May 11, 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,
http://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_May_No2Week_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:

In my last newsletter I promised to talk about something a little more inspirational this week. Well, I think being frugal with your promotion budget is very inspirational. So that's what we'll talk about. Being frugal.

You see when I started promoting my first book, This Is the Place, I made the mistake of thinking that what I would get from promotion was in direct proportion to what I spent. I made so many expensive mistakes before I figured that out but it all turned out well. Those mistakes inspired me to write my HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers.

That's why I now think of frugal as very inspirational indeed. Being Frugal - - for me means not spending money when you get the same results (or better) by doing it yourself. Example: Publicity is free. Advertising costs. For most readers, publicity is more credible than paid advertising so why not try to get publicity and eschew advertising?

Frugal means not paying for something you shouldn't pay for.

Reviews as an example. It may be tough, but you can get your book reviewed without paying for it. Further a review you pay for will not be as credible to readers. That includes even the reviews in the paid - for section of Kirkus.

Agents are another example. You pay an agent a percentage of what you earn for a book. If you find an agent who wants an upfront reading fee or tries to sell you editing service with a promise (or semi - promise) of a contract, you may be dealing with a shyster.

There are some things you need to pay for. Perhaps because your time is limited. Perhaps because in this life or the next you will never be good at a certain skill yourself (though I urge you not to sell yourself short - - you may be surprised at what you can do! I, for instance, am building my own website with a lot of help from my friends, a lot of courage and two near - nervous breakdowns!). So here are a couple of efforts that I think you get your money's worth with and the reason you do is you get more than just the basic service when you pay for them. In other words, these people do a professional job for you but include value - added benefits.

Videos: You've heard me talk about Rey Ybarra. He does all my videos. But he does so much more techie stuff with them. Stuff that I can't do or don't know to do. And there's a difference in quality between self - produced videos and Rey's. Find him at http://www.veoh.com/channels/BSATV or e - mail him at rybarra106@aol.com.

Radio Interviews: Normally I'd say paying for these is a no - no. You can get radio interviews without paying a cent. But what if your interview is from Lisa at www.lisa.fm? Not only does she have a huge audience but she adds value with print articles to place like the Ventura Star and DivineCaroline.com that will increase your footprint on Google and be seen in areas you might not otherwise have access to.

Or Cynthia Brian? She ties her work to literacy charities for starters and besides that, her radio program is syndicated so you're getting much more than what her program first appears to be. Contact her at Cynthia@bethestaryouare.org.

Now, mind you, I'm not guaranteeing you'll sell lots of books with any one marketing effort, however well it gunshots itself around the web. If you've read this letter long enough, you'll know that's not the way it works. It works cumulatively. Over time. With frequency. And persistence. And when it's carefully targeted.

But, if a service is within your budget, "frugal" doesn’t mean to never spend any money. Here's where I think money - - even big money - - is well - spent.

1. On a great book cover and a great editor and a great formatter.

2. On a service that you've thoroughly researched that does a lot for you and that you can't do for yourself well, either because of time or money or expertise.

3. On things that put good Zen into the universe.

4. Buying the books of other authors occasionally, as an example. We shouldn't ask others to buy our book if we don't ever buy anyone else's.

So, recession or not, "frugal" is not "skimp." Frugal is doing your homework. Knowing your own strengths and goals. And working around them. Frugal is sometimes pinching a penny, sometimes bartering and sometimes, it's spending what you need to achieve the results you're after. "Frugal" is never, never the same as "gullible" though. ( - :

Here's the final salvo. Join a Yahoogroup or Googlegroup that attracts professionals - - meaning authors and publishers who have been around the block a few times. Ask questions before, rather than after. Then take the answers you get and evaluate them against your own goals and needs and pocketbook.

Happy promoting! And yes, writing and editing, too!

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: A little author brag here that includes some oh - so - heavy advice: Everyone, the excerpt from Amazon below is not a ranking for sales in a CATEGORY. This is for overall BOOKS.
• Average Customer Review:
(86 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #33,126 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)
(Publishers and authors: Improve Your Sales)

I don't know what caused or causes ratings like this one. My Amazon rating has been this low before - - even lower - - but not lately. As always, I can't trace it to any one promotion but I've been doing a lot of promoting lately. Book fair, several radio shows and podcasts, etc. The lesson is to keep at it. It is the cumulative effect that counts. Persistence and frequency. Keep your eyes on the goals, not specifically on book sales. And, yes, READ your Frugal Book Promoter and others like the ones you find on the Resources for Writers pages of www.howtodoitfrugally.com.

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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

Thank you for the article attachment! And thanks for making me look good!

