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April 1, 2012
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 booboos. We're all human. This letter comes out weekly (except when I'm traveling or on deadline) and it's long!
This newsletter is powered by AuthorsDen.com.
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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 (You’ll find them in several places.)
~Accessible Contests
~On Poetry
~Author Successes
~Mindy Lawrence's Itty Bitty Column: Bloom Where
You’re Planted – Or Somewhere Else
~Carolyn's Appearances and Teaching
~Wordstuff ™

This Issue
~Feature: Business Cards for the Age of Tech and You
~Feature: Rick Frishman, How to Figure the Costs of
Publishing
~Feature: Just Thinking ‘Bout Trademarks, Your Book
and Facebook

Join me
For more writers’ resources on Twitter:
www.twitter.com/FrugalBkProm
For resources and more personal fun on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/carolynhowardjohnson
For special help for fiction writers:
www.fictionmarketing.com
For writers’ resources of all kinds:
www.HowToDoItFrugally.com


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

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Note from Carolyn

Dear Subscribers:

I just started using Pinterest. It’s the new social network that many are saying “I don’t get it” about, just like they did when they first ran into Twitter. Now we’ve all been Twitterfied.

I didn’t get it either, but I've been applying lots of general marketing techniques to Pinterest and that gave me a bit of a head start. Now people are asking me what I think of it for authors and I’ve been telling them that Pinterest is like any other promotion or social network. If you want something to be successful, you have to promote the promotion.

An example. I got started by telling my author friends on Facebook that if they pinned one of my books to their account, I'd do the same for them. I have several different book boards (like bulletin boards where you categorize posts that intrigue you). One of them is "Books by My Friends" where I pin these books. I also pin images of gorgeous bookcases, writing - related quotes, book - related cartoons, etc. on that wall to keep it interesting rather than just a wall of book covers, which people hardly need on Pinterest when Amazon does it so well.

I’m offering you subscribers the same deal, of course. But to work well, you really need to have a board showing your book cover, preferably with related images pinned on the same board.

We're all in this together. ( - : Find me at www.pinterest.com/chowardjohnson. Also notice how I separate out the books I write in different genres so I post them to separate boards. And how I sometimes repeat a book image on two different boards. As an example, the theme of my novel is rooted in tolerance so it appears on my Tolerance board and on my Literary and Poetry board. I believe it's little techniques like these that can make a difference to a network that at first doesn't seem innately suited to the needs of writers.

And yeah, it”s all about branding and finding those marketing angles I talk about in The Frugal Book Promoter (www.budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo) . You have to analyze your own book to understand the possibilities for marketing it, for branding it, for targeting your readers.

Joy, Happy Writing, Editing, and Promoting
Carolyn


PS: My chapbook Tracings is no longer in print with Finishing Line Press but it is still up on Amazon. One can only order it with Amazon’s new and used feature, so it looks very neglected. I'm hoping you will drop by and "like" it or add a few tags if you’ve read it so it at least looks as if it was once popular. Actually, it was a pretty good seller but they instituted the "like" button after the publisher had discontinued it. Here is the link:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1599240173?ie=UTF8&tag=howtodoitfrug - 20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1599240173

Thank you! It will only take a couple of minutes! And you should be asking for help if your book’s page looks sad. Let me know at HoJoNews@aol.com. I’ll “like” it, for sure.

PPS: Yay! You get a rest from Sharing with Writers. I’ll be out of the country until mid May so you’ll have to do without me. Maybe it will give you a chance to go back and reread (and actually follow up on) all the tips and ideas you’ve been neglecting from past issues.
PPPS: Please scroll down to see some of my springtime speaking—most of them VERY frugal! They’re under Carolyn’s Appearances. April 11th is a special day for me. I speak to the amazing Book Publicists of Southern California (see details below) and take off right after that for Australia. I’d love to see any of you from Southern California there. Get the same price on dinner as members. Just tell them you…uh, belong to me. ( - :

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Needing something more meaningful for the celebrations in your life? Something that stays within your budget? Check out Cherished Pulse (www.budurl.com/CherishedPulse) ($6.95) for someone you love. Try Imagining the Future: Ruminations on Fathers and Other Masculine Apparitions for the men in your life. Sure, they like fusses made over them, too! (www.budurl.com/Imagining) ($6.95). She Wore Emerald Then (www.budurl.com/MotherChapbook) ($12.95), for mothers and other women, Deeper in the Pond, for the feminists in your life—both men and women (www.budurl.com/DeeperPond) ($6.95) and Blooming Red (www.budurl.com/BloomingRed), to use as Christmas cards or incidental holiday gifts. Plan next Christmas early. And ask about my special price on chapbook/cards purchased in bulk! All these chapbooks are from the Celebration Series of poetry from Magdalena Ball and me.
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Letters to the Editor

Even though I received this note on Facebook, I'm including it as a letter to the editor because it's such a good example of writers helping writers and because the resource in it may be valuable to many of you who write columns—for the press or the new media:

Carolyn:

I just finished a welcome booklet for the NSNC and had to reference your books in the backmatter because I can't imagine anyone trying to be successful without reading your books. The NSNC is a great place to feature your books, which is what would happen if you became a member - www.columnists.com . There is a Columnists Academy where you can submit helpful articles to members and you can contribute a column to the website whenever you like. I should have asked you before (my bad). You would be an asset to our membership.

