Carolyn Howard-Johnson Newsletter

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February 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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Note from Carolyn


Dear Subscribers:

As many of you know, my grandson is back now from two tours of duty in Iraq and is now stationed (very luckily) near Monterrey, CA. Thus, the plight of our troops is a subject near and dear to my heart. My poetry writing partner Magdalena Ball and I are giving away e - copies of chapbook of unconventional love poetry Cherished Pulse to 'our' troops overseas as part of Operation e - book drop. They will get an e - mail with a coupon code for a free copy at Smashbooks.

We would love to have you have a copy, too. Partly to see how the program works. Partly to share our poetry with you. The coupon code to use to get it free is ZF39H (not case sensitive).You will enter the code prior to completing your checkout. It expires: February 28, 2010

You may want to do something similar for the troops. More about Op E - book Drop is here:
http://blog.smashwords.com/2009/09/smashwords - supports - operation - ebook.html

And they have a Facebook group here:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Operation - EBook - Drop/172002003420

If you prefer to send a real copy to someone, that is easy, too. It is only $6.95 on Amazon, certainly a doable gift. And it is really beautiful with Vicki Thomas’s artwork. Go to www.budurl.com/CherishedPulse.

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

PS: If you missed the last issue on my Roman Retreat opportunities, find that information 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 drool. ( - : Better still, sign up!


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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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Letters - to - the - Editor

Hi, Carolyn;

You asked for ideas on ugly words and jargon to avoid. My current un - pet phrase is "a number of," which I think users believe sounds better than "several." The reason why I hate the term is that it's so unhelpful for the reader. That number could be anything from three to millions — who knows? I think the user of this term often is thinking of a number that's more than two but an unimpressive number more than two (like maybe three).
Whenever I run across the term in my editing, I substitute "several,"
which at least gives the reader the idea that the number being spoken of is relatively small.

That was fun to rant! I'll keep you in mind as I run across more.

Liz Babcock, editor of Longridge division of the California Writer’s Club’
s newsletter. If you’d like to subscribe, please send a request to Liz at lizbab@iwvisp.com

Editor's Note: Here's my call for editing ideas from last week: 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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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

Selling Books from Own Web Sites Vs Amazon

This came in as a response to my recent blog post on Amazon. Because it is from an independent publishing expert, Michael N. Marcus, I thought my subscribers would like to see his views, especially because I hear so often that small publishers and independent authors are eschewing Amazon.
The original post is at
http://sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com/2010/01/ten - ways - to - up - your - ratings - by - selling.html.

By Michael N. Marcus

I can't understand why writers want to sell books from their own websites (or from vanity publishers' websites) instead of from Amazon or B&N, etc.
The 20% that the online booksellers keep on a $20 book is $4.

If a self - publisher ships it from the publisher's own inventory, the flat - rate Priority Mail fee is $4.85 (more than what would be paid to Amazon).

The fee for shipping one pound by Media Mail is $2.38 (less than what would be paid to Amazon), but the service is slower than Priority Mail and does not include delivery confirmation. Confirmation adds about 70 cents.

Lightning Source charges from $3.80 to over $40 to drop - ship a book to a publisher's customer. However, the shipping fee is built into the printing fee for orders placed through online booksellers. (Printing and shipping a 300 - page book to an Amazon customer costs $5.40.)

So, Priority Mail costs a little bit more than what Amazon or B&N or other online booksellers would keep, and Media Mail costs a little bit less. The numbers change depending on the cover price and weight of a book.

But when you consider that many millions of potential buyers can find a book by searching on Amazon.com or B&N, but almost no one will find the book on an author's own site without a lot of PR and paid advertising to send them there, relying on the big booksellers should be a no - brainer.

Michael N. Marcus
~President of the Independent Self - Publishers Alliance, http://www.independentselfpublishers.org
~Author of "Become a Real Self - Publisher: Don’t be a Victim of a Vanity Press," http://www.amazon.com/dp/0981661742
~Author of "Stories I'd Tell My Children (but maybe not until they're adults)," coming 4/1/10.
http://www.silversandsbooks.com/storiesbookinfo.html
~Blogging at http://BookMakingBlog.blogspot.com
~http://www.SilverSandsBooks.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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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.)

