Amateur To Published: The Fiction Writer's Guide To Publishing

9 - Start Blogging

If your website is your store-front or virtual office then your blog is like an assistant who keeps the clients happy while they're window-shopping and points out the interesting stuff they should check out like new releases. Your blog is part of your website but unlike other pages in your website that will be static, your blog is constantly updated with new information like new releases, events or other topics of interest.

Notethat you don't have to have a website in order to have a blog. If you can'tafford a website right now, your blog can be a stand in, but it works better ifit's attached to a website since readers can move from your blog to your books.

To start blogging:

STEP 1: FIND YOUR FAVORITE AUTHOR'S BLOG

Go to your favorite author's blogs and see whatthey are doing there. Look at the colors they use, what they talk about, thepages that their blog links to, how it is updated, any additional contentoutside their usual blogs

STEP 2: WHO'S HOSTING YOUR BLOG?

Obviously, the best place to have your blog ison your website. However, if you can't afford to have your website up right nowthen you have other options. There are sites that offer you free blogs that you can later convert into a website of your own. They include Wordpress.com, Wix.com and Squarespace.com. Even a page on a site like Wattpad kind of counts as a blog because you can post your writing here. But please, try to get your own space a.k.a website and just use Wattpad as a back up site.

Regardless of the site you choose, you shoulduse your author name as your handle.You want your readers to recognize you straight off the bat.

STEP 3: CHOOSE THE DESIGN

If you have a website, then your blog will follow the general design of your website. But if you don't have one, then choose colors that best represent you and the genre you're writing.

STEP 4: DESIGN THE SIDEBAR

A blog usually consists of two main columns; theprimary (and large column) and the side bar. Many people forget the design ofthe sidebar because it seems like such a small part of the blog. However, yoursidebar could be the difference between you getting more subscribers to yourblog/newsletter and having none. To make your side-bar more effective, make sure it at least has:

- a link/button leading to your mailing list sign-up form. Embed your sign-up form (or a button leading toit) right at the top of your sidebar because the main purpose of yourwebsite/blog is to convert visitors to subscribers and loyal readers.

- cover of your most recently released book. If you want people to purchase your books, place itprominently on your sidebar. A link is not enough – make sure you have a coverand link it to the book's page on your website.

STEP 5: DECIDE ON THE TOPICS YOU'LL DISCUSS

Your blog is not just your sales page. It is alsoa place for you to interact with your fans. Keep the 'buy-more' chatter to aminimum. Focus on discussing topics that might interest potential readers. Your blog could have:

- your books. Give sneak peaks and samples of what you're writing as well as behind-the-scenes info on books you've already published

- reviews of other books in your genre

- reviews of other media related to your genre e.g. movies, TV shows, comic books etc

- a continuing story i.e. posting a chapter a week of an ongoing story that will keep readers coming back to your blog