National Society of Newspaper Columnists | Organization for newspaper, magazine & online columnists

Rose A. Valenta, humorist

Note: I thought that many of you who write columns online or in print might find this suggestion from Rose handy. If you need a refresher on what organizations can do for you, refer to your Index in The Frugal Book Promoter (www.budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo).

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Hey, Carolyn:

I bought that book, The Frugal Book Promoter. It was worth a thousand times the cost.

Thanks for the insightful and valuable $$$$$ comments.

I wanted you to know about DARK LANDING a one hour weekly
radio show. I do it to help promote sales of my own and my friends' books and music. And because it is fun. You can hear it at:
Learn more at http://www.johnklawitter.blogspot.com/.

Listen to a few minutes when you have the time. You might be amused at what one of your most avid fans is up to!

Best,
John Klawitter

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Carolyn:

I went to a writers’ Meetup group tonight that was led by the SEO Meetup Group guy, a combination of several writers groups in Nashville. I got to announce to the big audience about you and all that you offer and my standing suggestion that if you make it, they should get it. Several folks came up afterward and I pulled out the iPad and showed them your site. They think it is a gold mine. And, I interviewed the leader of one of the groups on Just the FAQs way back when. He remembered me and was very grateful for the info about you. He’ll be posting it on their site, and his is the biggest group. His name is Mike Turner.
So, expect some Nashville traffic!

Thank you for consistently putting out such great stuff. So happy to recommend you!
MaAnna Stephenson
http://www.BlogAid.net

Note: I included this as an example of how important it is to let fellow authors know when you recommend their work. You may feel shy. But think how much pleasure it brings to the author you are gifting—for that’s what it is, a gift.


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My review blog is my gift to authors. It’s a place for you to honor authors and books you’ve loved with a review. It’s a place to recycle the review of your own book, the one you love most. It’s f r ^ ^. Submission guidelines are in the left column at www.TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com. =============================================


Publishing News: It's nice if you're publishing audio to have the book in your own voice, but there is a trend these days for some really big names to read audio books. Dustin Hoffman recorded the novel Being There for his old friend who is now deceased. It is published by Audio.com (owned by Amazon) and Hoffman has signed a seventeen (17!) book contract with them. Audio.com has also signed Samuel L. Jackson, Susan Sarandon, Kate Winslet, and others. So, I'm thinking that unless you are very well known, it might be better to get a celebrity to read yours or—lacking that kind of connection—get someone known in your niche market similar to the way authors have asked experts to write forewords. That might work like a cross promotion if you include one another in your marketing. Double the effort. Double the exposure. Maybe double the sales.


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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 so I can do something similar for you on my Resources for Readers page at www.howtodoitfrugally.com.
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Tip: My husband, now an author of a soon - to - be released book, sent me this link to a well - written article on writing well from The New York Times. Lots of it is stuff you know, but you may find a couple of newbies and you’re sure to appreciate the light voice: http://www.nytimes.com/2001/07/16/arts/writers - writing - easy - adverbs - exclamation - points - especially - hooptedoodle.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm


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This is the only site I know that can help novelists, screenwriters, and playwrights get noticed by directors and producers. It’s BooksToFilm and it’s run by iFOGO’s Gene Cartwright. It isn’t as frugal as I’d like, but there are times it pays to spend a little. One of those times would be if our investment leads to something big: http://www.ifogo.com/buy/order_chj.html .
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Tip: The Association of American Publishers reports that e - book sales were up 117% for 2011 and that publishers’ reported print units were down nearly 36%. So here's the unlikely tip. Don't be fooled into thinking that you should abandon print for e - book sales. The idea is to offer your book to readers the way they want to read it. And there are still plenty of people out there who prefer print. Further, some people like to read one kind of book on a screen, and other genres they like to have and hold. You don't want to miss any readers; you want to give them what they want.


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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

Only subscribers’ successes are listed in this section. Thus, I do not pick up news of new releases or awards from general media releases for there is usually no way for me to know those releases come from subscribers. If you have an Author Success, please identify yourself as a subscriber in the subject line of your e - mail. Something like: “MEDIA RELEASE: Subscriber’s Success.”


