Marketer Joanna Penn and I talk about how writers
must
be retailers, too,
and lots more frugal promotion stuff at
http://phc.fyi.0sp.in/.
The nicest thing is, she summarizes our chat on her blog
page in writing.
So--your choice--listening or reading.
You’re going to love her Aussie accent! (-:
Self-Help
Books
Inspiration and
Practical Books for Writers
Books for Writers -
Carolyn's personal
list of self-help books for writers--one of the
most frugal ways to learn what you need to know
about writing, promotion and publishing.
Publicity and Promotion
Services
You'll find
direction in the Frugal Book Promoter for building your own media
kit and you may download my
general media kit
as a template of sorts for yours (though every kit must be tailored
to the individual book or product); if you choose not to build your own, the information there will
make you a better partner for a publicist you might hire to help you.
Also see the ad for
Books 'n Sync at the
bottom of this page.
The Frugal Book Promoter - will help you
partner with a publicist or teach you to go it
yourself frugally. The important thing to know
is that authors--even those published by New
York's most prestigious publishers--must
contribute to their own success. In fact, many
of those large publishers tend to prefer authors
who have shown that they they have some chops
for marketing. So start building your promotion
platform now. It's never too early or too late.
Recommendation
I have a motto: "Reading
one book on book promotion is never enough."
Thus,
I recommend Michelle Dunn's Mosquito Marketing, a book full
of book-marketing essentials. Here is the heartfelt
recommendation I wrote to Michelle, complete with
disclaimer:
Dear Michelle:
Congratulations on a job well done! In the writing. In the
accumulation of knowledge. And in the production. I shall
recommend Mosquito Marketing to my UCLA students and
my clients--every single one of them!
Yes, you may use that as an endorsement, though you may not
want to because I contributed to the book. Thus I may appear
biased. The thing is, I would have said the same thing even
if I had no part in it! (-:
So, it's going up on my Web site right now! And into my
recommendation list for my students. Soon. (-:
Thank you so much. Mosquito Marketing will be a
valued part of books I am part of--ones that I keep in a
special reference (and brag!) library. Great work!
Best,
Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Promotion a la Carte
Individual Online Promotions You Can Get Frugally--One at a
Time as You Need Them
This is like an early holiday gift for you authors who subscribe
or follow this blog. As you know, I try to give you resources,
especially frugal ones! (-: So here is a service offered by Aggie
Villaneuva at Promotion
a la Carte.
The little video she just made for a group of her clients at no
additional charge is below. That's just the kind of thing she does!
Fun, huh?
She also promotes everything she does like crazy. On her Web site
and on her social networks.
Whether you choose a promotion like this for the holiday season
or some other, I hope you will promote!
Here is the
little video Aggie did for her
clients at no extra charge.
Author-Friendly Radio and TV
These
are all shows that I have been on and/or recommend.
Frugal Authors! Showcase your book and
your expertise in print and online with
www.Lisa.fm
, Leading Edge Talk Radio. Spring Special
Author Services Package includes: Radio interview on Lisa.fm (4,500
listeners per month), and audio copy of interview for use on your
Web site; ‘featured guest’ listing on
home page of Web site; archived bio in the featured
guests page of Lisa.fm; print story posted on the Web site of a major
Southern California newspaper (circulation 225,000). Check out
www.lisa.fm,
and contact Lisa Osborne for details at
leadingedgetalk@yahoo.com.
Connie
Martinson Talks Books is a syndicated TV interview show filmed
in LA. Here is a host who actually reads the books of the authors she
interview. (My This Is the Place and Harkening were tagged
and labeled and book marked like crazy).
Connie Gotsch'sWrite On covers
writers who are from the four corners area or write about it. I qualify
because I'm from Utah and my novel, This Is the Place, is set in
Utah. Utah, after all, is one of the four-corners states. She has also
featured some of my poetry from Tracings, which is also
influenced by that unique place and culture. See this site for more on
those books.
The Joe Mazza Show is a late
night syndicated show where you can reach insomniacs in small towns and
larger ones. Joe likes lots of subjects but you'll get to him if you'll
talk 50s, classic cars or his dog, Sebastian. Tell him I sent you.
