Blogging is a great way to build platform
by Anne R. Allen
I started this blog on March 13th, 2009. It was Friday the 13th. Obviously I have a need to tempt fate.
I knew pretty much nothing about blogging. I simply wanted a place to put the unpublished columns I had written for Inkwell Newswatch, a Canadian writers’ zine that stopped publication in January 2009.
It’s amazing what you can do when you don’t know how.
I settled on putting up weekly posts on Sunday at 10 AM. I can’t remember why. Maybe I pictured my fellow writers relaxing with a cup of coffee on Sunday mornings and surfing the writing blogs the way I did.
Later I read that “the rules” of blogging say that Sunday is the worst day to post to a blog.
But this blog has never followed the rules. And that’s probably the most important thing I’ve learned over the years: blogging has no rules; make your own.
The blog got a big “oomph” when Ruth Harris joined me in 2011. Her vast expertise in the publishing world — both as a Big 5 editor and a bestselling author — brought a whole lot more polish and knowledge to the blog. And I think she’s been as happy to break “the rules” as I have
Here are my own rules of blogging. I posted some of these on my 10th blogiversary. Not much about blogging has changed since then, except that blogging has lost its luster, and a lot of authors prefer to interact on social media.
But I think a blog still provides a writer with the best web presence. And nobody will put you in Blogging Jail if you break some unwritten rule. 🙂
1) Question Authority
“The rules” will come and go. So will gimmicks and tricks for SEO, ROI, SERP, and LMNOP 🙂 . The only thing that stays the same is the value of good content.
When I started out, “the rules” said a blogpost should be 300 words long and you should blog at least twice a day. Yeah. How many successful authors do you know who do that?
We were also told that an author blog should follow the same rules as a blog about make-up tips for teens or how to make decorative pillows out of dryer lint.
And we were supposed to run advertising all over the site. I remember reading that the #1 failure of new bloggers was “failure to monetize.” (I had to look up the word “monetize.”)
How many successful author blogs are peppered with irrelevant advertising these days?
Also, you needed a niche. You could only blog about jelly doughnuts or training your cat to use the toilet. Otherwise, readers would get confused.
Rule-makers are always underestimating readers. I slowly found out an author can blog about anything. Authors blog to attract readers who will like our books. So we can write about anything those people would like to read about.
We simply have to make sure that what we say is honest, well-written, and helpful.
2) You Get By with a Little Help from Your Friends
My blog never would have taken off without the blogfriends I made early on. A lot of them are members of the Insecure Writers Support Group, which I think is one of the most useful groups in the writing community. Do check out their blog.
Friends who Tweeted my posts and shared them on other social media made this blog. I’d be nowhere without them.
Guest blogging for my friends got my name out there and brought in more readers.
And friends I made through blogging asked me to join anthologies and group promotions that raised the profile of the blog and made me a lot of money in book sales.
Ruth and I both owe a lot to our friend Barb Drozdowich, tech guru and social media whisperer, who saved our bacon when the blog almost died in 2015 after a tough move from Blogger to WordPress. (Check out Barb’s books and services. If you need help with a website or building your platform, she’s the one to contact.)
Most of all, Ruth, Barb, and a host of blogfriends kept this blog going while I was laid low by a medical catastrophe for five months in 2020. I will always be grateful to all the people who stepped up to guest post — and of course to Barb and Ruth.
3) Commenting on Other Blogs is the Best Way to Build Your Own Blog
Reading and commenting on blogs is the best way to start building your author platform. Commenting allows you to get cozy with search engines and make blogfriends.
The first time I made it to the first page of Search Engine Results (the SERP) was with a comment on a popular blog. Search engine spiders will find you on a popular blog much more easily than they do on your own — especially if it’s brand new, or doesn’t have much traffic. Because the Google spiders go where the traffic is.
Turns out one of the most important aspects of “SEO” is getting something called “backlinks” and every comment links back to your own blog. I didn’t know that for years, but I did know my traffic grew when I took the time to read and comment on other writing blogs.
More on this in my post on How to Build Platform Without Really Trying.
And remember no blog is an island. You need to become part of the “blogosphere.” You want to reach other bloggers and blog readers. They might just check out your blog too if you have interesting things to say in your comment.
Most of the important contacts I’ve made in my career have been through commenting on well known writing blogs. Bloggers know who their commenters are, and if you say something smart, they’ll remember you. They may even ask you to guest blog. That’s how I get most of my guest bloggers.
Author marketing guru Penny Sansevieri recommends commenting on blogs about 5 times a week. It doesn’t take much time and it pays off in a whole lot more exposure.
4) Your Commenters are Your Most Important Asset.
A blog is nothing without readers. And readers who comment are giving you a lovely gift. Even if they disagree with you. (Politely. If you’re dealing with rude or obscene comments, see the following section.)
Answering comments quickly and honestly is one of the best ways for a blogger to get commenters coming back.
Responding to comments acknowledges your readers as your equals. You’re not supposed to be sitting on a blogthrone waiting to be adored. You’re exchanging ideas with your peers.
I met Ruth Harris as well as two of my publishers when they commented on this blog. Plus I get some of my best ideas for new blogpost topics from the comments here.