Making a name in industry
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Book 'Em North Carolina Writers Conference & Book Fair is now taking author registrations for their 2013 event. It will be held on Saturday, February 23, 2013. The conference brings together more than 75 authors, publishers, agents and publicists to sell their books and participate in panel discussions. Proceeds from book sales go to literacy campaigns in the community. For more information, visit www.bookemnc.org.

Authors who cannot attend but who would like to support literacy by contributing an autographed book can send it to: P.M.Terrell, Book 'Em North Carolina, 2914 N. Elm Street 160, Lumberton, NC 28358.

I'll be sitting on a couple of panels at the fair so if you can make it, please come say "Hello Y'All!" ( - :

Plan to spend some time learning more about your industry at the panels and seminars. It's all free. And if you can't, at least send an autographed book for charity. Find the address above!

This fair is headed by p.m. terrell (www.pmterrell.com). She blogs at www.pmterrell.blogspot.com/. She is author of award - winning historical books River Passage and Songbirds are Free; internationally acclaimed suspense Exit 22, Ricochet, The Banker's Greed, Kickback and The China Conspiracy; the how - to book, Take the Mystery out of Promoting Your Book; and four non - fiction computer books. Look for her latest book, Vicki's Key, released in 2012!


John LaCarna Releases Vocabulary Skills Book
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PITCH - - - BUILD YOUR VOCABULARY SKILLS! A QUICK AND EASY METHOD by John LaCarna (Amazon Kindle $2.99)
http://t.co/3AhVlgG

This book uses a powerful mnemonic technique, the keyword method, to lock 1413 SAT and GRE words into the reader's memory quickly and easily. Dramatic improvements can be made in vocabulary size, reading comprehension, and scores on verbal exams. Since standard intelligence tests have significant verbal components, a major increase in vocabulary size which can be facilitated by this book could increase IQ scores. Example: MNEMONIC (neh MAHN ik) related to a memory system. KEY: pneumonia. LINK SENTENCE: Grandpa had pneumonia so bad he lost his memory.

Build Your Vocabulary Skills! A Quick and Easy Method has been given favorable reviews in the Mensa Bulletin, the Magazine of American Mensa, and in Your Dictionary.com, which listed it along with Norman Lewis' 1949 Word Power Made Easy and Merriam Webster's New Explorer Word Builder as three of the best books available to improve vocabulary. LaCarna's book ranks 4.5 stars on the Amazon review scale.


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It's book fair and trade show season: Here are a bakers' dozen of ideas to make BEA (Book Expo America) and other book shows easier and more productive: http://sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com/2007/03/bakers - dozen - work - bea - frugal - way.html Please leave comments with ideas of your own - - and links to your book's sales page.
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Accessible Contests for You to Build Your Platform
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Winning Writers is a newsletter that every poet and writer of short stories must subscribe to for resources for contests and submissions every single issue. Trust me on this. I get most of my poems published through listings in their letter. Go to www.winningwriters.com.



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Book Proposal Help: The Great First Impression Book Proposal: Everything
You Need To Know To Sell Your Book in 20 Minutes or Less is now an
e - book ($2.99) or paperback booklet (Only $6.95). The perfect giftlet for nonfiction writers. Find it at http://budurl.com/BookProposals =================================================

Publishing Prediction: Publishing consultant Mike Shatzkin believes that five years from now any book that sells a lot of copies will sell 80 percent to 90 percent of them online, mostly in e - book format. ~From Book News magazine

================================================= Social networking is one of the best ways to make valuable contacts 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 iFOGO. Subscribe at http://www.ifogo.com/buy/order_chj.html
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Tip: Are you using a link to your own Web site when you post on Twitter, Facebook, or comment on a blog every time you can? That creates a valuable backlink to your site. To make them work, though, you must head up the link with http://. Karrie Ross, a book cover designer, reminds you to use the http:// when you use addresses in your e - books, too. She says that assures you that your link will be live.


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I’ve reworked my Web site. Please use the huge Resources for Writers section http://www.howtodoitfrugally.com/links_for_writers.htm. And please let me know if you find broken links. I need your help! =================================================

Tip: Aussie author Jennifer Poulter sent me this tip: Book Nutter will tweet information about your book. All you need do is send them the information at this Web site. http://booknutter.heroku.com/books There is a place for a message to them. Please tell them I sent you! ( - : It can’t hurt if we hang together!