The Jane Prince-Jones Showis
an early morning drive show. Jane loves the theater but she'll talk
about most anything on her KFYO radio show.
E-mail.
If you are good at marketing your
books, or if you need help, contact
Janet Elaine Smith to get "booked" on her weekly radio program "Marketing
for Fun and Profit." Over 80,000 listeners.
Nightengale Press publisher and author,
Valerie Connelly, hosts the popular internet radio program,
CALLING ALL AUTHORS on Tuesdays at 4PM Central
Time. Publishing and publicity experts as well as authors of all
genres and experience. Join Valerie for lively conversations
about their books, their businesses and their hopes and fears as
they promote their work. Valerie has had me on twice and is a
consummate interviewer. Listen
to the
archives. A must-listen and great place to give informative
interviews for authors seeking to inform, promote and entertain.
The Reverend Cherise Thorne
is host of an inspirational program called
Knowing Spirit.
Think of an angle, even if your book isn't specifically
inspirational. She is very accessible. Phone: 815-483-1141.
Her web address and podcast is at
www.knowingspirit.org/Site/Podcast/Podcast.html.
Here is a link where you'll find a
list
of other shows:
http://betsie.tripod.com/literary/id82.html.
Dobe careful though. Some of them are interview shows that
authors must pay for. You probably already know that, in
the Frugal Book Promoter
I advise against doing that, generally speaking. There
are, of course exceptions to every rule.
The
Iris Fanning Show
on
Quiet Time Radio
features
Life Coach Iris Fanning
and her guests. Get coached, get inspired! Go to
www.qtworldradio.com
and click on the
Iris Fanning Show to schedule, details, Carolyn
Howard-Johnson's show "Everyone Has a Book Inside" and
to get ideas for how the subject of your book might fit
Iris's programming.
Philip F. Harris,
author of Waking God, hosts a dynamic talk
show at
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/pharrisHere Phil, Nikki Leigh and Carolyn
Howard-Johnson weigh in on everything from branding to platforms to
blog tours.
Phil
is open to queries for his show, mostly on inspirational topics.
The Mother Daughter Club Show, a segment of
By For and About Women Radio Network, crosses generations and cultures
to address topics that matter to us all. Whether we're talking about our
children, world affairs, or sharing the spirit of motivation, we speak
from the heart. Join host Kathe Gogolewski
www.tri-studio.com as she chats with authors and guest experts who
deliver messages that you can keep.
Learn while you drive or work! Audios
on writing craft, promotion and tech from the Audio Divas, l. to r., Carolyn
Howard-Johnson, Kathe Gogolewski, Joyce Faulkner and Allyn Evans. Learn more at
http://www.tri-studio.com/writers.html
Nanci
Arziru has a show dedicated to authors at http://blogtalkradio.com/page-readers.
If you contact
her, she may run a review of your book, and she always broadcasts
important information for writers.
Sylvia
Hubbard founded the
Michigan Literary
Network. It has been live on blogtalkradio.com since early fall of
2009 where it has accumulated nearly 5,000 downloads. Our hour-long,
weekly show airs live Wednesdays from 5-6 p.m. with a focus on
everything related to the literary world, from the writing process, to
author highlights, to the nuts and bolts of publishing. Although our
show can be heard by listeners all over the world, and our guests come
from all over the country, our target audience is readers and writers in
Michigan with an interest in the Michigan literary community. Query
Andrea Daniel for an appearance.
adaniel10089@comcast.net .
A few samples of dozens of
my guest spots on streaming radio from 2009. These, of course, are both
resources and learning opportunities:
http://ow.ly/hUNMSeveral
learning opportunities with Yvonne Perry, owner of
WritersintheSky Creative Services, including one on editing where we
discuss everything from em dashes to what works on the Web but
doesn't work for you book's manuscript.
Be sure to
check out the free Catholic Writers Conference, too.
And the
free PromoDay conference founded by Jo Linsdell.
Details on
conferences change each year. Contact me or watch for
details in the Sharing with Writers newsletter. Also see
the sidebar under "Carolyn's seminars."
Retreat for
Writers
- Award-winning Eve
LaSalle Caram and I sponsor a unique unique writers' retreat
every so often. The last one was in Rome, Italy.
