The New Book Review

This blog, #TheNewBookReview, is "new" because it eschews #bookbigotry. It lets readers, reviewers, authors, and publishers expand the exposure of their favorite reviews, FREE. Info for submissions is in the "Send Me Your Fav Book Review" circle icon in the right column below. Find resources to help your career using the mini search engine below. #TheNewBookReview is a multi-award-winning blog including a MastersInEnglish.org recommendation.

Showing posts sorted by relevance for query Frugal Editor. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query Frugal Editor. Sort by date Show all posts

Friday, July 21, 2023

Title: The Frugal Editor
Subtitle: Do-It-Yourself Editing Secrets
Edition: 3rd Edition
Publisher: Modern History Press
ISBN: 978 1 -61599-600-1
Available on Amazon as a hardcover, paperback, e-book

Reviewed by C. Hope Clark, author of the Edisto series and Vine Reviewer

VINE VOICE

5.0 out of 5 stars An encyclopedic wealth of knowledge

Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2023

The Frugal Editor, 3rd Edition, just blew me away in its concentration of knowledge. It contains an incredible amount of teachings about how to manage a manuscript from the editing stage to the publishing stage. The book is a far cry from how to copyedit a story. Oh my goodness, it covers grammar, formatting, and tips and warnings about using which writing program, beta readers, hiring an editor, even covers. I have been in this business for 23 years, and I was dumbfounded at the little tricks, suggestions, and how-tos on so many topics. . . like MS Word, which I thought I knew everything about! Take it from someone who has traditionally published 17 novels . . . knowledge abounds in this book, and no author is too advanced to pick up this book and NOT glean something. I'm impressed . . . and I don't impress easily. Well done.

 

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER


C. Hope Clark is the author of The Carolina Slade Mysteries The Edisto Island Mysteries, and The Craven County Mysteries. She’s editor of FundsforWriters, one of the Writer’s Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers and published in The Writer Magazine, Writer’s Digest, Guide to Literary Agents, Writer’s Market, and other trade and online publications.

 


MORE ABOUT #THENEWBOOKREVIEW BLOG 



 Authors, Publishers, Readers and Reviewers may publish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with readers on this blog.  That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at http://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews or to the guideline tab at the top of the home page of this blog. 

 Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern's #AuthorsHelpingAuthors service for requesting reviews. Find her guidelines in a tab at the top of the home page, too. 

 Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author, a veteran educator and also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. 

 Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing

Saturday, November 14, 2020

Writer-Artist Deborah Lyn Stanley Reviews New Little Editing Reference



Title: Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips for Writers

Edition: 2nd Edition

Subtitle: The Ultimate Frugal Reference Guide for Avoiding Word Trippers and Crafting Gatekeeper-Perfect Copy

Series: Multi Award-Winning HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers

Author: Carolyn Howard-Johnson

ISBN: 9781615995240

Reference: Nonfiction/Writers, Editing Reference 

Available as paperback, hard copy, and ebook on Amazon, https://amzn.to/2RInuea 


Reviewed by Deborah Lyn Stanley originally for Goodreads


My favorite self-editing book just got better, with its second edition addendum of Great Little Last-Minute Tips. Carolyn Howard-Johnson, a friend and co-contributor to Writer’s On The Move, is a constant source of encouragement for every writer’s journey!


I enjoy Carolyn’s down-to-earth and humorous writing style. It enlightens, is a kick and prevents headaches too.

 

This little book is powerful with pointers from the depth of her knowledge, writing and editing expertise. This is NOT a boring grammar/editing book. Carolyn’s Word Trippers are full of surprises and fun to make us better writers, better communicators, and better at doing the job we set out to do.

 

I highly recommend this book. It’s enlivening, instructive and strengthens our writers' journey.

 

Thank you, Carolyn Howard-Johnson for providing me a review book copy of “Great Little Last-Minute Editing tips for Writers."  I was not required to write a positive review, I receive no compensation, and it was my choice to write this review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.

 

Thank you, Carolyn Howard-Johnson!


