Perking Up the New Year for Authors

 

A Couple Bulleted Lists of Ideas that May Perk Up the New Year

 

         Tuning Up for 2025 with Ideas Old and New

By Carolyn Howard-Johnson, poet, fiction writer, and author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally Series of Books For Writers 

It’s the new year! You may have lots of ideas for writing waiting to come to fruition and you’re eager to get started, but if you enthusiasm for marketing has become a bit stale, the new year is a good time for that. With new experiences come new ideas, new contacts, new skills. You might even find a new enthusiasm…or, imagine this! A boost in book sales! So let’s get tuned up. It’s 2025!

Tada! Out jumps the idea of magazines. They need content and the authors of books can be ongoing resources for them! About 7,000 slick magazine titles—each with several editions per year—are published in the US each year. Some of them are trade magazines related to an industry featured in your book. Others are regional and their audience lives in the same area your book is set in—or the one you were raised in. Others have broader interests. And most of them don’t get bombarded with media releases like the mainstream media does. Others, like this list, might have something pertinent for yours.

§  Magazines are usually desperate for seasonal material that thrive on gift news including books as well as personal interest and inspirational stories. You may have one to offer them.

§  It’s that book of yours that makes you credible enough to be considered for feature stories or quoted. Include information about your book in your interviews or in articles you write for them yourself.

§  Find niche super resources—newspapers, dailies, weeklies, TV, and radio stations, and trade publications that lend themselves to your title or background story—from newsletters to nationally distributed newspapers like AARP (for seniors over fifty-five)—at Newslink.org. Many of them have huge readership because they don’t charge (extra) for subscriptions.

§  Once a long time ago almost all media featured books. It is more difficult now, though the recent support for the banning of books has increased some media interest. If your book is banned or falls into a category that has become a target of these groups, you might get the kind of coverage that makes it into a bestseller. This niche isn’t as new as it appears; unfortunately it may have a long life ahead, too. And for you, that can be good news.

§  Each time your book appears—no matter how it appears—in a big name magazine, that can be used in a query letter to help convince reviewers that yours is a book they want to read and review.

My favorite resource for finding appropriate media for whatever book or event I was doing in any given moment had been Bacon’s Directories since my long-ago days as a fashion publicist. They were a series of hefty volumes. Even then Bacon’s several huge reference books were too expensive for most authors or even small publishing companies to buy. Luckily Bacon’s is now Cision, an integrated internet platform. This online directory to TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, is more than welcome.

I especially like Cision for accessing regional publicity for an event when I am signing or presenting at out-of-town venues.

o You won’t at first know these out-of-town contacts—or some of your local ones for that matter. Do not assume that is a barrier to a broader relationship. They are people, after all. Find ways to keep in touch with them, beginning with logging them into your contact list. Here’s a few keep-in-touch ideas

o Write congratulatory notes when an editor you’ve become familiar with gets a promotion or award, when a reporter writes a story you found helpful, when an intern writes an article you find provocative, when the medium introduces a new section or new columnist.

o Write frequent Letters-to-the-Editor.

o Drop them a note recommending they review a book—any book—that connects with local interests. Or offer to review for it for them.

o Well, yeah! Send pertinent editors media releases.

Join a forum, list-serve, or social network group   where people interested in books gather. Yeah, it isn’t new but a lot of them got lost when Yahoo disappeared them! Choose groups of readers interested in your genre or groups of experts in specific aspects of publishing books like marketing. They gather to share, chat, get questions answered. Here’s a list to make list-serveswork for you: 

§    Spend some time contributing and getting acquainted after you’ve subscribed.

§    Pay attention to the posts of members with long experience/expertise to share.

§    Absorb what you can learn from them, especially the stuff you didn’t know you needed to know.

§    Most list-serves were once found on Yahoo, but most—if not all— now have addresses that look like this one:  podpublishing@groups.io. I have followed it since its Yahoo days.

§    Facebook offers a variety of groups, too; they tend to attract newer authors so you will more than likely use them to meet and attract readers. I use Valerie Allen’s AuthorsforAuthors group on Facebook a lot. Do read guidelines for these groups when you join.

