October 26, 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_NOV_No1Week_2007.doc

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Note from Carolyn:

Dear Authors' Coalition Members and SWW Subscribers;

I only went to the BPSC (Book Publicists of Southern California) meeting because I had friends getting Irwin awards. I was exhausted from speaking in Dayton, OH, and Nashville, TN. the previous two weekends. One of my mottoes is "Show up," and especially "Show up for others." That night proved I am right.

At the meeting was a cameraman from Best Selling Author Television along with Rey Ybarra, the host/interviewer of that entity. They were busy, busy, busy, digging up news (and authors) at the event and photographing them. The video that they made for me is now up on my website at www.howtodoitfrugally.com - - on the home page, of course. It's also on my publishers' sites, www.redenginepress.com and www.starpublish.com. And I'll soon have it up on the Authors' Coalition site, too.

I know videos are useful but I've had terrible luck with them. Rey and Randy did a great job; they turned around my streak of bad luck. If you'd like to know more about their work and site, go to http://www.veoh.com/channels/BSATV or e - mail Rey at rey.ybarra@websitestreaming.com. You might decide to use them for a video of your own but, if not, you can learn from watching theirs.
Just for the record, I prefer this kind of video to trailers many are doing. Of course, it depends on your title and your branding, but I believe something with content (hang in there for the marketing advice at the end of this segment!) is better for most nonfiction authors by far. Fiction writers do very well, too. The video of Chris Meeks, author of the Middle - Aged Man and the Sea is a good example (www.chrismeeks.com) of how an interview works for fiction writers, too.
Be sure to read the Question and Answer segment on videos below.
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

PS: Don't forget that the AllMarketing edition is coming up. So spread the word among your writing friends. They can subscribe by sending me an e - mail with "subscribe" in the subject line (HoJoNews@aol.com) or do an auto signup at http://www.authorsden.com/carolynhowardjohnson.

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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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It's a WIN

USA Book News named The Frugal Editor its best book in Business: Writing and Publishing category. I've copied and pasted the notice from the site (http://usabooknews.com/bestbooksawards2007.html) for you because the finalists are all deserving of your attention, too. Every single one should be in your library! And thank you to Jeffrey Keen, USA Book News CEO, for his great contest. And, yes, the Frugal Book Promoter was also a winner in 2004.
Business: Writing/Publishing
Winner:
The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success by Carolyn Howard - Johnson
Red Engine Press
ISBN: 978 - 0 - 978515874
Finalist:
The Well - Fed Self - Publisher: How to Turn One Book into a Full - Time Living by Peter Bowerman
Fanove Publishing
ISBN: 0 - 9670598 - 6 - 0
Finalist:
A Book is Born: 24 Authors Tell All by Nancy C. Cleary
Wyatt - MacKenzie Publishing
ISBN: 978 - 1 - 932279 - 50 - 4
Finalist:
Calling All Authors: How to Publish with Your Eyes Wide Open by Valerie Connelly
Nightengale Press
ISBN: 1 - 933449 - 43 - 8
Finalist:
The Writer Within You: A Step - by - Step Guide to Writing and Publishing in Your Retirement Years by Charles Jacobs
Caros Books
ISBN: 978 - 0 - 9793636 - 0 - 3
Finalist:
The Author's Guide to Planning Book Events by Carol Hoenig
iUniverse
ISBN: 978 - 1 - 58348 - 476 - 0
Finalist:
The Writer Behind the Words: Steps to Success in the Writing Life by Dara Girard
ILORI Press
ISBN: 978 - 0 - 9770191 - 5 - 1
Finalist:
Sell Your Book on Amazon: Top - Secret Tips Guaranteed to Increase Sales for Print - On - Demand and Self - Publishing Writers by Brent Sampson
Outskirts Press
ISBN: 978 - 1432701963
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Letters to the Editor

Carolyn,
Thought you might want to know how
helpful your book was to me. Loved your practical suggestions and have used many
of them to build my marketing success.

I make presentations on Mega Marketing and
will speak at the Space Coast Writers' Guild
conference in January 2008 in Cocoa Beach, FL.

I am in the process of publishing a book for writers, Write, Publish, Sell! Quick, easy, inexpensive ideas for the marketing challenged

I have an appendix with a list of books all writers should have and yours is among them.

