Note: Thanks to all who have inquired about our fires. We are close but fine. See below for a poem about our fires.


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_Sept_07_2009.pdf

Sept 7, 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
Regular Features
~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: “Faith In LA”
~Author Successes
~Who Are the Real Winners
~Mindy Lawrence's Itty Bitty Column, “Establishing a Tagline for your Business”
~Carolyn's Appearances and Teaching
~Wordstuff ™
This Issue
~ Feature: So We’re Writers - - and Readers



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:

I love Disney. It’s the child in me. It isn't just Disney, it's myth, legend, fairytale. When I was studying literature at USC, I couldn’t resist taking a children’s lit class. That I have written very little for children is beside the point.

Besides all those things, I admire Disney for its marketing. But lately the LA Times reported something of special interest in its Calendar section (Aug 24, D1 - D9). First the background.

In July Disney had promoted its coming Alice in Wonderland at Comic - Con the in San Diego where 126,000 fans of cult stuff showed up to play. Disney brought Johnny Depp and Tim Burton and the Expo took advantage of the new media by rolling out the festivities on Twitter, YouTube and Facebook. (BTW, that is one of the things about any event; these days they are no longer necessarily local. That goes for the LA Times Festival of Books, the Green Expo I'll be participating in as an interviewer on October 31 - - see the correction on this event below under appearances - - at the Ontario Convention Center and about anything else!)

Disney president and chief executive Robert Iger says, “ . . . we live in a world where digital communication enables people to express their opinions about things to a much broader set of people. We call it the combustion of digital word of mouth . . . their ability to communicate with others is unlike anything we’ve seen at any time before."

But, apparently, Disney doesn’t like just being part of the festivities. Even as an exhibitor. So they are taking the best of Comic - Con and making it into what they’re calling D23 Expo, a four - day event coming in September that will celebrate Disney. And apparently Disney exclusively. And, according to Iger, they will be concentrating not so much on attracting new fans (Comic - Con did that) but to acknowledge and cater to the fan base they already have.

Nothing wrong with that. The secrets for us authors to take away from this are:

1. I already mentioned that no event is local. By using new media effectively, you can reach many times the number of people than you would at any onsite event. In fact, you could give a party like Nadine Laman (www.nadinelaman.blogspot.com) just did. Four weeks of what she called a Blog Party (get it? Block Party) where she gave away books and communicated with people like the Welsh guy, Glyn, and people from Croatia as well as Ohio.

2. That we can adapt what works for one book or one profession - - however different it may be from ours - - to our own needs.

3. The people who can most likely spread the word for us are those who already love us. Let them know they are loved back and they will jump through hoops, knowing you are doing the same for them.

So, this newsletter is an example of that last concept. Most of you are already readers of my how - to books for writers. This letter isn't about gleaning new readers but about staying connected with old ones in meaningful ways.

Viva Disney! Viva us Disney fans!


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

PS: There is a big celebration going on over at www.MyShelf.com. The owner Brenda Weeaks and site editor Kim Malo made a special logo to celebrate my 50th column and arranged for a contest, too. That's a lot of years writing a "Back to Literature" column! I hope many of you will drop by and see why English may be the only language that capitalizes a single pronoun and enter the contest to win a great nonfiction book, The Secret Wife of Louis XIV.


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


Watch for a mini writers conference I’m planning in Italy for Sept. 2010. My partner Eve Caram (a fellow UCLA instructor) are excited about renting a villa for a small group - - say six to 22, tops - - in Italy. What say you? Trying to keep costs under $600 except for airfare. Let me know what you think.
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Did You Know that Target has a section in their book department called “Hand - Picked Titles from Emerging Authors.” I’d love it if one of you would be interested in researching how one would apply for consideration, maybe some the titles chosen for that section in the past. What a coup it would be to be chosen! One of their picks, Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay, sold 2,000 copies in hardcover, but more than 145,000 copies in the Target edition.

