I'm excited to introduce Carolyn to you. She is the ultimate book promoter. I started reading her book last night. I'm taking it to the dentist with me today. It's tough to put down! I've already learned many tid-bits. I can't wait to register for some of the newsletters she recommends and research some of the web sites. Be ready to work at promoting yourself while you read the book. Your mind will be buzzing with how to implement her fresh ideas. Here's her message to you:

I am pleased that Dotsie asked me to join all of you on her forum. I wanted to do something special for you and we decided that the writers among you might prefer the offer I made to my own newsletter subscribers, a sample media kit. THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T covers the all-important subject of media kits, of course, but there is something about having one--properly formatted for you to use as a guide--that makes putting together one for yourself easier. So, this is what we boomers (and in my case) post-boomers will do:

When you purchase THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T from Amazon or BarnesandNoble.com, paste a copy of it into an e-mail to HoJoNews@aol.com. Give me your address and I’ll send you the same media kit (mine!) that I will be using as a handout for my extension class at UCLA. Not only will you get the media kit, but I pay the postage. By the way, for those who have already purchased FRUGAL or those of you who prefer fiction, the same offer is open if you prefer to order THIS IS THE PLACE or HARKENING instead of FRUGAL.

This seems like a good way for me to share with those of you who are participating on this forum. One of my reasons for writing FRUGAL was to help authors avoid the potholes I stepped into when I started promoting my first novel.

I bring a unique perspective to the subject of book promotion because I was formerly a publicist for the New York firm that created the first "10 Best Dressed List" and a staff member in the editorial department of "Good Housekeeping Magazine” as well as the author of an award-winning novel (This is the Place) and book of creative nonfiction (Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered). My poetry and short stories appear frequently in literary journals and elsewhere and I’ve publicized them all with very little help from my publisher.

An early review is available at: http://www.compulsivereader.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=765.

Here is an unsolicited comment from a reader after she read FRUGAL:

Your book has become my REFERENCE BIBLE outside of Dan Poynter's Self Publishing Manual. Whatever I need to know relative to guidance, your book is IT. I have filed all the pages in a 3-ring binder notebook and placed it on my desk

Margie Gosa Shivers, Author of Anonymity: A Tale of Suspense Seduction and Revenge http://www.margiegosashivers.com/

And Tim Bete, the director of the Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop at Dayton University, has recommended FRUGAL to all "his" writers in his newsletter.

You can read more about my publishing history and my awards at http://carolynhowardjohnson.com/. You will also find several e-books--also my thanks to you--free for the downloading. COOKING BY THE BOOK and others are on my home page and you will need to follow the links through and wait long enough for the books to load in .pdf format.

I'm looking forward to meeting you all and answering your questions.

Very best, Carolyn Howard-Johnson

Ordering Information

Order it in e-book form for only $9. at EBookAd where it is featured on the home page. Go to: http://www.ebookad.com/. Its individual page at ebookad.com is: http://www.ebookad.com/eb.php3?ebookid=19685&PHPSESSID=d8159bad393184515d9802dbdd3b43c0

Paperbacks are available thriugh Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Dear Dotsie and All Your Boomer Fans:

It is a pleasure to be invited to share with you. I hope you all have tons of questions regarding books, publishing, promoting (yourself, your business or your book), and all things related including the joy of writing! One of the nice things about Dotsie's format is that we have tons of time to get to know one another!

Best,
Carolyn

Hi Carolyn and welcome to our forum.

It's an honor to have you visit us.

I haven't written a book yet. I mostly write essays and short stories. I am working on my first novel. I've just started to take my writing seriously. I'm one of those who always wanted to write, but never found the time. Now that my children are older, I'm making the time.
I am going to purchase your book for future reference in the hopes that I actually finish my book and need it.

Do you have any advice for a newbie like myself?

Also, how do you feel about publishing articles and stories without pay? Is this a smart way to go, for a beginner to get noticed or do you feel it's a waste of time?

Robin

Hi Carolyn,

I am working on my 50000 word novel for nanowrimo and already behind. I have had several articles published in my local newspaper as well on a few websites. Some of my work will be coming out in Cosmic Brownies, Penwomanship magazine and I have an article in Cheryl Wright's book on winning contests.

I am interested in all that you have to say. Thanks for joining us.

Sherri

Hi Carolyn...it's great to have you here.

My first novel was published this past Summer and I was lucky enough to have the Boomer Ladies Book Club read it a few months ago.....I knew NOTHING about book promotion when I signed with my small press publisher but quickly learned that I would be doing all the promoting MYSELF. I'm learning quick - the old "trial by fire" method!

I will certainly be happy to have some advice and guidance.....that's for sure. WELCOME ABOARD!

