Should Writers Blog, and Why?
I’ve gotten into several different conversations lately, at conventions and online, about blogging. Specifically, is this something writers should do, and why?
The answer I hear most often is OMG YOU HAVE TO BLOG AND DO THE TWITTER AND FACEBOOK AND GOOGLE+ OR ELSE YOU’LL NEVER SELL ANY BOOKS!
I think that blogging can sometimes be an effective way of getting your name out there and selling books, but I don’t think it’s a requirement, and I don’t think promotion is the only consideration, or even the primary one.
Promotion: Discussions about blogging commonly open with things like:
- “Your publisher expects you to promote yourself online!”
- “Look at Cory Doctorow and John Scalzi!”
- “You can’t expect any help from publishers, so you’ve got to do it all yourself, so get blogging!”
I will mention my work from time to time, and yes, sometimes it is blatantly promotional: “My book just came out. Yay!” I try not to do that very often. Other times I’m just talking about the process: “I just started draft four of Libriomancer, and I’m freaking out!” The latter isn’t intended as promotion, but it does result in readers knowing about my next project, which is nice.
But if the only reason you’re blogging is for marketing/self-promotion, then you’re basically writing an infomercial. And I don’t know many people who deliberately tune in to infomercials…
Money: I’ve also heard that one way or another, it’s important to monetize your blogging. As a writer, I do think it’s important to get paid for our work. I have friends who do freelance, paid blogging, which is excellent. Others use ads to generate a little extra income from their blog. I don’t personally mind that as long as it’s not too intrusive.
I’ve chosen not to insert ads or look for paid blogging opportunities, but that’s me. The benefits I get from blogging aren’t financial (see below). As for the ads … well, I’ve got links to my books and such in the sidebar. I figure that’s enough.
Connecting with Writers: This is why I started blogging more than ten years ago. I wanted to connect with and learn from writers who knew what the heck they were doing. I found those people online. I read their journals, commented in their posts, and eventually got to know some of them. I joined a webring, for those of you who remember what a webring is. I participated in novel dares, trying to write an entire 80,000 word novel in a month, and joining my fellow participants in sharing progress and setbacks online.
In some ways, the blogosphere and a few message boards were my graduate program in writing. It’s where I learned the business. It’s where I found inspiration. It’s where I chatted with coworkers around the virtual water cooler.
Connecting with Fans: This was not one of my original reasons for starting a blog, in part because back then, I didn’t have any fans. But over time, it’s become a way for me to connect with some of the people who enjoy my books and stories, and that’s awesome.
It’s also a way to connect with fandom in general. A lot of the people who read my blog have never read one of my books. (So much for that Promotion thing…) But we have great conversations about Doctor Who or Star Trek or gaming or the latest book by Huff or Jemisin or Grant or whoever, and I love that.
Politics: This is a tough one. I’ve been told that a writer should never blog about their politics, because they risk alienating readers. It’s a valid point. Heck, I lost some readers myself earlier this week. On the other hand, I’ve seen people post thoughtful, well-written political posts that attract new readers to their blog, and by extension, perhaps to their books as well.
I’m not writing a political blog, and I don’t really feel qualified to do so. However, I will write about things I feel strongly about, and sometimes those overlap with the political. I do this not to sell books, but because I think these things are important to talk about.
What I’d say is that if you choose to go there, know that you will upset some people, and be prepared for some backlash. These posts can be emotionally draining, and eat up more time and energy.
Entertainment: Sometimes I just want to make people smile and laugh, dammit!
Wrap-up: I could go on, but this is getting long. I don’t think writers have to blog. I think it can help you somewhat, but it’s not a magic bullet that will make or break your career. And if the only reason you do it is to sell books, I suspect you’re going to invest a lot of time and energy that probably would have been better spent writing more books.
Anita K.
October 21, 2011 @ 9:51 am
Sadly, I do deliberately tune to infomercials, particularly ones for bizarre kitchen gadgets… but I won’t read a blog that’s nothing but self-promotion. IMHO books are more ruined by over-hyping than under-hyping, though I doubt sales numbers agree. I like the balance you strike, and it makes you one of a very small handful of blogs I manage to follow regularly. 🙂
Jim C. Hines
October 21, 2011 @ 9:59 am
But some of those bizarre infomercials are also entertaining, which I think is the key to a good blog. (And something I forgot to include.) You can get away with an awful lot as long as you present it in a way that’s interesting.
