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The Frugal Book Promoter: Second Edition: How to get nearly free publicity on your own or by partnering with your publisher. (How to Do It Frugally) Paperback – August 25, 2011

by Carolyn Howard-Johnson (Author), Chaz DeSimone (Illustrator)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 76 ratings
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There is a newer edition of this item:

The Frugal Book Promoter - 3rd Edition: How to get nearly free publicity on your own or by partnering with your publisher
The Frugal Book Promoter - 3rd Edition: How to get nearly free publicity on your own or by partnering with your publisher
$21.68
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Only 2 left in stock (more on the way).
The second edition of The Frugal Book Promoter is an updated version of the multi award-winning first edition. It has been expanded to include simple ways to promote books using newer technology--always considering promotion and marketing techniques that are easy on the pocketbook and frugal of time. It also includes a multitude of ways for authors and publishers to promote the so-called hard-to-promote genres. The award-winning author of poetry and fiction draws on a lifetime of experience in journalism, public relations, retailing, marketing, and the marketing of her own books to give authors the basics they need for do-it-yourself promotion and fun, effective approaches that haven't been stirred and warmed over, techniques that will help rocket their books to bestselling lists. You'll also learn to write media releases, query letters and a knock 'em dead media kit--all tools that help an author find a publisher and sell their book once it's in print.
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    416 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    August 25, 2011
  4. Dimensions
    6.5 x 1.25 x 9.5 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    1463743297
  6. ISBN-13
    978-1463743291
  7. See all details
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Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"If you're going to read only one book to get other people to read your book, it should be this one." ~ Tim Bete, director Dayton University's Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop

" Unlike other books and articles on the subject, this one is detailed--and it's chock full of ideas that even seasoned book promoters will not have tried."
~ Dallas Hodder Franklin, editor of SellWritingOnline.com

"Great book! My copy {of The Frugal Book Promoter} looks like a porcupine, so many pages are flagged with great tips to try."
~ Karin Ireland, author, motivational speaker


"Howard-Johnson has the comforting tone of a mentor and writes with the precision of a surgeon."
~ Francine Silverman, author and editor of Book Promotion Newsletter

"The most expensive parts of book promotion are the mistakes. This book will save you time and money." ~ Dan Poynter, author of The Self-Pubishing Manual

From the Author

I wrote The Frugal Book Promoter to keep other authors from falling into the same potholes I did when I first started writing books. The world changes so fast, it was time for a new one. So here is what is new in this second edition:
~The Second Edition has been reorganized.
~The Second Edition is almost twice as fat--read that "twice as chock full of promotions you can use."
~The Second Edition still includes the basics that make you into an on-your-own publicist or a great partner for a professional publicist. That includes everything you need to know to put together the best, most effective media releases, query letters, and media kits possible. And how to utilize what you love to do most--write--to  get the word out about what you love most--your book. If you loved the chapters like the ones on writers' conferences, getting reviews, and book fairs or tradeshows, you'll love the updated ones even more.
~You'll love the chapters on what I call the game changers. These really are game changers! There's information on using online bookstores to your benefit. And how to make your blog actually work for you. And how to save time with your blogging! And ideas for blog posts--even if you write fiction or poetry.
I hope you'll partake. And let me know how this book helps you. And, of course, what you'd like to see in the next edition. (-:

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 2nd Revised & Enlarged edition (August 25, 2011)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 416 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1463743297
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1463743291
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.55 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.5 x 1.25 x 9.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 76 ratings

About the author

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Carolyn Howard-Johnson

Carolyn Howard-Johnson

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Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

I brought my life's experience to a writing career when most people would have been considering retirement. You have heard Sinatra's song, "I've been a poet, a pauper..." well, so have I. And I have put every bit of it to good use with my poetry, fiction, and multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers, now almost nearly fully republished by Modern History Press.

I love to travel for inspiration and for career building and have studied writing at Cambridge University in the UK, Herzen University in St. Petersburg, RU, and Charles University in Prague. Come play with me and learn with me. I'm reviving my newsletter with the release of the 3rd edition of "The Frugal Editor." Subscribe at https://howtodoitfrugally.com and join me on Facebook and Twitter. It's not hard to find me with my hyphenated name!

Here's to writers and readers everywhere!

Best,

Carolyn Howard-Johnson

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
76 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Mark Logie
5.0 out of 5 stars The Frugal Book Promoter (Second Edition)
Reviewed in the United States on September 24, 2011
Verified Purchase
"The Frugal Book Promoter" is a must for any author -- traditionally published, self-published or subsidy-published. It's as simple as that.

This book explains the basics, and alot more besides, of how an author should go about marketing their book, and this new edition covers using the Web in greater detail than the first, including social networking sites as well as online bookshops (especially Amazon, of course!). The two most important lessons I learned were that you should promote yourself (and your other writing) at least as much as your book, particularly before your first book is published, and that the publicity campaign for your book should start some time before it is published.

