Carolyn Howard-Johnson Newsletter

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

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January 15, 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, “When Adversity Becomes Motivation”
~Carolyn's Appearances and Teaching
~Wordstuff ™
This Issue
~Feature: Mini Harangue
~Feature: Kevin Gerard Shares on Promotion Device,
Haro


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:

Traveling makes my pen happy.

I’ll admit. I’m addicted to travel. My writing is addicted to travel. And I’m not even a travel writer. So, I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to do this (keep reading!). Sometimes we just need a little help from our friends.

That’s where Eve Caram comes in. She was my first teacher when I was refining my novel - writing craft back in about 2000. She rented a villa in Italy last year and had access to one in Rome when we started talking about how convenient and inspirational time in Italy would be for writers.

Then, once we had settled into the idea, I remembered that Jo Linsdell lives in Rome. I had worked with her on her f r ^ ^ seminar day that focuses on book promotion. Excuse me if I say, we were an instant hit, The Three Writing Musketeers. Jo will be giving a couple seminars, too.

We are ready to go at this full steam. We are arranging for attendees to get hundreds of dollars in f r ^ ^ e - books on writing. If you have one, we can use it as a way to talk about f r ^ ^ as a marketing engine, about cross - promotion and to encourage attendees to recommend ones they like to their critique partners, online groups and more. We're also accepting paperback but they'd have to be sent to Jo by ship well in advance and that can be costly. Reach me at HoJoNews@aol.com.

No, we won’t limit our offers to how - to books only. No matter what you offer, we’d need a pitch on what it’s about. Not more than 100 words. And how our participants, can download your book, of course! Each participant will be given a flier that includes all the information.

We are also planning to have a welcome dinner (no host) at the restaurant where Jo’s husband works - - right in the heart of Rome. And we may have a table at the restaurant to display (and sell?) our books.

Keep in mind this is not a conference. It is a casual retreat. Very small.
Full of love and inspiration. There are few if any requirements other than sharing with expenses and an interest in writing. And that sharing thing is a frugal way to go.

You should see the gorgeous town house we’ll be staying in! My gawd! A dream come true with a roof garden for getting together to talk writing and for some seminars. We’ll even be tailoring the seminars to the interests of those attending. Go to www.budurl.com/RomanRetreat to see pictures of "our place." We only have a couple more spots left so please hurry. We want you with us!

Happy Writing, Promoting and Editing in 2010 Carolyn Howard - Johnson

PS: Boohoo. No newsletter for a few weeks. I'm traveling. Try to miss it a little, OK?

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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.
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Copyright Tip: A Camden, New Jersey judge threw out Donald Trump's libel case against an author because he had failed to prove malice on the part of the author (Timothy O'Brien). Anyone can bring a suit, of course, but it is much harder to win one (even with money behind it) than authors tend to suppose. The courts and the laws tend to be predisposed to free speech.
A class I took from a copyright lawyer at a writers' conference said that the author who plagiarizes must have made some money from stealing the idea for there to be a case. Now, here's my legal disclaimer: This is meant both to put my subscribers' minds at ease so they won't be paralyzed by their fears AND to encourage them to get expert legal advice when they have questions. Maybe Trump should have done that before he spent his money suing.


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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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In the News: I love it when Google takes a stand for the better. They are threatening to pull out of China because some of their e - mails were hacked to the extreme detriment of their clients and censorship is an ongoing problem for them. This kind of diplomacy (economic diplomacy) is often more effective than anything our politicians could do. Imagine if the film industry did that. And the toy industry. And the . . . you get the idea.


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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.)

