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April 6, 2010
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 (except when I'm traveling or on deadline) 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
~Author Successes
~Mindy Lawrence's Itty Bitty Column, “
~Carolyn's Appearances and Teaching
~Wordstuff ™
This Issue
~Feature: Q&A a la Ann Landers, Changing Grammar Rules
~Feature: Q&A a la Ann Landers, Whad’ya think of
serial commas.
~Feature: State of E - Books and What You Can Do About
It


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 note is about organic partnerships, about poetry, and about networking.

Odd mates, I know, this “poetry” and “networking.” It could easily be about novels and networking (which would alliterate nicely) or nonfiction and networking (just as nice).


But it so happens that it’s poetry because Magdalena Ball and I just released our third chapbook in our Celebration Series. It is Imagining the Future: Ruminations on Fathers and Other Masculine Apparitions. It’s our Father’s Day entry for the series (www.budurl.com/Imagining).

This series happened even though Maggie and I live in two separate hemispheres. (She’s an Aussie.) And it happened because she reviewed my first chapbook of poetry published by Finishing Line Press for her Compulsive Reader (www.compulsivereader.com) Web site.

Our collaboration just grew. Our first book was Cherished Pulse: Unconventional Love Poetry (www.budurl.com/CherishedPulse ). Many of you have read it; I gave it away as an e - Valentine when it was first published. Then came She Wore Emerald Then: Reflections on Motherhood (www.budurl.com/MotherChapbook)

After that, we decided to do other celebration books. We’re working on a chapbook called Blooming Red for Christmas.

The thing is, people tell us that when we collaborate, we must do it in a businesslike way. You know. A contract. A time schedule. Goals.

And that’s fine, if you’re built that way or prefer it that way. But there are times when the poetry in our souls takes over and tells us to forget the huge expectations, the worry, the fussing. To just do it. Let it grow organically if it does. Come to a stop somewhere along the way if it doesn’t work as planned.

So . . . sometimes . . . no contracts. Just networking, in the best sense of the word. Slender but strong threads—like silvery spider webs—binding us together.

Happy Writing, Promoting and Editing
Carolyn Howard - Johnson

PS: The twice - a - year AllTips edition of Sharing with Writers is coming. Please tell your writing friends about it. Give them a little nudge to subscribe so they get started with a bang. I’ll sign them. Just put SUBSCRIBE in the subject line of an e - mail and send it to hojonews @ AOL.com


PPS: Our Roman Retreat is filling. The inexpensive room on the lower level is taken. Please, if you’ve been considering it, look again on my blog at http://sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com/2010/02/roman - retreat - e - books - and - yes - promotion.html or just go directly to www.budurl.com/RomanRetreat and think harder!


===================================================== Two highly recommended e - books for maximizing your Twitter account from Tony Eldridge are written especially for authors:
Twitter E - Book: http://www.on2url.com/app/adtrack.asp?MerchantID=150314&AdID=482099
Twitter E - Mail Course: http://www.on2url.com/app/adtrack.asp?MerchantID=150314&AdID=482103 and an interactive e - book on running a Twitter contest: http://www.on2url.com/app/adtrack.asp?MerchantID=150314&AdID=482099
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Letter to the Editor ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hi Carolyn,

Today’s mail brought me a copy of your neat little book, and after a quick peruse, I just had to send you an immediate thank you note!

The pair that trip me up most frequently are “bi/semi,” although I admit to an occasional problem with “to lie/to lay.”

Meanwhile, “lose/loose” is one of my pet peeves.

Excellent work, thanks for helping so many writers!

Anne L. Holmes, APR “Boomer in Chief”, BoomerCo, Inc.
E - mail: anne@anneholmes.com
Web site: www.nabbw.com, www.boomerlifestyle.com, www.boomerco.com


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Needing something more meaningful for the celebrations in your life? Something that stays within your budget? Imagining the Future: Ruminations on Fathers and Other Masculine Apparitions for Father’s Day (www.budurl.com/Imagining) ($6.95). Cherished Pulse (www.budurl.com/CherishedPulse) ($6.95) for someone you love. She Wore Emerald Then (www.budurl.com/MotherChapbook) ($12.95), for mothers and other women. It’s the Celebration Series of poetry from Magdalena Ball and me.
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Q&A a la Ann Landers

