An author blog can be fun if you ignore the rules intended for business blogs.
by Anne R. Allen
The most common question I get from authors who are thinking about starting a blog is: “What should an author blog about?”
My answer isn’t the same as what you’ll hear from the major blogging gurus. That’s because 90% of the advice on blogging is about business blogs—ones that sell advertising. Most of their rules simply don’t apply to authors. We’re blogging to sell our own books, not other people’s products.
Business bloggers will tell you to find a niche, stick with it, and blog 3-5 times a week. They’ll say you need lots of bells and whistles and they’ll urge you to be aggressive about snagging subscribers with tricks and bribes.
But if you’re blogging to promote a fiction writing career, forget niches, numbers, and competitive behavior. Instead, aim to be friendly, welcoming and entertaining.
Also: don’t let your blog take over your fiction writing time. This is why I recommend slow blogging once a week or less—but preferably to a schedule.
Your blog subject matter can change and evolve, depending on your genre and where you are in your career.
Of course, first you need to get that career started.
When you’re a newbie, your blogging goals will be different from those of an established author.
An established author is blogging for fans and readers that already exist.
But a newbie is blogging to meet people and network.
If you’re a Pre-Published or Newly-Published Author:
You want to get your name out there and reach as many people as you can, so right now, your primary goal is networking. You can start by networking with other author/bloggers. Fellow writers can be your best resource early in your career.
NOTE: I’m not telling you to market to your fellow writers, which can be pointless and obnoxious. But networking with your colleagues can pay off in much bigger ways than simply the sale of one book.
Visit blogs that focus on your genre—that’s readers, reviewers and other authors—to see what they’re blogging about and get to know them. When you find yourself leaving a long comment: that’s your next blog post!
A great place to network is the Insecure Writers Support Group, founded by sci-fi author Alex J. Cavanaugh. Joining in one of their blog hops will help you meet a lot of fellow bloggers.
I also recommend Kristen Lamb’s Blog for top-notch writing, publishing, and social media advice, and her We Are Not Alone forums are great for networking.
If you’re planning on a traditional publishing career, you should also be regularly visiting agents’ blogs—especially the ones who rep your genre—and you can network with writers in the query process at QueryTracker and AgentQuery .
Visiting blogs can be like hanging out with co-workers in the coffee room at a new job. You’ll find a huge amount of information just by listening. Think of your blog as your cubicle where people stop by to say hello.
But first you have to introduce yourself in a general meeting place.
This means yes, you CAN talk about writing and publishing when you’re starting out. You can commiserate and congratulate each other as you ride the roller coaster of this crazy business. (But no whining. Trash-talking people in the business can stop your career before it starts.)
Once You’re an Established Author:
Now it’s time to switch gears.
You don’t have to stop blogging about writing entirely, but mix it up so you can start attracting more non-writers—especially readers in your niche. (Do as I say, not as I do 🙂 unless you have, ahem, a how-to book for writers.)
Remember people surf the Web looking for two things: information and entertainment.
So provide either or both.
Your blog can spin a good yarn, make people laugh, provide information, or all three, as long as you put it in your own honest, unique voice and you’re not too whiny or preachy. You want to provide a way for people to relate to you on a personal level.
Choose content for your ideal audience.
You need to know who you’re blogging for. If you’re writing hard sci-fi, you’re going to want to reach a different readership than if you’re writing cozy mysteries or romance.
What movies and TV shows might appeal to people who would like your book? What’s their age group? What other interests do those people have?
If you’re writing YA dystopian, blogging about the Divergent films might attract your ideal demographic. Tweet news about the stars and whether or not there will be a fourth film, and you’ll get those fans coming to your blog.
Write mysteries? Discuss classic mysteries or all the retellings of the Sherlock Holmes stories in film and new books.
If you’re writing Regency romance, run a series on your favorite films set in the era, or talk costumes and history. Or conduct a survey on what actor was the ideal Darcy.
12 Types of Content that Work in an Author Blog
This is by necessity a partial list. Please feel free to make more suggestions in the comments. Anything that might make a good magazine article will make a good blogpost—especially a magazine your ideal reader is likely to read.
1) Interviews and Profiles
These don’t have to be interviews with authors, although that’s a fantastic way to network AND reach readers. Write crime novels? Interview a cop, forensic expert or private detective. Write bookstore cozies? Profile a series of bookstore clerks and visit their blogs.
Any time you write a post about somebody other than yourself, you bring that person—and their friends—to your site.
2) Curated lists
Do you surf the ‘Net looking for articles and blogposts on your favorite subjects? Collect the urls of the best ones and recommend them in a regular list on your blog.
This is one of the best ways of getting to know top bloggers. Put them on a list and they’ll get a Google alert and stop by your blog. Maybe they’ll even invite you to guest post. And if you recommend a lesser-known blogger…you’ve made a friend! Some blogs that have great curated lists are Joel Friedlander’s This Week in Blogs and Elizabeth S. Craig’s Sunday Twitterific.
