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When Your Publisher
Does Nothing
Or Not Enough, You, The Author
Must Be Its Savior!
Ta Da!!
The
New Edition
of
Carolyn's
Multi Award-Winning
The Frugal Book Promoter
Is Here!
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“The most
expensive parts of book promotion are the
mistakes.
This
book will save you time and money.”
~Dan Poynter, The
Self-Publishing Manual.
"I love this
book...it is the answer to an author's prayer.
Most authors are shocked and unprepared for the
marketing that goes into having a successful
book. Carolyn creates a resource that you'll go
to again and again for advice and instructions
on promoting. My advice is to get both the
physical and e-book editions. You'll want one to
be within arm's reach in your briefcase and the
other as a backup when you wear out the pages
from use. Seldom do I see a resource pack with
as much practical information as I see in The
Frugal Book Promoter II."
~Tony Eldridge, author and blogger at Marketing
Tips for Authors
Unsolicited Endorsement
I love how
you put in the section on writing for
anthologies. I recycled and got paid twice
for my story "Old is New Again" for
Chicken Soup for the Soul in
Menopause and a local magazine titled
Strut. New writers need to learn their
stories can be recycled. Good Work
girlfriend!
~ Sylvia McClain, Book
Reviewer, MyShelf.com and Atlantic
Publishing House and editor of Scribal
Calendar
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The Frugal
Book Promoter continues to garner great ratings on
Amazon
years after its release--an
unusual record in publishing.
The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher
Won't
A Sample of one of
it's lower Amazon ranks--
achieved with no artificial online launch or sales
gimmicks.
Amazon.com Sales Rank:
#13,719 in Books
 
Carolyn's Promotion Campaign for
The Frugal Editor
won
the New Generation Indie Book Award for Marketing and
The
Frugal Editor was a finalist in the How-to book category in
that same contest.
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Review
of
The Frugal Book Promoter
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New Book Helps Authors
Conquer the "Black Hole" of Promotion
THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER
WON'T
AS A PAPERBACK AT
WWW.BN.COM,
www.budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo
REVIEWED BY LEORA G.
KRYGIER
"Where does a new author turn for
help on promoting her book? Sure, there's the usual word of
mouth, advice from fellow writers, close-your-eyes-and
hope-for-the-best reliance on agents, publishers and
publicists. But if you really want to understand the
process, and make educated decisions with regard to what
most authors feel is the "black hole" of promotion, read
award-winning Carolyn Howard-Johnson's
The
Frugal Promoter.
Howard-Johnson's fertile brain
has delivered for us a book that manages to surprise in all
its specificity and breadth of information. She's translated
her hard-earned experiences, the ups and downs of promotion,
into a highly readable how-to, a master blueprint for
novices and veterans of the PR wars alike. Don't be fooled
by the word "frugal." It belies the generous spirit in which
this information is offered up to the reader. This is a
colleague who truly wants others to succeed. But it at
http://budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo.
~
Reviewed by
Leora Krygier,
author of When She Sleeps
(Toby Press).
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Excerpt
from
The Frugal Book Promoter
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Introduction
It is said that business and art don’t
mix. Actually they mix very well. The chances of success for
artists who are natural promoters (Think Warhol. Think
Dickens. Think Stephanie Meyers.) grow incrementally
compared to artists who prefer to remain cloistered.
The reasons that authors tend to fail
at promotion are two-fold. They think they must only show up
at bookstores with a good pen because that’s all that is
expected of Hilary Clinton or J.K. Rowling. They may be
frightened by the magnitude of what they suspect they must
do to give birth to this book of theirs—their baby—and so
they dig in their heels and go into a severe state of
denial.
This book addresses both groups. That
you, the author—experienced or just blooming—hold this
how-to book in your hands means that you know you
need to hone your marketing skills in order to put this
child of yours on the path to success. This book will,
indeed, help you plan a campaign suitable for the realities
of the publishing world.
THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER will lead you
up the publicity rungs of the publishing ladder. You’ll
learn what you might do before your book is published,
what you must do soon after it is published and
beyond. Consider everything offered, as if you were
testing desserts at a smorgasbord; then select what suits
your book, your personality and your pocketbook.
This book is designed so that authors
who already have experience with publicity can select
chapters that address aspects of their marketing plan that
are weak. If a reference is made to something covered in
more depth elsewhere, the reader is given a prompt.
Hint: Do not skip the
chapters on mailing lists even if you already have one. An
effective campaign is only as sound as this essential
database and the hints therein are the product of more than
three decades of publicity experience in the fashion,
retailing and publishing industries.
Most ideas are presented in
practical, easy steps; you’ll also find hints and
caveats in bold face for easy review.
