December 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_DEC_No2Week_2007.doc

In the spirit of the advice I give in the Frugal Editor, that is to use an extra pair of eyes whenever possible, this newsletter is voluntarily copyedited by Authors' Coalition member, Mindy Phillips Lawrence ~ mplcreative1@aol.com
www.freewebs.com/mplcreative
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Note from Carolyn:

Dear Subscribers and Authors' Coalition Members:

I'm noticing that some aren't making use of the videos we've had made (or, in the frugal way, the videos we've sweetly bummed from a TV producer we've worked with). The video/TV clip of me with host Rey Ybarra can now be found on about everything I do. I like it because it's helpful, tells a story, doesn't have an artificial or canned quality like many book trailers, though that quality has its place for some titles.
If you have a video put it on your
1. Blogs.
2. Website (either links to it or the entire clip and put it on all the pages for which you feel it is a fit in one form or the other.)
3. Your Google and Yahoo group pages, when they will accommodate html code.
4. Google Video. That would be www.video.google.com.
5. MySpace and your other networking sites like bookmarket.ning and others that accommodate them.
6. YouTube.
If you want to explore how Rey did it for me on Google, MySpace, YouTube and a video site called VEOH, here are links to mine.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5221136954717871678
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=2067632723
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMZpmrEDTVg
http://www.veoh.com/videos/v1356533fXanjWT8
I'm sure you can think of other ways to use your videos. I'd like to hear about them. And, if you want an interview with Rey (which results in a great video), let me know and I'll personally introduce you to him.
Happy, happy writing and promoting and, yes, EDITING, too.
Carolyn Howard - Johnson, HoJoNews@aol.com
Websites: http://carolynhoward - Johnson.com (literary)
http://HowToDoItFrugally.com (all things about writing)
Authors' Coalition: http://www.AuthorsCoalitionandRedEnginepress.com
For the Frugal Editor, Amazon - direct: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0978515870/
Blogs: http://AuthorsCoalition.blogspot.com, a blog focused on book fairs
http://www.SharingwithWriters.blogspot.com, a blog on all things publishing
http://www.TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog focused on YOUR reviews
http://www.TheFrugalEditor.blogspot.com, a blog focused on editing, formatting and craft

PS: Time is getting short to take advantage of my free gift of my Amazon Short with your book order. If you missed it, e - mail me and I'll send you the particulars. HoJoNews@aol.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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Help?

I have a writing friend who, even though uninsured, was given hip surgery by a local charity. She is having trouble getting to the library. She is in need of a computer in working order so she can continue to do her work as she recovers. Anyone who has an old one that they would ship to her need only let me know. HoJoNews@aol.com. If you have one and live in the LA area, we might con her son into picking it up and delivering it for her.

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TIP: From May Lattanzino for those who travel and write about it: http://www.worldhum.com/


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New members will help Authors' Coalition serve all its members better! Ask your writing friends to join at http://www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com/. Paid members get a favorite review posted, consideration for an interview or review in Yarnspinners and Wordweavers, 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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Marketing Quotation from Nora Roberts:

Roberts, the author of more than 150 romance novels, was asked why she writes romantic suspense novels under a pen name. Here is her answer:

"It's marketing."

She says because she writes quickly it was difficult for her publisher to publish all of her work. Plus the works she labels penned by J. D. Robb are "edgier" she says. "Putting it under a pseudonym helps brand it for the reader."

Writers will find information on the concept of branding in The Frugal Book Promoter. They'll find information on the concept of editing as part of marketing (and therefore branding) in The Frugal Editor. They'll learn even more about how to sell their work in my Amazon Short, The Great First Impression Book Proposal: Everything You Need To Know To Sell Your Book in 20 Minutes or Less . . . See the rest of this article at www.SharingwithWriters.blogspot.com. Learn why using a pseudonym isn't the panacea many authors think it would be.