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I am journalist in residence at Book in Sync, which means you can find my articles in their newsletter each month and even access old ones in the archives. Go to http://www.booksinsync.com/booksinsyncjournalist.html.
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Feature

Business Cards for the Age of Tech and You
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The LA Times just headed an article "Business cards get filed under 'obsolete.'" I'm hoping none of my author friends read it, but just in case, here is my rant. They said that young people especially think that now we have e - mail (and, yes, I presume e - mail signatures!), business cards are redundant.

I remember back in the 70s (hippie days, remember?) when my husband and I opened our retail shops. We thought business cards were too, well—hoity toity. We were wrong then and whoever these "young people" are—well, they're wrong now.

Yes, more business is being done by e - mail. And yes we do have e - mail signatures (though most business correspondence I see don't do a very good job with branding or information in their signatures than most business cards I see!). And, yes, people can easily punch details into their iPhones when they want to keep information. But business cards can be (should be as far as I'm concerned!) more than a way to exchange phone numbers. They should be mini advertisements. That phone number in someone's iPhone will not sell a book, but a business card with your book cover, a blurb, and maybe even a little award logo on it sure can. And it can do it more than once. It can remind people of you now and every time they run across that card in the future.

I am so convinced, I've included a little section on designing effective business cards and ideas for how to use them in The Frugal Book Promoter (www.budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo). Here's but one quick example. I'll be speaking at the Book Publicists of Southern California meeting on April 11 (Scroll down to see the list of my appearances in this newsletter). There are usually 50 to 100 people at these meetings. What a shame if I let that kind of opportunity pass by just speaking and then saying "See you all later." Of course! Business cards!

They will appear magically near each attendee's dinner plate. And yes, they have my book cover, an endorsement from Dan Poynter, and a USA Book News award - winner logo on them. And essential ordering information, of course. I use them when I travel, too. They are crucial for those doing business in China, as an example, and yes people there still respect them enough to present them with both hands. People who think everyone lives and breathes by their smartphones are just as out of touch as those who ignore them in their marketing plan. Business cards are complementary to apps and other digital marketing, not an anachronism.

Some of you may remember when everyone thought that TV would make radio obsolete. It didn't. Radio just evolved. So will business cards. In the meantime, I hope you won't let the opportunities they offer pass you by. CHJ


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Subscribers who have websites or newsletters of their own may be interested
in the F r ^^ Articles 4 Readers and Writers on my site, http://howtodoitfrugally.com/free_content.htm. I try to add new articles to it frequently. If you don't see what you need for your blog or newsletter, just ask. HoJoNews@aol.com.
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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 to HoJoNews@aol.com.


Chapbook Contest ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2011 Codhill Poetry Chapbook Award
Distributed by SUNY Press
Prize: $1000 cash prize and fifty copies

Manuscripts are judged anonymously. Codhill Press will consider all finalists for publication. Please see our Chapbook Award 2010 page for a list of last year's winner and finalists. $25 reading fee. Deadline, Dec 2012.
Guidelines
The competition is open to any poet who writes in English. I like that previously published poems with proper acknowledgment are acceptable. Translations and previously self - published books are not eligible. Learn more at www.codhill.com


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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: I’ve always said that no promotion works without promoting it. That goes for your blog (you tweet the great blog posts, as an example), your Web site (you include the address in our e - mail signature and on your letterhead, as an example), etc. That goes for your appearances, too. There is an entire chapter (in fact, part in several chapters) in The Frugal Book Promoter (www.budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo) about how to promote the different kinds of promotions you do.


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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/advertising.htm for only $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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Tip: This suggestion comes from author Jennifer Poulter: Thought you might be interested in this e - book cover designer who seems to be really good... and really cheap. She charges $20 per cover and has designed hundreds of book covers for Kindle. I'm planning to dip my toe in the water with Kindle publishing, so I'll probably try her myself.
Here's where you can find her;
http://www.warriorforum.com/warriors - hire/523524 - professional - amazon - kindle - book - cover - designs - get - more - sales - amazon.html or e - mail her at jennykirkwall (at) gmail.com

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Ta Da! E - books are great tools for promotion
http://www.bookbuzzr.com/blog/book - marketing/ta - da - e - books - are - great - tools - for - promotion/
The Anatomy of a Free (Read that Promotional!) E - Book
http://www.bookbuzzr.com/blog/book - marketing/the - anatomy - of - a - free - read - that - promotional - e - book/
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Feature

How to Figure the Costs of Publishing
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By Rick Frishman, publisher Morgan James Publishing http://www.MorganJamesPublishing.com

The great majority of authors don’t write a book within a few weeks or a
couple of months. It’s a rare author who is so highly organized and efficient that can pop them out that way. For most authors, the amount of money that is received/earned, if there are any sales, begins to look nominal when they consider the time and money spent on creating their masterpiece.

