I've been meaning to cover the topic of blogging for a while now. "Blogging" comes from the mash-up of the words "Web" and "log" and is a regularly updated journal featuring photographs, videos, and text in any combination. Blogging encourages dialogue between the author and users. The most common blog sites include: Blogger, WordPress, and Typepad.
To give you a snapshot:
-126 million blogs have been created as of January 2010.
-71% of bloggers report they blog to say what's on their mind and share their expertise.
If you're on my blog then you're probably reading many others so much of this isn't news. You may, however, be considering starting a blog yourself but not knowing where to start. Instead of reinventing the wheel I thought I'd point you in the direction of the amazingly talented author Elana Johnson who just discussed the topic at length on her own blog. She's called it "The Awesome Blogging Trifecta" and she discusses issues such as followers, leaving your mark, and what to blog about.
What I love so much about blogging is that it helps me share what I've learned so far about the publishing world and also share my love of reading with all of you. It's amazing the individuals I've connected with online via blogs and even Twitter. For example, just last week Theo Nestor came by the blog for a visit after seeing her book was featured in my "So Many Titles to Love" post and now Allie Larkin, author of Stay is going to come by for a Q & A later this month.
I feel like the writing and book-worm world have really carved out a niche online and have taken a kind of "pay it forward" mentality via sharing query advice, doing free book giveaways, cross-promoting one another's books, and everything in-between. Individuals you might never consider reaching out to in person are suddenly more accessible. How else could I communicate with Jennifer Weiner or have author Lee Nichols retweet my previous Deception book giveaway?
Whether you're writing blogs or reading blogs or as I do, both, it's a great way to connect to other people with shared interests and to learn from one another. That's also why reaching out to blog writers and asking questions isn't just permissible, it's encouraged. I'm still a bit of a newbie to the blogging community but from what I've found so far, there is a wealth of information and fun out there. The only question I have for all of you is, what kinds of things would you like me to feature more often on this blog?
I'm so glad you liked the stuff on blogging. I always like to know more about the person behind the blog. And I like to know a little bit about their writing. I like to know what they see in life that relates to writing. That kind of jazz.
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ReplyDeleteWhat I find fascinating about blogging is opportunity to connect with people all over the world. See the world through their stories, experience, their sence of humor.
ReplyDeleteI follow my favorite writer's LJ regularly.
First, you get to read new chapters of his unpublished book as he finishes them.
Also, you get to watch how little aspects of everyday life affect him, absorb and eventually get incorporated into a fiction story.
Eg., he described a hassle over renting a car while being on vacation in Greece.
Sure enough, next time young heroes of his new fantasy novel decieded to cross a desert, they found themselves hassling over renting a camel with suspiciosly familiar sleazy merchant...
It was hilarious.