If You are Not Published then Why Blog?

Fooled you!

I’m not going to talk just  about people who haven’t been published…yet.

Posting about the writer’s journey is a truly great subject.

One day, you might look back and not remember all of those unique twists and turns that brought you to successful publication.  And if you made a wrong move, so much the better!

If you post about something that holds you back, people will begin to cheer for your success.  We love a winner!  Especially one who has risen through the trenches.  You can become a hero…

…or not if you don’t share.

So if you’re a new writer, give us a chance to offer you encouragement.

But what about the published author who only posts about the release of their latest books and not much else?  Frankly, it turns me off.  One name pops into my head immediately.  I never hear anything from her but announcements for sales.  I don’t have a clue if I’d enjoy reading her.  Even for free.

Authors who touch me by reaching out through social media will be bought before an unknown entity or someone who sells their books somewhat like a snake-oil salesman.

“Buy my book!”

“Look at what the reviewers say!”

I say ho-hum.

If you can’t reach out to your target audience and engage them with social media, why would they pick you over another author who keeps it real.  And there are so many books out there competing for readers.

Of course writing a good book matters.  And it CAN be good enough to cause the buzz that leads to best-selling status.  However, there are also a boat-load of really good reads at any given time.

Names also come to mind of authors who engage through social media.  The first person who pops into my mind is Dakota Cassidy.

I love her snarky facebook chatter.

Even though the last thing I want to talk about is make-up, hair or any other girly subject…she can make this certified tomboy take note. She cracks me up and I never fail to stop to see what she has to say!

Next on my list is Sharon Sala…also a facebook delight.  Sharon shares very intimate personal details about her journey with her mother’s progressive Alzheimer’s.  I love this! She also shares stories about farm life, being a farm wife, motherhood, grandmother-hood, and the not always glamorous life of a writer.

And I have to give a shout out to Tina Gerow…also on facebook.  She’s a sharer of unique pictures, phrases and homeless animals, as well as personal trials and love of family and friends.

I love Jade Kerrion’s blog posts, even though I can’t keep up with them all.  And I have everything she’s written thus far. 

I may be an author, but I’m also a reader.  I buy at least a book a week. And sometimes many more than just one.   

I must admit, some authors have me without a single word.  John Sanford being one of them.  No wait…it’s his character, Lucas Davenport who has me.  I only buy the Davenport series.

There are a whole bunch of authors who have snagged my devotion with a series: Janet Evanovich, Laurel K Hamilton, Patricia Briggs, Ashley Gardner, Lisa Pietsch, Richard Bard, Lilith Saintcrow, Coco Simon, (That’s right, I read the cupcake club series), Suzanne Collins, Julie Kagawa, L.B. Gregg, Katie MacAlister and more than I can think of off the top of my head.

While I love Facebook, I don’t trust that it will always be the “in” thing.  I focus on my blog first and the other social media outlets are secondary to blogging.

Blog!

Blog!

Blog!

Unless you have nothing to say.  It’s no fun to  visit a blog and find just a sentence or two.   Don’t tell me what you ate for dinner unless it was an event.   Make it worthwhile.   Give your audience something of value if possible.

Post Script: For about two weeks now I wasn’t able to get onto my blog from home.  I went to Panera’s and used my laptop once a week.  Hence, I only posted about three times in two weeks.  During that period my traffic dropped to 350 visitors a day, about half of what it is when I post every other day.  And just five months ago the visitors were 2-3 a day.  This proves to me the importance of posting regularly.

Before five months ago, I was dealing with the big C and only posted a couple of times in a year. It only took a few weeks to get going again. You can do it, too!