If you would prefer to read this letter in its not - so - glorious full formatted version ( - : copy and paste this URL you’re your browser:

http://www.AuthorsDen.com/adstorage/1713/SharingwithWriters_Aug_21_2009.pdf

August 21, 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
~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!)
~FEATURE: Spelling Confidence Deflators and My Blog
~From my E - mail Bag: A Conversation with the Editor of the Southern Review
~Opportunities
~On Poetry
~Author Successes
~ Subscribers Sharing with Subscribers:
~Mindy Lawrence's Itty Bitty Column, “When a Partnership Fades”
~Carolyn's Appearances and Teaching
~Wordstuff ™



Note: You may have better luck with the URLs in this newsletter if you copy and paste. The reason that I leave them long rather than use hyperlinks is because this letter is available in plain text in your e - mail window as well as by .pdf.

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Note from Carolyn

Dear Subscribers:

This is an anniversary of sorts. At exactly 10:39 pm on August 18, my Tweeters reached 5,000. I just happened to be online when they hit that number. I can’t tell you how pleased this makes me because I think I assembled the best group of tweeters ever. If you’re new that means, I followed great author - oriented ones or they follow me and then I follow them. If you’re tweeting, you’ll understand that. If you’re not, it’s high time you started.

I hasten to say, I don’t go after big numbers. I want people I can learn from and people I can help with my tips and resources.

So, do yourself a favor and come help me celebrate. You all definitely fit into my profile for desirable tweeters. You’ll do me a favor, too. It’s soooo easy. You just . . .

~Go to www.twitter.com and register.
~Don’t forget your bio and your avatar (that’s your little logo/picture. Use your book cover image if you want).
~For your first tweeter to follow, follow me. I’m @frugalbookpromo. You just type in www.twitter.com/frugalbookpromo.
~I promise to follow back.
~Mindy (who edits this newsletter) is there, too. She’s @mplcreative

See you there?

Happy writing, editing and promoting!
Carolyn Howard - Johnson

PS: I just found BookBuzzr thanks to a Sharing with Writers subscriber Heather Paye. Find me on BookBuzzr at http://www.freado.com/users/2959/Carolyn - Howard - Johnson. Fan me. But most of all use it for phenomenal, page - turning widgets for your own marketing everywhere. Bookbuzzr makes it very easy to install the widgets at Google, on your blogs, on Facebook and more. I think you’ll agree that it’s worth the trouble and time. It does take some time, particularly if you have more than one book. I’m just getting started. But it is quite user friendly.


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There is a page of contests on the Resource for Writers page on my Web site: http://www.carolynhowardjohnson.redenginepress.com/contests.htm Follow the links on that page to other valuable lists on my site, too. =====================================================


Craft Tip: One way to stay true to your characters is to name them after someone you know. Later (thank god for the replace feature in Word) you can go back and rename them. I found this tip in Larry Brooks’ new e - book for writers. Find it at www.storyfix.com



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Please pass this letter on to others. Unlike many other newsletter editors, I do not mind if you use only portions of mine 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: As a former retailer I may have enjoyed blog posts by a bookseller more than most authors will. Still authors need to know how to avoid ticking off bookstore owners. There are two segments on Amber Polo's blog. This is #2: http://amberpolo.blogspot.com/2009/08/authors - behaving - badly - bookseller - tells.html




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Here is but one group of articles you will find on my Web site. It is Reviews for Riters™ which are reviews of books for authors, books that will help them write better, promote better, even tech better. I have at least 50 of these reviews available as a series or individually. They’re yours for the taking. To read. Or to use in your newsletter, blog or Web site.

