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

MORE ABOUT #THENEWBOOKREVIEW BLOG

 

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. 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. 

The Lowdown on E-mail Marketing and How You've Been Lead Astray

Email Marketing for Complex Sales Cycles
Subtitle: Proven Ways to Produce a Continuous Flow of Prospects and Profits with
Effective, Spam-Free Email Systems
By Winton Churchill
Foreword by Ron Richards, President, ResultsLab
Morgan - James, 2008
ISBN 9781600374210
Nonfiction/Business
Author's Site: www.churchillmethod.com/
Contact Reviewer: HoJoNews@aol.com



Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, award-winning author of three books of fiction and poetry and The Frugal Book Promoter: How to Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success

Remember when we were advised, "Don't believe everything you read?" That's probably even more true in the Internet age than it was back in the days when I first heard it. That's one of the reasons I was glad to see the release of Email Marketing for Complex Sales Cycles by Winton Churchill.

See, I've always been vaguely aware that people get unnecessarily up in arms about SPAM. I see them let others censor the material they get delivered in their e-mail boxes all in the interest of kill, kill, killing the Dearly Beloved messages. I've seen them give up an old e-mail address to curtail the flow of SPAM, even though they are also giving up all kinds of networking contacts when they do so. I've seen them rant and rave about SPAM that was really only a query from someone who had found them doing a search on Google. I mean, that's why we have websites, so people can find us.

So when a real expert like Churchill tells it like it is, well . . . that is a wonderful, affirming experience for me. Churchill is a master marketer who has been quoted in the likes of The Wall Street Journal and Inc. Magazine. He also happens to know a good deal about e-marketing and he shares what he knows in this helpful marketing book.

Email Marketing is written primarily for big business people with large marketing budgets and big staffs. I would like to have seen Churchill specifically address how little guys might put his method to use on a smaller scale and a lot more frugally. But then I am the author behind the HowToDoItFrugally series of book for writers. With an emphasis on the word frugal.

That doesn't mean this author's methods can't be adapted to small business people, right down to small publishers—even individual authors. I found that many of his theories fit very well into the basics of great PR (things like building relationships rather than use the big four-letter word SELL). And that many of them can be adapted to less ambitious online processes like forging trust and making great contact lists.

It is also comforting to know that in my own marketing I have already been practicing much of what he preaches but on a much, much smaller scale. He almost has me convinced to take a jump into something bigger. But if I don't, I can use some of his techniques to hone the processes I'm already using.

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Carolyn Howard-Johnson is an instructor for UCLA Extension's Writers’ Program. She is the author of two award-winning books, This Is the Place and Harkening. Her how-to book for writers, The Frugal Book Promoter: How to Do What Your Publisher Won't, is the winner of USA Book News' Best Professional Book and the Irwin Award. The second in the HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers, The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success, is also a USA Book News award winner and a Reader Views Literary award winner. She won the 2008 New Generation Award for Marketing. Learn more at www.HowToDoItFrugally.com.

Editor Reviews Book on Editing for Amazon

The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success

By Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Publisher: Red Engine Press
ISBN: 9780978515874
Available in paperback and for Kindle

Reviewed by Steve Fortosis for Amazon

Carolyn Howard-Johnson is a very brave lady. She had the audacity to write a book representing surely one of the most anal of all groups: editors/proofreaders. And, even more courageous, she did so in a casual, good-natured manner. She boils down a massive array of points and topics into less than 200 pages, and her editing knowledge is extremely impressive. This book surely deserves its place on every writer's bookshelf. My advice would be to compose your book by letting the words flow freely, without high anxiety regarding the multitudinous rules of writing. Then go back to Carolyn's book and run it through her gauntlet of wise steps to the polished manuscript. You really can't go wrong following her sage advice.
--Dr. Steve Fortosis, writer and editor, sfort1222@msn.com

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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.
And while you're at it, as a courtesy to the author, please retweet this post:

Jill Lublin Shares Expertise for Businesses: Books are Business, Too

Get Noticed . . . Get Referrals
By Jill Lublin with Mark Steisel
Subtitle: Build Your Client Base and Your Business by Making a Name for Yourself
McGraw Hill, 2008
ISBN 9780071508278
Nonfiction/Business/Promotion
Contact Reviewer: HoJoNews@aol.com





Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, award-winning author of three books of fiction and poetry and The Frugal Book Promoter: How to Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success


Advice.

Even good advice is often not believable. And writers are especially immune. Many of us tend not to believe in ourselves, anyway. As writers, we get more advice than we need— well intended perhaps— but mostly uninspired. When to write, how to write, how to query editors, how to punctuate.

