I admit I started this blog partially because a lot of my writing group was starting blogs and partially because, since I’m in the submission stage, I felt the need to admit to myself that this writing thing was something that I really wanted to push forward with, and if I was ever going to get somewhere as a writer I would need some sort of internet platform.
But that leads me to the point of today’s post, and that is that I’m not really sure what I should be doing with this. At first I thought perhaps I would talk about writing process, but I read somewhere else that one of the biggest mistakes new writer bloggers make is doing so, because the point of having a blog is to attract readers – people who will buy your products when they are available – and not other writers unless you are specifically selling something to other writers. (Like, say, writing books.)
So now I’m kind of at a loss. Some of the authors whose blogs I follow just kind of blog about whatever they feel like, but they’re big names. I am more than willing to read about how their dogs have chewed through the curtains or some funny conversation with their agent. I am a nobody. No one will care if my cat has suddenly decided that we’re abandoning her every time she’s in a different room than we are. Even if they did, will they buy my book or just ask for more cat stories?
Admittedly some of the authors I follow do talk about writing process, or submissions, or what to do or not to do in the genre, but again, they have clout. No one cares about my opinions about vampires or about how I think there should be more strategic use of krakens.
So do I talk about my projects? And if so, how do I keep a balance between enough information to tease and entice and so much I’m either giving everything away, boring the hell out of everyone, or putting too much information out in the public eye? Do I read other books in my genre and write reviews? Comment on the genre as a whole and trends that I perceive?
What do I do? How do I gather readers, people who will be interested in the stories I have to tell, and keep them interested, week after week, month after month?
I’m at a loss.
Kit,
I guess I’m doing it wrong, because I talk about my process all the time. I figure that people — not just writers — might actually be interested in it. However, I should prolly think of new things to blog about too.
One blog I read is Paperback Writer. She’s an amazing writer, writes in several different genres, and is very prolific. She talks about writing blogs and what kinds of things to blog about on her blog. I don’t have a direct link, but I’m sure if you poke around, you’ll find something. She’s really knowledgable about these things.
*huggles*
CA