3) Informative pieces
This is where you can use all that research you did for your books that sounds too much like “info-dumping” in your novel. I’ve had a lot of fun sharing information I’ve gleaned in my research on poisons in my book blog series. Poisoning People for Fun and Profit.
4) Reviews and spotlights of books in your genre
Reviews are hard work and sometimes a thankless job, but good reviewers get a lot of respect in the industry. Spotlights are easier, so you might want to intersperse them.
5) Film reviews and info about other media in your genre
Readers are interested in more than books, so talking about films and television shows in your genre will draw readers.
6) Comic or inspirational vignettes about your life
This can be almost anything, as long as it’s entertaining, has a point, and doesn’t turn into a pity party.
7) Stuff about your pets
Don’t dismiss this as too silly. Animal photos and funny pet stories are some of the most clicked-upon content on the Web. Never underestimate the power of a cute puppy or grumpy cat to draw readers. Especially if animals play a part in your fiction.
8) Opinions
Do avoid polarizing subjects like politics and religion unless they relate to your books. But any opinion piece about publishing news will probably get a lot of readers in the bookish community. An opinion blog I love these days is hilarious Irish writer Tara Sparling’s blog.
9) History and nostalgia pieces
Do you write historicals, or novels set in an earlier era? Anything about that era will be of interest to your readers.
This is where people writing war memoirs or books about military history can share their own experiences. If you lived through history, the world wants to know about it. A blog is the perfect place to share.
10) Travel articles and photos
You can talk about your own travels, or write about where you live or the settings of your books.
Even if you’ve only made the journey via Google maps and Wikipedia, your readers will be interested. If it’s your hometown, even better. Interview local business owners and people who live and work in similar places to your fictional ones.
11) How-to’s and recipes.
Write crafting mysteries? Offer interesting quilt patterns or knitting directions. Have a character who likes to fly kites? Tell readers how to build one.
And no matter what genre you write, if food is involved, people will enjoy a recipe for it. Or maybe you can offer a recipe for the busy writer to throw in the crockpot, or a tasty snack to serve to your book group.
12) A series of articles or vignettes you hope to make into a book.
This is especially true of nonfiction. You can post fiction and poetry too, but they tend to be less popular. Also, do be aware that a previously blogged short story or poem will not be eligible for contests or “first rights” publication in a traditional magazine. (See more on this in “Your WIP” below.)
But many nonfiction books start as blogs these days. Blogger Nina Amir has written extensively about How to Blog a Book.
8 Topics to Avoid on your Author Blog
The following topics can fizzle a blog, so mention them sparingly, if at all.
1) Daily word count
Sorry. Nobody cares. (Unless you’re a member of a writers’ group encouraging each other on—as sometimes happens during NaNoWriMo.)
2) Rejection sorrows and personal woes
These belong in your private journal. The one with the lock on it.
Although the original “weblogs” were often personal diaries, today’s blogs are “other” oriented rather than “self” oriented and you need to write stuff that’s interesting to people who don’t already know you.
3) Your writer’s block
Ditto.
4) Teachy-Preachy stuff
Especially if you’re not an expert. Don’t lecture people on how to get published if you’re not.
5) Apologies for not blogging
I see this on Medium all the time. Some writer hasn’t made his own self-imposed deadline and then spends ½ of his post apologizing for it. Bo-ring.
We know it’s hard to get around to the old blog. You don’t need to tell us the specifics. Just call it “slow blogging” and get on with something interesting.
6) Writing about writing exclusively
It’s tempting to start a blog like this one that caters exclusively to writers. But it’s not that great an idea unless you have a “how to” book for writers. You want to reach a wider audience.
7) Religion or politics
Unless your work is exclusively for people of the same faith or political persuasion, you’re eliminating a big percentage of the population by posting about controversial stuff.
I know some big name authors have been expressing their political opinions on their blogs recently, and it hasn’t hurt their sales, but it’s a bad idea for newbies.
Unless, of course, your books are about religion or politics—or you live in a part of the world with interesting politics and you have a unique viewpoint. (Extra credit if you’re in a war zone.)
8) Your WIP (Especially if it’s a novel.)
Don’t compose your novel on your blog. It will be considered “previously published” by the publishing establishment, so agents and editors won’t be interested in it.
Even if you’re planning to self-publish, it’s not a good idea. Remember every novel needs editing. Your future self will thank you for not publishing that “s***y first draft”. Remember the Internet is forever.
If you want to write your novel in public and get feedback, Wattpad is probably the best place to do that. It’s password protected and posting there is not considered officially “publishing” by most people in the industry. However some agents now consider a book that’s been on Wattpad to be “previously published.” so do it at your own risk.
Treat a blog as an expression of who you are.
It’s the face you offer the world. So be real and have fun. Think of your blog as something like your own version of Oprah magazine. It can be any collection of eclectic things that add up to you.
