Can you publish a book from your Internet writing and blogging?

It can be done, but the single best way is to build up your own Internet presence. The more popular and substantive the blog, the better the potential deal. (See the "Go Fug Yourself" ladies for a how-to.)

If you don't feel committed to building an Internet presence, IMHO, you may simply want to look at your contributions as a starting point for further research/writing on your independent projects.

I have a friend, who used to be a book publisher, who is writing his book one blog at a time. Each blog post is a short chapter and his publisher just gets the blog by email subscription and adds it to the manuscript. (I'm in it.)

I was thinking I might do the same thing - Ask Handy Ande - but I'm not confident anyone will ask me anything. My condo board made me take down my Handy Ande web site but I just rebuilt it as a sub-domain of my main site where it's not easy to find.

Is there some sort of secret language going on here?

How2writer said:

I have a friend, who used to be a book publisher, who is writing his book one blog at a time. Each blog post is a short chapter and his publisher just gets the blog by email subscription and adds it to the manuscript. (I'm in it.)

I was thinking I might do the same thing - Ask Handy Ande - but I'm not confident anyone will ask me anything. My condo board made me take down my Handy Ande web site but I just rebuilt it as a sub-domain of my main site where it's not easy to find.

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Bufty said:

Is there some sort of secret language going on here?

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No. The recommendation was to build a strong web presence, and I was talking about my own situation where I'm trying to do just that - create a web site, blog and discussion group - despite encountering obstacles. I've mentioned before on these forums that my condo board has demanded that I take down my web sites and stop operating any online business (book store and marketing consulting) from the unit I own in the building. This has been my only income for 10 years. I'm trying to maintain an online presence while hiding it from them. So I have "hidden" the web site they object to the most and am creating blogs and posting to forums, but promoting them is difficult.

It's sad that some people object to technology and women who earn an income in "nontraditional" ways. "Traditional", acceptable work to management and neighbors means nursing, cashiering, and working at the GM plant.

Sorry about hijacking this thread, but I felt your question deserved an answer.

Publishing already-published blog postings would be akin to creating a compilation, like Rick Reilly compiling his best columns for the year and making a book. Or Dave Barry. Something like that. The different of course is that Rock Reilly and Dave Barry hit larger audiences initially, so the push to sell the books isn't as labor intensive.

I'm publishing a compilation of stories I've written, mostly features, from 20 years in the Air Force. Again, a compilation. However, I'm also adding some new material, tidbits and other things to "freshen up" the content. I may pitch or I may self-publish (the material is all public domain vice belonging to the government).

The hill you'd have to climb in this situation is the same one: who are you and why is a book of your blog postings going to sell? And I mean that in the nicest way. A compilation book is usually driven by celebrity or hobby or something along those lines. To make it work as fresh material would require some keen rejiggering and, as I've said many times, the right placement in the market.

ClaudiaGray said:

If you don't feel committed to building an Internet presence, IMHO, you may simply want to look at your contributions as a starting point for further research/writing on your independent projects.

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This is a good point; I've squirrelled away some of my online posts (as well as some longer bits I've posted on my blog) and plan to expand them into essays at some point. I've had some modest success getting my essays published, so I view those little bits (I call them "the runts of my literary litter") as trial runs to see if the idea has enough to it to make it worth expanding.

How2writer said:

It's sad that some people object to technology and women who earn an income in "nontraditional" ways.

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A lot of co-op and condo associations specifically state in the residents' contracts that home-based businesses are not allowed. Did your condo association just spring this on you out of nowhere? Because I would think that would be pretty darn illegal (at least, it would in many localities here in the US).

In general, I don't think this kind of limitation usually has anything to do with either technology or sexism--I imagine that the vast majority of condo boards/co-op boards/homeowners' associations who forbid home-based businesses would react the same way to a male online entrepreneur or a female cosmetics salesperson.

As someone who works from home herself, I feel for you. Why not find a local non-profit or small business from whom you could rent office space and a mailing address for a nominal fee? If you have an office elsewhere, and get your business mail there, how can your condo board complain, even if you don't go to your office very often? And many non-profits and small businesses have more space than cash these days.

Off-topic, sorry.

IceCreamEmpress said:

Did your condo association just spring this on you out of nowhere? Because I would think that would be pretty darn illegal (at least, it would in many localities here in the US). If you have an office elsewhere, and get your business mail there, how can your condo board complain, even if you don't go to your office very often? And many non-profits and small businesses have more space than cash these days.

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It's illegal here too. This is just harassment. They sent me a Cease and Desist letter after I announced I was selling my condo. There's nothing in any contract or the bylaws about not having a home-based business. My lawyer checked everything before the closing and he knew I promoted books because he contacted me when I lived in Pennsylvania to see if I'd promote his book. Men in my building run graphics arts studios, and music businesses. I have no visitors, mail, or deliveries here. I go to the US to get my mail and all income is deposited to US banks. I haven't seen a client face-to-face in 10 years. They all live in the US. (There's a lot more to this than I'm letting on, but this much is relevant to writers.)

Again, sorry to hijack this thread.

How2writer said:

It's illegal here too. This is just harassment. They sent me a Cease and Desist letter after I announced I was selling my condo. There's nothing in any contract or the bylaws about not having a home-based business.

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That's horrible. I hope you find a way to work this all out.

I just wanted to flag the more general issues for the benefit of others reading the thread.