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I just added my fifth blog to blogspot.com. Yes, I love blogging. This one is called War, Peace, Tolerance and Our Soldiers and it is where I get to nag and rag to try to make things better for our troops and maybe for the world. I'd love to have you leave a comment for its inaugural. www.warpeacetolerance.blogspot.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 LA Writers Group for asking me to weigh in on an Amazon question she received from a writer and for publishing it, Q & A fashion (you all know how I love those!) at http://www.talkingallthingswrite.blogspot.com/ They can announce your book on their blog at http://lawritersgroup.blogspot.com
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To Epstein LaRue for publishing the media release on my new Amazon Short, The Great First Impression Book Proposal, on her blog at http://epsteinlarue.blogspot.com/. You'll find other good writerly kinds of things on it, too.
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To Jendi Reiter at WinningWriters.com has been very good about publishing items of interest for writers both in the site's excellent newsletter and on the website. Check their What's New page. http://www.winningwriters.com/new/wn_new.php
to find out how this site/page can help you. They bill themselves as "150 FREE POETRY CONTESTS: FREE NEWSLETTER AND GUIDE" but they also are a great resource for prose contests.
Subscribe today at:
http://www.winningwriters.com/
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To VS Grenier, editor for Stories for Children Magazine and Newsletter, http://storiesforchildren.tripod.com, for including one of my articles in her newsletter. She often runs articles on writing and promotion in her letter. Check it out on her website.
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To Linda Morelli, for her perspicacious interview in her newsletter. It is a newsletter I always love receiving. This month in not only includes my interview but a recipe for Christmas cookies. Check it out at http://hometown.aol.com/lbmwriter/Romance/Newsletter.html. There's a place to subscribe there, too.
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To Sassy Brit who always publishes my releases on her blog. She has a large following of authors but also of readers. See it here: http://tjbook - list.blogspot.com/2007/12/media - release - amazon - short - made - for.html But also check out what your groups can do for you.

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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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Sharing from Subscribers

When PR Becomes Urban Legend

By Valerie Hardin

Posting free content is a wonderful way to promote. I give information on myself when I review books, join a social network, or blog. This worked for me well and helped sell my work and improve my visibility. I wrote articles that interested me such as articles on saving money, the environment and ADD (attention deficit disorder) and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. They are different names for the same disorder.

I am interested in the latter two because I was diagnosed with ADD/hyperactivity and dyslexia.
I was the poster girl for ADHD success and was even listed as a famous ADHDer. I did interviews about being a writer with ADHD. This was great because the stories encouraged others ADHDers to write poetry. Some even listed me as one of their favorite poets. I am not that famous but in some circles am well respected. I met a wonderful man and he married me. I feel loved. Being famous is not my interest. I just wanted to make writing my little hobby.

I believed I had that condition until a couple of days ago. Ritalin had never worked for me. I now know that is because I have another disorder. It is dyspraxia which can't be fixed with a combination of medicine and behavior control as well as ADHD can. Medicine works better with ADD and half of those who have ADHD will outgrow the disorder.

With my dyspraxia, I repeat things and have fatigue and some poor motor function like difficulty tying my shoes.
Yes, I do know technically how to do it. I can now tie a rather ugly bow. It's sort of like my brain and body don't agree with each other. That's what dyspraxia is. The signal doesn't always get through. You can find a list of symptoms of dyspraxia at the UK based Dyspraxia Foundation:
For child symptoms go to: http://www.dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk/services/gu_symptoms.php
For adult: symptoms go to http://www.dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk/services/ad_symptoms.php

The problem is I now have many articles out there claiming I had dyslexia and ADHD. All that misinformation out there is making me uncomfortable.

I never lied but now the PR I did has grown and reproduced. I am going to submit select articles and ask a few of the bigger ADHD sites to pull my name. My hope is these articles will also grow and
spread. Though some people may always believe what they want to believe. I will do my part in getting the correct information out there.

I did nothing wrong and some good has come out of my
diagnoses I wrote a book for dyslexic and ADD children called I am Gifted, Too (http://www.fictionwise.com/eBooks/eBook9623.htm?cache).

Helping people means something to me and so does promoting ethically. I've seen. I've seen people post
fake reviews. I know of writers and web sites who use misleading publicity to run up clicks. I worry that others might put me in that class. So I am intent on setting the record straight.

I am also hoping to do some good for those with dyspraxia and those who have been misdiagnosed. I'm also hoping that if any subscribers to Sharing with Writers run into a similar problem with misinformation, they'll know they can at least try to rectify it.