Blogging can lead you to unexpected places:
- Sometimes blogging can take off and you find you’d rather blog than work on your WIP. There’s nothing wrong with that. You may have a future as a professional blogger and content provider—often a more lucrative field than writing novels.
- Or if you’re a book review blogger, you may be invited to intern for an agent and even become an agent yourself. That’s what happened to a book blogger I know, who was first hired as an assistant and then became a full-fledged agent, and now has her own agency.
But if you have your heart set on being a novelist, remember your fiction must take priority. Slow blogging works!
…Anne R. Allen (@annerallen) March 19, 2017
What about you, Scriveners? Do you have a blog? Do you have trouble deciding what to blog about? What’s your favorite kind of blog to read? Have you tried to write a novel on your blog? How did it turn out? Do you have more suggestions for topics to blog about?
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And I’d add one more to the don’ts–Don’t post anything where you will be seen as an information source. During the early days I posted Word for Writers (I was an expert then), and my cowriter on CW firearms (he collected them, so another expert). While these were related to the book we were working, they were huge time sucks. We got questions. I got “How do I do this in Word?” Cowriter got “How much is my rifle worth?” questions. While we got interest in the blog, the purpose of it should have been to promote us as writers, and instead, we got seen as an information resource for lazy people.
The hardest thing that dive people to hit all the don’ts is that it’s hard to build the audience. It takes a lot of time, and it’s easy to get discouraged. I took Kristin Lamb’s early blogging course, which involved a bunch of writers visiting your blog, commenting and cheering you on. I was the first person everyone abandoned. In hindsight, it was probably because I wasn’t blogging about writing, but then it was very frustrating. I wondered what was wrong with me. But I kept writing blog posts. It’s been quite a few years now, but I’m the only one out of the class still blogging on a regular basis. A few others post once in a while, and most have abandoned it entirely. It is very hard when you don’t get much feedback from comments, though most visitors won’t comment.
Linda–Having an informational blog does have its drawbacks. 🙂 I get emails every day asking me questions that are answered in the blog if people would just bother to search for their topic,. It is a huge time-suck, but then I can direct them to our book HOW TO BE A WRITER IN THE E-AGE., so I’m not exactly in the same boat you were.
Kristen’s group sounds as if it was only focussed on networking, but not on going to step 2 and reaching readers.
The course focused more on developing a personal brand and having other writers be cheerleaders while you figured it out.
Anne—Thank you for these pearls! You’re the Empress of Blogging so everyone should pay attention!
Ruth–Empress? Haha. 🙂 Thanks.
Excellent advice, Anne! (And thanks for mentioning the IWSG.)
Had to chuckle at the big about daily word counts.
I’d add another thing to avoid is continuous updates about how well your book is selling, where and how many, etc. I’ve unfollowed two authors who fell into that pattern.
Blog about movies and television – you know I can do that!
Hopefully this helps a lot of writers.
Alex–GREAT addition! Yes! Nothing more annoying.than outright bragging. Most of the authors I know who did that have disappeared with the deflating “indie bubble”, but I still see it occasionally. That’s definitely NOT entertaining or informative.
Your blog is an example I often use of a very effective author blog. You have varied topics but they all relate to your books in some way.
Brilliant, and filled with things you’ve never said as well as things that deserve repeating! My blog has been utterly silent for too long, but things are starting to heat up for me again…
Will–I do worry about repeating myself for the long-time readers like you, but I’m glad you found some stuff was new to you.
Now get back to that blog! 🙂
Your blog keeps up the quality, Anne. Enjoyed this post, thanks.
Characterful–Thanks!
Good stuff, as usual, Anne. I’ve been blogging for four years now and it’s been a great return on writing time investment. I’ve never made a direct cent off the blog but the spin-offs have been superb, especialy in making contacts. A lot of my visits are from search engine traffic. That’s built a mailing list, got invites to other blogs, media interviews and even opened doors to the film industry.
Finding topics is easy. Finding the time to research and write them is difficult but it’s a critical part of the platform. The best feedback from my experience is to focus on less numbers of posts but make them longer and have original content. I finally got a grip on how SEO works and realized it’s the bloggers’s best expansion friend. I carefully select a few good keywords for metadata and write most posts as longform – over 2200 words gets better search engine recognition than shortform. I also post at a regular time – 8am PST on Saturdays works well as it gives the weekend for readers to open from the mail list or find through searches.
I’m with you about sensitive topics unless you have expertise. As they say, never discuss sex, religion or politics 🙂 I think the best approach is just be yourself and find informative, entertaining topics – like you said. Even if it’s blogging about blogging 🙂
Garry–This is exactly why an author blog is so useful–you say it very well. “That’s built a mailing list, got invites to other blogs, media interviews and even opened doors to the film industry.” It’s all about who you know in this business and your blog is a way of getting to know people.
Learning some basic SEO helps a lot. Google changes its algos often, which is why the old rules don’t apply. It used to be that short daily posts ranked higher with Google, but now they want substance, so long posts are better.