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


In the News: Barnes and Noble reduces its planned superstores from 35 to 15. They will also close 15 more already opened. Here’s the thing - - no research behind it. I think people like their bookstores a bit cozier. Thus superstores may have been not such a hot idea to begin with and their closing may not have as much to do with a drizzling economy as one would expect.


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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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Tip to Pass to Your Readers: If you're forming a book discussion group, it's best to set guidelines in advance. The group will be less likely to disagree on the group's direction later. For tips on how to do that, go to www.BookBrowse.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. 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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Tip: I like Tu - Vets for postcards. 1000 for $155. If anyone finds a place cheaper, let me know. info@tu - vets.com, 800 - 894 - 8977.


=================================================== 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
Call for Submission and More ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ From Staccato Magazine
Hi everyone -

I'm pleased to announce that we're bringing Staccato back - - albeit in a completely new format. While the first incarnation of Staccato as a print magazine was wonderful, I realized that it would work even better (and reach even more people) as strictly an online forum.

That's why, on August 10, we're launching www.staccatofiction.com.

I'll have a more official announcement at launch, but I wanted to enlist your help in spreading the word about this new project before we go live. My goal is to be able to offer a new piece of microfiction (stories 500 words or less) every day, Monday - Friday, but to keep that pace up, I'm going to need as many stories as I can get before launch. So please send in your work and tell all your writer friends who may be interested. For full submission details, click on the "Submit" tab on the website.

Some highlights of the website will include:

- an RSS feed so readers can get stories automatically delivered to them each day
- a focus on social networking sites to connect with other readers
- an emphasis on creating an interactive community where readers can comment (but not spam) about each story
- search functions to look up title and author - - as well as season and year

You'll see we set out to create a website where the story is the focus. It's a minimalist aesthetic (which is fitting to the content), and there's very little to distract users.

Anyway, I'm getting a little long - winded, but I'm excited to get started.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Best,
Matt


Contest: Win a Book and Get a Poem or Short Published . . . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
. . . on my blog. 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 . Learn more about Lillian's book on my blog at http://sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com/2009/07/sharing - with - writers - offers - first.html .

===================================================== 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: Are you doing Amazon Connect? It’s like a profile page on Amazon and is a must for online sales. Full instructions on how to do it are in your copy of The Frugal Book Promoter (Amazon chapter). Just know that since I wrote that book, they allow you to do a blog for Amazon Connect as well and then that blog appears on all your books’ sales pages. And, get this! It can be fed from your regular blog to that page so you don’t have to duplicate efforts. Here’s mine for you to look at: http://budurl.com/CarolynsAmazProfile Scroll down to see the blog entries.


===================================================== 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
And I read poetry with Lillian Brummet as host at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/AuthorsRead/2009/08/14/Carolyn - Howard - Johnson - She - Wore - Emerald - Then
Just 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

Calling All Self - Published Authors . . . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
. . . or Small Independent Publishers
2009 Literary Awards
*32 categories, 10 regions, 6 global, 18 sponsored
*Sponsored awards are cash prizes or service packages

Reader Views are accepting entries for books with 2009 copyrights (printed on the copyright page). The annual contest is open for books published in the English language and targeted for the North American market.

The awards are intended to honor writers and bring recognition for their hard work. Winning books have a noticeable increase in sales because of added recognition and credibility. Winning an award allows the author to announce the accomplishment to the potential reading audience, bookstores, libraries, media, and other authors.

Information about the awards and to enter: http://readerviews.com/Awards.html


Book Expo America Adjusts Plans for 2010 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~Book Expo America plans to have more author stages in 2010 including one dedicated to young adult authors. The director of the show says they would also like to attract more "book - buying influencers" who are not part of the traditional media. Apparently that means more bloggers (which they encouraged last year) and might include people who are online reviewers, book club leaders, etc., though he also promises to keep the regulations for credentials to attend the show tight. The Expo will be held in New York again this year.


