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July 11, 2009

Sharing with Writers
A newsletter that is also a community. Share your ideas. Learn from theirs! Associated with the multi award - winning series of HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers, www.howtodoitfrugally.com


From the Desks of
Carolyn Howard - Johnson
and Sharing with Writers Subscribers

In the spirit of the advice I give in the Frugal Editor - - that is to use an extra pair of eyes whenever possible - - this newsletter is voluntarily copyedited by Mindy Phillips Lawrence ~ mplcreative1@aol.com ~ www.freewebs.com/mplcreative. I also tell writers to be patient with other writers when they make editing boo - boos. We're all human. This letter comes out weekly and it's long!
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Contents

Regular Features

~Note from Carolyn
~Letters - to - the - Editor
~Thank Yous (where you also find leads and great resources!)
~Tips and News Galore! (They're scattered, you'll just have to find them!)
~Opportunities
~On Poetry
~Author Successes
~Feature: Time Magazine Gets Amazon Right - - And Wrong
~Subscribers Sharing: Learning Interview Techniques, Robin Jay
~Mindy Lawrence's Itty Bitty Column, MASTERING E - MAIL
~Carolyn's Appearances and Teaching
~Wordstuff ™


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Note from Carolyn

Dear Subscribers:

If not mine, then - - please - - someone’s.

You might ask what in the devil I’m talking about. I’m talking about not frittering away the summer. Please take a class. You may know that I always exhort you to be cautious about where you take a class. I believe in taking them from organizations that carefully vet their instructors - - preferably university courses or university extension courses. Most offer both on - campus and online courses.

It’s not that many great courses are not available online, but how do you know? If a novice has taken a class and gives it a great review, they may not even know if they didn’t get accurate or up - to - date information. All authors know about the biased reviews - - both good and bad - - that circulate on the Web. The ones written by the author's mother, as an example. So, if you spend a bit more for the best class possible . . . well, this is your career.

Speaking of classes, it is not too late for most of you to plan a vacation to California to take my one - day seminar at UCLA. Think, the beach, Disneyland and a class! That makes the trip at least a partial tax deduction. It’s on the beautiful UCLA campus. So beautiful many films are made there. Now how can you resist that? And it’s only $125. and, did I say, only one day? Now you can’t resist that! Here’s the URL for more information.

https://www.uclaextension.edu/r/Course.aspx?reg=U9836

Of course, if you live in the Southern California area you’re set. And if not and you must stay close to home there is a list of US universities with writers programs on my Web site at:

http://www.carolynhowardjohnson.redenginepress.com/writers'_programs.htm

I bet most of those universities have an online component.

I am not necessarily recommending literature classes or grammar classes. Yhey’re nice, too, but a real writing class will give you more information you can use on any specific subject within the world of writing than any general ed class in a similar subject. It’s the nature of the thing.

So, go out there and get some more information under your bonnet. I don’t think one of you - - even the ones who are teaching classes of your own - - couldn’t benefit from learning a few new tricks from other writing program teachers.

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

PS: I now blog for the Gift and Home Channel site
http://www.giftandhomechannel.com/content/tips - resources - and - information - bone. Some of what is there will work for you, too. I'm always amazed how marketing and publicity techniques and resources cross over from one industry to another. At least go by and leave me a comment. Make my new employers think I have lots of readers. ( - :


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There is a page of contests on the Resource for Writers page on my Web site: http://www.carolynhowardjohnson.redenginepress.com/contests.htm Follow the links on that page to other valuable lists on my site, too. =====================================================


Tip: To find appropriate people to follow with your Twitter account, use http://search.twitter.com. I think it's important to use Twitter to learn new things as well as to get your message out.


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Please pass this letter on to others. Unlike many other newsletter editors, I do not mind if you use only portions of mine as long as you credit the writers and include this subscribe information: "To subscribe to 'Sharing with Writers' send an e - mail to HoJoNews@aol.com with 'Subscribe' in the subject line."
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Green and Frugal Tip: Subscriber Raff Ellis sent me a note on a money - and - environment - saving method he uses for mailing books. I do something similar and it really is FRUGAL. He’s guest blogger on my GreenNewMedialLifeExpo.com blog. Check out the Book Pavilion opportunities while you’re there.
http://www.greennewmedialifeexpo.com/content/raff - ellis - weighs - green - ideas - book - pavilion - authors