5) Trolls are Everywhere. Be Vigilant, but Don’t Engage.
Trolls are like termites. Sooner or later, you’ll probably have to deal with them. Unfortunately, I had an attack early on and didn’t have a clue what to do.
A swarm of Goodreads trolls hit this blog in 2011, complete with emailed death threats. Yeah. They threatened to “take me out” and included a photo of my house. All because I said Amazon treats a 3-star review as negative (which it does.) But my post somehow triggered the Rage of the Twitterverse. And Twitter sent the trolls here.
I made the mistake of trying to defend myself. That’s when I learned you NEVER engage with trolls. We need to treat trolls like rattlesnakes. They may be blocking your path, but you need to find a way around them. Never get in a fight with a rattlesnake.
And as for Goodreads, don’t go there. Thar be dragons! Self-righteous, semi-literate dragons. I had an agent who said, “Go to Goodreads, link to your blog, and never go back.” As Buzzfeed said, they “weaponize the language of social justice” to attack pretty much everybody. I talked about this in last week’s blogpost.
6) Own Your Mistakes and Learn From Them
Remember you’re a blogger, not the Pope. Infallibility is not required.
If you’ve made a mistake, own it. Don’t get defensive. We learn from our mistakes. I’ve have learned a ton from the people who have corrected me here. And I’m so grateful for all the readers who have caught typos, so don’t hesitate to point them out.
But when somebody criticizes you — or one of your commenters — in a cruel, obscene or irrational way, don’t engage. If they’re accusing you of something you didn’t do, you’ll be tempted to defend yourself, but don’t. They usually simply want to fight. People drink and blog, unfortunately.
It’s your blog. Freedom of speech does not apply to private property. If you’ve done nothing wrong, and the commenter is throwing rage around like a monkey throwing feces, get rid of the comment. Treat it like the pile of poo it is and delete it immediately so your readers aren’t subjected to it.
7) Piracy Happens. But Don’t Be Too Paranoid.
About five years into blogging, I had a major run-in with a pirate. He scooped the content of the entire blog. retitled it, and put up the blog with a ton of advertising in Portuguese. We figured he was in Brazil. I had to find a tech guru to get it taken down.
But this happens very rarely. I think only Blogspot blogs are still so unprotected that it can happen.
When somebody steals the content of one or two blogposts, and doesn’t link back to your blog, don’t panic. Ask them firmly but politely to take it down. If they don’t, send a DMCA to their Internet provider.
If they’re in some third world backwater where they can’t be reached, let it go. Maybe they’ll make enough money off your content to feed their family today. Or pay for a bus ride somewhere with better jobs. Or maybe your words on their blog will inspire somebody who never would have seen it otherwise.
8) Guest Posting will Grow Your Blog Quickly
Guest posts–whether you post on another blog, or get somebody to guest for you — can be magic. Every guest has their own following. That guest will bring their friends over to read their post on your blog, and chances are they’ll look around a bit.
And a guest on your blog gives you a little time off. We always host at least one guest a month on the blog (two if there’s an extra Sunday.)
And when you visit another blog, you’ve got a whole new audience. Write something they like, and they’ll come over and check out your site. They may even subscribe.
9) Keep to a Blogging Schedule.
People like to plan. It’s in our nature. Let people know when you’re going to post and they’ll show up at that time to enjoy your company again.
That doesn’t mean you can’t write blogposts when you feel inspired. Just post them at the same time every week or month or whatever. It’s better to let them rest a couple of days and proof them again anyway. You’ll catch a lot more of your typos.
Keep posting to a schedule because the blog isn’t about your needs: it’s about your readers’ needs.
10) An Author Blog is Not a Business Blog.
Business blogs are for selling stuff. Author blogs are for communication. They’re simply a place for you to get in touch with other writers, readers and potential readers and exchange ideas.
So the most important thing is to be real and entertaining, not hype-y. A blog is a place on the Web where people can come and hang out with you.
Pushy, “buy my book” posts don’t get traffic. And following all those complicated business blog rules will exhaust you and drive away readers. You don’t sell books like cat-carriers or Ginsu knives. Hammering readers by endlessly screaming your title at them does not make people want to relax and hang out with your work. It makes them want to block you.
I’ve watched a lot of author-bloggers give up because they tried to blog so often it became drudgery. An author doesn’t need to blog more than once a week. You want people to read your books, not daily reports of what you had for lunch.
Have fun with your blog. and when it isn’t fun anymore, take a break.
11) Don’t Badmouth Fellow Writers.
And remember reviewers are writers too.
Dissing celebrities is a fun game people love to play. Hey, they’re celebrities. They’re crying all the way to the bank, right?
But writers, even famous ones, are your colleagues. You may not be an unknown forever. What if you get a big book deal and meet Famous Author at a party and you’re the one who made that Facebook meme, showing him as a chimpanzee pooping out a book. Do you want to spend your first big publishing soiree hiding in the bathroom to avoid Mr. Famous?
Plus you never know when you might be invited to participate in a joint marketing event or anthology edited by Publishing Superstar. Yes, it happens.
Do you want to be the one who Tweeted “@PublishingSuperstar is a talentless has-been. Who will stop him before he writes again?”
Good luck getting into that anthology.