When you finish this book you’ll know
what it took me three years to learn—with a publicity
background. Publicity for authors is a specialized
arena of public relations. I tripped and fell into many PR
potholes; negative experiences can be good teachers but
learning from a book like this is less painful.
THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER is not a text.
It contains many opinions—some as black and white as the
page you find them on. You may also notice omissions. I
avoided topics that have been covered ad infinitum and for
which I have nothing new to add but you will find some new
(or rarely used) ways to promote that have not been
scorched, stirred, and then warmed over. |
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Contents
for
The Frugal Book Promoter |
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Tip
Even The Frugal Book
Promoter popped for this banner and stand after watching
fair-goers go ga-ga over authors using them when we did a
test at the
LA Times/UCLA
Festival of Books.
E-mail me if you'd like details on them.
HoJoNews@aol.com
 Find at least one tip on writing, promotion, or
tech on every page of this Web site. |
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Here are links on this site where
you will learn more about Carolyn
Howard-Johnson's books, audios and more--written with the welfare of
authors in mind:
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Carolyn's Marketing Credentials |
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University Study |
Conference/Teaching
Expertise |
Marketing |
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University of Utah,
journalism
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Arizona State University, English literature
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University of Southern California (USC), BA in English Literature,
classes in marketing
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Glendale Community College, overseas study and basic computer
classes
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Cambridge University, Trinity College (UK), post graduate study
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Herzen University (St. Petersburg RU)
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Charles University (Prague, Czech Republic),
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Certificate in Education from UCLA's Instructor Development Program,
2006
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Owner of a chain of retail stores/ VP Marketing,
Advertising, Public Relations
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Publicist Eleanor Lambert Publicity, New York
(fashion)
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Journalist. Staff writer for everal newspapers
including Salt Lake Tribune. Columnist and Reviewer for papers like
Pasadena Star News, Glendale News-Press.
Recent media
releases.
Please see
"Published Works Almanac"
on this site for others. |
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Sharing with
Writers Newsletter
An
Extension of the HowToDoItFrugally Series of Books for
Writers
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Endorsement for Carolyn's newsletter:
"The
text-based Sharing with Writers e-newsletter
published by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of
the Frugal Book Promoter and other truly insightful
tomes, is probably the best electronic publication
that comes across my screen.
"Sharing with
Writers is always loaded with practical tips and
advice. It takes me only seconds to implement the ones that hold
promise for my books, and many of those I’ve tried have led to
definitive results like more traffic to my Web site, participation
in a new online venue or more exposure to libraries and the book
buying trade. The newsletter provides a by-product of camaraderie
with other authors and promoters in the community that reads Sharing
with Writers, sharing motivation among the members."
~Peggi
Ridgway, author, Successful Website Marketing
and
Wordpix Solutions,
Web Design & Hosting,
Brochures, Newsletters & Books
Sylvia
McClain, editor of Scribal Calendar, talks about
how reading books meant for other industries
can help writers on my
Sharing with Writers blog.
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Article
Measuring Marketing Success |
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Getting alerts is a miraculous
thing. I woke this morning to an alert from Social Oomph
that Thornton Publishing had named The Frugal Editor: Put
Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure
Success #1 book for authors who want to put out a
professional self-published book. Boy, was I all puffed up
and happy. What a gift! Find it at
http://ping.fm/bMnCb or
http://advancedbookmarketing.com/BookEditing.php.
But it is a gift I might not
have known about were I not using the alert functions of
services like SocialOoomph.com and Google Alerts. Measuring
Marketing Success--the results of techniques I espouse in
The Frugal Book Promoter as an example--is not easy.
Authors who are disappointed in the results of their
marketing are often the same ones who don’t use alerts to
let them know when their name or title is being mentioned on
the Web. So, if you aren't doing this, go to your Google
account and sign up for their Alerts. Then hustle on over to
SocialOomph.com and let them alert you when people are
tweeting about you! |
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A
Reader's Promotion Campaign
In
The Frugal Book Promoter I suggest writing one great
thank you letter a day as an part of a great promotion
campaign. Here is an example of a one from one of my readers. All the
elements for caring promotion (and, yes! etiquette!) are in
it!
Can't tell you how much I have learned from
your book. My only lament is that my publisher didn't give
it to me with the advance! My ARCS comes out next month
along with my galleys. I'm so far behind the power curve,
it almost funny. None-the-less, your book is God sent and
will make such a difference for me, thanks so much. I've
even talked my publisher into providing a copy of your book
with each new contract. They are small, so I doubt that you
be able to afford that new Lexus on
the difference, but what the heck.