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The Green New Media Life Expos (http://www.greennewmedialifeexpo.com/content/green - book - pavilion - featuring - carolyn - howard - johnson?destination=node%2F10 ) offer Green Book Pavilions this fall at expos at the Ontario Convention Center, Ontario, CA; Cal Expo Fairgrounds in Sacramento; and the Pomona Fairgrounds, Pomona, CA. An author's package for each expo is available to help authors promote themselves and their books. Contact Gerry Fisher at GeFisher39@aol.com or at 702 467 9411. =====================================================


Great Opportunity
iFOGO Social Network Offers Video Streaming Book Signing
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Gene Cartright is expanding a social network for writers, iFOGO.com. Their newly added feature, IFOGO TV is the newest edition. Gene posted information on it at another social network site I enjoy, BookMarket.ning.com.
http://bookmarket.ning.com/photo/ifogo - tv - live - book - signings?context=latest At iFOFO ( http://ifogotv.com )

Gene says: "The screen is dark, for now, but not for long. Soon, a limited number of authors will have an opportunity to have book signings seen worldwide by anyone with a computer."

Authors who act now may have a book signing that will be seen by anyone with a computer and internet connection.

Each author in the lineup will have plenty of lead time to promote their upcoming "iFOGOCAST" and to send out invitations across the planet/

iFOGO TV is installing broadcast servers to provide live, streaming videocasts that permit an author to reach across boundaries. The event will be shown live, then recorded and archived for later viewing On Demand. During the event, authors may take questions from live guests, and from viewers via Live Chat. Their books may purchased during or after the event. Authors may choose to have buyers purchase from any source, including via an iFOGO link.

Choosing the latter brings author and buyer together. Authors may then ship their "autographed" book directly to the buyer. iFOGO facilitates and referees the transaction protecting both buyer and seller.

Those who are interested must contact Gene. He anticipates they will initially accept only the first 200 or so who sign up. http://www.ifogo.com/contact.php
So, think

Gene Cartwright at gc@ifogo.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. Ask for a f r ^ ^ classified ad on my Web site in return. Let me know you did it. I will be able to do something similar for you on my Resources for Readers page at www.howtodoitfrugally.com. Let me know you did it. We'll find something I can do for you!
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In the News: The number of members of the American Booksellers Association (ABA) declined. Their funding has declined, too. Authors who are emphasizing bookstore sales at the expense of online sales may be making a big mistake.


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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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New Vocabulary: "Listicle" is a new word that means an article that is really a list. I've advocated Listicles for a long time and even include them on little brochures I hand out at fairs, book signings, etc. If you'd like a sample of my brochure with a listicle to use or adapt (but please do credit me!), just put LISTICLE in the subject line and I'll send you one of the fliers.


=================================================== Book Proposal Help: Phyllis Zimbler Miller and I ran a fun Tweetchat on book proposals. She edited it for easier reading and posted it for those who missed it. There is lots of info in it on shopping your book to agents, too. Remember, you read tweet chats like you follow blogs. From the bottom up. http://budurl.com/bookprotweetchat Another book proposal help is "The Great First Impression Book Proposal: Everything You Need To Know To Sell Your Book in 20 Minutes or Less" for 49 cents at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000YG6O5U/ =====================================================


Web site Tip: Check your Alexa rank every now and then. Then work to improve it. John Kremer improved his considerably with Twitter.


===================================================== 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.amazon.com/gp/product/0978515870/
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TIP: For a really big list of Twitter aids go to John Kremer's Twitter Tools page: www.bookmarket.com/twitter - tools.htm.


===================================================== Recently Yvonne Perry, owner of WritersintheSky Creative Services, and I chatted about editing, everything from em dashes to why what works on the Web but doesn't work for you book's manuscript. Yvonne offers you the f r ^ ^ podcast on her blog: http://yvonneperry.blogspot.com/2008/12/do - you - have - questions - about - editing.html. You'll find other f r ^^ podcasts on writing on her blog, too.
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Opportunities

Win a Packet of My Frugal Books - - The Green Way ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~.or to give your own books exposure, offer your books to Lillian Brummet’s Conscious Discussions’ loyal followers. She does a great job of promoting her contests. Lillian Brummet, the host of this program sent this to me:

Don't miss your chance to win a free copy of the entire book promotion series written by Carolyn Howard - Johnson on Aug 11 - 16th. at Lillian Brummet's Conscious Discussions. These weekly prize draws are offered through Dave & Lillian Brummet's Conscious Discussions Radio & the Brummet's Conscious Discussions Blog! Contestants simply e - mail me whenever a new contest is announced. Prizes are most often offered by (previous or upcoming) featured guests but they can come from other sources too - - so feel free to contact us if you would like to participate. Learn more at: www.blogtalkradio.com/ConsciousDiscussion s or at http://ConsciousDiscussions.blogspot.com You’ll find programs on writing but also on ecology, program like this one: (Note: if you’re reading this in plain text in your e - mail window, use the pdf file link at the top of this newsletter to access the link to this podcast):

Save the Frogs Organization
source: www.blogtalkradio.com
Save the Frogs non - profit organization - founded by ecologist Dr. Kerry Kriger. Kerry holds a Ph.D in Environmental Science, and a Bachelor of Science a degree in Mechanical Engineering. His career included studies on endangered Hawaiian birds, human illness, teaching university courses and he has also written and edited several chapters for encyclopedias. Tri - lingual wildlife photographer Kerry Krigger is currently the Executive and Ecologist of Save the Frogs organization and we’ll be focusing on the work they do for amphibians. Find the organization at:
www.savethefrogs.com - & - the host at: www.brummet.ca


Fr ^ ^ Contest for MWSA Members ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
And membership is very inexpensive! Here are the rules to enter a Military Writers' Society of America contest where you can get massive amounts of online exposure for your title.

Begin by looking at the images at http://www.militarywriters.com/ Then write!

Here are the rules:

~Just about any medium will be accepted — essay, flash fiction, poetry, song lyrics, etc.
~Must be short enough to be performed in less than five minutes.
~You must be an active member of MWSA
~Deadline September 1, 2009
~Send to MWSAPresident@gmail.com and indicate which image inspired your work.
~Must be willing to attend the MWSA Conference in October to perform it on Saturday, October 10th on the Veterans Radio Show.
~Eight finalists will be selected and announced on September 12 on the Veterans Radio Show at 9am EST. (www.veteransradio.net )

Here’s where everyone can get involved. Between September 12 and October 10th, we want to garner 1 million eyes to vote for the best entry. The finalists and their work will be posted on the Web site, in the MWSA October Newsletter, and in the Conference Program. The Conference Program will be available to you as a pdf file so that you can send it to your contacts around the world. We’ll take votes by Twitter and Text, Messages and e - mails and phone calls. We’ll have a voting mechanism on our site. You can see how your work - - the finalist’s work - - can get great exposure.

If you want to participate in collecting the votes at the event, please indicate 1 Million Votes/People’s Choice when you register. If you aren’t coming to the event, please mine all of your contacts and your contacts’ contacts. Have a party in your area and encourage people to come and vote. Contact your local newspapers and radio and TV stations and encourage your audiences to vote. Conduct voting on your Web site and then report it to us at the event.
LET’S MAKE IT HAPPEN — 1 MILLION VOTES! THE PERSON WITH THE MOST VOTES WILL RECEIVE THE MWSA PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD!




Phyllis Zimbler Miller Offers Easy Internet Marketing Classes: ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~.
The opportunities of the Internet for marketing one's book often may seem like a magical world where only hardcore Internet marketers can make their mark.

The truth? If you learn about Internet marketing strategies in a program that doesn't overwhelm you, you'll be able to apply numerous free and low - cost Web marketing strategies to promoting your fiction and non - fiction.

My pal Phyllis Zimbler Miller and her business partner (and daughter) Yael K. Miller have developed a program that promises to teach you about Internet marketing strategies without overwhelming you. Since Phyllis is an author and Yael an aspiring author, they are very interested in helping book authors use these strategies.

Check out the program now at http://budurl.com/marketingonweb and you can immediately start learning from the comfort of your computer or your iPod.


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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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Twitter Tip: One of the tricks to getting wide exposure on Twitter is to get other people to retweet your tweets. Here are two articles that will tell you how to do it: How to Get Retweeted by @GuyKawasaki: http://blogs.openforum.com/2009/02/18/how - to - get - retweeted and The Science of Retweets by Dan Zarella: http://mashable.com/2009/02/17/twitter - retweets .My favorite method is to give information that people are likely to want and need.


