April 14, 2008

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,
www.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_Apr_No1Week_2008.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:

Amazon has just added a new widget (that means a cute thingy that visitors to your website or blog or wherever can click to buy your book). By the way, you can also earn a little commission with each book you sell from any of Amazon's widgets. Each click doesn't give you much but it can add up.

I chose a widget that is Ferris wheel - shaped to show you what it looks like. I chose the narrow configuration so it fits in the space allotted on my blog template. Go to www.SharingwithWriters.blogspot.com. It is on the left pretty close to the top. Note that there are arrows at the bottom of the Ferris Wheel to help you turn it.

You can also choose a carousel shape. Here's where you go to get started and it is pretty darn user - friendly. http://widgets.amazon.com/Amazon - Carousel - Widget/ Just be sure to read everything.

Now, I know (putting it mildly) that lots of people are mad at Amazon. Make that I know a lot more people than ever before are mad at Amazon. I understand. But Amazon is a powerhouse that can't be ignored. So, I promise you my take on their new policy toward publishers that use POD technology as soon as l have a better grasp on how it will effect you.

In the meantime, don't go changing all of your links to Amazon. Add another but don't erase the old links. I just don't see how doing that can serve your best interest.

Carolyn Howard - Johnson
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
And now blogging on War. Peace. Tolerance. And Our Soldiers at http://www.warpeacetolerance.blogspot.com.
And now! Squidooing at
http://www.squidoo.com/HowToDoItFrugallyforAuthors
and http://www.squidoo.com/carolynhoward - johnson
PS: At the Erma Bombeck conference, I found a humorist who will supply Sharing with Writers subscribers with tips on writing humor. Humor can give you the edge in everything from a book proposals and query letters to your blogs so I'm really pleased. See below for the first.

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Please pass this letter on to others. Unlike many, 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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Letter - to - the - Editor:

Carolyn,
Your magic has worked again! I think I’ve landed my first media interview . . . . FYI. The Frugal Book Promoter has taught me so much and been indispensable. Thank You.
Jamie F. Dodson www.nickgrantadventures.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.blogspot.com.
http://authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com
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Tip: In addition to your press kit, prepare a sell sheet: a one or two page flyer or brochure that includes information about your upcoming book. Mail it to bookstores, book conferences or conventions, or include it with your media kit. It's a great promotional tool and low cost to design and copy. This tip and Patrika Vaughn's other 20 online classes can be found at www.acappela.com.

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My blog, War, Peace, Tolerance and Our Soldiers is where I get to nag and rag to try to make things better for our troops and maybe for the world. It's only been active a few weeks and is gathering an amazing following. I'd love to have you leave a comment. 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 Christy Tillery French (http://www.christyfrench.com/index01.htm) for letting me know that my Frugal Book Promoter is listed in a featured article on promotion, written by Jane McBride Choate, in which she interviews Border's District Marketing Manager Jeffery Neuman. She says, "There is a shaded block inside the article, entitled 'Suggested Reading' in which your book is listed. Read the magazine online at: http://www.rwanational.org/. "There is a button there (maybe 1/3 of the way down) you can click that says, Read RWR Online, or something like that." I figure that list might have some other great reading on it that subscribers of SWW will find useful.
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To 4RV Publishing LLC for signing on as a Gold Banner sponsor of Authors' Coalition. Their motto is "One on One with Authors and Artists." Find them at http://4rvpublishingllc.com .
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To Janie Lancaster who informed me that HowToDoItFrugally.com is on a list for helpful web sites in the magazine Writers Digest. Janie is the author of Julie and the Lost Fairytale published by www.StarPublishllc.com.
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To Compulsive Reader for publishing my latest Review for Riters ™ on Eli Gottlieb's Now You See Him. See it at http://www.compulsivereader.com/html/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1904 . This is a site where you'll find lots of helps for your writing career.

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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. So is Yarnspinners and Wordweavers. Contact katieseyes@aol.com.
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TIP: Read how a digital camera can help budding writers, young or old, in the creative writing process.
In Leora Krygier's article, "Snap and Write," (VOYA Magazine, April 2008 issue http://pdfs.voya.com/VO/YA2/VOYA200804SnapandWrite.pdf) she explores the relationship between the camera and writing.
Leora says, "Teens and camera are as ubiquitous as Starbucks these days. Teens snap pictures with their camera phones and digitals at school, parties, concerts - - everywhere they go - - and then immediately upload their photos onto MySpace and Facebook. That is precisely why a digital camera is a great tool to help students engage in the creative writing process."
VOYA is an award winning bimonthly journal addressing librarians, educators and other professionals who work with young adults.
www.leorakrygier.com
www.starbuckled.blogspot.com
www.photo2story.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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Tip: When writing humor, I have to watch out for overdoing the joke. In trying to make sure that everybody gets it, I can beat the joke to a humorless pulp with a single superfluous sentence. For example: "I could use the thesaurus, but it's three feet away, and I already did my exercise for today. No need to overdo things." That "No need to overdo things" is actually overdoing things! The question I've learned to ask myself (most of the time) is "If the punch line was in the previous sentence, why am I still writing about it?"
Submitted by Anne Louise Reinhard, attendee at the Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop and humor writer. www.annelouise.net