Alas, many authors who had published within the traditional publishing community are breaking ranks and going out on their own. With their established names, and brand, they’ve discovered that they can net more money, with less grief and more control by publishing themselves. How much more?

With the example above—if the author had been able to directly sell to their client/reader base, bypassing bookstores (remember, having a book listed on Amazon counts just fine—Amazon sales represent 20 percent plus of all book sales), that maximum of $17,225 could have yielded $162,500 minus production costs plus any coaching/shepherding of approximately $24,000, or $138,500. Which would you choose: $17,225 or $138,500; or something in between?

In the previous chapter, the top seven ways to publish were identified. Our goal is to do a rough breakdown so you have an idea of what your costs are and what you can expect to receive in sales revenues.
Below are approximations and averages to get to the bottom line. For example, each of us has worked with a variety of printers over the years. We normally advise an author/publisher to get at least three printing bids before they make a final decision. Sometimes it’s not all about the cost per unit/book—the book may have special illustrations, tables and charts or a cover design that would be more suited for one printer over another, even though that printer was the high bidder. Based on our experience, we know a book that has just a few copies printed will cost more per unit
than one that has had a few thousand printed. Sometimes, it’s a dollar more; sometimes, several.

~Rick Frishman, the founder of Planned Television Arts, has been one of the leading book publicists in America for over 30 years. Working with many of the top book editors, literary agents and publishers in America, including Simon and Schuster, Random House, Wiley, Harper Collins, Pocket Books, Penguin Putnam, and Hyperion Books, he has worked with best - selling authors including Mitch Albom, Bill Moyers, Stephen King, Caroline Kennedy, and many more.
Rick is Publisher at Morgan James Publishing in New York. David Hancock founded Morgan James in 2003 and in 2008 "MJ" published over 150 books. Morgan James only publishes nonfiction books and looks for authors with a platform who believe in giving back. Morgan James gives a portion of every book sold to Habitat for Humanity
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He is the coauthor of ten books, including national best - sellers GUERRILLA PUBLICITY and NETWORKING MAGIC. Along with media personality Robyn Freedman Spizman, Rick also co - wrote the popular four - book series AUTHOR 101™ and recently they teamed up for their highly acclaimed book titled WHERE'S YOUR WOW? 16 Ways To Make Your Competitors Wish They Were You! (McGraw Hill, March, 2008).

Learn more at www.rickfrishman.com for more information and to get Rick's "Million Dollar Rolodex."
Check out Rick's blog at http://www.rickfrishmanblog.com


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Are you confused about how to credit facts or quotes when you write articles or nonfiction? Check out my Frugal, Smart and Tuned - In Editor blog: http://thefrugaleditor.blogspot.com/2010/10/q - la - ann - landers - academic - accreditation.html or the new edition of The Frugal Book Promoter, www.budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo.
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Tip: To make pinning on Pinterest easy, use the little “Pin It” button they supply under the “invite friends” link in the drop down menu. They make installing it easy, too. Hint: It wasn’t easy until I switched over to Chrome for my browser, but I’m glad I did. Google’s Chrome made it a cinch to switch, too.


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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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Just Thinking…

On Trademarks, Your Book and Facebook ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Too many writers think they can’t use trademarks in their books so when it was reported that Facebook has demanded that its users not use the generic word "book" when naming their businesses
(http://www.booktrade.info/i.php/35953 - 39733), I feared a whole new round of confusion.
Then one of my writing friends Morgan Mandel (author of Forever Young) commented, "That's ridiculous, since Book has been in common usage for businesses for years before their company began. I'm not a lawyer, but isn't there some kind of law about previous use?" She goes on to say, "[Facebook] will not be in the good graces of many people if this holds up."

Here's my nonlegal take on it that topic. It's not that Facebook is co - opting the word "book" as theirs. They just don't want people to start shortening "Facebook" to "Book" because they don't want to lose their brand identity. I hadn't seen that happening, anyway! There is a huge difference between "book" and "Book" with a capital “B.” That's what grammar does for us! ( - : Or maybe, if it’s going to happen anyway (see below), they want some leverage.

Traditionally (we could say linguistically) it has been impossible to stem a flow in language once it has gotten a start. Example: The French tried to keep Americanisms out of their language. OK. They've had some success, but only some. And look what happened when we were mad at the French and some ninny (a politician, I think) decided we shouldn't call French fries French fries. Ahem! You can see how far that got them! ( - :

For more on why authors can use brand names in their books and a little more on the Facebook conundrum (and maybe to chime in with some examples of your own, go to:
http://thefrugaleditor.blogspot.com/2012/03/trademarks - capitals - and - facebook.html

I personally use FB for Facebook when I want to shorten it. I wonder if they object to that? If so they should run off and get that trademarked, like now!