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Subscribers who have websites or newsletters of their own may be interested
in the F r ^^ Articles 4 Readers and Writers on my site, http://www.carolynhowardjohnson.redenginepress.com/free_content.htm I try to add new articles to it frequently. If you don't see what you need for your blog or newsletter, just ask. HoJoNews@aol.com.
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Editing Tip: The second edition of Karen L. Reddick’s Grammar Done Right is out (ISBN 9780978990435). I love it for its clear Contents and Index; they make it easy to use the book as a reference and I prefer it to the ever - famous and often - misunderstood Fowler’s. Like Fowler’s or my own Frugal Editor, it by no means covers every grammar and style exigency (imagine the size a book would need to be to do that!) but I feel certain that even a writer who is also an excellent editor will find something in it to love. Learn more at http://thefrugaleditor.blogspot.com/2009/07/karen - l - reddick - releases - 2nd - edition - of.html , www.UnityHousePublishing.com and www.GrammarDoneRight.com.


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Fun and F r ~ ~: If you purchased the Frugal Book Promoter or the Frugal Editor, I'd love you to review it on Amazon or BN.com. Make it simple; just tell what part of it you found most valuable. If you do, send me the review link (URL) and I will send you a handout from one of my UCLA classes. As a thank you, of course. HoJoNews@aol.com
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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.

Because poetry can be so important in our lives if we will but let it, I am running a contest to remind people to slow down a bit and read a poem (or write one). I will select a winner from those who send me an e - mail with TOWARDS UNDERSTANDING in the subject line. The prize is an e - copy of Lillian Brummet's Towards Understanding with a new cover by her husband, Dave, who is often also her writing partner. I'll randomly pick a winner on Sept. 30. The winner will also have an opportunity to publish one of their poems or a short excerpt from their prose in this corner of my newsletter—a piece that fits with the theme "Towards Understanding." Send your entries to HoJoNews@aol.com .


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My friend Connie Gotsch is an “old media” radio host in the four corners area. Her program “Write On” occasionally includes poets reading their work, love that she is. She recently posted a media release on the Book Pavilion I am hosting for the www.GreenNewMediaLifeExpo.com and I’m pleased because I can see that the video portion of the package that the producer of the Expo, Rey Ybarra, can be of special benefit to poets and literary writers. http://conniegotsch.blogspot.com/2009/06/carolyn - howard - johnsons - latest - news.html


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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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In the News: The New York Times reports "Google Plans to Introduce a PC Operating System." They say, "In a direct challenge to Microsoft, Google is expected to announce on Wednesday (July 9) that it is developing an operating system for a personal computer based on its Chrome browser . . .
"The move would sharpen the already intense competition between Google and Microsoft, whose Windows operating system controls the basic functions of the vast majority of personal computers."


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A general marketing rule is that a product must be seen seven times before it is purchased. That is just as true for books (because they are products, like it or not!). Let people see that book cover image! To do that, you are invited to advertise as a site sponsor at www.howtodoitfrugally.com for only $25 to $30 a year. Yep, the frugal way! Click on the Advertising tab at the top of the page or contact me personally at hojonews@aol.com.
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Author Successes

Bob Rich Gets “Literature for Environment” Award. . . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~L and the Aussie says it is not only for Australia. So far, there are 27 recipients, covering a wide range of formats and genres, mostly from the USA and Canada. Dr. Bob encourages you to submit for this award. Here are the details directly from him:

"Do you worry about the future? Can you see how we are destroying all that is keeping us alive, depriving coming generations of the very basis of existence, stealing from poor countries in order to fuel our extravagant lifestyle?

"Are you saddened by the loss of species, by the replacement of nature's beauty and bounty by humanity's artificial, noisy, ugly creations of concrete, steel and plastic?

"If you are a writer, your attitudes and beliefs will have imbued your work. Your book or books may qualify for the LiFE award: Literature For Environment.
"Fiction or non - fiction, any genre, intended for any age group, published in any format, the details matter not one whit. What matters is that the readers of your books may become inspired to change the way they think and act.

"There are only two kinds of people: conservationists and suicides. To qualify for this Award, your book needs to value the wonderful world of nature, to recognize that we are merely one species out of millions, and that we have a responsibility to cherish and maintain our small planet."