Grammar Snobs Are Great Big Meanies by June Casagrande 396 Words
Get Published! Get Produced! by Peter Miller 350 Words
Bird by Bird by Anne LaMott 387 Words
Fear of Writing by Milli Thornton 514 Words
Outside the Square Fiction Workshop by Cheryl Wright 518 Words
Writing for Profit: Breaking into Magazines by Cheryl Wright
Sister Bernadette's Barking Dog by Kitty Burns Florey (On Grammar)
Roget's Descriptive Wordfinder 542 Words
Your First Novel by Ann Rittenberg and Laura Whitcomb 407 Words
Run by Ann Patchett 752 Words
Rereadings by Anne Fadiman 553 Words
Bang the Keys by Jill Dearman (Penguin)
New Vintage Type by Steven Heller and Gail Anderson 531 Words
Unfolding the Mysteries of Culture, Language and Writing Subtly, Like the Whisper of a Fan - - Review of Lisa See's Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
Now You See Him: A Lesson in Craft (the novel reviewed is by Eli Gottlieb)
Get Noticed...Get Referrals by Jill Lublin
Righting the Mother Tongue by David Wolman (Spelling)
Publishing Possibilities by Cheryl Pickett 435 Words
New! Describer's Dictionary, The by David Grambs 473 Words
New! 101 Slightly Unpredictable Tips for Novelists and Screenwriters by Larry Brooks 642 Words
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Editing Tip: I'm doing a series on wordiness at my blog, www.thefrugaleditor.blogspot.com . "Make an arrangement?" How about just "arrange."


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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. Let me know you did it. We'll find something I can do for you!
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In the News: LA Times reports that an English study shows rooks can indeed do what Aesop described their relatives (crows) doing millenniums ago. And we thought the story of "The Crow and the Pitcher" was fiction. ( - :


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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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Feature

Spelling Confidence Deflators and My Blog

This week my Frugal, Smart and Tuned - In Editor blog is on spelling. I hope you’ll go leave a comment. What is the word you have trouble remembering to spell when you write?
Here’s a clip from the column

"...on spelling. You know, stuff like spelling bees and how brilliant kids can humiliate adults in certain arenas. On how Brits spell differently from Americans. That reminded me of how us Americans nurtured on British literature have so many problems. I still can't get "grey" right.

"But it also reminded me of what a great speller I am. Or thought I was...."

Find the article and a tip or two at www.thefrugaleditor.blogspot.com.


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


Opportunities

Kim Pearson Offers Tips, Haiku & Contests! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ From Kim Pearson

For the last couple of months, I’ve offered three ways to share with other writers on my blog, “From the Compost.” (www.primary - sources.com/blog/)

I blog at least three times a week, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Sometimes I have some wise stuff to say, and sometimes I am quite funny, even if I do say so myself.

Monday is Compost Day, when I share my thoughts about the writing life; about ghostwriting challenges; stories about my strange elusive Muse, Laura; or just whatever pops into in my head.
On Wednesdays, I offer a chance for commenters on my blog posts to share their own thoughts and stories, and in doing so, perhaps win a prize. On alternate Wednesdays I blog about history - - yours and mine and ours - - and if you contribute a memory from your own history as a comment, you just might win an e - book as a prize - - a Timeline/Writing Suggestion workbook on one of 8 categories from my book “Making History”: your choice of a Making History Workbook.

On the other alternate Wednesday I share writing tips that have worked for me or for my students, and that may help you jumpstart or enhance your own writing. At the end of each month I gather up the “Writing Tip” comments from the month and pick one at random from a drawing, and send the winner of the drawing one of my e - books: your choice of “How to WOW Your Readers” or “You Can Be An Author, Even If You’re Not a Writer.”

Finally, Haiku Friday! For the past twenty years or so, it has been my practice to write one haiku every day. Every Friday I share a haiku, about whatever topic I happen to choose. I invite you to write a haiku on this topic too, and share it with me and the readers of this blog. Just write it in the Comments. The only rules are: 1) your haiku must be about the named topic; 2) you must follow the 5 - 7 - 5 syllable format; 3) no obscenities or hate (I will delete those). That’s it. At the end of each month I’ll gather up the haikus in the “Haiku Comments” that meet the criteria, pick one at random in a drawing, and send the winner of the drawing one of my e - books: your choice of Haiku for the Seasons I, or Haiku for the Seasons II. Here’s one of my haiku, on the topic “Words”:

words may be useless
sometimes words are all we have
we’d better use them

Thanks again for your interest, Carolyn. By the way, I was very impressed with your multi - stanza haiku you wrote on my blog. It inspired me to try my hand at writing multi - stanza haiku too, and I’m having a lot of fun with doing so. I have a family of crows who live right outside the window of my writing room, and I often write haiku inspired by them. So now I’m working on a crow “novel” telling their stories thru linked - together haiku.