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Fun and F r * *: If you purchased the Frugal Book Promoter or the Frugal Editor, 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 a handout from one of my UCLA classes. As a thank you, of course. HoJoNews@aol.com
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On Poetry

This is a new running feature for the poets among us and those who would like to try writing poetry but feel, well . . . inadequate. Please send in your poetry tips and resources for this section.


WAR POETRY CONTEST. Seventh year. Fifteen cash prizes totaling $5,000. Top prize $2,000. Submit 1 - 3 unpublished poems on the theme of war, up to 500 lines in all. Winning entries published online. Sponsored by Winning Writers. $15 entry fee, payable to Winning Writers. Postmark deadline: May 31. Judge: Jendi Reiter. Include cover sheet with contact information. No name on poems. Submit online or mail to Winning Writers, Attn: War Poetry Contest, 351 Pleasant Street, PMB 222, Northampton, MA 01060. Winning Writers is proud to be one of "101 Best Websites for Writers" (Writer's Digest, 2005 - 2007). More information: www.winningwriters.com/war

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Don't suffer with book proposals. You can be a pro with an 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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Q&A a la Ann Landers

Publicity Vs. the Old Traditional Kind of Promotion

Question: What was the first thing you learned about promotion after you book was published?

Answer: Jane, I'm responding to your question answer in kind of a double - sided way. Today I heard an author expound on how promoting on the Net doesn't work. He suggested returning to the tried and true method of the traditional publishers. Bear with me and you'll see how my answer to your question ties into his theory for the two of us appear to have had exact opposite experiences on the net.

The thing I learned first off after publishing my novel This Is the Place, was that spending a ton of money publicizing my novel the old - fashioned way (the way traditional publishers had done it for decades) couldn't work. At least not for me. I just didn't have the funds. Well, I did and spent them with a publicist who did things the traditional way. And nothing she did worked for me. So I found out the hard way that even if you have the money, they are unlikely to work well unless your book is published by one of those big publishers. This oh - so - sad and very costly experience is the reason that I wrote The Frugal Book Promoter. I wanted my fellow authors to know how to avoid falling into the potholes I had fallen into. I also wanted them to know the basics of marketing I learned as a publicist (fashion) and marketer (retail) in former lives.

Now, here's what real marketers say. You know, the ones with degrees in marketing and long years of practical experience in the field. What will work best is a combination of the old ways of promoting (reviews, book tours and advertising) and the new (nearly - free ways of promoting on the web, speaking and all the other ways listed in The Frugal Book Promoter).

Still you may not be able to afford the traditional way, and - - if you can - - may receive little welcome from those keepers of the hallowed gates of fine review journals and so may waste the money you spent. So the combination of the old ways and the new might work best, if you can afford both advertising, book publicists etc. AND you utilize the Net and other newer ways to promote, too.

But, if you must choose, it is an established fact in marketing that publicity (read that free promotion - - whether it's on the net or in reviews in the best journals or feature articles in newspapers) will always work best. There is a chapter in The Frugal Book Promoter explaining why, but the short answer is

1. Publicity is f r ^ ^ and advertising is not.
2. Because publicity is f r ^ ^ and willingly given, readers give it more credibility than paid advertising and other forms of publicity that feel too commercial to them.

Jane, you should have more than one book showing you how to promote. You will want to consider more than one opinion on how to do things, even when offered up by experts.

One of my other early lessons was that I should be cautious about utilizing information that comes out of many e - groups. You can get great information there but you can also be led astray by rumor and by those who are just barely learning to promote themselves. The information is also often scattered and incomplete. One of the best books I read is the one by Marilyn and Tom Ross, The Complete Guide to Self - Publishing. It's been around a long time.

As you consider your choices, consider your own pocketbook, your book's title, your own personality.
But the best thing I ever learned were the words "tenacity," "persistency," and "frequency." Keep at the old things. Keep trying new things. Promotion - - paid or otherwise - - is cumulative. You won't know exactly what works but - - eventually - - you'll know something is!!!