As I said, I believe in “Slow Blogging” but it’s best to do it to a schedule. This blog has gone up at 10 AM Pacific Time every Sunday for the last 7 years, and I’m sure that’s part of the reason it continues to thrive.
I know people disagree with me sometimes about this, but I think consistency is a huge factor in building a blog audience. It doesn’t have to be daily…or even weekly…but some kind of pattern so that readers know when to expect another regular post. People like routines.
Good post!! I think the people who’ve remained as bloggers are the real bloggers now. A lot of people did it when the Internet was young, but not many stuck around.
Ryan–I agree 100%. I’m sure the popularity of this blog is partly due to the fact it comes out at exactly the same time once a week. People know when there will be new content so we don’t waste their time.
You’re right that an awful lot of bloggers have called it quits. I’m disappointed when I see how many blogfriends have disappeared. But blogging isn’t something we can do casually. We need to make a commitment to it.
Another great post Anne. I blog fortnightly and find that is enough to keep the blog going and frequent enough to have people visit and read the posts. I’m pleased to see from your lists of do’s and dont’s that I’m blogging a good mix of content – phew!
Mark–I think you’re doing it just right. I discovered your blog through a curated list where you included this blog, and you provide consistently interesting content. Blogging twice a month is probably just right for most authors.
Thanks for the advice, Anne. Your ideas and suggestions are forever helpful. I put out a newsletter through Writerspace once a month along with a contest once a month as well. When I publish my next book, I’ll see what difference that makes in selling my books.
Patricia–I’ll be very interested in your results when the next book goes on sale. I didn’t include contests, because they’re a lot of work for the blogger, but I think they can have a good ROI. Do let me know the impact on your sales!
will do
I originally started blogging in 2008 as an censor-free offshoot to my experiences in the chat rooms.
Fast forward to now.
Now is blogging about one of three key topics to my blogging platform: my adventures in writing. My current Tumblr blog is basically a serialized stream-of-conscience blog with writing being the tie-in topic. I blog about things like editing, info dumps as to why I wrote a character this way and why I’m enamored of creating characters with these particular characteristics for example; covers, self-publishing, etc. etc. etc.
I’m currently at a major crossroads with my Blogger blog and come this Wednesday, depending on what kind of answer I get from Tumblr (already got a 95% yes out of Blogger for the same question), my Blogger blog will either continue in a new form or gracefully turn into a retired warrior.
G.B–You were one of the blogging pioneers! Early blogs were kind of a different animal from what they are now–shorter, more personal posts were the norm.
Tumblr is one platform I haven’t explored, but it sounds as if it’s working great for you.
Blogger is definitely getting a little old school now, but I think it works for a lot of authors. However I think maintaining two blogs is more work than we need, so retiring Blog #1 is probably a good idea. You can keep it up with a link to the new blog.
Mark–I think you’re doing it just right. I discovered your blog through a curated list where you included this blog, and you provide consistently interesting content. Blogging twice a month is probably just right for most authors.
Good information. Thanks. One question: what about occasionally including reviews?
Leta–Reviews are great. But as I said in #4, they can be a huge amount of work, so you might want to intersperse with spotlights and interviews. But start reviewing books in your genre and you’ll put yourself “on the map” and get a lot of writer friends right away.
Anne, you have as much to teach old hands as people starting out. I know every week I’m going to find at least a few nuggets of information on your blog that are as entertaining as they are inspirational, and makes you a must-read. You make it look easy – perhaps that’s the key! One piece of advice I wish I’d had in the beginning was to ignore any thoughts of who or how many people are reading your blog, and concentrate instead on what the freedom of blogging can do for a writer’s own voice and technique. I don’t know any other medium which would allow someone to post a joke one day and an opinion on a news item the next, let alone allow us to play with style while we’re at it.
Tara–Good point about not obsessing about numbers. Sure, it’s great to see your stats getting higher and your Alexa rating getting lower, but those numbers make no difference to a blogger unless you’re trying to attract advertisers. A small group of real fans will do much more for your career than a bunch of drive-bys who will never return. (And are never going to buy your books.)
Blogging is a wonderfully creative medium, as you point out, and focussing on numbers instead of your craft is always going to make a blog mediocre.
Thank you for sharing this incredibly diverse guidance! So many folks offer surface advice on author’s blogging…you, Ann, have given us in-depth options that move author’s into the tangents that can be supportive overall. I have so many author clients who hate to talk about ‘platforms’ and social media, etc., but need to get their names and books ‘out there’. You’ve provided platform paths that any author can utilize — all, part, or multiple combinations!
As always — fantastic post.
Maria D’Marco
Maria–There are so many topics an author blog can cover, that no author should have to get bored with blogging. And if one thing doesn’t work, then try something else, The possibilities are infinite. Blogging is fun, if you approach it the right way.
I get way more interaction on my folklore posts (which tie in with the dark fantasy and Gothic horror that I write) then I ever did on my ‘writing advice’ posts. I think a lot of the business blogging advice misses the points that some readers just want to read about something they’re interested in!