My publisher has added me to the Author's page and Books
page of the Web site.
http://onstagepublishing.com/ . The Advance Reader Copy
(ARC) and Galleys will be ready in early March. We plan a
book release date of May. More details as they become
available.
Here's my Web site: (
www.skyway-to-asia.com ), or you can Google - Flying
Boats & Spies. I realize you must be very busy but any
comments you care to send my way, would be most appreciated.
(Hey, in your book, you're the one who said to ask ... ;^)
My first blubs are below, I'm learning, but slowly...
"Delightful! Flying Boats & Spies is a welcome return to a
glamorous age
of high-adventure and heroes and a tribute to the
grand-adventure series
of yesteryear. Rollicking and great fun, this well-told tale
of
international intrigue should appeal to every generation in
a family. I
look forward to future volumes in this series." - Ralph
Peters, author
of Wars Of Blood And Faith
"'Return with us now to those thrilling days of
yesteryear...'Flying
Boats and Spies pays stirring tribute to the classic
adventurers of the
impossibly romantic pre-World War II period, adding depth,
realism, and
charm in liberal measure." - Michael Dobson, co-author of
Fox on the
Rhine and MacArthur's War.
Thanks again and feel free to use anything I wrote - if
you'd like.
Respectfully,
Jamie F. Dodson,
www.skyway-to-asia.com
Find at least one tip on writing, promotion or
tech on every page of this Web site.
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Unsolicited Praise
for
The Frugal Book Promoter |
Your book
is simply the best business book for writers that I have
ever come across and I LOVE marketing books.
As a result
of reading the FIRST FEW CHAPTERS of The Frugal Book
Promoter, I created (with a very small team of
volunteers) a full-day writers' conference with great
speakers, an award for our fabulous keynote
speaker, book signing tables, a beautiful buffet
luncheon and a raffle to benefit Catholic Relief
Services' work in Haiti--all accomplished in only 3
months time--and we had about 150 people (professionals,
students and hobbyists in editing, publishing and
writing fields in both traditional and new media from
the NY/CT/NJ tri-state area, PA and as far away as
Boston) in attendance. Their feedback was a resounding
thumbs-up. I got many emails and FB messages from people
who couldn't come and wished they had, or found out
about it too late. I have since had name speakers
contact me requesting to be considered for future
events.
We were
covered by both print and television media before,
during and after the event and we got a nice list of
bloggers to promote us in exchange for a mention in our
program. We e-mailed and called every diocesan newspaper
in the tri-state area, called and e-mailed all 140
parishes on Long Island, used all our social media
outlets and e-mail lists to promote and get others to
spread the word. We put out media releases all over the
place. We printed all the pre-registered attendees'
professional bios and contact info in our program to
help them network, which they loved. Networking was a
big draw. The event was a tremendous success that
created a lasting buzz well beyond the borders of Long
Island. I sent out beautiful certificates I made very
inexpensively on my computer (with certificate paper
from Staples) to all our donors and sponsors. Now,
instead of just being a first-time author, I'm seen as
someone who makes things happen, does good in the
community, acknowledges the work of others, and provides
opportunities for others to learn and get connected
professionally. Where did all these ideas come from?
Your book and only your book.
My network
has exploded and my publisher is very happy. I have just
written a second booklet for them. As a result of my
first event, I am now the president of a new and
exciting organization--Catholic Writers of Long
Island--that continues to draw new members and has over
170 people on it's e-mail distribution. I have a much
greater platform both locally and
nationally/internationally in my niche market because of
my wonderful new friends, one of whom--after the
conference, where we first met--hired me to write a
weekly column at a major religion website (Patheos.com --Catholic
portal). My presence online and in the Catholic writing
community at large is expanding all the time and I'm
getting more radio and TV interviews and public speaking
engagements as a result.
Yes, I'm a
VERY satisfied customer and I can't WAIT to read this
latest work of yours, Carolyn!!! You're the BEST!!!
Affectionately your grateful fan,
Lisa
Mladinich
Author, "Be
An Amazing Catechist: Inspire the Faith of Children"
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Subscribe to
Carolyn Howard-Johnson's Sharing with Writers Newsletter
and get a FREE copy of
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Carolyn's Calendar |
Please click
on my Google Calendar button to learn more about my
upcoming UCLA Extension Writers' Program classes, my
writers' conference and book fair appearances, and
more.
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Carolyn's Tips |
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You will find at least one promotion, writing
or tech tip on every page on this site. Happy browsing and collecting! |
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Endorsements |
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"Howard-Johnson has the comforting tone of a mentor and writes with the
precision of a surgeon."
