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June 30, 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!
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Contents
This Issue
~Note from Carolyn
~Letters - to - the - Editor
~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: Fact Checking your Writing
~Carolyn's Appearances and Teaching
~Wordstuff ™

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Note from Carolyn

Dear Subscribers:

In Dotsie Bregel's Boomer Women newsletter she tells a little story. She says,

"I just returned from the Towson Farmer's Market. I often walk, but since the newsletter deadline was glaring me in the face, I drove. Towson no longer has parking meters. They've installed machines so you buy parking tickets for an allotted amount of time and post them in your car window. I followed the new system, got my juicy, grilled burger and walked around scarfing up fresh veggies and some strawberries. What a way to spend lunchtime. While leaving, I heard a young mother offer her unexpired pass to an elderly man and thought, what a great idea. I, in turn, offered mine to a young family that pulled in near me. They were delighted. I was happy to take the baton (her idea) from the young mother and pass it to another family. How fun is that? My wish for you is that find a way to pass a baton because it feels so good."

Her story made me realize that great PR operates the same way. Really, marketing is based on the old golden rule. It truly is about sharing. If more authors understood that, they might feel more comfortable with the PR process. After all, the very act of writing is one of sharing. We just must take it one step farther and let people know that we've shared, that we want to shar! So, yesss! We can get over our shyness. Yes we can.

BTW, Dotsie has a fan club on Facebook. Go there and learn more about the wonderful organization she founded. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Baltimore - MD/National -

Now, think. What could you offer her organization as well as what her might offer you.

Happy Writing, Promoting and Editing, too.
Carolyn Howard - Johnson

PS: Most of you know that my serious writing is inspired by tolerance. It's rare that one things of the publishing industry as an intolerant place. But it does have a long way to go, baby. Please go to see how we can do better and learn of my hope better things to come. http://www.myshelf.com/backtoliterature/column.htm


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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 Heres” to other valuable lists on my site. =====================================================

Letters to the Editor

Hi, Carolyn - -

As always, Carolyn, thanks for your support. I still blame you for my first poetry publications, and moving beyond my comfort zone to put my work out to the world! One of my poems won an honorable mention award and I did my first Open Mike poetry reading at our terrific neighborhood bookstore and writers' center in Eugene OR, Tsunami Books. I read political satire limericks.

I thank my two poetry critique groups for their help shaping these poems. One group, the Poetic Muselings, was formed last October, following the 2008 Muse Online Writers Conference. The other is a "live" group we call Poetry 42, through the Lane Literary Guild in Eugene. With their words of encouragement and sage guidance, I did things I might never have done on my own.

Michele M. Graf
Blogging at Road Writer http://mgraf - roadwriter.tripod.com/

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Good morning, Carolyn,

I read with great interest the comments from Dee Buckingham in your latest newsletter, because I am familiar with how families view their own history from two viewpoints. I agree with all that Dee said.
I've worked in a government archives for almost 25 years, and I am still fascinated by the way families react to the histories that their research (and that of professional researchers) uncovers. Some are delighted by the most "colorful" information. Great - great - grandfather had a messy divorce that none of his descendants knew about until someone found and read the court file in our holdings? Marvelous! Others, though, choose to dismiss such findings from memory, and actually get angry if a hired researcher or member of our staff turns them up. I have seen letters requesting that we do research but demanding that our staff not find evidence of incest in a family tree, for example. Which led me to wonder why the person making the request thought such facts might be there in the first place...!

The reason I wrote my dad's biography was my realization, within the year after his death, that other well - meaning family members had begun to erase from recollection much of what made him the man that he was. He suffered some serious abuse in childhood, endured improperly treated and misdiagnosed PSTD as a result of his military service, and yet managed to become a remarkable person and a wonderful father. I felt that it was my job to provide the grandchildren who barely knew him, or who knew him not at all thanks to his illness, with his story as I knew it and as my primary sources research could flesh that story out. I know some family members will always be unhappy with the truth, but I also know how relieved and happy - - and proud, too - - others were, after reading my book.
I know that because those folks took the time to tell me! Love Jimmy: A Maine Veteran's Longest Battle has also reached out to people beyond Dad's family, helping children and grandchildren of PTSD veterans understand the struggles of their fathers and grandfathers, and helping veterans themselves feel validated by realizing that sometimes their descendants really do want to understand.