I rec'd your book from Glenda Ivey when I published my first novel, Suffer the Little Children.

Last summer my second novel, Sins of the Father was published and a third book, Amazing Grace will be out in 2008.

I also wrote a children's chapter book, Summer School for Smarties, which is under consideration by Ten Speed Press in CA.

We also have another connection, via
ByLine Magazine and Robbi Hess. I am
a FL rep for them. She is also going to
speak at the SCWG January conference.

Small world. It's all in the networking!

Thanks for your motivation.
Valerie Allen
VAllenWriter@cs.com
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Q&A a la Ann Landers

Book Trailers ™ and Videos

Q: Do you think videos, movies and the like actually help book sales? Or generated more interest in your books?

Answer: I'm repeating my old refrain here, I know. But videos, like any other kind of promotion, will only work as hard as you work it. A few stragglers will find a video if you post it and that's not necessarily a bad thing but not enough to warrant the effort and, possibly, the expense. But if you let people know about it in the thousands of ways one might do that, it can certainly help you with exposure and that's part of your branding and branding - - if not sooner then later - - eventually leads to sales.( - :

Still, your trailer or video must be a part of a frequent and long term campaign. You might want to see mine at the home page of www.howtodoitfrugally.

One of my online pals Nikki Leigh, listmom to WelcometoReadersStation@yahoogroups.com, noted that it seems a bit redundant to have to promote what you produced to promote. It does, doesn't it! But here are ways to utilize your videos or moving collages or whatever without spending a lot of time doing it. Let's call them passive promotions of your video - - More... - - for specific suggestion to promote your video (and many other things) go to www.Sharingwithwriters.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 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 Angela Watkins for mentioning my site and Sharing with Writers newsletter on her authors den newsletter. http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewnewsletter.asp?AuthorID=12193
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To Sheri' McConnell of NAWW (National Association of Women Writers) for the interview. http://naww.org/blog/naww - member - interview - carolyn - howard - johnson#comment - 5358. It's a perfect celebration for the launch of The Frugal Editor.
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To Yvonne Perry for publishing a quiz on editing in her Writers in the Sky ™ blog at http://yvonneperry.blogspot.com/2007/10/check - your - sell - your - book - expertise.html.
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To Christine Hohlbaum and Drew Gerber, for listing the Frugal Book Promoter on their site at http://client.presskit247.com/content/content - article.asp?ArticleID=2759. You might want to check their site for other promotion helps, too.
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To Motown Writes, blog for publishing all the reasons why you - - even you who aced English - - need the Frugal Editor. http://motownwriters.blogspot.com/2007/10/frugal - editor - put - your - best - book.html

To Allyn Evans, author of Grab the Queen Power, for blogging about the Amazon perks for authors and including me and Authors' Coalition as important resources. ( - : http://www.talkingallthingswrite.blogspot.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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Highly Recommended Tip: Michael Wallach, a former UCLA student of mine and UCLA instructor in his own right as well as manager to the stars in Hollywood, offers his article on signing with an agent to Sharing with Writers subscribers. The direct link to the article is: http://www.howtogetarrested.com/articles/ It's called "Possible Treachery Of Signing With An Agency In 2007." Michael is also the author of How To Get Arrested.
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Sharing

(From J. D. Gordon, author of Caribbean Calling after I asked him what he did to sell so many books at one event.)

I got lucky, had help and sold more than 50 books around one book signing. Here's how I did it:

When my books first hit the shelves in Borders I went around to all of them, said hello, signed the store stock and passed out a few freebies to the staff and said thanks for selling them. As it happens, in the store where I signed, I happened upon the fellow who orders the stock and sets up the floor displays. He enjoyed the book, thought I was a nice guy and made a point to keep it stocked and on a table up near the front the store with a local sign applied.

That's all I did, a simple visit, said hello and thanks and it paid off. I was honestly surprised when he tossed the stock printout that showed my book sale numbers down in front of me. Of course, you probably need a distributor like I had to get your books into a chain store to begin with. But once the books are there, any author can do what I did.