Jo - Anne Vandermeulen Releases Promotion Book . . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . . . titled Premium Promotional Tips for Writers. It is a must - have resource book filled with practical online marketing tips for those who have books or other products to sell. Although this book was written for writers promoting their books, these promotional tips can be applied to any products you may wish to promote via the Internet. You will learn how to target your audience, create massive exposure, and drive traffic back to the site where your books or other products are sold.
Read the first 30 pages FREE - - Purchase the eBook :
http://bit.ly/84N7dj
Purchase the paperback from the author:
http://vandermeulen.laurusbooks.com/
Jo - Anne Vandermeulen, Prolific Writer & Professional Marketeer FR^ ^ Marketing Tips for Writers http://www.joconquerobstacles.com


Tips for Writers Rereleased as E - Book . . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The book that took the writing world by storm in the winter of 2004 now has a place in the electronic market!
365 Writing Tips for Authors: Inspiration, Writing Prompts, and Beat The Block Tips to Turbocharge Your Creativity by Dawn Colclasure is now available as an E - book! Best of all, you'll get 52 pages worth of bonus tips, writing tools and writing prompts to keep your muse going strong!
If you can't afford the print copy of this book, why not give the affordable electronic copy a spin? The electronic version of the book that will show YOU...
- - Where to find ideas for YOUR next book
- - How to handle harsh criticism/reviews
- - What editors REALLY want to see in your work
- - Where to start in getting published
- - Why YOU have a chance of getting published no matter how new or different you are! http://filbertbooks.com/365.html


=================================================== 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
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Opportunities

Accessible Contest for Flash Prose . . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . . . is run each year
by Lynn B. Good. This is her fifth annual contest. Find the guidelines at www.writereadvice.com.


F r ^ ^ Podcast Learning Opportunities from Roger C. Parker . . . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . Tuesday, January 19, 2010 Author Guide to Research Interviews Ideas, tips, and worksheet for interviewing experts for articles, books, and case studies 4:00 PM EST Call 218 - 486 - 1616, enter PIN: 513391#
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Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Author Guide to Marketing Books with Teleseminars How to plan and produce teleseminars to build anticipation sell more copies of your book 4:00 PM EST Call 218 - 486 - 1616, enter PIN: 513391#

Someone Called Me a Grammar Nerd . . . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . . . and I guess I'll just have to accept that. I'm telling you not so you can write a letter to defend me but because, in the process, June Casagrande also helps us with the worst grammar conundrum to come along in decades. It's the one caused by our effort to make a language that is not gender neutral. . . well, equal. Of course English is more gender neutral than many other languages, but since we started trying to match up "he,"
"she" and "their," it's also become difficult for writers to make their pronouns agree. June tells us how to do it, so I forgive her for the nerd comment. Find it at http://www.glendalenewspress.com/articles/2010/01/06/columns/gnp - aword010610.txt Find buy widgets for June's books at www.thefrugaleditor.blogspot.com.



==================================================== So you got As in English. You know grammar and spelling. That's great but an editor of you those skills alone doth not make. An editor knows formatting, front and back matter, indexing, structure, the elements of fiction and on and on.
But mostly she'll see your manuscript in a fresh, new light. Learn how to hire a great editor and learn to be a better partner for any author, awful to superb, in The Frugal Editor. http://www.budurl.com/TheFrugalEditor
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Quotation: Jason Reitman, director of Up In the Air and Thank You for Smoking says, "People want to know if I have a moral standpoint that they should be picking up on, and the truth is, I don’t. I don’t want people to think that I’m trying to tell them to feel a certain way. I think that’s cheap filmmaking.” Works for writers, too!


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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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In the News: Harlequin has partnered with Author Solutions (similar to iUniverse). The idea, they say, is to groom new, professional romance writers to become traditionally published Harlequin authors, but they aren't letting the Author Solutions clients use their name. It is, of course, also a revenue boosting device for them. It can cost a romance writer anything from $599. to $1,599. I believe new writers should hire a consultant before taking a step like this. I'm not confident that with 25,000 titles published in a year, the new romance writers will get that much attention from Harlequin. It is best to explore the possibilities with someone experienced before making a decision.


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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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Subscribers Sharing with Subscribers


Kevin Gerard, Author of Conor Shares on Haro ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Help a Reporter (HARO) is the brainchild of Peter Shankman, CEO of the Geek Factory, a PR and marketing firm in New York City. It is a clearing house for reporters who need input for stories they are currently writing.
Once you sign up through the website http://www.helpareporter.com/ you'll receive three e - mails every day with numerous requests from reporters.
It can be anything from gourmet cooking to business strategies. Shankman says, "We built this list because a lot of our friends are reporters, and they call us all the time for sources. Rather than go through our contact lists each time, we figured we could push the requests out to people who actually have something to say."

