Article Surfing Archive

Blogging is instant publishing, and it's a real boon for writers, once they get their head around what a blog is, and why it's an invaluable writing tool.

Without exception, within a month of starting a blog, every writer I've hounded to create a blog has reported: "I wish I'd started my blog years ago!"

Blogs are immensely powerful. If you're not sure how to get started, use the steps I've outlined for you in this article:

1. Create a small blog

The biggest hurdle writers face in blogging is actually starting. You can spend months - even years, in thinking about blogging. This will not help you. Neither will researching blogging and blogging platforms.

Accept the fact that you're procrastinating because you're nervous, and put that nervous energy into blogging.

Just create a blog - on any platform. A month from now, or a week from now, if you decide you made a mistake, leave the blog and create another one. Proficient blogger-writers have dozens of blogs, for many uses.

I have around ten writing-related blogs, and many other blogs I've created for topics in which I have an interest.

2. Blog every day

You learn blogging by doing it - even if you're not sure whether you're doing it "right." There are no rules in blogging; a blog is your instant publishing tool, use it as you please.

3. Read other bloggers

To get ideas for blogging, read other bloggers. Get a feed/ RSS reader, and create a collection of bloggers who blog in areas in which you're interested.

If another blogger creates a worthy post, blog about that post, and add your own opinions. Blogging has been called a "conversation", and while I think that that's true some of the time, not all blogs are conversations - if you want to turn off comments on a blog, do it. It's always YOUR blog.

4. Create a Google Alert for your name

Now here's where writers begin to appreciate the sheer power of a blog. Create a Google "alert" for your name. You can have alerts sent to you daily via email.

Within a month or so of starting, you'll find that your name is popping up all over online.

5. See who's reading your blog

Create a Google Analytics account, to see who's reading your blog. Not only can you see who's reading, you can see the terms they entered into a search engine to find a particular blog post.

Analyzing your readers is huge fun: you'll be amazed when you see who's reading your words - editors, publishers, and other potential clients you could attract in no other way.

6. Want to attract someone's attention? Blog about them

Let's say you're writing a novel. You think Publisher X would be a good fit for the novel.

Start blogging about Publisher X. Just like you, Publisher X monitors the online world to see who's talking about them... and so someone from Publisher X's publicity and/ or marketing department will check out your blog. You may just get a request for a partial (chapters and outline) of your novel.

Many bloggers have gained publishing contracts via their blog. Others gain commissions and clients.

Blogging will open new worlds and opportunities to you as a writer. If you're not blogging, you're stifling your career. So start blogging: you will be amazed at how powerful blogging is, and what it can do for your career.