The first edition was so good it was difficult to see how it could be improved, but Carolyn Howard-Johnson manages this seemingly impossible feat. For a start, the layout is even better than that in the first edition and makes it easy to find the section you want.

Particularly useful are the listings of websites and e-newsletters that are of interest to writers in promoting themselves and their books as well as in networking (quite crucial to success as you'll realise if you read the book). Also important -- in fact, crucial to your success -- are the online bookshops, as it says on p. 312: "You can do without having your book in brick-and-mortar bookstores and sell lots of books, but ... a book cannot reach star status WITHOUT ONLINE STORES [emphasis added]."

The one thing missing from this excellent book is a section on how an author, starting with absolutely no track record in sales or reputation, should go about trying to persuade a bookshop to hold a signing for them or to arrange a reading. But this is a very minor gripe about a truly excellent book packed with very useful advice gleaned from many years' experience of retailing and publicity. As the song says, "It's not where you start, it's where you finish" -- and if you follow Howard-Johnson's advice in "The Frugal Book Promoter (Second Edition)", you'll end up in a much better position than you started.

Mark Logie,
Award-winning poet & short-story writer,
Author of "Storm Troopers TZ9"
4 people found this helpful
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Lois W. Stern, Author, Creator of tales2inspire
5.0 out of 5 stars Wow! This book is the real deal in helping authors promote themselves frugally yet professionally.
Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2018
Verified Purchase
Carolyn Howard-Johnson does it again, with another super book in her 'How to Do It Frugally' series. When she plunges into publicity basics, she really plunges, giving her readers invaluable who, what, when, where detailed directions. What would you pay a consultant for all this advice? I wager a lot more than the price of this book. And that’s before I got to the pages with step-by-step instructions on building a media kit. Sure, I had read about the importance of media kits for eons, knew that was something I should tackle, but it seemed like such as daunting task that I managed to put it off for years. Then along came The Frugal Book Promoter, and with its step-by-step guidance, I shouted UREKA, I can do this! Not only does Howard-Johnson provide her recommended outline for its development, but gives us specifics as margin and font sizes, page headings, types of content to include with each page and other important features one might otherwise overlook.
To my delight, I realized I had already written most of these recommended bits and pieces, saved and scattered in different folders, so it was far easier than I envisioned. Once I searched them out on my computer, refined and updated them a bit, my media kit was almost complete. It never would have occurred to me to include a first person essay, or even that such a piece belonged in a media kit. What a clever idea! I had such fun writing mine, and it certainly adds flavor, giving the author a chance to provide the media with a peak into your personality.

Now I can’t wait to read her Section II: "Do-It-Yourself and Partner Publicity". I have learned that when I read a Frugal series book, I have my Post-Its handy so I can tab the pages with details I don't want to overlook.

Lois W. Stern
Author, Creator of Tales2Inspire
One person found this helpful
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Irene Cuffe.
4.0 out of 5 stars The Frugal Book Promoter. By Carlyn Howard-Jonson
Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2014
Verified Purchase
Having written my own first book but no idea how to promote it and without the obligatory platform I read the book for help in the promotional area. I understood the advice given and agree that it would no doubt sell books, however, I would never be able to follow through with most of the suggestions. I wouldn't have the 'ooomph' to get away with the sheer energy expenditure
required. I wish I had. However for the young, eneretic and committed authors among you it sounds a very practical book. The writer is vastly experienced in her field so her suggestions are good.
I enjoyed the book and recommend it if you are an entrpreneur type of person.

Best regards,
Late starter.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Theophania Elliott
5.0 out of 5 stars It does what it says on the tin. Cover. Whatever.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 23, 2012
Verified Purchase
This book is good. It does what it says it will.

If you read the whole thing, you'll be left with the feeling "Oh my God, will I have time to sleep?" but Ms Howard-Johnson does say that an aspiring author does not have to do everything. She gives you a whole lot of options, gives you some advantages and disadvantages of each, and advises you to pick those that best combine effectiveness for your product with what suits your own personality.

There are quite a few tales of personal experience in here; this is not necessarily a bad thing. As she points out, the least painful way to learn is through other people's experience. The author is American, so a lot of the specifics (e.g. web addresses for cheap publicity materials) relate to the USA. However, the concepts and many of the other instructions are global. You do not need to be American to use this book.

Importantly, she makes you realise that
a) Promoting yourself as an author (she does rather hammer this home: you promote yourself, not just an individual product) is not something that only a company with a marketing department can do.
b) Not only that, but it is something you'd better do, because nobody else is as interested in your success as you are.
c) Start early. It's never too late, but early is better.
d) It will take a long time. It's a marathon, not a sprint.
e) It doesn't have to complicated or scary or expensive. Doing a lot of little things is effective.
f). Anybody can do it. This means you.

Even if you think you know everything there is to know about promoting yourself as an author, this book is still worth the money. Just think, how many books do you have to sell to make a profit of less than £10? if you sell more than that many books using a technique Ms Howard-Johnson gave you, her book was a good buy. Or even just the reassurance that you're doing the right things can be worth that much and more.
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