To read this newsletter in PDF (with a bit more pizzazz) copy and paste:

http://www.AuthorsDen.com/adstorage/1713/SharingwithWriters_Apr_24_2009.pdf

April 24, 2009

Sharing with Writers
A newsletter that is also a community. Share your ideas. Learn from theirs! Associated with the multi award - winning series of HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers, www.howtodoitfrugally.com


From the Desks of
Carolyn Howard - Johnson
and Sharing with Writers Subscribers

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 Mindy Phillips Lawrence ~ mplcreative1@aol.com ~ www.freewebs.com/mplcreative. I also tell writers to be patient with other writers when they make editing boo - boos. We're all human. This letter comes out weekly and it's long! Keep in mind, we will no longer use quotation marks, either curly or straight. They are way too much trouble. You’ll just have to use your imaginations.

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Contents
This Issue
~Note from Carolyn
~Letters - to - the - Editor: Amazon Is Controversial, Always
~Thank Yous (where you also find leads and great resources!)
~Tips and News Galore! (They're scattered, you'll just have to find them!)
~Opportunities
~On Poetry
~Author Successes
~Mindy Lawrence's Itty Bitty Column
~Carolyn's Appearances and Teaching
~Wordstuff ™


Regular Features
~Cheryl Answering: YOU Asking: monthly feature


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Note from Carolyn

Mother's Day is nearly upon us. It's time to begin thinking about how you will celebrate your wonderful mother this year. Much of what's in the shops is expensive, and full of meaningless soundbites and clichés. This year you can give something different.

Magdalena Ball, May Lattanzio and I teamed up to create a beautiful, full color gift book of poetry specifically on the topic of motherhood. There's nothing overly sugary here! You can download it f r ^ ^ and print it on lineny paper or buy it in all its colorful, full - book glory at only $12.50. Either way, it's a gift that’s both frugal and unique—maybe something different than you’ve ever given before. Team it with a small box of chocolates or home made cookies, or a bunch of flowers (fresh picked from your garden even) for the perfect present. No additional (overpriced) card needed. The complimentary electronic copy is available for you at:

http://issuu.com/compulsivereader/docs/she_wore_emerald_promo

Use the link to read the full book onlineor to download it. If you’d like to support a couple of poets and an artist (and all of us mothers!), order it on Amazon at.
http://tinyurl.com/ctasgm

Do it now, and I’ll send you a signed label for it. Just e - mail me your address with POETRY BOOK in the subject line at HoJoNews@aol.com.

The complimentary electronic book is only available until the 10th of May. In any case, please don't forget to tell your mother how important she is to you. My mother passed away in November. The proof of this book was waiting for me when I got home. Therefore the book and title (based on a memory of her) is especially important to me.

And if you're a mother, Happy Mother's Day!
Happy Writing, Promoting and, Yes, Editing, Too!
Carolyn Howard - Johnson

PS: For those of you who will be partaking of all the f r ^ ^ seminars and panels at the LA Times/UCLA Festival of Books this year, I will be signing this chapbook along with another new how - to book and all my other books, too. Find me and many other writers - - some of them subscribers to this newsletter - - at Booth 610. It’s near the food vendors!


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Please note the new Resource for Writers page on Contests at http://www.carolynhowardjohnson.redenginepress.com/contests.htm Follow the “Click Here’s to other valuable lists on my site. =====================================================


Letters - to - the Editor
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Regarding your article on librarians:

My experience with donating to libraries is they will hardly touch a POD - published book. It’s as if it has kooties. They say, go put in on that table...we sell those books for a $1.00 a bag to raise money for the library to buy (real) books. I spent a lot of money on romancing libraries and even did a specific library campaign with some biz cards (mini CD business cards). I've never met a rude librarian, but even after personal contact, the whole time they were thinking that book is not going on our shelf.

At a self pub seminar sponsored by my local library, they told the whole room - - about 200 people, don't give us your books. We don't want them. That was in their closing remarks at the end of the day. We all just looked at each other...that is what everyone was talking about on the way to the parking lot. Bookstores appear to have the same attitude.

When the High School where my kids attend asked for one book for the library, I gave them two copies. They wrote a nice thank you note. I asked if they wanted other books. They said no, just KB because your kids go here.

I give to shelters. I don't know if anyone reads them, but at least they make me feel like they want my books. Who knows.

I'm glad your experience has been different from mine.

