Blogging for Writers

A Few Stories About Blogging & Writers

As a means of encouragement I like to pick up stories about how other writers have used blogs to compliment their traditional publishing careers.  Book author Lydia Teh's post, Blogging for Writers, gives a quick overview of a workshop panel she participated in. A monthly column, a television series and a book title were direct results of the panelists blogs. Take minute to read her post and plant some blogging ideas in your writing brain. Then, go get your blog on.

Online Resource for Helping Writers Use Technology

A subscription to Ten Keyboards is a must have for your virtual reference shelf. The mission of Scot Herrick's blog is "helping writers use technology to market their  work." Mission accomplished. One of the most helpful parts of the blog is th e "Writers' Resources" page. This is where he neatly compiles posts in topics including: 

• Technology for Writers - includes tips on keeping your computer running well
• Blogging for Writers - finding your voice, marketing, feedback, etc.
• Blog Parts -parts is parts, but what about blog parts?
• Blog Plans - including reasons not to have a blog

That's just a bit of the info avaible. Schedule some reading time to hang out on Ten Keyboards. Bookmark or subscribe to it. Then, go get your blog on.

Offbeat Bride: Blog for Book

Ariel Meadow Stallings, another BlogHer '07 speaker, started her Offbeat Bride blog to promote her book of the same name.

Her quick list of why she chose to use Google Ads on her blog gives some insight into the experiences of book authors who blog.

Your Web Presence

"If authors have a strong web presence, whether it's just a website, or better yet, a blog that they regularly post to and update, then they're driving readers who already have an interest in their topic to to their site. If authors can get linked into the communities that comprise their readership, then they're way ahead of the game."  Brooke Warner, acquisitions editor at Seal Press, in the June 2007 Writer's Digest

I stumbled upon this article right before my ETCWC presentation. I couldn't wait to share it with other writers. According to the article, Seal Press encourages authors to set up websites before their book comes out. There are a few things I see stand in the way of this: money, skills, and time.  Blogs can break down those barriers because they require minimal money and skills. You still have to make time, but you have to spend time marketing your book anyway.

The focus of the article is how much of your content to give away, so Jenna Glatzer covers more than just blogs in the piece. A big take away from the article would be to limit your promotional time, whether through blogs or other means. "If you spend more time on your blog than writing your book, something's off, " she says.

That is something to be aware of, but don't let it deter you from blogging. Barbara Curtis and Susan Albert are two examples of how blog writing and book writing can co-exist in an author's life. Though a lot of their blog content is either directly or indirectly related to their books, that's not a hard and fast rule. For example, Jenna (the article author) takes her "promotional cap off" on her blog and talks more about the non-writing parts of her life. Either way readers become a bit more familiar with the authors through their blogs, which is strengthens the authors' web presence. Can people find you on the web?

Now, go get your blog on.

Blog Building: Add a Sitemeter Counter

I just added a Sitemeter counter to this blog. It took under 15 minutes. Thanks to the handy dandy Typepad Widget Sitemeter has available.

What is Sitemeter? They keep info on who comes to your blog and how, among other things. Blog stats are helpful in showing people, like agent or editors, you have an audience.

Thought Typepad has stats available on their control panel, I like using Sitemeter because there is more info - and cool charts, if you're into that kind of thing.

The ladies at Blogging Basics 101 have a short post on stat counters, including links to several options for counters you can install. (I wonder how many people will come to this post looking for info on how to install counters, as in kitchen. I'll be able to find out from Sitemeter.)

Now, go get your counter on.

Lifehacker: Blog to Book

"More than ever before, literary agents are paying attention to quality weblogs, and publishers are looking for someone with writing chops and a fresh take on a topic." - Gina Trapani, author, Lifehacker blog and Lifehacker book

Gina offers excellent advice on how to Turn Your Blog into a Book. She started the Lifehacker blog in 2005. Two years later the Lifehacker book was published. She didn't start her blog wanting to convert it to a book, but she offers help to those who might have that in mind.Tips on writing the blog,the necessity of an agent and info about the proposal are covered. She links, of course, to her agent's tips on going from blog to book.

Gina will be speaking at the BlogHer '07 conference session "Blog to Book and Back Again."

Online Resource: FabWebWriter.com

You may be a "traditional" writer looking to add another dimension to your writing life through the web. You may be a writer who only writes on the internet. Either way, spend some time visiting Angela Booth's Fabwebwriter.com where you'll find tips on writing, making money writing online and scores of links to other resources, including some of her other sites, like her writing blog.