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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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Feature:

Agent or No Agent: An Inspirational Account of a Do - It - Yourself Effort

By Francine Silverman

I learned a hard lesson doing my current book - - Radio Wants You. If you write nonfiction and don't want to self - publish, you don't necessarily need an agent. After waiting for months for my agent to report some news - - good or otherwise - - I decided to take the matter into my own hands. I sat down with Writers Market and found a dozen publishers that publish reference books. Most of them deal with 95 - 100% unagented authors. I sent queries and proposals to all 12.

Well, I am happy to report I have since heard from one - - McFarland & Company Publishers, to which I'd sent a query. The assistant editor wrote back before the allotted time of one month that they wanted more information, such as sample introduction and chapters, which I sent on Monday. "We're intrigued," he wrote - the same word that my agent used to describe my project.

McFarland publishes general reference, performing arts, sports, women's studies, librarianship, literature, Civil War, history, world affairs, and international studies. According to its entry in Writer's Market, it publishes hardcover and "quality" paperbacks, and "the market is worldwide and libraries are an important part." But the words that shot out at me were "Reference books are particularly wanted."

On its website, http://www.mcfarlandpub.com , it says "McFarland is a leading U.S. publisher of scholarly, reference and academic books" and that to date has published 4000 titles.

So, while nothing is yet written in stone, I am hopeful. - - - - - - - - - -
Francine Silverman's latest book is Talk Radio for Authors (Infinity Publishing 2007). Her forthcoming book is Radio Wants You - An Intimate Portrait of 500 Radio Shows that Welcome Guests.

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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 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
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Serial Feature

On Green Responsibility

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

Recycle paper, cans, bottles, ink cartridges, toner, etc
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Offered by Diane Tinney, president and publisher, Keene Publishing, Home of Moo Press Children's Books
www.KeeneBooks.com
Illuminating lives, one book at a time.

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Don't suffer with book proposals. You can be a pro with and investment of only 20 minutes and 49 cents with my Great First Impression Book Proposal Short.
http://www.amazon.com/Great - First - Impression - Book - Proposal/dp/B000YG6O5U
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Tip: For frequent tips on editing, using words correctly and more, visit my blog, The Frugal, Smart and Tuned - In Editor, http://thefrugaleditor.blogspot.com . This week you'll learn more about tips booklets and acronyms (and how not to use them!).

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A general marketing rule is that a product must be seen seven times before it is purchased. That is just as true for books (because they are products, like it or not!). Let people see that book cover image! To do that, you are invited to advertise as a site sponsor at www.howtodoitfrugally.com for only $25 to $30 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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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.)

Brandon Wilson. http://www.pilgrimstales.com, and a 68 - year old Frenchman undertook a monumental quest: They walked 2600 - miles across eleven countries and two continents to Jerusalem following an ancient Templar Trail. Their mission was to carry a message of peace along a path historically used for war.

Now their book, Along the Templar Trail: Seven Million Steps for Peace, featuring 42 photos and maps, will be published. Previews with photos can now be seen at http://www.pilgrimstales.com. Along the Templar Trail is available to pre - order from Amazon.com, BN.com and from your favorite bookstores.

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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/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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Tip: Another way to reach Amazon - - straight from the mouth of Amazon. "Our 'Catalog Guide' outlines ways authors and publishers can contact us about images and content, including listing new items, submitting
corrections, enhancing the product detail page, and adding to the variety of information customers use to make a purchasing decision. You'll find the guide at
http://www.amazon.com/publishers ."


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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.
You know you want it on your website! Be sure to link it to the AC site, too!
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Feature

Six Degrees from Your Wishes

By Allyn Evans

Recently, I delivered a presentation on the subject of networking. “Yawn.” Right? Keep reading. You might be surprised at how interested you will be.

Ever heard of the Law of 250? The story goes most of us know on average at least 250 people, which translates…we have some level of relationship with 200 to 300 individuals. The approximately 250 people you know also know about 250 too. If you do the math that means you have access to 62,500 individuals within what is considered your second level of contacts. That’s a lot of people and resources.

The Small World theory, introduced by social psychologist and researcher Stanley Milgram, hypothesized that people in large social networks, such as the United States, are linked to each other via chains of “intermediate acquaintances.“ His results demonstrated unrelated people within a larger network could typically find each other within six layers. The phrase, “six degrees of separation,” popularized in 1990 by an American playwright John Guare is based on the Small World experiment.