Name withheld on request


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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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In the Publishing World:

Span Connection, the print newsletter of www.spannet.org, runs the headline "The Almost - National Book Festival." Writer Edward Allan Faine tell us that though care was taken to represent diverse groups a wide variety of reading categories including ethnic and racial groups at the National Book Festival in our capital, one group was woefully neglected.

Sighhhh!

I’m sure you can guess which one. Of the 156 books of invited artists 2/3 were published by the six large conglomerates (many of them foreign owned), about 1/3 by large and mid - size independents and nine by university presses. The writer of the article notes that there was one out - of - print chapbook by poet Michael Lind so at least out - of print got represented.

So where does that leave what many incorrectly call POD - published authors (really self - , subsidy - or partner - published). Exactly nowhere. By the way, this is a festival sponsored by the Library of Congress (our tax dollars?) and founded by former First Lady Laura Bush.

It will be interesting to note what the mix will be at the LA Times/UCLA Festival of Books this weekend. After all, LA is known for its acceptance in general. Let’s hope that extends to books. At least in Christine’s and my booth (#610 near the food vendors), there will be authors published every which way. All were welcome this year. All will be welcome next. Those signing in booths are not the invited guests of the fair administration but rather talented, hard - working authors of books. Books should be judged on their content. All authors deserve readers' consideration. See www.sizzlingbookfairbooths.blogspot.com for more information on how we make that booth successful.



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Please paste this little blurb - - perhaps with a little endorsement - - in your newsletter or website: To subscribe to Sharing with Writers send an e - mail with SUBSCRIBE in the subject line to HoJoNews@aol.com or go to www.howtodoitfrugally.com for an auto subscribe box. Ask for a f r ^ ^ classified ad on my Web site in return.
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Tip::Considering a video for your Web site? Here are some sites you can use as your primary host:
http://youtube.com/contests.main
www.blipty.com
www.eyespot.com
www.freeiq.com
www.videoegg.com
www.vimeo.com
www.vsocial.com
(Tip contributed by Patrika Vaughn, your Author's Advocate. www.acappela.com)


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My blog, War, Peace, Tolerance and Our Soldiers is where I get to nag and rag and try to make things better for our troops and maybe for the world. I'd love to have you leave a comment. www.warpeacetolerance.blogspot.com
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Twitter Tips: From Terry Doherty, editor of The Reading Tub: Tweets can sign up to have their books listed in Author Directories in different categories of interest. Use these links:

http://twitr.org/
http://wefollow.com/

http://www.highspotinc.com/blog/2008/12/a - directory - of - book - trade - people - on - twitter/
(http://www.highspotinc.com/blog/2009/02/a - directory - of - authors - on - twitter/

For the last two: You can apply to be on the lists, via those links, or by tweeting Jennifer Tribe (http://twitter.com/jennifertribe )

Also, I'd highly recommend authors use #followfriday to their advantage. Essentially, you tweet about other authors and people visit people they may not know about and then start following them. I do this periodically but I use a theme ... example

#followfriday Great Library blogs @100scopenotes, @abbylibrarian ... until I use up my 140. #kidlit

If you use Tweetdeck, you can follow posts that have hashtags of interest. Here's what I use/follow #kidlit, #poetry, #nonfiction, #literacy, #reading. With the frugal editor, you could probably create a #writetips hashtag!



=================================================== Book Proposal Help: Phyllis Zimbler Miller and I ran a fun Tweetchat on book proposals. She edited it for easier reading and posted it for those who missed it. There is lots of info in it on shopping your book to agents, too. Remember, you read tweet chats like you follow blogs. From the bottom up. http://budurl.com/bookprotweetchat Another book proposal help is The Great First Impression Book Proposal: Everything You Need To Know To Sell Your Book in 20 Minutes or Less for 49 cents at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000YG6O5U/ =====================================================


Tip: Monetize. I really, really hate the word. But you should be doing it. On your Web site, on your blog and elsewhere. It means ways to make small amount of money (or large) by doing no work once you’ve set it up. The earlier you do it, the easier it is to set up and the better it works for you. The two best places to start are with Google’s ads and Amazon. Even if you’re made at one or both, that’s no reason not to let them pay you money. To do it you let Google run ads on your sites. To use Amazon’s, you use their widgets that link to their products. The widgets will have a code in them that automatically credits you and pays you when you’ve reached a certain amount of money in clicks.