Memoirs matter! And they should be truthful!

Best,

Nina M. Osier
Author of Love Jimmy: A Maine Veteran's Longest Battle as well as award - winning science fiction http://ninaosier.50webs.com/


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Hi Carolyn - - just a note to tell you that I've enjoyed receiving your e - mails, and appreciate your sensibility of offering value embedded within the promotional process. In fact, I've taken your lead and influence as part of my motivation to do the something, and I'd like to share it with you.

I've started a Web site for writers - - www.storyfix.com - - that, like your newsletters, is all about delivering value to writers. Mine is more technique and process oriented, versus market inclusive, and it's sort of a cross between a blog and an online training resource (it's really more the latter, but the blog - like format makes it personal, informal and fun).

I hope you'll check it out, and if you have feedback, I'm all ears. And if you like what you see and would consider sharing it with your readers, I would be most appreciative. Thanks Carolyn!'

Larry Brooks
www.storyfix.com


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Please pass this letter on to others. Unlike many other editors, 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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Tip: To make inexpensive bookmarks, go to a printer such as www.vistaprint.com and order the large postcards. Upload your image to the cards so that you have three horizontal images. When you receive the post cards, simply cut them into bookmarks and you're ready to go. Note that Vista Print has postcard templates that you can download if you use certain Adobe programs. Otherwise, you can make a template by adjusting the page size and orientation in your word processing program to match the size of the postcard. - - - - - Jacqueline Vick is a mystery and short story writer. www.jacquelinevick.homestead.com


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The Green New Media Life Expos (http://www.greennewmedialifeexpo.com/content/green - book - pavilion - featuring - carolyn - howard - johnson?destination=node%2F10 ) offer Green Book Pavilions this fall at expos at the Ontario Convention Center, Ontario, CA; Cal Expo Fairgrounds in Sacramento; and the Pomona Fairgrounds, Pomona, CA. An author's package for each expo is available to help authors promote themselves and their books. Contact Gerry Fisher at GeFisher39@aol.com or at 702 467 9411. =====================================================


Tip: When you use Facebook, Twitter or whatever, be sure to tell people about others’ accomplishments as well as your own.


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Please paste this little blurb - - perhaps with a little endorsement - - in your newsletter or Web site: 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. Let me know you did it. I will be able to do something similar for you on my Resources for Readers page at www.howtodoitfrugally.com.
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In the News: Princeton University will be participating in the Kindle pilot reader program this fall. It hopes to reduce the 10.5 million sheets of papers that were used last year on Princeton University campuses to a fraction of that. If more colleges follow suit I see the next generations being as comfortable with Kindle as they are with books.


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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. It includes a segment of frugal ways to help our troops and veterans. I'd love to have you leave a comment. www.warpeacetolerance.blogspot.com
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In the News: For the first time online book sales with 23% of the market surpassed large bookstore chains with 22%.


=================================================== 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/ =====================================================


Editing Tip: About starting a sentence with an "and." Find a brief guideline at http://www.thefrugaleditor.blogspot.com


===================================================== 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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TIP: The number of search engine queries using five keywords or more are up 6% according to Hitwise. Using more words helps with targeted searches.


===================================================== Recently Yvonne Perry, owner of WritersintheSky Creative Services, and I chatted about editing, everything from em dashes to why what works on the Web but 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

Writers' Convention/Conference ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~.The Military Writers Society of America is holding 2009 national awards event and conference in Orlando, Florida October 9 - 10. They have arranged Westin Imagine Hotel one bedroom SUITES - - regularly $250/night - - for $109. So combine a trip to Disney World with your writing business so it is mostly tax deductible. To register send your name in an e - mail to the president, Joyce Faulkner. katieseyes@aol.com. Learn more about the event at http://www.militarywriters.com/ You don't have to be in the military or write about the military to go to the conference or be a member of the group.
Stories for Children Magazine Announces Amazing but True (nonfiction) Contest



Stories for Children Contest
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Send Stories for Children Magazine an amazing event or true story (nonfiction) for children. What age group you choose—3 to 6, 7 to 9, or 10 to 12—is up to you, but the event or story has to be true and for children, which means no sexual content, violence, or anything related to drugs. All entries will be considered for publication.