Regards,
Kim Pearson, Author, Ghostwriter, Editor,www.primary - sources.comAuthor of award - winning Making History and Dog Park Diary (www.dogparkdiary.net)
Blog, From the Compost: www.primary - sources.com/blog/
Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/storykim
Friend me on Facebook: http://facebook.com/storykim
Follow Goody Beagle on Twitter: http://twitter.com/dogparkdiary



===================================================== 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.budurl.com/TheFrugalEditor
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Tip: I’d rather see you get a professional photo (see why in The Frugal Book Promoter), but for those who just can’t or won’t, Samsung has new digital camera with viewer on the front - - I presume for authors trying do - it - yourself headshots. ( - : They can then gauge what they’re getting with the lens held at arms length or on a Tripod. (This news came from the LA Times business section - - but they weren’t clever enough to figure the author angle. LOL. )


===================================================== 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://ow.ly/hUNM . Other new ones for your Frugal and F r ^ ^ enjoyment include:
Raleigh Pinskey and I chat about hiring a publicist and the joy of writing: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Raleigh - R - Pinskey
Cheryl Antier and I talk promotion, memoir, process at
www.blogtalkradio.com/cheryl - antier.
Irene Watson, Victor R. Volkman's Author Access and I chat on several f r ^ ^ including a new one on writing book proposals just at http://authorsaccess.com/archives/category/carolyn - howard - johnson
http://bit.ly/BTySsJust the FAQs MaAnna Stephenson and I recorded a couple of different podcasts. One on marketing fiction (Part II). Find them at http://www.justthefaqs.net/podcast.shtml
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More Opportunities

My Own Contest ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Because poetry can be so important in our lives if we will but let it, I am running a contest to remind people to slow down a bit and read a poem (or write one). I will select a winner from those who send me an e - mail with TOWARDS UNDERSTANDING in the subject line. The prize is an e - copy of Lillian Brummet's Towards Understanding with a new cover by her husband, Dave, who is often also her writing partner. I'll randomly pick a winner on Sept. 30. The winner will also have an opportunity to publish one of their poems or a short excerpt from their prose in this corner of my newsletter—a piece that fits with the theme "Towards Understanding." Send your entries to HoJoNews@aol.com .


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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: Jozette Aaron ran my review of a book on slang. I thought you all might want to read it 'cause the more we know about our language the better, huh? http://jozette.webs.com/bookreviews.htm


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Tip: Yvonne Perry now presents her podcasts for writers on iTunes, http://ow.ly/kIuw. She has a battery of them by now, including a couple of mine. Why not promise yourself a learning experience by listening to just one a day while you work.


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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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Subscribers Sharing:

Proud to be Part of iFOGO and Review Opportunity ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
From Shirley Roe, founder of Allbooks Review

Shirley Roe is the author of four historical fiction novels, She understands the difficulty and frustration that new authors face. Allbooks Review was born of that understanding.

Allbooks Review offers a promotional package for writers. Entry in an Editor’s Choice award is part of that pack as well as a review. The site has reviewed thousands of books since its inception in 2000 including self - and subsidy - published authors and e - books. Authors from all over the world have taken advantage of this opportunity. Other services offered by Allbooks Review include editing, advertising, book synopsis, publishing referrals, guest speaker, events posting and much, much more.

You’ll now find Shirley is a member of iFOGOvillage.com. Join her publishing group there.


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Fun and F r ~ ~: If you purchased the Frugal Book Promoter or the Frugal Editor, I'd love 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. Listen to me read some of my own poetry at

Lois P. Jones interviews translator of Neruda for her National Public Radio program. Here's where to find it at any time. http://archive.kpfk.org/parchive/
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Poet and photographer May Lattanzio found this fun site for poets who want to do personal publishing. http://www.bookemon.com/bookemon - poetry?gclid=CObZ4Y2mpJwCFRqdnAods3PMlQ If you decide to try it, let me know what you think.