Serial Comma Question from Editor and Reviewer: ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Question:

As long as we are talking editing, I have an editor's question for you. What is your stance on the "serial comma"? I've been doing research on it, and I want to hold on to the NEED for the comma which is being dropped all over the place. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

All the best,
Joyce M. Gilmour Editor & Book Reviewer, www.editingtlc.com

My answer:

Serial commas are a style choice. Newspapers are using them less and less - - or rather they're eliminating the last comma that comes just before the "and." Academia and fine book publishers are still using them. I haven't looked but I'd guess that the AP style Book says to eliminate them and Chicago says to include them. Like many things, the rules aren't hard and fast. As an editor - - mostly of books - - I tend to use them in most things. If you decide to use them, do a search of the word "and" to be sure you've used them in every instance. Once we make a style choice, we should stick to it.


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


Tip: When it comes to book promotion, remember that when you put something online, it can live almost forever. That means that we have to be careful what we share, what we say, and the footprints we leave online. A bad first impression is tough to recover from, and in some cases, it might not just mean a lost sale but a lost media opportunity. Don't tweet anything you wouldn't want your grandma to read! ~Submitted by Patrika Vaughn, your Author's Advocate (www.acappela.com)

Tip: Edit, edit, edit your blog posts. Never put up a single blog post without running spell check (thankfully most blog software comes with this now), but be cautious about this. Remember, it's public domain and blog posts that go up generally stay up unless you pull them down. They'll get spidered (meaning that the Web robots will find them and add them to search engines); you might even get folks linking to them. ~Submitted by Patrika Vaughn, your Author's Advocate (www.acappela.com)


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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. 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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Feature

State of E - Books and What You Can Do About It ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
In its Trade E - Book Publishing 2009 Report and Book Publishing Report, Simba Information (SimbaInformation.com) reports that 10% of the adult population has read an e - book but only 10% has bought one. That tells me many are giving away e - books at n^ c^ost, that many are sharing e - books the same way that people share other books (which isn’t as kosher), or both. If it’s the former, there must be some big benefits to giving away an e - book.

They are:
Fr ^ ^ e - books can - - without guilt or qualm - - contain ads for other books by that author or publisher. And fr ^ ^ e - books - - like videos and movies - - can include a commercial advertisement without too much fear of criticism. By the way, literary journals have for years included ads from their sponsors or supporters and we have seen similar business - card size and other display ads in publications like programs and yearbooks for decades.

Fr ^ ^ e - books are sought after by many with readers and thus an author’s style can easily be exposed to people they would never otherwise reach.

F r ^ ^ e - books can be used as incentives to buy something else. They must, of course, have a high perceived value in order to work that way. The model for this kind of f r ^ ^ bie has been used for years by the likes of Estee Lauder and other cosmetic companies. They’re called gifts - with - purchase, or purchase - with - purchase.

I’ve long advised that writers give away e - books at one time or another. I’ve given away my poetry e - books to subscribers of this letter. And I’m planning to do more of it soon. Books - - even novels - - that have been around for a long time are right for this. Their sales have slowed but they are still ultimately as readable as ever. Books that an author especially tailors for promotions are, too.

If you aren’t quite ready for this f r ^^ bie step, read Chris Anderson’s F r ^ ^: The Future of a Radical Price. You’ll get tons of ideas. If you’re still not ready, publish something with a very low price as an e - book or booklet and see what you can do with it in terms of furthering your writing career. An example of that model is my $6.95 paperback Great Little Last - Minute Editing Tips for Writers: The Ultimate Frugal Booklet for Avoiding Word Trippers and Crafting Gatekeeper - Perfect Copy. (www.budurl.com/WordTripperPB). It will soon be out on Kindle, too.
CHJ


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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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Author Successes

(The author successes segment is here to praise, laud, and encourage but the success of one author may give you a resource for another. So, applaud, certainly. But also learn.)