Bob's latest book, Bizarre Bipeds: What IS humanity's role in the universe, is a collection of 4 science fictions stories. One is a novella, three are shorter. Learn more at http://bobswriting.com


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Audio divas brings you audios on many aspects of building a writing career: http://www.tri - studio.com/writers.html. Titles include Contest Facts: How to Add “Award - winning” to Your Name, Do It Yourself Indexing: The Way to Sell Your Book to Libraries, Schools and Anyone Else That Buys Nonfiction, Fury and Destruction: How to Use Violence Effectively in Your Writing, and more.
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Tweet Tip from Yocheved Golani, author and self - help coach (http://www.linkedin.com/in/yochevedgolaniink): I'm bumping along in Twitterworld, making mistakes and learning as I go. Found this nifty tool so I want to share it with you: a twitter translation tool called http://www.tweettranslate.com/ Have fun communicating in several languages. Yocheved tweets at twitter.com/yochevedgolani


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

Feature

Time Magazine Gets Amazon Right - - And Wrong
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How lucky can an author get?
Maybe as lucky as Cayla Kluver. She wrote the novel picked from Amazon’s list of indie published books to be the first publishing effort of their new publishing program. She wrote Legacy when she was only 15.
Amazon plans to choose books that have sold well and receive excellent reviews and put their muscle behind promoting them. So reports Time magazine in the Arts section (June 22, p. 101). The article touts the pure power of Amazon in the publishing world - - something authors have worried about for a long time. And Time worries about it a bit, too. They say, “If Amazon can’t make a deal with the publishers, it can always just become a publisher. Which it is doing. And yes this will limit the advantage traditional publishers have had for a long, long, long time. In fact, it might not hurt their worldview to get a taste of their own medicine.

But the authors of the article worrie mostly because this new model foretells “a different editorial method [that will] engage a very different set of literary values.” From what I’ve seen over the decade since I started in the publishing industry, I figure that those values have been changing for a while now. It took Amazon quite a long time to figure out that their rye toast is buttered by authors and that they’d better treat them well if they want the marmalade (call it good will) to be spread liberally, too. I tend to give them a break. They only launched in 1995 so when I started noticing some of their exclusionary tactics, they were still infants.

At least Amazon does seem to be getting it, that creative people (authors, product developers, inventors) are what feeds their business. It seems traditional publishers don’t quite have a secure handle on that concept except for their A - list names. Maybe they once did, but I don’t remember those days at all.
Amazon still slips now and then, to be sure, but they are slowly embracing authors without concern for the press they are published on. Ahem! Though once they’ve favored an author or publishing company, they want them to use the presses they own - - Booksurge, CreateSpace.com and others.

After Time writers Lev Grossman and Andrea Sachs have done their worrying. They retreat. They decide “it’s not an either/or future. It’s both/and.” I couldn’t agree more.

You may not remember when people were sure that TV would destroy radio, but I remember. This fits with my worldview. Things might change but the universe is large enough and generous enough to accommodate all. Yes, even in a recession.
CHJ


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Yes, I do consult. I tailor my fees to your needs - - everything from coaching to full edits (sorry no partial edits) to hour consultations to help you with your marketing campaign or your path to publishing. http://www.carolynhowardjohnson.redenginepress.com/consulting.htm
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Tip My new book A Retailer's Guide to Frugal In - Store Promotion http://budurl.com/RetailersGuide is leading me to all kinds of new tidbits that work for writers, too. You know how I like to be green. What about a green event to promote your book. www.eventbywird.com.


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Thank Yous


Thanks to Sam Warren
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. . . for placing my media release on the Book Pavilion at the Green New Media Life Expo (www.greennewmedialifeexpo.com) on his blog, www.SDWriteWay.org and www.Bookwarren.com. Sam’s also a wonderful marketer. It's great for him to participate in spreading the word.


Thanks to Cindy Bauer
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . . . for sharing the opportunities offered by the book pavilion at the Green New Media Life Expo with her readers. http://authorresourcesbycindy.blogspot.com/2009/06/best - selling - author - to - host - book.htm Find her at www.CindyBauerBooks.com.