Submissions will be accepted between May 4, 2009, and July 30, 2009. To learn more and visit http://storiesforchildrenmagazine.org/AmazingButTrueContest.aspx


Yvonne Perry Offers Classes ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Have you ever thought of taking classes to improve your writing? Are you a self - publishing author who wants to personally work with an editor on your book manuscript? My one - on - one writing mentoring program may be exactly what you are looking for http://writersinthesky.com/writing - classes.html.



F r ^ ^ Podcast on Book Proposals from Author Access ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
On June 4th, 2009, Irene Watson and Victor R. Volkman interviewed me on the art of book proposal writing and why it matters. Many of the tips were taken from my 49 - cent wonder "The Great First Impression Book Proposal: Everything You Need to Know About Selling Your Book in Twenty Minutes or Less." We talked about the "A" to "Z" of book proposals and how to make your unique voice shine through. We also talked about:

* Why I wrote "The Great First Impression Book Proposal"
* Why this how to on book proposals differs from most– - other than it’s being only 49 cents
* The most important part of a book proposal
* Why you need a query letters to go with your book proposal
* Why I chose the Amazon Short format for "The Great First Impression Book Proposal"

Download the f r ^ ^ podcast at http://authorsaccess.com/archives/146 as well as Authors Access: 30 Success Secrets for Authors and Publishers http://authorsaccess.com/success - secrets
To learn of other f r ^ ^ podcasts that benefit writers follow Victor and Irene on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/vvolkman. Follow me at http://twitter.com/frugalbookpromo


Learning Opportunity on All Things E - Books . . . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Karen DeGroot Carter, author of a book that is a lyrical challenge to common assumptions about love, race, and respect, wrote an article on all things e - books (retailers, readers, formats, etc.). Find it at the Know Something Project: http://www.knowsomethingproject.com. It is a new site from her publisher here in Denver, Pearl Street Publishing.


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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: New book cover rules: White covers bleed into oblivion on Amazon and other online sites. Intricate covers that work great on bookstore shelves don't translate online, either.


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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: Penny Sansevieri's newsletter says that too often authors discourage people from signing up for their newsletters or commenting on their blog. I can't tell you how many comments I DON'T make on blogs that make it too hard for me to do it. Trust me. None of us has a book, information or any other content that can't be either substituted or gotten elsewhere. Do you want the exposure and business or don't you? Check out the hoops your blog service makes its visitors go through to sign up and code in.


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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.


Start a critique group like the Emuselings and then organize and publish an anthology. Michele M. Graff says, "Some of our original members dropped out [but] his group has a great sense of humor, is very supportive, compassionate, and was a real link to my sanity recently when I had to deal with a serious sick brother situation.

"We've done some outstanding work, some mediocre stuff, and stretched ourselves by trying unfamiliar forms to work in (villanelles, limericks, haiku, senryu). Most of us did the April Poem A Day (PAD) Challenges; I also did the Forward Motion Haiku prompts for April. Others wrote additional poems during the month.

"I just gathered all the poems we wanted to consider, formatted it into a basic book layout, one poem per page, and sent it back to the gang. Our working title is "LIFELINES" - - we didn't write the poems to this theme; ideas were kicked around in a couple of the Chats, and when I read what we'd written, the title fit.

Right now, the poems are arranged by individual, but we're working on sub - themes, like "Love Lost," "Love Found,", "Help and Support," and "The Spiritual Connection." (These came from one of our poets, and fit pretty well."


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A friend and member of the critique group I formerly facilitated, Steve Hedrick (www.talltalesandsonnets.com) has made the most amazing video for his poem "Joeabb the Frog" from his beautiful picture book of poems Hope you enjoy, By the way, his Disney experience shows! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jpyq3mlBHLo



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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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Joke: .Submitted by subscriber Leora Krygier. Her synopsis of a "Pearls Before Swine": cartoon by Stephen Pastis

Rat, the Book Editor, writes a letter to a writer:

"Dear Contributor: Thank you for your very interesting and nicely bound manuscript, which I have recently reviewed. I believe your work will make a valuable contribution to the publishing world."