Angela McConnell
October 21, 2011 @ 10:09 am
I’m with Anita K on this one. I keep coming across writer’s blogs that seem to be set up solely for the purpose of promoting the author’s books, but there’s no actual content. Every post is about The Book. These blogs tend to be only a few months old, so I get that they haven’t had time to build up their content…but even so, I tend never to return, which is too bad.
And I’m with you, too, Jim. I started my blog a few years ago because I wanted to connect with other writers. Although I am planning to release an ebook very soon, my primary concern is to entertain/inform my readers who have stuck with me. Honestly, though, I blog because I really have fun doing it. It’s like being queen of a fiefdom. (I am a beneficent ruler.) 😉
Anyway, I enjoy your blog, Jim. Thanks for this. 🙂
Mishell Baker
October 21, 2011 @ 10:13 am
Kim Stanley Robinson advised writers against blogging during my Clarion class. His idea was that it it “ruined the mystique,” and that blogs were genuinely poorly written in comparison to the books being put out. He said that the only words a writer should put before the public are the very best that he or she can offer, and casual writing should be limited to private communications. He said that writers’ blogs have discouraged him from reading their works because he spotted grammatical errors or colloquialisms or “chattiness” that he assumed would creep into their fiction, and he prefers to read writing of a higher quality.
He had a point, I suppose, but I think it’s rather telling that neither his philosophy nor Neil Gaiman’s have kept these gentlemen from acclaim and popular success. So… yeah. I’d say, blog if you want, or don’t. As you point out, it’s your fiction that will make or break you.
Anke
October 21, 2011 @ 10:26 am
I guess getting a WordPress account, putting up a bibliography, and blogging about upcoming events and publications, and books in progres, would be a lot better for an author than not having an official website at all, even if it IS “all informercial”.
Jim C. Hines
October 21, 2011 @ 10:33 am
Hm … that feels somewhere in between a blog and a static web presence. I do think it’s important (I won’t quite say mandatory, but I *want* to) to have a web page that includes exactly what you’re describing here, someplace readers can go to find out who you are, what you’ve written, where they can see you, and how to get in touch with you.
Jim C. Hines
October 21, 2011 @ 10:35 am
Gaimain also blogs, as well as doing Twitter, and that seems to be working for him. (I might be misunderstanding what you were saying there.)
But there are certainly authors who don’t do the online thing and yet somehow manage to succeed with their writing 🙂
Jim C. Hines
October 21, 2011 @ 10:35 am
“I blog because I really have fun doing it.”
I think this is one of the best reasons to do it!
Mishell Baker
October 21, 2011 @ 10:43 am
Oh, yes, I meant neither KSR’s “no blogging!” nor Gaiman’s “yes blogging!” has kept them from brilliant success, so it can apparently work either way. 😀
Jim C. Hines
October 21, 2011 @ 10:47 am
Ah, got it! In which case, disregard what I wrote and replace it with, “+1” or the equivalent.
Jann M.
October 21, 2011 @ 11:08 am
I seek out blogs by writers I love and then bounce around the internet with their suggestions and end up at all sorts of strange places, like here! However, the blogs I return to are written by authors who write about interesting and (at times) provocative topics, not just promoting the new book. For me, there needs to be a mix of topics near and dear to my heart, new topics I am unfamiliar with but enjoy learning about, and humor. I certainly find that with your blog, Jim! I think it comes down to the fact that I am attracted to the authors/bloggers who are able to instill into their blog their own personality and I find that personality appealing. And one of the things I like most about the internet is the ability to connect to people from all over the world through common interests and sensibilities. So writers, blog if you choose, but only if your heart is in it!
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MikeL
October 21, 2011 @ 1:49 pm
People citing Cory Doctorow and John Scalzi probably miss the point that they created an online platform by having something interesting and relevant to say, and then AFTERWARDS they found success as novelists by taking advantage of that established platform, and they did so NOT by broadcasting piles of ads.
