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Carolyn Howard-Johnson's Amazing
Writer Services
Collection
Here is lots
of information writers need
for
getting published, publishing on their own,
polishing their presentations
and promotion.
(Note
important self publishing tip in right column!)
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Unsolicited endorsement from a client:
"YOU are still the best deal in town!"
~ Jendi Reiter, award-winning poet and
novelist |
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Editing |
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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of
The Frugal Editor, edits
poetry and fiction only. Learn more on
this site.
Roto-Writer to the Rescue!
Need help rooting out those pesky problems clogging your
writing? Do you find yourself blocked by conflicting
feedback? Receive a friendly and concise critique and become
flush with saleable works! Visit
http://www.jennifer-turner.com
for details and to take advantage of Jenny's great prices.
Cindy
Sherwood - Professional and affordable copyediting and
proofreading services available for all types of writing
projects. Please visit Cindy's Web site at
www.secondsetofeyes.com for
more information.
For nonfiction
consider Robin Quinn at
http://writingandediting.biz/ or Barbara McNichol
at
http://www.barbaramcnichol.com.
Note: If you insist--against all advice--to go the
editing-alone route,
please consider a frugal investment in
the second edition of the multi award-winning
The Frugal Editor.
If you are partnering with an editor assigned by your publisher
or one you hire,
you'll still want to know as much as you can about the
process. |
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Publishers and Publishing Help
for
You to Explore |
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4RV Publishing LLS:
Their
motto is "One on One with Authors and Artists." Find them at
http://4rvpublishingllc.com .
J. D. Vine PUblications,
www.jdvine.com
Star
Publish
features several levels of participation and some unique
promotion support features.
Publisher
is TC McMullen.
Trafford offers excellent
materials to help you decide if they are the ones to publish
your book. They do quality work.
Gorham Printing
has a free e-book with some neat guidelines on publishing on
their home page. Check it (and their services) out.
Create a Kids’ Book
with a special emphasis on picture books. Also manuscript
assessments – writing-e-courses with feedback – mentoring –
workshops – free monthly bulletin. Dr Virginia Lowe and her
team will help you submit your text and/or illustrations,
brilliantly polished, to publishers. Almost forty children’s
books have been published using our services – board books
to YA novels. You can see the books and read their creators’
experiences on our Successes page at
www.createakidsbook.com.au.
Carolyn can
coach you through the self-publishing process on CreateSpace,
a model she has used for all many of her poetry chapbooks and
all of her how-to books.
E-mail her at for a quote.
Consult with her on the best way for you to publish for
your pocketbook, your title, and your personality.
Apoyo Corp is an offshore
outsourcing company that provides efficient e-book
conversion and formatting services at an affordable cost.
One of my Web site visitors says, I'm helping my
daughter write a book and I've spent a lot of time recently
gathering ino on making a Web site/blog where she can
showcase it once it's done which is how I found the
HowToDoItFrugally site. Other than the actual writing of the
book, the hardest parts were choosing what Web site builder
to use and getting a good cover design. We want to share
with your visiots a couple resources that were helpful to
us:
The Best Website Builders" ( websitesetup.org)
Great
Website Builders for
anyone including those with visual impairments.
Karla at WebsiteSetup.org says, "There are many
visually impaired individuals who want to start a
website and face the challenge of determining which
website builder to choose. Having access to a
review/comparison page is invaluable.
If
you are interested in self publishing,
explore the list of
digital printers on this
site.
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Publishing
Tip
There is no right or wrong way to publish, only
a right or wrong way for you or your title. An
hour's consultation with an experienced author
(one who has published several books using
several methods) is truly the frugal way to go.
It can save you up to thousand of dollars in the
long run.
Find at least one tip on writing, promotion, or
tech on every page of this Web site.
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Agents |
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Because agents and agents' needs vary so widely, to list them
individually seems futile. It is very important that each
name be researched for a match to your title.
Publishers Marketplace is good place to start.
You will find a list of the agents who cared enough to help me help
authors by contributing to my book The Frugal Editor
in that book. Purchase it at
Amazon. It includes their suggestions for making your
query letters truly professional and there is more on each
of them in the appendix of The Frugal Editor.
My agent for my cross-genre humor, recipe book, book of true
love, and memoir is Terrie Wolfe at AKA Literary. Find her
at
http://akalm.net. Tell her you found her on my
site.
See an
article on one of
the rarely addressed aspects of getting an agent. It's
direct from my Sharing with Writers newsletter, a Q&A a la
Ann Landers feature. |
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Publicists |
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Book Publicists
- Spreadsheets of publicists, with contacts, from Carolyn
and friends.