Angela has been blogging since 2002 and has been writing successfully for over 30 years, so she has insight from online and offline writing. She readily shares helpful ideas on her various sites. She also offers some e-books for purchase, which is another way a writer can make money online. :)

Fabwebwriter.com has an amazing amount of content. It's a great place to spend some time learning, kind of like going to coffee with Angela and benefiting from her experience. You can also subscribe to her Fab Freelance Writing E-zine.

Now, go fill your tank with some good stuff from Fabwebwriter.com. Then go get your blog on. 

Get Your Blog on Google

Here's how to get your blog recognized by Google. It's no guarantee of where you will show up in the search results, but you have to get out there.   

The most basic thing to do is submit your URL/web address to Google here. 

You can also "claim your blog" at Technorati by going here.  They ask you to join, but it's fairly painless.

Your site can also be submitted to Icerocket, another search engine.

If you use Typepad, your posts are automatically submitted to Google and Technorati. I don't know that it would matter one way or the other if you go ahead and initially submit your blog manually to those two.

If you use other blog providers, feel free to comment and let us know if they autmatically submit your posts to search engines.

For more resources about this, check out Problogger's, Services to Ping.  If you really want more info, don't forget the "related posts" at the end of the post.  Sensory Overload Warnings: there is a lot of info there. Don't get overwhelmed.

There are tons of sites about increasing your page rank, etc. Take a few minutes to submit your blog, but don't let it take away from your time writing good content.

Now, go get your blog on.

From Basketball to Blogging to Book Author

"To the general public, I'm a basketball player who has become marginally well-known because I wrote a blog while playing for the Phoenix Suns." - book author Paul Shirley on his MySpace homepage.

While in the kitchen I usually listen to our local sports talk radio station. Today on The Jim Rome Show I heard Paul Shirley promoting his book, Can I Keep My Jersey? What's the writer/blogging connection?

During the interview Jim Rome mentioned Paul Shirley's blog a few times. Shirley said it was cathartic for him to write his blog and his book. Naturally, my ears perked up at the word blog in a conversation with an author. Being a basketball fan and blog fan, and because the interview was entertaining, I wanted to check out Shirley's blog and book.

After a bit of googling the only active blog I found was on MySpace. (You have to be his friend to use it.) So, he doesn't currently have an easily accessible public blog.

I did find a few archived blogs:

My So Called Career - His basketball journal on ESPN.com. The last entry was in July 24, 2006 and required a subscription.

There are two Phoenix Suns playoff blog, both from 2005:

Road Ramblings, last entry March 2005.

The Paul Shirley Show, last entry June 2005.

According to the intro on his Suns' blogs, Shirley's online diaries

"caused quite the stir among media members, who were equally surprised and entertained by his unique and honest insight into life in the NBA. Shirley's daily blog was mentioned on ESPN's "Cold Pizza" and on ESPN.com, and was covered in several newspapers around the country, including USA Today."

There's an example of a blog getting noticed by the MSM. Of course it doesn't hurt that the blogger is a pro-basketball player. There's a built in platform for an author, albeit he's an admitted basketball vagabond, not an All-Star, but even a 12th man on an NBA roster gets attention simply by his profession.

For those of us who aren't professional athletes, it's still a testament to the possibility of blogging for writers and for publicity. After all, can you name the 12th man on any of the other NBA teams?

Now, go get your blog on.

 

Blogs as Platforms for Writers

"Platform is all about a writer showing they can get people's attention. Publishers need authors' help to get books into the market." - Terry Whalin from an 6/5/07 online Q&A session, Ask Terry.

Here are some notes I took on the conversation.

Someone asked how important platform is for an author. Terry said it was all important, especially for non-fiction writers. 90% of non-fiction books never earn back their advance. Writers with established audiences are important because of overcrowded markets.

He said it's sometimes hard for writers to see how to build a platform. Options he mentioned were the internet, speaking, being prolific with writing or collaborating with someone high profile. Be creative.

He didn't specifically mention blogging, but that falls under the internet category. It's also creative.

Since he mentioned non-fiction, let's think about that. Build your blog on your proposed book's topic. Don't use book material for the blog. Though it might work for some people, a general rule would be to supplement your material. Maybe you could use some of the things you had to cut. Maybe you wanted to go more in depth, but didn't have room.

It takes time to build your blog readership, but it can be done. Then you can use your blog stats in your book proposal to demonstrate an interest in your topic and writing style. It won't make you rejection proof, but if you can show a publisher you've developed an audience, that's one more thing in your favor.

Go get your blog on.