By the way, the smartest traditional publishers are also doing lots of promotion on the net these days. I know because I see more and more requesting reviews from the review sites I work with. Sites like ReaderViews and MyShelf.com.

CHJ

For one more great resource for reading and the two major reasons why publicity is better than advertising, read the rest of this article at www.sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com.

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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.)

Pat Avery was named author of the month by MyShelf.com. Her new release (with Joyce Faulkner) is a book about the little known Sunchon Tunnel Massacre during the Korean War. Find it at: www.myshelf.com/aom/08/avery.htm
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Lanaia Lee, MKellis566@aol.com, announces the release of Within Lanaia's Garden of Darkness. She says, "Take Lanaia's hand and come travel with her through her garden of darkness, collecting all the things the darkness has to offer . . . at the end of the garden, there is a ray of light called hope. Find this book of poetry at www.agpress.50megs.com/.

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Available: Audios from Audio Divas on many aspects of building a writing career are published by Double Dragon Press. Here is the page where you'll find the full list (http://www.double - dragon - ebooks.com/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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Off Subject: Many of you know that my literary work is aimed at promoting tolerance and the freedoms of speech and the press. You will find one of those posts that gets passed around on the web along with my comments on my blog War. Peace. Tolerance. (www.warpeacetolerance.blogspot.com). I'd love it if you take a moment to leave a comment.

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Endorsement: I am so happy for you to receive a second award for The Frugal Editor. I bought this book a week ago, and I love it. I can already see the improvement in my work. Thank you. You deserve this award.
Katherine Harms, author
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Tip: Vote!. Those little oval buttons scattered across Amazon's pages are so valuable. They're a way to do a fellow writer (maybe someone who just left a review for your book) a favor. AND, I just learned something about that little tag window you find on every book's page. I always thought there was no point in adding a tag (a keyword) that someone else added. WRONG. The more tags that different people add with specific keyword for a book, the higher that book's ranking goes up in the Amazon search engines. So, do your fellow authors a favor. Ask them to vote on your pages and tag them. Do the same for others. Why not do some exchanges. On a weekly basis, people tag your book, you tag theirs.

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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

www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com/AC_Promotional_Videos,%20Logos%20&%20More
.
You know you want it on your website! Be sure to link it to the AC site, too! And there is a cross - promotional slide show there that will add movement and color to your site or blog, even if you aren't featured on it. It's all about Karma. ( - :
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Opportunity

Because the Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop sells out every year (this year that happened in about 70 hours after registration opened!), I thought I'd let you know about their CD program. One of the reasons I love speaking at this conference is that I always learn from the other speakers. We attendees/speakers can't get around to every seminar offered but we can buy the CDs and so can you. These are the ones I recommend from personal experience, (yes, mine is included!) and I included a couple highly recommended by conference attendees. You might find others that interest you.
Find the entire list at www.fleetwoodonsite.com/bombeck or to order the recommend ones below.

#6998 Highly recommended by others: Leigh Anne Jasheway - Brant on "how to take your humor writing from amusing to amazing: Fine - tuning, tweaking, and rewriting."
#6993 Carolyn Howard - Johnson on "Don't tick off the gatekeepers: Great editing counts."
#7001 Tom Ellsworth on "Introduction to funny card formulas and writing techniques." This is only for subscribers with an interest in writing for greeting cards.
#6991 Craig Wilson (USA Today) on "Are you sure you want to be a humor columnist." This one comes highly recommended by others.

Consider all of the keynote/lunch/dinner speakers including, #7008 (Martha Bolton who wrote gags for Bob Hope), #7009 (Garrison Keillor), #7010 (Mike Peters who syndicates political cartoons. I have to tell you I have become a fan of his and I didn't know him before - - ahhh, the things you learn at conferences!), and #7012 (Connie Schultz, author and political wife - - an amazing combination of heart and wry humor).

You can order your CDs by phone at 800 353 1830. The tapes are $15. each or $180 for the package (a 25% savings) or $99. for them all on MP3.
Find the conference directed by Tim Bete at www.humorwriters.org. Learn more about the speakers you'll find on the CDs at http://www.humorwriters.org/2008SpeakerBios.html.

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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 Festival of Books.
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TIP: I just added a Review for Riters ™ to the
f r e e content page of my HowToDoItFrugally site. It will help authors examine such elements of fiction as POV, characterization, and use of language but it's also there for all of you with newsletters, blogs, etc. to use as content. www.howtodoitfrugally.com/free_content.htm.