I don't
generally recommend publicists because each title and author
personality both requires and expects a different skill set
and rolodex but here are a very few I have had personal
experience with and feel comfortable suggesting you look at:
Jackie Lapin specializes in the
Conscious Media
those with books related to new age, psychology,
metaphysical, self-help, wellness, and personal development should look her
up.
jackie@consciousmediarelations.com.
(818) 707-1473. She also offers offers lists that may
save you time if you prefer to purchase them rather than
build your own and you can purchase bit and pieces for
your marketing campaign to make your project affordable.
Penny Sansevieri offers a la
carte segments. I like that approach because it makes it
easier for new authors to partner with her.
Marlan Warren has experience in publicity
for theater, stage and related topics. She also does PR
for authors and has snagged NPR gigs for them in the
past.
http://bookpublicitybymarlan.blogspot.com
Irwin Zucker, founder of Book Publicists
of Southern California, has contacts and expertise
publicizing celebrities and book about celebrities.
irwinzuckerpr@aol.com
Stephanie Barko
is a literary
publicist. She will shepherd your book and promote it,
too. She specializes in nonfiction and historical
fiction.
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Printing Resources |
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Digital Printers
- Ready to tackle true self-publishing? Find your printing
resources here. |
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Reviewers and Review Journals |
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Reviewers
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See a full list of major review journals and review-friendly
sites, plus tips for your query process. Also see
this page.
Find an article on
how to go about getting reviews with the review query
process. |
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General Writers' Services |
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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, marketing and promotion
consulting/coaching. "Careers that aren't fed die as readily
as any living organism given no sustenance."
Check my consulting page
or
send e-mail.
David Leonhardt offers a variety of services for writers
including ghost writing and editing. He "gives your business
more than just a presence."
http://www.seo-writer.net/resources/writing.html
Jill
Ronsley of
Sun Editing and Book Design offers editing, interior
book design, typesetting and cover design services to
publishers and authors for works of nonfiction, fiction and
children's writing. Also, promotional materials for authors
and their books.
Cynthia Brian, media coach, writer, author, speaker,
TV/radio personality, spokesperson.
Book Display Stands for use in holding books upright on
retail counters, at book signings, exhibits, and festivals.
http://www.footprintpress.com
Write On! Creative Writing Services
by
Yvonne Perry. A variety of services and time-savers.
I use Vista Print for lots of my promotional materials. Use this
link. Be aware that shipping prices may fluctuate,
depending on the deal of the moment. Even at that, the
prices generally are good, the products they offer excellent
quality and they do short runs. (I don't advise long runs on
promotion material because your needs can change very
quickly.)
Mindy Hoffbauer is the owner of Write Angle Consulting, Inc. (www.writeangle.biz),
a small technical communications firm specializing in
technical and professional writing, online help systems,
research, web content development, and professional
communications training.
Kim Pearson is an author, ghostwriter, and the owner of Primary
Sources, dedicated to helping others become authors of
polished, professional, and compelling books and articles.
She has ghostwritten more than 30 non-fiction books and
memoirs, which tell the stories of a wide variety of people
and cover a broad range of topics, from saxophones to
finance, city histories to hypnotherapy, psychic horses to
constipation, and many points in between.
www.primary-sources.com.
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Event Planning |
Denise Cassino is a publicist and joint venture specialist. She
specializes in raising your book to the top of the Amazon
rating list.
www.mybestsellerlaunch.com
303 838 3399
Nikki Leigh owns
Book Promo 201.
One of her services is planning blog tours.
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Event Tip
Those planning
events need book stands or easels. I recommend
DisplayStands4You. By the way, there is a coupon for a
discount in the backmatter of the second edition of the
multi award-winning
The
Frugal Book Promoter.
Find at least one tip on writing, promotion, or
tech on every page of this Web site.
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Reading Group Guide Template |
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Carolyn's novel This is the Place has
a
reading
group guide
in
the backmatter. Guides like this help teachers and reading
groups study literature. By extension, they help authors and
publisher sell book. Here is that guide to help you write
the perfect one for your book. The novel is out of print but
is available using
Amazon's new and used feature. |
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Legal |
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Leora Krygier, author of When She Sleeps, and a lawyer in her own right
says that
California Lawyers for the Arts offers very
inexpensive legal help to writers , often for under $50.
They also offer free workshops. If anyone from other states
knows of a similar service, let me know and I will post it
on this page.
E-mail |
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Free Content |
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Content -
Let Carolyn provide free content for your guest posts,
articles to help agents and publishers educate their
clients, or material for radio and podcasts. |
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Illustrators,
Graphics Designers and Book Cover Designers |
Need a cartoonist to illustrate your book or perk up your
promotion materials?
Jim Whiting
to the rescue!
Lon Levin, Levinland Studio. See his work at
www.picture-book.com. His work
would be especially suitable for children's literature,
humor books and light nonfiction..
