I particularly like your suggestion that marketing really ought to be a prime concern during the writing of the book. I just need to write. Even though letting go would be in the best interest of my fiction goals, and might clear up my insomnia! And this makes sense. That means being aware of keywords/SEO, current events/discussions, popular online bloggers in your area, plus—most importantly—including visual and interactive content (comments, images, multimedia, links). A blog is useful for thinking out loud. As far as your email list, you don’t necessarily have to write anything until you have news or something specific for people. http://www.BookMakingBlog.com I’m in too deep to quit my blog now, but I think it’s not for everyone, and it drives me nuts when “authorities” counsel ALL new writers to have a blog! He writes mostly Christian fiction, and I take care of the blog, editing for him, and other writing related tasks. It sounds like you have a great working plan set up for your site and material! Thanks for getting it started. Readers do seem to enjoy the stories. This is the most fun, writing as the actual personalities of gnomes, wizards, and even having arguments between them. I am thinking of podcasting Pentecost in 2013 and will put those audio files on the blog. It used to be a comic book site, but I overhauled it when I began writing YA Fantasy. Best of all…sales are doubling….and doubling….and doubling. I’ve been blogging since 2004. They’re not the same thing. Many fiction authors have blogs, of course, but there’s one common problem to many of them: many of the blog’s readers appear to be other struggling fiction authors. A question for you: if you were me, would you continue writing only the blog as it is currently or write a second blog dealing with my fiction? We did see a definite increase in visitors to our site, especially to read the continued sagas. Fantasy – each week make up a new fantasy character and describe them. As you can imagine, 100 people could visit this post and walk away with 100 different blog post ideas. Nice! I was recently asked by a youth organization to speak at one of their Boys Homes in the mountains of Utah. Leanne, I hope you’ll leave a link to your article when you post it, thanks. Occasionally I post thoughts about writing. David has great advice on marketing and promotion for both fiction and nonfiction. And fan you. For most creative writers, this whole platform experiment has been a waste of time. I think that’s more problematic. Considering A Designer Synergy Glass Table, […] at seems to work better is used by authors whose work is centered around a speci […], […] writers think blogs are only for the famous among them and some think they are for every […], […] Source: http://www.thebookdesigner.com/2012/12/should-fiction-authors-be-bloggers/ […], […] of blog articles about fiction authors maintaining blogs, such as these three thoughtful posts by Joel Friedlander, Rachelle Gardner, and Jody […], […] Friedlander over at The Book Designer has an interesting post which raises the question Should Fiction Authors Be Bloggers. I don’t presume to know why, though I’ve been told it’s perceived value. But that place is down the line, after writing a story people are interested in reading, and writing it well; engaging a professional editor to make the writing the best it can be; and getting seriously talented design and layout help for both the book’s interior and back cover/spine/front cover. Which invites (not begs) the question: should a fiction writer use a thesaurus? I was shocked to discover that much of what I thought true about health and nutrition was false. Until you get those fans, put all your efforts into writing great books and promoting them as your long-term plan. Random stuff and nonsense. Thank’s for all you do. An author should be an interesting person, therefore, he should share his thoughts and views of society with his readers and nonreaders. 2. As far as the comments, I’ve experienced that here many times. Thanks for the input. Is anyone reading it other than family and a few friends? posted at The Book Designer, saying, “If you’re a novelist, should you be […], […] (@jfbookman) addresses a subject that can be awkward, or at least lead to unsatisfying results: Should Fiction Authors Be Bloggers? Many an emerging author has been instructed that starting a blog will improve their writing skills and will begin building their coveted author platform. }. I enjoy blogging as a way to connect with my readers – it can be tricky to find time to update it but it is a great way to get feedback and engage. Do readers want to read blog posts that are primarily writing tips? It requires very few technical skills. http://wantedhero.com/wallpapers-facebook-covers/our-favorite-links/, http://anyshinything.com/2012/10/26/stop-blogging-now/, Creating A Blog: 10 Important Reasons You Should Have One, Should Fiction Authors Be Bloggers? Or would they rather read about what inspired the author to write a particular scene? On the fiction side, there’s really no substitute I know of for creating the best book you can and then getting it in front of the most number of readers who are likely to be interested. I know I do. Here’s why blogging is a no-brainer: And the rewards can be profound, especially considering bloggers are gaining them all by themselves. 5. Don’t feel bad: Sometimes, coming up with new ideas for blog posts is difficult even for the best writers. Below, you’ll find a great list of blog post ideas for writers that you can use as writing prompts. Announcing releases and offering blurbs and sample chapters. It’s very beneficial. Too much time and money has been spent on building a platform when the best platform out there is outstanding writing. I have come to rescue you. Even a static site can do that, but updating once in a while will help to keep it “fresh.”