But To his assistant, Rat The Editor says:

"By 'valuable' I mean that I think we can re - use the brads."

:) Leora Krygier, www.leorakrygier.com
Just Released - - Juvenile Court: A Guide for Young Adults and Their Parents
Watch the book trailer at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUidpPMlt8c



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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

Michelle Graf Publishes ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Michelle Graf received an Honorable Mention for the poem she wrote in the "Roads" category of the Oregon State Poetry Association Spring Contest. It is called "Chief Joseph Trail,"
Her article titled "Journey to health: it wasn't just stress" was published in the Spring Quarter of the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG) magazine (Vol. 32, Number 2, 2009). Gluten intolerance / celiac disease is an autoimmune condition in which ingestion of wheat, barley, rye, or most oats causes a laundry - list of symptoms. In her case, it was like food poisoning. The latest medical research is that 1:133 people are affected by this condition, which is far too often either misdiagnosed or missed completely. She blogs about her experience at Gluten - Free Travel, by Graf http://glutenfree - travel.blogspot.com/ .


Dr. Dan Skelton Wins Smoking Poet Award
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DAN SKELTON won first place in the 2nd annual Smoking Poet Short Story Contest for his story, ”Trash," about a dysfunctional family that moves into an abandoned trailer at the city dump. You can read it at www.thesmokingpoet.net.


Star Ferris Publishes ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The order page for Star Ferris's new book, Hidden Fire, is up at Whiskey Creek Press! Read a sample chapter there as well at: http://tinyurl.com/l3q7xp. E - mail Star at scribequill@gmail.com Find Star at: http://www.myspace.com/starferris


New Leaf Publishes Children's Book
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JD Gordon found a publisher for his paranormal story for middle grade readers. It's New Leaf Books. http://www.newleafbooks.net/



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Audio divas brings you audios on many aspects of building a writing career: 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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Tweet Tip: I'm still trying to figure out how they do this. This much I know. Enter any Twitter moniker at the end of this Web address and you can see what they've been tweeting about lately. So mine would be: http://labs.webcom.dk/twerms/frugalbookpromo. And you don't have to sign up. It all just happens. What I don't know is how it chooses the phrases it displays on your page. You may need to use the hashmark to get a keyword there. Example, I often tweet about #bookproposals.



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I highly recommend Jozette Aaron's DeSilva's News for writers: http://jozette.webs.com/ not just because I write a column for her. It's f r ^ ^ =====================================================

Q&A a la Ann Landers

Media Release vs. Media Alert
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Question:

Carolyn, I've learned about Media Releases from you, but I don't recall Media Alert lessons. Care to educate the public on that topic? See the sample below. It caught me by surprise.
Yocheved Golani, author Coping with a Medical Crisis? http://itsmycrisisandillcryifineedto.blogspot.com/, and self - help coach
http://www.linkedin.com/in/yochevedgolaniink


ANSWER:

I am publishing the entire alert below because all of us should know what a media alert looks like and how to write one. Though I did a bit of critique on this one, it is an excellent example.

Yosheved, I did touch on these shorty releases in The Frugal Book Promoter but what they are called has evolved a little since I wrote it. The alert form is more casual than the media release format, so following it to the Nth degree isn't as important as it is with a regular media release.

Alerts are especially good these days because attention spans seem to be shrinking plus the very name in a subject line imparts a feeling of urgency. They should be used only for time sensitive and really new, new, NEW news. Never try to fool mother nature. Don't pretend that the release of a book deserves an alert; in fact the release of a book often isn't even considered newsworthy enough to require a release unless you can tie to something especially intriguing, new, or something big that is already in the news.
Here is the sample that Yocheved sent me. It works like an alert but it is really too long for an alert. I removed lots of italics and underlining. It's always a good idea to keep the fonts you use in all releases unadorned as you can within the parameters of grammar rules. Otherwise, it's a great little release. A picture was included.