C
H
A
Z
chaz desimone specializes in logos, books, type, and
lettering.
"appreciate good design...especially god's design"
310-902-3913, Highly recommended. See my book cover for
Your Blog, Your Business for a sample of what he can do.
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Newsletters
Help You Write, Tech or Promote Better |
Sharing with Writers is a community where writers
brag a bit, share tips with one another, learn about
opportunities for writers, and where Carolyn shares writing and
promotion tips. Find back
issues.
Subscribe by sending an e-mail with SUBSCRIBE in the
subject line.
Keep your finger on the pulse of the lucrative commercial
freelancing business with the free
Wellfed Writer edited by Peter Bowerman.
Sassy-Brit writes a sassy letter and offers lots of
opportunities for promotion to her subscribers.
Freelance Writing's Newsletter
Read author interviews, market information, and more in
Writer Advice. Subscribe or to submit material for
consideration.
Stimulate your prose and make your writing dreams come true. Join
The Writer Within Newsletter
group for
informative articles, insider tips, lucrative links and
a caring community of dedicated writers. FREE sign up at
http://shaunna67.tripod.com This is a paying market!
Children's writer Donna McDine offers "Write What Inspires
You" newsletter. Opt-in at :
http://www.donnamcdine.com |
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Sites and Blogs
Serve, Educate, and Publish |
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Authors Den a Very Frugal Service for Writers
Extra Benefits Available
Note: This is an especially valuable site for writers who are
publishing the first time.
The article comes from my
Sharing with Writers blog.
I have been a member of Authors Den (AD) for
maybe fifteen years. At first I just loved their free
(very frugal!) way for a new author to have a Web site. Then
I started using their Gold membership to publish my
newsletter.
I'm
not much of a date keeper but that newsletter (It goes by
the same name as my award-winning
SharingwithWriters blog--branding you know!) has been
around for some years now! And I've even partnered with Authors Den at the LA
Times/UCLA Writers' Faire. Cross promotion always has its
advantages, but it is an especially good marketing tool when
one partners with those who already have lots of contacts
and a great reputation.
The point of all this is that AD has some news. And I sure
love spreading good news--especially when it comes
from people I feel great about recommending. My AD
friend Matt Miller writes:
"The AuthorsDen Services Marketplace is Open for Business!
"AuthorsDen.com, an online literary community established in
2000, has seen the toll researching the diverse components
of the book industry has taken on writers. As a result, we
recently launched the AuthorsDen Community MarketPlace...
"The MarketPlace brings together authors and author service
providers to create a more artful product. It looks as if it
will save us authors some promotion time. Find it
http://marketplace.authorsden.com ."
I can hardly wait to try all its features. Check it
out for yourself. And while you're poking around, look at
the different membership levels. At a bare minimum sigh up
for the free level. Even if you have a Web site of your own,
all those outside links coming back to your Web site make
for very good Web site opitmizaton (SEO). And it is great
backup when your server gives you fits.Think of the
networking
opportunities among your fellow AD authors!
More Web sites and blogs for you to explore:
Scott Chow's site offers a complete review of the major
website builders including video guides to the most popular.
He also provides free email support to his readers.
Check
https://www.theblogstarter.com/website-builders and also
his resource page,
https://www.theblogstarter.com/resources/.
Writers Advice is for expert and up-to-date advice for
writers from writers go to
www.writeradvice.com
You'll find author interviews, reviews, contests and markets
and more. The site, edited by B. Lynn Goodwin is open to
submissions.
Writer to Writer features tips on writing, marketing,
submitting, selling and more. Regular no-fee contests.
Kim Wilson edits
Write From Home for the benefit of those making a career
from any corner in their house.
Learn more about
Carolyn Howard-Johnson's blogs,
including one that lets
authors extend the life of their favorite reviews at no
cost. The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor (www.thefrugaleditor.blogspot.com)
is an interactive blog on all things related to publishing
like editing and formatting.
SubtleTea
is an online art journal focusing on--not exclusively--the
written word, including artist interviews, fiction, poetry,
essays, book/CD/film reviews, visual art, links, and
resources. Founded by editor David Herrle. Open submissions
from serious artists are welcome year-round. SubtleTea
encourages exposure of diverse creators, and a new edition
goes online every 2 months.
Check out author Joy V. Smith's writing blog for helpful
hints and links and writing news:
http://pagadan.wordpress.com/
And for a variety of media news:
http://pagadan.livejournal.com/
Donna McDine blogs about everything regarding the
children's publishing industry.
www.donna-mcdine.blogspot.com
Find
book reviews, interviews, release announcements, and
freelance writer's workshops.