===================================================== So you got As in English. You know grammar and spelling. That's great but an editor of you those skills alone 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. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0978515870/
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In the News:. Undoubtedly you’ve heard that Amazon has gotten itself into hot water again. If you need to catch up get the story in its entirety go to: http://jezebel.com/5209088/why - is - amazon - removing - the - sales - rankings - from - gay - lesbian - books


===================================================== Recently Yvonne Perry, owner of WritersintheSky Creative Services, and I chatted about editing, everything from em dashes to why what works on the Web doesn't work for you book's manuscript. Yvonne offers you the f r ^ ^ podcast on her blog: http://yvonneperry.blogspot.com/2008/12/do - you - have - questions - about - editing.html. You'll find other f r ^^ podcasts on writing on her blog, too.
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Opportunities

A Resource for Hanging Around Readers’ Book Clubs ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
...this might interest you as a resource for promotion.
Tara Green is the host of the Romance Book Club and other fun newsletters. Her services include keeping you updated on your favorite authors, sending out Romance Previews 5 - day Newsletter, and much more. Click here http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102550194641&s=482&e=001R8WQ8boyexAtUJz5O2o64gav9JlPe5MO7DE03kYs9LHf_zS3qVMGHsEdwflyCbqFbfhNxqX8UAJbVBHC8rBt3RgLcr62vxjPQsIEn80yLTJwkaB8AgwgX6n7J_XwcNs3TX9dsBhINZ9xyB6EXmV61HE115DPpbTo


Contributor and Promotion Opportunity ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~Robin Jay, publisher, speaker, and president of the Las Vegas Convention Speakers Bureau, will send you a F R E E e - book of the premiere edition of The Power of the Platform: Speakers on Success. E - mail her at Robin@LVCSB.com and put “Carolyn HoJo sent me!” in the subject line. She is offering a coauthor opportunity that may put you in touch with authors like Jack Canfield, Brian Tracy, Marci Shirmoff and more.


Vetted Online Writing Classes ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ One of my trusted subscribers Leora Skolkin - Smith, author of Edges, vouches for the quality of the instructors for this online learning opportunity. Here are the details:

Dzanc - is pleased to announce the opening of Dzanc Creative Writing Sessions.
The DCWS is founded on the principle that many authors’ lifestyles do not afford them the opportunity to obtain feedback on their writing - - be it where they live, their work schedule, or finances. We feel that all authors deserve the opportunity to have their work reviewed. Unlike many workshops, the DCWS allows the writer to determine the parameters for their own review sessions. With the DCWS, you sign up for what you want and need, not some pre - determined program.

The DCWS is set up to provide a one - to - one working relationship with a published author, allowing you the benefits of their experience, in many cases both writing and teaching. Nearly 100 great authors have already agreed to volunteer their services as mentors in our DCWS program. The names you’ll find in our database include award winning authors and teachers such as: George Singleton, Myfanwy Collins, Dawn Raffel, Peter Markus, Leora Skolkin - Smith, Katrina Denza, Laura van den Berg, Kevin Wilson, Nancy Cherry, Jeff Parker and Mike Czyzniejewski. From this list, writers paying to participate in the DCWS may select an available author to work with. Participating writers will then have their work critiqued and can discuss in detail their writing and any other areas of writing in general they wish to explore with their DCWS author.

The DCWS will utilize email to reduce the difficulties writers have when looking to find feedback on their work. Our workshops remove the limitations of both time and distance as you’ll send your work and questions to your mentor when and where you have access to the internet. Each participant will determine how many hours of mentoring they need, as well as how to progress - you ask specific questions about your work, or you ask for your manuscript to be edited (10 pages per hour), or simply looking for a back and forth conversation about your work after the mentor you select has read the work.

The program is being offered at an extremely low rate - many of the instructing authors volunteering their time to Dzanc do similar work as freelancers and charge much greater rates than are being offered here through the DCWS. Other workshops and writing programs charge a lump sum of several hundred dollars up front. 100% of the money brought in by Dzanc by our DCWS goes to supporting the writing programs we run for students, grades 4 - 12. These additional programs are offered free of charge to students who would not otherwise be able to afford them.

The DCWS sessions are set up in hourly blocks and can be ordered as follows:

1 hour - $20
2 hours - $30
4 hours - $50

For more information on our Creative Writing Sessions program, please send an email to info@dzancbooks.org or visit the DCWS page at our website http://www.dzancbooks.org/creative.html and select your author.