What does this mean for you and me? This is the part I love. We have our personal contacts to cultivate. It is our job to build relationships with our inner circle of friends and acquaintances. That’s it. Nothing more. What’s even better is that we don’t have to look for important or powerful people. We look for the people who cross our paths and who we develop a kinship with. Then we allow the Small World theory to do the rest.

Here’s how it worked in my own life. In 2005, after my manuscript had been accepted by my publisher, I was asked to seek out a celebrity endorsement. My first response was to laugh. Right! Let me pull out my rolodex and look up the long list of celebrities I know personally. That’s a big goose egg. After laughing, I then started thinking, “Why not?”

I jumped in without a plan or expectations. I simply decided to play.

First assignment: Pick a celebrity. That was an easy one. I picked Emmy award - winning Hollywood actress Sela Ward. I had just finished reading a book she wrote titled Homesick, a memoir about growing up in Mississippi. I too grew up in Mississippi and had similar feelings and emotions. My book, the one needing an endorsement, was similar. Certainly, Sela Ward would understand and support the book.

Now what? I decided to call my mother to tell her about my new project. Mother, it turns out, just happened to know, through Dad’s business dealings, a couple who lived in Meridian, Mississippi. Meridian is Sela’s hometown. “I’ll call Mary,” she said.

Mom (a first level contact for me and a relationship I have cultivated since birthJ) took over. She made the call. Turns out Mary’s husband, Dad’s colleague, had served on a foundation board with Sela. He had contact information for Sela’s personal assistant. Two days later, Mom called me with her mailing address. Bingo!

I wrote and mailed a letter with the manuscript explaining my request and how I had obtained the contact information. Then I waited.

Turns out, my degrees of separation story doesn’t have the best ending. Sela did not meet the deadline.

About a month later with copies of my published book in hand, I was heading home to Mississippi for my first round of book tours. My phone rang. It was Sela’s Personal Assistant! She explained to me that Sela had been out of the country and never saw my request. She apologized profusely. I, the nobody with zero celebrity contacts, chatted for about ten minutes with Sela’s Personal Assistant!

The story here: I reached Sela Ward in four layers.

When thinking about the numbers and possibilities, I am blown away by the implications of who you can reach. What’s even more astonishing is that the power of your network is outside of your first layer. Layers you are not responsible to cultivate. Your job is to focus on your own inner network of up to 250 people. Plan to develop relationships over the long haul and always approach your network of friends and contacts as people you can help—not the other way around.

Now that you understand the power of your network, you’ll need a system to organize it all. I use Outlook Express to keep up with my addresses and contact information. However, there are also online systems that are most effective and designed for networking. One I use is www.LinkedIn.com. LinkedIn incorporates the degrees of separation and law of 250. Check it out.

Allyn Evans (www.allynevans.blogspot.com) is author of Grab the Queen Power: Live Your Best Life! Check out her Amazon Short about her experience as jury foreman on a meth case: http://www.amazon.com/Ordinary - People - Perform - Unthinkable - Acts/dp/B000PAU32U/.

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Authors' Coalition: No Hum - Drum Book Fair Promotion Allowed is a blog where you can 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. It's time to sign up for 2008's LA Times/UCLA Book Fair. ======================================================

TIP:
Learn more about tips booklets and how to make them work for you. Paulette Ensign was one of the first master promoters I came in contact with. She'll teach you to make promotional booklets work for you with a variety of programs. http://www.kickstartcart.com/app/?af=696843 .

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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.)

More Short Story Resources:

Paying Short Story Markets - http://www.redinkworks.com/short_story_markets.htm

Short Story Contests - http://www.bellaonline.com/subjects/2363.asp

More Short Story Contests - http://collectedstories.com/files/storyteller/contests.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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Q&A a la Ann Landers

Picking a Subject for a First Blog

Question: What kind of blog is best to start...like which ones are people looking at most?
Sona Ovasapyan, author of a chapbook of poetry, Foregone. http://www.sonaovasapyan.com

Answer: The best blog for any author to start is one that is focused on what the author wants to promote - - her book. Yours should be broad enough to attract both readers and writers of poetry, not too narrow (as an example, don't focus it on only romantic poetry which might be too narrow and limit your audience too much). THEN your job is to get to poetry sites, groups, etc and let people know about it!