The key points being “interesting and relevant”. Otherwise, as you say, it’s just an infomercial and it’s going to grate on the nerves of your readers and potential clients. I have a hard time promoting myself online because I’m constantly aware that there people who follow me who really don’t want to be bombarded by ads, even if my definition of “bombarded” means only once mentioning that an anthology containing a short story has become available for sale. I’m more worried about the people who aren’t interested in my writing than the people who are, which probably isn’t a good thing either. Mostly, I blog to try and get over my shyness, and self-promotion makes me feel very self-conscious so I tend to avoid it.
Once again, I find that I have little to say that hasn’t already been said better by Neil Gaiman. On my blog, I try to adhere to this advice of his: “Use your blog to connect. Use it as you. Don’t ‘network’ or ‘promote.’ Just talk.”
Everything else you said in your blog post stems from that. Writing about politics will help people identify with you if they share an opinion, or even if they don’t but you come across as someone they can converse with. If they can converse with you on your blog, they’ll be more willing to converse with you in their heads by reading your books. Writing about your favourite music won’t cost you readers from among those who have different tastes but it will possibly form a bond between you and the people who do.
For the record, I don’t always agree with what you say but I keep coming back because I feel you say it well, and interestingly. I like listening to you talk. Keep it up.
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Andrew S. Balfour
October 21, 2011 @ 5:17 pm
Mr. Robinson’s advice registers as one of the more stuck up things I’ve heard on the subject of blogging. It also makes no sense. If he reads something an author wrote for the not-terribly-rigourous medium of blogging, he assumes that same author’s (heavily revised and edited) published work won’t be any better? Frankly, that’s a load of crap. He’s welcome to feel that way, but that doesn’t mean the rest of the world has to be so narrow minded.
Jim C. Hines
October 21, 2011 @ 8:26 pm
Scalzi and Doctorow also had the advantage of getting into this many years ago, when there was only a fraction of the online content we had today. They carved out a niche early.
I hadn’t come across that particular quote from Gaiman before, but I love it!
David Y
October 21, 2011 @ 10:07 pm
I read 4 blogs by writers. Only one of them shows work in progress and traces revisions and I ignore it. (I started to read his blog because it was about streetcars.) Two other writers I’ve been reading their books for years — possible since they started selling. And I’ve known about Jim Hines for under 2 years.
Anke
October 22, 2011 @ 4:55 am
Yes; I had an author in mind who is not all that comfortable with “that internet stuff”, and does not want to maintain (or pay someone else to maintain) a real website.
Earlier this week by chance I found out that there is a new series of Elfquest comics planned to start this year, and while they have an official website, there was no actual information on those plans to be found there, only a thread in the forums with a teaser image and an invitation for fans to speculate, which I found pointless and frustrating. So, that drove home for me that a website with easy to find information about upcoming things (in addition to the backlist) is important.
zollmniac
October 22, 2011 @ 11:42 pm
I’ve tried starting a blog like 15 times and everytime I realize I have absolutely nothing of interest to say to people.
I guess if I ever manage to write a novel and sell the damm thing I can use it to connect to fans but I think I’ve given up on the idea until that happens.
Ps. I love your blog, Jim.
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Jim Van Pelt
October 24, 2011 @ 3:16 pm
I started blogging in October of 2006 on LiveJournal. Although I do think of it as promotional in some ways, I mostly do it now because I’m an out-loud thinker. The blog gives me a place to explore my thinking and to get feedback on it. Along the way, I think I’ve helped develop my style (as I’m constantly aware that I’m writing for an audience), and to work out problems I’m struggling with on the page.
My blog has become trifocussed, I’ve noticed. I talk about writing, teaching, and (lately) running. I almost never get into political subjects, but that’s mostly because of my teaching position rather than a fear of alienating readers to my fiction.
The writer blogs I enjoy most are about the writer’s inner life. If I find out enough about the writer, and the writing feels honest, then announcements about books are about that life, not about trying to hard sell me.