For your next newsletter, here is a saying I love, and it’s on a sign in my office attributed to Jonathan Winters:

I Couldn’t Wait for Success
So I Went Ahead
Without It

It’s soooooo spot - on!

Janet Kay Jensen, Author Don't You Marry the Mormon Boys (Bonneville Books, Cedar Fort, Inc), www. janetjensen.com
====================================================== 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: Please visit Jordana Ryan ( http://jordanaryan.tripod.com ) and me at her Book Café, www.blogtalkradio.com/Jordana - Ryan. The podcast will play automatically until she does her next show and then after that it will be available for download. We talk about how Preditors and Editors can be misleading, book contracts, the best way to promote a book and even a little poetry and craft. As always, rate and the show and leave a comment. The comment should include the title of your book and your URL. It only takes a moment. ( - :

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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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Tip: Distribution is sometimes a challenge for independently published authors and small presses. PMA offers a Trade Distribution Program. You'll need to join PMA and follow their submission process exactly if you'd like to work through them to get distributed. Go to www.pma - online.org.

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So you got As in English. You know grammar and spelling. That's great but an editor of you it doth not make. An editor knows formatting, front and back matter, indexing, structure, the elements of fiction and on and on. But mostly she'll see your manuscript in a fresh, new light. Learn how to hire a great editor and learn to be a better partner for any author - - awful to superb - - in The Frugal Editor.
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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 Mary Emma Allen for including me in her work - from - home week on her Home Biz Notes blog at http://www.homebiznotes.com/more - media - tips - for - businesses - from - carolyn - howard - johnson/
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To Aaron Lazar for letting me guest blog for him at http://murderby4.blogspot.com/. Go see the story of how I got back to writing and, if you have an essay that will appeal to his audience, query him. Here is your link. I've just saved it as a draft and haven't yet added the photos or posted it, but hopefully you can use the same address? Or try: http://www.blogger.com/post - create.g?blogID=6001825743960552008
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To Lisa Osborne and the Ventura Country Star for printing Lisa's article/interview of me on what it takes to publish at http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2008/may/07/author - to - authors - how - to - publish - and - promote - own/. Register and leave a comment. contact Lisa for her complete radio/print promo program at www.lisa.fm.
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To Military Writers Society of America and their webmaster Joyce Faulkner for including a link on their site to your photos, at least many of you who participated in our great booth at the LA Times Festival of Books and those who had Rey Ybarra work with them on presenting video to what he calls the new media. Find the link here: http://www.militarywriters.com/Events%20&%20News.htm Check out the Military Writers group while you're there. You can be a soldier, a vet or just write about the military in some way to be a member. And there are loads of benefits like a review and award program.

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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: According to studies, black on white is the easiest of all copy to read. Are you surprised? Vary from that tried and true presentation only when you have a very good reason to do so and when you do, keep the contrast as strong as possible.

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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: Hear Roger C. Parker interview book promotion experts of every ilk, including Yvonne Perry, John Kremer, Rick Frishman and me. His site is amazing. You're sure to get an education. http://www.publishedandprofitable.com/public/department80.cfm

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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.

Those who love poetry will love the print magazine Writers Journal. It always includes a poetry section at the back written by Esther Leiper. You can find Writers Journal at any good newsstand or bookstore magazine section. Subscribe to have it sent to your real mailbox at home at www.writersjournal.com.

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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: I've been adding new resources on the Authors - Coalition website. It includes lots of web streaming radio stations, air broadcasts, and others. All are people I've enjoyed working with. The list also includes some MP3 recorded seminars and interviews you can more about our publishing industry from. http://www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com/podcasts_&_radio.htm .

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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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From Anne Louise Reinhard to You

Humor Hints

Often a humorist wonders, “Whom should I make fun of today?” There are plenty of targets available, but usually, I’m the best one. Of course I don’t pass up golden opportunities like my sons taking 17 golf balls to the mall, but for the most part, it’s funnier when the laughter is at my own expense. I once wrote an article on how completely unqualified I am to shop for video games. I made hilarious sport of myself, but then I also started in on the “power - drunk 17 - yr - old clerks” at the store, and suddenly the article wasn’t funny anymore. It had slipped into a clichéd rant against clichéd know - it - all teenagers. After this was pointed out to me, I was able to get back to making fun of myself - - asking the clerk for “Kirby’s Squeak Squad” by referring to it as the “Noisy Vacuum Cleaner Game”.

May your keyboard never falter!
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Reach Anne Louise at annelouise@annelouise.net.
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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.)

Jill Ronsley ( http://www.suneditwrite.com) edited and designed a picture book, Laura and the Leprechauns by Amber T. Kingston, that became a finalist in the 2008 Benjamin Franklin Awards for “Interior Design – 3 or More Color Children’s/Young Adult.” http://www.pma - online.org/pubresources/benfrank2008_finalist .

