What is a BLOG & why do I need one?

It's like an online diary or journal (daily, weekly, monthly) that visitors to your Web site read. Folks use them for a variety of reasons, to entertain, to vent, to share their worldview. If you're a published author it can be used as a marketing tool, say, to give readers a peek into your writing life.

It can also be used as a way to avoid working on a writing project and still convince yourself that you are writing.

That's how I use mine also.

Tish Davidson said:

It can also be used as a way to avoid working on a writing project and still convince yourself that you are writing.

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That's why I'm scared to start one.

"Really, I wrote for two hours today... and didn't get ANYWHERE on my work in progress!"

You can let people know about upcoming projects and ideas more easily than through a static webpage and the blog is interactive through the comments feature. A lively blog can come to be quite well read. I have also just started cross-promoting with other writers in my genre through a 'blog circle'.

It can be proscratination, sure--but also great for networking and promotion.

Speaking of promotion: my blog is http://www.livejournal.com/users/emilyveinglory/

There are so many blogs now that writers who want to use a blog as a marketing tool face the same dilemma that they do with their books: how do they find an audience? If you have to make an effort to market your blog in order to get readers, you're really defeating the purpose.

Also, blogs-as-marketing-tools raise the same question as websites-as-marketing-tools: even if you do get a lot of visitors, does this actually translate into sales?

IMO, if you enjoy blogging, you should do it. If it seems like a chore, and you're only thinking of doing it as part of a self-promotion plan, don't bother.

- Victoria

Although the cause of my optimism is that blog and website have both created new hits to my publishers' sites. I can't be sure they bought the book but clicking through to point of sales is surely a step in the right direction! The blog works best if it changes regularly which I find hard to do.

Some writers find having an egroup works better as you are sure those who sign up *are* potential readers and pretty sure they get the content you send them.

Mine started out as sort of a diary, where I kept track of submissions and rejections and talked about daily happenings and complained a lot. Then I decided to revamp it and now when I write in it, I try to focus on a different writing-related issue in each entry. Now it's much more focused and cohesive--readers can get to know me through my views and rants, but at the same time it's clearly a "writer's" blog.

Blog words don't count as BIC words - that's the rule.

Mine is also very obviously a writer's blog. I write about things that concern writers - the projects I'm working on, school (when I was still in school), current events, and then I also write about things that concern anyone, things that piss me off. Nothing really that specific, I guess.

It's very hard to gain any kind of following writing a blog, and the ones that are read the most are very specialized - politics, current events, or whatever.

It's also very hard to keep writing a blog. And if you slack off, you more than likely loose your readership. I tend to post about 3-4 times a week, and some people get away with as little as once a week. If you write less than that, people wont come back. Most people start a blog, keep it for a couple of months and then get bored. I guess in this way, it's a lot like starting a novel.

It is a hobby though, and that has to be kept in mind. Though some people are going professional at it, accepting donations from their readers. You'd have to have a hell of a following to do that. I only have about 8 or 10 regular readers and I've been at it for almost two years.

But anyway, It's fun. It's nice to read about what other writers lives are like, and in turn, I let them peek into mine.

Just remember that blog words don't count, and you should be fine.

TheWriteTaylor said:

What kinds of things do you blog for those of you who keep blogs?

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I am working on my official website right now (just waiting for the "ID Protect" service to kick in before I launch it) and it will have - I know this sounds insane but - 5 blogs:

1) Personal - will talk about little things that happen with me during the day or week, the stuff I did, the places I went, the people I met, just a peek into me as a person - 'me without the writing'

2) Writer's - will cover stuff I discovered as a writer, sort of written as articles. Since I am new to writing novels (my main projects were originally intended to be visual things, like TV Shows and Films), I am learning a lot and I plan to use this blog to discuss all the new things I've learned. I will also use this to post my techniques as a writer, whether it be how I approach a story or how I organize things, my little quirks as a writer or just things I do to help the creative juices start flowing

3) Weight Loss - I am currently on a weight loss program and I intend to use this one so visitors can track my progress and learn all about why I am on the program, and how being over weight has affected my life, mentally/emotionally and physically