Norma Sundberg Publishes Poetry . . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . . . with Marshall
Cook's University of Wisconsin (Madison) Continuing Education Journal. Her poem "Memoir" is on page eight. The address for the journal is http://www.dcs.wisc.edu/lsa/writing/extrainnings. She says, "Prof. Cook will publish an article next month, an extended bio titled It's Not the Destination, It's the Journey and has invited other writers to send their "journey" stories. Here's Marshall's e - mail address: mcook@dcs.wisc.edu


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

Amazon Announces Novel Contest . . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . . . with a
letter to its Advantage Members. Notice that it's a f r ^ ^ contest. Here it is:
Hello from Amazon.com,

As a valued member of Amazon.com Advantage, we want to let you know about an exciting opportunity for authors: the third annual Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award (ABNA).

The Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award is an international competition seeking fresh new writing voices. One of the great new aspects of the contest is that self - published novels are now eligible. There will also be two categories this year: Young Adult Fiction and General Fiction. One grand prize winner from each category will receive a full publishing contract with Penguin, including a $15,000 advance. Contest details are listed below, and further information and official rules can be found at www.amazon.com/abna.

What is the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award?
The Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award is an opportunity for emerging fiction writers to join a community of authors on Amazon.com, showcase their work, and compete for a chance to get published. Sponsored in partnership with Penguin Group (USA) and CreateSpace, the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award first launched in October 2007 and received more than 5,000 initial entries. In the inaugural contest, Amazon customers voted and named Bill Loehfelm the winner with his novel, Fresh Kills.
Several of the other Top 10 finalists also received publishing deals with Penguin.

The 2009 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award started out even bigger than the first contest, with over 6,500 authors signing up. After narrowing the field, the top 500 excerpts were available to Amazon customers to read and review while Publishers Weekly reviewed the full manuscripts. From that information, Penguin selected 100 semifinalists which were then reviewed by a group of Penguin editors who chose the three finalists. Excerpts from Ian Gibson (Stuff of Legends), James King (Bill Warrington's Last Chance), and Brandi - Lynn Ryder (In Malice, Quite Close) were voted on by Amazon customers, and in a ceremony in New York, James King was announced as the
2009 winner.

What are the grand prizes?
The grand prize winner in each category will receive a full publishing contract with Penguin to market and distribute the grand prize winner's winning manuscript as a published book, including promotion for the published book on Amazon.com and a $15,000 advance.

How do interested authors enter?
Contest submission period begins January 25th, 2010 at 12:01 a.m.
(U.S. Eastern Standard Time) and ends February 7th, 2010 at 11:59 p.m.
(U.S. Eastern Standard Time), or when the first 5,000 entries have been received in each category, whichever is earlier. There is no entry fee.

How do interested authors get more information about the contest?
Visit www.amazon.com/abna to get more information, participate on the ABNA message boards and read the rules and contest FAQ. Visit www.createspace.com/abna to sign up to receive contest updates and get tips on how to enter.

Best regards,

The Amazon Advantage Team


From Cynthia Brian. . . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Author 101 University is coming up on March 5 and 6th in Los Angeles. Save an immediate $100 on your registration (just use the coupon code
"cooper.") Besides best selling authors, agents, publishers, and editors will be in attendance. Get more details here:
http://www.webmarketingmagic.com/app/?Clk=3491901


If You Write and Play Sports . . . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . . . subscriber Sylvia McClain sent me this opportunity: Action Sports hub is looking for Action Sports Enthusiast who can write articles. You can work from your home at your hours and your pace. Please send a sample to info@actionsportshub.com for your consideration and we will respond accordingly.


Workshop Presenters Needed . . . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ From Jo Linsdell, founder of PromoDay: Are you an expert in blogging?
marketing? social media? virtual tours? creating websites? writing reviews? preparing for author events? know great ways to make money writing online? or any other topic that might be of interest to the attendees of the PROMO DAY, an online seminar for writers.

If the answer is yes, then I need YOU!

I'm needing 10 experienced presenters for the LIVE workshops to take place in this years PROMO DAY on Saturday 15th May.