Jim C. Hines
October 25, 2011 @ 9:36 am
I really don’t think blogging is a mandatory thing, and if someone doesn’t want to do it or just isn’t enjoying it, I don’t see a reason to force it. And there are plenty of ways to connect with fans these days 🙂
Jim C. Hines
October 25, 2011 @ 9:39 am
I think the multifocus approach is a good one. Personally, I’ve never really gotten into running, but I enjoy both your writing and your teaching posts, which keep me coming back to your LJ. And who knows, maybe someday one of your running posts will actually infect my brain and contaminate me with whatever bizarre mutation makes people *want* to run…
I noticed that blogging taught me some things about structure, at least in terms of nonfiction. I’m not sure if and how that carried over into fiction, but it wouldn’t surprise me if there was some overlap.
Jim Van Pelt
October 25, 2011 @ 10:14 am
The return to running thing is fairly new (since July), but it has been an important part of my writing process often in my earlier carnations as a runner. Running is one of those activities that gives your brain a chance to lapse into that “alert buy not busy” modes. I get that when I’m driving, mowing the lawn, washing dishes, showering, etc. The body is occupied, but the brain’s engagement is low, so it can wander. I’ve started writing projects and solved a writing problems while running.
As an added benefit, running burns calories like a forest on fire, so if I’m also eating well, I become more fit and lose weight. Evidence also suggests that an improved cardio-vascular system aids the brain.
Jim C. Hines
October 25, 2011 @ 10:19 am
“The body is occupied, but the brain’s engagement is low, so it can wander. I’ve started writing projects and solved a writing problems while running.”
You really know how to tempt a guy, don’t you? 🙂
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Hyptosis
October 28, 2011 @ 1:06 pm
VERY cool Jim. I’ve always wanted to be better at blogging, when I was younger I did it for fun, but now that I work constantly, I just don’t seem to have the time or energy to do it. I”m going to try to do it more often though. Thanks for the inspiration.
Jim C. Hines
October 29, 2011 @ 10:35 am
I understand what you mean … there’s a reason I don’t get something posted every day.
Leslie
November 1, 2011 @ 12:51 pm
I enjoy reading the blogs of writers who write about the process of writing as well as other topics. As an aspiring writer myself, I appreciate seeing something of how the professionals do it. I also like posts that give a little glimpse into who the author is in real life. And honestly, those kind of blogs are far more likely to make me want to buy the author’s books than a blog that’s solely promotional in nature.
I found my way to your blog via a link that Patrick Rothfuss posted on Facebook. I had never read any of your books (though your name was vaguely familiar – I later remembered that I’d picked up a bookmark for Goblin Hero at some library conference or other and thought “that looks like fun” but never got around to reading it. I believe this was in the days before I discovered Shelfari and had a single place to keep a list of books I planned to read, as opposed to having titles on random scraps of paper all over my house. But I digress.) Anyway, I liked your blog so much that I stuck around. I’m currently in the middle of reading The Stepsister Scheme (which I love) and have just ordered the other 3 in the series from Barnes and Noble. So see, your blog does sell books. 🙂
Anyway, I guess the point of that little story is that I think if an author enjoys blogging and has something to say (besides just “buy my book”), then they should blog. Sometimes with the happy side effect of selling books.
Jim C. Hines
November 1, 2011 @ 2:59 pm
Thank you! And I’m so glad you’re enjoying Stepsister.
Hm … trying to guess what Pat posted. The most popular thing he’s put up over there that has to do with me is a rather bizarre photo from ConFusion a few years back, but I can’t imagine that making anyone *want* to come check out my blog 🙂
Leslie
November 2, 2011 @ 10:19 am
It was a link to the post about a story being removed from an anthology because of a homosexual main character (I think the author had been asked to change gender or sexual orientation, and opted to pull her story instead – I don’t remember all the details). Anyway, I’m glad I stopped by!
Re: Stepsister – I asked my husband if he wanted to read my princess book, and he informed me that he’s already on page 127. Apparently he’s been reading it before I get home from work. 🙂
Jim C. Hines
November 2, 2011 @ 10:24 am
Oh, yes. I remember that mess… I hadn’t realized Pat linked to my post. Cool!
As for your husband sneaking time with the book, that just makes me grin!
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