Install automated icons that increase exposure for reviews of your books like the ones you see on this blog.You’ll find these little insignias (also called “buttons”) everywhere on the net—social media, websites, blogs. Find them in zillions of places online like newsletters, blog posts, and Mail Chimp-assisted mass e-mails. They usually look like a row of inconspicuous little squares, often near the bottom of the message. Visitors can choose one or more: Click, click, click, and voilá! Each click produces a pop-up of a pre-written post that includes a title and a permalink of the site they have been perusing. When we style them with say a blurb, an added motto, or hashtags, they become fast wonder workers for our campaigns and for encouraging followers. They work even better when we invite subscribers and visitors to use the ones we install on our own content as well as your promotional material like your website, blog newsletter. I mean, everyone is short on time; everyone is looking for shortcuts. And many are happy to help!

We who want to build exposure for our books as effectively and frugally of time as possible will intuit that the icon marked with an “F” is for Facebook; a “T” (most online entities haven’t changed the icon since Twitter changed its name). The one marked with a “P” pops up a post on Pinterest, and so on.

 

Tip: These share buttons and the posts they create have value beyond letting you increase exposure for any of the marketing you are doing online. They work well to increase your own outreach of helpful, sharing posts that go to your followers as you browse the web. When your site visitors use them to share your invitations, articles, tips, they trigger its algorithms or stats. Using the icons you find on others’ sites or blogs is a gift to them and there is usually room to make them work harder for both of you by leaving a positive blurb or hashtag on the pop-up. If there is space available after that, tag someone else who likes to share. I’m @frugalbookpromo on X.

 

And one of my favorite tips worth reviving! It was recommended to me by the late, great Dan Poynter. Use it for special occasions “just to keep in touch with people who know the value of tuning-in and networking.” He called it a “Top 50 List.” It’s your list of people you love to work with. You might already have a “Top 50 People List;” You just haven’t coded them as such on your contact list and if you haven’t, your relationships aren’t working to their potential. Schedule a once-a-year (at least) communication to your Top 50 this year! 

MORE ABOUT TODAY’S CONTRIBUTOR 

 

 Howard-Johnson is the multi award-winning author of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. She is also a marketing consultant, editor, and author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers including her flagship book The Frugal Book Promoter(https://bit.ly/FrugalBookPromoIII), now offered in its third edition by Modern History Press and two booklets in their second editions,  Great Little Last Minute Editing Tips for Writers  and The Great First Impression Book Proposal, both career boosters in mini doses and that make ideal thank you gifts for authors. The one on writing book proposals is also available as an Audio Book. 

The Frugal Editor (https://www.amazon.com/dp/1615996001), now in its third edition, is the winningest book in the series. She is working on a second edition of her #HowToDoItFrugally How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically to be published in this new year.  Find the entire series as e-books on Amazon’s new page for series. 

 Carolyn also has three frugal books for retailers including one she encourages authors to read because it helps them convince retailers to host their workshops, presentations, and signings. It is A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques (https://bit.ly/RetailersGuide). In addition to this blog, Carolyn helps writers extend the exposure of their favorite reviews at TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com. She also blogs all things editing—grammar, formatting and more—at The Frugal, Smart, and Tuned-In Editor (https://TheFrugalEditor.blogspot.com). Learn more and follow for news on her new releases direct from Amazon at https://bit.ly/CarolynsAmznProfile.

 

Ten Reasons Why You Shouldn't Shortchange Self-Publishing

                      Ten Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Shortchange Self-Publishing 

By Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning 
HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers

I have been Sinatra’s proverbial “prince, pauper” and a number of other things when it comes to publishing—meaning that I have tried publishing every almost every way imaginable and am here to tell you there is no one right way to do it. It can depend on your personality (are you super independent?), your pocketbook, the nature of your title, the time window you have and more. Because the term self-publishing is so often misunderstood, it is important to tell you what true self-publishing is and is not.

