I visit a variety of blogs daily. If interested, look at the sidebar to the left and you’ll see the list of blogs that I visit regularly.
One of the posts that I read yesterday from Rachelle Gardner’s blog has been on my mind. She had a guest blogger, Editor Sue Brower from Zondervan. Here’s the part of the post that’s been on my mind:
My pet peeve is to see an author turn valuable blog space into a book review site. I know, if you promote Jane Doe’s books to your fans, she will promote your book to her fans. The “blog tour” has become a key component on most marketing plans. I just get frustrated when I want to want to learn more about a favorite author and instead find a commercial for someone else’s book. Do you realize you are spending your precious writing time promoting other people’s books? AND, you’ve lost an opportunity to dialog with your reader when they have proactively sought you out? Think about who you want your audience to be and how you want to interact with them, then blog accordingly.
My first thought was, ouch! Although I am an author, I still spend a lot of time promoting others’ books. I promote my own, also, and my books, as well as my author interviews, have been featured on other authors’ blogs.
I guess I’ve pretty much turned my blog into a book review blog because I don’t have anything else to blog about! I spend a lot of time reading novels (except when I’m on deadline). So, after I read a book, I’m going to blog about it. Also, my life is pretty boring. I mean, do people reading this blog really want to hear about the trials and tribulations I had a few months ago when I was potty-training my son? I go to work as an accountant each day, and my days are pretty predictable.
Sue does have a good point about how to figure on how to interact with readers though. I guess that’s what I’m still trying to figure out. I have a section in the sidebar, where I’ve invited visitors to ask questions about writing or how to get published. I’ve received a few questions, which I will answer soon, but I don’t get enough questions from blog readers to justify spending a lot of blog posts on responses.
If anybody has any ideas on topics to cover on this blog, besides more book reviews, then throw them at me! I’m open to suggestions! Meanwhile, I’ll continue blogging about books and whatever else crosses my mind!
Hey Cecelia,
I’m including the same post I put on Rachel’s blog here.
I’m a writer and a web developer. I think if you are unpublished, like I am, writing book reviews and about your writing journey are probably your best options. Because I do author promotion, I also have do marketing tips.
One thing I like to see authors do is take any platforms from your books and use your characters to create a buzz.
For example, if your character experience domestic violence, marital problems, a disease, etc. Use your blog to become an expert. Make the character your case studies.
The thing about blogging because it’s such a commitment level to it, it’s real easy to do whatever by else does.
Ty, actually, you’ve helped me out a bit. I’ve dealt with the subject of alcoholism in a couple of my books. It would be great to focus on case studies about that on my blog, if it’s not too time consuming.
I think book reviews are great! I do reviews, and my menus, my family news and stuff like that! I like to read others book reviews too!
Hi Cecelia,
I’m late in posting this comment but I read the same blog and thought of how I’d seen many book reviews on authors’ sites. Hmmmm. I understand that you are not really promoting your work when you do that, but I appreciate it as a reader. An agent or editor may (and did) think differently. I go to blogs to learn about the craft and to find the places where I share those ‘only a writer would understand’ feelings. I hope that writer/bloggers will continue to do some book reviews, but of course we can’t ignore an agent or editor’s opinion completely!’
Like all great ‘advice’ we take what we can from it, but we must know when to stick to what feels right for us. Blogs, like books, can’t all be the same cookie cutter style any more than their writers can. Keep up the great work, Cecelia!