4) Novel Series Progress - I have been developing my novel series for over seven years, and I'm finally edging toward finalizing the entire story. Since my planned six-novel series is my main project, I am devoting an entire blog to letting visitors of the site track my progress. I also plan to write little stories on non-eventful writing days, about how the series came to be (originally intended to be a soap opera, etc...), how it's progressed over the seven and a half years, and more

5) Stories from my life - where each post is an event in my life, in 'short story' form. I plan to use this to help visitors of the site (and hopefully those who will follow my writing career) get to know me a little better, and learn a little about everything I've been through in my life - and I've been through A LOT

I plan to update each blog once each week - so it won't get in the way of my writing.

E.G. Gammon said:

I am working on my official website right now (just waiting for the "ID Protect" service to kick in before I launch it) and it will have - I know this sounds insane but - 5 blogs:
<snip>
I plan to update each blog once each week - so it won't get in the way of my writing.

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Great idea! May I make a suggestion ...

You might consider using blog software that allows blog post categories, like Moveable Type. You make one category "personal", one "weight loss", etc. That way you have one blog where you put all of these, rather than several with their own templates to manage, etc.

Each visitor to the site can then decide whether they want to view stories in one category, several categories, or all categories. One-stop shopping place.

From what I've seen and learned from blog experience, the fewer "clicks" you make a visitor do to see the info they want, the better.

Do people keep track of how many people actually view their blogs?

hpoppink said:

Great idea! May I make a suggestion ...

You might consider using blog software that allows blog post categories, like Moveable Type. You make one category "personal", one "weight loss", etc. That way you have one blog where you put all of these, rather than several with their own templates to manage, etc.

Each visitor to the site can then decide whether they want to view stories in one category, several categories, or all categories. One-stop shopping place.

From what I've seen and learned from blog experience, the fewer "clicks" you make a visitor do to see the info they want, the better.

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First off, I should point out that I'm not really using blog software... I am just posting journal entires in the format of a blog entry, and to replace the "leave comments" option, I intend to post a link at the bottom of the entry, to a post at my proboards message board, where there I will post the same entry, and visitors can comment on it there.

Second, that's a great idea about the blog categories, however, my website's design is a little complex and I couldn't incorporate the idea into it. I'll explain:

The design of the website is pretty unique. At the top of the page, there is an "open file folder" where inside, the content of the website will appear. Below the folder is the navigation, which looks like an open desk drawer, with 5 hanging folders inside, with 5 separate folders sticking out - the 5 sections of the website.

Section One - aka the home page - has a couple pictures of me, a "notecard," "Post-it," "calendar (latest updates to the website)," and a "mini-legal pad." Inside those items will be info about the site, latest updates, announcements, etc...

Section Two - aka "Notebook" - looks like an open notebook, with all of the sections/features there being personal things about me and stuff about the website. My "personal," "stories from my life" and "weight loss" blogs will go here.

Section Three - aka "Binder" - looks like an open binder. This will be where I list every single project I have in development - split into categories - labeled with "tab-dividers" - Novels, TV Shows, Films, Short Stories, Poems, and Other. There are also three other "dividers:" Schedule - my writing schedule if people want to take a look, Resources - a huge list of links I have collected the past few years, of great writing websites, publishers, agents, etc... (AW would be in the list), and Blog - which is where my Writer's blog will be, placed in my "Binder" for obvious reasons.

Section Four - aka "Novel Series" - On one side of the "folder" will be a "binded script" - because my novel series was originally intended to be a soap opera - which will house all of the main info on the series and its development (welcome message to this section, the story behind the series, a description of the series, faq, message board link, etc...). On the other side of the "folder" will be a regular sized "legal pad" which is where the "Novel Series Progress Blog" will go.

Section Five - aka "Private" - is a red hanging folder in the open desk drawer (as opposed to green like the other 4), and the Private folder will only be accessible at certain times, and there I will post teasers of my upcoming projects, etc... This is only one "secret" link on the website that will pop up on occasion.

But, I really love the idea you had about how to organize my blogs. I might use it on the "text-only" version of the website...