The beauty of Jill Lublin's Get Noticed . . . Get Referrals is that what she tells us about promotion and the business world (and, yes, it translates directly to the book biz) comes from her expertise. It also comes from her heart.

That kind of personal involvement is a motivator for anyone and is intended to be. There is way too much talk out there about "self-promotion," a term that reeks of misguided give me this and gimme that tactics. This book is about true public relations.

The word "relations" is the tipoff. Good promotion and the profession of PR is all about relationships and though most of us think we know how to form those, there is lots we may not know. Especially in the business world—whatever business we may be in. Good business relationships don't just happen, they need to be worked like a good marriage. (Come to think of it, some of Jill's approaches to getting noticed and getting referrals might help some marriages out there!)

Then there's the word "public." For those of us who write books, it is an essential word, the word that lets people know enough about us and our books so that we can share what we write with others. That's the whole idea, isn't it?

My favorite chapter is Number Ten (p. 128), "Build on Your Passions." Most writers are passionate about the business of writing—of telling a story or sharing expertise. Much of what is in this chapter is not new but it is reaffirming. Further, it may help writers understand that to be successful their passion must extend beyond the writing of something to the getting of that something into the public consciousness. One of the hints I liked was for people who are having trouble doing it. Lublin says, "Fake it . . . at least initially." Psychologists ascribe to the same theory. You simply "act as if" and you find your life (and your career and maybe even your book sales!) improving.

I am a person who thinks tips and anecdotes are among the best ways to reach people. They give people what they need or want in little easily-read and easily-related to pieces. Jill knows that, too. Her book is scatted with small shaded areas that clip the best and the most pithy stuff from her book and make it easy for you to internalize them in a few seconds.

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The reviewer is an instructor for UCLA Extension's Writers’ Program. She is the author of two award-winning books, THIS IS THE PLACE and HARKENING. TRACINGS, an award-winning chapbook of poetry, is available at www.finishinglinepress.com. Her how-to book for writers, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON’T, is the winner of USA Book News' Best Professional Book of 2004 and the Irwin Award and her new book THE FRUGAL EDITOR: PUT YOUR BEST BOOK FORWARD TO AVOID HUMILIATION AND ENSURE SUCCESS is also a USA Book News Best Book and a winner of Reader Views Literary Award.



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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, founder of Authors' Coalition (www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com). 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 and 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.

Compulsive Reader Managing Editor Reviews The Frugal Book Promoter

Title: The Frugal Book Promoter

Subtitle: How to get nearly free publicity on your own or by partnering with your publisher

Edition: Three

Awards for all editions: Winner USA Book News, coveted Irwin Award

Award, USA Book News winner, silver medal from Military Writers Society of America, honored by Global Ebook Awards

Publisher: Modern History Press

Publisher’s Website: www.modernhistorypress.com

ISBN: 9781615994687

ASIN: 978161594694

Available in hard cover, print and ebook onAmazon

Reviewed by Magdalena Ball, originally for CompulsiveReader.com

I first read, and reviewed Carolyn Howard-Johnson’s The Frugal Book Promoter in 2011, when the second edition came out. Since then it has been my go-to for ideas on ways to promote my books cheaply – which is, of course, what every author needs these days. It’s a noisy world, and no matter how well-written, or what kind of publisher support you may have, if you don’t promote well, it’s unlikely that your books will attract notice. Few of us have big budgets for promotion, and most of us have a budget close to zero. Creative and effective ideas for book promotion are more than just nice-to-haves, they’re critical, and Howard-Johnson is about as knowledgeable as it gets on the subject. Of course books like this go out of date quickly, so the re-releases are also vital, as they allow for technological and cultural change. 

The 3rd edition came out recently and is right up-to-the-minute, exploring new ways of branding, developing a platform, and getting your work out into the world. Howard-Johnson’s prose remains utterly clear, accessible, and warm–like having a very helpful, clued-up conversation with your best friend–and the book is as inspirational as it is practical.

The latest version of the book contains nearly 300 pages (quite a lot more than the first edition!) of high quality information on every thing from how to promote your work ethically, public relations, creating media releases and a media kit, querying for reviews (and believe me, this is a much needed skill!), making use of radio and other media, using the internet and social media (and how not to use it), including ensuring that you use online bookstores correctly, making the most of reading groups, revitalizing old titles, recycling your work, and so much more. As with the original version, the book comes with a number of handy template, scripts, codes and examples, but these have been updated so that they continue to remain relevant to a modern author. The book is beautifully structured and well indexed, so you can find what you need when you need it fast. Howard-Johnson has created a number of mnemonics to help simplify the overall promotion process:

“The Six-P maxim is the one that makes me a nag. The more organized you are, the more you know early on, the earlier you start to practice promotion and publicity magic, the more good it will do for your book. The more you learn the easier it is. And that leads me to the three most important Ps for marketing books. Platform, Publicity, Public Relations.”