Workshops will be a LIVE written chat in the on site chatroom and each one will last one hour. Presenters should allow time for a question and answer session. Each workshop will have a moderator to help keep track of questions order and time remaining.

As a workshop presenter you become part of the official PROMO DAY Crew and get one book included in the on site bookstore free of charge, promotion on this blog, listing on the PROMO DAY website and mention in promotional materials for the event.

Please email me at promoday@ymail.com with a brief description of the topic you would like to present.
N.B. If you're not a crew member you can still have your books featured for a small fee of just €5,00 per book.

To take advantage of this offer, please email your book details (amazon link where available) to promoday@ymail.com with 'bookstore' in the subject line. Payments can be made using the paypal button at http://jolinsdell.tripod.com/promoday/ .

I'll be leading a seminar on Sat. the 15th at 10 am LA (Pacific) time and
7 pm (Rome time). The subject will be Promoting with Query letters.

Editor’s Note: I’ve presented at this seminar and know it comes with fine credentials. It is a great way to get experience as a presenter for writers’ conferences. Jo will also present at the Rome Retreat Eve Caram and I will be offering in October (see this newsletter under "Appearances").

==================================================== 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: See what www.fReado.com does for you in their Story Behind the Book feature. My Mother's Day chapbook (with Magadalena Ball) is there this week. Just keep watching the rolling feature at the top of the page or click the arrows to speed it up. These featured books change out every week. It's lovely to be featured.


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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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Writing Tip: If you write fiction you need K.M. Weiland's Crafting Unforgettable Characters: A Hands - On Introduction to Bringing Your Characters to Life. Featuring some of her most popular tips on character crafting, this pdf offers a good starting place for understanding the basics of character building, as well as some tips for troubleshooting.
You’ll also discover inspiring quotes from successful authors, writing prompts, and creativity exercises. Of course, the discussion of character is far too vast a subject to be covered in a 50 - page e - book, but this information will give you the tools you need to tackle your latest batch of characters. Get your copy by signing up using the form in the top of the left - hand column on her blog Wordplay: Helping Writers Become
Authors: http://wordplay - kmweiland.blogspot.com/2009/12/free - e - book - crafting - unforgettable.html.


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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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Writer's Vocabulary

From Dictionary.com's Word of the Day ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I love this
word - in - my - mailbox - a - day service but I especially like the ones that have to do with words or writing! Thought maybe you'd like this and want to sign up, too, at www.dictionary.com.

Galimatias (noun)

Pronunciation: [gal - uh - `mey - shee - uh s]

Definition: Gibberish, foolish talk; unintelligible speech.

Usage: The world galimatias, which itself sounds unintelligible, simply means unintelligible speech. It can be used in reference to speaking gibberish (or “gobbledygook”), although it is often used to describe a rambling and incoherent speech. Perfectly normal patterns of speech that fall outside the purview of an individual, such as legalese or a foreign language, may also be appropriately described as galimatias.

Suggested Usage: If you can’t understand what someone else means, whether they’re speaking a language you don’t speak or just using words outside of your vocabulary, introduce a vocab word of your own: galimatias! Whatever the context, crying “galimatias” is a fun way to discredit the words or arguments of others. Best of all, it doesn’t sound particularly mean; just kind of silly. (It is, therefore, to be used liberally around people way smarter than you.)

Etymology: When it first came into use in English, galimatias was also spelled gallimatias. It is French in origin. In fact, the word means the same thing in French—utter nonsense—as it does in English. It has been suggested that the word is a popular variation of the French term galimafrée, which means a medley. The English word gallimaufry, which means a mix or jumble, reflects this origin.


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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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Twitter Tip: - Karen Langston who "tames social media one hot key at a time" reminds tweeters to put their shortened link first so that when the tweet gets retweeted, part of the link doesn't get lost. It would look like this: " (Bitly short URL) The Net is changing the art of writing are you with the times?: Find her at IamWorthit2.com. She can also help you with nutrition and better body matters.