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Buy Links for
Carolyn's Books
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Subscribe to
Carolyn Howard-Johnson's Sharing with Writers Newsletter
and get a FREE copy of
Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips for Writers
"I have been a professional writer 40 years, and am also a
tenured full professor of journalism. Carolyn's Sharing with
Writers newsletter is most useful for me--and for my
students. I emphasize to them that while research is 90% of
writing, and the actual writing is about 10%, there's another
100% out there called promotion. Carolyn shows numerous ways to
get the message to the mass media."
~Walter Brasch, author
and educator
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Carolyn's Blogs |
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The Frugal Retailer Blog
Carolyn shares nearly three decades of
retailing experience with
an emphasis on marketing.
Sharing with Writers
All things publishing with
an emphasis on book
promotion. Named to
Writer's Digest
101 Best Website list.
The New Book Review
Great way for readers, authors, reviewers and publicists to get more
mileage out of
a great review.
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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The
Ultimate Aid
for
Writers |
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Carolyn's multi award-winning
Frugal Book
Promoter takes you the reluctant marketer stage
to a fully participatory partner for powerhouse
publishers or publicists. You'll also be equipped to go
it on your own!
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Your
Book Marketing Resource |
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The Frugal Book Promoter is
one of your most valuable resources because it
is written from personal experience and gives you
the basics for promoting everything else you do--in
print, on TV or radio, or online. See an excerpt on
Fifteen
Publicity Commandments,
and excerpt from that book. |
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Social
Media |
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Come
talk about reading, books and marketing with me:
social media page. |
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Publishing Tip |
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Self
publishers who want to make it easy for
librarians and bookstore personnel to
shelve their books correctly should
publish a BISAC number on their
copyright page. Find the right one for
your book
here.
Find
at least one tip on writing, promotion
or tech on every page of this Web site. |
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Writing Tip |
Passive
construction has gotten a bad wrap. We obviously have it in
the English language because it serves a purpose. There are
times when passive can work for an author. An example of
that is in an excerpt of This Is the Place where I wanted to
slow down the prose, wanted to make readers feel as if they
were stepping back to the 50 and even farther, to the 1800s.
Find an example of how I used it in an
excerpt from that
novel. Learn about other ways writers can use it
to their advantage in my The Frugal Editor.
Find at least one tip on writing,
promotion or tech on every page of this Web site.
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Advertising |
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Terry
Whalin will help you get on the right track. He and I met
while speaking at a writers' conference. I loved what he had
to say, bought his book on writing proposals by for my
husband and highly recommend his advice. He says:
"'You should write a book.' "'Some day I'm going to
write a book.'
"Over 80% of people plan to write a book and more than six million of
them have already written a manuscript. Admittedly there are dozens of
companies who will take your money and publish your book. How do you get
a book publisher to pay you for your book?
"Former book acquisitions editor Terry Whalin says editors and
publishers don't read manuscripts. They read book proposals. In
BOOK PROPOSALS THAT SELL, 21 SECRETS TO SPEED YOUR SUCCESS, you
learn the inside scoop to achieve your dreams."
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Proud
Member |
 www.wrwa.net
Honorary Member
ABWA is a group of highly
skilled networkering women in business.
Military Writers' Society of America
Also, honorary member of
Publishers and
Writers of San Diego, Greater Los Angeles Writers Society
(GLAWS), IWOSC, and Publishers Association of Los Angeles (PALA)
Book Publicists of
Southern California
(BPSC) Pix: Proud Irwin Award Winners
Carolyn and Janet
Goliger.
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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
Master's in English.org Online Universities'
101 Essential Sites for Voracious
Readers
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)
and the Second Edition of The Frugal Book Promoter
(2011).
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.
Finalist
New Generation Book Awards 2012,
The Frugal Book
Promoter; Finalist 2010
The Frugal Editor;
Winner 2010 Marketing Campaign for The Frugal Editor
The Oxford Award
recognizes
the
alumna who exemplifies the Delta Gamma precept of
service to her community and who, through the years,
devotes her talents to improve the quality of life
around her.
The Frugal
Book Promoter is runner-up in the how-to category for
the
Los Angeles Book Festival 2012
awards.
Winner Diamond Award
for Achievement in the Arts
Glendale
California's Arts and Culture Commission and the City of
Glendale Library,
2013
Imperfect Echoes
was honored
by Writer's Digest, 2017.
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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Video
Trailer |
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Click on the logo below to see an example of Reno Lovison's trailer for
my Survive and Thrive Series of books.
Authors
Broadcast for reasonably priced and thoroughly professional
video book trailers. |
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Website Sponsor |
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As Featured in Publishers Weekly
This unique book is a multi award-winning book.
It paints a revealing picture of
America for those foreigners who will benefit
from a better understanding of America. Endorsed
by ambassadors, teachers and editors, it even
examines our culture, customs and language.
Available on
Amazon bookstores worldwide, at Vroman's in
Pasadena and other fine bookstores. |
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