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!)

Quick Links for This Page

Editors

Publishers

Agents

Publicists

Digital Printers

Reviewers

General Writers' Services

Event Planning

Legal

Illustrators, Graphic and Book Cover Designers

Newsletters

Sites and Blogs

Reading Group Guide Template

Return to the Main Writers' Resources Page

Free Content

 

Unsolicited endorsement from a client:

      "YOU are still the best deal in town!"
       ~ Jendi Reiter, award-winning poet and novelist

 

Need More Help? Check Carolyn's Services

Carolyn's Consulting and Coaching     

Carolyn's Editing Services

Carolyn's Credentials


Editing

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.


Publishers and Publishing Help
for
You to Explore

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.


 

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.                                           


Agents

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.


Publicists

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.


Printing Resources

Digital Printers - Ready to tackle true self-publishing? Find your printing resources here.

Reviewers and Review Journals

Reviewers - 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.


General Writers' Services

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.


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.
 

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.                                       
 


Reading Group Guide Template

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.

Legal

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

Free Content

Free 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.

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  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.  

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


Sites and Blogs
Serve, Educate, and Publish

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.


Buy Links for Carolyn's Books

Great Fiction
Purchase THIS IS THE PLACE
and
HARKENING at Amazon in their new and used feature.
Both of these books are out of print. They are available only on Amazon's New and Used feature for about $1.

Great Poetry
Purchase TRACINGS (Finishing Line Press) at Amazon.
IMPERFECT ECHOES: Writing Truth and Justice with Capital Letters,
lie and oppression with Small

Give the gift of poetry with a chapbook from Magdalena Ball's
and
My Celebration Series

CHERISHED PULSE: Unconventional Love Poetry
IMAGINING THE FUTURE: Ruminations on Fathers and Other Masculine Apparitions
SHE WORE EMERALD THEN: Reflections on Motherhood
BLOOMING RED: Christmas Poetry for the Rational
DEEPER INTO THE POND: Celebration of Femininity
SUBLIME PLANET: Celebrating Earth and the Universe
 

HowToDoItFrugally Series for Writers
Purchase THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER,
THE FRUGAL EDITOR
Second Edition
GREAT LITTLE LAST MINUTE EDITING TIPS FOR WRITERS
GREAT FIRST-IMPRESSION BOOK PROPOSALS
HOW TO GET GREAT BOOK REVIEWS FRUGALLY AND ETHICALLY

Survive and Thrive Series of HowToDoItFrugally Books for Retailers
A RETAILER'S GUIDE TO FRUGAL IN-STORE PROMOTION
FRUGAL AND FOCUSED TWEETING FOR RETAILERS
YOUR BLOG, YOUR BUSINESS

Most of Carolyn's books are also available for the Kindle reader.
Did you know that with the Free app, Kindle can be adapted to any reader--even your PC!

"Careers that are not fed die as readily as
any living organism given no sustenance." 
~
Carolyn Howard-Johnson

Studio photography by Uriah Carr
3 Dimensional Book Cover Images by iFOGO
Logo by Lloyd King

To subscribe to Carolyn's FREE online newsletter send an e-mail.

Learn more about Carolyn's newsletter and blog.

Read past issues of Carolyn's Newsletter.

 

Frugal E-Book Tip

Kindle E-Books Aren't
Just for Kindle Anymore

Did you know that Amazon’s Kindle e-books are a low-cost/no-cost way to access books even if you don’t have a dedicated Kindle reader? You can read Kindle's e-books on smartphones, desktop computers and any e-device in between. You can even store the books on the Amazon cloud.

~ Quote from Diana Schneidman, author and marketer



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


Find Carolyn on the Web

  writers retailers

Carolyn's Blogs

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.



The Ultimate Aid
for Writers

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!

 


Your Book Marketing Resource

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.


Published Works Almanac


Carolyn's Writing Awards


Carolyn's Poetry

Tracings
Imperfect Echoes
Celebration Series
Travel


Carolyn's Literary Works

This is the Place
Harkening
Published Shorter Works


Carolyn's How to Do it Frugally Series

For Writers
For Retailers


Other Interests

Acting
Speaking
Travel

Tolerance


Social Media

Come talk about reading, books and marketing with me:
social media page.


Publishing Tip

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. 


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. 


Fun Booklets

Like Carolyn's Great First Impression Book Proposal, Great Little Last-Minute Editing Editing Tips for Writers, is also only $6.95 Each of them take less than an hour to read.


Advertising

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."


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.


Carolyn's Awards

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.

Glendale City Seal
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.


Video Trailer

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. 


Website Sponsor

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.


I'