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Recent guest blog posts: BookBuzzr.com’s regular blog for writers: http://www.bookbuzzr.com/blog/book - marketing/your - stepping - stones - to - credibility/
Recent podcast links: Elemental Musings from Bev Walton - Porter of Scribe and Quill: http://budurl.com/waltonporter
Talking with Funky Writer Rob Batista about starting a career, promoting the hard - to - promote genres:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thefunkywriter/2010/07/30/the - funky - writer - radio - show - episode - 74
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Opportunities

Be a Tales2Inspire Reviewer: Get Links, Clips, Name Recognition
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AUTHORS HELPING AUTHORS PROJECT NEEDS SHORT STORY REVIEWERS
Short reviews (up to 100 words) wanted - your name and credentials included - for any of the inspiring "tales" submitted by 25 talented authors

You select the stories that most interest you, and write reviews for one or more of them. Place your review in the Comment box below each “tale” with one line of information to identify yourself. (i.e. author of . . . ) You are encouraged to write more than one review, but even one good review is appreciated. Selected reviews will be posted on Carolyn Howard - Johnson's well - respected Book Review Blog (www.TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com A) under the TALES2INSPIRE banner.


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Here is a list of small publishers for your consideration: www.howtodoitfrugally.com/small_publishers.htm
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Thank Yous

These are, indeed, thank yous but it occurs to me that many Sharing with Writers readers are not using them as resources. Often the blogs, newsletters, Web sites, and other entities mentioned might be perfect vehicles for exposing your books to new readers. It is up to you to click or copy and paste to see which might be suitable—and for inspiration on how to make what you do a match for them.


Thanks to Humorist Rose Valenta ... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
. . . for mentioning my book as a vital aid in her career as a columnist and author of books on her blog: http://beyondthebooks.wordpress.com/2011/02/17/humor - columnist - rose - valenta - everything - is - going - online - now - even - newspapers - and - magazines/


Thanks to Joan Stewart…
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. . .for running an article on Pinterest tips for authors on her blog and for the great unsolicited recommendation of The Frugal Book Promoter. Find it at http://publicityhound.net/?p=10848 . She also took a screenshot of my bulletin board full of “Books by Friends.” Is an image of your book cover there? It can be on my one of my boards when you follow me on Pinterest and pin one of my books to one of your boards. ( - : You’ve heard me rave about her newsletter before, so I won’t go on and on.

Thanks to California Writers’ Club of San Fernando Valley
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…for publishing a great review by Gary Wosk on my presentation in the CWC Valley Scribe newsletter. Thanks, too, to Kathy Highcove, Ray Malus, Rita Keeley Brown, and the whole group for their support and hospitality. The newsletter comes as a pdf so I don’t have a copy for you, but you’d love the cartoon they did of yours truly.


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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 35 - page handout from one of my UCLA classes. As a thank you, of course. HoJoNews@aol.com
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Tip: My talented client David Reel sent me this tip: This is perhaps the best interview upcoming writers will ever be able to get from an established literary agent. Yes, it's five pages, but the information is excellent. Not only do you get to know the agent (who is very powerful), but you get an inside about what agents are looking for when you submit your work to them.
http://www.pw.org/content/agents_amp_editors_qampa_agent_molly_friedrich?cmnt_all=1
Learn more about David at his brand new blog: http://thesideburnedhero.blogspot.com/2012/03/devils - whipping - his - wife.html Why not surprise him with a comment!




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Chaz DeSimone has a new f r ^ ^ way to get a great poster for your office or a gift. You subscribe to his fr^^ poster offer and newsletter on design (including book cover design) and a different poster will come to your e - mail box about every other week. Each is entirely different, all the highest quality in design and all associated with the ampersand and, by extension, our love of writing. Each also comes with directions for printing, framing, making this into a f r ^ ^ bie that lasts. To subscribe and see images go to: http://forms.aweber.com/form/91/119176491.htm
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Opportunities


John Klawitter Offers Podcast Opp ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

John Klawitter is inviting people to offer a submission to his new radio show. People should listen to a bit of the show and if they think they have something that would work, they can e - mail him a brief outline. john.klaw@sbcglobal.net If they are confident they have something that would work, they can e - mail him a short story (10 or 15 minutes) and a promo (30 to 90 seconds) They can record this stuff themselves and if it
is up to normal broadcast standards, they can e - mail that (mp3 format, please). John can also do the recording. He says, “I can't promise
to put everything people send me on my show. It has to fit DARK LANDING, and if we have run three stories on kind robots we would look fixated to run another one in the same season. Oh, and we don't do erotic for its own sake, it has to be key to the story if I can say or you can hear that with a straight face. (Example: I wrote the true story of whatever
happened to Jonah, surely that whale story was a coverup, and the true tale got a little heated...)”

