://authorscoalitionandredenginepess.com
or Amazon-direct for The Frugal Editor: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0978515870/
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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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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Q&A a la Ann Landers

On Making a Website Cohesive

Carolyn: I don't know what to call my website. I write under several names. I could call it the name of the place my novels are set, but not all of them are set there. Help!
From a Writer On One of My Lister Serves

CHJ Answers: You have run into a branding issue. Branding is what we authors need to consider to make an entire promotion campaign cohesive. There is a whole section in The Frugal Book Promoter on branding. Your site doesn't have to be your name but you will want to keep the domain name (or the URL name) broad enough to cover your whole writing career. Example, you write fantasy now, but what if you write some poetry and then branch out to....oh, nonfiction books directed to an audience of tekkies? Then the name of your book isn't going to cut it. And you'll probably want to keep all of your books together (sort of) on one site so there will be at least some reader interest that transfers from one to the other. You can find an example on www.howtodoitfrugally.com. Note the links on the left go to my literary writing and poetry. I also have a domain www.carolynhoward-johnson.com that takes you directly to a page on that site that encompasses all my work called a "Published Works Almanac". But it's still all the same site.

Having said that, a place name is not a bad idea if it's memorable. My first site was named after the title of my first novel, This Is the Place. I panicked when I realized I hadn't considered branding but, when you think about it, This Is the Place is a pretty all encompassing name. So maybe the name of your fictional country will do just fine. From then on in, it's up to you (and your webmaster if you use one) to make it work both seamlessly and individually where that's needed. It's not easy, but it can be done.

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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 and Betty Dobson's Inkspotter. 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. www.authorscoalition.blogpsot.com.
http://authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com
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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 Yvonne Perry for blogging about the Southern Festival of Books I'll be speaking at in October. Find all the information on that you'll need at http://yvonneperry.blogspot.com/ . If you live near Nashville, learn more by scrolling down to my appearance section.
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To p. m. terrell for using my article on promoting with e-books in her latest newsletter. It is available by going to www.mysterypromotion.com and clicking on the "Quick Link to the September Newsletter." The article will remain on the site indefinitely.
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To Mindy Laurence Phillips, http://www.freewebs.com/mplcreative for her review of The Frugal Editor. The co-author of The Complete Writer: Tapping Your Full Potential, and author of One Blue Star: Poems about the Military, Families, War and Peace. She reviews for CelebrityCafe.com

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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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Feature

A Blogging Opportunity and Some Blogging Essentials

From Yvonne Perry
I’m putting together another blog chain for next week and I have your name on the list of participants. You may also invite your friends to join us. All I need is their blog URL and the email address where they would like to be notified when the list is complete. Send it to: write_on_yvonne@comcast.net. This email address will not be distributed to the rest of the group. I will blind-copy everyone when sending messages. [Editor's Note: This blog chain is by invitation only, so tell Yvonne that I sent you.]
The most important thing about doing a blog chain is to have an updated blog. Search engines look favorably upon sites that are updated regularly. Begin to post material on your blog so that those visiting your blog have something new to comment on.
If the blog you are visiting has something like this Add to del.icio.us • Digg This! • Discuss on Newsvine • at the bottom of the post, you can further help that blogger by clicking on the link and tagging the post to a news service. You will need to have an account at these sites in order to do so. It may take a few days to get the account set up, so I recommend you register now at these sites:
 Delicious - http://del.icio.us/
 Stumble Upon - www.stumbleupon.com
 Digg - http://digg.com
 Reddit - http://reddit.com
 Newsvine - http://www.newsvine.com
To learn more about a blog chain and how it serves as a great marketing tool, see http://ezinearticles.com/?Blog-Chain---A-Great-Networking-Tool&id=674566.
Oh, another thing. I registered my blog with www.feedburner.com and bought the pro package. It gives the option of adding news services above with the click of a box. However, if you want to get these into your blog without signing up for Feedburner, you can edit your template with the code given at each of the news services sites.
Yvonne Perry
www.yvonneperry.net
http://yvonneperry.blogspot.com
www.right2recover.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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Tip: Su Kopil has been a writing friend for years. She has a newsletter that is perfect for writers who need motivating. Send a blank email to:
TheMotivatedWriter-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

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Time is short! Watch for the third annual All Tips Edition of Sharing with Writers coming next week. Send your favorite tip for inclusion to: HoJoNews@aol.com with "SWW TIP" in the subject line.
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Opportunities

Kalliope Poetry and Short Story Contests
Jewel Sample, author of Flying Hugs and Kisses, sends us this news on a poetry contest:

Kalliope: a journal of women's literature and art associated with the Junior College of Jacksonville, FL, announces their
2007 Sue Daniel Elkind Poetry Contest: and their second Annual Short Fiction Contest. Both require entry fees.

