(BLOG POST)

By Marika Flatt —

When it comes to writing a blog, even great writers could use some help with where to start and what to write about. Maybe you’re a self-published author who wants to blog for your own book. Or, maybe you’re an independent publisher who needs to know how to explain blogging to your authors. Either way, you’ve already spent endless hours perfecting the book itself. The thought of having to produce even more content on a regular basis can seem overwhelming!

Remember, as part of promoting any book, having a content marketing strategy, which includes pushing out new content on an author blog, is key to keeping your potential readers engaged and visiting your website. Here are 3 tips to helping any author get started on a blog:

Find a good example:

If you’re confused on how to blog, what to blog about, or how often you should blog, my first recommendation is to search for others who are already blogging. See what type of content they’re posting and if their audience seems to be engaged. Are they talking about the book tour? Are they talking about their favorite tree to write under? Or maybe they’re releasing short excerpts from their book.

A couple of my favorite author blogs are Sweet Debbie’s Organic Cupcakes (cookbook author) and Luca Lashes (children’s book authors).

Integrate your blog into your website:

If your website is build on WordPress or some other content management system, adding a blog tab shouldn’t be too difficult. The ultimate goal is to give people a reason to visit your website on a frequent basis – and using social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter are the perfect place to announce your new blog posts, driving people back to your site. Instead of using social media to just say “buy my book, buy my book, hey – did I tell you about my book?” you can offer a fresh new reason for them to visit your site – in hopes of them eventually buying your book.

Start writing:

Blogs are meant to be short, digestable chunks of content that provide value to your audience. Blog posts should generally be around 500 words or less. Use catchy, definitive titles like “3 Reasons I Chose to Write About Science Fiction” or “5 Cool Things I Saw on My Book Tour” – these types of headlines reassure your audience that your post will be short and engaging. Always try to include at least one picture, as well.

Have more questions about blogging? Ask us in the comments section below!

About the Author: Marika launched PR by the Book, LLC in 2002, combining her love of the media, public relations and books. Prior to that, Marika spent seven years leading the publicity team of an Austin-based book publicity firm. She received a Gold Bulldog Award for a publicity campaign that resulted in exposure in over 700 media outlets. Marika is a past-president of Women Communicators of Austin, serves as an Expert for IBPA, is listed on Twitter’s Women in Publishing (#womeninpublishing) and serves on the selection committee for the Texas Book Festival. As a hobby, Marika has been a freelance travel writer for over a decade and serves as the Travel Editor for Austin Lifestyle magazine.