Attached is a small preview of the main page, to get a better picture of what I'm talking about. Note: I have added a different picture of myself in the top left corner that I added after making this preview image.

Sorry for going almost entirely off topic, there...

Tish Davidson said:

Do people keep track of how many people actually view their blogs?

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With my personal blog I do ... but it's mostly curiosity/vanity. I like to know my audience.

I use my blog to post thoughts that you might send to the editor. It started as a blog about me, and I still put some personal essay stuff in there, but lately I've been ranting a lot. I also used a blog for my wedding, and posted info about the hotel, directions, where to get costumes, (we had a medieval wedding) and the wedding party, etc. Then, after the wedding, I posted photos. I use blogger.com. and Flickr.com allowed me to post pics, and I stored the rest of them on yahoo photos and posted the link. You can see my blog by clicking on the link in my signature.

I keep 2 blogs.
1 - letters from my Dad (adapted letters, I try to let him write to me and through me) from Hull (as I currently live in another part of the UK.

2 - Letters to my Future Wife.
Sounds silly, but its just enjoyable fun. The comic tragedy is that its probably the one thing that I could do to guarantee that nobody marries me!
I don't really do it for self-promotion (I hide it from anyone who knows me). Its got more to do with trying to plan out my days effectively, a skill that I am in desperate need of.
A blog is a good way to do that. It gets the literal juices flowing.
Many use their blogs as a way to 'warm up', as if going to the gym.
It works (for me and others).
Also, its a great escape from being you. Its putting on a mask, with no consequences to whatever you write. Some people do it for that reason.

Nique

Wow! Now, that IS ambition! Blogging can definitely become an obsession. Much good luck with your (hehe, and I thought I had it bad) five! Just thinking about maintaining five full, independent blogs makes my knuckles hurt!

Bud

Anatole Ghio said:

After three months, I have almost 5,000 visits. I have no idea if that is a large or small number, but it is a readership I didn't have three months ago.

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I have seen a proposed "magic number" of 100 unique visits/day. Supposedly that is the point when your humble hobby becomes a powerful marketing tool.

Assuming a 90 day period (you said 3 months), yours averages a little more than 50 visits/day. Most impressive.

Out of curiosity, how are you promoting your blog? e.g. how did the majority of your readers hear about it?

I write a blog for me!

I keep track of my stuff, save my favorite links so I can click on them later. Anyone reading can see up at the top. "This blog is for my stuff. This is all the stuff I use and nothing more." I don't know if anyone does read but I don't worry about who's reading. If it's useful then I keep it there so I don't have to go looking for it later.

hpoppink said:

I have seen a proposed "magic number" of 100 unique visits/day. Supposedly that is the point when your humble hobby becomes a powerful marketing tool.

Assuming a 90 day period (you said 3 months), yours averages a little more than 50 visits/day. Most impressive.

Out of curiosity, how are you promoting your blog? e.g. how did the majority of your readers hear about it?

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Those are interesting figures, thanks for sharing them.

Right now I am getting around 80 hits a day... lower if I let a few days go by without posting new material, higher on the days when I comment on other sites.

So far the marketing has been through the blog community I am a part of. I have been reccommended by a few other bloggers, and have been featured by the blogging company on their main page.

I also go to Ping-o-Matic whenever I post something new, and that lets other search engines know I have new material.

I'm all ears as far as any other ideas for site promotion, especially for getting readers outside of ones blogging community.

Blogs/Journals NOT bic?

Where was I when they passed the rule that blogging/Journalling was not legit enough to count as bic? Sometimes, I work as hard on creating a cogent Journal or Blog entry as I do when writing a chapter. Let us not forget the rich legacy we share with the many Authors of old who not only developed their talent via their Journals, but created their best work through them.

Perhaps I stand in the minority. But I believe that to discredit the work of Bloggers and Journalists (remember journalists?) out-of-hand is demeaning, and illegitimate, As for the argument that we are about the business of writing for publication/sales, how many classics would such a narrow definition eliminate from the ranks of some of the very best works in our history?

I also submit that bad writing is bad, no matter the venue or form.