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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 http://www.carolynhowardjohnson.redenginepress.com/advertising.htm at less per year than most sites charge for a single month. Find classified there, too.
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Tip: If you want more traffic to your blog. If you want to be featured on blogs regularly. If you want people to leave more comments on your blog. Join a blog group like BVT. Put VBT/FRUGAL BOOK PROMO in the subject line and send a query to Karen at karenrcfv@yahoo.com.


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Subscribers who have websites or newsletters of their own may be interested
in the F r ^^ Articles 4 Readers and Writers on my site, http://www.carolynhowardjohnson.redenginepress.com/free_content.htm I try to add new articles to it frequently. If you don't see what you need for your blog or newsletter, just ask. HoJoNews@aol.com.
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Tip: Here’s a tip (in fact a whole article) from subscriber David Leonhardt, President of The Happy Guy Marketing (info@SEO - writer.com) on making your social networking (that includes blogs) work better. http://www.seo - writer.com/writers/index.php/2009/04/08/social - bookmarking - %e2%80%93 - the - indispensable - tool - for - writers/


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

This tip is from poet Lois P. Jones; it is an online source for finding places that will buy or print your work. http://www.duotrope.com/

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The Writer’s Digest Poet’s Market for 2009 is on sale on Amazon for 18.47. Or you can wait and to get the 2010 edition in August at full price. Or use your library. But it’s really a must have.


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Endorsement: I wanted to tell you how your workshops, reading your newsletter, and just chatting with you has been a great help to me. I have a background in marketing from the fashion world and even though it has helped me get my foot in the door, I honestly have to say that after getting to know you, reading your books, and everything else I just said has truly helped me put Stories for Children Magazine on the map. ~ VS Grenier, Founder and Editor - in - Chief Stories for Children Magazine. http://storiesforchildrenmagazine.org.
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Editing Tip: Everyday is in the dictionary but it’s not always the way to spell it. Check out why the rule is intent on making you crazy: http://thefrugaleditor.blogspot.com/2009/04/everyday - editing - problem - featured - here.html


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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

Connie Gotsch’s Articles and Broadcasts Win Awards Road ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The New Mexico Press Women announced the winners in their 2009 Communication Contest at the NMPW state conference this past weekend. KSJE FM program director, Connie Gotsch received several prizes including Second and Third places in the category of Special Reports Radio, and an Honorable Mention for a Radio Interview. All three were arts related and aired on her morning show Roving with the Arts.

Gotsch also received a First Place in the category Writing for the Web and Online Newsletters - - Commentary for reviews appearing on the web site readingnewmexico.com and a First Place in the category of Personality Profile of more than 500 Words for an article written for the Four Corners Free Press in Cortez, NM. She also received an Honorable Mention for Special Articles Arts for a pair of pieces for the Free Press.

In addition to Roving with the Arts, Gotsch hosts the bi - weekly author’s show Write On Four Corners. Contact her at www.conniegotsch.com or gotschc!@sanjuancollege.edu.


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Available: http://www.tri - studio.com/audiodivas.html from Audio Divas on many aspects of building a writing career. Here is the page where you'll find the full list of the writer - related ones at http://www.tri - studio.com/writers.html. Titles include Contest Facts: How to Add “Award - winning” to Your Name, Do It Yourself Indexing: The Way to Sell Your Book to Libraries, Schools and Anyone Else That Buys Nonfiction, Fury and Destruction: How to Use Violence Effectively in Your Writing, and more.
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Tip: It’s by no means complete, but I’ve added a contest page to my Web site. Learn about some I can vouch for at: http://www.carolynhowardjohnson.redenginepress.com/contests.htm . And let me know about the ones you have had personal experience with and think are on the up and up. I’m aiming at having a contest page different from others in that the ones listed have personal recommendations from writers like you.


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Yes, I do consult. I tailor my fees to your needs - - everything from coaching to full edits (sorry no partial edits) to hour consultation so help you with your marketing campaign or your path to publishing. http://www.carolynhowardjohnson.redenginepress.com/consulting.htm
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Tip: You can nudge your tweeting at twitter.com to work harder for you by using keywords. It’s similar to what you’d do for your Web site. Use www.tweetvolume.com. Enter your search term and you’ll get a list of results. Then use the ones that people request most in your tweets.


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Thank Yous


Thanks to Dr Bob Rich . . .
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. . for including my review of Publishing Possibilities in his Bobbing Around newsletter: http://mudsmith.net/bobbing8 - 6.html


Thanks to Jendi Reiter and Adam Cohen . . .
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . . . for including my poetry successes in their famous Winning Writers newsletter and for including one of the poems. Find this very informative newsletter at www.winningwirters.blogspot.com. Jendi and Adam are extremely inclusive with their subscribers and it’s a must - have letter for creative writers.


