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Tip: Following a Smart Publisher's Lead

(From my Sharing with Writers newsletter)

The Southern Review reports that one publisher has offered to give free review copies of some of his books to bloggers who promise to post a review of at least 200 words on both their blogs and on Amazon. Smart publisher. that guy! He's smart 'cause:

*Even though the book may be given to a couple of people who would otherwise buy one, the percentage would probably be very small.

*You're after inundation of the net in a few short weeks to propel sales in a given time frame.

*Giving away a book plus postage is very cheap exposure compared to advertising (advertising is by its nature paid-for exposure).

*Bloggers talk to people and word-of-mouth is the best sales tool around, and once they've blogged, they may talk up your book in other ways, especially if you follow up with a great thank you letter afterward (even if you weren't crazy about the review!). If the review was favorable you could ask the reviewer to include the book on a reading list (if he is a teacher), recommend it on his Web site, or even add it to one more Web site like BN.com after you've complimented him on how much you loved it.

*People who accept the offer become part of your network if you save their e-mail address.

Individual authors could do the same as this publisher. Why not? We give lots of copies to friends and relatives who often never read our books anyway, right? So commit them. Or we could make an offer to the general public and limit the number of books we offer.

Think about this before you do it, though. You must be comfortable with the idea that a review is an opinion and the reviewer is welcome to voice it. If they hate your book and say so, as a professional, you can't go back and ask them to withdraw their review or change it. It is against journalism ethics. Having said that, I never suggest a reviewer do a complete slash and burn of a book. A tactfully worded letter to the author that the reviewer is reneging on his or her offer to review because it appears the reviewer and book are not well matched is far kinder--and also more professional.

PS: This classified advertising page is a perfect place to advertise your book-for-review program.

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Mini Biography for Carolyn Howard-Johnson

(Searching for something more complete? Check out the links on this page for an assortment of focused media kits.)

Carolyn Howard-Johnson’s first novel, This Is the Place, won eight awards. Her second book, Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered, creative nonfiction, won three. An instructor for UCLA Extension’s world-renown Writers’ Program, her book The Frugal Book Promoter: How to Do What Your Publisher Won’t is recommended reading for her classes, was named USA Book News’ “Best Professional Book 2004," and was given the Irwin Award. Her second book in the How To Do It Frugally series is The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success. It won USA Book News and Reader Views Literary Awards and the campaign for it won New Generations Marketing Award. Her chapbook of poetry Tracings, was named to the Compulsive Reader's Ten Best Reads list and was given the Military Writers' Society of America's Silver Award of Excellence. She is also the author of two chapbooks coauthored with Magdalena Ball, Cherished Pulse and She Wore Emerald Then: Reflections on Motherhood. She is the recipient of the California Legislature’s Woman of the Year in Arts and Entertainment Award, and her community's Character and Ethics Committee awarded her work promoting tolerance with her writing. She was also named to Pasadena Weekly's list of 14 "San Gabriel Valley women who make life happen." She blogs at Writer's Digest 101 Best Website pick, www.sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com.

Media Kit for Program Directors for Radio, TV, Conferences, Radio Shows

Media Kit for Book, Entertainment and Feature Editors

Kit for Reviewers

Media Kit for Retail Professionals

Recent Media Releases

Purchase THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER as a thick, full-size e-book priced to accommodate the budgets of starving students and authors at Star Publish.

Purchase THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER and THE FRUGAL EDITOR in trade paperback at Amazon. The Amazon Short, THE GREAT FIRST IMPRESSION BOOK PROPOSAL, too!

Purchase THIS IS THE PLACE, HARKENING and TRACINGS at Amazon.

Purchase CHERISHED PULSE at the Compulsive Reader.

Purchase and find all the audios for writers at Tri-Studio.com

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

Studio photography by Uriah Carr

Logo by Lloyd King

Future Plans for How To Do It Frugally Series: The Frugal Amazon Promoter, The Frugal Retailer Promotes, The Frugal Author Builds an Agent-Friendly Package

Books and Audios on Writing Carolyn has Written, Edited or Contributed to:

Buy Carolyn's Books on Amazon:

Editing

Not sure if your nonfiction book is ripe and ready for editing? Hire expert editor Barbara McNichol for a sample edit or manuscript review today. Details at http://barbaramcnichol.com/manuscript_review.htm

Dr. Bob Rich, freelance editor, finds the good things in your book and makes suggestions for improving it. Find him at http://bobswriting.com/editing.htm

Research/Writing

Miscellaneous

Learn more about tips booklets and how to make them work for you from booklet expert Paulette Ensign. Go to http://tipsbooklets.com

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

Education

Audios Rule! Multitaskers will want to learn more about writing with Allyn Evans, Joyce Faulkner, Kathe Gogolewski and Carolyn Howard-Johnson. Available n MP3 or CD ROM.

Classes, on campus or online, taught by Carolyn Howard-Johnson and other fine instructors at UCLA Extension Writers' Program: http://uclaextension.edu. Learn more on this site speaking and teaching page.

Consulting Public Relations

Carolyn Howard-Johnson, marketing and promotion consulting/coaching. "Careers th

at aren't fed die as readily as any living organism given no sustenance." http://carolynhoward-johnson.com or send e-mail with "Consulting" in the subject line to HoJoNews@aol.com.

Illustrators, Graphics

Your Logo Guy. Learn more about him at http://yourlogoguy.com.

For book cover design, photography and graphic design contact Eric Dinyer. He designed the books I wrote the forewords for, Support Our Troops and Effort and Surrender. http://www.dreamless.com dinyer@accessus.net