Carolyn Howard-Johnson has been promoting her own books and helping clients promote theirs for more than a decade. Her marketing plan for the second book in the HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers, The Frugal Editor, won the Next Generation Millennium Award for Marketing. See my review of The Frugal Editor  here: https://deborahlynwriter.com/2020/05/11/book-review-the-frugal-editor/. Carolyn's just-released third edition of The Frugal Book Promoter published by Modern History Press, is also new, expanded, and updated. Learn more at www.howtodoitfrugally.com. Learn still more at 

 

https://howtodoitfrugally.com/

https://www.amazon.com/Great-Little-Last-Minute-Editing-Writers

http://www.writersonthemove.com/

 

 

More About the Reviewer


Deborah Lyn Stanley is an author and artist. Learn more about her at: 

My Writer’s Life: https://deborahlynwriter.com/

Writing for Caregivers: https://deborahlyncaregiver.com/   

Artist’s Website: https://lynstanleyart.com

 

Writer-Artist Deborah Lyn Stanley Reviews New Little Editing Reference





Friday, September 21, 2018

Midwest Book Review Editor Reviews Book on Getting "Forever Reviews"

Title: How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically
Subtitle: The ins and outs of using free reviews to build and sustain a writing career
Author: Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Publisher: CreateSpace, 4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
Author's website: http://howtodoitfrugally.com
ISBN: 9781536948370
$17.95, PB (also available for all ebook readers on Amazon)
340pp
Purchase on Amazon
Reprinted with permission from the Midwest Book Review

Reviewed by James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief of Midwest Book Review

How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically


Full disclosure -- I have been the editor-in-chief of the Midwest Book Review for some 43 years now and I have known Carolyn Howard-Johnson in a professional capacity as a freelance book publicist and promoter for more than two decades. I and the Midwest Book Review are mentioned quite positively a number of times in the pages of "How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically", which also includes her adaptation of our "Reviewer Guidelines". We are cyberspace pen-pals and I have given positive reviews for her two previous 'how to' books for writers and publishers: "The Frugal Book Promoter" and "The Frugal Editor".

"How To Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically" deftly draws upon Carolyn's many years of experience and expertise in helping writers avoid various kinds of pitfalls, misconceptions, and in dealing with the out-and-out scams perpetrated on unsuspecting authors, as well as helping them reach their dreams of great reviews, great book tours, and great launches.

Every aspect of acquiring usable reviews on a 'shoestring/no-string' marketing budget is covered. Of special note to me as an editor of reviews is the fifth section (Writing Reviews Are Powerful Platform Builders) with its instructions on writing professional quality reviews.

Thoroughly 'user friendly' in tone, style, commentary and presentation, I have only one little quibble with this first edition -- half the references to the Midwest Book Review are not on the page numbers cited in the Index but are to be found a couple of pages later! I know because (my ego being what it is) that's the first thing I looked at when picking up the book for review! But this is something easily corrected in what is certain to be the next printing now that I've drawn Carolyn's attention to it (she is a notorious stickler for detail!).

A fundamental and superbly organized do-it-yourself instruction manual and guide, "How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically" should be considered mandatory reading for every self-published author aspiring to a professional career and every independent press publisher seeking to achieve financial success. It could well serve as a curriculum textbook for college Writing/Publishing courses.

Carolyn Howard-Johnson's "How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically" is appropriately subtitled -- The ins and outs of using free reviews to build and sustain a writing career.

Unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, college, and university library Writing/Publishing instructional reference collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).

Simply stated, this comprehensive, definitive, do-it-yourself guide, "How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically", is the next best thing to hiring Carolyn to personally create a review driven marketing campaign for your book.




MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Midwest Book Review Editor Reviews Book on Getting "Forever Reviews"



Sunday, December 2, 2018

Invaluable and Engaging Read for Editing Books with Excellent Advice


The Frugal Editor: Do-It-Yourself Editing Secrets, from your query letters to final manuscript to the marketing of your new bestseller.


Title: The Frugal Editor

  • Series: HowToDoItFrugally Series of Books for Writers
  • Author: Carolyn Howard-Johnson
  • Paperback: 288 pages
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1505712114
  • ISBN-13: 978-1505712117

This book is engaging and fun to read. It answers the questions you have been considering researching someday as you write and wonder if you are doing the right thing. As I read, I learned answers to questions I didn’t know I had been thinking about.