1.      It is frugal—or not—depending on the choices you make. It is flexible. You do everything yourself which is very frugal—very nearly free—with everything but you time. Or you hire the skills you know you should (like book cover design) and some skills you don’t want to take on (perhaps like formatting) when your pocketbook allows. And when you chose to ignore those guidelines for skills everyone adamantly recommends you avoid because you are too frugal or just plain stubborn (like editing), you tackle learning as much about it as you possibly can with the vengeance of becoming a professional and plan on doing double duty when it comes to getting help from beta readers as suggested in my The Frugal Editor.

2.      As suggested above (but bears repeating), you can publish with no upfront costs.

3.      You make all the net profit from your book. If you don’t, then it’s not really self-publishing. In fact it may be an indicator that it is vanity publishing which carries problems of its own. (By the way, I don’t like the “vanity” term because it negates the value of creativity of any book.)

4.      That you can’t use your own ISBN number is a myth. You must pay for your ISBN if you want one that carries no hidden code for a press that isn’t your own, but they can come free with some like Amazon and others like the dreaded vanity presses you have probably heard about. Most readers won’t know the difference.

5.      You keep all the rights to your work and, yes, though it isn’t easy, you can change your mind later.

6.      You make all the net profit from your book. If you don’t, then it’s not really self-publishing.

7.      You can (but won’t always!) publish more quickly. There are some very good reasons to want to do this. Your book’s topic may be time sensitive. You are aware that you may not live forever. You may simply have other stories (or books) waiting for their own time in the sun.

8.      You make all the profit net profit from your book. If you don’t, then it’s not really self-publishing. A better net profit is about making earnings for your efforts, but they also give you more room to play with like offering your book at a discount at book fairs and still make a profit for yourself (albeit a smaller one).

9.      Make no mistake, the likelihood of your self-published book of becoming a true bestseller or of seeing it on the shelves of bookstores everywhere is far less than if you snag a huge (read that “Big New York Five” as an example) contract. But if you’re publishing only to get huge sales (or profits), it is a long shot in cany case. Publish—traditionally, self, or somewhere in between—for other good reasons. There are plenty great reasons for each scenario.

10.   If you have another business, you can self-publish a book that will impart your professional credibility to your customers and attract new ones. (To say nothing of producing a little extra income stream).

Note: Your book may lead to other creative income streams like audio books, CDs, toys, and suggest other free promotions for the good of your book or other pursuits.

More About the Author

Carolyn Howard-Johnson started what she considers her “real writing” career when most are thinking of retiring. She brings her experience as publicist, journalist, marketer, editor, retailer, and the author of those books published almost every way possible including traditionally, to the advice she gives in her HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers and the many classes she taught for nearly a decade as instructor for UCLA Extension’s world-renown Writers’ Program including a class on editing for self-publishers. The books in her HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers have won multiple awards. That series includes  The Frugal Book Promoter and The Frugal Editor which won awards from USA Book News, Readers’ Views Literary Award, the marketing award from Next Generation Indie Books and others including the coveted Irwin award. Her self-published How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically launched to rave reviews from Karen Cioffi, writer and publisher.

 

Karen says, “I’m an author, content writer, and online marketing instructor. Reading Carolyn Howard-Johnson’s The Frugal Editor has given me lots and lots of tips and reminders on how to write right, whether I’m writing fiction, nonfiction, blogging, or marketing. It’s a writing tool I’ll refer to over and over again.”

Howard-Johnson is the recipient of the California Legislature’s Woman of the Year in Arts and Entertainment Award, and her community’s Character and Ethics award for her work promoting tolerance with her writing. She was also named to Pasadena Weekly’s list of “Fourteen San Gabriel Valley women who make life happen” and was given her community’s Diamond Award for Achievement in the Arts.

What's New in the Publishing World

 

What’s New in the Publishing/Writing World

 By Carolyn Howard-Johnson

Author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers

 

Image Courtesy Amazon's New Buy Page for Series

I know.

 

You are laughing. Everything is new in the publishing world, and in the last decade it’s moved faster than ever before. That’s probably the biggest reason that Modern History Press is publishing my HowToDoItFrugally Series of books in new editions, including the just-released Third Edition of The Frugal Editor: Do It Yourself Editing Secrets for Writers. And that means that beyond the basics I had to decide what was new enough (and helpful enough!) for me to include in it. I mean, the second edition was already jam-packed with essentials needed way beyond grammar and craft needed by authors whether they self-publish or publish traditionally.