================================================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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In the News

US Nation's Capitol Has a Newseum!

USA Today reports (in their Life section, Friday, April 4, 2008, www.usatoday.com ), that the Giant, oh - so - expensive Newseum is opening near the National Mall in Washington D.C. I was amazed at how complete it is. It includes an Early New Gallery, a hall of Today's Front Pages, a Big Screen Theater for historic news, a Great Books hall, a hall for the History of News, a Five Freedoms Walkway (Better catch this one quickly! We are rapidly losing many of them!), an Internet, a TV and Radio gallery, an interactive newsroom, an Ethics Center, and a Pulitzer Prize Photographs gallery, along with the usual Wolfgang Puck dining, and lots of theaters, atriums, etc.

One of the things my early work with newspapers fostered is my interest in the First Amendment. This museum has gallery that explores that all - important amendment's role in expanding liberty and justice in the USA; the Freedom Forum Journalists Memorial, a tribute to more than 1,800 reporters, photographers, editors and broadcasters who have died doing what they do - - keeping our government honest and our people informed - - also fits with my interest in our present war and in supporting our troops by doing more than merely flag - waving and sending human interest pieces about the compassion of our soldiers around on the web. Among those 1,800 reporters who gave their lives are, of course, those who died doing their jobs in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The entry free is hefty - - $20 for adults. Having said that, I can think of no better or more educational activity than learning more about what I consider the major thing that puts our country a cut above so many others, our freedoms of speech and the press. The opening of this museum is so perfectly timed.

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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.)

In the next couple issues, Elizabeth will explain some rights terms:

Non Exclusive Rights - - Nonexclusive Reprint Rights allow you retain the right to sell reprint rights to the same work to more than one publication, even at the same time.
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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 - - from 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: Macmillan has a new imprint that encourages submission from new and unpublished novelists - - apparently without benefit of an agent. Go to:
http://www.panmacmillan.com/imprints/Macmillan%20New%20Writing/
Thank you to May Lattanzio for sending this great info along to SWW subscribers!

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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: Are you wondering about how to select a good editor. She won't wear a "Great Editing" tattoo on her forehead. Check out the new blog post at www.thefrugaleditor.blogspot.com for starters.

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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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Into Words

An Itty - Bitty Column on Writing

By Mindy Phillips Lawrence

Character Development - - When you are trying to make your characters real, start with a list of their attributes (like where did they come from? What is their background? What do they look like? What faith did they grow up believing?). Get as detailed as possible. Although you might not use all the information, it’s good to have everything down about that “person.” Do this for each of your main characters and any others that might be beneficial to your writing plan.

Your characters are REAL to YOU. Take time to visit with them and figure out how they express themselves. Take a mental walk with them and get to know them better.
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Mindy Phillips Lawrence is publicist and literary agent for Dr. Dan Skelton and representative for the fiction work of Bev Walton - Porter www.freewebs.com/mplcreative. She is in the process of researching a novel titled Alone is Where We Begin.

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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, 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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Carolyn's Appearances and Teaching:

 Carolyn Howard - Johnson will share her secrets for taking a book fair signing out of the realm of hum - drum to make it a sizzling success at the Thursday, April 17 meeting of Book Publicists of Southern California at the Sportsmen's Lodge in Studio City.
BPSC is a resource for publicists, authors and others associated with the publishing industry. The organizations publishes a member directory and newsletter (www.bookpublicists.org/pages/newsletter.asp) ., sponsors events (www.bookpublicists.org/pages/events.asp) and gives out the IRWIN (www.bookpublicists.org/pages/irwin_award.asp) awards to help foster industry excellence.
The event includes dinner. Sportsmen*s Lodge is at 12825 Ventura Blvd., Studio City. A mixer at 5:30 is the epitome of promotion in action. Dinner at 6:30 is $35 and the program only is $10. Reservations may be made at irwinzuckerpr@aol.com. If you tell Irwin I sent you, he will extend the membership rate for dinner. $27.
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 On April 26 & 27, Carolyn Howard - Johnson will sign her new USA Award - winning book the Frugal Editor ( as well as her others) at the LA Times/UCLA Festival of Books on the beautiful UCLA Campus in the Authors Coalition booth, #610 and 611. (http://www.latimes.com/extras/festivalofbooks/_) Other authors signing there include Barbara Crandall, MD; David H. Jones, Joyce Faulkner, Pam Kelly, DanaLee Buhler, Annette Fix and poets Christine Alexanians and Patti Kokinos. To learn more about opportunities for your book go to: http://www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com/fair_booths.htm. Some promotions authors have to be present for, others not. Visitors at this booth will receive free books with their purchase.
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New! Carolyn will talk inspiration. Read that "Writing for Fun and Profit" on April 29th at 4 pm ET (1 pm PT). Frank Gasiorowski is the host for "Motivation to Inspire, Inspiration to Empower and Empowerment to Take Action" at www.blogtalkradio.com/powertalk.