Thanks to Yvonne Perry . . .
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . . . a Facebooker friend who just wrote a nice review on my new book A Retailer's Guide to Frugal In - Store Promotions. It's an example of how a review should be written. Check it out and leave a comment on her Amazon page. http://ow.ly/gMam It's also an example of how well social networking can work. ( - :


Thanks to Connie Gotsch, Write On! Radio Host . . .
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ for including the message about the Book Pavilion opportunity at the Green New Media Life Expo (www.greennewmedialifeespo.com) on her Imagination On Board blog where her former radio guests tend to hang out. To learn more about Connie's radio show and the Book Pavilion at the Expo go to: http://conniegotsch.blogspot.com/


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If you're starting your own blog or want to market the one you have or focus it better here’s a f r ^^ chapter from Phyllis Zimbler Miller’s and my coming book. Download it now at http://budurl.com/bloggingchapter. =====================================================


Subscribers Sharing

Learning Interview Techniques from Robin Jay
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
From Robin Jay "The Queen of the Business Lunch, award - winning author of The Art of the Business Lunch, Professional Speaker, Mentor and Coach, www.RobinJay.com and Robin@RobinJay.com

Thought your readers might be interested, especially those who are authors or speakers will enjoy this aggressive interview! You never know how a publicity opportunity will turn out, so you jump in as prepared as possible and hope for the best!)

I did an interview with the BBC that aired (Sunday June 28 at 9AM in London). It reaches 2 Million listeners – a nice big audience! The BBC execs had to reveal their expense accounts and are now catching holy hell for their expenditures. It’s huge news in England, particularly with the recession; the public thinks anything more than a cheese sandwich is extravagant!

I, of course, was called upon to defend the business lunch as a viable means of doing business and building relationships. I think the interviewer, Paddy O’Connell, believed that I was one of those people who loved to gouge the expense accounts of others, when instead I was the one who treated others to lunch. I was made to feel a bit defensive - like a corrupt politician being hammered by Mike Wallace on 60 Minutes!

The BBC is quite different from our radio (commercial), and even our National Public Radio, which sells sponsorships. When a Brit buys a radio, they pay a licensing fee annually – whether they listen or not – so that is how the programs are funded. It makes it for quite a different situation than we have here.

Here is the link to listen LIVE to the interview I did for the BBC. It will air between 1AM – 2AM my time (PST), so 4AM – 5AM tomorrow morning, Eastern standard time. It will also be available online afterward – as I think they post the shows later.
Here is the live link: http://www.bbc.co.uk. In the center column under the travel/weather block is RADIO and you can listen live there. J
And, if you miss it there, it should be available (at any DECENT hour) for replay here www.bbc.co.uk/bh for a week or here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qnj3

If you want to hear a nice business lady get beat up by the mean reporter, enjoy! J Robin (seriously – he wasn’t mean, just “newsy”)

PS for authors & speakers: Notice that in spite of everything, I DID manage to get in a few plugs – like the NEW book I’m working on, my blog, AND the fact that I’m a professional speaker (in case anyone listening wants to bring me in as a speaker). I was not allowed to mention my URL – but was assured they would mention it. Hope so!


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I now have a social media page on my Website. I’m including the link for you to see so you can use it as a sample if you don’t have a similar page on your own Web site. And yes, this can work even if you only network on one site. Just use more space giving your visitors an idea of how they will benefit if they join you. http://www.carolynhowardjohnson.redenginepress.com/new_page_4.htm =====================================================


Tip: Don’t rewrite your first chapter until it is perfect before you finish your book. By the time you finish, it may not turn out to be your first chapter. In fact, you may not use it at all. So editing ad infinitum too early may be a waste of your writing time.


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This is an example of one of my Twitters: "FrugalBookPromo New trend? Borders to buy nonreturnable books from HarperStudio in return for a deeper discount." My tweets cover everything from news to more tips and resources, all in 140 characters or less. If you don’t want to Tweet, at least follow me. Make a profile page and invite me at www.twitter.com/frugalbookpromo. =====================================================


In the News: Two book categories that increased sales last year were education and business. Mmmm, all those out - of - work people reading to see how they can get back into the force?


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The New Book Review is a service of this newsletter. It allows authors to get more exposure from their favorite review and reviewers a chance to have more readers see their reviews - - with links, of course. Please check the guidelines on the blog site at www.TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com.
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An Itty - Bitty Column on Writing

MASTERING E - MAILS
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Most of us send out some sort of e - mail every day either to friends, relatives or business clients. After awhile, we get sloppy. We don’t type in a subject line or we use funny little “abbrevs” for words out of sheer laziness (or because others use them).