This book will help you be frugal with your time. It may be used as a research book by consulting the index for all your projects.

Don’t turn in any manuscript without first reading this book. This book will help polish any writing piece.

The author suggests it is important to be open to accepting suggested edits. The difference between an editor and a someone who reads to find typos is well-explained in this book. You might need both!

The author explains:
*Writers should use Word editing, but not rely on it alone.
*Manual and digital proof-reading and editing are both important.
*Step-by-step information is provided for editing in Word.
*Books and web sites that will help a writer are recommended, as well.
*The difference between save and save as when naming manuscripts is explained. This is important to know so work is not accidentally lost.
Howard-Johnson explains why a manuscript should be edited for only one with one kind of edit at a time. The editing is never done!
Did you know the whole publishing world dislikes the term fictional novel? Novels, by definition, are fiction. Other terms the “whole publishing world” dislikes are also discussed to help writers avoid newbie mistakes.
To start a book title with the word the, or not? Certain issues arise if the title of your book starts with the (or a or an).
The author divulges agents’ pet peeves!
The book includes humor, such as this sentence: “Though find function is not a therapist, yours can help you with your personal oddities.”

Howard-Johnson explains the passive voice isn’t all bad, and examples of times it can be used are provided. The author gives the link to Rutgers University, which gives examples of how politicos and others use passive to weasel out of stuff. 

If you write nonfiction exclusively, did you know more nonfiction writers are using dialogue than ever before?

Ten easy ways to improve your dialogue are listed and explained.

Maybe you want to “Get Rid of Dialogue Migraines?”

Legitimate uses for the ampersand are given. Who knew?

Avoiding the green grocer’s apostrophe is discussed to avoid phrases such as, “Avocado’s Sold Here.”

Howard-Johnson says rules and guidelines for print and the Web are galaxies apart, and to think of them as different genres. Speaking of the web, she explains: 

1. How to avoid Internet shams and scams.
2. Guidelines for sending your submission packages by e-mail or snail mail are also discussed.

This book is invaluable!


Invaluable and Engaging Read for Editing Books with Excellent Advice

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

This review was originally posted on Goodreads and Amazon by Carolyn Wilhelm of Wise Owl Factory. 

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG 

The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Pesky Word Trippers and Editing Hints

I'm in love with this review written by Karen Cioffi. Not because it is a rave review (really, it's quite matter-of-fact), but because it gives readers what they need to make a buying decision. So, I think of this not only as a brag about my new little booklet, but as an example of what a well-written review looks like.

Title: Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips for Writers
Author: Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Publisher: HowToDoItFrugally.com
ISBN: 1450507654

What’s more important to a writer than words? Not much . . . maybe how to put words together properly, using correct grammar, weaving them together to create descriptive or informative content . . . but, we still go back to the foundation of every writer’s manuscript or article . . . words.

Carolyn Howard Johnson’s latest book, Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips for Writers, is a little 55 page book (or e-book) that a writer can refer back to over and over and over to find help with some of the most common word trippers.

In the Before You Get Started section of this book, Howard-Johnson explains, “Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips for Writers is full of words that are trouble causers. They either sound alike or are spelled similarly. They are not arcane words that you will seldom have an occasion to use. They are not words the writer knows but still mistypes.”

Words such as climactic and climatic used improperly or misspelled can mean a rejection when submitting to the “gatekeepers.” The addition or deletion of that little second “c” makes a huge difference in the meaning of the word.

Or, how about the words: all together / altogether; demur / demure; one in the same / one and the same; and peeked / peaked / piqued. These are just a few of the word trippers added in the Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips for Writers.

Listed in an A – Z format, the words chosen for this book are thoroughly explained with the aid of examples. This all makes for an easy to understand and easy to read guide. The author also provides two resource sections at the end of the book: Reading: One Editing Book at a Time, and Other Writers’ Aids.