Throughout the book, there is careful attention paid to ethics, which I love. The Frugal Book Promoter is most certainly not about buying likes, reviews, unsolicited mailings, or manipulating people into purchasing something they don’t want. These practices happen all too frequently, and sometimes they work in the short term, but they are unsustainable and no way to manage a lifelong career. Ethical marketing all about relationships, giving people work they will get value from, and working within carefully obtained permissions. It’s about creating a brand that people will continue to trust, so you’re not just selling one book, but yourself as a person. This kind of work builds on itself and each thing that you do increases the overall messages you’re putting out, creating a cumulative effect:

“Good PR, of course, is carefully targeted. But mostly PR is connecting with people in a way that makes them feel cared for, and those connections are made—with love and expertise—over and over again. Those are the essentials and they work. Done this way, great publicity becomes great public relations and vice versa.”

I won’t give away too many of Howard-Johnson’s marvelous tips here, but suffice to say that the book is full of them—many of them inventive, and all of them focusing on credibility and multi-tasking – getting impact for your effort. As the title suggests, most of the ideas here are either inexpensive or free, though not without effort. There are a few chapters which are worth the whole cost of the book. These include, to my mind, chapters on querying and pitching–something I repeatedly see done badly—and the chapter on creating a media kit. I have not seen either of these topics covered in such detail, or with such clarity.  Even seasoned self-promoters will learn new things from these chapters. The reviews section too, is particularly thorough, with plenty of current links and samples. There are also lots of tips about what doesn’t work and where to save your money, your time, your sanity, and how to best manage your all-important networks–for the long run. Put simply, The Frugal Book Promoter is one of the best all-purpose books for developing a promotional plan for your work that won’t break the bank or destroy your relationships. This is a book keeps on providing practical, easy to apply ideas to get your work noticed, and to create a viable, sustainable, ethical platform that will continue to create valuable promotion for authors of all genres.  It’s one of those guides that should be on every author’s bookshelf.

ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Magdalena Ball is an award-winning novelist, poet, reviewer and interviewer, and is Managing Editor of Compulsive Reader, one of the internet’s most respected and long-running review sites.  She is the author of several novels and poetry books, the most recent of which, High Wire Step, was published in 2018 by Flying Island Books. Find out more about Magdalena at http://www.magdalenaball.com. 

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. 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 on the left of this page and in a tab at the top of this blog's home page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites so it may be used a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. 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. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing

Review of Extraordinary Attorney Woo, a sixteen segment Netflix Special

During these many months of Covid isolation, I’ve read more books and watched more TV than ever before. Sometimes isolation isn't so bad, as it gave me time to savor Extraordinary Attorney Woo, a sixteen segment Netflix series, worth every moment of my time. 

Extraordinary Attorney Woo tells the story of Woo Young-woo, a young lawyer on the autism spectrum. Abandoned by her mother at birth, Woo is raised by her devoted father. She grows up with his support and that of a quirky girlfriend who understands and protects her from bullies and confounding situations. Woo graduates at the top of her law school class, but because of her condition, no one will hire her. Then, through one of her father’s connections, she lands her first job at Hanbada, a large Seoul law firm. 

At first, Woo's odd robotic-like speech and movements are what jump out at others, and are so off putting to them that they are unable to see beyond the surface. Woos’ legal skills and knowledge remain unrecognized for a time, but as she repeatedly is faced with difficult and challenging legal issues, her font of knowledge helps her resolve cases where others have failed.

Once Attorney Woo begins to exhibit her near perfect recall of almost anything she reads, sees, or hears, her value to her law firm team becomes evident. Gradually her supervising lawyer and other legal support staffers adjust to her otherness and appreciate her skills, yet she also encounters people who are prejudiced against her and others with disabilities.

Many of the legal cases in the series involve finely balanced legal issues and sometimes difficult ethical questions. Attorney Woo’s unique approach and telegraphic recall help her resolve cases in unexpected ways that escape her colleagues.

One of the light hearted themes running through this series is Young-woo’s light bulb moments where her strong interest in marine mammals surfaces. She constantly fantasizes about them, making comparisons between situations she faces in her professional and private life with the lives and characteristics of whales and dolphins. These outburst sometimes amuse, but more often confound the people who surround her. 

Several other themes run through this series to keep viewers intrigued, including the discord between Woo’s father and absent mother, the rivalry between two major law firms, the jealousy and mean spirited actions of one of Woo’s colleagues, and the blossoming mutual attraction between Woo and one of her firm's investigators. 