Icy–I’m glad your experience bears out my theory: writing for readers is going to pay off in the long run more than writing for writers. Write for writers in the beginning to make friends. Then graduate to other things.
Business blogging has become a kind of self-obsessed microcosm where everybody’s blogging for each other. Like taking in each other’s laundry. All quite pointless.
Thanks for this. As always, a brilliant post. Some useful warnings!
I try to post something interesting on my blog from time to time, but few people read it and even fewer comment. I will try out some of your suggestions.
barbara–If you’re not getting traffic on your blog, the problem may be solved with SEO and other simple techniques. See my posts on how to get more blog traffic.https://selfpublishingsites.com/blog-traffic-7-tips-authors/
Loved this post, Anne. There’s always great information here on your Sunday blog and I never miss reading it. This time I got an idea I’m going to try out on my next Goodreads blog. Always something here to help me. And so many others. Thank you. And Ruth for all you do for us. Paul
Paul–I’m glad to hear I inspired you to write another post!
I’m with Tara. I always find something inspiring on your blog, Anne, even though I’m an old dog! (em…we’ll skip the female dog-term that instantly comes to mind…)
I think – with blogging as with every other type of writing – that you need to keep the reader in mind. A successful blog is not just a journal for oneself. It is a form of public entertainment. It’s easy to write for oneself. But writing for 10,000 readers – now THAT’s an accomplishment!
Melodie–Thanks! You’re right that we need to blog with our audience in mind. And that means editing. Blogposts need editing too. Write the first draft for you and the final draft for the reader.
The earliest blogs were simply personal journals, but they have evolved to be more like newspaper or magazine columns. Those only succeed if the entertain or inform.
THAT is a terrific line! :Write the first draft for you, and the final draft for the reader. Will quote you on that, in class, Anne.
Great ideas here, Anne, when I finally do more work with my author blog. Thanks.
Beth–You have a great blog. You don’t need to change a thing. You have a strong voice and always write interesting opinions.
I’m so glad you did this blog post, Anne! I remember a few years ago I was wracking my brain trying to figure out where I had seen advice on what pre-published writers should blog about, so this was a welcome and timely reminder! I used to be a book review blogger exclusively and I used to participate in blog hops and that sort of thing, but when I built my dedicated writer blog, I tried to comment on the blogs of other writers and I still do to some extent, but found that I fell by the wayside quite quickly as my other life demands took more time. Do you have any additional advice for pre-published writers to have a strategy for visiting and commenting on the blogs of other writers? Perhaps focusing within the genre one writes in and hopes to get published? Thank you!
A. E.–Great question! I definitely think focussing on your genre helps. Getting to know other authors in your niche can pay off in blog hops, anthologies, boxed sets and joint promotions. All those things can give your career a huge boost.
And if you’re going the trad.route, do read the big agent blogs like Query Shark and Writer’s Digest’s Guide to Literary Agents. There are probably lots of new agents with blogs that I don’t know about, so Google around. Focus on ones that rep your niche and have lots of interaction.
Excellent topic, and tons of useful info here, Anne. Thanks for this post, and thanks again for hosting me last week!
Mike–Thanks so much for your great post last week–and for doing such a great job with the comments. I’ve been going through a health crisis for the last couple of weeks and it was great to be able to leave the blog in such capable hands.
Thank you!
Thanks, Anne. I started blogging in 2007 and considered it a learning experience. I got the largest number of readers by commenting on other related blogs. For awhile, this turned into a community – one time we even posted on the same subject on the same day on 6 blogs. The other bloggers have all since faded away.
I never posted to a schedule. Sometimes, there would be nothing for a month, then multiple articles would get posted the same day. No-one has complained.
Occasionally, a social media recommendation would create a huge surge in traffic. But usually, those readers would flit on by, not clicking links or subscribing. So I’ve focused on the niche and slow growth. I do get some who subscribe via social media, so maintain a presence on a few platforms.
While I’m not sure I’d call myself “established”, the blog certainly is. A couple of years ago, I did an interview on a high-traffic site. That has brought a great deal more subscribers. I’ve also given talks at conferences but thats not online and netted just a little.
In other words – opportunities to extend your reach will grow but consider it an experiment to see if it helps. What works for one niche may not for another…
David–Because you started at the dawn of the blogging era, you got the attention of an audience early on. Now for people starting a blog, blogging to a schedule will give a leg up. The rules have certainly changed since I started at the end of 2009.
Getting a guest gig on a high profile blog is probably the best way to boost your traffic. I went from 10 hits a week to 100s a day after my first guest post–an experience similar to yours.
Good point that what works for one genre may not work for another. Some genre readers may throng to a site that gives extra tidbits about characters in a series. Others may not be interested at all. You need to keep trying things until something works in drawing consistent traffic.