I signed up a few years ago and finally unsubscribed because I couldn't find anything to comment on. I signed up again due to Carolyn's urging and today found out my comments on quitting smoking will be in Health.com magazine next week.

One bit of advice. If you sign up and find something you want to comment on, just write your piece and e - mail it to the reporter. I sent questions to a few of them asking for directions and never heard back.
Write it and send it; it's another way to spread your name around. I'll certainly keep looking at the e - mails.
Kevin Gerard
Crying Cougar Press
The Conor and the Crossworlds Series
http://www.conorandthecrossworlds.com
Sign up for Conor's Monthly Newsletter -
http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001sWE8kxl6JolgijvpgbHOtQ%3D%3



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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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Tip: Lorilyn Roberts (http://lorilynroberts.com) sends this tip for the New Year, "What will I remember 2009 for?" Maybe you would like to write something to memorialize it and don't know where to start. I just finished a blog, How to Write a Memoir in Twelve Easy Steps, that I posted on my Web site. Maybe it will get you thinking...or maybe I just think too much!
The blog is: http://lorilynroberts.blogspot.com/ "


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


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.


As many of you know, I started publishing poetry as e - books a couple years ago. I partnered with Magdalena Ball, who is best known for heading up The Compulsive Reader.com but is also a poet and novelist - - a familiar story, being known better for one's service than for one's finer art. We wrote Cherished Pulse and Vicki Thomas illustrated it with her truly beautiful watercolor florals. At first we sold it for a low price, then gave it away more as a promotion. Many of you subscribers downloaded it. As a greeny, I believe in recycling. It's also frugal. And poetry is uniquely suitable for e - book and self - publish technology.

For one thing, even the finest publishers don't care (even encourage) poems that have been published to make their appearance in collections.
The poetry segment of publishing stayed open to self publishing long after the doors of opinion had been closed to self publishing in other genres.
Now, they're opening up again, but they're opening even wider for poetry.

Thus, Maggie and I have taken that book initially means for Valentine's Day - - of 2007 I believe - - and turned it into a series of chapbooks.
We're calling it our Celebration Series. The next was for mothers, She Wore Emerald Then (www.budurl.com/MotherChapbook), illustrated with May Lattanzio's photography. Now Cherished Pulse is b - a - a - c - k as a paperback in time for your Valentine giving www.budurl.com/CherishedPulse.

Luckily, the publishing industry is making it easy for us. It's not just a new, more open attitude. It's technology! CreateSpace.com has a program for setting up a paperback at no ch@rge! So we did that. We're also settling into our marketing scheme. This chapbook (and future ones) will be only $6.95 to compete with greeting cards. A beautiful little book of poetry for about the same price as one would pay for a card? Now what could be more thoughtful (and frugal!) than that?

Next up, a chapbook for Father's Day (only $6.95) and one for Christmas (only $6.95). Special thanks go to CreateSpace for making that possible.
And know that for about $40 more you can lower your cost of these books and have them available on Ingram's list so they can be ordered by bookstores and libraries. And know that CreateSpace - - from the very beginning - - put the books published with them on Amazon. Automatically.
No extra work. No ch@rge at all.

So, this is a celebration of a new age for poetry and publishing and Maggie's and my Celebration Series.


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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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Help, Please: I have a new book coming out. The proof is on its way to me.
It's really a booklet because I think people do better when they get things like Trip - You - Up words in small doses. As I was writing it, I realized I need suggestions. I already have a few from subscribers Nadine Laman and June Casagrande. But I need enough for a whole new booklet. That would make three lists in all. (There is a list in your copy of The Frugal
Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success, too.) I'm also planning a booklet on ugly jargon words or phrases we'd best avoid. So won't you help? Send your ideas to me at HoJoNews@aol.com.