P.M. Terrell Wins Bengel Award ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The reviewer, Marcia Freespirit, reviewer for Bengal Book Review, submitted P.M. Terrell’s novel for the Bengal Book Awards in Fiction and Drama and it won. Surprise awards are often the best kind. For more information on Bengal go to: www.BengalBookReviews.com


=================================================== Book Proposal Help: "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://budurl.com/bookproposalreport =====================================================


Opportunities

Writer Advice Seeking Submissions. . . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
WriterAdvice seeks flash fiction, memoir, and creative nonfiction that mesmerizes the reader in 750 words or less for our Fifth Annual Flash Prose Contest. DEADLINE: April 15, 2010. Entry fee: $10 per submission. First prize: $150. Former prizewinners are the judges. Complete guidelines, mailing address, and prizes at www.writeradvice.com.


This Isn’t Your Usual Ning Group ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I received this in my e - mail box. It’s yet another way that iFOGO village continues to help its members. I especially like the unusual opportunities it offers to fiction writers! I see several SharingwithWriters subscribers getting additional publicity from this group in founder Gene Cartwright’s e - mails! We can’t beat that when he’s working so hard for us. Here’s the e - mail announcing his latest benefit:
A message to all members of iFOGO Village
Villagers, We're breaking new marketing ground . . . again.
Re: Powerful Tools Just For You. (Please, Do Not Skim)
• You Plus a Famous Author?
• 'TAGS,' You're It!

iFOGO.com is breaking new ground, again. (
So, what is it, and how does it work?
We Call it "PAIRING."

1. You choose a famous author whose works inspires and/or closely (your opinion is what matters) matches your own.
2. We then place or "Pair" you and your book(s) with the famous (best - selling) author and book you select.
3. We also add a sentence using your name, and the name of your selected author.

For example:
John Grisham is an inspiration to our author John Dough. Readers who enjoy John Grisham's (http://www.jgrisham.com/) novels, including "A Time To Kill" will enjoy "John Dough's" "A Time To Die."

• We then link John Grisham's name to his web site (http://www.jgrisham.com/), and "A Time To Kill" (http://astore.amazon.com/ifogo - 20/search?node=3&keywords=john+grisham&x=10&y=13&preview=) to our iFOGO/Amazon bookstore.
Click Grisham's name, and book links.

• All This is added to your iFOGO.com Premium Member (http://www.ifogo.com/buy/order.html) page, just part of our member benefits..
This is an incredibly powerful tool designed to raise your web presence via "Pairing."

BUT THERE'S MORE!
Tags: Tags make our powerful iFOGO.com search engine even more effective.
Premium Members (http://www.ifogo.com/buy/order.html) may now select up to 6 tags for placement on your iFOGO.com main page (iFOGO.com is the commerce site. iFOGO Village is our networking component)

For example:

See Betty Collier's iFOGO.com (http://www.ifogo.com/Authors_2/collier.html) presence.

Other few iFOGO.com member pages:

• Aggie Villanueva - (http://www.ifogo.com/Authors_2/AggieVillanueva.html)
• Shirley Roe - (http://www.ifogo.com/Authors_2/ShirleyRoe.html)
• Justina Wheelock - (http://www.ifogo.com/Authors_2/jwheelock.html)
• Pete Klein - (http://www.ifogo.com/Authors_2/klein.html)
• Linda Ballou - (http://www.ifogo.com/Authors_2/ballou.html)
• Carolyn Howard - Johnson - (http://www.ifogo.com/Authors_2/chj.html)
• Shelagh Watkins - (http://www.ifogo.com/Authors_2/s_watkins.html)
• Audrey Niffenberger - (http://www.ifogo.com/BRZ_AG/members/aniffenberger.html)

SO, HOW DO I TAKE ADVANTAGE?
Simple. If you are an iFOGO.com Premium Member,(http://www.ifogo.com/buy/order.html) there is no additional charge. Just another add - on to benefits that far outweigh the Premium Membership subscription

Otherwise. become an iFOGO.com Premium Member.
• Then, Send Us your selections via our Contact Form. (http://www.ifogo.com/contact.php)
• Place "Pairs & Tags" in the subject line.
• Include the name of your famous author, and that author's book you want to suggest.
That's It!

We're often asked why we offer so much for so little. The answer: I'm an author, too. And we at iFOGO want to do what we can to help you become successful. What we offer is not simply a one - time promotion effort that cost hundreds, even thousands, but one that works 24/7, 365.