Funny, Anne. When I started out, I was the newbie blogger and the rules had evolved since the earliest blogs of the 2003 “era”. There was so many more bloggers then. As it turns out, that was just the beginning too. 🙂
As I read Linda Maye Adams’ comment about an information source, it occurred to me that I have become one…sort of…but not my blog. I get Quora in my email and often answer questions there if I feel I have something to contribute. I never hesitate to mention my own work if it is relevant to the subject (Not often enough, darn it.) or information on my blog if, again, it is a justifiable part of a good answer. Something some of you may want to explore. People are offered questions to answer, but no one is ever required to answer anything. And the answers others post can be very informative.
On another part of Anne’s blog–I find it hard to get a “brand” because I don’t restrict myself to a genre. Two published novels are fantasies, the third (and fourth is at the publisher) is a Romance/thriller, and my current project is a paranormal romance/thriller.
Any suggestions on how I can turn that disadvantage to an advantage?
Fred–Quora is one more social medium where you can make a name for yourself. It’s not officially considered “blogging” but it’s a lot like Medium, which is. Both can raise your profile a lot. Both good investments of your time. Thanks for mentioning it!
You can still “brand” yourself even if you’re not a “mystery author” or “romance author”. Find something that all your books have in common–maybe they’re all dark or all have paranormal elements.Maybe they appeal most to one age group or demographic or setting. Then think of the audience that might like all of them–what do they like? Do things that might appeal to that type of audience.
Great advice, as always. And to be expected from a blogger who has a fabulous book on how to be a writer!
Christine–Thanks! 🙂
Oh, my, Anne, you are so generous and wise. I think the comprehensive advice offered here about the Do’s and Don’ts of blogging should become a short reference book. I, for one, would keep it handy on my desk! Blogs done the wrong way become an unfornate way for writers to go off course and never get our core writing done. But done the right way, they can be an important way of understanding ourselves and our work better, while sharing content that’s fun, inspiring, useful, and good. Thank you!
Mara–Thanks for stopping by! Actually, I am working on a book for author-bloggers. Blogs can be a lot of fun and not anywhere near as much work as they seem when you listen to the business blog “rules.”.
Business blog teachers always have that “boot camp” mentality that says whatever you’re doing isn’t enough. But any blogging is good if you’re just doing it to network and communicate with your readers. And you can keep your focus on your WIP.
One of the reasons I started my current blog was to promote my then newly released thriller. The protag was a knitwear designer so I interviewed knitwear designers and shared my hand-knitting patterns.
Its now almost seven years old and I occasionally have to rack my brain for a topic. Thank you for the list, Anne.
I too am a huge support of slow blogging.
Leanne–You were an author-blog pioneer! I was jazzed that you interviewed me back then. I know we don’t want to do the same thing over and over, but I think you have a good format there. Just mix it up a little so you don’t get bored. 🙂
Great advice on blogging. So agree that you do not have to blog more than once a week to be successful. It is important to follow other blogs and comment to grow your own network and following.
For me, I never have a problem deciding what to blog about because I have a mission. It’s mostly to promote debut MG and YA authors and their books and provide aspiring authors with agent spotlight interviews and query critique giveaways to help them find an agent. Having a mission has helped me enjoy blogging and feel like I’m doing a service for others with my time blogging. And I’m sure it helped me get my job as a contract writer for a web marketing firm. I write articles for attorney websites and sort of support my daughter and me doing it. While the blog and job take up my writing time, I’m okay with not writing fiction for now.
Natalie–You and Casey do have a mission. Your “Literary Rambles” is one of the best resources for YA and children’s authors that I know. Your blog is one of the great success stories. Congrats on keeping it up all these years.
And you’re proof that the networking we do on blogs can lead to major career opportunities. Congrats on your web marketing job. That’s writing that actually makes money . 🙂
Along with your other blogging tips like this really should be in a book. I would buy one!
Stanley–Thanks for the encouragement. That’s next on my must-do list!
Afternoon Anne,
Pearls of wisdom again! I’m going to add two things that you do, but you didn’t mention.
In my mind blogging is a conversation – a dialogue if you will – not a monologue or lecture. You take a friendly tone and treat your readers like friends that you are sharing information with. Like chatting over a cup of coffee. So add 2 things to your list – informal, friendly tone and talk WITH your readers not AT your readers.
Barb–Thanks! Tone is a big topic, probably for another blogpost. I think blogs can have a number of different tones–some that are more tutorial, like Jane Friedman’s, can work too. It depends on your audience and what kind of books you’re selling.
But Ruth and I do find that the “conversational” blog works best for us. I’m glad you like it!
Hey Anne,
Sorry to hear you were having health problems. Hope you’re feeling better now.
You know, I almost didn’t read this post because I thought you had written one like it just a few months back. But I’m glad I did because it gave me some ideas as well as some reassurance, because I wasn’t doing the don’ts and was doing many of the do’s. (Did that make sense?)
Since I started reading your blog I’ve aspired to do that slow blogging thing that you do so well, but I can’t seem to get there. It always seems like I just don’t have that much to say on any one topic to justify it. Certainly not enough to include maps, diagrams, directions, links and resources (okay, I’m pulling your leg a little) like you do. But I still have that goal in the back of my mind.