 

My publisher swears there is 50% more in the third edition than the second and we won’t even talk about the first! (Once published—gratefully—by Red Engine Press.)

 

So here is the new stuff that even those who read the second edition will find in this this new one. I hope you’ll find it well worth investing in the ebook. I promise you some surprises:

 

Why a Third Edition of The Frugal Editor?

It surprises people when they learn that grammar rules change over time. Or that what they learned in high school or advanced grammar classes in college is either passé or may not apply to fiction or to the publishing of books as opposed to the web and other media. It also surprises them to learn that a perfectly edited book is never perfect because there are always so many disagreements among experts. And even experts are often misinformed. Further, as my client base grew, I kept running into common misconceptions and outright annoying style choices that would never fly in the publishing world. Thus, a new edition of The Frugal Editor was a must! So here is a smattering of what is new:

·       The Third Edition has new “Editor’s Extras” based on my own school of hard knocks! (I think you’ll love seeing (and learning from!) the worst mistakes I made with my first publishing effort in spite of years as a journalist, PR professional, and writing instructor!)

·       Authors will love the all-new sections including:

o    Beta readers and peer reviewers

o    What you probably don’t know about custom dictionaries

o    Up-to-date rules for accommodating gender-specific and other cultural needs. I mean, are you using the LGBTQIA2+? When you need to be as politically correct possible? 

o    A chapter for word-lovers and poets

o    Quickie reviews of word processors. They’ve changed a lot over the years.

o    What even traditionally accepted front and back matter can (and can't)  do for your book sales, your career, and your readers

o    How to spot shady publisher scams

o    How and when to go for style choices for your book rather than rules.

·       The Third Edition of The Frugal Editor still includes the basics that make you into an on-your-own editor when you must be. Few writers other than Toni Morrison can afford to hire an editor for every query letter, every media release, every media kit, every blog post. So until your career is so star-studded you can afford a publicist and editor on a retainer basis, writers need to know both the basics of editing and the little-known secrets.

·       The third edition is still loaded with reader favorites like what authors need to know about book covers—but it’s updated!

·       New information helps with oft-misunderstood aspects of publishing like these:

o    Agents are a cantankerous lot. (Nope! In The Frugal Editor, twenty-one of the nation's best tell you their pet peeves and they do it in the best of spirits.)

o    If your English teacher told you something is OK, it is. (Language has changed since you were a sophomore. And your English teachers likely have no background in publishing, so apart from basic grammar, how much help can they be?

o    If a manuscript or query is grammar-perfect, you'll be fine. (No! Lots of things that are grammatically correct annoy publishers.)

o    Always use your Spell and Grammar Checker. (No! Some suggest you don't use it at all, but The Frugal Editor helps you make it your partner instead of your enemy.)

o    Your publisher will assign a top-flight editor. (Maybe, but don't count on it. The more you know, the better partner you’ll be for an editor!)

o    Formatters and editors will take care of the hyphens, ellipses, and all the other grungy little punctuation that English teachers avoid teaching because they didn't know how to use them either. (Chances are, you'll catch even great formatters and editors in an error or two if you know your stuff!)

 

More About Today’s Contributor

 

Carolyn Howard-Johnson brings her experience as a publicist, journalist, marketer, and retailer to the advice she gives in her HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers and the many classes she taught for nearly a decade as instructor for UCLA Extension’s world-renown Writers’ Program. Both the first and second editions of The Frugal Book Promoter and The Frugal Editor are multi award-winners. The latter is her winningest book which includes awards from USA Book News, Readers’ Views Literary Award, the marketing award from Next Generation Indie Books and others including the coveted Irwin award. Her third book in the HowToDoItFrugally Series is How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically. It was released to acclaim from The Midwest Book Review and others.

 

“Careers that are not fed die as readily as any living organism given no sustenance.”

Carolyn Howard-Johnson,

Website: http://www.HowToDoItFrugally.com     Blog: http://sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com
E-mail: HoJoNews  @ AOL.  dot   com        Amazon Profile and Book List: http://bit.ly/CarolynsAmznProfile