Thanks, Gene Cartwright, CEO iFOGO, Inc. iFOGO.com
Jane Austen Dickey, Admin - The iTeam


==================================================== Social networking is one of the best ways to make valuable contact and build a list of readers. The most supportive and interactive one I know with an associated site for displaying fiction to the movie industry is iFOFO. Subscribe at http://www.ifogo.com/buy/order_chj.html
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Tip: The magazine Book Business (www.bookbusinessmag.com) reports that Chronicle books upped their Twitter followers by 14,000 in a year. Chronicle marketers say they did it by mapping “out a schedule of promotion and giveaways,” and “day - to - day, on - the - fly . . . [by] monitoring the chatter . . . to find and post information that’s going to be relevant.” They are careful to use hashtags, too. My new book on effective tweeting is for retailers, but authors could benefit. Watch for Frugal and Focused Tweeting for Retailers. I’ll make it available very inexpensively as an e - book for my subscribers.


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Podcasts are a great way to learn (and be refreshed) on everything from craft to poetry to promotion. Find many f r ^ ^ ones on the sites of those who support writers. You'll find a list of my most recent ones at: www.budurl.com/WritersResources You'll need to scroll down, down, down. That's OK. You may scroll through other resources you need, so read as you go.
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Quote from Richard Rubin A consultant with Innodat Isogen and author of a whitepaper on publishing strategies in the emerging e - book market: “These days even writers who are working with [major publishers] have to set up Facebook accounts, they have to go on Twitter, they have to set up a blog. At the end of the day [the publishers] are taking their typical cut [of profits] and the writers are saying, ‘What’s in it for me?’”

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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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Did You Know: The Kindle has adjustable typeface that allows for an instant large - print edition for the partially blind.


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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, www.budurl.com/FreeContent . 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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In the News: From Book Business Magazine: “On - screen advertisements appearing when e - book users power up their devices may not be far off.”


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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 just edited a poetry anthology and here’s the #1 lesson I took from it (and the same lesson applies to writers of all kinds): We tend to use adjectives and adverbs when our writing would be more potent without them. When you run across either modifier, see if you can use an image (a simile or metaphor) to better illustrate your meaning and avoid adjectives. Inspect every adjective. Are they meaningless? Words like “magnificent” and “awesome” call up no picture at all unless they’re used in an unusual way. “Magnificent Obsession” would have once qualified as creative use of an overblown adjective. Now it’s merely something someone else has used. Similarly, see if you can strengthen your verbs so you can eliminate adverbs. In my multi award - winning The Frugal Editor (www.budurl.com/TheFrugalEditor) , you will find examples of how to turn adverbs into metaphorical gold, too.


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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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Definition: “Vooks” is a new word for video e - books. My friend Tony Eldridge has written the perfect example of a vook with his - e - book and video combination on the subject of running a Twitter contest. Find it at: http://www.on2url.com/app/adtrack.asp?MerchantID=150314&AdID=482099


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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 $35 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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Quote: "It's not about being biggest...it's about being most able to adapt." ~ Tanya Hall, Greenleaf Publishing.


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Audio divas bring you audios on many aspects of building a writing career:
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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Q&A a la Ann Landers

When Did the Rules on Capitalization Change? ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Question:

When I was in junior high (tough school) the English teacher decided only three students wanted to learn and instead of teaching how to diagram sentences only taught capitalization. I still don't understand diagramming and it doesn't seem to affect my writing life but I got very good at capitalization. This was enforced later in my career as a librarian where capitalizing organizations and titles had special rules.

So, Carolyn, tell me, when did the rules change and why wasn't I informed?
How about these examples:

1. "President Obama said..." or "The President of the United States said..."
2. "The president said.." (not just any president)
3. "I toured the Chicago Public Library's collections..."
4. "The library's collection included..." (not just any library)

Any tricks to getting it right? Or at least not in too much trouble until the editor's final decisions?
Amber Polo, author of Flying Free (http://amberpolo.com/)


My Answer:

This is a classic example of how teaching grammar rules in general terms backfires on teachers, the student, and the education system as a whole. I was confused about the verbs "to lie" and "to lay" for years because I was taught several different rules (all at least partially incorrect). By the time I'd been through fifteen different teachers with fifteen different ideas and explanations and examples, I wanted to cry. The thing is, it's really soooooo simple. They just didn't know how to teach it. (Note: I give that to you in one easy paragraph in Great Little Last - Minute Editing Tips for Writers: The Ultimate Frugal Booklet for Avoiding Word Trippers and Crafting Gatekeeper - Perfect Copy (www.budurl.com/WordTrippersPB).