October 2010. Subscribe to my newsletter to be
informed about the next one. The subscription
form is in the upper right corner of this page.
Reviewers
Reviewers -
See a full listing
of major review journals and review-friendly sites, plus tips for your
query process.
Contests
Contests-
Spotlighting the contests
Carolyn recommends and has entered herself.
"Working
together to help bridge the gap between writers of romantic fiction,
agents and editors."
Alternative-Read accepts review
requests from publishers, publicists and individual authors.
Web site that posts free
interviews.
Submit your query to this Brenda Weeaks at
MyShelf. Your review will be
considered by a whole catalog of expert reviews who write for the site.
You may also find the
Have You Heard page edited by Suzie Housley useful for promotion.
The Compulsive Reader
reviews books. Find interviews, literary
news, criticism, a no-cost e-zine, and more. Editor Magdalena Ball also
accepts applications for new reviewers.
Women on Writing is an
exceptionally author-friendly and useful site. You'll also find a lovely
page
they did for me that features one of my first-person essays.
Book Connector is a great site for helping writers find other sites
that are review friendly! Thanks to Janet Elaine Smith for contributing
this.
Children's authors should absolutely
try The Reading Tub for
reviews of their children's books.
C. Hope Clark's letter,
Funds for Writers isn't only about money. But getting tips on
grants, contests, freelance opportunities and more is definitely a good
thing.
http://www.ShowMeTheScreenplay.comwas
started by an entertainment industry veteran to give writers and
directors insider knowledge on everything in the business so that they
can be launched on their paths to success. It includes information on
using social media to create buzz for a film plus tips and info that
usually only Hollywood insiders know.
Explore
iFOGO
site for ways to learn more about publishing and to get
your book seen by readers. They randomly pick up books
from their site for banners like the one below. It's one
of my favorites.
Subscribe.
How many times have you
wished you’d known better? Had 20-20 hindsight? Knew the facts before
you made the decision?
Reflections in Hindsight
offers a rotation of inspiring, helpful and interactive
messages. The Sunday Book Review will showcase books you’ll want to
read. Market Mondays will touch on methods of turning you into a
respectable professional author with marketing tips by Carolyn
Howard-Johnson, what conferences are right for you, how to get past the
slush pile and effective blogging and much more. Promotion in Motions is
our Tuesday spot, where authors share their stories. Wednesday –
Saturdays feature our own means and methods of coping with a writer’s
life. Reflections in Hindsight is partnerd with Clash of the Titles.com,
the newest premier contest site where readers vote on themed anonymous
excerpts and the battling authors and books revealed afterward; and
TheBarnDoor.net and BarnDoorBookLoft.net, a site that treats the rest of
the planet to life through Midwestern eyes. We invite everyone to join
us, especially by subscription, at
http://reflectionsinhindsight.wordpress.com.
Yes! Fiction writers can
too (!) promote and they can do it nearly as easily
as nonfiction writers! Let Carolyn tell you about her process
in writing and promoting her award-winning novel This Is
The Place in
a clip
from
MaAnna Stephenson's podcast series while you
browse these Resource for Writers pages.
It takes only five
minutes!
Yvonne Perry is known for her promotion services, especially
for authors.
But she is also an author and occasionally reviews books as
well.
See why she loved
Frugal and Focused Tweeting
for her books
and for her business.
Be the Star You Are!Ž
501 c3 charity empowers women,
families, and youth through improved literacy and
positive media. Contact Founder/Executive Director, Cynthia Brian.
Bibliophile Action Network: Unleash Your Captive Books Today!
www.2SWAP.com.
Mindy
Lawrence of MPL Creative
Resources offers this way to buy books and contribute to global literacy
and recycling efforts at the same time. Go to:BetterWorld.Com.
FreeRice.com is
a word game site which gives out 20 grains of free rice to a
developing nation for each correct answer. The site, sponsored
by the United Nations Food Program, has 60 levels of
increasingly difficult word choices. Isn't this a fun game for
writers!?
Newsletters
Your Writing, Tech, and Promotion Aids
Krista
Barrett edits a fine, interactive newsletter and provides resources
on her Web site as well. Learn more about both at
www.writergazette.com.
