Do Fiction Writers Really Need a Blog?
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Article by: Liz Quigley, freelance writer at Globe Soup.
Blogs aren’t new. They’ve been around for over 20 years. They’ve evolved from being online diaries and shared private thoughts to a much more wide-ranging kind of enterprise. Personal blogs still exist, but alongside company blogs, food blogs, travel blogs, fashion blogs and, more importantly (for the purposes of this article) writer blogs.
But do you really need one to make it as a writer? Are there real benefits to be had or is just a lot more writing for little reward? Because - let’s face it - writing your book is hard enough, if there’s going to be homework, it had better be worth it.
What kind of book are you writing?
The consensus on whether you need a blog or not differs depending on the kind of writing you do. Non-fiction is a medium that lends itself to the blog, so having one is seen as more of a necessity than an option. A blog can showcase your knowledge of the subject, highlight your writing skills and allow other people to connect with you, people who are already interested in the subject you’re writing on. You’re likely to know the hot topics in your chosen field and can tailor your blog to include these. This is great as it means it can adapt and grow as the area grows with the added bonus being that you’re much less likely to run out of writing material.
Fiction is a little trickier. Unless you’re already a well-established author, then people aren’t going to come to your blog to read excerpts from your upcoming blockbuster. But you still want people to be interested enough in what you’re saying to eventually want to read your book. So, you have to think of a way to hook them in and keep them hooked. This requires creativity, which you already have, perseverance, you’ve got that too, and patience. All skills that fiction (and non-fiction) writers have in spades.
But I don’t know what to blog about!
Non-fiction people, you’ve got this. The central theme of your blog is, as mentioned before, the topic of your work in progress. Although it won’t hurt to have some original takes on it. You can still have fun with it. Lists such as ‘The top ten things to take on a trip to space’ or ‘Why mushrooms aren’t all fun guys (get it)’ can take your blog down a slightly less serious route but still amuse your reader enough to make them want to read more.
Fiction, of course, isn’t so simple. Because your blog’s job is to get people interested in you. The person behind the blog. Which can be a bit tricky - you might be a horrible person. But, really, the most important thing really is that you blog about something you’re interested in (e.g., ‘why am I such a horrible person?). Because then you’ll want to keep blogging about it.
Jayne Friedman is a prolific blogger whose article entitled ‘How To Start Blogging: A Definitive Guide for Authors’ sets out some excellent pointers for people at the beginning of their blogging journey. She discusses a variety of possible subjects from supporting other writers (what goes around, comes around) to writing about your own life. If you’ve got an interesting slant on an everyday subject, write about that. Entertaining your reader means they’ll want to come back and read more.
The inescapable factors of time and effort
Unfortunately, unlike a story, when you’ve completed your first blog post, you can’t put it in a drawer, go off and do something else and find your ideas have freshened themselves in your absence. Without regular content, you can’t expect your readers to be there when you get back. A blog requires consistency in posting and that means a blog needs time and effort.
Most fledgling writers aren’t full time writers, a lucky few get to call themselves that when they’ve put in the hard yards. Most fledgling writers have jobs, families, pets, bills, half dead house plants and a multitude of other demands on their time. Most spare time is spent writing, not checking out google analytics to see how their latest blog post is performing. That all sounds a bit like sales and most writers aren’t natural salespeople. In fact, the thought of self-promotion gives most of us the ‘ick’.
Unfortunately, in this digital age, self-promotion (done correctly) is your friend. An online presence is a great tool whether you’ve chosen to self-publish or try for the traditional route. In a saturated market you want your writing to be noticed. So, if you do choose to blog then you’re going to need to post quality content regularly (2-4 times a week) and you’re going to need to do this for at least a year before you see any real results. When you’ve got followers then maybe you can take the frequency down a notch. But don’t do it until you’re sure that hook is well and truly embedded.
The Cons of Blogging
I know it’s traditional to start with the pro’s but who really wants the bad news last? That’s like saving your Nanna’s overcooked cabbage to the end of your Sunday dinner. Yuck. Let’s start at the bad bits and end on the good. So (drum roll), here’s the bad:
Takes time.
Takes effort.
Requires consistency (in posting and subject matter).
Will take a while before you see any results.
You’ll need to quite tech savvy, with a decent understanding of SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) and be willing to keep on top of changes.
You may have to deal with negative comments, which can be disheartening.
The Pros of Blogging
If you’ve decided you’re willing to put in the effort required and commit to a regular blog, here are some of the positives (hopefully) coming your way:
Finding a community of other writers to share with and learn from.
Increase your online presence.
Blogging can be an effective marketing strategy when done correctly.
You can attract readers who would never have heard about your work without your blog.
You can try out new ideas, even use it as a test run for tricky plot points.
It’s a regular break from the book slog now and again.
You can monetise your blog and generate income.
Other tools for self-promotion
Of course, blogging isn’t the only way to promote yourself online. Most writers will (and should) have a website. There’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tik Tok, Pinterest and Goodreads to mention a few. You can write on Substack and Medium and LinkedIn is also well used by writers worldwide. The question you have to ask yourself is which one works the best for you? You can’t do them all, you don’t have the time, so do your research and see which one you’d feel most comfortable on and would get the most out of.
So, do I need a blog or not?
The question is probably more, do you want to blog or not? There are good and bad points to all aspects of social media and marketing, and whilst you certainly do need some form of an online presence, it might not be blogging. Unless you’re a non-fiction writer, and then the answer is probably yes, get one. In fact, get on that right now!
But if you write fiction and you don’t think you can commit to blogging a few times a week or you think you’ll run out of steam after a few months, then it probably isn’t for you. Blogging isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but then some people come out in hives if they go on Twitter. I know I do. You know which camp you fit in.
If you’ve decided a blog is the way forward, then there are absolutely advantages to having one. Ultimately, though, it’s all about finding the marketing tools that fit you. So, take your time, do your research and be realistic with what you can and can’t commit to.
Liz Quigley lives in the North West of England with her Mum and an Australian cat called Peter, who really hates the rain. She has a bookcase of notebooks filled with half-written stories and a shed filled with half finished paintings. Currently working on her first book, Liz likes hiding in the shed, procrastinating and pretending to enjoy yoga. Liz’s family all want her to finish her book so they can stop asking if she’s finished it yet. Liz would like to finish it for exactly the same reason.