As far as caps are concerned, we are taught something like, “Capitalize when you are referring to a specific person or place.” Then we put our thinking caps on and dissect every reference we make to a specific person and place.

So “President Obama” is a specific person and deserves those capitals. But when we say “the president” we are also thinking of Obama, so isn’t that specific? Sure it is, but we’re still referring to him in general terms and “president” is not part of a full title. Ditto for your “library” example. Thus, no cap would probably be used in most cases for the #2 and #4 examples.

But here’s the thing. There is a difference between hard fast grammar rules and style choices. I just sent a book for retailers out to the printer (Frugal and Focused Tweeting for Retailers) in which I capitalize every use of “Twitter” (which fits with the rules of grammar because it is a company name) but I also cap “Tweeting,” “Tweet,” and lots of other words that have been inspired by the Twitter phenomenon. I explain why I do that in the “Before We Start . . .“ section in the frontmatter, but I didn’t need to. I decided on that style choice to illustrate how important Twitter has become in many aspects of our lives including our vocabularies!

So, when critics fault someone for their use of caps, they may be wrong . . . and right. An example. The LA Times style choice is “website.” The New York Times uses “Web site.” Not only is there a difference in capitalization but also in using it as one word or two.

Throw a little extra something into the mix. Rules do change with time, something you mentioned.

Oh, and one more confusing thing. Different rules apply in creative writing. It's OK to use grammar incorrectly in, say, dialogue or when you are trying to create a voice.

So, what is the trick to getting it right? If you're a creative writer, sign up for an online subscription or buy yourself a copy of the Chicago Manual of Style. Buy a real copy (a new one - - not something that's 20 years old because it's cheap) and use it.

Read books by respected modern editors. That probably doesn't include the venerated Fowler's, that everyone considers holy. That book can confuse a creative writer learning rule - oriented grammar. In fact, it generally does that to people and that's exactly what happened to you, Amber.

We get caught up in the rules, confuse one rule with another, try to memorize a catalog of rules (impossible!). I have a dictionary of English (just English - - not other languages except for some borrowed words from French, German, Latin, etc.) that is over one foot thick. I have at least a dozen grammar and style books on my desk. English isn't simple enough to boil down to a few rules and a few verbal guidelines like the one that tripped you up.

Rules don't suddenly change though, with the advent of the Internet, the changes seem more sudden than they used to. They change over time and they change because we (meaning lots of people) start to use something (like capitalization) in a different way. Thus we have several style books and all of them are "right" and they all disagree on many, many issues. Newspapers tend to use the AP Stylebook, book editors tend (but not always) use the Chicago Manual of Style. All are listed as good ( - : reading in the Appendix of The Frugal Editor. (www.budurl.com/TheFrugalEditor).


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Just in Passing: Roger C. Parker says he clutters up my mailbox with old columns from now deceased Boston Globe columnists and writing teachers. I love it. Here is a quote from the last piece of “clutter” "[Writing is like]...smell [ing] up a pissing post so that the next dog will know who's been along." ~Don Murray.


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


An Itty - Bitty Column on Writing


Writing at the Dancing Mule
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ By Mindy Phillips Lawrence


I’ve had Internet connectivity issues lately. Fortunately, there’s a little coffee shop a half mile from my apartment called the Dancing Mule Coffee Company. The coffee shop gets its name from the Missouri Mule and a wild tale its co - founder, Randy Austin, put together.

It’s not Starbucks. It’s more intimate than that. People of all ages and backgrounds come in for tea, coffee, pastry and sandwiches. XM radio pipes quietly through the air. Most of the tables are by plug - ins where you can keep your laptop charged while you plug in to their free WiFi. Board games sit on the bottom of a bookcase which upper shelves contain bags of fair trade coffees, coffee presses and Dancing Mule T - shirts. I’ve gotten to know the owner a little and almost all the baristas. My favorite menu item is the turtle latte.