Welcome Carolyn,
We are happy to have you with us. You will find loving spirits and listening hearts here. I am printing out your web page to hand out to a writers meeting tomorrow.

Again, welcome.
I hope you enjoy it here.
smile

Carolyn, on page 27 of your book you mention copyright. I've never heard the suggestion of mailing your work to yourself in a sealed envelope and leaving it sealed to prove copyright. That's interesting. I guess that's all it really takes, huh?

I'm highlighting and writing all over the pages. I'm going to have a week of work to follow up with all your bright ideas.

I'm enjoying all the sites you recommend. I love having them right at my finger-tips.

I'm heading for B & N later this morning to look for the book. Of course I have nothing to promote, but I want it for two friends who are self publishing. And I need it before tomorrow! Of course I am the same person who posted about trying to weed out books too, but...

Anyway, what is this about sending yourself an unopened copy of your work to prove copyright? I gotta get the book.
smile

I'm on my way to an instructor's class at UCLA but I wanted to at least open the mail and greet you today. So thank you all for your greetings (and one order on FRUGAL!) I think we're going to have fun.

I'll answer the first letter and then get back to you all later this evening. These are answers to Robin's questions. I pasted them below and answered in caps, sort of conversation style.
----

I haven't written a book yet. I mostly write essays and short stories. I am working on my first novel. I've just started to take my writing seriously. I HOPE YOU WILL CONSIDER TAKING A GOOD, REPUTABLE COURSE IN THE CRAFT OF WRITING. I HAD BEEN A PROFESSIONAL WRITER AND WHEN I STARTED WRITING CREATIVELY IT TOOK ME A LONG TIME TO REALIZE THAT I NEEDED TO LEARN SOME NEW TECHNIQUES! (-: I'm one of those who always wanted to write, but never found the time. Now that my children are older, I'm making the time.
I am going to purchase your book for future reference in the hopes that I actually finish my book and need it.

Do you have any advice for a newbie like myself? OOPS. I GUESS I GAVE IT TO YOU ABOVE. ALSO CRITIQUE GROUPS CAN HELP BUT TRY TO GET ONE WITH SOME REAL PROS IN IT OR YOU MAY GET MISLEADING ADVICE.

Also, how do you feel about publishing articles and stories without pay? HA!! THERE IS A WHOLE CHAPTER ON THIS IN FRUGAL. I BELIEVE THAT NO ONE SHOULD PUBLISH FREE. BUT PUBLISHING IN TRADE FOR A TAGLINE, A SMALL AD, EXPOSURE, A BYLINE, ETC IS AN EXCELLENT WAY TO START BUILDING YOUR RESUME (CLIPS) AND TO START BRANDING YOUR NAME. IF AN ONLINE EDITOR IS WILLING TO GIVE YOU CREDIT--THE MORE ESTENSIVE THE BETTER--THEN THIS ISN'T REALLY FREE, IS IT. BUT MOST PEOPLE LABEL IT AS SUCH. I KNOW THIS IS VERY CONTROVERSIAL AND I SEE THE DRAWBACKS BUT I CREDIT SOME OF MY "FREE" (REALLY BARTERED) ARTICLES INSTRUMENTAL IN MY SUCCESS. Is this a smart way to go, for a beginner to get noticed or do you feel it's a waste of time? TRY TO TARGET YOUR AUDIENCE IN ORDER TO KEEP IT FROM BEING A WASTE OF TIME. AS AN EXAMPLE, IF YOU PLAN TO WRITE ROMANCE, THEN WRITE ARTICLES AND REVIEWS FOR ROMANCE MAGAZINES AND SITES. THAT WAY YOUR NAME WILL BECOME FAMILIAR TO YOUR READERS BEFORE YOUR FIRST BOOK IS DONE. THIS IS WHY I ENCOURAGE BEGINNING WRITERS TO LEARN ABOUT PROMOTION EARLY. THERE IS LOTS THAN YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW AS A BEGINNER AND IT ALL ADDS UP TO A NICE PORTFOLIO OF EXPERIENCE.
----

I'll talk to all of you later this evening. It's nice to be with you!! And please excuse typos. You'll discover soon enough that I'm very casual and dyslexic enough not to be able to see my own mistakes (though I sure enough see everyone else's typos, I have great compassion for them! LOL. )

Best,

Thank you for the advice Carolyn,

Now I really can't wait to read the book!

On the writing class: Do you think it is better to go to an actual class or would I get just as much out of an online class. I've been pondering this for awhile.

Also (sorry I have a lot of questions) What do you think of writers groups? Is it worthwhile for me, as a beginner, to join one? I just recently became aware of the North Carolina Writers Group and was thinking of joining. (I've recently moved here)

Thanks again, Robin