So you want to start a writer’s blog. I hear this from a lot of writers who have yet to take the leap into blogging. They want to know: Can they really set up a blog by themselves with no technical training? I tell them to relax. You don’t have to be a programmer to get your words in front of your readers. The main thing you need to start a writer’s blog is a healthy dose of motivation.
Joanna Penn says, “If you want to get a publishing deal, you need a platform to prove your books will sell. Many agents/publishers will not even consider you if you don’t have a platform already.” And she recommends building your platform at the same time you are writing a book. Writer’s Digest says a blog is the perfect place to start.
Getting a publishing deal is not the only reason to blog, however. Perhaps the best reason is to connect with your readers in a more personal way than you can through Facebook and Twitter. A blog serves as your corner of the web, a place where readers can learn your vital details – and learn what you like to write about as well. Yes, it can sell your book. But it can also provide a forum where you and your readers share more than just a transaction.
You can learn from other websites the mechanics of setting up a blog in WordPress or Blogger. In fact, Tim Grahl’s great piece on how to get started covers the technical aspects as well as the essential elements of an author’s website. I want to talk about what else you’ll have to do if you want your blog to succeed.
- You’ll have to write. Simply put, if you want to blog, you have to produce content regularly. Blogs that do not have fresh content don’t get read. On the WAG website, we try to put up a new post at least once a week, knowing if someone wants to read old posts, they’ll still be available. Don’t hesitate to create something new, even on a daily basis. This does not come easily to most people, especially to new writers who are trying to establish a writing routine for the purposes of writing a book. But in the long run, it will pay off by attracting an eager audience.
- Be prepared to interact with your readers. There’s a reason why a central feature of most blogging software (WordPress, Blogger, etc.) is the option to allow and moderate comments. Even if you don’t particularly want to connect with people, your readers want to connect with you. Allowing comments is the easiest way to make your blog interactive. You’ll be rewarded with a loyal following.
- Write about your book. If you’re reading this, you know that there are a gazillion blogs out there that target writers – writers writing for other writers (as I am doing right now). This might draw a lot of traffic, but unless your book is about writing, it might not draw the best market for your book. If you want to interest your target market (say, people who read historical fiction), you have to write about things that interest them (say, history). If they like what they read, they’ll come back.
- Recognize that it’s not about you. It’s about the reader. What do your readers want? The vast majority don’t want to know how to write a book. They don’t even want to know how to buy your book. They want a personal connection with you. Thomas Umstattd, writing on Author Media, suggests six things that readers want from your website: 1) exclusive content they can’t read anywhere else; 2) your speaking schedule; 3) your recommendations on what to read; 4) the latest news on your books; 5) your contact information, including social media accounts; and 6) good photos. That’s a long list, but a good author’s website can accommodate all of those items.
But wait, you say. Didn’t you just tell me to write about writing my book? Yes and no. Readers (especially readers who are not writers – the kind that you want to attract) don’t give a fig about 10 Easy Ways to Improve Your Dialogue. But – as evidenced by popular authors’ blogs like Diana Gabaldon’s and Hugh Howey’s – readers do want to read about how you feel when you write the last word of your novel, or what you were thinking when you killed off your antagonist. That’s the kind of exclusive content I’m asking you to write.
When I help writers with the technical aspects of blogging, there usually comes a point when they realize they need a bunch of content. That doesn’t happen overnight. WordPress includes with every theme a single sample post, consisting of only “Hello, World!” It isn’t exactly an attention-getting statement. But it is a recognition of the difficulty of producing good quality content. The best piece of advice I can give to writers who want to blog is to start writing now, even before you buy your domain. Sit down and write three posts in which you attempt to connect with your readers. That way, when you have the techie stuff started, you’ll be ready. There’s no time like the present.
Go forth and blog.