Walking up to this little place where I watch the traffic pass by on Glenstone Street in Springfield, Missouri gives me a sense of peace as I write, and also a kind of connectedness to the city. It motivates me to seek other topics for articles and talk to other patrons who at times give me great ideas for stories.

Do you have a “Dancing Mule”? If not, maybe you should try to find one, a little corner of the world that becomes part of your creative life. If you get near Springfield, Missouri, come to 1945 South Glenstone and get a taste of the Dancing Mule for yourself. Bring your laptop!

LINKS

The Dancing Mule Coffee Company
http://dancingmulecoffee.com/the_kaldi_conspiracy/

Cobb Cave, Missouri
http://users.stlcc.edu/mfuller/cobbcave.html

~ 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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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://budurl.com/carolynsconsulting
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Tip: Do you hate passwords as much as I do? 43% of hacking victims use 10 top easily - gotten - to passwords, so as much as you hate them, don’t use easy ones. The first most often hacked is those who use the same code for their password as their username. Check on the other ones: http://budurl.com/c2dg Do you use any of them?


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Visit one of my blogs. Experiment a bit with the little green Tweetmeme logo if you haven't used one before. And, please let me know if mine is working for you. I think the one at www.thefrugaleditor.blogspot.com is working. I used the second offering down on the tweetmeme site and replaced the suggested code with the address of my blog. =====================================================


Thank Yous

Thanks to Billie Williams . . .
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. . . a very longtime online writing friend (http://www.billiewilliams.com) . She is reprinting my Q and A on using italics for internal thought for her critique group. This comes with a reminder that I am always happy to have you help other writers with advice from this newsletter or my other articles. All you need do is ask—and credit, of course. ( - :


Thanks to Norma Sundberg . . .
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. . . .for recommending this newsletter and The Frugal Book Promoter (www.budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo) to writing friends before they are published. People think that they don't need to know about promotion until after their book is released (or at least until after their contract is signed), then their media lists and lists of possible readers aren't assembled and they have no idea of what promotion paths are right for their title.


Thanks to MWSA Reviewer Joyce Gilmour
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. . . .for going the extra mile to help me with my new booklet Great Little Last - Minute Editing Tips for Writers: The Ultimate Frugal Booklet for Avoiding Word Trippers and Crafting Gatekeeper - Perfect Copy (www.budurl.com/WordTrippersPB ). She found some changes I needed to make. Gulp. Thus it is being reprinted! Sometimes this digital stuff drives me crazy but . . . with a little help from your friends, as they say. By the way, MWSA is Military Writers Society of America (http://militarywriters.com/).


===================================================== 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: Use www.mytweetspace.com to customize your Twitter page. It’s fr ^^.


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Unsolicited endorsement from a reader: I read The Frugal Book Promoter early last year and became an instant fan. Your common sense, easily accessible and easily implemented tips were a godsend as I entered the promotion for my second novel. You have so much knowledge to share! I wonder if you would be interested in an interview on the blog AuthorCulture, for which I write? ~Katie Weiland, Author of Behold the Dawn and A Man Called Outlaw, http://authorculture.blogspot.com/ =====================================================


In the News In her neat newsletter for writers who promote, Penny Sansevieri says that TweepSearch Queries reports there are 1,790 novelists, 9,139 poets, 19,490, journalists, 28,529 authors and Wow!, 99,082 “writers” on Twitter, whatever that means—probably writers who can’t be classified in one of their other categories. One might think there is some reason for them to hang out on Twitter, and there is! Even with tons of competition out there, I have a new book coming out on Twitter, one especially angled for the needs of writers. That’s YOU!


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This is an example of one of my Twitters: "FrugalBookPromo New trend? Borders will 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: Find celebrity writers (and others) at www.celebwitter.com.

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The New Book Review is a f r ^ ^ 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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Carolyn's Appearances and Teaching
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 Author, editor and writing coach Bev Walton ~Porter hosts Elemental Musings, a podcast specifically for writers, readers and creatives. Join her on Friday, May 14th, at 6 PM Pacific Time as she welcomes award - winning author of the HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers, Carolyn Howard - Johnson. Guests may post questions in the chat room or call in on the guest line at (646) 595 - 4704 and listen at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/elementalmusings.

