Blogging Prior to Publication: Worth it?

Qui Amat Scribere

sed qui usquam procrastinates.
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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Do you think other topics, as again coming from someone unpublished, would still merit interest?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)".
 

wweisser

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My question is, would it be worth it to begin a blog prior to actual publication?

Worth it in what sense? Unless you are lucky and good at writing articles that appeal to a wide audience, you shouldn't expect many people to read your blog...UNLESS you go the whole nine yards, which means updating it often (daily or multiple times daily is best), following other people's blogs, commenting on them, being active on other forms of social media, etc. All of which is time-consuming. Overall I'd say you'd be better off spending that time writing.

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.

I don't think its pretentious to have a blog where you talk about something that's important to you. But again, you're probably overestimating the number of people who will care, anyway.

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?

I see people blogging about seeking publication pretty often. Not really my cup of tea, though.

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?*

For the type of blog you're talking about, it's less about getting "readers" and more about participating in a community. There are lots of people who blog about stuff like this. You should participate if it's fun for you, but I don't think there are many practical benefits beyond that.

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.

I think the more often you post and the more often you engage with others the more hits you will get.

Would it be inadvisable to discuss my works-in-progress? I assume not, but I'm not certain.

I don't see any downside to it.

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.

Don't worry about being pretentious. This is the internet. Everyone is an expert at everything. Look at me for example. Do I really know what I'm talking about? Who cares?

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!

Here's the good news: you're not going to destroy yourself either way. I think having a blog is a good thing. There are agents out there who will google you and see that you are more dedicated to this than someone without a web presence, and it doesn't take much effort to write a couple posts a month about whatever (just don't whine about being rejected, no agent wants to see that). On the other hand, if you decide not to make one, it's doubtful there will be any real long-term effect on your career.

If you actually want people to read your blog, then search for other blog posts with writing tags and like/follow/comment them. Write lots and lots of posts, invite other people to guest post for you (and ask to guest for them) and especially link/reblog/pingback/tweet other people. But again, only do this if it's something you want to do, because I don't think the time it takes to build a decent platform will pay dividends in terms of being published. Yes, having a platform is nice, but having a great book to sell is way more important.
 

Director C

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I would think carefully about blogging about your pursuit of publication. What if it's a long journey? Do you want a record of rejections out there for other agents to read?

I wouldn't worry about blogging right now. There are zillions and zillions of blogs with zero readers each. Some are lucky and have like 11 readers. Unless you have a professional digital publishing team behind you or have a major platform already, a blog may really just amount to an online diary.
 

Moldy

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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?*

I don't think it would turn off readers; it might just change your audience. There is a chunk of people that are interested in the publication process; heck there are people that blog about their attempt to get into various grad programs and people are interested in that. It's probably not something I would do in depth before being published, because to me it would wear off some of your author-glamour, showing everyone your rejections and struggles, especially prior to success.

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.

Yes. It's not so much what you blog about, but how you blog about it. If you're funny and clever at telling even the stories of your ordinary personal life, it's possible to build up a following for that. Lots of people talk about writing, and blog about it, without being published or pros, and other people are still interested in what they have to say. Though if you have any other subject you want to talk about, that's a plus too. Having a popular gardening blog when being published is still a better asset than having no blog at all.

Would it be inadvisable to discuss my works-in-progress? I assume not, but I'm not certain.

I can't see any downside to this, and it's possible you could drum up some interest in them (i.e potential readers waiting to buy a copy)

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.

Do whatever you feel comfortable with. No one is going to think you're prententious just because your url is jacksmith.wordpress.com and you're open listed as John Smith (or whatever your name may be).

I don't think it's too early to begin blogging. Having a web presence and a pre-existing audience is becoming more and more of an asset every day. I don't think you need to put as much time into it as wweisser suggests though--even updating once a week, or once a month can help, because that's time your articles are being indexed by search engines, and found through random Google queries, and linked by other people, and included in Linkspams and things.
 

Sunflowerrei

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a blog may really just amount to an online diary.

Well, there's nothing wrong with an online diary.

To the OP: I started my blog five years ago and I just sent out my first queries this week. When I started the blog, I wanted a central place to post a novella I was working on instead of emailing my friends the story. From there, as I worked on new stories, I wrote about my developing writing process, research, books I read, stuff I did, TV shows I watched...I don't set myself a blogging schedule, I write it when I feel like it, and I cover any number of subjects.

I would say whether it's worth it depends on what you want to use your blog for. If you only want to blog to create a platform, possibly attract agents or future readers, then you need to manage expectations because there are tons of blogs out there and the chances of an agent stumbling across your blog and wanting to represent you right now are nil.

However, if you simply want a place to blow off some steam, make some writing friends, join the writing blogging online community, chronicle your writing life, then go for it. Blogging does not need to take up all that much time out of your actual writing.

I met and connected with several bloggers here on AW who read my posts and commented and I read their blogs and became a regular reader. One of them became a beta reader and several of them are now my writing group/cheering section.
 

Qui Amat Scribere

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Thank you, everyone! You really helped me to sort out my thoughts and put things in perspective.

I really am not concerned with popularity, more about providing something of interest to like-minded folks until I get around to giving them with an actual book to buy. But it's true that there's not much point unless I have the time and work ethic to network and build up an audience, which I don't right now, anyway.

