HowToDoItFrugally Authors Helps Writers Extend the Life of Great Book Reviews

HowToDoItFrugally Author Helps Writers Extend Life of Great Book Reviews

Sometimes a book review so good comes along that authors are loathe to let it die. They might include it in their media kit or add it to their websites. But then they run out of ideas for it. 

But wait! Its life can be extended with new Nonfiction Authors Association’s member Carolyn Howard-Johnson's blog.

The New Book Review (www.TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com) is a review blog that doesn't judge a book by its cover or by the press used to print it at no charge. If one reviewer loved a book, that qualifies it for more coverage. If a book is so new the author may submit a synopsis. Authors, publicists, and reviewers are asked to follow the guidelines given in the left column of the blog and, in return, are asked only to let their fans and the media know it is there through their networking channels. That helps expose every review on the blog (a cross-promotion of sorts) and gives authors an opportunity to reach the reading public.

Many authors who submit include author bios and information on their reviewers. In turn, authors use information in each review as a resource—the names of reviewers, review sites, publicists and more. A search engine helps visitors to find past reviews using keywords.

The blogger, Carolyn Howard-Johnson brings her experience as a publicist, journalist, marketer, and retailer to the advice she gives in her HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers and the many classes she taught for nearly a decade as instructor for UCLA Extension’s world-renown Writers’ Program. She is dedicated to helping other writers with free services like The New Book Review as well as the the books in her HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers which have won multiple awards. That series includes both the first and second editions of The Frugal Book Promoterand The Frugal Editor which have won awards from USA Book News, Readers’ Views Literary Award, the marketing award from Next 

Generation Indie Books and the coveted Irwin award. How To Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethicallyis the newest book in her HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers.

Howard-Johnson was an instructor for UCLA’s renowned Writer’s Program and is the recipient of the California Legislature’s Woman of the Year in Arts and Entertainment Award, and her community’s Character and Ethics award for her work promoting tolerance with her writing. She was also named to Pasadena Weekly’s list of “Fourteen San Gabriel Valley women who make life happen” and was given her community’s Diamond Award for Achievement in the Arts. 

                  

More information on the blogger and writer is available at www.howtodoitfrugally.com. She also blogs at www.sharingwithwriters.blogspot.comand writes the Back to Literature column for www.MyShelf.com. 

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Support material including logo and pictures available on request

New Scholarship for Writers News and Honoring Phyllis GeBauer

Before I tell you about this new scholarship, let me tell you a little story about Phyllis Gebauer. When I went back to writing creatively, she was one of my first teachers in the art of writing a novel at UCLA. She was an amazing woman, fluent in English and Spanish, a member of Phi Beta Kappa and author in her in her own right.

As an instructor, she always went a step (or more!) beyond what the syllabus promised. The first class I took from her was a long weekend course and she went to the trouble afterward of suggesting that four of those in her class form a critique group because we wrote “in similar genres and had compatible goals.” Several years later when she was writing her memoir, she contacted us and asked if she could join our critique group.  It was as if the tables had been turned and now we were helping her. Honestly, it was a bit intimidating but she assured us that by now we were as professional as she and knew as much about writing as she. Yes, we were a bit puffed up about it. 

She was with our group for several years and in the midst of a new cozy mystery when she died of lung cancer. It was a professional loss to us and to UCLA (University of California at Los Angeles) and I miss her terribly.

Now I learn there is a new scholarship offered in her name. She was always interested in helping those who didn’t have the means to jump start their writing careers with the kind of vetted education required to speed along their progress. And now this! 

I hope you will apply for this scholarship if you qualify. If not, I hope you will spread the word about it on your social networks, your blogs, your critique groups and libraries—anyone who is in a position to spread the word to writers. Please feel free to copy and paste this article into your blog or Facebook page without permission.

Learn more about it at http://writers.uclaextension.edu/scholarship/?utm_source=unex&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=17995w1_SU16_Phyllis_Gebauer_Scholarship

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 Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of This Is the Place; Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered; Tracings, a chapbook of poetry; and how to books for writers including the award-winning second edition of, The Frugal Book Promoter: How to get nearly free publicity on your own or by partnering with your publisher; The multi award-winning second edition of The Frugal Editor; and Great Little Last Minute Editing Tips for Writers . The Great First Impression Book Proposal is her newest booklet for writers. She has three FRUGAL books for retailers including 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. Some of her other blogs are TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog where authors can recycle their favorite reviews. She also blogs at all things editing, grammar, formatting and more at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor .

UCLA Offers Writers Scholarship

Occasionally I reprint something that has been in my SharingwithWriters newsletter or that will soon appear there. I do it so that those who follow this blog won't miss out on some of what is there. Yep!  I also do it to encourage you to subscribe to the newsletter because it is long and packed full of little tidbits that don't appear here, too.  It's easy. I'll do it for you. Just send me an e-mail with SUBSCRIBE in the subject line to HoJoNews (at) AOL (dot) com. 

So, here is the info from the Opportunities section of that newsletter I want you to have--something I know many of you will want to try out for:

UCLA Offers Writing Credential Scholarship  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As many of you know, I took many classes at UCLA to learn the fine art of fiction after a life time's grounding in journalism and marketing. I have taught seminars there for nearly a decade. I believe in what they do. Now they offer a Writers’ Program Scholarship to those who “might not otherwise have an opportunity to develop his or her creative writing or screenwriting skills in a supportive classroom setting. Courses may be taken either onsite or online.” Applications are available at www.uclaextension.edu/writers or call 310 825-7483. The deadline is June 29, 2012.

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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of This Is the Place; Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered; Tracings, a chapbook of poetry; and how to books for writers including the award-winning second edition of, The Frugal Book Promoter: How to get nearly free publicity on your own or by partnering with your publisher; The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success; and Great Little Last Minute Editing Tips for Writers . The Great First Impression Book Proposal is her newest booklet for writers. She has three FRUGAL books for retailers including 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. Some of her other blogs are TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog where authors can recycle their favorite reviews. She also blogs at all things editing, grammar, formatting and more at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor . If your followers at Twitter would benefit from this blog post, please use the little Green widget to let them know about this blog:

Cyberhouse: UCLA Writers' Program Free Online Open House

My two favorite schools are cross-town rivals. I was graduated from USC and so was my son. Though not a sports fan, I love that school. I am an instructor for UCLA's Extension Writers' Program and my daughter is studhing for her Ph.D. there. I don't find that the least bit of a conflict. They are both wonderful institutions. I am able to fly both flage, put stickers in my car windows for both schools and not feel like a traitor to either. It's about education. Great educations.

Though I teach only on-campus classes, I am especially enthused about the freebie Cyberhouse UCLA sponsors. That's because so many of my readers can't come to me for classes. This blog is--obviously--a great place to let them know about this opportunity to learn online from Writers' Program instructors because these classes are available to writers no matter where they live. Those who attend receive a 10% reduction in the cost of a course they choose (no pressure, though!) and they get the benefit of rubbing virtual elbows with topflight instructors for the day whether they take a class or not.

Here's what the department planners say:

"Cyberhouse is held June 1 -4, this free event features more than 35 summer instructors engaged in spirited discussions about their courses. We also provide live chats, direct links to instructors' biographies and statements, and a Cyberhouse writing contest for screenwriters, fiction writers and nonfiction writers. A 10% discount will be available for students who enroll in a selected Writers' Program online course during this four-day event.

"The Cyberhouse is free, but you must be register to participate. Call (310) 825-9971 and ask for V5504. We'll see you in Cyberspace!

This is what writers say about it:

"Thank you, this was an extraordinary event. I was able to have a dialogue with several of the instructor-participants and got answers to all of my questions. One thing that often eludes us is determining which class to take from among so many wonderful choices. I was able to get the answers I needed and enroll in the best class for me based upon my goals and experiences...thanks! I intend to try and implement this program at my college." ~ Charles "Buck" Stapleton, Professor-chair, Behavioral Social Sciences division, West Los Angeles College

If you should live in Southern California or find it an exciting (and doable) idea to combine my one-day seminar on marketing books the frugal way (online and off) on August 7, please consider enrolling at http://www.uclaextension.edu. Those of you who don't, might want to combine a work and play. UCLA's campus is not so far from the Will Rogers State Beach and Disneyland! And the campus is just gorgeous.

The Writers’ Program hosts or attends several events throughout the year that are free and open to the public. For specific information about each of these events, please click on the links to the right at this Web site page: http://www2.uclaextension.edu/writers/events.php

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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of This Is the Place; Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered; Tracings, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books for writers, The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success. Her FRUGAL book for retailers is 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. She is also the author of the Amazon Short, "The Great First Impression Book Proposal". Some of her other blogs are TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog where authors can recycle their favorite reviews. She also blogs at all things editing, grammar, formatting and more at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor . If your followers at Twitter would benefit from this blog post, please use the little Green widget to let them know about it:

Inspiration for Career Building in a Video

Dear Sharing with Writers Subscribers and Visitors:

I am including this video because it is inspirational and because I believe in UCLA's Extension program, particularly its Writers' Program where I learned to polish my fiction skills after a career as a journalist. (Many of us writers don't realize that each new genre we try requires a whole new skill set.)