MEDIA ALERT

Contact info goes here

WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SOCIETY’S
NEW YORK AQUARIUM SUPPORTS COMMUNITY

New Aquarium Mural Transforms Boardwalk at Coney Island
Public Dedication Ceremony
Thursday, June 25 at Noon
On the Boardwalk at the New York Aquarium, Coney Island, Brooklyn

WHO: New York Aquarium officials, Members of the Parks Department, Groundswell Community Mural Project, South Brooklyn Youth Consortium, and Coney Island Community Leaders.

WHAT: A public dedication ceremony for a new mural created at the New York Aquarium at Coney Island in Brooklyn. Working in partnership with South Brooklyn Youth Consortium (SBYC) and the New York Aquarium, the mural was created by a group of youth from SBYC who worked with Groundswell artists Candice Sering and Chris Beck. The finished mural transforms the Boardwalk with a vibrant floating collage of aquatic images. From the aquarium staff, the mural team learned about the habitats that sea animals live in. In intensive workshops, they learned how color factors into sea creatures environments and how their shapes are key to their survival. Choosing colors that they actually saw in aquatic life, the team created a progression of imagery that flows across a span of 100 feet along the Boardwalk. Playing with color, repetition and scale, the group developed a scene that shows the movement and intensity of sea life habitats. The New York Aquarium is proud to support this project and the community.

WHERE: On the Boardwalk to the left of the New York Aquarium, Surf Avenue & West 8th Street, Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY.

WHEN: Thursday, June 25, 2009 at Noon.
Interviews available by request.
The New York Aquarium opens every day of the year at 10am, and closing times vary seasonally. Admission is $13.00 for adults, $9.00 for children ages 3 - 12 and $10.00 for senior citizens (65 and older); children under 3 years of age are admitted free. Fridays after 3pm, admission is by suggested donation. The Aquarium is located on Surf Avenue at West 8th Street in Coney Island. For directions, information on public events and programs, and other Aquarium information, call 718 - 265 - FISH or visit our web site at http://www.nyaquarium.com. Now is the perfect time to visit and show support for the New York Aquarium, Brooklyn’s most heavily attended attraction and a beloved part of the City of New York.
The Wildlife Conservation Society saves wildlife and wild places worldwide. We do so through science, global conservation, education and the management of the world's largest system of urban wildlife parks, led by the flagship Bronx Zoo. Together these activities change attitudes towards nature and help people imagine wildlife and humans living in harmony. WCS is committed to this mission because it is essential to the integrity of life on Earth.

About Groundswell
Groundswell is a New York based nonprofit organization dedicated to using art as a tool for social change by bringing together professional artists, community organizations, and youth to collaboratively create over 100 public art projects in communities across NYC. Over the last 12 years Groundswell has developed complex partnerships with community - based and educational institutions, serving thousands of youth and community members with whom we have worked to visually transform New York’s urban landscape. For more information, visit www.groundswellmural.org

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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 consultations to help you with your marketing campaign or your path to publishing. http://www.carolynhowardjohnson.redenginepress.com/consulting.htm
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Tip My new book A Retailer's Guide To Frugal In - Store Promotion http://budurl.com/RetailersGuide is leading me to all kinds of new tidbits that work for writers, too. You know how I like to be green. What about a green event to promote your book. www.eventbywird.com.


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Thank Yous


Thanks to Jozette Aaron
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. . . for placing a very nice review of The Frugal Book Promoter on Barnes and Noble's online bookstore: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Frugal - Book - Promoter/Carolyn - Howard - Johnson/e/9781932993103/?itm=1&tabname=custreview#TABS Jozette is editor - in - chief and publisher of DeSilva’s News, a five star, international writer’s newsletter. Jozette Jozette’s Desk (http://jozette.webs.com/). The letter is a tool writers rely on to meet their creative needs. It has been helping writers hone their skills for over a decade. Subscribers benefit from free promotion and marketing of their books, and columns by successful 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. =====================================================


Subscribers Sharing
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ From Carol White, The Marketing Maven, Carol White Marketing, P O Box 1115, Wilsonville, OR 97070, www.carolwhitemarketing.com

In the book world, you have to change with the times and follow your passion.