I happen to be a fan of Carolyn Howard-Johnson’s Frugal series and have the Frugal Editor as well as the Frugal Book Promoter. They are a part of my writing and marketing toolkit. The author has done it again with the Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips for Writers. She has compiled this much needed booklet as an addendum to a list in the appendix of her book, The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success.

I learned a great deal from Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips for Writers and will be referring to it often; I highly recommend it.

Reviewed by Karen Cioffi, author, writer-for-hire, freelance writer. She blogs at
http://karenandrobyn.blogspot.com and is co-author of Day's End Lullaby. She is the author of The Self-Publisher's Guide, Writing, Publishing, and Marketing - You Can Do It!, and Walking Through Walls - In contract with 4RV Publishing. She also reviews for BookPleasures.com and Muse Book Reviews
Follow her at http://twitter.com/KarenCV
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.
As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using the widget below:

Monday, April 26, 2010

RJ Medak Reviews Fun Grammar Brush-Up Book

Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips for Writers: The Ultimate Frugal Booklet for Avoiding Word Trippers and Crafting Gatekeeper-Perfect Copy
By Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Published by HowToDoItFrugally.com
EAN-13: 9781450507653
Paperback booklet
55 pages
$6.95

Reviewed by Robert Medlak for Amazon and asorted review sites

This pamphlet is only around fifty pages, but filled with an assemblage of word trippers written in a conversational style that will help writers from aspiring to seasoned with their copy.

The best way to appear amateurish as writers is to make simple word usage errors. There are homophone words that writers should know the difference, and which one of them to use in their copy. Some of the most common errors found in editing by author and editor, Carolyn Howard-Johnson lists in “Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips for Writers.”

This reviewer found this pamphlet to be inspirational and a brush up for any writer. Any time a writer submits copy not up to professional standards there is a gatekeeper who will bounce it. Reading this pamphlet can save writers the embarrassment of receiving a rejection slip for poor writing.

“Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips for Writers” is a postscript to Carolyn’s book, The Frugal Editor. No writer is a consummate writer in every sentence and word choice. Writers can only strive for perfection, but not consumed by it.

This reviewer found this small pamphlet chock full of useful information for all writers. Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips for Writers receives a five star rating by this reviewer.

The Reviewer

Robert (Bob) Medak is a writer/editor/reviewer. He reviews for AllBook Reviews and New York Journal of Books. He is acquisitions editor for Real Time PUblishing. Find him at Stormy Winter. He tweets at www.twitter.com/RJ_Medak.



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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.
As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using the widget below:

Sunday, June 4, 2023

Dawn Colclasure Lauds Carolyn Howard-Johnson's "The Frugal Editor"

I love author-edited newsletters like the one below from Dawn Colclasure below for information, yes, but especially for networking and building a loyal base.  You'll see from the "More About the Author" that Dawn is not only a prolific author, but among her books are career-boosting how-tos for writers--and you (my SharingwithWriters and TheNewBookReview subscribers and visitors) know how I am about books being the most frugal way (and often the most credible way!) to build writing careers. Today's post was a surprise from Dawn, perhaps my first quite like this. It is what I will call and "editorial review" or recommendation.  It will become a vital part of my celebration of the release of the 3rd edition of my #TheFrugalEditor. Here it is! Along with a sample of her newsletter!  


Welcome to the latest issue (the of the 

Thirteenth!) of the SPARREW Newsletter!


An Assortment of Dawn Colclasure's Poetry, Fiction, and About Anything
and Everything Else! 


The free monthly newsletter for self-publishers, authors, readers, reviewers, editors and writers! I am happy to have you aboard! Thank you for subscribing! And welcome to new subscribers!



Thanks to her lovely contributions to this newsletter, Carolyn Howard-Johnson’s newest release, the third edition of The Frugal Editor: Do-It-Yourself Editing Secrets-From Your Query Letters to Final Manuscript to the Marketing of Your New Bestseller is not an unknown book to me. If you’d like to read about Carolyn’s thoughts on why the update of this book was necessary, you can check it out in my article in First Chapter Plus here: On pages 16-17

 

But aside from getting new nuggets of editorial wisdom from this book, I was surprised by how Carolyn’s reminder to edit query letters really hits home. I have reviewed many rejected query letters and realized that, after some thought, they definitely could use some editing. Carolyn’s book can help whip those query letters into shape! It’s definitely a must-have book for every writer serious about making their work shine.

