Whether you're a new author, veteran, or author-to-be, you've probably come to the conclusion that blogging is an important marketing tool for you. Ken nails home this point.
5 Reasons All Authors Should Blog
by Ken Myers
These days being an author is markedly different than it once was. Self-publishing has become more of the norm, and talent isn't the only factor in getting your work published. This makes it imperative for authors who write for the love of writing and not for turning a quick profit to find ways to set themselves apart. Blogging offers a way to do this, and for some authors the progression to blogging is a natural one. For others, however, the thought of writing online in addition to putting pen to paper seems tedious and unnecessary. If you've been on the fence about whether to start a blog or not, here are five reasons you might want to consider doing so sooner rather than later:
1. Marketing Potential: Having a blog provides you with almost unlimited marketing potential. You’re able to not only market yourself through your daily writing, but also any books or other written works you’ve published or will publish. If you already have a website then integrating a blog into it is the perfect way to form a more personal connection with your readers, implement social media connections, and market your material.
2. Instant Feedback: While blogging is different than writing a novel or an in-depth article, it's writing nonetheless. As you gain a readership you'll find that people are willing to leave you feedback on your work through the comments section of the blog. Getting this feedback is valuable, and you’ll likely get a mix of both positive and negative criticism. When taken constructively, this criticism can help you recognize where your strengths and weaknesses as a writer lie and allow you to work on improving both.
3. Expand Your Audience: With blogging the world is literally at your fingertips because the internet allows you limitless potential to connect with people around the world. This helps you expand your audience and appeal to a much wider group of readers than you would be able to if you didn't get involved in the world of social media. And because blogging is such a personal endeavor it allows your readers to feel as though they know you on a more intimate level, giving you a more loyal following.
4. Extra Income: While you may make the bulk of your income through writing books, writing online gives you some extra earning potential as well. When you set up a blog you're able to sell advertising space, network with other writers and businesses, and showcase your work, which can open up plenty of doors for freelance work to do on the side.
5. Varied Experience: Writing your own blog, guest posting for other bloggers, and freelancing for different individuals and companies gives you a chance to explore different types of writing and experiment with your own writing style. Being able to write in several different styles makes you much more marketable as a writer.
There's no better time to get into blogging than now. The benefits it offers authors – better marketability, a wider audience, more experience, extra income, and constructive criticism – are unparalleled and can help you really hone in on your writing skills.
-----------
--------
Tony Eldridge is the author of The Samson Effect, an action/adventure novel that Clive Cussler calls a "first rate thriller brimming with intrigue and adventure." He is also the author of the Twitter marketing book, Conducting Effective Twitter Contests. His new novel, The Lottery Ticket, was just recently released on Kindle.
0 comments:
Post a Comment