I wanted to share with you the next step in my journey. Since winning the Benjamin Franklin Award from IBPA (then PMA) for Marketing Excellence and Innovation a couple of years ago, I have been slowly building a book consulting practice, a speaking repertoire, and writing articles professionally for a variety of magazines and websites. This spring, I decided to make it all an official part of my business - - and it has been yet another exciting venture as I continue to promote my own award - winning book, now in its second edition, Live Your Road Trip Dream (www.roadtripdream.com).

A branding expert helped develop my identity and we began to build a website around that look and feel. Today, I am pleased to share with you the new website covering these ventures - - www.carolwhitemarketing.com As part of this announcement, I am also officially announcing my alliance with About Books, Inc., a book packager in Colorado. I am their official marketing coach for their clients’ books. About Books (http://snipurl.com/jy4yg ) has been in business for over 30 years and has produced beautiful books for many award - winning authors. I am excited to help their authors with marketing plans for the books they produce.

If anyone in your circle needs help with marketing, writing an article, front and back cover material, a speaker for their convention – or just about any marketing - related issue, I’m here to help.


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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 =====================================================

Opportunities

On Getting the Help You Need ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I do have a business that can help your subscribers. About two years ago, I started training author’s assistants because I couldn’t handle all the work myself and needed to have people who could handle many of the administrative tasks authors and author/publishers need to have done along the way.

I have a directory of people I’ve trained to handle pieces of the manuscript creation process, the publishing process and the book marketing process, especially online marketing. I work with people on their strategy and then refer them to a good author’s assistant to help them execute it.
Here is a blurb on the training, etc.:

Author's Assistants have been around for a long time (in fact there is a great article about their work in The New York Times in 1904), but now this expertise is available virtually, so author's assistants can be hired for small or large projects.

About two years ago, we developed a full training program for people with experience and expertise as assistants and/or in the publishing industry to allow them to put this background to a new use in helping authors, publishers or author/publishers with manuscripts (fact - checking, permissions, formatting), in the publishing process (ISBNs, bar codes, coordinating back cover copy, photos, bios, etc., getting copyright registrations) and especially with book marketing (social networking, virtual book tours, Amazon campaigns, award applications, media kits, and more).

We would love to help your members find the professional assistant help they need by introducing them to our directory of the individuals who have been through our training at http://www.AuthorAssistants.com . If you have individuals who are looking to earn extra income by doing this kind of work, you can read more about the training program at www.http://www.VirtualAuthorsAssistants.com.

I’ll also send one of the VAA marketing tools in approaching authors from the course as a sample.


Jan B. King
310 - 305 - 7807
jan@janbking.com
www.eWomenPublishingNetwork.org
www.PublishingStrategist.com


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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." My tweets 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 me at www.twitter.com/frugalbookpromo. =====================================================

In the News: The magazine Book Business(www.napco.com) reports that seniors are the first group of consumers getting digital content in other places than their computer - - presumably that means from readers like Sony and Kindle. In fact, seniors are the largest group of Kindle users.


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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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An Itty - Bitty Column on Writing

JUST THE FACTS, MA’AM: FACT CHECKING YOUR WRITING
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By Mindy Phillips Lawrence

As I traipsed through my city library, I found a book on the shelf written to help writers use correct information in their work. It’s called THE FACT CHECKER’S BIBLE: A GUIDE TO GETTING IT RIGHT by Sarah Harrison Smith. A fact checker for the New Yorker during the 1990s, she was at the New York Times Magazine when she published this book in 2004.

The book goes into how to read a piece for the first time and how to read it the second time. It discusses source materials, working with authors and editors, checking quotes, plagiarism, libel, and checking fiction and poetry, plus lots more.

Reading through THE FACT CHECKER’S BIBLE made me aware of how many ways writing can go awry.

The back cover of the book lists these ideas for keeping your write true:

~Make certain to read your piece, fiction or nonfiction, for fact accuracy.

~Find out what you need to check out in the piece and make a list or highlight it on your manuscript.

~Research the facts on your list.

~Use sources such as people, newspapers, magazines, the Internet and books to check out your information. You can also find a list of professionals and academics on the Internet that have agreed to help with research questions.