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Utilizing Amazon

I just posted another f r ^ ^ article on my F R ^ ^ Articles 4 Authors, Editors on my website. You can download the pdf of "10 Ways to Sell books on Amazon" to read online, or to print out to read at leisure if you wish. If you edit a newsletter or blog, everything on the page is available for you to use at no ch a rge. http://www.carolynhowardjohnson.redenginepress.com/free_content.htm

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Time is short! Watch for the first - ever AllMarketing Edition of Sharing with Writers. Marketing includes selling your book to an agent or publisher, selling your book after it is published to individual readers and to alternative venues like the military and catalogs. If you have a marketing tip, send it to HoJoNews@aol.com with "SWW TIP" in the subject line.
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Tip: Rich McIver suggests the book he just published Customer Feedback Central: 100 Places to Find Reviews for Every Product (http://www.insidecrm.com/features/customer - feedback - central - 102507/ ) may be useful to SWW readers.

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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.)

Leora Skolkin - Smith's Edges: O Israel O Palestine! (http://www.leoraskolkinsmith.com) has been released into its third printing by Grace Paley's publishing firm. She says, " . . . they sold out my second printing but what's really cool is in the third edition, I was able to write an afterword for Grace." Many of you may know that New Yorker Grace died recently leaving behind a treasured body of literary work. Her publishing firm is Glad Day Books. Glad Day published Leora's book.
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Gary Carter: For the Good of the Many, a military political thriller won a Silver Award from the MWSA (Military Writers Society of America) for excellence in military literature for 2007. - Gary is the author of Jump Start, For the Good of the Many and My City by the Sea. It may be ordered on any bookstore online. ISBN #1424138515
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Michael Wallach, www.HowToGetArrested.com, won USA Best Book in his category for How to Get Arrested, a book about the travails of Dick and Jane trying to get into show business in LA. It may be purchased at: http://www.amazon.com/How - Get - Arrested - Motivational - Hollywood/dp/ 097927110X/ .
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My Own Success, a poem, "Dandelions in Autumn," published by the Muscadine Lines Journal. For the poem go to http://www.asouthernjournal.com/Ezine/2007v18howardjohnson.htm. To learn more about the journal go to www.asouthernjournal.com. It's edited by Kathy Rhodes.
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Mark David Gerson for coming in as a USA Book News award finalist for The MoonQuest: A True Fantasy published by Lightlines Media, ISBN: 978 - 0979547584
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Nikki Leigh tells us of several awards: "Earlier this year, my 365 Foolish Mistakes That Smart Managers Make Every Day was a bronze medal winner in Independent Publisher Book Awards and my How to Run a Successful Pizza and Sub Shop was an Honorable Mention in the Eric Hoffer Awards. Finally I have the certificates that prove the awards and there was a heavy little package in the bottom of the envelope. Would you believe that the IPPY award includes an actual medal?. Its bronze - color medal and they sent me 20 stickers that say Foolish Mistakes is an IPPY winner - how cool is that??"
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Betty Dobson's poem called "Poems That Rhyme" appears in the Summer 2007 edition of Sol Magazine, with an honorable mention in their "That's What I'm Talking" competition. The URL is: http://sol - magazine.org/
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Jessica Kennedy's (http://jessicakennedy71.blogspot.com/) Christian essay “The Closest Expression of Love to God’s Love” will be published in the online magazine Connected. This is her second piece accepted by this magazine. The first “Paralyzed Legally Blind Woman Finds Disabilities Open New Opportunities” appeared in February 2007. This publication does not publish its articles on a set schedule. They add stories at different times. I’m not sure when my story will appear on the site. To visit the site go to http://connected.christianrecord.org/stories - articles/166/
The magazine pays $50 - $100 per article upon acceptance. They are most attracted to writers with vision problems. Pieces must be Christian.

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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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Editing Tip Q&A: In a message dated 10/30/2007 9:40:30 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time, evestudio@suddenlink.net writes:
Question: Is it proper writing form to use quotation marks within a sentence to set off a word or two for the purpose bringing them to the attention of the reader? What about within a newspaper story? Would that be suggesting that the reader can't figure things out for him/her self?

For instance: The product is "marketable". (As a sort of wry backward compliment.) Or, Mr. Jones has built the "crooked house" to suit his
unusual clients. (As a sort of put - down of the house design.)