If you’re a book blogger, I’m not saying you shouldn’t give negative reviews. But personal insults always backfire. I’ve watched it happen to some snarky authors (who have since disappeared from the scene.)
12) The Most Important Blogging Rule is the Golden One.
Be nice. Be positive. You catch more flies with honey. Yeah, all the things your grandma taught you are true.
Okay, I’m not going to pretend a little negativity in the header won’t boost traffic. We usually get more clicks on our “How Not to Write…” posts than ones labeled “How to Write….”
But you need to make the overall message of the post positive. Always add a strong dose of hope to anything you blog about. Whining about how the publishing industry is “rigged” or how all agents are scammers will not win friends or influence readers. And dwelling on bad reviews and rejections makes you look like a loser. Do your mourning offline.
13) We’re all Bozos on the Blogging Bus.
Probably only my fellow Boomers will get that reference to a comedy album from the Firesign Theater circa 1971. (Further made famous by Wavy Gravy, who said: “We’re all Bozos on the bus, so might as well sit back and enjoy the ride.”
But what I mean about us all being Bozos is that we’re all winging it out here. There are no hard and fast rules. What works for one author won’t work for another. Chuck Wendig uses foul language and talks politics and does all the things you’re not supposed to do — and he has one of the most popular and effective author blogs around. Nathan Bransford neglected his blog for several years. But he jumped back into blogging several times a week and his audience returned.
Remember nothing is set in stone. What works today may not work tomorrow. If what you’re doing isn’t working, do something else. Blogging is always growing and changing.
Follow your own red nose, drive your own clown car, and do something screamingly different. It just might work.
by Anne R. Allen (@annerallen) March 13, 2022
What about you, scriveners? Do you blog? How long have you been blogging? What have you learned from blogging? Do you think a blog has helped your career?
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***
featured image: Pixabay
How do we survive anything stick-to-it-ness…Still working on that book I thought I’d finished after beta-read, but…still needs work!
Judy–I think we all need to do some rewrites after a beta read. It’s tough when you thought it was all finished, though. But I know you’ll keep at it!
Anne—Wonderful post! As usual, you nailed it.
Oh, and about those ‘rules?’ You tawkin’ to me?
Ruth–Thanks for being my partner in rule-breaking! 🙂
Happy anniversary! I am just six months behind you.
All excellent advice, especially the Golden Rule. I’ll admit, I’ve never looked at my word count. I’m aiming for several short topics and some photos in my posts. The IWSG site however (and thanks for the mention!) does go for longer, quality content. And sometimes we even feature an awesome guest by the name of Anne…!
Alex–I didn’t know you started your blog after mine. Yours was one of the first writing blogs I followed. And I’ve enjoyed guest-posting at the IWSG blog!
Happy Blogiversary, Anne! With a respectful bow in Ruth’s direction.
I’ve been at this blog schtick for ten years now and post every second Saturday morning. Blogging has been the best writing move I ever made. I won’t steal the stage for a “Buy My Book” moment, but you made excellent points – yes, all excellent points – about blogging overall. One line this morning really hit home with me, “It’s amazing what you can do when you don’t know how.” I have the following quote printed and posted in my mindlab (writing room):
“One of the biggest keys to success at anything hard is believing that you can figure it out as you go along. A lot of people won’t start until they figure it out. And because most hard things can’t be figured out in advance, they never start.”
“Enjoy your day!” says a fellow bozo on the bus.
Garry–A shout-out back at my fellow Bozo! 10 years is a good long time to keep blogging. I’ve read that the average blog only lasts 3 years. I find so many good blogs floating out there in cyberspace that have been untended for years. It’s kind of sad. I’m glad you’ve found that blogging helped with all your writing. It has with me, too.
I agree with that quote. If you try to figure things out ahead of time, you’ll never start. I’ve done that to myself any number of times. I guess you just have to jump in the deep end and figure out how to swim later.
I’ve been following your blog for almost as long as you’ve been blogging. Sorry I don’t always comment. In a few months my workload is cut by about 90% so I hope to be more faithful. Happy Anniversary and thank you for all the great content over the years.
Susan–Thanks for being such a faithful reader! It sounds as if you’re about to have a lot more time to write. 🙂
Great post, Anne. Back in the day, I even PAID to belong to a group that would help me become this amazing blogger with all these followers and I would make money. I haven’t made a dime.I dropped the group. But I have found that posting every Sunday is good for my blog and for me. I makes me write and think. I have lost and gained followers. I have a wonderful woman who knows tech and keeps me going. Some days I sigh, knowing it’s time to think of a topic. But I always come up with something. The history of blogging is like any other history. It’s the story of change.
Beth–I remember those blogging courses. People kept telling me I should teach one. But I don’t believe in ripping people off. You can get better advice in my $2.99 ebook. Sorry you got sucked into the course. A whole lot of people did. Yours is one of the blogs I never miss. You always have something interesting to say, and I’m loving the book reviews!
Happy Blogiversary, Anne!! Congratulations on 13 years!
I haven’t commented much lately but couldn’t let this pass by ???? Can’t remember when in July exactly I started but this year will be my 13th too. I haven’t followed any so-called rules in my blogging years and while there are times I wonder if that’s why I sometimes feel as if I’m ‘talking to myself’, I still don’t follow any. One thing I haven’t cracked is the number of comments on my posts but I no longer get tied up in knots about it ????