~
Francine
Silverman, editor Book Promotion Newsletter
"When I
finished my first novel, Edges, O Israel, O Palestine, I was in
tears. Not my usual tears about letting go of my creation, but tears
because the world of publishing, promotion, publicity was a hostile
enemy camp, I was lost in anxiety bordering on paranoia bordering on
terror. How in the world does a novice author navigate this
guerilla warfare without a bankroll? There were so many promises
made by publicist charging over $5,000 a month.
~From
The Jewish Press,
Letters to the Editor
"Carolyn, as your
excellent review has noted, DOES make you feel as if you've earned
an PhD in publicity. she gives your confidence and arms you well,
like a good pacifist. Her non-violent approach is about frugal,
common sense practical ways of making your book visible and read.
"As you also say in this review.. "In this era of cash-crunched PR
budgets and time consumed publishing house staff members, The
Frugal Book Promoter is an important item for empowering any
author’s publicity planning. "
"Thanks for letting others know about our dear Carolyn Howard-Johnson
(uh..yes, that is her real name)."
~
Leora
Skolkin-Smith
"...you can't go
wrong in faithfully following Carolyn Howard-Johnson's advice in her
INVALUABLE eighteen page book proposal [The Great First
Impression Book Proposal from Amazon Shorts.]"
~ Frances
Lynn,
author of Crushed
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Carolyn's Recommendations |
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Award-Winning Podcast |
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Tip for
Learning with Podcasts
Carolyn's podcasts are
all n
Authors' Access
Top Ten LIsts, 2007, 08, 09.
Visit with the
creative force behind the HowToDoItFrugally Series of Books for writers.
Carolyn shared her best tips and strategies for low-cost/zero-cost
marketing campaigns and also talked about what NOT to do to market your
books. She also talks about the value of editing and how it directly
controls how your proposals, books, and marketing are perceived in the
marketplace.
Listen to the interview on Authors Access
(visit link and click on the PODCAST button). Tune in each week as Irene
and Victor interview industry luminaries on marketing, writing, editing,
and publishing by
subscribing to the
RSS feed.
Podcast Endorsement
"... I have no doubt
this episode [of AuthorSuccess.com podcasts] will go on to be
forever in our Top 10 list. Congratulations on a great show!
~Victor
R. Volkman, cohost of
AuthorsAccess.com
Find at least one tip on writing, promotion or
tech on every page.
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Time
to Kindle |
Carolyn's How-To and Poetry
Books Are Available on Kindle.
Click here to buy the big, powerful one that I love:
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Carolyn's Blogs |
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Sharing with Writers
All things publishing with
an emphasis on book
promotion. Named to
Writer's Digest
101 Best Website list.
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The New Book Review
Great way for readers, authors, reviewers and publicists to get more
mileage out of
a great review.
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The Frugal Editor Blog
This is the Frugal, Smart
and Tuned-In Editor blog.
Covers editing, grammar, formatting and more.
Get the answers you need.
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Carolyn's Shopping Plaza |
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Please visit Carolyn's
Shopping Plaza
for autographed copies and occasional special offers.
Order two or more books and get Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips for Writers free!
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Carolyn's Awards |
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Awards for Carolyn's Books, Blogs and More
The New Book Review
Named to
Online Universities'
101 Book Blogs
You Need to Read
Writer's Digest 101 Best Websites
for Sharing with Writers blog.
Best Book Award for The Frugal Book Promoter (2004) and The Frugal Editor (2008).
Reader Views Literary Award for The Frugal Editor
New Generation Award for Marketing and Finalist for The Frugal Editor
Book Publicists of Southern California's Irwin Award
Military Writers Award of Excellence for
Tracings, A Chapbook of Poetry.
A Retailer's Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotion wins author Military
Writers Society of America's Author of the Month award for March, 2010
Gold Medal
Award from Military Writers Society of America, 2010.
MWSA also gave a nod to
She
Wore Emerald Then,
a chapbook of poetry honoring mothers.
The Frugal
Editor
Named #! on Top Ten
Editing Books list.
And more than a dozen other awards for Carolyn's novel, short story collection and poetry.
See the awards page on this site.
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Proud
Member of. . . |
www.wrwa.net
ABWA is a group of highly
skilled networkering women in business.
Military Writers' Society of America
Honorary member of
Publishers and
Writers of San Diego.
Book Publicists of
Southern California
(BPSC) Pix: Proud Irwin Award Winners
Carolyn and Janet
Goliger, l. to r.
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Site
Sponsor |
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Shop
our budget minded menu of promotional services.
Don't be bullied into buying bundles that cost you
thousands and include services you don't need.
At
Promotion a la Carte lets YOU choose from our
publicity buffet WHAT you need, WHEN you need it.
www.PromotionalaCarte.com |
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