So although the emergence of Covid is hardly something I am thankful for, it did present me with a couple of welcomed opportunities, with Extraordinary Attorney Woo being one of them. So you see, I'm not just about books, but did I mention, you'll still be doing some reading, as this series is filmed in its native Korean language with English subtitles.

Your NewBookReview Book Review Acquisition Coordinator

Carole Mertz Enjoys Reviews Poet Wilda Morris' Moby Dick Inspired Poems

Pequod Poems: 

Subtitle: Gamming with Moby Dick

by Wilda Morris

Genre: Poetry Collection

ISBN  9781949229608

Reviewed by Carole Mertz

It’s Fun to Go Gamming with Morris’s Pequod Poems

Wilda Morris’s latest collection, Pequod Poems, is delightful for its vibrant story telling through poetry. Its publication commemorated the 200^th anniversary of Herman Melville’s birth. It consists of poems written in an outstanding variety of forms, some rarely used, and even some invented by the author. Each poem relates in some way to Melville and his famous whale and each one attests to Morris’s artistry and vivid imagination.

Organized into five sections. The poems in Part I introduce us to major characters in Moby-Dick treated here in unique fashion. Morris presents Ishmael by way of a Mesostic poem. In this form, all the printed characters of the epigraph weave vertically through the poem and form the sentence: “What a fine frosty night; how Orion glitters…” “Oceans” uses the Pleiades form, seven lines of six syllables each, in which the first letter of each line is from the poem’s title. “The Captain,” is rendered as a spiraling (and double) Abecedarian.

The full enjoyment of Morris’s poems derives not only from her abundant variety of poetical forms. Her clever wielding of content brings us so clearly into the whalers’ experiences. “A Pequod Sailor Speaks,” imagines the watery vistas the captain and crew might have seen.

 

Sudden winds bellow, curdle foam.

Sword-sharp, they rip the sails, shriek

and break the mast. Lightning stabs…

 

We read of Ahab considering the wind, learn  of Pip, the tormented cabin boy, and encounter poems written from the viewpoint of Ahab’s wife. Using the sestina, Morris describes Stubb pondering the shadows he sees

 

…when the Angel of Death knocks and I hear

the window of my life closing…//

…I try to be bold, look into the face of death.

Ahab vows the finish of the great white whale in “Prophecy.” In “White” we find “…like tempestuous / wind and breakers, the spun / water that the white whale / whipped into a fury…” The Captain’s monomaniacal quest to avenge himself of his dismemberer is ever present in the lines. 

In Part II, Morris uses the bouts-sonnet form, an erasure poem, the “a gram of &s” form, and other playful narrative styles, one of which takes end words from Shakespeare’s Sonnet No. 80. Throughout, the poet deftly maintains her theme.

The poet speaks in more philosophical tones in Part III. Here she sometimes addresses Melville directly. In Part IV, unexpectantly she brings out a bit of backtalk, assuming a new pitch. In “Meditation by the Water,” a speaker asks just what the psalmist means when he declares “the Almighty will keep you / under his wings.” And in “No Harm in Ahab,” a poem significant for our current times, Morris delves into the theme of evil and the question of righteousness.

Five poems in Part V bring the volume to a close. Here we come upon the “Golden Shovel,” the “lipogram,” and a form Morris herself devised.

With its rich content and variety, the skillful manipulation of words into logical form, and Morris’s imaginative imagery, Pequod Poems forms an engaging collection. One can read it for story, for reconnection with Melville’s novel, for pure delight in the richness of Morris’s descriptions, and for her skillful rhyming techniques. 

About the Author:

Wilda Morris serves a wide community of poets both through her own published poems, and through the many workshops and courses she has taught in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa. In addition, she holds leadership positions in major artistic organizations throughout Illinois. These include the Illinois State Poetry Society and Poets & Patrons of Illinois, both for which she has served as president. 

About the Reviewer:

Carole Mertz, poet and essayist, has reviewed for Arc, Eclectica, Main St. Rag, The Bangalore Review, The Compulsive Reader, The League of Canadian Poets, World Literature Today, and elsewhere. She is the author of Color and Line, with Kelsay Books, 2021. Carole lives with her husband in Parma, OH. Her chapbook, Toward a Peeping Sunrise is available at Prolific Press.