I have been teaching at UCLA Extension for several years now. It's a way to pass on the joy that writing has brought to me. If you are interested in my next one-day seminar on August 7th, please let me know at HoJoNews@aol.com. Or just go to UCLA Extension and sign up for the class.

Here is a video that came to me by e-mail. I love the little anecdotes about how furthering our educations can make such a difference in our lives:




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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of This Is the Place; Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered; Tracings, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books for writers, The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success. Her FRUGAL book for retailers is 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. She is also the author of the Amazon Short, "The Great First Impression Book Proposal". Some of her other blogs are TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog where authors can recycle their favorite reviews. She also blogs at all things editing, grammar, formatting and more at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor . If your followers at Twitter would benefit from this blog post, please use the little Green widget to let them know about it:

The Frugal Way to Navigate the Publishing World

Today I received a message through my AuthorsDen.com message center. It was from an author who had made one mistake (choosing a digital publisher before she understood the ramifications of that), and was about to jump from the pot of boiling water onto a sizzling stove top.

The publishing world is just not an easy one to navigate any more. Gone are the days of two paths. The agent to big New York publisher path (though they obviously aren’t all in New York) or what used to be called the “vanity” approach which is so derogatory it is no wonder the model didn’t catch on until the dawn of digital (POD) publishing. There are so many more choices today and none of those even clear cut. Some publishers mix different policies and methods. Some offer several under one roof. Attitudes and acceptance have changed in some quarters and not in others.

Obviously, there is lots to learn. And that brings me to how writers of every ilk can learn what they need to know frugally. The thriftiest way I know is to subscribe to (and read!) respected online newsletters. They are a bit out of favor these days with all the possibilities floating about the Web, but they offer regular resources and wisdom in small, easily absorbed doses. My favorite freebies are:

~Penney C. Sansevieri’s Book Marketing Expert newsletter. To subscribe send an e-mail with SUBSCRIBE in the subject line to subscribe@amarketingexpert.com.
~My Sharing with Writers newsletter (of course!). To subscribe send an e-mail to HoJoNews@aol.com with SUBSCRIBE in the subject line.
~And for resources, C. Hope Clark’s Funds for Writers. To subscribe go to http://www.hopeclark.blogspot.com/

Another way to do it is to go to trusted Web sites’ resources pages. My favorites are:

~John Kremer’s website, www.bookmarket.com.
~The Resources for Writers pages at my site www.howtodoitfrugally.com. Click on the Resources for Writers link at the top of the page. Explore all the pages from media release disseminators to graduate programs at US colleges and universities.
~Dan Poynter’s Web site, http://www.parapublishing.com/sites/para/

Then there are books. Though they are not as frugal as some of the freebies on the Web they are pretty failsafe if you pay attention to the reviews you’ll find easily on each book’s individual sales page on Amazon. Paying from $10 to $20 for a book that targets your immediate publishing and/or writing concern is downright cheap compared to the expensive mistakes you may make if you don’t know your stuff. The trouble is, those new to the publishing industry don’t know what they don’t know. I have dozens of recommendations listed in my Resources for Writers pages on my Web site (http://www.carolynhowardjohnson.redenginepress.com/inspiration_and_references_for_writers.htm) but here are a couple of essentials.

~If you plan to self-publish, read Aaron Shephard’s Aiming at Amazon.~Before you publish anything read Marilyn Ross’s The Complete Guide to Self Publishing. Yes, even if you don’t plan to self publish, you’ll find invaluable information here.
~Read Karen L. Reddick’s Grammar Done Right and my The Frugal Editor. They will both save you much humiliation later and The Frugal Editor will help you get a publisher with the chapter on writing a provocative query letter that doesn’t tick an agent or editor off.
~For a quick brush-up on basic publishing choices try Cheryl Pickett’s Publishing Possibilities.

And then there are podcasts. You’ll find some of the ones I’ve done or am about to do listed in my newsletters. Again, choose to listen to programs or featured guests you trust. Not everyone who has published a book is an expert. Not yet, anyway. It does take a little time because there is just so much to know.

And my last, though much more expensive is to take classes, go to writers’ conferences. My favorite conference is one I cosponsor, the Muse Online Writers’ Conference that occurs each October. It’s absolutely free and Lea Schizas, the power behind the scenes, does vet her presenters. Of course, I also love the conferences that I speak at or have spoken at. Find the upcoming ones in my appearances list in my newsletter or on my calendar at my Website or blogs. Or just ask me for recommendations.