Thanks for all your wonderful posts, and Ruth’s too, and the great guests who contribute. Wishing you many more blogging years!
Joy–How fun that we are sisters in the blogiverse with our 13 years. You can always change the look of your blog and change up the content if the changes might appeal more to your ideal audience. But most people don’t comment on blogs anymore. I don’t know why, but people get out of the habit. Some of the most popular blogs, like Jane Friedman’s, get very few comments. So it probably doesn’t mean anything.
Congrats, Anne! You and Ruth are a daring duo and your blog is one I’ve followed and recommended for years.
Must admit that I broke into a giggling fit like a 5-year-old at the idea of ‘blogthrones’… hilarious!
Your #9 is a big deal to me — I truly am hanging about on Sundays, considering all kinds of chores and such, then ‘ping!’, your blog shows up and I have a reason to avoid everything and read some real entertainment and reality checks, along with some great comments! ahhhhhhhh
May you enjoy many more blogiversaries to come — our Sundays need you! :O))
Maria
Maria–It’s fun to picture a blogthrone. Maybe it would be one of those really fancy gaming chairs that are all ergonomic and fit your body. I knew a guy who had a purple one. Would make a great blogthrone. 🙂
I’m so glad to hear our blog allows you to put off chores for a bit. We all need to take breaks from the physical stuff.
Great post 😀
I’m just coming up to my 10 year blogiversary, and I still enjoy it, probably as a consequence of ignoring many of those ‘rules’. I blog once a week, on a Monday, I write about a range of subjects that interest me – my own writing and books, technical tips, my own life, my holidays touring the Scottish Highlands (where I now live, lucky me), and reviews of books I choose to read. I take a guest post occasionally, and write the odd one for other blogs. I always answer my comments.
And the thing in your list that had me nodding like a puppet? Avoid Goodreads like the plague. Oh yeah!
Deborah–Congrats on a decade of blogging. We have several of you 10-year veterans here today. I’m so glad to see it. Blogs give us so much freedom to write what we want when we want.
Yeah. Goodreads. I used to say it’s “Mean Girls” meets “Lord of the Flies.”
Congrats, Anne. You make wonderful points and suggestions. I have been blogging a short story blog for 10 years. I love connecting other writers to free short fiction by famous authors. I have learned so much from reading so many stories. I now have over 250 stories in the blog archive. The key is to enjoy blogging. I love your blog and often forward them on to my authors group. Wishing you another 13 years of success in helping authors find their way!
Paula–Another 10 year veteran! I’m impressed with all of you. I love the idea of a short story blog that has stories from famous authors. That’s innovative and clever. You have to love a blog to keep it going for a whole decade.
Happy Blogiversary! I only discovered you and I’m loving the posts.
Great blogging advice. I couldn’t agree more. Especially about GR. =)
I’ve been blogging ten years…I share with my urban farmer daughter who blogs on Fridays about chickens and Miller Farm. Me, I blog Mondays on whatever strikes my fancy. Wednesdays are quote day. I love dabbling with graphics and sharing my favorite quotes. It’s a Hodge-podge mix of my eclectic life.
Keep these Sunday blogs coming. They’re the highlight of my Sunday.
Judythe–Another 10 year veteran! All in one place. I’m impressed. Your eclectic blog proves how silly that rule is that you must keep to one niche topic. Not true for authors. Quotes and chickens–if it works, it works. 🙂
Congratulations Anne, your success is well deserved. I really can’t think of another weekly commitment that I not only make a point to get to, I actually feel bad if I’m even late to the wire!
Many, many more years of great insight to you (and then obviously to me!).
Will
Will–Don’t feel bad if you’re late to the party. When you’re late, you can make a grand entrance. 🙂
I’ve had my author’s blog since 2016. (It doesn’t seem like that long!) Becoming part of the blogging community has made all the difference in my writing career. The bonus is that I’ve expanded both my writing and my reading horizons by being inspired by posts on the blogs I follow.
Liz–Blogging does expand your writing skills. But as you say, it’s the community that matters the most. The writing blogosphere is one of the best places to make connections with other publishing professionals. I know people who have found their agents through a blog. And I found my publisher here.
Congratulations, Anne! This was a great blog post. Very helpful to writers. Thank you! Onward you go to another year and beyond!
Christine–Thanks for stopping by!
I’ve only been blogging about two years, and I still don’t know much about SEO, so #3 is very helpful to me! Thank you.
#1 and 2 I was already following just because I didn’t know the traditional “rules” of blogging. So dumb luck.
#7: How did you find out somebody had stolen your content?
#9 is my weakness. Schedules are painful for me. I’m working on it.
#11 I’m a book reviewer/blogger, so if I’m going to criticize a book, I try to do it nicely. I normally don’t post anything less than 3 stars unless I have a very specific reason.
Goodreads: As a reviewer, I am on Goodreads. I occasionally, not very often, get negative comments on my book reviews. If they are not constructive in nature, I delete them. Since it’s my Goodreads review, I have the power to delete them. I only delete comments that insult me personally and aren’t relevant to the book.