Or call1 - 646 - 716 - 9940. Listen to Frank's program every Tuesday at 4pm ET and Thursday at 7 pm EDT with a new expert guest each week.
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Nancy Mills, founder of Spirited Woman, will be interviewing Carolyn Howard - Johnson in her 2008 Spirited Woman tele - chat series. Sign up now to be part of this exciting series, whether you want to listen to Carolyn or to the likes of Jacqueline Mitchard, author of the Deep End of the Ocean and Catherine Ryan Hyde, author of Pay It Forward. To listen live to Carolyn, circle Tuesday, June 3, 2008, 10 am (PST), 1pm (EST) on your calendar. Find the entire series at: www.thespiritedwoman.com/ spirited_woman_circle Advance registration needed.
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Carolyn Howard - Johnson will appear on Write On Four Corners on Friday, April 18, with host Connie Gotsch on KSJE FM Public Radio broadcast from San Juan College. Access the program at: www.ksje.com at 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.fourcornerspress.com.
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 The Catholic Writer’s Guild, www.catholicwritersguild.org, and Canticle Magazine, www.canticlemagzine.com, are pleased to announce the first Catholic Writer’s Conference Online May 2 - 9, 2008. Conducted entirely via Internet, the conference will feature online seminars and chat rooms hosted by editors, agents, published writers, and other media professionals in book and magazine publishing. F r ^ ^ to writers of all levels, advance registration is required. To register go to www.conference.catholicwritersguild.org. At 10 am, Pacific time, on Monday, May 5, Carolyn will present Your First Marketing Offense: Query Letters and Great Editing or Ten Ways to Let an Agent Know You Are an Amateur. Karina Fabian will moderate. Then Carolyn will co - present a seminar with Karina on book promotion at 11 am Pacific Time the same day.
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 Carolyn Howard - Johnson will be guest speaker for Pamela Kelly's UCLA Extension course, "Public Speaking for Professionals" on Monday, May 19th at the Public Affairs Bldg, Room 2238, 7 - 10pm. Those interested in learning the steps to exciting and effective speaking, may enroll by going to www.uclatestension.edu and enrolling for Reg# T7594B. Pam Kelly is the author of Speak with Passion, Speak with Power!, a book on speaking that I strongly recommend for authors who want their books to succeed.
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 Carolyn Howard - Johnson will be one of the featured winners of the USA Book News' booth at BEA on Friday, May 29, at the nation's premier book event, Book Expo America. She will sign her USA Book News Award - Winning book, The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success in the USA Book News booths, #835 & #837 in the PMA Pavilion. Make BEA reservations and get info about the event here: www.bookexpoamerica.com
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 Carolyn Howard - Johnson will read from her chapbook of poetry, Tracings, Monday evening, Aug. 11, at 7:30 pm at the Village Bookstore 1049 Swarthmore Ave, Pacific Palisades, CA. Poets Alice Pero and Lois P. Jones sponsor ongoing featured readings called Moonday. Learn more at www.home.earthlink.net/ ~pero/moonday.html
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 The f r e ^ Muse Online Writers' Conference, sponsored by Lea Schizas and Carolyn Howard - Johnson, is accepting early registration. Nearly 2,000 attended last year and openings are limited. Learn more about this year's conference, October 13 to 19th, and how you can assure your spot in 2008. We will present an all - new program soon. Carolyn will do a seminar on "Query Letters! Editing them perfectly for a great first impression." Go to: www.freewebs.com/themuseonlinewritersconference/presentersregistration.htm”

To see the growing list of presenters go to: www.freewebs.com/themuseonlinewritersconference/2008/workshops.htm

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Wordstuff ™

Something to Make Writers Smile

(Definitions in the next few newsletters are from www.butlerwebs.com/jokes/definition.htm .You might have some favorite neologisms, metaphors or similes that make you smile. If so, please contribute.)
" Acupuncture: a jab well done."
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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 this link to Amazon:
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, is available on Amazon as a Short for 49 cents.
http://www.amazon.com/Great - First - Impression - Book - Proposal/dp/B000YG6O5U/