Starting a blog while you want to write a book seems counterproductive. It’s not what you want to produce. By the time you’re finished reading, you may have changed your mind.
Take Tucker Max, for example, he started blogging about his exploits before the term ‘blogging’ was invented. Due to his blog, he was able to get published in The New York Times and is even able to create a movie based on this book called “I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell” in 2009.
If that was before what we are capable now, due to advances, imagine what you could do in the present.
There are many that take this route. Here why:
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Table of Contents
1 Become A Better Writer
The only way to become a better writer is to write right?
Blogging will not be exactly like writing your fiction/non-fiction book, HOWEVER, it is not a distraction from writing.
In fact, the experience of writing articles is forcing you to write more and more frequently.
The other thing you will continuously be growing is your knowledge.
In the process of finding a topic to write about in your blog, you will come across new facts, advice and writing techniques.
In effect, killing two birds with one stone by blogging, as you are honing your writing ability and gaining new skills of writing.
I’m addicted to using Grammarly to ensure my mistakes are captured and suggestions of the tone of voice or grammatical errors when writing. As a writer I highly recommend you using the extension, so Grammarly can help you on WordPress and any other sites you may use!
2 Focusing On Your Target Audience
Inherently, by choosing your niche in blogging, those who click on your content will be those who are interested in the type of writing you want to produce. For example, choosing a niche of fiction writer or niching further down by blogging about supernatural fiction.
Now you need to deliver what your audience wants.
This enables you to build a community by connecting with your target audience through comments and content about what they need/want.
Moreover, blogging is a safe space to experiment with different styles. At the same time, you can measure how your audience reacts to pieces.
Through this, you’ll find out more of what your audience likes and dislikes, which will affect what you blog AND what you write in your novel draft.
3 Creating A Personal Brand
To be a successful writer, you need to build a personal brand.
A blog can help you build your personal brand before you have even published a thing. It enables you to showcase your personality, values and writing style with your target audience.
Yes, you will promote your personal brand on social media and try to reach new people, but the blog will be your bedrock- your foundation.
This is because your blog is where you will present the content. Where you will convey to your readers what you are capable of AND how you can help them.
Once you have built an authoritative personal brand and familiarity with your audience, selling your book will be easier.
This leads on to your ability to promote.
4 Easier Promotion- How To Market With Blog
An Audience who already has trust in you AND your content is just what you need. Due to being familiar with your brand, they won’t feel like buying your products are a risk.
Less risk means more potential to sell your book.
How can I promote my new book on a blog?
1 People love to see behind the scene content. The platform you’ve created with your blog will set this up perfectly. Create content based on your process of making a book.
2 Create a store in your blog (or links to where they can buy the product)
Why will this work?
You have built authority plus trust, and people want to know how you did what you did.
This becomes a full cycle.
Step 1: create a blog to build a personal brand
Step 2: once gained an authoritative personal brand, start selling book
Step 3: create content on how you process your book
This means, your blog is feeding your audience information which enables them to want to buy your book. Your book is also conveying to your audience what you are capable of and they will look for how you accomplished this novel.
5 Creativity Boost
The more you write, the more creative you become.
Why is this the case?
To blog, you need to keep writing articles- to make articles you need to keep finding inspiration.
Blogging has helped me look for more inspiration in life. From sitting watching tv, writing an article, playing a game, going for a walk- I am now able to spark little bits of inspiration from a lot of situations I am in.
Why is this good for a writer?
To make a story, you need to build a plot, characters, history, overall meaning etc all from scratch. Well, with a little help with events that happen around you, it is easier to creatively produce these.
Imagine a scavenger hunt, you go around looking for little things which may lead you to other objects. Every piece you find brings you closer to seeing the big picture that each object represents when brought together.
By changing your mindset to be ready to receive inspiration in any situation, you will be able to find a use for little details in your own story.
Psst… Check out my resources to help you write that story!
6 Learning How To Deal With Criticism
Your blog is a space to get ideas into the world, yet there will be those who enjoy it and those who find something negative about it.
And that’s okay. It will always happen, but what you can do is learn from it.
Your blog will grow and adapt based upon these negative comments.
Not all of course, but there are little gems to be found as a path of improvement. Which you may only see when taking into consideration the constructive advice that appears to you in the form of negative comments.
7 Earn money
This is your favourite section, right? It is what any author wants. To earn from what they love.
What if I told you there a way to earn from talking about what you love to do. Not just producing the final piece of work.
There are many blogs out there that do just that. Why not join in?
Whether you want to get hired by a publishing company or self publish what you will need is money.
A blog can help you do just that!
There are many ways such as:
- Affiliate links e.g. in book reviews posts
- Ebooks as a tutorial
- Promote your book
- Sponsored posts
If you want to earn from your blog, you need to self host it. Use Bluehost</a rel=”sponsored”>, one of the best and cheapest starting price of only £3.02 a month!
It takes time and effort to build your blog enough to get to this stage, but it’ll be worth it.
Lemme know what you think in the comments. Until then.
Helpful links to keep in mind:
- Want to learn how to set up the blog fast with all the fundamentals? Click here.
- Want $15 for signing up to Tailwind (FREE FIRST MONTH) to schedule pins for advertising your blog on Pinterest?
- Bluehost, one of the most affordable web hosting companies
- Skillshare FREE 30-day trial
Check out my Resources for FREEBIES and affordable planning/writing of your book. Take this discount code: HAPPYWRITER1 to grab more of a bargain!
Psst… For a LIMITED time only, grab your planning and editing aids for £1.99
I am a beginner blogger and these tips will be very useful to become more successful! Thank you!
I’m glad you’ve found this useful! 😊
Great tips! Before I started blogging I had the worst writer’s block. Now that I blog I write almost every single day, it’s great practice! These tips are definitely going to help someone get started on their masterpiece someday, I know it! Thanks for sharing ❤
I’m glad you feel the same way! Good luck on your writing journey 😊
I think it’s so easy to say become a better writer, but it’s such a process! You have proven that blog posts still require work! This is great!
Effort is put into everything we do and more so into our passions. This is just another way to express that passion 😊