Bonnie–I found out my blog had been swiped through a Google Alert. If you don’t have a Google Alert on your name and your blog’s name, it would be a good idea to sign up for them. They tell you if you’ve been mentioned on somebody else’s blog. They also tell you when your books or content has been pirated. Not much you can do about it if they’re in a foreign country, but it can be done.
Thank you for being a book review blogger! We need you guys! And I do understand why you have to be on Goodreads. Generally reviewers are treated a lot better than authors. But I’m sure you see rudeness and snark there. Bad behavior is a habit with some of these people. But it’s nice that you can just delete them from your posts.
Congratulations, Anne and Ruth! You’re leading the way.
I started blogging on 10-10-2010.
I live on a remote island. I didn’t have the means to travel to all those big writing events in Vancouver or Toronto or New York or London or… How did I begin to build a readership? How did I begin to network with editors?
Blogging has opened, and continues to open so many doors for me. And besides what’s not to love?
Leanne–That sounds like an auspicious date to start a blog. Way better than Friday the 13th. 🙂 Yours was one of the first blogs I discovered. I loved your eclectic posts. And yes, blogging opens many doors. It gives back to us in dozens of ways.
Anne, I got you beat. I went back to search for my very first post on my very first blog, and it was Memorial day weekend 2008. I started blogging when a former friend convinced me to move my grammar attacks to the blog world, simply because the only person in charge of censoring one’s self is yourself (mostly).
The one big lesson I had to sadly/tragically learn the hard way was to not make make multiple blogs whenever you get burned out. I had creased three other blogs, one for pics, one for salacious content and one for short stories. In 2013 is when I started creating new blogs to rejuvenate myself and in the process, destroyed the good subscription/readership that I had spent years building.
Now working on my fourth mainstream blog (nuked a Tumbler blog), my readership is maybe 1% of what I had during my peak years. I still enjoy blogging, and while I share links on FB and a writer’s group, I’m very careful to make sure that the link doesn’t contain stuff that would get it slapped into FB jail. I have no problem in writing it, I just selectively censor myself every once and a while.
Oh and, combined I’m somewhere near 1700+ posts for those 14 years of fun.
GB–You DO have me beat–by nearly a year. Smart to take grammar rants to a blog instead of social media. When people want some grammar info, they know where to go.1700! That’s a lot of posts.
But what a tragedy that you lost your list and your traffic! I know a lot of bloggers who did that to themselves. They didn’t realize they can leave the old blog up with a link to the new blog. Or even better, give your old blog a facelift. It takes a while for Google to find your blog, and when you start a new one, you have to go courting Google again.
Awww…happy #13 Anne and kudos to Ruth! I’ve been reading you for the past decade Your posts helped my blog get off the ground and kept it chugging along. My biggest learning: having blogging buddies and keeping it social. Thanks again!
Cat–Thanks for being such a loyal reader. Great news that we helped you get your blog going and it’s still going strong. Those blog buddies are so helpful!
Happy blogiversary!
I remember the “thou must monetize” folks – and I had to look up the word as well.
I love your rules and agree. I’ve “met” so many incredible people through my blog. I would have never have published a book without it!
Jemi–“Monetize” was a new word to me too. Then I went to see how much money you could make with Google ads and it was like five cents. I decided monetizing was a pointless annoyance. A lot of writers find their agents and publishers through blogging. Glad to hear you did.
Hey Anne — great post. I’m pleased to be a bozo on your blogging bus!
CS–Hi there! You’re one of my very favorite Bozos. Your Wordmonger blog always has some fascinating insights.
Congratulations on your blog milestone! I love your blog (even though I rarely comment)–it’s guaranteed to provide readers with solid info/advice and humor, too. Thanks for all the work you and Ruth and all your collaborators have done over the years.
I’ve been thinking of going back to blogging, so this came at a great time (as so often happens). Thank you!
Amread–Thanks for being a loyal reader! If you decide to go back to blogging, do pick up a copy of my book. It will save you a ton of time. There’s so much blogging advice you can just ignore.
Will do!
Happy Blogiversary, Anne! There are several blogs that I always read and frequently comment on. Yours is one of them. I like what you said in #1: “We simply have to make sure that what we say is honest, well-written, and helpful.” That’s a great standard to live up to.
I started my blog in 2018 and decided early on to devote it to the craft of writing. Then I further narrowed the focus by posting monthly interviews with writing experts. I also contribute bi-weekly posts to the Kill Zone Blog. Both have led to becoming part of a community of talented and generous authors.
I just snagged your book so I can take the next blogging step. Thanks!
Kay–Thanks for picking up my book. It should save you some time and energy with your interview blog. Blogging on the Kill Zone is awesome. Such a great bunch of people!
Love this blog! Thanks! I’ve been blogging (Is that a real verb? Should it be?) for almost a year. I’m usually a rule follower so this post was exceptionally good for me. I had already given myself permission to drop from two posts a week to one, but was stuck on other “rules.” I feel liberated! I’m still wondering if my blog’s too broad, and I still feel an itch to change the concept I started with. Trying to find something comparable to what I’m doing and not having much luck. I’ll persevere, however, because I tend to be mighty persistent. Thanks again! Your words are appreciated by his writer.