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My favorite writing and poetry aid is The Describer’s Dictionary by David Gramb. It’s subtitle does not exaggerate: A treasury of Terms and Literary Quotations. But it’s mostly the section on colors that is indispensible.

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See the entry above on my first - ever contest to win a book - - a poetry book by Lillian Brummett. Poetry deserves a little push, don’t you think?



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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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In the News: Time reports one more newspaper has bitten the dust, this one from a metropolitan area with a picturesque downtown area and a couple universities - - Ann Arbor, Michigan. Time says it didn't die, that it was "killed by its owners in a high - stakes gamble to try to create new and more profitable Web enterprise called AnnArbor.com. That site - - get ready for this - - also has a paper version called AnnArbor.com that publishes every Thursday. They apparently took this risk because Ann Arbor is a Web - savvy community. Such moves may open opportunities for writers who want to blog, though they probably will get paid no more than they do writing their own blog on their own Web site or Blogspot.com - - that is, they'll be doing it for exposure and the love of writing. No dollars.



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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

DeSilva’s News Given Award . . . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ DeSilva's News, awarded 5 stars by Best Ezines, has been helping writers hone their skills through informative articles, columns, writers resources, information on free courses and more. It offers free promotion to all subscribers. Sign up and receive a free writer's e - Book. Find Jozette Aaron’s newsletters at http://jozette.webs.com/newsletterarchives.htm


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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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Tip: Brigitte Thompson, author of Bookkeeping Basics for Freelance Writers, will interview me on publicity basics on Sept 20 on her blog at http://www.WritersinBusiness.blogspot.com. Later that same week she will publish “15 Rules to Getting Great Publicity" on the same blog. Keep in mind what I keeping telling you about making comments on blogs, that is, how they can help you promote and network.


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


Tip: It may already be time to plan for next spring's BEA. Here's what's happening according to Publisher's Weekly: http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6675538.html .


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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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Social Networking Tip: Last week Heather Paye reported on BookBuzzr. So much to do! So busy. I was going to just forget about exploring it. I’m glad I didn’t. It will be slow going getting all my books up there but I got started with The Frugal Editor and The Frugal Book Promoter. Maybe I’ll try to build a page a week. At any rate, I suggest you check mine out. Make me a friend. And see how useful it can be for your social networking needs. It was even easy to get it up on Facebook. http://www.freado.com/users/books/2959/Carolyn - Howard - Johnson


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Tip: Chaz DeSimone is someone you should talk to about your cover if you’re self publishing. Find a cover he did for my Frugal series after the fact at http://chazdesimone.com/book%20design%20covers%20interiors%20chaz%20desimone.html.
For books on writing, he uses the typefaces Typewriter and Caslon, two fonts that come from the most pervasive type family used in books. What are typefaces used most often in your genre? There's a reason they are!


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Thank Yous


Thanks to Phil Harris
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. . . for posting my guidelines (call them warnings! or call them nudges!) for newly published writers on the blog he provides for his catalogue of authors at http://allthingsthatmatterpress.blogspot.com/2009/08/get - your - book - marketing - hojo - working.html


Thanks to Anthony James Barnett . . .
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. . . . for using one of my freebie articles directly from my Fr e ^ Articles for Readers and Editors page on my blog. Find the article he chose on promoting with cookbooks (yes, promoting!!) at http://ajbarnett - story.blogspot.com/2009/08/book - promotion.html and the F R ^ ^ article page at http://www.budurl.com/FreeArticlesReviews


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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. =====================================================


Tip: FiledBy is the largest online directory of author sites. Every published author in every subject category has a pre - assembled site that can be claimed and enhanced for free. And now, there are sites for anyone who’s contributed to the publication of a book - - illustrators, photographers, artists, editors, translators and other creators. More than 3 million sites are linked to 8 million book pages. It’s a place for authors and contributors to promote themselves and their work, a place for readers to search and discover new works and a place for everyone to connect and discuss authors and books. FiledBy helps authors by providing the web tools to host, link to, organize and keep up to date all their various marketing activities online, and we help sell books too.