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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: If you want your publisher to send out review copies, send them an actual address list - - a list of printed labels that includes every person and their organization, name, address, zip, etc. who should receive the book for review. Include a cover letter and suggest that the publisher put it on his letterhead and over his own signature. Then all they have to do is put the book and cover letter in the padded envelope and out it goes! I think there would be a much higher rate of follow - through if that happened . . . . if I were a publicist, I’d appreciate that and I’d do something about it!
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Submitted by Janet Kay Jensen, author Don't You Marry the Mormon Boys www. janetjensen.com

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Endorsement:" I am so happy for you to receive a second award [Reader Views Literary 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: If you are submitting a screenplay, use the font called Courier New. It is a bit odd - looking but that's what the industry prefers. Yes, we have to know these things.

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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://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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Tip: You want to make any page you put out - - whether it’s on the web, a manuscript or a sell sheet - - attractive. Fonts are a fun way to do that but if you get fancy with them, use too many or even the wrong kind, your output will be hard to read and less than professional. Remember, old - fashioned fonts with serifs (meaning the letters wear little hats on the ends of their stems) like Times New Roman (it's in your Word file!) are easiest to read. The one you're reading in this newsletter is called Arial, a sans serif (meaning no serifs, nice and plain). It's a good choice for clarity, too, but editors tend to be set in their ways. If you're submitting any kind of a manuscript other than a screenplay, stick with 12 pt. Times New Roman.

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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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Q&A a la Ann Landers

Your Video, Reviews and More on A CD Business Card

The fact that the CDs many authors and organizations produce aren't very professional has come up several times recently. There are times one one should get the outside of their CDs professionally printed. It has also been suggested that you could use a business - card size CD as well.

But then these gurus sort of leave you there, with no resources for doing any of that. Nadine Laman has had such a business - card CD for some time so I went to her for more detail so you could have a nice one to pack into your media kit or hand out when you meet people. She calls hers a Biz Card. So, for this Q&A, I'm the one with the questions. Nadine is the one with the answers.

Question: Nadine, see the idea above? Do your still have the resource for your Biz Card? Would your Biz Card resource burn a nice image on the outside of the CD? How much do you think it would cost judging from what you spent? And you know how in love I am these days with videos. Can they include a video on their CD/cards? Love, C.

Answer: Yes, Justin Clegg and the 5 Pints crew (their website is www.5Pints.net) could do this. Contact Justin, mention my name (Nadine Laman), and ask for samples and price lists. He and I played around with a basic package that most writers might want to begin with, but really the sky is the limit with these guys. If they can't do what you imagine, no one can. And they were fast. I think it was just a few weeks from concept to finished product. Of course, I just went to his Phoenix location and picked them up, since we live about 15 min away, but that probably only saved a day or two on shipping.

The thing I like about 5Pints is that they hold the patent to the compression technology to put (I can't remember exactly...but I think this is right) about the same amount of data on the small disc that can be put on the standard ones by standard means. So they give you a whole lot of pop on the small disc. They didn't have to compress the stuff on my first disc, but I plan to add the cover of my third book and excerpts for each book, too. Of course, we will swap out a new video for the old one. So the answer to your video question is a resounding "Yes!" Also, I might do a reading on there...who knows what all I'll put on it. But, basically, I think of it much like a website with a whole lot of pages. I send one out with the flyer each time someone sends me a book to sign.

Question: About the photo on the outside of the CD?
Answer: Do you still have one of my biz cards? Look at the cover. That is one of my own snapshots. They print and attach them. I like the little plastic sleeves they come in, too...keeps the CDs from getting scratched.
To get to Justin directly, go to jclegg@5pints.net . But first look at some of these biz card samples on their website. I like the Old Navy one since it is a lot like what I'm going to do. Also look at the 5 Pints one... or if you really want some ideas, look at all of them.

What I've done and will continue to do is to go outside the book industry for my marketing resources. I plan to play on the big field and I just don't see that happening all that much within the book industry big name guru community. They have had some success with nonfiction, but I don't see them having the same success with fiction.

If anyone would like to see my BizCard and will pass it to a reader when they're through with it ( - :, contact me at NadineLaman@aol.com.

Find Nadine at: www.NadineLamanBooks.com. Find her video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwh8DIXKXv8.
====================================================== 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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Tip: Are you looking for a font that will be so distinct it becomes part of your branding. Check out free ones at www.1001freefonts.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 she sometimes throws in a resource for you.)

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

One Time - Rights - - The publication is purchasing the right to print your work once and only once. This is not the same as First Rights. First Rights means the publication is buying the right to be the first to publish your work. If they buy "One - time Rights," they will be allowed to print a written work once, but not necessarily first; the work may have already appeared elsewhere.
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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:. Are you going to be on TV? Think in terms of props. TV is VISUAL. Yes, your book. Anything else you can use that doesn’t feel strained?