I certainly don't expect a blog to catch an agent's eye! However, I hadn't thought about the fact that they might run a search on me while considering an MS. Wweiser, Moldy, and Director C, you make a good point that a record of rejections may not be the wisest thing to have. I'll save that for AW.

I think that for now, I'll take everyone's advice and focus on writing, and reserve the blogging thing for at least until after I've started sending out queries. In the meanwhile, I can stockpile articles (they're a great writing exercise, after all!) for when the time comes.

Thanks again to everyone who took the time to respond and help me to sort things out. I know it was a silly thing to obsess over, especially so far ahead of time, but I'm glad to have gotten it out of my head for the time being.
 

ishtar'sgate

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Blogging about your writing experience is pretty common and if you feel like doing it then go for it. As previously mentioned, agents will do a search for you and what they find will either help or hinder your chances of being picked up.

I resisted websites and blogging for quite awhile. It's pretty time consuming. I set up a website after my first novel was published but only because it became necessary as a central place for students to have their questions answered. Until then I received too many emails with the same questions and replying took up a lot of my day.

I began blogging last year primarily as a way to focus on core information I found while researching my current WIP. I thought others might find it interesting too and I get new visitors every day so I guess it's been useful. I also had fun writing a few short stories, one of which seems to be a perennial favorite.

The main thing to keep in mind is to make it as clean as you can - no spelling or grammar errors - and write it as well as you can. When agents start searching for you, you want them to be pleasantly surprised by well-written blog posts.
 

bananamelissa

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Hey Qui Amat, I have had a journey with blogging that has now become almost equal to my fiction writing journey. I do believe that when an agent goes to search for you, as someone mentioned, it will be to see if you have an online presence. The ability to say you have some kind of an audience, even a small one, could be a great stepping stone. How to get that audience is another beast entirely. But I would suggest you go ahead with this because you will get experience with putting yourself out there. The more you can play around with what works and what doesn't the more you'll be prepared for that big day when your book launches. Woohoo! I just think a blog is a great way to start to understand how to reach and connect with people, and that's what you'll be doing as a writer. I think too many writers blow off the marketing aspect of what we do. "That's not my job! I'm a writer!". But consider how much promotional work actors do. That's not their job, but they love what they do, so they take on a lot of hats.

If you can start to navigate and explore blogging yourself you'll be legions ahead of other writers. Good writing is fun, but brilliant marketing is what sells books (and this is not some argument for marketing. I'm not saying we should all abandon the quest to be the best writer we can. I'm just saying, be prepared to be your writing's champion, because it's going to be a long time before anyone does it for you). When I first started my blog I was surprised how hard it was for me to put myself out there. I was never sure what to write or who I was writing it for. It's kind of a fun experiment in itself, and you'll learn a lot about yourself from it. And if you don't like it, you can delete it. I started on Wordpress, which allows you to take the whole blog down if you want. I think this is my 4th blog now, and this one stuck.

I recently connected with an author that's trying to promote her YA book. I loved the book and I hosted her for an interview on my site. I was following her on twitter and FB for awhile, but all she ever posted were quotes and promotional pieces from her book. I stopped following her because for one, I already had the book, and two, it was repetitive. I was wishing she'd share outside of that, whatever it was that felt natural and right for her. She started her whole website and blog post publication. So I can see she's still figuring out how to market and reach people without being spammy.

That seemed rambling, but I hope it was hopeful. All I wanted to say is that blogging can help you grow and prepare for the future. You don't have to commit to anything. I think it's worth a try and if it's not for you, take your blog down.
 

robjvargas

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If you have something to say, it's worth it. If you can't think of anything to say, it's not worth it.
 

Laer Carroll

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Lots of good advice here. Here's more.

If you plan to be a pro writer it's never too early to begin creating a web site to promote your work. Creating an interesting and useful site is an art as well as a craft, and it will take time to get something which works for you. Think of your site as a work in progress.

Here are some pointers from years of being involved in creating and keeping up web sites, both professionally and personally. These are best practices many others have pointed out, too, not just advice from me.

START SMALL, STAY SMALL as much as you can. A simple, interesting, good-looking site is a plus, not a minus. Don't try to make your site a complex kitchen-sink sort of creation.

TAKE BABY STEPS to improving your site. If any one doesn't work out, be ready to take the "improvement" out.

WRITE WHAT INTERESTS YOU, not just about your fiction. Your fans will include people with similar interests, and like your stories in part because they include those interests. (I, for instance, worked long in aerospace as an engineer, so some of my posts are about new developments in that field.)

MAKE BLOG POSTS SHORT. This lets your readers see the first several (perhaps 10) all at once without scrolling very far. This makes it more likely they'll focus on ones of especial interest to them.

If you have something long, put it in the "static" (rarely changing) part of your site and put a short opener in your blog with a Continued At link at its end. The chances are your long posts will continue to be interesting a long time. One of my very first three years ago is up to 3000+ views and still climbing.

DON'T BE IMPATIENT. It takes time to build followers, to write your fiction, to build up a pool of fiction short and long. Think in years, not short term. (If you can't do that, you may not be ready to be a writer. Be warned, "writer" is a life sentence!)

START WITH WORDPRESS.COM. It is the easiest to use for many beginners but also has the most room for growth. Here is their propaganda page, and I've found it to be truthful.

http://en.wordpress.com/features/
 

leftyfelix2

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I think it's totally worth it. Because otherwise, nobody is going to know you once you publish. Constantly writing blogs makes people get to know you more and therefore, look forward to your book for when it gets published! :)