View Carole’s writer profile at http://www.pw.org/directory/writers/carole_mertz

MORE ABOUT THE #SharingwithWriters BLOGGER

 Howard-Johnson is the multi award-wining 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 the multi award-winning The Frugal Book Promoter (http://bit.ly/FrugalBookPromoIII), now offered by Modern History Press in its third edition. Carolyn's latest is in the #HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers is How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically. Learn more on her Amazon profile page (http://bit.ly/CarolynsAmznProfile). Great Little Last Minute Editing Tips for Writers (http://bit.ly/Last-MinuteEditsII) is one of her booklets just released by Modern History Press in its second edition--perfect for inexpensive gift giving--and, another booklet, The Great First Impression Book Proposal (http://bit.ly/BookProposalsII) helps writers who want to be traditionally published. The Frugal Editor (http://bit.ly/FrugalEditor), now in its second edition, is the winningest book in the series. Carolyn also has three frugal books for retailers including one she encourages authors to read because it will help 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 (http://bit.ly/RetailersGuide). Carolyn helps writers extend the exposure of their favorite reviews here at TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com. She also blogs at all things editing--grammar, formatting and more--at The Frugal, Smart, and Tuned-In Editor (http://TheFrugalEditor.blogspot.com)

Author of Slipper Art of Book Reviews Interviews Carolyn How This Blog Works and More!

Carolyn Howard-Johnson is the founder of Authors' Coalition, an award-winning author and poet, a columnist for My Shelf, and an instructor for the UCLA Extension Writers' Program. Her books include the popular titles The Frugal Promoter and The Frugal Editor, both USA Book News' Award winners. Carolyn is also the editor of The New Book Review, a book review blog with a different twist: authors may submit reviews which have already been written about their books, thus extending the life of the reviews. In this interview, Johnson discusses the influence and effectiveness of reviews in terms of book promotion, among other things.

Thanks for being here today, Carolyn. How long have you been reviewing?

I've been reviewing for about eight years. Now I really only review movies occasionally for the Glendale News Press and even more infrequently for my series called Reviews for Riters (tm). The latter are reviews written for well-known books but rather than recommending a book (or not!) they are examinations of how master authors tackle specific elements of writing. Thus they are directed at writers--really--more than readers. They're really tools for learning our craft.

Please tell us about The New Book Review. How and when did it get started?

The New Book Review is unusual in that it does not offer review services (either free or paid) to authors. Rather it is a place where authors can submit reviews that have already been written for their book, thus extending the life of the review. Readers are welcome to submit, too. The New Book Review is a blog rather than a site and the submission guidelines may be found in the left column. Of course, writers must have permission from their reviewers to republish the review and must give the reviewer full credit for their work.

What makes The New Book Review different?

Probably just that it is simple and easy to remember. THE NEW BOOK REVIEW. Its concept may be more original than the name. The "new" means that I take a the "new' view to books. Reviews for all books (other than pornography) are welcome. If someone loved a book enough to write a review for it, it belongs at THE NEW BOOK REVIEW. By the way, I will accept critical reviews but not slash and burn critiques. If the reviewer can't recommend a book, then why would my readers want to know about it?

What is the most challenging aspect of running your blog?

As you can see, I make it easy. If people don't submit material in a way that I prescribe in the guidelines, it doesn't get published. That's a good lesson for all. To promote well, authors (and others) must make it easy on the editor.

Do you have staff reviewers?

I suppose every person who submits a review is on my staff. Kind of a neat concept, don't you think?

How should an author contact you about a review request?

Just follow the guidelines on The New Book Review. 

How do you determine which reviews to post on your blog?

As long as a review meets the guidelines (found in the left column of the blog), I accept them. When needed, I edit them. Sometimes there is a wait. I try to never post more than one review a day. All those who submit are asked to do a little promotion of the fact that their review has appeared. That helps all the participating authors get more exposure.

How effective are reviews in terms of book publicity?

Reviews are very important to an overall book campaign.  I do think that authors need to put them into perspective, though. They are part of a campaign. A vital part but still only a part with every part working together.  The Frugal Book Promoter gives authors and publishers information on how to get reviews but also about those other essential parts of a promotion effort.

How influential are reviews on consumers?

For some consumers, they are very influential. My daughter-in-law (she helps me nominate books for my Noble (Not Nobel!) Prize that appears on MyShelf.com) buys her books almost exclusively on the basis of reviews. But different people buy their books differently.  I believe that word-of-mouth is more influential and most studies uphold that view.  By the way, winning a contest can be a big influence, too. And what a wonderful opportunity a win is to get the word on a book out there.

Do you think reviews can make or destroy an author's career?

They say there is no such thing as bad publicity.  I also think that many authors view reviews as bad reviews when they aren't.  A review will have more credibility if it isn't all raves and rose petals.  A balanced review is more credible. And like everything in our culture, reviews are short-lived.  Everyone forgets them in short order. Except maybe the author.

Do you think there’s a lot of ‘facile praise’ among many online review sites?