JOHN KLAWITTER
www.johnklawitter.com
http://www.johnklawitter.blogspot.com/


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Aggie Villaneuva is a resource you need to know. So, go to my article on how to format your book for Kindle in just a few easy steps and while you're there, poke around for Aggie’s assortment of marketing aids including her app service. http://www.promotionalacarteblog.com/2012/02/kindle - formatting - made - easy - by - carolyn - howard - johnson/
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Tip: I’m a little enthused about Pinterest. I’ve doing a series of Pinterest tips especially for authors on Facebook (www.facebook.com/carolynhowardjohnson) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/FrugalBookPromo) or find it at hashmark #PinterestTip.

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I know. I am a glutton for punishment and everyone hates me for my zero - tolerance rule on italics. But I was inoculated with it during UCLA’s Writers’ Program classes and I know anyone would be hard put to find a major writers’ program that doesn’t agree with them. So why risk the ire of exacting agents and publishers. Know the guidelines! http://thefrugaleditor.blogspot.com/2010/10/lets - talk - italics - again.html . Learn other publishing - friendly editing ideas in The Frugal Editor, www.budurl.com/TheFrugalEditor. =================================================


An Itty - Bitty Column on Writing

Bloom Where You’re Planted – Or Somewhere Else

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By Mindy Phillips Lawrence
We have been told forever to bloom where we are planted. This is good advice, unless you have a giant case of wanderlust. In that case, you bloom where you are.

I have a lovely bunch of herbs to plant this week. They will be arrayed in little pots near my kitchen so they are accessible when I cook. They could have been planted anywhere according to who purchased them. Their lot in life is to be part of Mindy’s Garden. Just like my writing, they are victims (or benefactors) of my ability to keep their story alive.

Writers are people who bloom like beautiful flowers wherever they happen to be. They take their notebooks, computers and netbooks to both far off locations and to their own back yards to write articles, stories and novels about various topics. They bloom in both good and substandard soil, enriching it with their words. They know about compost, rejected work to recycle.


Spring has arrived and it’s time for writers to seek out stories, ideas, and information for the rest of the year. Bloom where you are planted and write where you are.

LINKS
Backyard Herb Garden
http://www.backyardgardener.com/herb/

Growing Herbs in the Home Garden
http://www.wvu.edu/ ~agexten/hortcult/herbs/ne208hrb.htm

The Culinary Herb Garden
http://www.mountainvalleygrowers.com/culinaryherbgarden.htm

Growing Herbs
http://www.hgtv.com/topics/herbs/index.html

Poems by Mary Oliver (Who writes a good deal about the out of doors)
http://peacefulrivers.homestead.com/maryoliver.html


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I talk about what QR codes are and how you can use them to promote your writing on my SharingwithWriters blog at http://sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com/2011/07/cracking - qr - code - for - iphones.html
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Editing Tip: Don’t ever, ever say “My book is entitled XXXX.” The word you’re looking for is “titled.”


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I have a series of retail books that authors could benefit from. The reason? Authors are retailers, too. They must sell their books. But A Retailer’s Guide to In - Store Promotion will be especially valuable because it will give authors insight on how to convince retail outlets that a partnership (like a book signing, workshop or seminar) with them will benefit their bottom line. Find this book at www.budurl.com/RetailersGuide or more about the whole series at www.howtodoitfrugally.com/retailers_books.htm
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Carolyn's Appearances and Teaching ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 Those of you who live in Southern California will want to mark April 11 on your calendar to hear Carolyn Howard - Johnson talk about how to make book fair appearances sizzle (at book fairs or tradeshows!) at the Book Publicists of Southern California meeting at Sportsmen’s Lodge in Studio City. All are welcome. A salmon/chicken/vegetarian buffet with salad, drink, and dessert (amazing desserts!) is only about $29. E - mail PR guru Irwin Zucker with your reservation (IrwinZuckerPR@aol.com). The program is f r ^ ^.

New!  Those of you who live in Southern California will want to mark Tuesday, June 19 to hear me speak on Summertime Book Promotion for Author’s Corner for a women's entrepreneurial group out in the San Fernando Valley called Made in the Valley.

 Carolyn Howard - Johnson will sign copies of the second edition of the multi award - winning The Frugal Book Promoter Thursday, June 7 from 10 am to 11 am at the IBPA booth at Book Expo America at Javits Center in exciting New York City. ( - :

As a co - sponsor of the Muse Online Writers’ Conference (and the first one at that!), I’d like you to put a tickler file on you calendar to register for the 2012 weeklong event in October. I can’t tell you how many of my subscribers have been disappointed that they can’t avail themselves of this f r ^ ^ conference (every year!) because they miss the deadline. August would be a good time to let your digital calendar remind you to enroll at http://themuseonlinewritersconference.com/.