These are just off the top of my head and have nothing to do with something I have written. It is an attempt to show what I mean.
Best,
Elaine
http://www.meet - branson.com

Answer: Oh, my gosh, Elaine. This, the use of quotation marks for something other than quotations, requires a whole chapter in the Frugal Editor.
However, here is my best zero - tolerance advice boiled down to the fewest words I can:

Quotation marks are only used to set off dialogue for irony, and for sarcasm. Irony and sarcasm might not be understood without the marks. And readers are used to seeing their dialogue indicated by their use.

Quotation marks are not used for colloquial phrases, slang, or emphasis. In almost every case (never say always or never!), these words will be understood without them. Some are judgement calls. "Crooked house" already sounds like a put - down so I wouldn't use them. If you said "Beautiful house" and meant crooked and ugly, then you'd better use them or your readers would think you really meant "beautiful." You can see that quotation marks are over - used. Way over used. ( - :

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Serial Feature

In the next few issues Diane Tinney will share ways that you might green up your office.

Change out all light bulbs for newer compact fluorescent (each 13w bulb is a 60w equivalent and saves $37 a year, lasts for 7 years – average use).
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Offered by Diane Tinney, president & publisher, Keene Publishing, Home of Moo Press Children's Books
www.KeeneBooks.com
Illuminating lives, one book at a time.

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Carolyn's blog on anything related to publishing - - from scolding Oprah to support of freedom of speech issues is at http://www.SharingwithWriters.blogspot.com. =======================================================

Sharing: Authors' Coalition's slide show continues to be active throughout the USA. Those who participated in that and the catalog that goes out to booksellers are still being shown in lots of places. Find the update on its travels (this time to the HUGE Veteran's Week in Branson, MO). It's the 2nd entry at www.authorscoalition.blogspot.com. Aren't those of you who participated glad you did? All the rest, keep your eyes open for the next offering. Yeah for cross promotion! ( - :

========================================================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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Tip: If you're a literature lover you'll want to read this review of Rereadings by Anne Fadiman (yes of publishing people fame!) If your audience is full of avid readers, you may want to run it on your site or blog at no charge. Guidelines are on my F r ^ ^ Articles 4 Authors, Editors page on my website. http://www.carolynhowardjohnson.redenginepress.com/free_content.htm Scroll down to the list of Reviews for Riters.

========================================================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/eAuthor.php?Name=Carolyn%20Howard - Johnson ) 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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In the News: The new Sony Reader is supposed to be the next big thing in publishing. Better than the iPod for music. You take it with you and it holds up to 80 books. Here's my take. You might be ready with e - book access to your book in case it takes off.

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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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How to Use Google's AdSense and Why:

Yes, using Google's AdSense is about making money without working for it but that's not the main reason I suggest you do it. I also tell you to do this because it's a Google program and Google's search engine is so big its brand name has become synonymous with finding something. "Just Google it!" is the cry. And if they own the search engine and you have their ads from AdSense on your website or blog or whatever, it's certain their spiders (the ones that find you and put you on search engines!) will find your site and put your site where it will be seen on the search engine.

So go to www.google.com/accounts (You'll need to have an account for this to work.) Here are the steps:
Follow the instructions for setting up your account.
Find the link that says "Adsense."
Follow the instruction for setup one step at a time.
Copy the HTML code (those squiggly things you probably can't read).
Put them - - according to directions - - on your website and your blogs.

You can configure the ads to look right on your site and fit where you want them to go. For an example, check out my blog www.SharingwithWriters.blogspot.com. Yours can be in colors you prefer, sizes, even the numbers of ads you'd like to see there.

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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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Help: I am looking for anti - bias sites as well as sites that promote peace to link to on my website. If any of you have any favorites, I'd love it if you'd send me the URLs. E - mail me at hojonews@aol.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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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.)

PROMOTION HELPS
http://www.fivestarpublications.com/
http://www.mindstreampr.com/publicrelations.htm
http://www.bookpr.com/bookpromotion.htm
http://www.event - management.com/
http://www.phenixpublicity.com/
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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: Here is a money - saving, paper - saving tip. When I speak - - especially when no one has any idea of how many will be attending - - rather than printing out one of my extensive handouts, I hand out a card or small 4 x 4 reminders instead. On it I tell people that if they'd like a handout complete with resources and excerpts from my books, all they need do is e - mail me. Then I send it by attachment and I encourage them to pass copies around to their friends as long as they don't delete the credits. In the handout is a resource page, tips, excerpts but there's also a page that leads them to my blogs, my newsletter and black and white pix of the covers of my books. This approach also helps me build lists of loyal people who need and want information.

