I went back several pages in the forum, but couldn't find exactly what I was looking for. If this has already been discussed, feel free to send me the link, and I'll be on my merry way!
I don't have a writing blog, and I don't intend to have one for a while yet. But as I work on my various projects, I've become aware that, with enough luck and fortitude, I may be actively seeking publication someday, possibly within a year or so. My question is, would it be worth it to begin a blog prior to actual publication?
My thoughts were that it might be all right if I wrote about, well, writing in general. But somehow, it seems pretentious to have a blog intended for use as my author blog before I actually have a contract in my (metaphorically) ink-splattered little hands.
The compromise I came up with was that I could start it once I have something prepared for submission, and could discuss both the work and my experiences in seeking publication. What do you think of this? Is it common?
Follow-up questions:
Would discussing the publication process, including dealing with rejections etc., turn off readers? Such topics are obviously inspiring coming from published authors, but would it seem pessimistic or pathetic pre-pub, considering that I don't know if my MS will ever be accepted?*
Do you think other topics, as again coming from someone unpublished, would still merit interest? I'm thinking about things inspired by my research**, navel-gazing posts about the nature of writing, updates on my quest for acknowledgement of my brilliance, etc.
Would it be inadvisable to discuss my works-in-progress? I assume not, but I'm not certain.
If I do choose to begin a blog pre-pub, should it be professional from the start, using my author name and so on? I would prefer that, but again, I worry about coming across as pretentious.
The reason I'm asking so early in the game is because I am a slow writer, and I would like to stockpile articles in order to ensure regular updates. I know that some of my concerns might be silly, but having someone tell me so (or humouring me with some advice) would go far towards putting my mind at ease!
Please also feel free to let me know about your own blogging experiences: when you began an authorial blog, the balance of your content (personal musings vs. informational articles), and any thoughts you might have.
Thanks a lot!
*I prefer to think that it will be, eventually, with enough revision, effort, and/or bribe money. Hopefully, my optimism would come through.
**"Terms For The Lavatory Throughout History"; "Yes, People Used To Eat Whale Poop, And Other Gross Things Your Great-Great-Grandparents Probably Did"; "Why People Ride Horses And Not Bears (Besides The Being Eaten Aspect)".
I don't have a writing blog, and I don't intend to have one for a while yet. But as I work on my various projects, I've become aware that, with enough luck and fortitude, I may be actively seeking publication someday, possibly within a year or so. My question is, would it be worth it to begin a blog prior to actual publication?
My thoughts were that it might be all right if I wrote about, well, writing in general. But somehow, it seems pretentious to have a blog intended for use as my author blog before I actually have a contract in my (metaphorically) ink-splattered little hands.
The compromise I came up with was that I could start it once I have something prepared for submission, and could discuss both the work and my experiences in seeking publication. What do you think of this? Is it common?
Follow-up questions:
Would discussing the publication process, including dealing with rejections etc., turn off readers? Such topics are obviously inspiring coming from published authors, but would it seem pessimistic or pathetic pre-pub, considering that I don't know if my MS will ever be accepted?*
Do you think other topics, as again coming from someone unpublished, would still merit interest? I'm thinking about things inspired by my research**, navel-gazing posts about the nature of writing, updates on my quest for acknowledgement of my brilliance, etc.
Would it be inadvisable to discuss my works-in-progress? I assume not, but I'm not certain.
If I do choose to begin a blog pre-pub, should it be professional from the start, using my author name and so on? I would prefer that, but again, I worry about coming across as pretentious.
The reason I'm asking so early in the game is because I am a slow writer, and I would like to stockpile articles in order to ensure regular updates. I know that some of my concerns might be silly, but having someone tell me so (or humouring me with some advice) would go far towards putting my mind at ease!
Please also feel free to let me know about your own blogging experiences: when you began an authorial blog, the balance of your content (personal musings vs. informational articles), and any thoughts you might have.
Thanks a lot!
*I prefer to think that it will be, eventually, with enough revision, effort, and/or bribe money. Hopefully, my optimism would come through.
**"Terms For The Lavatory Throughout History"; "Yes, People Used To Eat Whale Poop, And Other Gross Things Your Great-Great-Grandparents Probably Did"; "Why People Ride Horses And Not Bears (Besides The Being Eaten Aspect)".