Okay, so I’m sure I’m probably preaching to the choir here, but hey—it’s Christmas! What better time for preaching and choirs?
Back when I put a blog as the #7 thing an aspiring author’s website should have, several people questioned that in the comments (even though in the article I said there really just needed to be a place for news and updates).
Last week, the Romance Writers of America’s Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal chapter took the title question to task with guest blogger 
Taylor Lindstrom. She acknowledges that blogging can be a major draw on a writers’ creativity and often very limited time—but it can still be beneficial for any fiction writer.
She gives four good reasons that every fiction writer should have a blog.
One of the most important reasons she lists is that it gives you an author platform. Even if you don’t have a website, even if you don’t really know what you’re doing, even if you don’t get the Internet, at least trying shows that you’re willing to get out there and work for your career.
Is that necessary before you get published? Agent Kristen Nelson recently addressed this question on her blog:
an author [being published] today is definitely expected to be internet savvy, have a website, and have a sense of social media outlets and how promo is done electronically.
Naturally, however, you can find at least a few agents who don’t care whether you have a website or might even be turned off. But it seems like more and more agents put this in the plus category (if they’re already liking your query, of course 😉 ).
What do you think? Should fiction writers blog? How much should learn about book promotion before you submit or sell (and would you like to learn more 😉 )? (But seriously, would you?)
I have met some of my best writing buddies through their blogs, and I’ve bought books from nearly all of them. It takes time and commitment, but having an internet presence and giving people a reason to get to know you and learn to like you can only help
Marion Jensen aka Matthew Buckley just posted some fabulous expertise on social networking on Daron Fraley’s blog. http://lachish-letters.blogspot.com/
I remember querying Kristen. She was mighty speedy in her rejection. 😉 Either she was really on top of things or my query was really bad.
I started my blog because I heard it was a good idea for writers to have a platform–had no idea what I was doing but tried to keep it professional in format and substance. What I found out is the benefits are huge. I’ve met so many writers who’ve shared their knowledge and support. I can only see this in a positive light, even if it does take away some time, it gives me so much back. And I’m sure it would make me a better client for any agent or editor.
Yep, writers should blog IF they enjoy it, can manage their time and still dedicate writing time for actual BOOKS. A lot of time can be wasted on the internet, but if you can find that balance, then I think blogging works.
I’ve learned a ton from blogging and actually had many opportunities that I would have otherwise missed. There’s still a lot to learn with all the social media sites and that dreaded word “Website” but I’m game!
Like I’ve said before, blogging is good, but agents and editors actually DO read your blog, so be careful about how much whining and complaining you do. It is possible to have TMI on your blog.
Now that I’m putting up some FlashFriday fiction up on my blog, I get nervous because it’s not representative of my novel-length pieces. It does attract a ton of people to my blog though, so in a way I’m building a platform with it. I can at least tell agents that I have several well-received pieces online. 🙂
For the most part, my experience echos what Tricia says.
As an aspiring author, my blog represents in many ways, my professional work. That’s how I see it, anyways. I edit and re-edit my blog posts (I’m a little crazy that way). Writing and posting it to my blog is still writing. And networking with authors and poets along the way is a huge bonus.
Yes, I think it’s worthwhile for a writer to have a blog, but only if it’s not at the expense of time spent on writing and real time relationships. There’s lots of information for writers online, and a gazillion people to interact with, but it’s all very addictive and can quickly become a liability rather than an asset. How valuable a blog is will be determined by how well we learn to use it as just one of a writer’s many tools.