~Check, and double check, quotations. Do NOT quote someone’s words incorrectly.

~Know a bit about libel and its consequences in hopes you never need to use this information.

~Don’t plagiarize! Period. It’s theft, pure and simple.

Below, I’ve listed some sources for you to use to check your articles, nonfiction and fiction books and your poetry for accuracy. Also, don’t forget to check maps, photos, videos, songs and lyrics.

You are responsible for what you write so check it out. You wouldn’t want someone to read in YOUR work that you thought New York City was the capital of New York State, would you? You DO know it isn’t, right? SMILE.

LINKS

The Fact Checkers Bible
http://www.amazon.com/Checkers - Bible - Sarah - Harrison - Smith/dp/0385721064

Fact Checker: Definition
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fact_checker

Journalists Toolbox: Urban Legend Fact Checking
http://www.journaliststoolbox.org/archive/2009/04/urban - legendsfact - checking.html

Advertising and Marketing History
http://library.duke.edu/specialcollections/hartman/

Library of Congress
www.loc.gov

New York Public Library
www.nypl.org

National Library of Medicine
www.nlm.nih.giv

Screen Actors Guild
www.sag.org

Music
www.musicalamerica.com



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Get f r ^^ information from Irene Watson and Victor R. Volkman's Author Access which offers several f r ^ ^ podcasts each year including a new one on writing book proposals just recorded at http://authorsaccess.com/archives/category/carolyn - howard - johnson . You'll find one on general book promotion there, too. In the past, the podcasts of my interviews with them have won their "most viewed" award twice. You'll find podcasts featuring lots of the writing world's most famous avatars there. Go look! =====================================================


Tip: If your publisher is still using 10 - digit ISBNs, it's time to encourage them to update to the number 13. That's because there are now two prefixes for 13 digit ISBNs (978 and 979). THAT means that many bookstores will start experiencing confusion which could affect your book's sales. Better now than waiting until damage has been done..


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Carolyn's Appearances and Teaching
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Carolyn Howard - Johnson will teach on “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. It’s only $125. Register here: https://www.uclaextension.edu/r/Course.aspx?reg=U9836

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Carolyn Howard - Johnson will co - sponsor the Green Book Pavilion with The Green New Media Life Expo http://www.greennewmedialifeexpo.com/content/green - book - pavilion - featuring - carolyn - howard - johnson?destination=node%2F109 held at the Ontario Convention Center, Saturday Sept 12 from 10 am to 7 pm and Sunday Sept. 13 from 10 am to 5 pm. The expo offers a $290 expo package to help authors promote themselves and their books. It includes
~An onsite Internet radio interview
~A personalized video that the participating authors themselves can use on their own social networks and Web sites
~A Web site presence for the participating authors, including blog presence and pictures, etc on the expo site
~A table where each author can talk up his or her book (and sell it, too!) on the Pavilion itself.
Interested authors may contact Gerry Fisher at GeFisher39@aol.com or at 702 467 9411 or 760 961 2728. Future expos are at the Cal Expo Fairgrounds in Sacramento on Oct 24 & 25, and Pomona Fairgrounds on November 6 and 8.

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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 that Howard - Johnson will speak on the East Coast in 2009.


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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
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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.)

INFLATION: Cutting money in half without damaging the paper.

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Essential Book and Record Keeping:

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:
Frugal Book Promoter: How to Do What Your Publisher Won't www.amazon.com/gp/product/193299310X/qid=1149015406/sr=2 - 1/
The e - book at http://starpublishllc.com/id43.html

The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success
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, 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 http://budurl.com/RetailersGuide

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, a chapbook of poetry coauthored with Magdalena Ball. http://www.amazon.com/She - Wore - Emerald - Then - Reflections/dp/1438263791/

Tracings, a chapbook of poetry (Finishing Line Press)
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)


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.
http://www.sizzlingbookfairbooths.blogspot.com

Tweeting at:
www.twitter.com/frugalbookpromo
www.twitter.com/frugalretailing
Squidooing at
http://www.squidoo.com/HowToDoItFrugallyforAuthors http://www.squidoo.com/carolynhoward - johnson