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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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In the News: CreateSpace.com is partnering with Lightning Source, the print - on - demand unit of Ingram Content Group, Inc., to allow authors and publishers using CreateSpace's Pro Plan to have their books accessible on Ingram's data base for ordering by bookstores, etc. Do remember that libraries tend to use Baker & Taylor, so it won't help as much there as one might suppose. This feature will be useful for authors who plan to do lots of book signings in bookstores.

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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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Tip: We who spend long hours at the computer need some relief. This may not be what you had in mind, but it will allow you to stay at the computer longer and stay healthier: Bend one knee and try to point that knee really downward while seated at the computer. Switch from one knee to the other.
It has helped with my backaches. http://www.gadibody.com/dys_computer.html


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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.
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An Itty - Bitty Column on Writing

When Adversity Becomes Motivation
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ By Mindy Phillips Lawrence

I’ve been a bit down lately. My type II diabetes morphed from the pill stage to the insulin dependency stage. My knees started aching as they never had before and my shoulders joined in. Then I went to the eye doctor and he said my right eye had the beginnings of glaucoma. I turn 59 on January 19th.

Recently, I discovered that a co - worker is having a mastectomy the end of this month. Also I learned that an online friend fought the Big C several years back. Instead of crushing her, it put her on track to do all the things she always SAID she would do and found excuses not to start.
When you face something as traumatic as cancer, you either fold your tent or put it up and invite the public in.

I realized that my whining about my joints was nothing and that my diabetes was a larger problem than I’d admitted since my diagnosis in November 1999. Insulin taught me that lesson.

What does this have to do about writing? Just this. I’ve always said I was going to write. I’ve always said I’d produce a novel. I’d always SAID, but I’d never done. The eye - opening note I got from my online friend about the turn she made when she went through cancer made me realize that this is the main event, not the dress rehearsal. I either write NOW or may as well quit. I’m not one to give up.

This Itty Bitty is to motivate you to BEGIN. That’s it. Believe in your abilities, take the good and bad that happens to you and advance. Never go backward.

LINKS

So. What have you done today?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUWGBQsnz - I

The Secret (first 20 minutes)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_b1GKGWJbE8

Toni Morrison on Motivation in Writing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8Zgu2hrs2k

Excuses Be Gone, Wayne Dyer (1 or 13)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLW6I1Tt8OY&feature=related

~ 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: Better read up on Facebook’s promotion rules. I got kicked off once and I never did figure out why. I think it was because I saved my invitations, accepted them all at once, and sent individual notes to everyone - - all in the same sitting. That doesn’t seem all that nefarious. But neither will this! Read up here so you don't make a dreadful FB mistake! http://www.facebook.com/promotions_guidelines.php



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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.
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Thank Yous


Thanks to Jennifer Akers , . .
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . . . for including The Frugal Book Promoter on her Top Ten list for LIFE changing books. Guess improving a career can be life changing. But I’m getting a really big, fat head here. You’ll find several other great books on writing on that list, too. http://www.squidoo.com/booklist.


Thanks to Jo Linsdell . . .
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . . . who is the guru behind the f r ^ ^ online seminar PromoDay, for including information on the frugal opportunity for fiction writers to read with Lillian Cauldwell on her radio station. Find the full release in the Jan 11 post at http://writersandauthors.blogspot.com.


Thanks to Amber Polo . . .
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . . . .for her questions on capitalization. They helped me rant a little on how language changes. http://amberpolo.blogspot.com/2010/01/carolyn - howard - johnson - on.html


Thanks to Yvonne Perry . . .
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . . for publishing my article on "To Pseudonym or Not to Pseudonym" in her excellent newsletter. Find it (and subscribe) at http://writersinthesky.com/ezine/news - jan10.html

Thanks to Katie Weiland . . .
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . . . for interviewing me for her Author Culture blog. It will appear on February 15th. Hope you’ll drop by.
http://authorculture.blogspot.com/2010/01/interview - with - frugal - book - promoter.html