Facile praise. Quite a term. Yes, I do. But if someone loves a book, who out there should tell them that they are wrong. I'd just prefer reviews to be a little more even-handed. After all, the review process is about learning for the author and credibility for the reader, too.

There was a lot of controversy last year between print publication reviewers and online bloggers. In your opinion, what defines a ‘legitimate’ reviewer?

It is very hard to draw a line, isn't it. Weren't the reviewers for the New York Times at one point beginners. Does one have to have a BA in English Lit or an MFA in writing to be considered an expert. I think the point here is that people should always be aware of where the material they read is coming from. What is the reader's standard for credibility? Apply those standards. No one should believe everything they read. On the other hand, opinions of others should be respected. Just because a reviewer doesn't agree with us, doesn't mean that their opinion is not valid. This is one of those arguments never to be won, one of those problems never to be solved.

What is your stand on paid reviews?

I'm against them. Paying for something undermines its credibility. And, yes, that even applies to the paid reviews that Kirkus does.

Do you think it’s okay for reviewers to resell the books they review? What about advance review copies?

No, reviewers should donate their books to libraries. It is a fine point of ethics but an important one.

In your opinion, what are the most common mistakes amateur reviewers make?

You named it! Facile reviews.

With so many major newspapers getting rid of their book review sections, how do you see the future of online review sites?

I think there is a place for shorter, quicker reviews online regardless of what the LA Times does with their pages. Still, one hates to see lovely old review sections in journals and newspapers deteriorate.

Do you keep the author’s feelings in mind when you review?

Absolutely. But I also keep the future of her craft in mind.

Have you received aggressive responses from authors or publishers because of a negative review? If yes, how do you handle it?

Not so far. I did quit reviewing for a newspaper who demanded that I write only good things because it was a "family newspaper." This is a freedom of the press issue. Reviews--once committed--get to say what they want. Only their own standards should affect what they say.

What does your blog offer readers?

The New Book Review offers readers a variety of review for books that they might miss if they only peruse the major journals.

What promotional opportunities does your blog offer authors?

Oh, you know me. All publicity and exposure is good publicity and exposure.

What is the most rewarding aspect of being a reviewer?

Well, I am an author's advocate--at least with some of my writing. Therefore I'm always interested in helping authors reach readers with what they are passionate about. That's certainly why they write, right?

Is there anything else you would like to say about you or The New Book Review?

Just please come to The New Book Review. To find new and different material to read. Authors should come to reach new readers, cross-promote, and grow their footprint on the Google search engine.

Thanks, Carolyn! It was a pleasure interviewing you! 

 

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, founder of Authors' Coaliition (www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com). It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love--and that includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews and reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page.

Writers' Services Editor Reviews Handy Editor's Helper

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
Author's Web Site: www.howtodoitfrugally.com
ISBN 978 2450507653
Genre: Reference/Writers
54 page booklet
$6.95
Available for Kindle


Reviewed by Jennifer Akers for Squidoo

Writers know that their stories come to light after the editing process. You tighten sentences, fix typos, look for flow and correct errors. There are plenty of words that can be confusing, and author Carolyn Howard-Johnson offers a list of “word trippers” – words that sound alike and words often confused or commonly misused.
This 54-page booklet includes word trippers like:

alright / all right
anxious / eager
every day / everyday
further / farther
gage / gauge
lose / loose
to lie / to lay
peddling / pedaling
peaked / peeked / piqued
setup / set up
sight / site / cite
waiver / waver

Some entries include words we probably know, such as the difference between lose and loose, yet they often are mistyped and not corrected. The book lists words in alphabetical order, and each entry includes a short explanation on the proper usage. Sometimes, the word is antiquated and shouldn’t be used anymore. Other times, it’s a difference in American versus British English. It also explains the best word choice, so you don’t rub an editor (or other gatekeeper) the wrong way.

In addition to the word combination, the book includes singular words that are often misused. Have you used “enable” or “mischievious” in your writing? Find out why you shouldn’t use either one.


It’s hard to get our words into the hands of readers. At the very least, your work shouldn’t get tossed at the starting gate. Your copy needs to be error free, which shows professionalism and experience.


This booklet isn’t the final word on editing, and it’s not meant to be. Howard-Johnson shares these common word trippers from her experience as an editor and author. The booklet is a valuable resource, and one you should have in your purse, briefcase or book shelf.


You can flip through the book to look for a word you’re struggling with, or you can do what I did: read the entire book in one sitting. I found some gems I wouldn’t have otherwise seen if I skipped through entries. It’s short, easy-to-use and peppered with Howard-Johnson’s vast knowledge in publishing. This booklet is now sitting on my desk and always within arm’s reach. I highly recommend Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips for Writers: The Ultimate Frugal Booklet for Avoiding Word Trippers and Crafting Gatekeeper-Perfect Copy for your library.