Having said that, there are many classes, both free and otherwise, on the Web and in communities that are not well vetted. It is hard to tell what you are getting when it comes to classes because beginners may give a class rave reviews but they may not be aware that they’ve received biased, incomplete, or downright wrong information.

So the best advice I can give--advice that pretty much assures writers they are getting what they need--is to choose classes from accredited universities with writers programs. There are many instructors who teach for universities but also teach online. Because we’re talking newby writers here, they may not be equipped to fully weigh an instructor’s qualifications.

University classes may appear to be expensive but this is one place where quality counts more and a small fee wasted weighed against a larger fee for a quality class is really the thriftier choice. My favorite, of course, is UCLA Extension’s Writers Program--both online and on campus. And I am happy to let you know what I know about any given instructor. Just call on me. My next class will be:

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


So there it is. The Frugal way to get information you need. New writer or one who has been kicking around for a while.

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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of This Is the Place; Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered; Tracings, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books for writers, The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success. Her FRUGAL book for retailers is 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. She is also the author of the Amazon Short, "The Great First Impression Book Proposal". Some of her other blogs are TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog where authors can recycle their favorite reviews. She also blogs at all things editing, grammar, formatting and more at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor blog.

Sound Authors Let's Authors Sound Off

The release below is from a radio show I will be appearing on Friday. Followers of this blog will want to know about it to query for spots of their own but also because they frequently feature authors with ideas and information about the publishing industry and that fits in with my mantra, we need to learn everything we can about the business we're in! (-: I'll be appearing this Friday.


OPENPRESS) March 19, 2008 -- Each Friday at 1PM Eastern Standard Time, Sound Authors radio show features live interviews and readings from all varieties of authors, known and not-yet-known; all soon-to-be bestselling authors from all walks of life, from Hollywood actors to marathoners, to PhD therapists or life coaches. On this talk radio show, it is the story that counts. Authors sound off on every possible topic, from cuisine to culture, and from nature to nurture.

The show also podcasts each interview separately, and all archived podcasts can be searched from the Sound Authors website at www.soundauthors.com.

The first author guest this week will be writer Saul Silas Fathi, author of Full Circle: Escape from Baghdad and the Return. The book chronicles a prominent Iraqi Jewish family's escape from persecution through the journey of one family member: A 10-years old boy who witnesses public hangings and the 1941 Krystalnacht (Farhood) in Baghdad.

The second guest featured on the show will be author and video producer Jessica Kizorek, she has written a timely book that simplifies the process of producing and distributing video on the Internet titled Show Me: Marketing with Video on the Internet. It explores the nature of the online video channel, and guides readers through practical avenues of utilizing a medium that has become a driving force in the marketing world.

The musical guest for the show this week will be legendary jazz vocalist Jimmy Scott. His career has spanned nearly sixty years, and in that time he has performed with such artists as Charlie Parker, Ray Charles, as well as a host of musicians from other genres of music, such as David Byrne, Lou Reed and Michael Stipe.

Tune in next week, March 28th, to the live show or podcast to hear Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of The Frugal Book Promoter. She will share her professional experience as well as practical tips from the successes of her own book campaigns. She is an award-winning author of both fiction and nonfiction and former publicist for a New York PR firm and a marketing instructor for UCLA's Writers' Program.

Sound Authors radio show each week is replete with authors from around the country and around the world, each telling their tales, from self-help to fiction, children’s books to thrillers, how-to books to corporate guidebooks. Original music is also featured, along with up-and-coming bands and singer-songwriters. Listen for musician interviews and fresh music each week! No need to run out to your nearest bookstore to find the next great book or CD. Tune in to Sound Authors every Friday at 1PM EST on World Talk Radio. Or check out any of the interviews on the web – they are all podcasted within a day or two of the interview. Sound Authors - where authors sound off.

Sound Authors Host Dr. Kent Gustavson’s background is in music, but his career has been in publishing. He is the owner of an independent book publisher, and a publishing consultant around the world. His many CDs and his book are available from his website online, or through the Sound Authors website.

Sound Authors
World Talk Radio Network
Voice America Network
Modavox

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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author THIS IS THE PLACE; HARKENING: A COLLECTION OF STORIES REMEMBERED; TRACINGS, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T; and THE FRUGAL EDITOR: PUT YOUR BEST BOOK FORWARD TO AVOID HUMILIATION AND ENSURE SUCCESS.
Her other blogs include TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com and AuthorsCoalition.blogspot.com, a blog that helps writers and publishers turn a ho-hum book fair booth into a sizzler.