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If you're starting your own blog or want to market the one you have or focus it better here’s a f r ^^ chapter from Phyllis Zimbler Miller’s and my coming book. Download it now at http://budurl.com/bloggingchapter. =====================================================


Mundane Tip: I used a toothpick to clean the yuk from between the keys on my keyboard. I was having trouble with the caps key. That was before a twitter friend suggested I used a can of air (apparently air with force!) available at stationery supply stores to do it. Another suggested a hair dryer set on cool. Another suggested prying up the key and cleaning with any old thing.


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I now have a social media page on my Website. I’m including the link for you to see so you can use it as a sample if you don’t have a similar page on your own Web site. And, yes, this can work even if you only network on one site. Just use more space giving your visitors an idea of how they will benefit if they join you. http://www.carolynhowardjohnson.redenginepress.com/new_page_4.htm =====================================================


Tip: Publish your book for as little as $2 with InstantPublisher.com. And they’ll do it in 7 to 10 days. I suggest you read The Frugal Editor before you do it, though. You’ll want to come off as a pro. I’ll also consult in how to format your Word program before you submit it. HoJoNews@aol.com


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The semi - annual AllTips edition is now in the works. Please send me your best tip for writing or promotion AND please let your fellow writers know now is the time to subscribe to Sharing with Writers - - so they don’t miss it. Send an e - mail with SUBSCRIBE in the subject line to hojonews@aol.com.
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In the News: The US ranks only 5th in the world in literacy. I’m beginning to sound like my grandmother but I remember the days when we were first.


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This is an example of one of my Twitters: “FrugalBookPromo New trend? Borders to buy nonreturnable books from HarperStudio in return for a deeper discount. They cover everything from news to more tips and resources all in 140 characters or less. If you don’t want to Tweet, at least follow me. Make a profile page and invite www.twitter.com/frugalbookpromo. =====================================================


Tip: I just made something called carousel widgets with Amazon’s Amazon Associates’ services. Check mine out at www.sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com. Scroll down a bit on the page. It’s in the left column. You can do this easily by going to the Amazon home page, click on Amazon Associates link on the left and explore a bit. There are all kinds of possibilities available. This one is especially good for multi - published authors. You can also mix and match. Add other authors’ books that complement your own.


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The New Book Review is a service of this newsletter. 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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TIP: For a list of major review journals, journals open to reviewing subsidy - and self - published books and even an article on the review process go to one of my Resources for Reviewers pages:
http://www.carolynhowardjohnson.redenginepress.com/major_review_journals.htm


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Carolyn's Appearances and Teaching
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Watch for a new podcast on writing The Great First Impression Book Proposal: Everything You Need To Know To Sell Your Book in 20 Minutes or Less (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000YG6O5U/ ) at Authors Access’s great, f r ^ ^ service for writers in June. In the meantime, find an old one on book promotion we did on book promotions at http://authorsaccess.com/archives/90. It was their most listened - to podcast last year.

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Carolyn Howard - Johnson will sign a new chapbook of poetry She Wore Emerald Then: Reflections on Motherhood as well as her other books, including the HowToDoItFrugally series of books, at the world renowned LA Times/UCLA Festival of Books the last weekend in April 2009, on the UCLA Campus. http://www.latimes.com/extras/festivalofbooks/ To learn more about a signing position for yourself next year (at a special earlybird price), contact Christine Alexanians at chalexwrite@yahoo.com.
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Carolyn Howard - Johnson will be presenting two seminars at the National Stationery Show, one on Monday, May 18, called "Move Upward in a Down Market with Free Publicity Exposure and Money - Making In - Store Promotions" and the other, "Grow Your Business Online for No $$$," on Tuesday, May 19. This is a huge show a la Book Expo America! for stationery retailers and will be at Javits Center in Manhattan. She'll also be publishing a new book for her HowToDoItFrugally series, this time for retailers. Many of the marketing principles are the same, though. ( - :

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Book Launch: Carolyn Howard - Johnson will launch her new book Monday, May 18, at 9:30 AM at the National Stationery Show at Javits Center, NY, NY. Carolyn will present to the retail trade and sign A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In - Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques. One of Carolyn’s HowToDoItFrugally books, this retail - focused how - to book will be the first in a Survive and Thrive series utilizing Carolyn’s nearly three decades experience as founder and operator of a chain of gift and home décor stores. Learn more at http://www.carolynhowardjohnson.redenginepress.com/frugal_in - store_promotions.htm