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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: I installed the gentle rant I published last week on on my f r ^ ^ Articles4WritersEditors page at www.howtodoitfrugally.com/free_content.htm, It's on why I hate the word "self - promotion." I made it available for the convenience of those of you who missed it (it's one of my favorites) in the AllMarketing edition of this newsletter or those who want to use it as part of your blog or newsletter or website.


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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

Presenting with the Best
I went to a writers’ workshop this weekend conducted by western author Dusty Richards, an author's whose his 82nd book will soon be released. I learned something valuable. It doesn’t matter what genre you choose as a writer, there are means and methods of producing your work that will give it a greater chance of success. Dusty went over these writing methods using a PowerPoint presentation. I learned something from that, too.

If you intend to speak about your work, why not learn to do a simple PowerPoint presentation on your topic and figure out how to hook up a computer projector to display it on a wall or screen for your audience? Now buying a projector might not be frugal, as Carolyn might point out, but renting one or seeing if the venue where you are speaking has one available IS very frugal.
I suggest you find a person who knows how to do this, take them out to lunch or dinner and take a notepad with you. Pump their minds for information and techniques. Then, after you’ve sucked out the proper stuff from their heads, offer some of YOUR knowledge to them in exchange.

Maybe, as Rick said in Casablanca, it could be the “beginning of a beautiful [collaborative] friendship.”
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Mindy Phillips Lawrence www.freewebs.com/mplcreative is publicist and literary agent for Dr. Dan Skelton and representative for the fiction work of Bev Walton - Porter. 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:
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 with host Connie Gotsch on KSJE FM Public Radio broadcast from San Juan College. Access the program at: www.ksje.com at Wednesday, May 14 at 10:30 am and Friday May 16 at 2:30 pm. That's Mountain Time. Pacific times are 9:30 and 1:30. 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. You can also now go to MP3 podcasts and Write on 4 Corners to pick up the program after it airs.
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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.uclatextension.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 at 11 to 11:30 am. 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/2007/workshops.htm
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Carolyn Howard - Johnson will speak to the California Writers Club of San Fernando Valley at 1 pm on December 13, 2008. It's at the Encino Community Center, 4939 Balboa Blvd (just north of Ventura Blvd.), Encino, CA 91316. Learn more about the year's programs www.calwriterssfv.com and sign up to join. It's a dynamic group. E - mail is cwcsfv@gmail.com.
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Feature

You Have a Bedroom, a Workroom, a Playroom. How About a Media Room? And Not in Your House!
Most rooms we think are essential - - even bedrooms - - we could easily do without.

Look at all the people who live in studio apartments! The one room everyone seems to think they can do without (and shouldn't!) is a media room.

I'm not talking about a room in your house with a screen, stereo and a popcorn machine. I'm talking about the room on your website that makes life so easy on an editor, agent, blogger, reviewer or publisher that you'll have an edge with them over those who don't have one. Some people call them press rooms, but that's sort of slaps at nonprint media like web editors and radio hosts. So, if you have a "press room" you may want to change its moniker so you look like the professional you are in front of those who can make a difference for you.

But that isn't all you should do. Take a minute to look at this article to see if you're making your media room (aka press room) into the Clydesdale it should be rather than a little pink (and possibly useless) pony.

The media room is an integral part of your website but it is not a place for your readers. It's only for that list of gatekeepers above and it's all business. Meaning no cutsie stuff. Just simple, easy - to - download media kit(s) and a few other possibilities I've listed below. If you think of something else to add to the list, ask yourself, "Will this feature help those who need information access it more easily and save them time?" and "Will this feature only clutter my media room like so much unused furniture and make it harder for editors to find what they need." If the feature is not suitable for the media room, save it for somewhere else on your site.

Because this room will not have music or graphics or any other gee - gaws, you may need to duplicate some information that you have in your media room elsewhere on the site for the casual visitor. Your list of awards is a good example. They'll be in your media kit but you'll probably have a separate page or area for them elsewhere.

The best way to give editors and others who visit your media room is to have a downloadable .pdf of your media kit. Include in that kit:
Find a list of what should be in your downloadable media kit and what should be on your media room's home page or linked from it at

www.sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com.

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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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Wordstuff ™

Something to Make Writers Smile

(Definitions in the next few newsletters are from www.butlerwebs.com/jokes/definitions.htm.You might have some favorite neologisms, metaphors or similes that make you smile. If so, please contribute.)
"ZUCCHINI: Vegetable which can be baked, boiled, fried or steamed before kids refuse to eat it."
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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/