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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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In the News: Hear ye. Year ye. Barnes and Noble to compete with MacDonald’s! Ha! They will provide free in - store wi - fi. Their motive may not be altruistic; they're in business after all. It seems the wireless device users will need WiFi to download offerings from B&N’s new e - book store and they can't charge customers twice. Ahhh, well. Anyone who wants to hang out at B&N and work for free may now do so. It there’s a Starbucks on the premises, you can now spend you wi - fi money on coffee. Further, from a marketing standpoint, it's possible that B&N may make more money giving something away free. In the old days, it used to be the coffee they gave away free.


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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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Good News: Book sales may be emerging from the recession. In June, sales at US bookstores rose 3.4 %.


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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.

I thought I would feature in this column a poem to honor those suffering from wildfires this week. I wrote this one when a fire came much, much closer to our home than the ones we are having this week have - - and they are close enough! It was first published in Re - Verb, a literary journal in 2004.
Faith in LA

That day in ‘99. Wheezing firefighters
spray rainbows above the horizon.
Pregnant jets rumble overhead, spew fans
beyond the fire trails. Night
comes. Like Van Gogh, flames
smear vermilion on indigo. Smoke
blots stars, heat breathes on my nape.
Chartreuse trucks speed
up our canyon, a giddy dance
of veils reflected in their shine.
I toss tattered scrapbooks into our Volvo,
a box of loose remedies, leaky bottle
of iodine, gauze by now unsanitized,
my grandmother’s silver. Too busy
to see the beauty, I debate
about my wedding dress,
choose an extra pair of frayed
Keds instead. This is nothing.
Once I watched LA burn
from another city, fire so wild
the smoke it breathed smudged
itself across the weatherman’s map,
pewter against Pacific blue.
When planes can land at LAX,
I take the first flight home. Distance
alters perception. From their safe seats,
arriving tourists aim cameras
at Brigadoon. Peaks protrude through
an undulating mix of cloud and smoke
and I, even knowing my home may be
charred timbers, see how lovely, lovely
this masked inferno is. I decide
against careening my wagon down
serpentine roads. Instead I sit on the curb,
watch this conflagration. Sometime
after midnight choppers baptize
the hills, reduce the blaze to scarlet
sequins. The embers do not doubt,
only wink and tease.


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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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Feature

So We’re Writers - - and Readers
Some of us were English majors. Some not. Some of us thrived on Shakespeare. Some said phooey. All of us are writers. Regardless of our backgrounds, we’ve all heard that we should read. At least we should read books in the genre we write in.
I’m going to take it a step farther than that. I think we should all also read great books. Classics, if you will. Not necessarily all the time but often enough to inspire us to stretch just a bit, to reach for an important theme or a voice we haven’t tried. Or even to develop a turn of phrase, a metaphor, or a simile.
Newsweek ran a list (www.newsweek.com/id/204478) of the greatest books ever written. Their choices may be arguable, but one can not argue with their intent. I thought it might be fun for you to see how many you’ve read. Gauge your relative success on your age. If you’re a senior you may have read more than if you are fifteen.
Actually, how many you’ve read is not nearly as important as how many you’re going to read. Or your motivation to set a goal. For the ambitious, how about a resolution to reread one you’ve already read and a pledge to read three more in the next year. I hope you'll use my Noble (Not Nobel!) prize list for suggestions, too. It appears every January at MyShelf.com. And my columns are archived.
Back to those goals. For most of us - - we busy ones - - how about a commitment to read just one of them. C’mon. Just one.
CHJ


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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