For more details on both contests please visit www.fccj.org/kalliope .
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Guest Blog Op

Author Rose Marie Wolf is offering guest blogging spots on her blog, rosemariewolf.blogspot.com to authors of all genres. If you are interested in the free promotion and would like more details, email rosemariewolf@gmail.com
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Video/Slide Show Opportunity

Do you have a title that veterans or writers need to know about? Check out the slide show/video being produced by Authors' Coalition director Joyce Faulkner for Veterans' Week at Branson, Mo. Of course, the slide show will be used other places, too. In fact, it is a grand cross-promotional opportunity. Learn more on the AC book fair blog, www.authorscoalition.blogspot.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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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.)

None to report this week. Let me know if you are publishing or win a contest. Include the URL of the publisher. Please do not send events. This newsletter isn't big enough to accommodate them all! (-:

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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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Authors Coalition and Red Engine Press Booth at the West Hollywood Fair is at Booth 51-52F. Please come between 10 am and 6.pm.

West Hollywood Park
647 N San Vicente Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90069

Authors' Coalition members will be signing their books. They include:

Carol Wood, and Walter Brasch, 10 am
Janet Goliger and Jay Bern 11 am
Christine Alexanians, and Sona Ovasapyan, noon
Kevin Gerard and Michael Wallach, 1 pm
Margaret Danielak and Nancy Rosen, 2 pm
Erica Stux and Carol J. Amato, 3 pm
Leora Krygier, 4 pm to 6 pm
Carolyn Howard-Johnson signing from 10 am to 1 pm, 2:30 pm to 6 pm

A map is available at 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 will be at the 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. It's not too late to register. (www.penofthewriter.com/pentopaper).
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Carolyn Howard-Johnson will a guest on Calling All Authors Radio Show Tuesday, October 9, 2007 on www.globaltalkradio.com at 5PM Eastern, 4PM Central and 2PM Pacific time. Hosted by Valerie Connelly who plans to discuss my teaching, my books, my marketing including the horrors, successes and plain old chutzpah of a tekky-challenged writer building a website from scratch. For more information contact info@callingallauthors.org.
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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. She will speak on "Realize Your Dream: From Query Letter to Bestseller--Frugally!"
from 2-3pm Saturday, Oct. 13 in room 31 of the Legislative Plaza and sign her books from 3 to 3:30 pm at the Signing Colonnade. 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://www.humanitiestennessee.org/festival/current.php
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The f r ^ ^ Muse Online Writers' Conference, sponsored by Lea Schizas and Carolyn Howard-Johnson, is accepting registration. More than 1,000 attended last year. Learn more about this year's conference, October 8 to 14. .Our program is ready for you to check out at
http://www.freewebs.com/themuseonlinewritersconference/presentersregistration.htm
To see the final list of presenters go to: http://www.freewebs.com/themuseonlinewritersconference/2007workshops.htm
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Carolyn Howard-Johnson will be Valerie Connelly's guest on her Webinar Dec. 5th, 2007. The two will talk book promotion ad infinitum. There will be a printable agenda and follow-along materials prior to the event as well as a downloadable PDF of the Web screen shots and an MP3 recording of the Webinar available to registered attendees. There is a charge. Space is limited. Please register before Dec. 4. For more information or to register contact Valerie at info@callingallauthors.org.
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Carolyn Howard-Johnson talks to Valerie Connelly's radio 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. A downloadable MP3 recording of the Webinar will be available to registered attendees after the event. Sign up by Dec. 11th. Space is limited. Contact Valerie at info@callingallauthors.org or Nightengale Press, publisher@nightengalepress.biz

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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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Carolyn's Appearances and Teaching for 2008:

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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Carolyn Howard-Johnson will be Valerie Connelly's guest on her Teleseminar March 19th, 2008 at 8PM Eastern, 7PM Central, and 5 PM Pacific Time. The subject is: "It's Your Call: Frugal Book Promotion with Carolyn Howard-Johnson." A downloadable MP3 recording of the Teleseminar is available to registered attendees after the event. Please sign up by March 18th. Space is limited. Let Valerie tell you more about it: info@callingallauthors.org
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Carolyn Howard-Johnson will be sharing with the nation's humor writers again in April 3-5 of 2008 at Dayton University's Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop. I'll speak twice at the Kennedy Union on campus. http://www.humorwriters.org/ Registration opens Sept. 10, 2007. Find some of the nation's best speakers here: http://www.humorwriters.org/2008SpeakerBios.html
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Carolyn will teach a new seminar on the UCLA campus on March 22, 2008, room 1323 Public Service Building. It's called The Business of Writing: Carve Your Career with Great Queries and Covers. Here's the class description: "You've written your story, your poem, your book. What now? You've tackled your craft like a professional but when it comes to introducing yourself to the decision makers—the marketing and editing part of your work—you may show a lack of expertise with seemingly innocuous departures from accepted procedures. Like using a cover letter when you need a query. In this one-day seminar, the students will use basics taught in the class to critique drafts of letters they have brought with them. In the process you'll get grammar, punctuation, and even computer editing tricks you may apply to your other writing as well as your queries. You'll receive a handout of the does and don'ts for approaching gatekeepers straight from the mouths of agents who contributed ideas on the subject for the instructor's book on editing and samples of letters that have produced results. Participants will not only walk away with two letters they can be proud to send out, but also have a low-cost plan for using them effectively in a variety of ways." So, are you all planning to come to spend a weekend in the sunshine in LA and make it a business expense? (-:
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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.
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TIP: The Fiction Flyer, an ezine from TRI Studio with editors Kathe and Ray Gogolewski, features articles and news for all writers and fiction writers in particular. One featured article, "Investment Perspective for Writers" by Ray, a financial planner, tailors financial information especially for writers. No matter how much we make or don't make, we deserve to manage our money intelligently. Ray shows us how in this series. Below you'll find a list of fast tips. To learn more, subscribe to The Fiction Flyer by sending an e-mail to kgogolewski@sbcglobal.net and write EZINE in the subject heading. There is no charge.

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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! 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 for a month. 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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Editing Tip: What to capitalize and what not to in your titles? This is one of the topics in The Frugal Editor. Generally conjunctions, articles and prepositions are not capped but that only includes prepositions of four letters and under. There is some disagreement among the experts (the style books), but the Chicago Manual of Style is always an excellent guide. In The Frugal Editor I try to make it simple and give sort of zero-tolerance guidelines; that seems the best approach if an author doesn't want to alienate an agent or publisher who is a stickler.
Caution. "To" is a preposition but sometimes it functions as the infinitive part of the verb. When it is part of an infinitive it is usually still capped.

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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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Feature

The Good and Bad of Literary Agents

The essay below is a reprint of comments I contributed after a member of a list-serve came to the defense of agents and admitted that some of her agent-friends critiqued her work but "couldn't/wouldn't" sell it.)
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Ms. X, I'd like to add something to your comments, even though you did a great job on your defense of agents and, admirably, admitted that some manuscripts deserve to be put in a drawer or at least rewritten. That takes courage when it is your own manuscript (-: ; it not only takes courage but shows that writers do grow and get to be better writers if they work it. When that happens they can see the flaws in their own writing. That's not an indictment. It's the way we improve.

Now, back to agents. I had the privilege of working with several dozen of the nation's top agents for my new release The Frugal Editor. They helped me help other writers by sharing with me what they find in query letters that mark writers as amateurs. They did it with humor and some with a certain sweetness of soul. They did it because it helps them if writers submit professional, helpful query letters but also because the more we all know, the better off the industry is. Some agents asked I not use their names but more than 20 let me quote them, and they were supremely quotable. They gave me a gift (a great chapter on writing and editing queries!). Through me, they gave writers in general a gift.