Thanks to Freyda at Bookbuzzr ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . . . for extra
special service. She set up Maggie’s and my chapbook She Wore Emerald
Then: Reflections on Motherhood by hand because the program wouldn’t accept two authors! You’re going to love this site as a way to explore books before you buy them but also to expose yours and get great widgets for yours. All F r ^ ^. http://www.freado.com/book/5368/She - Wore - Emerald - Then - Reflections - on - Motherhood


===================================================== 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.
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Mini Harangue

You, Your Blog and Your Blog Comments
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Blog comments can benefit you.
A fellow blogger said, " . . . many posts comments on my blog are quite perfunctory.”
So this is a mini harangue. Comments on blogs can be excellent for one's overall promotion. If you have taken the time to read a blog post, it will take all of two minutes more to leave a comment. Commenting allows us to be seen by a targeted audience. Lets our links be seen. Our avatars. Lets us contribute an idea, an anecdote, a new resource to our community.
As long as we're talking about promotion, here's another idea for you.
Though our comments come automatically with a link, they should also contain a signature. That's just part of tradition. One writes a note, one signs it. But from a marketing standpoint (get over the shyness!), it should contain not just your name but a link to something you're contributing to online. A blog. Your Web site. Your Twitter address. An invitation to Facebook.
When comments get dull - - that is lots of "Nice post" and "Thanks a lot"
kind of posts, people stop reading them. Disagreements are good. Opinions are good. A compliment, sure! And thanks? You bet! But these should only be one small part of your comment. The real point is to contribute something useful to the conversation.
Whew. Sorry but I do get upset when I see authors using their promotion time inefficiently. ( - :
CHJ


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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/
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In the News: Time magazine reports that scholars in Timbuktu are racing to save Africa's stories and books from destruction and it isn't the government or any other organized group but locals in tiny villages whose families have protected manuscripts in their homes or under desert sands for eons. More than 30,000 of them are still intact. The race is not only against termites but also against having the treasures sold and dispersed.
This story is a reminder of how important books are and how privileged we are to be so intimately involved with them.


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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.
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Coming! The proof for my new booklet on word - trippers is on its way to me. Watch for news of it here in your next edition of Sharing with Writers. It will be only $6.95. So start saving! ( - :


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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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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 Linsell - Feliciano, 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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 The Muse Online Writers Conference cosponsored by Lea Schizas and Carolyn Howard - Johnson is now taking reservations for the f r ^ ^ event in October of 2010. http://themuseonlinewritersconference.com/

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  Carolyn Howard–Johnson discusses Mormon life and history and how she melded the two into her gripping book, This is the Place, on the History Czar, aka Paul Bruno, on March 5, 2010, at 9:00 am Pacific at www.alltalkradio.net/historyczar. The History Czar is the Internet’s premier talk radio program covering all areas of history. You'll find the interview at www.alltalkradio.net/historyczar/historyczar030510.mp3 after March 5. Listen to current History Czar shows at www.alltalkradio.net/historyczar or at the show’s blog at www.historyczar.wordpress.com. Ask to be on Paul's notification list for free podcasts.

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 Carolyn Howard - Johnson offers two seminars at the f r ^ ^ Catholic Writers Conference on Monday March 1. Your Query Letters
Perfected: Straight from the Mouths of Literary Agents is at 9 and a casual chat, Twitter: How Writers Can Make It Work for Them is at 10. The conference is online from Feb 26 to March 5 and is open to everyone.
http://www.catholicwritersconference.com/index.php

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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. We'll talk 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 at 10:00 am Pacific at www.alltalkradio.net/careerczar.
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 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.

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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.)

PARK: Before children, a verb meaning, "to go somewhere and neck." After children, a noun meaning a place with a swing set and slide.

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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




Visit Carolyn HowardJohnson at:
http://www.authorsden.com/carolynhowardjohnson


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Connie Gotsch www.conniegotsch.com Host Write On Four Corners KSJE FM, Farmington NM www.ksje.com Author two award winning novels Snap Me a Future and A Mouthful of Shell available www.dlsijpress.com

Always in Print ‘Cuz They’re Print on Demand!

And now out! Belle’s Star,’ a youth novel from Artemesia Press at http://www.apbooks.net and amazon.com, and through your local book store.