Keep your finger on the pulse of the lucrative commercial freelancing
business with the free Wellfed
Writer edited by Peter Bowerman.
Scribe & Quill
is a publication for writers of all experience levels and genres. Each
issue our writing resource delivers informative articles, columns,
interviews, poetry, short fiction, humor, job opportunities and writing
markets. E-mail.
The Maplewoods Mirrorhas notes about
writing and living a writer's life (Chris Meek's writers' life
specifically). Subscribe to the monthly newsletter. Get past
newsletters there, too.
Sassy-Brit writes a sassy letter and offers lots of opportunities
for promotion to her subscribers.
The A Cappela
Newsletter for Writers covers everything from writing advice
and book gossip to markets and contests. Fid the current issue
onsite.
The
Web-Savvy Writer e-zine: When you subscribe, you'll receive a free
report on author Web site strategies from Patrice-Anne Rutledge, author,
The Web-Savvy Writer: Book Promotion with a High-Tech Twist.
A
newsletter full of book reviews edited by author
Annette
Gisby.
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!
Writers in the Sky—a free monthly newsletter filled with resources
for writers and write-wanna-bees. Subscribers receive a free eBook “Tips
on Freelance Writing.”
Sylvia McClain
edits the Scribal News Calendar. She lists literary events of
every ilk by region and that makes it easy for writers to find
conveniently located conferences and seminars, but it's also a great place for
them to list their own events. Sylvia is open to publishing most book-related
events. To subscribe to this
newsletter, send blank email to
sylmcclain@juno.com with “Subscribe Scribal News” in the
subject line.
Sign up for DeSilva's News,
a tool writers rely on to meet their creative needs. It includes monthly
columns written by Carolyn Howard-Johnson,
Bill MacWithey and Myrna Lou Goldbaum;
links to free online writers courses, articles of interest, free software
downloads and more. Sign up at Jozette's
Desk
-
http://jozette.webs.com -
or by sending an email to
subscribe.desilvasnews@gmail.com.
All subscribers are given special consideration for free international promotion
for themselves and their work.
Dream of being a writer? Turn that dream into reality! Find inspiration,
ideas and resources for writers at
Write Success, http://writesuccess.com --and subscribe to the free biweekly newsletter
to keep that inspiration coming!
Subscribe
to Nadine Laman's newsletter with a sign-up box on her home page:www.NadineLamanBooks.com
She says, "My list is never shared. I do not send promotional e-mail." Find
a sample athttp://www.nadinelamanbooks.com/newsletter.html.Nadine very generously
includes information on her subscribers' books and services, too.
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
For snappy marketing tips and the free report "How
to Obtain Book Reviews," subscribe to the PR Postcard at
http://www.authorscompanion.com/
Dee Rimbaud's site features
free database details over
2,000 literary and genre magazines and publishers.
Writers Advice is for expert
and up-to-date advice for writers
from writers go to
www.writeradvice.comYou'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.
Here is a
resource built by librarians. It cites Web sites that are useful for
research and more, but not purely commercial. You can suggest
a site that might be useful to librarians (perhaps your own) at:
http://www.lii.org/cs/lii/create/todo
Acapella Publishing's
site will guide you from the time a concept for a book is born
through the successful publication and marketing of it.
Freelance Job Board
and Writer's Tipsfrom E. Lucas-Taylor
provides publisher lists, freelance, how-to get started, book fairs,
conferences, a wealth of links for writing and promoting YOU.
Kim Wilson
edits Write From Home for
the benefit of those making a career from any corner in their house.
Published. com has hundreds of links to book clubs for you
to select from and then utilize in your promotion campaign.
Research lots of
magazines for writers and other related topics at
www.burningvoid.com.
Learn
more about Carolyn
Howard-Johnson's blogs, including one that lets authors extend
the life of their favorite reviews at no cost.
UCLA Writers' Program's blog Find links to
many of that program's instructors' blogs there, too. One of Corey
Campbell's joyous blogs on collaborating is especially interesting. (-:
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
Carolyn's
blog, The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor
(www.thefrugaledtior.blogspot.com)
is an interactive blog on all things publishing.