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


Opinion


From my E - mail Bag:
A Conversation with the Editor of the Southern Review
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In this week’s Southern Review Noel Griese wonders if Sarah Palin will meet the deadline for submitting the book she took an advance for. That resulted in a short e - mail conversation. I’m reporting it here because I think that what I said is at the root of what troubles the shrinking publishing industry these days. Here’s what I told Noel:

“About the Palin [situation], . . . I find it somewhat annoying (though I understand the reasons) that the publishing world is so eager to pay huge advances to nonwriters to write books to promulgate radical views (both left and right) and then neglect their midlists.

“I know more than one writer published by large NY firms who received poor editing, very slim marketing allowances, and no information on what they might expect from publishing or what they could contribute. How do these large publishers expect to grow without investing in the future? Am I crazy to think that the future lies in the fostering of new talent rather than merely the pandering to our already deteriorating tastes? With some attention, publishers might actually be able to create an interest in something more viable and enriching . . .”

I’d like to hear what my Sharing with Writers subscribers have to say about this topic - - not the Palin politics. The publishing politics. Reach me at hojonews@aol.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. =====================================================


Twitter Tip: Why are so many Twitter applications pushing people to acquire more followers? Find quality, COMPATIBLE people to follow and hope they follow back. I think that's one of the reasons my tweets have worked so well for me. It isn't only about numbers.
Great marketing is no more than the golden rule. You do for others as you would have them do for you. Great selling is no more than wanting what is best for your customer/reader. That's why we don't try to sell any single title to everyone. Learn who will benefit from your book and then share your passion. Apply that principle to all your social networks.


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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

When a Partnership Fades
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By Mindy Phillips Lawrence

Doing collaborative work with someone or working with an individual to promote his or her writing is a team effort. Such partnerships can be loose associations or actual friendships that develop over the length of time people work together. They take a lot of effort to stay on track. Sometimes they don’t.

Recently, I lost a client I’ve had on my roster for two years and have known for many more. The individual chose to take another path and discontinued our association. It took me some time to adjust to this loss of both a client and a friend.

What was good about the situation was that when we started working together, I also planned how to discontinue the relationship if it became necessary. I had a severance contract on file and knew the process to take to break off working together. The hard part was deciding what to keep of the person’s work and what to return. I had a record of when I submitted the client’s work, which helped me tremendously.

If you work with another writer, with an author representative or with an editor, make sure you know what the process is to discontinue that working relationship if it becomes necessary.

Here’s hoping your collaborations stay strong and, if they end, conclude in friendship.

LINKS

Literary Agent Contract (Writer Friendly)
http://www.publishlawyer.com/agency.pdf

How to Be Your Own Literary Agent
http://www.amazon.com/How - Your - Own - Literary - Agent/dp/0618380418/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1251323995&sr=8 - 1

What Your Literary Agent Won’t Do
http://www.publishinggame.com/art_whatyouragentwontdo.htm


~ Mindy Phillips Lawrence, www.freewebs.com/mplcreative, is the author of the poetry collections One Blue Star and Above and Below. She is co - author of The Complete Writer and a publicist and literary agent. She is in the process of researching a novel titled Alone is Where We Begin. Blogging at: http://mplcreative.blogspot.com/.
Her specialty is helping writers with their media releases. Reach her at mplcreative1@aol.com.

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Carolyn's Appearances and Teaching
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New! Kim McMillon will host a radio segment of the Moe Green Poetry Hour on Wednesday, September 9th at 12 Noon. She has asked me to read. I’ll join well - known Joan Gelfand and Rebecca Foust. Find us at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/onword


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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 have to 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.)
MOSQUITO: An insect that makes you like flies better.

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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, a blog where you can learn to get some mojo behind your own booth by learning from the successes and mistakes of others.

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