Tracey–Yes, blogging is a real word. Language has to keep up with tech, so I guess it should be. Don’t worry if no other blogger is doing what you’re doing. Be different! You’ll stand out. An author can blog about anything that might be of interest to your readers. Anything.
Congratulations! Thirteen years, wow! Here’s to your talent, tenacity and generosity. May this terrific blog continue to serve you and your readers well.
Christine–This blog has been very good to me. And most of the time, I really enjoy it. We almost lost it while I was incarcerated in those medical facilities, but Barb and Ruth and a lot of guests kept it going. I’m so grateful to all of them.
Anne, congratulations!!! To you and Ruth.
I’m trailing behind you all by over a decade but getting a post out weekly since I reincarnated as Goodjelly has been a huge confidence boost. Only bummer of late is that a few weeks ago my comments area was infiltrated by X-rated bots. (Seriously.) I’ve turned commenting off for now, but I’m not letting that mess with getting posts out. 🙂 Thank you for being an inspiration and for your support.
Woot! Woot!
Judging by the number of replies, your followers are taking your advice. Thankfully, I’m another satisfied customer.
William–Glad to hear it!
Happy Anniversary, Anne and Ruth!
A friend recommended your blog about 7-8 years ago. You hooked me immediately with your practical, straight-shooting, no BS wisdom, all imparted with wonderful wit. I’m here every Sunday for my weekly fix.
#3 Making comments was my foot in the door to guest posts and ultimately led to a regular gig on The Kill Zone, the best break my career ever had.
Your advice reassures me it’s okay not to grab for every new shiny social media toy. What a relief!
Thanks for years of guidance, Anne and Ruth!
Debbie–Yes! Comments can lead to all sorts of good things. And an invite to write for the Kill Zone is a VERY good thing. Congrats. Yeah, new shiny things tend to disappear quickly. Do what works for you.
Oh, my first one is still there as I mine it for posts when I’m doing something else. I think what it was was that people just kind of dropped me when I’d started moving to other blogs.
GB–Oh, good. I’m glad you didn’t lose the old blog. Some people just delete them, and then nobody can find them.
Happy anniversary!! I’ve been following your blog for 4-5 years, and it’s always a nice break in my busy Sundays to catch up on what’s going on in the world of publishing. Thanks for all the wisdom you’ve shared!
Irvin–Thanks for being a loyal reader!
First – congratulations Anne for your blogging anniversary. Anyone that can blog for more than 2 years is already a winner in my book, so 13 years? Wow!
To be honest, I am still a little skeptical about the power of commenting – wondering if any of you felt an impact on your website by leaving comments? That said, with commenting being on the downward trend on most blogs, maybe it’s worth exploring as you get noticed easier? What do you all think about it.
Liz–Commenting on blogs is still the best way to get Google’s attention. That algorithm has not changed. And it gets your blog a backlink, which raises your rating as a blog. If you read the comments here, you’ll see how many people got great guest post gigs and even got a publisher or agent by commenting on blogs. I think the dearth of comments these days comes from the fact that the big, famous bloggers like Jane Friedman don’t respond to comments, so people don’t bother to comment. The not-commenting thing then spread to lesser blogs.
PS: While most blogs have declining comments, yours are in the double or triple digits! That’s all down to the fact that you take pains to make people feel at home, and acknowledged and seen. I always come back due to knowing you as a person, not as some faceless content bot in the blogosphere 😛
Liz–It’s true! Ruth and I are not content bots sitting on our blogthrones. 🙂
Congratulations Anne! We’re so proud of you. You’ve inspired me to continue blogging (more consistently). Just one question–where can I find well known writing blogs? I certainly would love to read them, comment intelligibly and receive some love in return.
Ken–There are so many good writing blogs. Jane Freidman’s Nathan Bransford’s, The Creative Pann, KM Weiland’s blog, Jami Gold (although she hasn’t been posting much recently) The Kill Zone, Writers Helping Writers, And hhere’s a list of the 100 best writing blogs for 2022 https://bit.ly/3tUYXWe You could get lost down that rabbit hole, so time yourself.
Thanks Anne. I’m headed down that rabbit hole…
Congratulations! Lucky thirteenth blogging anniversary.
You have make so many fans and earned so much goodwill through your blog.
I am sure it is worth more than any money from ads.
I believe your success and longevity are due to your particular, funny/ironic writing voice combined with the valuable advice you give.
Furthermore, your consistency and passion keep you going.
I wish you many more blog anniversaries.
Thanks to you and Ruth for everything you do for us aspiring authors.
Ingmar–You’re right Ruth and I both like to laugh, so we have fun with our posts. We avoid the deadly serious attitude people may get in writing classes. Thanks much!
This is my first post on someone else’s website – congratulations on your anniversary.
I had an author website for only a few years but didn’t really know what to write about so deleted it. (I feel better for having done so).
SA–I have several posts on this blog on “what should an author blog about” Try the search window. I also have lots on the subject in my book. 🙂 A writer really needs a website, and a blog can serve as author website as well as a social medium. So you’d probably do better this time with some suggestions about content.