New!  I will be speaking on several panels at the Book ‘Em Book Fair in North Carolina on Sat. Feb 2013. Go to http://www.bookemnc.org/ for opportunities for your book and watch for more on my appearances there in this newsletter. It is headed by mystery writer p.m. terrell. The purpose of The Book 'Em Foundation and this event is to raise public awareness of the link between high crime rates and high illiteracy rates. Proceeds from the Book 'Em North Carolina book fairs go directly to increasing literacy in Robeson County, North Carolina and to reducing crime in the area.

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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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(Fun with language from The Washington Post and other publications.)

PARADOX (par' - u - doks'): Two physicians.



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Essential Book and Record Keeping:

This is the 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

The HowToDoItFrugally Series for Writers

Frugal Book Promoter: How to Do What Your Publisher Won't http://budurl.com/FrugalBookPromo
The e - book at http://www.amazon.com/Frugal - Book - Promoter - HowToDoItFrugally - ebook/dp/B005G5L3DC/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital - text&ie=UTF8&qid=1333575723&sr=1 - 1


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,
Paperback: http://budurl.com/BookProposals
E - book: https://www.createspace.com/3468136
For Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0042JT1UA


Great Little Last - Minute Editing Tips for Writers: The Ultimate Frugal Booklet for Avoiding Word Trippers and Crafting Gatekeeper - Perfect Copy
E - book: https://www.createspace.com/3422926

The Survive and Thrive Series for Retailers (Authors need to know about retailing, too!)

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
Order in paperback: http://budurl.com/RetailersGuide
For Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004H1TACC
Frugal and Focused Tweeting for Retailers: Tweaking Your Tweets and Other Tips for Integrating Your Social Media
Order in paperback direct from Amazon: http://budurl.com/Tweeting4Retailers
Order for Kindle Reader: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004H4XCCS
Order an e - book from the publisher: http://www.createspace.com/3439623 .

Your Blog, Your Business: A Retailer’s Frugal Guide to Getting Customer Loyalty and Sales—Both In - Store and Online

Sponsored by Gift Shop Magazine
To Order: http://budurl.com/Blogging4Retailers
To Order for Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004H1TACC
Carolyn’s Fiction and Creative Nonfiction

This Is the Place: http://budurl.com/ThisIsThePlace

Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered: http://budurl.com/TrueShortStories

Carolyn’s Poetry

She Wore Emerald Then: Reflections on Motherhood. Coauthored with Magdalena Ball Paperback: www.budurl.com/MotherChapbook
For Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004GXB4AW

Cherished Pulse: Unconventional Love Poetry. Coauthored with Magdalena Ball
For Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004GXB4AW
In print to be used as a greeting card or booklet: www.budurl.com/CherishedPulse
For Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/imagining - the - future - magdalena - ball/1021152596?ean=2940000904893&itm=4&usri=magdalena+ball
She Wore Emerald Then: Reflections on Motherhood, a chapbook of poetry. Coauthored with Magdalena Ball.
Paperback and Kindle: http://budurl.com/MotherChapbook
For Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/she - wore - emerald - then - magdalena - ball/1020032782?ean=2940000807408&itm=5&usri=magdalena+ball

Imagining the Future: Ruminations on Fathers and Other Masculine Apparitions. Coauthored with Magdalena Ball
To order as an e - book: https://www.createspace.com/3419505
For Nook:http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/imagining - the - future - magdalena - ball/1021152596?ean=2940000904893&itm=4&usri=magdalena+ball
To order as a paperback or for Kindle: www.budurl.com/Imagining
Deeper into the Pond: A Celebration of Femininity, Co - Authored with Magdalena Ball. Artwork by Jacquie Schmall
To order as an e - book: https://www.createspace.com/3608866 To order as a paperback: http://budurl.com/DeeperPond
Tracings, a chapbook of poetry (Finishing Line Press)
http://budurl.com/CarolynsTracings

Contact Information

Websites
http://HowToDoItFrugally.com
For special help for fiction writers
http://www.fictionmarketing.com


Blogs:
http://www.SharingwithWriters.blogspot.com, a blog on all things publishing
http://www.TheFrugalEditor.blogspot.com, all things grammatical and ungrammatical. On editing, formatting, and craft.
http://www.TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog focused on YOUR reviews
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. It is no longer active but there are lots of ideas you can use here, just the same.

Tweeting at:
www.twitter.com/frugalbookpromo
www.twitter.com/frugalretailing