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 Carolyn Howard - Johnson and fellow UCLA Writers' Program Instructor, Eve LaSalle Caram (a UCLA Award - Winning Instructor at that - - yes note the caps!) are planning an amazing intimate conference in Rome for October, 2010. Find details at www.budurl.com/RomanRetreat. Jo Linsdell, a writer living in Rome and founder of the online conference PROMO Day, will also be offering a seminar. Accommodations are extremely limited.

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& Carolyn Howard - Johnson will be interviewed by The Compulsive Reader's online radio program hosted by Magdalena Ball at 2 pm (Pacific Time) April 13. Is features author interviews, book chats, literary discussions, readings and more. It's an audio haven for book lovers! The show with Carolyn will be an open discussion (with an interesting twist about a new approach to popularizing poetry). It’s about poetry, poetics, and the art of the chapbook. Listeners will be invited to call and share their perspectives or ask their questions. Poetry will be read, discussed, and pondered, and we'll be previewing our up and coming chapbook for the masculine apparitions in our lives. Poets are asked to call in with a few memorable lines from their own poetry about holidays. To set a reminder for the show or to listen in, visit: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/compulsivereader/2010/04/11/poetry - chatter - with - carolyn - howard - johnson To call in on the day, just visit the site and click on the "click to call" buttons (no charge as it uses voice over internet protocol technology - - that means it uses your PC for the voice communication), or you can dial in without a computer on: (646) 716 - 7734. Don't miss it!

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 The Muse Online Writers Conference cosponsored by Lea Schizas and Carolyn Howard - Johnson is now taking reservations for the f r ^ ^ event beginning October 11 of 2010. http://themuseonlinewritersconference.com/ To avoid a small late registration fee, please register before Aug. 15.

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 Carolyn Howard - Johnson will be leading a seminar for the F r ^ ^ PromoDay writers' conference on Sat. the 15th of May at 10 am LA (Pacific) time and 7 pm (Rome time). The subject will be Promoting with Query Letters. Do make it easy on founder Jo Linsdell and register now. http://jolinsdell.tripod.com/promoday

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 Carolyn Howard - Johnson will co - present with Patricia Norins, publisher of Gift Shop magazine, two 1 1/2 hour seminars during the National Stationery Show (www.nationalstationeryshow.com) at the Jacob Javits Center in New York. The show runs from May 16 - May 19. Times and dates of the presentations will be announced. They are: Tweaking your Tweets and Other social Media Tips and Creating Your Social Media Campaign: Networking Your Newsletter, Building Your Blogs.

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 Carolyn Howard - Johnson will teach a one - day seminar in book promotion including a planning a thrifty online campaign. The place? UCLA Extension's Writers' Program on campus, of course. Mark August 7, 2010, on your calendar. Sign up online at www.uclaextension.edu

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 Carolyn Howard Johnson, author of A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In - Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns w th Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques, will make a guest appearance on Paul Bruno's Career Czar® radio program. At 10:00 am Pacific at www.alltalkradio.net/careerczar, we'll talk about making retailing work in a down economy and how authors can make their case to retailers to let them boost profits with a book signing on December 17, 2010. You can also listen at www.alltalkradio./careerczar/career121710.mp3 In the meantime, listen to his other shows at www.alltalkradio.net/careerczar or at the show's blog at www.careerczar.wordpress.com. Ask to be on Paul's notification list for free podcasts.

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 Carolyn Howard - Johnson will be a featured speaker at the Wisconsin Regional Writers Association Conference in Madison, Wisconsin, in the fall of 2010. Find information on that at www.wrwa.net. This active group invites writers from everywhere to join. Find their blog at wrwaonline.blogspot.com.


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Sign up to receive a copy of my Sharing with Writers blog in your e - mail box. It is a focused blog on all things related to writing and publishing. Go to www.sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com. Sign up in the left hand column. Find related resources by scrolling to the bottom of the blog.
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Wordstuff ™

Something to Make Writers Smile
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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.)


Karmageddon (n): Its like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's, like, a serious bummer.


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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 http://budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo
The e - book at http://starpublishllc.com/id43.html

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

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://budurl.com/MotherChapbook

Tracings, a chapbook of poetry (Finishing Line Press)
www.budurl.com/CarolynsTracings

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