A new kind of authorblog

ScottB · Oct 27, 2011

I have an idea I'm experimenting with, and would appreciate any feedback from AWer's on whether it's ludicrous or worthy of attention.

Discussions have occurred, some probably right here on AW, on the topic of whether author blogs do anything for book sales. I'm convinced it's not the right way to go about building publicity online.

My idea for a different kind of author blog that might actually give value to readers and not just fellow writers, is to post about stories.

Link to great stories I find and discuss them
Post free story ideas I've come up with
Write essays about Story (purpose, ingredients) and individual stories
Post story-related quotes

Would this make a good blog? I'd read it, but I'm wondering if anyone else would bother. Maybe it's still too writer-oriented.

Anyway, I started it already as an experiment if you care to go look, but on this thread I'm really just looking for input on the validity of the idea. If it doesn't pan out I'll just keep my ideas to myself, I guess.

Ari Meermans · Oct 27, 2011

Scott, those are good ideas and, like novels, it's all about treatment and execution. I don't have my own blog but I follow a lot of blogs and I find that my favorites are those that complement the author's book(s). For instance, I'm a world history fan — my favorite subject in school and all that jazz — and Gary Corby's blog is one I read daily. He makes ancient Greece interesting and funny and weird.

Whatever you do, make the blog your own and write about those things that interest you and use it to brand yourself.

That's just my opinion. YMMV

veinglory · Oct 27, 2011

There are plenty of blogs that do that sort of thing. Pretty much any successful author blog by a non-superstar author does something other than plug the author's work.

jennontheisland · Oct 27, 2011

ScottB said:
Post free story ideas I've come up with

Free story ideas? Because so many authors are paying people for ideas?

None of the rest sounds overly revolutionary. It's all been done before.

I don't read many author blogs because reading about other people writing is horribly boring to me. The only ones I read are blogs that talk about a variety of other things, and that just happen to be written by authors.

Polenth · Oct 27, 2011

Successful author blogs usually have something other than the writer talking about their own work. It's not a new idea, but it is an idea that works.

However, bear in mind that links and quotes aren't your own words. You can post them, but no one's going to read your blog for them. You're best off keeping the focus on original content you've generated. I'd suggest reading a few author blogs (that aren't of the all-about-me variety) to get a feel for what they write about.

MysteryRiter · Oct 27, 2011

I don't even read author blogs that are "all-about-me" blogs. I don't know how interested in your blog, in all honesty, if it contained what you mentioned. I like the sound of that blog Ari mentioned. In fact, I think I'll check it out. I also read Amanda Hocking's author blog. I like hers because she makes a lot of interesting writing posts, random yet intriguing posts, and she also is good about promoting herself, but to a minimum. She'll add the occasional post about her WIP, usually with an excerpt, or a little something about how her books are fairing at the moment, although, as I said, it's minimal. Check her blog out; I would use the same strategy if I were you. And to contradict what you have originally stated: yes, author blogs do help. Best of luck to you.

ScottB · Oct 28, 2011

Maybe I've been reading the wrong blogs, because most of the ones I've seen seem to just be "I'm a writer! Here's my stream of consciousness as I go about my writerly life. All my posts are about writing and trying to get published." Sounds like focusing on the subject matter you're interested in, the setting or theme of your books, is the way to go? So if you're writing steampunk, blog about steampunk things? That makes sense to me.

areteus · Oct 28, 2011

A lot of writer blogs also talk about TV, films, other books they have read (many do reviews), interviews with other writers, guest posts by other writers and so on. There are some that post occasional photos of pets doing cute things. There's a big mix of blogs out there. I suggest going to John Scalzi's blog and also Neil Gaiman's. They both mix publicity stuff with some often quite interesting excerpts from their own life and photos of interesting things they see during thier day. Neither read like a 'writer doing a blog' they read more like a close, personal friend who happens to be a writer and whose blog you are reading because you are a friend.

veinglory · Oct 28, 2011

ScottB said:
Maybe I've been reading the wrong blogs, because most of the ones I've seen seem to just be "I'm a writer! Here's my stream of consciousness

How are you coming across these blogs? Because IMHO the successful author blogs always offer a bit more than a plea for money and personal maunderings--or they do so in a funny way.

I am thinking of blogs like:

http://www.teddypig.com/
http://thebloggess.com/
http://kassa011.wordpress.com/
http://adistantsoil.com/
http://donnabarr.blogspot.com/
http://leegoldberg.typepad.com/a_writers_life/

A new kind of authorblog

ScottB

Ari Meermans

MacAllister's Official Minion & Greeter

veinglory

volitare nequeo

jennontheisland

the world is at my command

Polenth

Mushroom

MysteryRiter

Murder isn't so bad...

ScottB

areteus

veinglory

volitare nequeo