There’s one other thing I might add to your list, that I’ve been seeing a lot of lately – the non-stop posts about the author’s new book. Trailers about the book, character profiles, interviews, just a whole lot of book bragging and pushing with little else in between. In fact, I have a friend who just published her first book not long ago and it’s like her brain was taken over by the indie pod people. She stopped doing anything but promoting her book on her blog, her social media stuff and just everywhere. Frankly, I was embarrassed for her. I’m all for promoting your book and I applaud anybody who has the mettle to finish a book but sometimes we like to talk about something else, right?
Anyway, as always, I learned a couple of new things, just by visiting your blog. You are a magical lady.
Annie
Annie–Thanks for the kudos. My health is slowly improving. At least I have some good drugs to keep me from whining. 🙂
You are so right that authors have to keep the direct sales stuff under control. About 30% of your social media can be promotion, but the rest should be friendly, helpful stuff instead.
Authors who pretend to be superstars, imagining legions of fans desperately wanting to know their characters’ backstories end up looking silly. Especially if they haven’t even published yet.
We have to inform or entertain. If we don’t do either, we’re going to be blogging at crickets.
Hi Anne. Thanks for another helpful post. As I’m unpublished, a few months back I joined the Insecure Writer’s Support Group for networking. It’s been good, but I don’t want to be talking about writing all the time. There are so many things writers can blog about. I like your suggestions and have taken notes even from your comments. This post is very timely as I recently did a Blogging for Authors course with Kristen Lamb, which I recommend. I look forward to reading your book on this topic when it comes out – you’ve been a great help. Glad to hear that your health is improving too! Take care. 🙂
Debbie–Kristen Lamb and the IWSG are two of the best places I know to learn about blogging. But there is the point when you need to “leave the nest” and branch out, and that can feel like a lonely slog, especially if you don’t have readers yet. But keep at it. You’ll be amazed at how a blog can take off when you get the right formula.
Thanks for the encouragement to get my book done. It’s been back burnered too long!
Loved this quote “When you find yourself leaving a long comment: that’s your next blog post!” That’s such a good point! Thanks for putting together such an extensive list. It was really helpful 🙂
Emmaline–I’m glad you liked it. 🙂 I hope this makes blogging seem less daunting to new authors.
You are so correct on this. I can’t tell you how many unpublished writers I see who dish out writing advice on their blogs. I feel as I’d be lost in the crowd if I did that. Not that I would, because I’m not an expert on writing, and my goal is to attract readers not writers (though there may be some overlap).
I had so many different blog sections on my fire, I’ve decided I need to cull them a bit. They’re now going into my newsletter.
Do you have a list like this on what newly published, or prepublished authors should include in a newsletter? I know I could use the help with it!
Christina–I’m not a fan of newsletters. I prefer a blog because it’s interactive. A broadcast newsletter is only one-way. (Unless you’re going to spend 24/7 answering replies to every newsletter.) And on a blog, everybody can see your response to comments, but will a news letter only one person sees it.
Also, any stranger can come upon your blog at any time and become a new reader. But newsletters only reach people who are already your fans.
But some people love them. Pretty much the same topics can work for either a newsletter or a blog.
Slow-blogging can be a blessing too. When I first started my blog I carved out my niche as a writer who loved to research all things crime, and I’ve kept that focus. However, each post takes hours to write, so slow-blogging has been a blessing in that regard. Over time, I’ve tried to mix it up, dedicating half my time to providing research for other crime writers and half my time providing content for crime readers. Rarely, unless I have a new release, do I allow book promotions of any kind. So far, it’s worked for me.
Sue–Slow blogging has always worked for me. And I think it’s what Google now prefers–longer pieces with more depth. I think your author blog is just the right balance!
Hey Anne – great advice (as always). I guess my blog, Wordmonger, fits into category #3. Keep up the good work.
Wordmonger–Your blog is informational AND entertaining. Plus the posts are evergreen–they don’t go out of date. It’s a fun blog!
Sorry. Nobody cares.– That made me laugh aloud! I may have even snorted.
HP–It’s amazing to me how many people on social media think they’re being judged or that they have to live up to somebody else’s ideals. The truth is that most of the time, nobody even notices. 😉
Oh my days! I am so glad I came across this post. As a relatively new author / blogger, i’ve been wondering how much of my blog should be writing, how much me, how much writing advice, although I take your point about putting yourself as an expert. I’ve been doing ok, and have learned a lot, but would not class myself as an expert, but I would like to share some of what I’ve learned, as a lot of writing advice I read comes from very experienced / widely published authors, and for me, that was a bit intimidating.
I also believe that talking about some parts of my life (disability for me) makes me a bit more relatable. But I also like to relate my challenges to my writing.
This is a great post, thanks!
Steve–The only way to know what’s working is to see which posts get the most traffic and comments.