 

We got a great issue put together for you this month.

 

In a recent issue of The Wordling newsletter, I learned about self-publisher Paul Millerd. After reading about his success as a self-publisher, I knew I had to interview him for my own newsletter! Despite his VERY busy schedule, Paul was able to find some time to answer my questions. Check out his sage advice about self-publishing below!

 

The author interview is with an author I have know for some time: William Meikle. I met William decades ago, through the Absolute Write Water Cooler. Even though it’s been many years since I’ve participated at the Water Cooler, I kept track of William through other online platforms – mainly, social media. When I learned he had books coming out this month, I wanted to interview him so he could share all about them! Don’t miss my interview with William and learn all about his journey in becoming an author.

 

And finally, the writer interview is with another fellow scribe I have known for many years: Shanta Everington. I met Shanta when I was writing for a parent publication based in England, and we kept in touch on and off ever since. Shanta graciously took some time to answer questions for the writer interview and to share her wisdom about all things writing.

 

This month’s feature article is from a fellow author who I recently crossed paths with. After I won a book drawing through Jessica McCann’s newsletter, I wanted to return the nice gesture and asked her if she would like to contribute a guest post to this newsletter. Thankfully, Jessica agreed to do so, and I loved how her ideas for writing puts a nice spin on the process! Please check out her article to find out just how she does it!

 

I hope you enjoy this issue! Feel free to drop me a note or connect with me on social media! I'd love to connect with you!


Enjoy this issue!

Click Here to Read the Full Issue!

Feature Article:

Writing Bass-Ackwards

"My daughter and her circle of friends love Manga -- Asian graphic novels that you read from back to front, right to left. She gave me one to read once, one with a story she thought I would love. I tried to read it; I really did. Just couldn’t do it...."

Read More



More About  Dawn Colclasure's Newsletter and Other Projects 



Her SPARREW Newsletter is a free monthly newsletter for self-publishers, authors, readers, reviewers, editors and writers! Subscribe here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/oQMfjTl/spring. See a sample of her newsletter in this post and an image of her published books near the top of this post. 


More About #TheNewBookReview Blog

Help me celebrate the release of the 3rd Edition of "The Frugal Editor"


 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at http://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews or to the guideline tab at the top of the home page of this blog. 

 Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern's #AuthorsHelpingAuthors service for requesting reviews. Find her guidelines in the right column of this blog  home page (a silver and gold badge and threee silver-gray circles beneath it. 

Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author and veteran educator, she also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. 

 Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing

Thursday, January 1, 2015

Start 2015 With Career-Building Book for Authors


The Frugal Book Promoter
Subtitle: How to get nearly free publicity on your own or by partnering with your publisher
By Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Winner USA Book News Award

ISBN: 978143743291
Available on Amazon in paperback and e-book
Author’s Web site: http://HowToDoItFrugally.com

Reviewed by W. Terry Whalin originally for Amazon


An Excellent Book for Authors Got
Even Better With This Updated Version


When I want to increase my understanding of book promotion, I turn to sources with experience and wisdom. One of those sources is Carolyn Howard-Johnson and her excellent, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER. The information in this book is practical and tested and perfect for a first-time author or one with many published books. The experienced voice of the author echoes on each page of this book. It’s not just theory but these are ideas Howard-Johnson has put into practice with results.

As she writes toward the end of her book, “It’s never too late and it’s never too early to promote. Rearrange your thinking. Marketing isn’t about a single book. It’s about building a career. And new books can build on the momentum created by an earlier book, if you keep the faith. Review the marketing ideas in this book, rearrange your schedule and priorities a bit, and keep at it.” (Page 364)


This new edition has more than 100 additional pages from the first edition yet THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER is practicing frugality—and maintains the same retail price as the first edition. I recommend every author get this book and take action on the multitude of ideas.