Happy Blogversary! Mine was last week. I’ve been blogging for 11 years. I so agree that you have to visit blogs and comment to gain a following. Also, the SEO rankings aren’t as important as having good content.
Natalie–Congrats!! Literary Rambles was one of the first blogs I read regularly. You have one of the best blogs for Children’s writers on the web.
That’s such a relief to hear, Natalie! Literary Rambles has been an invaluable resource for me as an aspiring writer. Not just the agent spotlights but the author interviews, especially ones that feature debut authors.
Very apt!
Happy blogiversary, Anne and Ruth! We started at the same time of year. March 4th marked nine years for me. Amazing how time flies, right?
I’ve always believed authors need a home base, rather than relying on social media and other sites they do not own. As you mentioned, blogging opens a lot of doors that might otherwise stay closed.
Hope you celebrate today!
Sue–Congrats on 9 years! Yes. I agree. Authors need a place on the Web to call home. You can get kicked off of social media any time. Or the whole site will evaporate the way Google Plus did. Blogs are so much safer.
Happy blogiversary! Thanks for sharing your knowledge over the years.
Patricia–Thanks for stopping by!
Thirteen years is such an accomplishment! You’ve helped so many writers – including me – traverse the writing universe, and given us wise info to make decisions on publishing (trad vs self, etc.) Thank you so much, Anne! I think I found you in 2011, when my first book was published. It’s the one blog that has become part of my schedule. Bless you.
Melodie–Your first book was published in 2011? You’ve been a busy bee since then. Thanks for being a part of this blog. Your guest posts are always great!
Happy Blogoversary Anne! I only discovered your blog a couple of years ago when I was looking for advice on writing an author bio when I hadn’t published anything. I read your post “How to Write an Author Bio When You Don’t Feel Like an Author…Yet” and I’ve been a subscriber ever since. (I now have 60 micro and short stories published or forthcoming!) I love the variety of topics you write about, I love that you reply to comments, and I love that it comes out on Sundays, that’s when I actually have time to read it! Screw the rules, right? Maybe one day I’ll get back to blogging – I’ve bookmarked your “What Should an Author Blog About?” post for when that day arrives!
Jen–60 stories! Congratulations! That “How to Write an Author Bio” was our #1 post for a number of years. now it’s been bested by “What Your Opening Chapter Should Do.” I think they both bring us lots of readers.
Congratulations! I’m still blog-shy, but this article offers a lot of good points for getting in the mix without scaring yourself. Number One really resonated with me; rules, schmooles, they’re really more like guidelines, anyway. Thank you!
JM–There are no rules for blogging. Everybody will tell you there are, but they don’t matter. Just jump in there and have fun!
Thanks for keeping your blog up and ongoing; I look forward to getting it every week. Thanks for the list of blogging lessons you’ve learned from experience. Now I have no excuse for not keeping my songwriter’s blog active. Best wishes.
Reynold–Go forth and blog! Your songs are waiting. 🙂
Congrats Anne! I think I discovered your blog in the very early days of my own which is also nearly a teenager. Thanks for the many amazing tips and posts along the way! 🙂
Hi there Allison–{waves} It’s great to see you here. I’ve appreciated all your contributions to the blog over the years. Congrats on the longevity of your own blog!
Thanks for sharing
Happy Blogiversay!
I remember some of those old blogging rules! For fun at the first of the year I do a “trending in” post where I report on what the newest trend will be for the year (and my thoughts on them).
And I just looked I’ve been blogging for 12-1/5 years. Wow, that’s seems weird.
H. R. –Welcome to the (almost) Lucky 13 club! Blogging as changed a lot over those years!
Anne, I’ve been a bad boy. I started out blogging every other week because I just didn’t have adequate (quantity of quality) to blog more often. And my output has gone steadily downhill. I haven’t added to it in over two months. I’ve never had much of an audience–either it just isn’t very good, or my SERP is defective. However, I was curious to see how long I’ve been at it, so I went back to check some of my early ones. I have to share this small part of one from 3/21/17: “When I started this blog over a year ago I recommended some other blogs for writers. One of those, Anne R. Allen’s, is still going strong and very helpful. The current one is advice about blogging, and there are plenty of comments and supplementary information as well. If you are an author, or are planning on being one, and contemplating blogging or already writing a blog, visit Anne’s current offering for some great tips.”
And here we are again.
Thank you for the continuing help in all things writing, both with the blog and with the more private advice you’ve supplied.
Fred–Thanks so much for recommending this blog. But you’re only “bad” if you’re following the rules for business blogs. Author blogs can be updated twice a month, once a month, every two months, or whatever schedule you choose. You can write about anything of interest to your readers–the settings of your stories, the inspiration for them, movies with a similar vibe, other books, Anything that will bring readers’ eyeballs to your blog. Then network with similar bloggers. It’s all in my book, the Author Blog. 🙂 It’s cheap and saves you a lot of grief.
Congratulations! Anyone who can carry a blog through one year should get an award, but after thirteen years you should get a vacation. : D
Totally agree about replying to comments. If there’s two hundred comments, okay, the blogger’s off the hook, but it saddens me to see debut authors blog or do guest posts and never reply to the comments. It’s like singing a song on stage and then walking off and turning your back on the applause.