A concept I like is one I used on www.TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com. In this case authors may recycle their favorite reviews (the guidelines are in the column on the left). You might ask for submissions from poets who want to be published. Then include your own now and then. Do keep in mind, though, that poems that have been published often are not eligible to be published by other publishers.
CHJ

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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. Please use this link:
http://www.vistaprint.com/frf?frf=815651421184
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Tip: Did you buy lots of mugs with your book cover on them as souvenir gifts? In The Frugal Book Promoter warn authors about spending much money on give - aways for general giving but as long as you've gone and done it, give these to people likely to use them for coffee at their desks in a big office - - like a newsroom. That way the mug will get seen frequently by influential people like reporters. For the price you paid plus shipping, each mug should give your book as much exposure as possible.

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The New Book Review is a service of this newsletter and Authors' Coalition. It allows authors to get more exposure from their favorite review and reviewers a chance to have more readers see their reviews - - with links, of course. Please check the guidelines on the blog site at www.TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com.
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E - Tips for E - Promotion

I'm repeating this one because many seemed to have missed it. You can make one blog work for two. Use the RSS feed feature on your Amazon Profile and Plog page to transfer your blog from another site - - all automatically.
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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 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:

Promote to Women with Quotations
Frances W. Greenspan, www.franceswgreenspan.com ,
http://stores.ebay.com/Animal - Drawings - by - F - W - Greenspan and
www.isoconsultfwg.com, passes along an opportunity to have your quotation included on a calendar targeted to women.
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Promotion Idea Contest

I am helping to judge this contest, so I'm listing it twice. I want to know if you all have your think - promotion hats on. ( - :
It's the Out - of - the - Box Promo Contest, offered by Kathe Gogolewski, www.tri - studio.com. She is looking for different and creative promotional ideas for writers, not yet tested or tried. New technology might be employed in this promotional idea; networking with other authors may be part of the plan. Perhaps it's a funny idea, like writing interviews between the author and a main character in his or her book (Sorry! That's been done!) Strange ideas are okay, too.
s
There's no entry fee and modest cash prizes. The deadline is Jan. 31. Check it all out at www.tri - studio.com .

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Carolyn's Appearances and Teaching

Carolyn Howard - Johnson will be a guest on the Iris Fanning Show on Quiet Time Radio. The show will air daily in late December. The topic is "Everyone Has a Book Inside" from creative direction, writing process, publishing & marketing your book. Visit www.qtworldradio.com and click on the Iris Fanning Show for schedule & details.

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Sign up to receive a copy of my Sharing with Writers blog in your e - mail box. It is a focused blog on all things related to writing and publishing. Go to www.sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com. Sign up in the left hand column. Find related resources by scrolling to the bottom of the blog.
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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. They provide f r ^ ^ programs for writers at High Desert Haven in Ridgecrest. Learn more at www.ridgenet.net/ ~curtdan/ridgewriters.
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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.
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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 share with the nation's humor writers again in April 3 - 5 of 2008 at Dayton University's Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop. She'll speak twice at the Kennedy Union on campus. Go to www.humorwriters.org/2008SpeakerBios.html. Tapes will be available even though 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 do’s 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 will 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? ( - :

To enroll call Marcus Hennessey, 310 - 267 - 4888, or go to www.uclaextension.edu and enroll for 735.18, Registration # T6393.
Or go to www.uclaextension.edu. Because it is a one - day seminar, it is less than $100.
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Carolyn Howard - Johnson will appear on Write On Four Corners with host Connie Gotsch on KSJE FM Public Radio broadcast from San Juan College. Access the program 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

(Definitions in the next few newsletters are from http://www.butlerwebs.com/jokes/definitions.htm .You might have some favorite neologisms metaphors or similes that make you smile. If so, please contribute.)

"ABDICATE: To give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach."

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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.

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/

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 newsletter, 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/

The second in the How To Do It Frugally series of books, The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success, is available at Amazon at
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0978515870/


The Great First Impression Book Proposal: Everything You Need To Know About Selling Your Book in 20 Minutes or Less, will soon be available on Amazon as a Short for 49 cents.