Yvonne Perry Shows Another Side . . . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
. . . with her recently published books in the Sid Series. They share messages that support the whole child—body, soul, and spirit—by empowering and building self esteem. Each book teaches skills such as following inner guidance, being true to one’s self or overcoming fear. Great for the classroom, young readers or toddlers being nurtured at home. Titles in the Sid Series include:
Sid’s Fairy ~ Learning about Inner Guidance
A Stormy Adventure ~ Facing the Fear of Storms
The Pirate’s Treasure ~ Finding Treasure Within
You Can Be! ~ Understanding Destiny and Making Choices
Ask Your Body ~ Understanding the Body’s Needs
A Ghost in My Closet ~ Communicating with Angels
A Powerful Potion ~ The Power of Imagination
My Friend’s Skin ~ Accepting and Appreciating Diversity
Puppy Love ~ Dealing with the Death of a Pet
Old Things New ~ Learning About Recycling
Always Be Honest ~ Learning to Tell the Truth
Making Room for Brother ~ Coping with Family Changes
The Sid Series ~ A Collection of Holistic Stories for Children (All 12 e - books combined)
The children's holistic e - books are available as PDFs for $3.00 each, or you may purchase an e - book with all twelve stories in it for $20. Click on the link beside the picture to add items to your shopping cart and use a credit card via PayPal for all your purchases at once. http://tinyurl.com/sidseries


Belle’s Star Activity Book Helps Children Overcome Bullying and Abusive Behavior ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
. . . and now there is an activity book to go with it. Belle's Star, a youth novel by Farmington, New Mexico author Connie Gotsch, empowers children ages 8 to 12 to build new lives after escaping bullying and abuse or other difficult situations.

Now, Artemesia Publishing has released an activity book designed to be used with the novel. The activities were developed by award winning journalist and retired Farmington elementary school counselor Margaret Cheasebro.

For details go to www.apbooks.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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Tip: Irene Watson has a new podcast on why your mother doesn't read your book of nonfiction: http://authorsaccess.com/archives/category/marketing/personas


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


TweetTip:
Regarding HashTags at http://www.hashtags.org
Did you know that by using the # (hashtag) sign before a word, you can tag your tweets? This site tracks the most popular hashtags. As an example, Carolyn uses a hashtag #Tweeps4Writers which indicates that the tweeter she is recommending might be a resource for writers.
(submitted by Patrika Vaughn, your Author's Advocate www.acappela.com)


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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: Gramlee is a web - based editing and grammar check service that everyone can use. It’s like having a personal copy editor who can make your writing technically accurate and professional. Anyone with an internet connection can tap into it, without paying a fortune. http://www.gramlee.com
(submitted by Patrika Vaughn, your Author's Advocate www.acappela.com)


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Thank Yous


Thanks to Lillian Brummet
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
. . . for including my HowToDoItFrugally efforts in her list of appreciation on her Consious Discussions blog http://consciousdiscussions.blogspot.com/2009/08/appreciating - our - supporters - friends.html There are others on the list you may want to research, too - - others who help the efforts of writers.


Thanks to Brigitte Thompson ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
. . . . for featuring an interview with me on promotion and publishing in her blog at http://www.writersinbusiness.blogspot.com. Brigitte is author of Bookkeeping Basics for Freelance Writers, www.bookkeepingforwriters.com.


Thanks to Janie Lancaster . . .
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
. . . . for reviewing The Frugal Book Promoter (www.budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo) on Amazon. A shortie, but goodie. (To do a fellow author a favor, a review needn’t be New York Times deep (or long). Just make it short and from the heart! Janie is author of Julie & The Lost Fairy Tale and Emily: Out of My Mother's Darkness. Find her at www.janielancaster.com


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


On Marketing:
Who Are the Real Winners?
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I think our culture is too tuned in to #1 - - you know, that you haven't won unless you reach the very top. It is evidenced by our awards. I mean, the poor Oscar nominees! Poooor, poooor, them if they don't get to take home the naked gold man. A nomination isn't appreciation enough, I guess.

This cultural tendency appears in marketing, too. Authors try something and find it isn't immediately traceable to the sale of a book (or a great Amazon rating). Marketing isn't about one effort. Sure, use that number one spot as a goal but get grateful if your book hits the top 100 in its category!