Steve–Thanks! Confession: I didn’t respond to comments the first six months I blogged. I only visited those big blogs with tons of comments where the blogger never responded, so I thought that was how it was done. I didn’t know you were supposed to respond until a reader clued me in. I wonder if those newbies who don’t respond don’t realize blogging is supposed to be interactive. I feel sad when I see them too, and I’m tempted to tell them, but then they could take that as hostile. So I encourage writers to read my blogging book and hope they’ll learn along the way.
Congratulations!! In this world of constantly looking for the next, new, big thing it takes dedication to keep something like a blog going for a substantial amount of time 🙂
As for ‘rules’. I’ve found myself tumbling down that rabbit hole too many times until I figured out not all of them work for everyone. Posting on a Sunday makes complete sense to me! I post on a Friday for no other reason than I like Fridays…keep on keeping on!!
Tanya–Most of those blogging rules are for business blogs that monetize. if you’re an author, you don’t want your blog crowded with a bunch of ads for widgets. You’re in it for the long haul–to sell books, not widgets. That’s whey 90% of the blogging rules don’t apply to you. (Lots more on this in my book on blogging, and also on this blog.) Best of luck and throw the rules out the window!
Like BonnieReadsandWrites, I’m pretty new to blogging (7 months and counting) and I found this post very helpful.
I’m an aspiring middle grade author and I also write a monthly children’s book review blog which is a lot of fun. While I don’t use a ratings system on my own blog, I only review books that I would rate 3-stars or above so that my blog remains constructively critical. I’m pretty careful to back up my criticisms with examples straight from the books because I want to be able to say what I think without trashing any author. I also find that analyzing other people’s work with an eye to ‘what could make it better,’ makes me a better writer. (As a side bonus, perhaps I can keep the respectful regard of my colleagues – although I’ve met a few ‘writer trolls’ in my time.)
I recently joined Goodreads in order to cross-post my reviews and find community, but noticed that very few people post comments in any of the groups I joined (perhaps because of the toxic negativity you outlined). After reading this post, I’m thinking that commenting on and linking to other people’s blogs might be a better way of connecting with people. Or is Goodreads a necessary evil for a would-be-author/book blogger?
Linda–Thank you for being a book review blogger! You keen us authors going. And childrens books especially need reviews. What you’re doing is very smart. If you write children’s books, normally, there’s not a lot of point in blogging because kids don’t read blogs. But reviews are read by parents, librarians and people who BUY children’s books. With thihs blog, they’ll know your name. Very clever.
As far as Goodreads, skip it. I think it’s a cesspool: Mean Girls meet Lord of the Flies. I never go there. I went once and saw one author getting death and rape threats right there in the review thread. Who on earth cares what slime like that thinks of anything? I think a reviewer can establish herself in a much classier way by networking with other bloggers and also agents who rep children’s books and have a blog. There are good Facebook groups too. Try Readers Coffehouse.
Thanks for being a reviewer and best of luck! .
Thanks so much, Anne!
Death and rape threats?! Good grief! I’m going to delete my Goodreads account and follow your suggestions instead. They sound way more fun!
Linda–Don’t delete. You want your name there. Like the Yellow Pages. I had an agent who said. “go to Goodreads, put up a profile and link to your blog, then leave. And never go back!
Happy blogiversary Anne and Ruth.
Lots of great advice in this post, especially about how to handle trolls.
I couldn’t agree more with what you say about leaving comments on other blogs. One of the questions I get asked the most is ‘How do I get people to read and comment on my blog?’ I always answer that question with the question ‘Do you read and leave comments on other blogs?’ The most popular answer I get is ‘I don’t have time to read and comment on other blogs.’ And theres lays the problem.
The only other thing I’d add about leaving comments is to make sure your comment counts by adding value to the content of the post. Leaving short uninspiring comments like ‘Great post’ or ‘Thanks for sharing’ doesn’t give anyone the desire to want to talk to you or visit your blog.
Finally, have fun blogging. If it becomes a chore, stressful or makes you feel guilty, then don’t fight it. Either change the way you’re blogging or stop blogging altogether.
Hugh–Thanks for stopping by! Yes, those “great post” comments not only don’t add value. They often end up in the spam folder.
From another 13. From a third world backwater AKA Cape Town. And still with blogspot after watching too many security hacks on wordpress.
One thing to remember with paid domains … when the blogger stops paying, that abandoned domain is a target for sharing fresh junk. Part of my blog housekeeping is cleaning up broken links.
Happy 13th blogaversary!
Diana–Congrats on making it to 13 years! I think I may have run into you in my early years of blogging. Your name rings a bell. I was in touch with a number of South Africans back then. I don’t think the largest city in South Africa counts as a “backwater”. I live in a tiny beach town that is much more backwatery. 🙂
We had to move from Blogspot when we got hacked and some guy in Brazil took all the content and shut me out of my own blog. I had to hire some tech people to rescue my content so we could post it here. But I miss the old Blogger. Much more user-friendly.
It’s always good to check for broken links. Much better for SEO.
Alas, all abandoned blogs collect junk. This is why I recommend that we all appoint a social media executor to memorialize the blog for a short time, then take it down. A paid blog can be closed down so nobody else can access it or the domain.