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Carolyn Howard - Johnson will speak on how editing is one of the most important parts of your book promotion with "Query Letters as Promotion: Let's Make Them Picture Perfect!" at International Conference PROMO DAY! on Saturday, May 9 at 9 am Pacific Time. The conference is broadcast from Rome, Italy so check your time conversion tables carefully to be sure you join the seminars at the right time. http://jolinsdell.tripod.com/promoday/. PROMO DAY! is an all day international online event for people in the writing industry. There are lots of new features for the 2009 event including a workshop chatroom.

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For the first time, Sisters in Crime/Los Angeles and Mystery Writers of America/SoCal are joining forces to present a new venture, the California Crime Writers Conference, to be held June 13 - 14 at the Pasadena Hilton, Pasadena, CA. The conference is titled “Breaking In & Breaking Out: Plotting the Write Course,” and is the next incarnation of the successful No Crime Unpublished conference held biannually by Sisters in Crime/LA. Carolyn Howard - Johnson will be presenting a class on “Marketing Your Book Online” on Saturday June 13 at 9 am. The time is to be announced. The public is welcome. Learn more at http://www.sistersincrimela.com/ccwc.htm.
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Carolyn Howard - Johnson will teach “Creating a Promotion Campaign for Your Fiction or Nonfiction Book.” A one - day seminar, it will meet on the UCLA campus’ School of Public Affairs Building (Room 2317) Saturday, August 1, 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. Reg# U9836B Request a UCLA Extension catalog at www.uclaextension.edu.

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 Mark October 12 to 18 on your calendar for The Muse Online Writers Conference cosponsored by Lea Schizas and Carolyn Howard - Johnson:

We are now taking reservations for the conference. More to come on my presentations there at http://themuseonlinewritersconference.com/. This year we’ve added pitch sessions: http://www.themuseonlinewritersconference.com/2009workshops.htm

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Carolyn Howard - Johnson will speak on writing picture - perfect query letters at the November session of Scribblers' Retreat Writers' Conference, www.scribblersretreatwritersconference.com at Sea Palms Resort, St. Simons Island, Georgia. Scribblers Retreat Writers’ Conference offers four conferences of specifically chosen genres throughout the year. It is brand new and one of the few chances I will speak on the East Coast in 2009.


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Wordstuff ™

Something to Make Writers Smile
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(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.)

GRANDPARENTS: The people who think your children are wonderful even though they're sure you're not raising them right.




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Essential Book and Record Keeping:

Sharing with Writers is edited and distributed by Carolyn Howard - Johnson,http://www.howtodoitfrugally.com. and proofread by Mindy Phillips Lawrence.

This is a place to share with others and learn from others.

Although 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 to friends or e - groups. It needn't be pasted in its complete form, but please credit this newsletter, and the individual contributors with anything you snip and paste.

Ordering Information:
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 or at Amazon where it is discounted:
www.amazon.com/gp/product/193299310X/qid=1149015406/sr=2 - 1/ Order it as an e - book at http://starpublishllc.com/id43.html

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
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/

A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In - Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques is available on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1441467246/

To learn more about This Is the Place,
Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered, Tracings, and She Wore Emerald Then: www.carolynhoward - johnson.com.

She Wore Emerald Then: Reflections on Motherhood is available on Amazon. It is coauthored by Magdalena Ball. http://www.amazon.com/She - Wore - Emerald - Then - Reflections/dp/1438263791/

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/

Contact Information
Websites: http://carolynhoward - Johnson.com (literary)
http://HowToDoItFrugally.com (all things about writing)

For the Frugal Editor, Amazon - direct: www.amazon.com/gp/product/0978515870

Blogs:

http://www.SharingwithWriters.blogspot.com, a blog on all things publishing

http://www.TheFrugalEditor.blogspot.com, all things grammatical and ungrammatical

http://www.TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog focused on YOUR reviews

http://www.TheFrugalEditor.blogspot.com, a blog focused on editing, formatting and craft

http://www.warpeacetolerance.blogspot.com War. Peace. Tolerance. And Our Soldiers.

And now! Tweeting at: www.twitter.com/frugalbookpromo and Squidooing at http://www.squidoo.com/HowToDoItFrugallyforAuthors and at http://www.squidoo.com/carolynhoward - johnson