Who's
who in San Diego's vibrant writing community? Find out here:
www.WORDsd.com
Dallas Woodburn blogs on
writing and has spearheaded a few programs to foster interest in
writing among our youth. Here is a review she did of
Frugal and Focused Tweeting for Retailers showing how we
authors can benefit from reading books targeted to other industries.
Author Laura Hinds writes reviews
and promotes them, too!
Here's her pre-promotion for her
review of
Frugal and Focused Tweeting.
Notice how she benefited from
reading books that target
related industries. Also notice the
Amazon carousel
in the right column. That's a great
way to make buying easy
for readers and to reap some of
monetary reward for your efforts.
Quick
Links for Other
Helpful Pages for Writers on This Site
Articles
Ta Da! E-books As Great Tools for Promotion
Here are two articles--actually excerpts from The Frugal
Book Promoter-- on how to use E-books for promotion including
the anatomy of how I promoted with an e-book! Go to Bookbuzzr.com’s blog
after March 28, 2011:
Great
Poetry
PurchaseTRACINGS
(Finishing Line Press) at Amazon.
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 the Planet and the Universe as Never Before
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
The newsletter has a poetry corner to help poets with resources
and craft.
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.
One
way for self-publishers to make it easy for librarians
and bookstore personnel to shelve their books correctly
is to 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.
Selling Books
Authors are often surprised
to find that they are also retailers: They are selling a
product. They're also often surprised that some of their
most fruitful partners for book sales are retailers. My
series of books for
retailers will help them understand retail marketing better
and this
blog post from master marketer Dana Lynn Smith will be
useful, too.
Find tips on writing, promotion or
tech on every page of this Web site.
Free
Content
Carolyn's
Reviews for Riters
(tm)--include reviews
of her recommended books for authors. These reviews
are available for reprint at no cost. See a
partial list of all the articles at the
free content page of
this site. For more information
e-mail Carolyn.
Site
Sponsor
Allbooks Review
is
the review and author promo source for POD
AUTHORS as well as
traditionally published authors. Great
coverage for your book for twelve months
plus. Our complete review and promotion
package is less than $50.U.SContact
us for
complete details
Site
Sponsor
MaAnna
Stephenson offers training, design, and site
consultation for non-geeks. She specializes in helping
artistic, creative, and intuitive folks with WordPress, Blogger, and RSS feeds. Yep, books, too!
http://www.blogaid.net.
Site
Sponsor
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.
"Services for authors run by
authors who understand their needs
are unfailingly the most effective. V.S.Grenier is the
leader
in services for children's literature."
~Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Time
to Kindle
Speaking of Promoting with
E-books!
Find links for articles on how to promote
with e-books on this page.
Book Publicists of
Southern California
(BPSC) Pix: Proud Irwin Award Winners
Carolyn and Janet
Goliger, l. to r.
Promotion Tip
In The Frugal Book PromoterI advise authors to
beware of paying for services that traditionally have have
been offered at no cost to authors. There are times when you
will want to make exceptions, but in general you will not
need to pay to be on the radio, to get your book reviewed,
to be the host of a radio or TV program or to get an agent
to read your manuscript.
Find at least one tip on writing, promotion or
tech on every page of this Web site.
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.
Carolyn's Speaking Engagements
Presenter 2009, 2010
Presenter, 2008, 09, 10,
11
Panel moderator, 2007
National Span College
presenter 2002
Fellows presenter, 2007, 08
Co-sponsor and presenter,
2007, 08, 09,
10, 11
University of Dayton Erma Bombeck Writers' Conference, 2006,
2008
Sisters in Crime,
Pasadena, 2009
Wisconsin Regional
Writers Association
Presenter, Keynote 2010
Nightengale Press publisher and author,
Valerie Connelly, hosts the popular internet radio program,
CALLING ALL AUTHORS on Tuesdays at 4PM Central
Time. Publishing and publicity experts as well as authors of all
genres and experience. Join Valerie for lively conversations
about their books, their businesses and their hopes and fears as
they promote their work. Valerie has had me on twice and is a
consummate interviewer. 
Submit your query to this Brenda Weeaks at