~Jennifer Akers is a Squidooer extraordinaire and  runs a copyright service at http://jenniferakers.com/professional-writing-services/  She edits many online sites including MyShelf.com.






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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 :

K. M. Weiland Reviews Little Booklet on Editing and Wordtrippers

Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips

The Ultimate Frugal Booklet for Avloiding Word Trippers and Crafting Gatekeeper-Perfect Copy

Author: Carolyn Howard-Johnson

Genre: Nonfiction for Writers/Editing/Grammar

ISBN: 9781450507653

Available on Amazon in paperback or for Kindle

Paper: $6.95, Kindle $2.99

 

Reviewed by K. M. Weiland

 

Carolyn Howard-Johnson is well known among writers for her helpful book The Frugal Book Promoter, and she continues to encourage and guide writers through her many other projects, including this fast read (56 pages), which she advertises as a supplement to her book The Frugal Book Editor. After opening with an intro, reminding authors of the importance of crossing our T’s and dotting our I’s in both our queries and our published works, she launches into the meat of the book: page after page of handy references for spotting and fixing tricky word pairs.

Organized alphabetically with word pairs separated by slashes (e.g., “bereft / bereaved”), the book makes it easy to look up definitions and identify which word should be used in specific circumstances. Although the book’s diminutive length prevents it from anywhere close to exhaustive, it’s a good starting place and can easily be backed up with the more complete list in The Frugal Book Editor.

Priced reasonably (especially the Kindle version) and packed with lots of writerly wit and humor, the book makes for both an enjoyable read and a worthwhile reference manual.

K.M. Weiland is the author of the historical western A Man Called Outlaw and the medieval epic Behold the Dawn. She enjoys mentoring other authors through her writing tips, her book Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success, and her instructional CD Conquering Writer’s Block and Summoning Inspiration.

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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 :

Professional Marketer Gives Frugal Book Promoter Five Stars

The Frugal Book Promoter, Second Edition
Subtitle: How to get nearly free publicity on your own or by partnering with your publisher.
Published by HowToDoItFrugally
By Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Cover by Chaz DeSimone, www.chazdesimone.com
ISBN: 9781463743291
Order at www.budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo
Also available for Kindle

Reviewed by

Eric V. Van Der Hope (Fox Hills - Culver City, California) originally for Amazon

This review is from: The Frugal Book Promoter: Second Edition: (Paperback)

My first `introduction' of Carolyn Howard-Johnson was after reading her first edition of `The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't' back in 2007. Definitely a book full of useful ideas, strategies & techniques to implement a promotional `plan of attack' for any book! Many authors don't have the means necessary to afford big advertising campaigns to fund their marketing, promotion or publicity. Carolyn is able to share with her readers how they can be just as effective with publicity without having deep pockets. This book was one of my first marketing/publicity resources that I purchased before publishing my first book and it's one of the reasons why my own book Mastering Niche Marketing' has seen the success it has.

If you can compare a book to something of value, I'd say that Carolyn's First Edition was like Silver! However, Carolyn's Second Edition of `The Frugal Book Promoter: Second Edition: How to get nearly free publicity on your own or by partnering with your publisher' can be compared in value to GOLD.

This edition is an update to her first book (128 more pages full of valuable content) that contains additional promotional and marketing techniques that can be used on a limited budget but doesn't take away from the effectiveness. Carolyn is able to draw from her own experience in the industry and reveal how authors can do their own promotion more effectively, better than that of the publisher (who probably wouldn't do it at all) and even a professional publicist. It's been said that the author of a book knows their book best and thus they'd probably be in a position to know what their readers are searching for. `The Frugal Book Promoter: Second Edition: How to get nearly free publicity on your own or by partnering with your publisher' should be one of the first books on your list to get if you wish to promote your book successfully. It's practical and full of useful techniques and strategies that even well-seasoned publishers, authors and publicists would benefit from!

What are you waiting for . . . ? Still undecided . . . ? Then the 100+ reviews from Carolyn's First Edition of `The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't' should be a motivating factor that this book should be read, studied and used (put into action)!