________________________________________

W. Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor lives in Colorado. A former magazine editor and former literary agent, Terry is an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams. To help writers, he has created 12-lesson online course called Write A Book Proposal. His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com.  Learn more about him and what he does for authors at
Straight Talk from the Editor (FREE Ebook): http://straightalkeditor.com
Follow him onn Twitter: http://twitter.com/terrywhalin
His blog, The Writing Life (over 1,000 entries): http://www.thewritinglife.ws


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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Monday, April 30, 2012

Marketing for Writers Book Gets 5-Star Review from Veteran Reviewer

The Frugal Book Promoter
Subtitle: How to get nearly free publicity on your own or by partnering with your publisher
By Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Author's Web site: www.howtodoitfrugally.com
Genre: Nonfiction/How-to/Business/Book Marketing/ Book Promotion/PR
Available paperback/Kindle www.budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo

Reviewed by Robert Medak

The Frugal Book Promoter is a book every author needs in their library for consultation when promoting their book without spending every dime in their piggy bank.

This copy of The Frugal Book Promoter is a revised and expanded work by Carolyn that tells it like it is as only she can.

This reviewer read and reviewed the original copy of The Frugal Book Promoter, but his copy holds even more information than the original with links to more information, people you might want to contact for help with book covers and marketing your book, which authors need to take on in today’s publishing environment.

It is a sad fact, that publishers are not what they used to be as far as publicity and marketing for your book. More responsibility rests on the shoulders of authors for getting out and making your book sell. The more you can do on your own will save you money, which most authors do not have for hiring a publicist or marketer. It is now up to the author to learn how to do this.

Yes, authors are no longer just authors. They are authors, salespersons, marketers, publicists, and anything else to get their book into the hands of readers.

In The Frugal Book Promoter, authors will find frugal ways to market and promote their books.

Authors need to add The Frugal Book Promoter to their required reference books in writer’s library.

This reviewer highly recommends The Frugal Book Promoter as a must read for anyone thinking of writing a book and getting it into the hands of readers.

The Frugal Book Promoter receives a five out of five star rating from this reviewer who is adding it to other reference books in his library.

~Robert Medak, Freelance Writer/Editor/Reviewer/Marketer

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Monday, August 29, 2011

Compulsive Reader Reviews Expanded Second Edition of Frugal Book Promoter


The Frugal Book Promoter: Second Edition: How to get nearly free publicity on your own or by partnering with your publisher.
The Frugal Book PromoterHow to get nearly free publicity on your own or by partnering with your publisher
by Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Second Edition
CreateSpace
Paperback: 416 pages, August 25, 2011
ISBN-13: 978-1463743291
Reviewed by Magdalena Ball

It doesn't matter how many books you've published. Self-published or traditionally published, gaining publicity is always tricky, always critical, and always a moving target. If your budget is limited, it's even harder, and perhaps, even more imperative. Enter Carolyn Howard-Johnson, the queen of frugal promotion. Her frugal books are pitched at the modern writer: time poor, financially parsimonious, and publicity hungry. The Frugal Book Promoter (www.budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo) is the jewel in the crown. As with the first version, The Frugal Book Promoter is full of ideas, strategies, and tips for promoting your book cheaply, in innovative and effective ways, but it has been updated with a much greater focus on new technologies, the all-important social networks, and a range of strategies designed to help authors with less commercial offerings such as poetry and fiction.

Of course the book is rich with classic techniques too, such as media releases, query letters, and a whole fantastic chapter pulling together a media kit. There's information on using bylines, writing a biography, obtaining endorsements and blurbs, distribution of releases, obtaining reviews, tradeshows, book fairs, setting up a website, and many more 'must-do' items that have really become part and parcel of any author's promotional toolkit. Ignore this kind of stuff and unless you win some kind of book lotto, your book will almost certainly fall into the obscurity that is an ever-present risk of modern authordom. What I like best about Howard-Johnson's book is the simple, informal prose which is both warmly reassuring ('of course you can do this'), and deceptively intelligent. The reader is encouraged and reminded of his or her own innate capabilities even as they're goaded onto to raising the bar:
 
You’ve been practicing PR most of your life. Getting along with family. Impressing a new boss. You’ve been a customer and know why you like some products and businesses better than others. All it takes is some examination of the processes that influence you to get a grip on public relations—even on marketing as a whole.