. The characters focused, but the plot sharp. Michael N. Marcus I also think that the veterinary community is small enough that we’re always kind of interested in supporting “one of our own” in doing something that will bring in attention and goodwill to the group as a whole. New York City, New York, United States About Blog Tor.com is a site for science fiction, fantasy, and all the things that interest SF and fantasy readers. And happy holidays to you, too, Cy, and thanks for weighing in. I don’t publish regularly. If you are a romance writer; then your audience is looking for romance. But authors do need to get clear about why they’re blogging, and if it’s bringing them the results they want for the time they are putting in. If you are looking for a way to re-set your perspective going into 2021, I highly HIGHLY recommend any of these. For some authors, there won’t be a connection to blogging…and that’s ok too. http://www.SilverSandsBooks.com Some of these blogs are popular but most, I’m afraid, never attract much attention and don’t seem to be doing much for their authors. So to have it in advance should be a premium offering. Anyone who can produce a manuscript in a modern word processor is likely skilled enough to do it. But it’s a little trickier for fiction authors like me. Your blog is beautiful, by the way. When I read fiction, I like to know about the ‘whole’ writer. Plus, how many 12-15 year olds do YOU know that have CC’s to buy stuff? When I have the chapters/installments done, I make the books–both ebooks and print. Another approach that seems to work better is used by authors whose work is centered around a specific historical period, a particular place or occupation, or some other theme that ties their work together. If so, what am I doing??? My last novel was 610 pages and during the process I felt a bit overwhelmed. Advice fro… This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t have a blog if you’re a fiction author – it could be a great place for you to put extra content for your fans, like deleted scenes – but don’t rely on your blog as your primary marketing tool. For me, I started blogging my genealogy finds about the same time I started thinking about turning them into a historical novel. Three? If you do not feel like you would like to write a compelling, 500-word short chapter each week, perhaps you could blog about an interesting aspect of your genre. As a fiction writer, I love the outlet blogging gives me, forcing me to read outside my genre and within it, and it hones my writing. I have two blogs that are mostly defunct at the moment that served to support my teaching when I was still teaching grad school. First, who is your audience? After writing 20-something nonfiction books, I am now dabbling in a “based on a true story” semi-novel. If you know Copyblogger, you know that we believe in writers.. AME Blog Carnival: Tips and Tricks for Writers and Authors December 24, 2012 | Author Marketing Experts, Inc. Great Stuff on the Writers’ Blogs, December 20 & 21, 2012 « cochisewriters. For me the angle was primarily gardening which worked out nicely when I started my own garden coaching business a few couple of years back. As a writer and editor the answer is yes, you should have a blog. I think it’s been very worthwhile to have a blog, especially David being a newer author. UNDER DEVELOPMENT: http://www.InfoForAuthors.com It got me thinking about how I could be using my blog: eight Blogging is one of the legs on an author’s marketing stool. It seems like you are engaging readers far more with this approach, and building a real community at the same time. A blog is the best way to deepen the connection between an author and their readers. (WordPress software can be used as the content management system for a web site – you don’t have to blog with it.). Fiction authors really need to take more advantage of blogging. I’m one of those new writers and I’ve decided to take an approach that I’ve seen recommended elsewhere (wish I could cite the source but lots of folks have recommended it): provide SOMETHING of value, even if it isn’t directly related to your novel. There have been successful books published on this topic, including “Last Words” of the famous, it’s a genre with quite a long history. I saw your comment. “The power is in the list.”. Both approaches work, of course, and the static site you are recommending for fiction writers is a completely different enterprise than the health-oriented educational articles that could form the basis for a popular blog. It started as a personal need, but I actually made more sales in the long run and received feedback during the whole process, directly from readers. Life events propelled me to investigate and reassess some core beliefs I held. « Eva Rieder, To Blog or Not to Blog | Being and Formulating, Saturday Fiction Writers And Indie Publishers Round Up 16 | J.J.Foxe.com. Spend your energy on (A) writing, and (B) building an authentic base of like-minded peeps on social networks that feel authentic to you. Photo by bigstockphoto.com. My last post was on “sex and killing” (pretty hectic topic) NOT ONE comment. (It’s how I follow this blog, in fact, along with about 400 others.). What kind of information should the site feature other than a good About page and an e-mail sign-up form? NEW: self-publishing company parody, http://www.99BuckBooks.com Before an author starts blogging, they really need to decide what they’re going to blog about. If readers are following on a feed reader, then the new content is delivered to them whenever it appears. Janice Hardy’s The Other Side of the Story I do a lot of Googling that takes me to blogs, but I haven’t read a novel in over 40 years. In my humble opinion – these are only my thoughts and I realize many different theories exist, which is probably tough for newbie writers – blogging exclusively about your books would get tiring and repetitive for the author and boring for the reader, especially if you only have a couple titles published. Communicating with readers. I’d appreciate visits & comments and if I can be any help on the project you’ve got in mind, let me know. http://www.Facebook.com/SilverSandsBooks. #3) Use the blog to expand the story’s universe: Dictionary/Pronunciation Guide, answer fan emails as