We get this question a lot: why should authors care about blogging? The answer: there are literally too many reasons to list in one article.
If you are an author, blogging is your friend. In fact, you should make it your best friend. I cannot stress enough how helpful it is for building your audience and your platform, and these days, it’s so easy to start a blog! Here we present the top ten reasons authors should also be bloggers.
1. It helps you find your people.
You need to identify the target audience for your book. If you’re blogging on your subject matter, you don’t have to look any further than your blog audience. Who are they? Men, women, millenials? They’re the ones who will buy your book.
2. It opens the lines of communication.
If someone buys your book, they’ll take it home and read it…once. That’s where your opportunity to inspire and influence them stops. If, however, they take home your book, read it, and then follow your blog, you have an open line of communication to keep talking to them.
3. It helps you hone your craft.
The only way to get better at writing is by doing more of it. Plain and simple.
4. It provides legitimacy.
These days, it’s so easy to set up a professional-looking blog—and its mere existence already makes you look established and professional to media outlets and potential readers.
5. A blog can serve as your PR Agent.
Landed an interview with a local media outlet? Got an upcoming event? Share it there. Your blog can also house a “contact me” form so that people can reach you easily.
6. It provides a place to collaborate.
Wanting to expand your audience? Interview other influencers on your blog, or invite them to guest-post. They will then share that post with their audience, leading to…more subscribers on your blog, and hopefully more readers of your book.
7. It’s introvert-friendly.
Don’t love public speaking? Blogging still gives you a platform, from the safety of your living room.
8. It’s the perfect testing ground.
Whether it’s your first book, or you’re testing a second book on your already established audience, a blog is a great place to see how they respond to your topic before you go through the process of setting up a publishing deal.
9. It’s your own personal online bookstore.
Have physical copies of your book at your house that you need to sell? Add an online shop component to your blog, and let readers purchase books directly from you!
10. It’s doable.
Most blog posts are between 300-1000 words. Far less daunting than writing a book. You can do this!