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

COMMENTS: E - Book Pricing Goes Haywire

Mindy Phillips Lawrence

“All traditional standards and beliefs are shattered in a severe economic crisis. The moral order is turned upside down. The honest and industrious are wiped out while the gangsters, profiteers and speculators walk away with millions.” ~ Chris Hedges, Pulitzer Prize - winning reporter for the New York Times = Amazon.Com, the whopping book and merchandise site, has long found that prices above $9.99 on an e - book frustrate their customers. Now publishers are forcing e - book prices to go up to $12.99 and $14.99. In the New York Times article, “E - Book Price Increase May Stir Readers’
Passions”
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/11/technology/11reader.html?scp=1&sq=e - books&st=cse by Motoko Rich and Brad Stone on February 10, 2010, Mark Gompertz, executive vice - president of Simon and Schuster, said, “There are people who don’t always understand what goes into an author writing and an editor editing and a publishing house with hundreds of men and women working on these books.”

Gompertz’ comment seems to say that publishers have to pay out as much for production of e - books as they do for printed books. I don’t see that. I also don’t see anymore going to authors. Please correct me, noble writers, if I am wrong.

Here’s my question. Why in the middle of a recession, when people have LESS disposable income and, sometimes, no job, do publishing companies choose THIS MOMENT to up prices on an e - book market already struggling?
With all the consumer perception of business as the greedy - guts who give huge bonuses to their upper echelon and tell their customers to “eat cake,” do publishers go this route at this time? Frankly, my dear, I don’
t understand.

Amazon customers have made it understood by comments on the Amazon site and in the New York Times article that they don’t intend to pay what they consider inflated prices for e - book. They’ll turn to libraries or to other activities other than reading.

Where does this leave writers? If their e - books don’t sell, then the market for them will dry up. Authors will have one less market for their writing. Is Amazon shooting its own Kindle in the foot? Is Apple going to see iPads dry up out of the starting block? It’s possible.

In the New York Times article, Joel Waldfogel, a professor of business and public policy at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, said, “I would be scared to death about a culture of piracy taking hold. I wouldn’t mess around with price increases.”

That’s another consideration. Protecting against e - book piracy will cost publishers more. Maybe prices will mount yet again. Maybe people will quit buying e - books all together. In that case, bye - bye Kindle and all the others like it.

Remember, there’s always the second - hand bookstore or the local library.
Find one in your neighborhood and frequent it. We may not be able to afford anything else. If you’re a writer, like I am, I’m sorry.


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On Poetry
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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 am often asked to endorse or give a blurb to a fellow poet. Recently Helena Harper asked me if she could re - use portions of a review I did for her book Family and More. Of course, I was honored. Asking is a very nice way to keep in touch with those who have supported one with an endorsement. But it isn't necessary. Once someone has reviewed or endorsed a book, those words become property of the author. He or she may quote wherever they want. Those of us who do endorsements know that we benefit, too - - and we take pleasure in helping writers. There is no greater honor than being included on a cover of a book and I thank all those who have asked me to do so.


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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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Tip: Texana Publishing’s free Publishing Tips Newsletter is e - mailed to subscribers monthly. It features articles and resources for book publishing and marketing.
http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/237701/eb5b392693/491000104/5a8f2d5d18/


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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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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: You know how I hate e - mail signatures that don't make it easy on editors, bloggers and anyone else who may need to know more about you! Now comes BookBuzzr.com which gives you a page - turning widget to use in your autosignatures. And it's f r ^ ^!


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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

How to Start a Novel – From a Neophyte
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ By Mindy Phillips Lawrence

I’ve worked with two writers as they wrote an entire novel. This is how they did it.

* One novelist came from an engineering background. She put her book together using intricate outlining, Excel spreadsheets and a great deal of research.

*The other novelist wrote with the idea/outline in his head. He put together a very good book just from knowing the ending of his tale and explaining how the story got to the ending.

Now, I am beginning work on my own novel. I’ve taken into account the two different methods these authors used, plus I’ve read a lot on how others have put together what they write. My conclusion? Every writer is unique.
Everyone has an individual way to get to the story.