~Reviewer Eric V. Van Der Hope is a  publisher and #1 Best-selling Author of 'Mastering Niche Marketing'

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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 :

Basics for Authors Considering DIY Publishing

Publish Like the Pros: A Brief Guide to Quality Self-Publishing and an Insider's Look at a Misunderstood Industry (Paperback)

Reviewed by

Carolyn Howard-Johnson "Author 'This is the Place,' 'Harkening,' 'Tracings' and 'The Frugal Book Promoter'" originally for Amazon

Well, here it is. In a little 79-page nutshell. The basics for any writer thinking about publishing a book on his or her own. It dispels the idea that anyone can or should self-publish. As Author Michele DeFilippo says, "It ain't easy." She then provides a roadmap--indeed a very succinct Mapquest directional--to the basics an author needs to know in order to produce a professional product (and yes, a book is a product!). Indeed, it will help authors evaluate whether this is a project they really want to tackle. And to avoid some pitfalls many first-time authors fall into when they decide to go for it.

"Publish Like the Pros" is a little short on resources, but a book can't be everything to everyone. This book calls itself a "Brief Guide." It also uses the words "QUALITY Self-Publishing." Generally speaking, this is the perfect way to get started. "Brief" and "Quality" being keywords.

There are tons of other books to delve into that cover any all aspects of self-publishing once an author has determined he or she wants to go that route. That includes books like:
Aiming at Amazon: The NEW Business of Self Publishing, or How to Publish Your Books with Print on Demand and Online Book Marketing on Amazon.com,

From Word to Kindle: Self Publishing Your Kindle Book with Microsoft Word, or Tips and Secrets for Formatting Your Text in MS Word and Converting Your Document to a Kindle Ebook (Version 2),

The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing: Everything You Need to Know to Write, Publish, Promote and Sell Your Own Book,

The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success (How To Do It Frugally series of book for writer),

Book Promo 101: Learn the basics of Book Promotion,

The Frugal Book Promoter: How to get nearly  free publicity on your own or by partnering with your publisher,

1001 Ways to Market Your Books (1001 Ways to Market Your Books: For Authors and Publishers),

From Book to Bestseller: An Insider's Guide to Publicizing and Marketing Your Book!

Mosquito Marketing for Authors: How I self-published an award-winning book that is a consistent best seller in its category
and dozens of others.

The reason I'm recommending other books as well is that, though the author of this book is the owner of a service that helps writers publish and do it professionally (This little book is proof of that!), I worry that many beginning authors overspend on both production and marketing. They often spend more than they will ever earn unless they are among the very talented and very lucky few. Thus it is is wise to start with this very, very valuable overview. And--once committed--to learn as much as possible the frugal way (with books!) in order to determine what they might learn to do themselves or at least better understand how to hire the best at the best possible price.


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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 :

Author and Blogger at Writers First Aid Blog Loves Second Edition

The Frugal Book Promoter
Second Edition
By Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Available paperback and Kindle
ISBN: 9781463743291

Reviewed by Kristi Holl originally for Writers First Aid Blog

The Frugal Book Promoter: Second Edition: How to get nearly free publicity on your own or by partnering with your publisher.

I very rarely read an e-book and then buy the hard copy–but I did in this case. I have to mark it up, add my colored flags and post-its, and turn down page corners.

Why? Because it is so very full of practical, usable, frugal marketing advice. (And I mean frugal in terms of both money and your time.) I already owned the 2004 first edition, but publishing times have changed so much–and this 2011 updated version reflects that.

Why a New Edition?

We all know that book promotion (and life!) has changed since The Frugal Book Promoter was first published in 2004–particularly in ways that have to do with the Web, but in other ways, too. As an example, the publishing world in general is more open to independent publishing now than it was then. So, this update includes lots of information on ways to promote that were not around or were in their infancy a few short years ago.

So here is what is new:

• A simplified method for making social networks actually work–without spending too much time away from my writing
• How to avoid falling into some of the scam-traps for authors
• The best “old-fashioned” ways to promote–the ones I shouldn’t give up on entirely
• How to write (and publish) an award-worthy book
• How to promote your book to mobile users and others
• The pitfalls of using the Web and how to avoid them
• Unusual methods of getting reviews–even long after your book has been published

Up-to-Date

Today’s technology, social networking and marketing techniques are covered. Updated web resources abound. Advice in sync with today’s Internet are incorporated:

* Blogging tips and pitfalls
* Obtaining reviews and avoiding scams
* Finding places to pitch your book
* Using the eBook explosion to promote sales
* Using Google alerts to full advantage
* Staying on top of current trends in the publishing industry
* Writing quality query, media release letters and scripts for telephone pitches
* Putting together power point and author talk presentations

This is just a tip of the iceberg too. I highly recommend Carolyn Howard-Johnson’s updated Frugal Book Promoter. (NOTE: Be sure you get the new 2011 edition with the cover above.)

~Reviewer Kristi Holl is the author of how-to books for writers and works actively to help writers. Learn more about her and what she does at http://institutechildrenslit.net/Writers-First-Aid-blog.

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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 :