Writing your book is only half the battle. The other half is getting it out there for people to read. I’m talking about book marketing. You may have spent months writing the most captivating story in the universe, but if you forget to market it, you are limiting the potential and future success of your book. There are many ways to market your book, but today we are just going to discuss one—blogging. For more information about offline and online book marketing check out these articles.
Why Blogging?
If you search on the internet you will find many reasons why people say you should write a blog; it will help you become a better writer, it will give you inspiration, etc. Sure these things might be true, but the real reason you should write a blog is to increase and maintain your loyal readers.
Blogs give your readers something to look forward to while they are waiting for your next book. They also help supplement the book that your readers are currently reading. Either way blogs are a great way to help keep that audience interested. However, some authors struggle to know what to write on their blog.
What Should You Blog About?
Here are some options:
- Post a sneak peak of a chapter that you are working on
- Include deleted scenes from an already published book
- Write backstories about minor characters
- Post about your writing process
- Share a little bit about you
I know that last one is scary. Sharing your personal life over the web is a little daunting. It doesn’t mean you have to write about all the intimate and personal details in your life. Instead write about what inspires you, maybe a funny dream you had, what goes through your head as you write, or how you relate to characters in your books. By including these details throughout your blog, not only will your readers become more invested in your books, but they will feel a greater connection to you as well.
The right time to start a blog is now. It takes time to gain a loyal fan base, so it is best to start even before your book is done. Once you do finish your book, you can blog about the excitement and let you readers know when they can expect it. For more tips about how to set up and start your blog check out Joel Friedlander’s article.
Can We Help?
In the meantime, we’d love to help however we can. Here at Alexander’s we work with many authors looking to self-publish. We can help by providing you advice on cover design, paper type, and even the type of book cover so that you can create a quality product that meets your needs and budget. Contact us in the form below to learn more!