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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

PayPal made a big improvement a few years ago when they started allowing the purchaser to use a credit card rather than requiring they open a PayPal account. Note that PayPal is actually a bank and this is not the same as your accepting credit cards, but it works well and the fees are reasonable.
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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

I ran across a really expert blog from a publishing expert, Marion Groepen. Don't you just love the name Galley Cat? http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/publishing/
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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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Opportunities:

Submission:
Are you truly happy? Do you have a joy filled life? If so, I want to hear your story! My name is Dr. Karen Mueller Bryson and I am collecting accounts from happy and joyful people willing to share their stories for possible publication in my new book, The Joy Filled Life. If you are interested in participating or would like additional information, please visit the website at: http://www.thejoyfilledlife.com/
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Helping Out:
During the tragedies of 9//11, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Be the Star You Are! charity volunteers mobilized to get resources to those in need. Now with the San Diego fire in control, Be the Star You Are! wants to make sure that every child who was affected by the fire gets a gift of a brand new book for the holiday. We are collecting cases of beautiful children's books to ship to San Diego and Southern California. For a donation of $99 to Be the Star You Are!, we will ship a case of brand new beautifully illustrated books valued at $550.00 or more to the charity or group of the donor's choice.

If you know of any groups, shelters, schools, or other organizations that may need books, please let me know as we have donors who have not designated a particular group.

Every contribution is tax deductible.

Cynthia Brian
cynthia@star - style.com
Founder/Executive Director
Be the Star You Are!
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Submit your events, etc to Sylvia McClain's Scribal Calendar. She sends it to readers and writers everywhere. You'll want t be courteous (and smart!) and subscribe as well! Here's how to do it:

E - news book signing submission:
E - mail sylmcclain@juno.com with “Book Signing” in the subject line. In the body of the e - mail list author, book, date, time, location (city and state), contact information (phone numbers, e - mail addresses and web addresses welcomed). No more, no less, please.

E - news conferences and seminars submission:
E - mail sylmcclain@juno.com with “Conference or Seminar” in the subject line. In the body of the e - mail list conference name, date, time, location (city and state), registration deadline, contact information (phone numbers, e - mail addresses and web addresses welcomed). No more, no less, please.

E - news newsletter recommendations submission:
E - mail sylmcclain@juno.com with “newsletter” in the subject line. In the body give name, type, host, web site (if one).

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Carolyn's Appearances and Teaching:

Carolyn Howard - Johnson is chatting with those who have questions on promotion, editing, the craft of writing, or anything else about the publishing world the entire month of November. The place is the Boomer Women Speak forum. Those who would like to become members of the Boomer Women Speak F - R - * - E forum, should go to http://www.boomerwomenspeak.com/index.php home page and then click on the "Visit our forums" and then follow the instructions.
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Carolyn Howard - Johnson will be interviewed by the Reverend Cherise Thorne on Sunday, Nov. 4th on her radio program, Knowing Spirit. It is a show about healing the soul so you can change your life. Some of you know that I credit the spiritual aspect of writing and helping other authors with curing me of cancer. The curative aspects of writing will be the topic.
Tune into the show by visiting www.bbsradio.com on Sunday from 1 - 2 central time. The show Knowing Spirit is on the schedule under Cherise Thorne.
People can call in and ask questions about the show. Toll free, 877 876 9756.
Toll Free in Canada, 888 - 815 - 9756. Direct Line: 530 - 876 - 3222
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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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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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New! Please join Carolyn Howard - Johnson for the f r ^ ^ January Wasabi Club meeting, a teleseminar the last Friday of every month at 1 pm ET/10 am PT where you can learn from the PR pros about how to conduct a savvy PR campaign. To join, please visit the 'Wasabi Club' page at www.wasabipublicity.com to register.

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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. This conference sold out 77 hours after opening registration. It is not too early to be thinking about 2010.
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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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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.)

"Decafalon: The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you."

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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/