More and more publishers and editors are requesting submission via e - mail. When we’ve developed bad e - mail habits, we tend to carry these over into all our correspondence. That means publishers and editors don’t know what brilliant writers we are because all we’ve shown them is some messy e - mails.

Here are 10 suggestions on writing good e - mails selected from several sources:

~ Establish the reason that you are writing the e - mail.
~ Decide on what you want the outcome of the e - mail to be.
~ Draft a clear subject line.
~ Identify who you are immediately.
~ Write clearly and succinctly.
~ Avoid abbreviations and anything that is cutesy.
~ Watch your spelling, grammar and usage.
~ PROOFREAD!
~ Remember that your e - mail may not be as private as you think. Use restraint in what you say.
~ Respond swiftly to return e - mails with the exact the information requested.

And, please, don’t SPAM. I hate it and others do too.

LINKS

Writing Effective E - Mail
http://jerz.setonhill.edu/writing/e - text/e - mail.htm

The Art of Writing Good E - Mails
http://www.netwriting.co.uk/2007/05/21/the - art - of - writing - good - emails/

E - Mail Etiquette
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/636/01/

10 Tips for Writing Business E - Mails
http://www.mftrou.com/support - files/writing - business - emails.pdf

The Essentials of Writing Effective E - Mails
http://www.googobits.com/articles/356 - the - essentials - of - writing - effective - emails.html

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Mindy Phillips Lawrence is an author and freelance publicist. Her specialty is helping writers with their media releases. Reach her at mplcreative1@aol.com


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Get f r ^^ information from Irene Watson and Victor R. Volkman's Author Access which offers several f r ^ ^ podcasts each year including a new one on writing book proposals just recorded at http://authorsaccess.com/archives/category/carolyn - howard - johnson . You'll find one on general book promotion there, too. In the past, the podcasts of my interviews with them have won their "most viewed" award twice. You'll find podcasts featuring lots of the writing world's most famous avatars there. Go look! =====================================================


Tip: This is the time to be thinking about getting publicity for the holidays. Most monthly magazines work four to six months or more out so if your title has an angle that fits with Thanksgiving or Christmas, now is the right time to send out your queries - - - - Submitted by Patrika Vaughn, your Author's Advocate. www.acappela.com_ Subscribe to her newsletter at that address, too.


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Carolyn's Appearances and Teaching
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NEW! Old retailing friends Mickey and Carol Lang of CMA will host a book signing and chat for their retailers during the California Gift Week. It will be in their CMA showroom on the 13th floor of the California Mart, 110 E. 9th St., Ste C1300. Breakfast will be served to bona fide retail buyers at 8:30 am on July 16. I'll be there signing 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 and chatting with retailers about how to ready themselves (frugally!) for the coming economic upturn and survive until it arrives!

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Carolyn Howard - Johnson will teach “Creating a Promotion Campaign for Your Fiction or Nonfiction Book.” A one - day seminar, it will meet on the UCLA campus’ School of Public Affairs Building (Room 2317) Saturday, August 1, 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. Reg# U9836B Request a UCLA Extension catalog at www.uclaextension.edu. Learn more about the class (only $125!) at https://www.uclaextension.edu/r/Course.aspx?reg=U9836

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NEW!Lillian Brummet will be my host on BlogTalkRadio’s Authors Read on August 14th at 9 am. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/authorsread. I’ll be reading a poems from She Wore Emerald Then: Reflections on Motherhood coauthored with Magdalena Ball. I'll read a few poems of mine and at least one of Maggie's She is most always inspired by quantum mechanics and related subjects. I hope you’ll tune in to see how a copy of this chapbook might fit into the occasions you might want to honor a mother in your life. Learn how you can do the same at: http://www.brummet.ca/authors.html

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NEW!MaAnna Stephenson has asked me to record a podcast on how - tos for writers to go live on her site and on iTunes in August. Until I have details, find other useful podcasts from this prolific marketer at http://www.JustTheFAQs.net/podcast.shtml