So far, I’m using three resources as guides as I write. One is Larry Brooks’ e - book, Story Structure - Demystified. Another is Carolyn Howard - Johnson’s The Great First Impression Book Proposal: Everything You Need to Know About Selling Your Book in Twenty Minutes or Less, which I will need as I write to define my market, and Bev Walton - Porter’s book, Sun Signs for Writers which helps me build my characters. I’ll use other sources as I write but these are the ones I am keeping in mind in the beginning and throughout the process. Yes, you have to pay for them but their ALL worth it.
If you are beginning your first novel, as I am, here’s a list of sources for you to use.
And, by the way, GOOD LUCK!
=

LINKS

How to Start a Novel: Holly Lisle
http://hollylisle.com/fm/Articles/wc2 - 1.html

Writing a Novel with the Snowflake Method: Randy Ingermanson http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/art/snowflake.php

The Great First Impression Book Proposal: Everything You Need to Know About Selling Your Book in Twenty Minutes or Less: Carolyn Howard - Johnson http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search - alias%3Daps&field - keywords=The+Great+First+Impression+Book+Proposal%3A+Everything+You+Need+t
o+Know+About+Selling+Your+Book+in+Twenty+Minutes+or+Less

Story Structure – Demystified: Larry Brooks http://storyfix.com/story - structure - demystified

Writing Your First Novel: Victory Crayne http://www.crayne.com/articles/WritingYourFirstNovel.htm

My First Novel: Michael Ridpath
http://www.michaelridpath.com/firstnovel.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.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


Tip: Listen to Bev Walton - Porter (Bev Sninchak) as she welcomes Mindy Phillips Lawrence to http://www.blogtalkradio.com/elementalmusings on February 26, 2010 at 8pm MOUNTAIN TIME / 7pm Central



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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: There is a look and feel to each market. For some markets it will be a consistency in color, messaging, or packaging, and for others, it's just a "feeling." For example, Web sites for thrillers tend to be dark and foreboding. There may not be a consistent message but the feel is the
same: scary. Getting to know your market is the #1 thing you should do when you're thinking of developing your brand. Submitted by Sharing with Writers subscriber Patrika Vaughn, your Author's Advocate.
www.acappela.com


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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 Lea Schizas , . .
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . . . for including Sharing with Writers newsletter in her every - Friday writers guide on Examiner.com. You’ll notice we’re also gearing up for our October Muse Online Writers’ Workshop! Other good stuff, too. Every Friday and then some. http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x - 32774 - Canada - Writing - Examiner ~y2010m1d15 - Friday - links - for - January - 15 - 2010


Thanks to Kathleen Gage . . .
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . . . a marketing expert if there ever was one, who used my article on the #1 rule for fielding bad publicity at her blog http://www.themarketingmindset.com/2010/01/learning - how - not - to - market - from - the - big - guys.html


Thanks to Shelli Johannes - Wells . . .
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . . . .for her interview on marketing. Check it out! Top five things to do first! http://tinyurl.com/yb4j54p


Thanks to Smitty of Blog Fame . . .
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . . for publishing my media release on how the Net is changing the world of writing even for literary writers and poets. See it on either of his blogs at: Book http://book - promotions.blogspot.com/ or http://author - book - reviews.blogspot.com/


Thanks to Michael Marcus . . .
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . . . for including my self - help book on writing on the Independent Self Publishers sites:
http://www.independentselfpublishers.org/recommendedbooks.html and http://www.independentselfpublishers.org/booksoftwarestore.html


===================================================== 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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Tip: Midwest Book Review is a major Internet and Web resource for list that authors can use.. Be sure to check them.
http://www.midwestbookreview.com You'll also find some good ones on www.howtodoitfrugally.com in the Resources for Writers pages.


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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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Tip: It’s important to spread your new publications over the whole year.
January and February, for example, are strong months for finance and self help. It is important to plan from a financial as well as a marketing perspective.Submitted by Patrika Vaughn, your Author's Advocate.
www.acappela.com


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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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A Peek: My new on word - trippers is now in the release process. You can take a peak at it as an e - book at: https://www.createspace.com/3422926
If you don't like e - books, it's coming as a paperback.


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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 hat - - 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 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 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 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

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  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

 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 with 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 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.)

MISER: A person who lives poor so that he can die rich.



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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

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. Winner 2010 Mom’s Choice Award Finalist 2009 New Mexico Book Awards