We also need to be patting ourselves on the back more and praising one another more. Congrats to all of you, as an example. For hanging in there to learn more about your craft. More about marketing. I know a winner when I see one, and it is you.

CHJ

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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: The big guys are re - evaluating their branding because of the economy. Maybe we authors should be, too. Bank of America junks "Countrywide" after it buys it out because the name is too toxic. Starbucks slips in a new name under the radar for some of its locations, maybe 'cause "Starbucks" is perceived as expensive. Is your branding too wide, too narrow? Are you including all the possibilities for your work?



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


Tip: Visit a blog with interview questions like I've never had before. What's in a contrac? It's nitty - gritty blog called WordShaping from Amber Polo: http://amberpolo.blogspot.com/2009/08/fugal - promotion - tips.html


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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

“Establishing a Tagline for your Business”
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By Mindy Phillips Lawrence

I’m not certain where my tagline came from, how it registered in my head. I was working on the design for my letterhead one day and realized it would be nice to have a phrase that defined my business. My license plate is N2WRDS (into words) and I wanted to use that somehow. I played with it for a while and came up with “Into Words ~ Into Print ~ Into Minds.” Here’s why.

Into words is what writers convert ideas and stories into for the public to read. It’s the heart and soul of what a writing business does, to convey someone’s thoughts into words.

Into print is what all writers hope for – publication. Without the ability to get words out into the world, all a writer does is create stories for personal amusement and satisfaction. You want more, much more.

Into minds is the highest calling of a writer, to get ideas, stories and thoughts in to the consciousness of a reader. When a writer’s work registers in an individual’s mind, he or she develops a readership – be it with fiction or nonfiction writing.

Here’s the challenge I leave with you this week. Establish a tagline for your writing and your writing business. Think about how you want to brand what you do and whom you want to reach with your work. Then establish a phrase that captures that idea.

As the famous tagline goes, “Just Do It!”

LINKS
Creating a Business Identity
http://homebusiness.about.com/od/getstarted/a/identitySteps.htm

Tagline Suggestions
http://www.marketingprofs.com/ea/qst_question.asp?qstID=11736

Developing a Tagline
http://www.hudsonfusion.com/news/resources/developing_taglines.html

Taglines – Just Do It!
http://www.nonprofituniversityblog.org/?p=78

The Fundamentals of a Great Company Tagline
http://www.polaris - inc.com/index.php?action=resources.ArticleInfo&rowid=60

Your Mortgage Tagline – Is it Working For Ya or Agin’ Ya?
http://ezinearticles.com/?Your - Mortgage - Tagline - - - Is - It - Workin - For - Ya - Or - Agin - Ya?&id=640619


~ 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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Moe Green Poetry Hour on Blog Talk Radio presents poets Joan Gelfand, Rebecca Foust, and Carolyn Howard - Johnson with guest host Playwright Kim McMillon, Wednesday,September 9th at 12 Noon to 1 PM. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/onword

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Carolyn Howard - Johnson will be a host for one day at the Green Book Pavilion with The Green New Media Life Expo at the convention center in Ontario, CA. http://www.greennewmedialifeexpo.com/ Sorry but due to circumstances beyond my control, my participation has been curtailed to the one day, October 31.
The expo offers a $290 expo package to help authors promote themselves and their books both onsite and with New Media (meaning videos, etc).
Interested authors may contact Gerry Fisher at GeFisher39@aol.com or at 702 467 9411 or 760 961 2728. He has other Expos coming up, too.
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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 Talk Twitter on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 11 am EST (8 am Pacific) at the Muse Online Writers Conference, http://themuseonlinewritersconference.com/ It is
f r ^ ^.

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Carolyn Howard - Johnson will speak on writing picture - perfect query letters at the November session (Nov. 14) 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.)
MYTH: A female moth.

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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