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Carolyn Howard - Johnson will co - sponsor the Green Book Pavilion with The Green New Media Life Expo http://www.greennewmedialifeexpo.com/content/green - book - pavilion - featuring - carolyn - howard - johnson?destination=node%2F109 held at the Ontario Convention Center, Saturday Sept 12 from 10 am to 7 pm and Sunday Sept. 13 from 10 am to 5 pm. The expo offers a $290 expo package to help authors promote themselves and their books. It includes
~An onsite Internet radio interview
~A personalized video that the participating authors themselves can use on their own social networks and Web sites
~A Web site presence for the participating authors, including blog presence and pictures, etc on the expo site
~A table where each author can talk up his or her book (and sell it, too!) on the Pavilion itself.
Interested authors may contact Gerry Fisher at GeFisher39@aol.com or at 702 467 9411 or 760 961 2728. Future expos are at the Cal Expo Fairgrounds in Sacramento on Oct 24 & 25, and Pomona Fairgrounds on November 6 and 8.

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Mark October 12 to 18 on your calendar for The Muse Online Writers Conference cosponsored by Lea Schizas and Carolyn Howard - Johnson:

We are now taking reservations for the conference. More to come on my presentations there at http://themuseonlinewritersconference.com/. This year we’ve added pitch sessions: http://www.themuseonlinewritersconference.com/2009workshops.htm

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Carolyn Howard - Johnson will speak on writing picture - perfect query letters at the November session of Scribblers' Retreat Writers' Conference, www.scribblersretreatwritersconference.com at Sea Palms Resort, St. Simons Island, Georgia. Scribblers Retreat Writers’ Conference offers four conferences of specifically chosen genres throughout the year. It is brand new and one of the few chances I will speak on the East Coast in 2009.


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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.)

HEROES (hee - rhos'): What a guy in a boat does.



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Essential Book and Record Keeping:

This is a place to share with others and learn from others.

Although I do attempt to verify information used within this newsletter's pages, Sharing with Writers does not guarantee entities or information. Subscribers should research resources.

To submit information articles, tips or other information, e - mail Carolyn at HoJoNews@aol.com. Please put "Submission: Sharing with Writers" in the subject line.

If you do not care to receive this newsletter, send an e - mail to HoJoNews@aol.com with "Unsubscribe” in the subject line, but please, please don't tell me you've given up writing or promoting!

To subscribe to Sharing with Writers send an e - mail with "Subscribe" in the subject line to: HoJoNews@aol.com.

Please pass this newsletter to friends or e - groups. It needn't be pasted in its complete form, but please credit this newsletter, and the individual contributors with anything you snip and paste.

Ordering Information:
Frugal Book Promoter: How to Do What Your Publisher Won't www.amazon.com/gp/product/193299310X/qid=1149015406/sr=2 - 1/
The e - book at http://starpublishllc.com/id43.html

The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success
www.amazon.com/gp/product/0978515870

The Great First Impression Book Proposal: Everything You Need To Know About Selling Your Book in 20 Minutes or Less, http://www.amazon.com/Great - First - Impression - Book - Proposal/dp/B000YG6O5U/

A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In - Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques http://budurl.com/RetailersGuide

To learn more about This Is the Place,
Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered, Tracings, and She Wore Emerald Then: www.carolynhoward - johnson.com.

She Wore Emerald Then: Reflections on Motherhood, a chapbook of poetry coauthored with Magdalena Ball. http://www.amazon.com/She - Wore - Emerald - Then - Reflections/dp/1438263791/

Tracings, a chapbook of poetry (Finishing Line Press)
www.amazon.com/gp/product/1599240173/qid=1139084827/sr=1 - 1/

Contact Information
Websites:
http://carolynhoward - Johnson.com (literary)
http://HowToDoItFrugally.com (all things about writing)


Blogs:

http://www.SharingwithWriters.blogspot.com, a blog on all things publishing
http://www.TheFrugalEditor.blogspot.com, all things grammatical and ungrammatical
http://www.TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog focused on YOUR reviews
http://www.TheFrugalEditor.blogspot.com, a blog focused on editing, formatting and craft
http://www.WarPeaceTolerance.blogspot.com War. Peace. Tolerance. And Our Soldiers.
http://www.sizzlingbookfairbooths.blogspot.com, a blog where you can learn to get some mojo behind your own booth by learning from the successes and mistakes of others.

Tweeting at:
www.twitter.com/frugalbookpromo
www.twitter.com/frugalretailing
Squidooing at
http://www.squidoo.com/HowToDoItFrugallyforAuthors http://www.squidoo.com/carolynhoward - johnson