posts, share lost/deleted/extra content for free (even if it’s posted for readers to find in the future). Writing 21 books now and 7 books in my Chronicles of a hero series is great for kids, yeah—but blogging didn’t get to them. Subscribe: RSS Feed, Facebook, Twitter; Bonus Blogs. One of the techniques I’ve been using lately is ensuring a blog has RSS capabilities and then using that to auto-feed content into my goodreads author profile as well as my amazon author profile. The director found my site and became a fan. Mary, your blog has come a long way in a short time, hasn’t it? I’ve started a website and social media presence in the last couple of months for the long-term purpose of building a community of future readers for this book and others. Email subscribers are worth their weight in gold. Especially when readers discover a wealth of unique and quirky material waiting for them. This can move the needle on the Amazon charts by itself. The problem is that all these benefits only accrue easily to two kinds of authors: In the first case, blogging is probably the most effective marketing device available to an individual author ever invented. I agree with Joel – I think new authors should have a website but not a blog, at least, not at first. Originally published in a slightly different form as “Is Blogging Good for Fiction Writers?” on CreateSpace, Filed Under: Author Blogging 101, Marketing Tagged With: Author Blogging 101, author platform, blogging, book marketing, Joanna Penn, writer blog. Blog posts, to live up to their form, should be optimized for online reading. I doubt that any novelist’s blog could sell me her novel. Romance - write about relationships, divorce, dating, etc. Creating a relevant blog is pretty easy if you’re a non-fiction writer (just write about your topic). I think the main value of an author’s blog is to ‘accidentally’ sell books. I’m a veterinarian currently serving in the Army, and my website and blog are focusing on sharing about unique opportunities for vets and vet students outside of traditional clinical practice. And some publishers have asked their authors to start a blog if they don’t have one. I’ve been blogging for four years now. Authors must not be afraid to talk about controversial issues. I’ll have quite a bit more to say on this topic in the near future. So I rebranded. podcasting – check out the success of Scot Sigler, whose Junkies devour his audios every week. Joanna Penn’s J.F. Also a good reason to make a point of including an author photo and bio—people are curious! I know the next step is to build a list, but I’m not sure what to write in e-mails when the book is still unfinished. I recently interviewed an author whose blog introduced me to an entire new fiction genre I had never heard of. There are many reasons to blog, not necessarily dependent upon the number of readers or hits. That’s huge. Maybe a better strategy for a novelist would be to blog with news and opinions about something remotely related to the book topic — like teenage sex or albinos — that might catch searchers who might be interested in reading a novel. It means that the writing is outstanding, but accessible. It’s already been pointed out that blogging is a great way to build community. I understand that, under the circumstances you describe, there’s no one thing–least of all blogging–that an author without a following can get instant sales results from. What a great post to find on New Year’s Eve. That’s all I got at this hour. I am aspiring fiction writer with my first novel in its very early stages. 3. It’s hard to get a new blog off and running, but one that has some following is a great place (I hope) to market the book and drive new eyes to it. Many excellent points are being made in this discussion, Joel. As you build traffic, there will be an increasing number of people within your readers who are likely to be sci-fi fans. Mark, that’s a great point and I completely agree that every author needs a “land spot” or home base for fans and also for media inquiries. It was taking so long to complete…and I was used to making a 24 page comic book every month. So we began posting weekly short stories, and then decided to try serializing one of his novels, a chapter a week (before making it into an ebook afterwards.) When I stared doing that, Google Analytics showed a drop in my bounce rate from 64% down to 3.4%. Well, I’ve had a 500% increase in traffic, social interaction and I’m getting recognized as a serious (and popular) parenting blog. Jaime, thanks so much for checking back in and letting us know about the terrific results you’re getting. Time does fly. In my case, it’s been reviewing other bloggers’ particularly good posts (including yours and Joanna’s). Here are some more you should check out. One of my writing mentors urges unknown fiction authors to have a web site, not a blog. Fortunately I can also blog about the location of my book (Ireland). I don’t need to train them to come to the blog on some schedule. I hold myself accountable to writing more often since I started the blog. Are my humorous posts anything like my literary voice? You’d run out of material fast, even if you covered all the possibilities – how you choose plots, locations, characters, and settings, where you… I’m a big advocate for planning a book review campaign as part of any book launch, and will take your suggestion for one of the webinars I’m planning in the new year because haveing a step-by-step action plan will make this much easier for authors to tackle. I view my own blog as successful – for me – but then I’ve been blogging for, wow, five years. James that’s an interesting setup and sounds like it has lots of possibilities for synergy between the two sides of your writing and thinking life, thanks for the input. While I know not all of my blog readers also read science fiction, some do, and some of those will be willing to take a chance on a first novel. My author site is also my blog site, and I’ve had it for more years than my first successfully published novel. 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