Having said that, these were all reputable agents, not the fly-by-nighters who charge for reading manuscripts, have editing businesses on the side that they try to pawn off on writers for an additional charge as well as a subsidy-publishing business that they hawk (at a hefty fee!) after they've roped writers in under the guise of being an agent. Go to my blog to learn the single best way to avoid agent scams: www.Sharingwithwriters.blogspot.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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Opportunities

Nikki Leigh, www.nikkileigh.com , author of fiction, offers some neat f r ^ ^ opportunities:
Visit any or all of these sites and click on "HOW TO SUBMIT" to learn the simple steps to submit information about your books. These are FREE promotional blogs. She doesn't charge for the exposure, but appreciates anyone who wants to spread the word about the blogs :)

First Chapter Blog - Share the First Chapter of Your Book
http://www.startatbeginning.blogspot.com/

Share Details About the Best Friend in Your Book
http://www.mybestfriendsstory.blogspot.com/

Share Your Book Cover and the Story Behind the Cover
http://www.judgebookbycover.blogspot.com/

Tell Us More About the Setting of Your Book
http://www.itsallinthesetting.blogspot.com/

Share Details About Your Heroine
http://www.shareyourheroine.blogspot.com/

Share Information About the Hero
ht tp://www.shareyourhero.blogspot.com/

Tell Us About Your Bad Guy or Bad Girl
http://www.badguysandvillains.blogspot.com/

Start With the Facts - For All Non Fiction Books and many Fiction
http://www.startwithfacts.blogspot.com/

From Books to Movies
http://www.frombookstomovies.blogspot.com/

In Detail with Nikki Leigh
http://detailwithnikkileigh.blogspot.com/

Promote Your Book Through Current Events
http://www.inspiredauthor.com/v3/current-events-and-your-book-promotion-0
Submit an example of an article which ties the content of your book with current events.

PS - Nikki reserves the right to refuse to post any submissions - although she says she hasn't needed to turn any away so far. Nikki also offers promotion services at www.nikkileigh.com/promo.htm

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Authors' Coalition: No Hum-Drum Book Fair Promotion Allowed is a new blog where you can follow watch how Authors' Coalition members make book fairs successful with cross-promotion, value-added promotions and a good assessment process. Find it at www.authorscoalition.blogspot.com. Leave your best book fair ideas there for others to see under the beige "comments" links.
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Tip: Make your own banner f r ^ ^ at http://www.mybannermaker.com/

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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.)

Leads for Poets

The Southern Review: Pays on publication. Seeks nonfiction, fiction, fillers, visual arts. Subjects: Essay, short story, POETRY. Guidelines http://www.lsu.edu/thesouthernreview/submissions.html

Ancient Paths Magazine: Pays on publication. Seeks nonfiction, fiction. Subjects: Subtle Christian , POETRY. Time sensitive, follow schedule. Guidelines: http://www.literatureclassics.com/ancientpaths/magazine/submission.html

Chrysalis Reader: Pays on acceptance. Seeks nonfiction, fiction, photos/artwork. Subjects: Spiritual Literary Topics and POETRY. Guidelines: http://www.swedenborg.com/chrysalis/writers_guidelines.asp

Promote Your Poetry, books, poetry ezine, poetry organization, etc, with a one-hour interview on the weekly internet radio talk show "Practical Poetry." Details: http://www.MichelleAileneTrue.com/PracticalPoetry.html
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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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Editing Tip: Splitting infinitives can be essential, even grammatical. To determine whether yours are grammatically correct, do a search with Word's Find Function to check every "to" in your manuscript. Some will be prepositions but when the "to" you find is part of a verb make sure you didn't split it from its mate and change it. Unless, of course, your sentence makes better sense with a hatcheted infinitive than the other way around.

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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

Last week I mentioned that a web server can log the activity of a website. First, this option usually has to be activated, or turned on. If you have a control panel for your hosting account, look for this feature. Sometimes it’s listed as a Report, as Web Stats, or as an application such as Webalizer. If you don’t have access to a hosting control panel, ask your Support about how to access your web statistics. In some control panels you need to go into the site setup and click a checkbox to start collecting web statistics.
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Learn more about WebforAuthors.com at http://www.webforauthors.com/ or contact Marshall at mturner@webforauthors.com.


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

It is commonly accepted in the web-building industry that you shouldn't have too many links on you home page, that your links should lead your visitors seamlessly from one place to another and not intrude unnecessarily on them with subject matter the visitor doesn't need or want. That makes sense. But many carry that way too far. If I go to your site to sign up for your newsletter and must trail through a link that says "media," I might not think of that. If I have to go to a link that says "promotion," I may not either. What can one more link on your home page hurt? Try to think the way your visitor thinks. What will they be coming after? Then give them a link for that, even if some expert says it's "too many."
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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.)

" Beelzebug (n): Satan in the form of a mosquito, that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out."

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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.

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Order the Frugal Book Promoter: How to Do What Your Publisher Won't
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