I could tell you that a blog devoted to nothing but zombie haiku was a bad idea, but your zombie haiku could go viral. I love it when people succeed in spite of “conventional wisdom” to the contrary
The great thing about an author blog is that you can be as creative as you want and not follow anybody’s rules.
I just talked to a well known author today whose career started when she wrote a furious piece for the HuffPo about how NY agents are a closed clique and innovative writers can’t get a read. A total no-no. But it got the attention of a big name agent and now she’s a superstar. Be the exception that proves the rule!
This is a great topic, Anne. I enjoyed every word of it. And, I always learn something new each time you post. Thank-you!
Now, I never have much to add to the conversation, but this time, I do have a small tip about blogging and how to keep from being discouraged when no one comments. I hope you don’t mind if I add my cent-and-a-half.
In my “other life” (not as a writer), I have a historical blog that does well. Here is what I learned: Choose a blogging platform that gives great stats. Not only can you see how many visitors are coming to your blog, but if visitors remain ten minutes or longer, they are most likely reading your posts. Seeing that you do have visitors coming to your blog really encourages when commenting is slow to happen. And secondly, stats will tell you which of your posts are read the most. This helps to discover which of your topics that more folks are interested in. Really helped me fine tune my content when I was first getting started.
Kate–Great tip! Stats sure kept me going when my blog was starting. (I love Blogger’s easy-to-read, comprehensive stats) When you see that 200 people actually visited the blog and stayed an average of 5 minutes, you feel much more encouraged, even if none of them actually left a comment.
In fact, I’ve seen the statistic that less than 10% of people who read a piece will comment on it. So for every ten comments, you’ve got 100 people enjoying your blog. It’s nice when your stat page tells you that.
And I agree that detailed stats that tell you which posts are getting the hits really help you choose content that will keep them coming back. .
As a newly minted author, I really appreciated reading this post especially because I have recently (the past month) turned myself into a slow (once a week) blogger (after skipping a month and much dawdling). It feels wonderful because if nothing else, I’m cracking my writing knuckles while finishing up Book Two. I also appreciate the tip of writing about more than just writing, which is what I started out to do. Thanks for helping me to stay on track, Anne!
Lida–Best of luck with your newly “slowed-down” blog. Blogging is indeed great practice, no matter what genre you write in!
Great tips! I love the one about “long comments.” Need to remember that one. My blog is mainly about the writing process. I share the big learning curve I’m traveling. Doing this helps me keep all of the great info I learn, from other writers, in one place as well as pass on the knowledge to anyone interested. Plus, it’s so much fun connecting with other writers.
Jean–Making friends is the big perk of blogging, and people should remember that’s actually our #1 goal in social media. If you see it as a visit to a virtual cafe to meet readers and fellow writers, instead of a slog you have to get through, your blog will take off and so will your career. Best of luck with it.
That’s the best part of blogging. Talking to so many amazing people.
Highly interesting blog post! When I first started blogging, I was a ‘book’ blogger. But when I switched to an author blog, I was scared that it wouldn’t be okay to continue writing book reviews. Maybe I will consider posting a review from time to time 🙂
Estelle–I think it’s great for authors to write book reviews. They’ve done it for centuries. John Updike regularly wrote reviews for the New Yorker. So did Dorothy Parker. You’ll be in excellent company!
I’m definitely a slow blogger! I think I even have the slow blogger logo.
One thing that turns me off author blogs is a continuous ‘buy my book, buy my book, buy my book.’ I generally follow an author’s blog because I want to get to know them. I’m probably there in the first place because I already bought their book, so unless their other content is fabulous, beating me over the head just makes me go away.
One thing I love about author blogs is a nice mix of life, including what they’re reading now & what they think of it, what’s going on in their lives, tidbits about their latest wip, what they do when they’re not writing.
Nita–I haven’t seen that Slow Blogging logo for years. I’m glad to hear you still have one!
Definitely hard-sell tactics are a no-no on a blog. That isn’t friendly or entertaining. I think the one-book wonder is in the most danger of turning into a whiney “buy my book” type.
And you’re right. If people already have the book, what’s the point? They’re just turning people off.
Thanks for the reminder!
I am so glad to have found your blog. There is so much for a newbie to learn and I appreciate this particular post quite a bit right now! Looking forward to reading more… Thank you!
Bonnie–Welcome! I’ll have another post on author blogs this Sunday, August 6th. And I am coming out with a book on Easy Blogging for Busy Authors in October, so you can have all the info in one place.
A little late to the game, but wanted to say thank you for this great information which is, for me, very timely.
Laura–Glad to see you here! I’m glad this info can help you with your blog. And there’s lots more where it came from in the book! 🙂
I love your blog! You provide much needed encouragement for writers. Thanks for the great advice and reminders about how I can get more involved in the literary world without unwittingly falling on my face.
Leslie–It’s true. You can be a published author by taking baby steps instead of that big leap that can often lead to discouragement and failure. Get those smaller things published, enter some contests, and you’ll have the self-confidence to go the distance.