The new version also contains a chapter on some of the most current topics, including information on blogging, working Amazon, using social networks, and even some common pitfalls to avoid in blogging and networking. Howard-Johnson totally practices what she preaches, so her advice comes directly from her many years of experience, and is rich with innovative ideas to minimise the time involved and maximise the input through such things as integration and cross-linking, clever use of soundbites and re-tweetable tweets, setting up a "Quotable Quotes” page on your Web site (I love that one), using RSS, and many other novel ideas. Throughout the book there are links, anecdotes, worked examples, and excellent templates including queries, a sample media release, blog entries, invitations, and even a tip sheet.
 
No, you don't really need a copy of The Frugal Book Promoter. You could hire a publicist for $100 an hour, or organise a retainer for anywhere from $1,500 to $20,000. But if you're looking to do your own publicity, or to augment your publishers and don't have the kind of budget that can support a publicist, or you simply want to do the legwork, connect with your reading public, and do your best to ensure that your wonderful work of art reaches a maximum audience, then this book is really the self-promoter's bible. You don't have to read it cover to cover, although it's certainly accessible and enjoyable enough to do so. The book is well-referenced and perfectly designed to enable the frugal author to dip in once a week and pull out a new publicity idea to try, or to use as a reference when it's time to pull together a marketing plan for your book, or at that moment when you need to write a press-release and want a template and guide, when you're looking for ideas to maximise your book signing. Whatever kind of promotions you want to do for your book, you're sure to find it in The Frugal Book Promoter. Howard-Johnson makes it all sound simple, and provides such easy instructions, that you'll want to go out straightaway and get to it. Put simply, The Frugal Book Promoter is the best guide around for create interesting, fresh, inexpensive, and relatively easy promotion for your book, whatever the genre.
 
~Magdalena Ball runs the popular review site Compulsive Reader and is an award-winning author and poet in her own right.

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Sunday, December 3, 2023

Laura Sturza Recommends The Frugal Editor to Her Students


Title: The Frugal Editor
Subtitle: Do-It-Yourself Editing Secrets
Edition: Third Edition
Publisher: Modern History Press
ISBN: 9761615996001
Available on Amazon Hardcover, Paperback, E-book
Awards: 
       USA Book News, Reader Views Literary Award, 
       Next Generation Marketing Awardm Next Generation Indie Book Award, 
       Dan Poynter's Global E-Book Award

Reviewed by Laura Sturza originally for Amazon 

I am a writer and a writing teacher and I highly recommend this book to my students. It is particularly helpful for those writing a book as it includes detailed information about presenting the best version of one's manuscript when submitting it to agents and publishers. There is also lots of information to help those submitting work to magazines and newspapers so that editors don't reject an excellent story because it includes editing errors. While I have been steeped in the writing business for decades, this book taught me so much and helped me refine other essentials, such as decisions about a book's layout. Years ago, I met the author when she ran a writing group. By using personal stories and humor, Howard-Johnson brings that same, warm, conversational style to relaying information that I have found challenging to absorb from other sources. There were grammar corrections she covered that I have struggled with for years, and which she simplified. The book is also full of resources to further explore the topics covered. My copy is full of sticky notes to help me as I continue to edit my first book. When it is published, I have the author to thank for helping me create the strongest possible version of it so that readers can enjoy the story without the distraction of editing flubs.

Disclaimer: I received a book from the publisher of this book so I could write a fair and honest review.

 

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

 Laura Sturza is a writer/teacher living in Rockville, Maryland after 20 years in L.A., which remains her other home. Her work is published in The Washington Post, Shondaland, The Boston Globe Magazine, AARP's The Girlfriend, The LA Times, Lunch Ticket, and Hippocampus, among others. Laura is completing the memoir, Better Late: My Midlife First-Time Marriage. She was a nonfiction editor on the forthcoming book, Transformation: A Women Who Submit Anthology. She wrote, produced, and starred in the one-woman show, Finding the Perfect Place to Live in 111 Gyrations  laurasturza.com


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