A blog is a tool authors can leverage to gain attention. They draw traffic to author websites, spread an author’s name, and can even be used to increase book sales.
Nowadays, everyone has a blog. But, despite how easy it is to format a blog and post it to the web, making one isn’t that simple. Many people start one thinking it is, only to lose steam a week or two later. It requires dedication and planning.
Whether you’re looking to know more or have already decided you will start your own, let’s look at what goes into creating and maintaining a blog.
Why Start an Author Blog?
A blog acts as a living portfolio of your work. It is a place where you can consistently practice your writing skills and show them off to others. Regular posts give your clients, publishers, and literary agents a place to easily access your work. They also enable you to build a community around your writing – where you interact with readers, receive feedback, and network with other authors, bloggers, and professionals. A loyal community will grow your readership base by spreading the word to others.
When it comes to personal and professional branding, a blog can help you establish your writing style and voice. This allows readers to recognize your work and connect with it. From there, you can use it to market and promote your writing. Sharing your blog posts on social media and other platforms increases your visibility and reach. It’s a place to highlight your achievements, share updates about your WIPs, and engage with your target audience.
What goes into a blog?
Writing online is an entirely different medium from creative fiction or writing for print. In order to understand how it works and what it requires of you, you should dedicate an appropriate number of hours to experimenting and learning about it. What does this mean? Don’t quit your day job to build a blog. But don’t spend one hour a week and say you’re done, either.
When considering what to blog about, first tackle research and planning. Ask questions like:
- What do other writers blog about?
- What can I offer to my readers?
- How often do other blogs post articles? How often can I reasonably post?
These give you an idea of the scope of your blog and how much time and effort you should set aside for it. Blog posts should follow a clear theme, which are reflected in their titles. The structure of each post should remain relatively similar, as well. Word count should be within range of each other – most successful blog posts are 1,000 – 2,000 words – and the format should be readable and easy to navigate. Improve scannability with subheadings, paragraph breaks, lists, and bold lead-ins. Add at least one image per post to enhance visual appeal.
A new post should be added following a consistent frequency – use a content calendar to decide when you will write and when you will post. For new blogs, more volume creates more traction. Posting 2-4 articles per week can increase the chances of someone finding your blog and sharing it.
Content Ideas
Blogging is a long-term game. You need to be able to come up with new ideas to talk about on a regular basis, and that can lead to burnout if you’re not passionate about your topic. If you have to ask yourself or think hard about what to write about, it may not be the right time for you to start blogging. However, inspiration can hit at any time, so let’s look at what kind of content you could post:
- How-to guides
- Opinion pieces
- Personal anecdotes
- Round-ups (ex: relevant news, competitions, reading lists, links)
- Book reviews
- Useful tips
- Referenced columns
- Interviews
There are different types of blogs that post specific content, such as:
- Writing blogs: These are written for other writers, whether they are aspiring, new, or seasoned. They include articles on subjects like technique, productivity, self-care, publishing, and marketing. The good news is that there are many writers out there looking for guidance. However, there are even more writing blogs, which can make it difficult to find fresh ideas.
- Literary blogs: The aim of a blog like this is to bring attention to the industry of writing, and celebrate books and authors. They include book reviews, literary analyses, recommendations, and media consumption lists (ex: “What I read in 2024”). A literary blog connects you with others in the field, which helps you build your personal network, however, like writing blogs, it would need a unique twist in order to gain popularity.
- Behind-the-scenes blogs: These offer readers a chance to look at the factors that go into the creation of a novel. Things like research, news, current events, and cultural experiences. Readers can even get the chance to influence a book themselves by participating in competitions and events like voting to name characters and choose book covers. Behind-the-scenes blogs offer a natural theme to cover as you work through a project, however you should be sure you like including your audience in on the creative process.
- Personal blogs: These consist of the creators’ day-to-day lives, often with photos and videos. They can offer an intimate look into a writer’s life, which some readers may enjoy, and act as effective creative practice. However, it can be difficult to build a reader base if you are an unpublished author.
- Specialty blogs: These blogs are based on the creator’s area of expertise and are popular for nonfiction and memoir writers. They have detailed knowledge of the audience’s experience, and skills, which they can use to offer helpful information, advice, and stories for people who can relate (think travel blogs). This category is often full of others, so it’s best to choose a niche topic or have a clear angle.
Most blogs have foundational or cornerstone content: content that will attract new readers at a regular rate. These can be downloadable files or posts that offer guides, tutorials, insider content, or important FAQs about a topic. They are often at the forefront of your marketing strategy and can be found through search engines or referred to in other blogs.
Know your audience
Whatever topic or theme you choose for your blog, make sure you know your audience. Answer these questions:
- Who are my readers?
- What are their interests?
- What are their experiences like? Are they like me, or someone I know?
- What might they expect from a blog?
- Is there a problem they need solved? Will reading my blog solve it?
- What will readers learn by coming to my blog?
- Will 6 months of reading my blog change them in some way?
Platforms: Blog HQ
Ideally, your blog should be on your author website so that everything is in one place. However, if you don’t have an author website yet, blogs can be added to a number of platforms. Some popular ones include:
- WordPress
- Medium
- Wix
- Weebly
- Squarespace
- Tumblr
- Blogger
Make sure that your template is user-friendly and that the theme matches your brand and theme. Include interactive elements like sharing buttons and category searches for your posts.
And, if you add in comment threads, create a policy beforehand about how you will engage with readers. You want to show consistent action and responses, whether you respond to every comment and question or if you delete comments with inappropriate behaviors.
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If you’re planning to start a blog soon, now is the time to begin making connections. Read other blogs, leave comments, and share them. Act as a guest on another blog. The more you spread your online presence, the more attention you will gain for your blog, whenever you decide to launch it.
With the right amount of planning and dedication, you can create a blog tailored to your needs and those of your readers. Remember that blogging is not just a professional marketing tool, but also a home for your work and a space to build community.