Why Your Blog Should Be Your Book’s First Draft

7 Reasons To Blog Your Book First

1. You start building a platform right away.

Platform is the first thing publishers look for. No platform? No contract. Your platform is how many people listen to you on a somewhat regular basis. As you blog regularly you will gather a faithful group of readers which will be the beginning of your platform.

2. You find out what connects and what doesn’t.

When you write you have no idea what people like and what they won’t. Your editor can help, but you are both shooting in the dark. On a blog the stats show what connects with your audience. More importantly, you find out what doesn’t connect. Your book will dramatically improve if you remove the boring content.

3. Blogging allows you to enhance your message with media.

Is there a video that helps you prove a point? If you have a blog you can embed it. Try that with a paper book.

4. Your message gets out right away.

The publishing industry moves at the speed of a blind turtle. If everything goes well, it will be years before it hits store shelves. And that is if you work hard and get all the right breaks. If you want to reach people tomorrow start blogging today.

5. Your blog creates a rally point for your following.

Assuming you spend the $20 a year to buy YourBlogName.com, you will be able to use your blog as the center of your platform. Got a radio interview? Push your blog. Writing an article for a magazine? Put your blog in your bio. As people come to your blog and subscribe you get their permission to contact them when your book comes out.

6. You get instant feedback.

The comments you get on your blog will help you find logical flaws, and answer people’s questions and objections before they have them. Did something not make sense? The commentators will let you know.

7. Your blog will boost your credibility.

As an unpublished author it can be hard to build credibility. But, if you are the editor of YourBlogName.com suddenly people will treat you like the expert. The key is to have your blog on YourName.com. A free blog will not boost your credibility. You need your own domain name.

Will a publisher buy my writing if it’s published online?

In a word, “yes.” I have clients who have sold their blog’s as books and can point to many bestselling books that were blogs first. Free is not your enemy. Obscurity is your enemy.

Your book will have exclusive content. Save some of your nuggets for your book. Plus, everything in your book will be edited and focused. Remember all those stats and comments from benefit #6? They will help you hone your message. Plus, your editor will add value to the book by cleaning up your language.

What do you think?

Do you think this will work? Do you know someone who has sold their blog to a publisher? Do you have a blog you want to get published?

6 Responses

This strategy could work well for some writers. But I think it’s risky, for a couple of reasons. First, many publishers won’t go near anything that’s appeared online in any form, so you’d be limiting your pool of potential publishers. Second, some writers don’t have the temperament to expose their writing to criticism at the first draft stage. My blog post on first draft critiques explains why: http://wp.me/pwENu-2C

The decision to blog the first draft of your book should be part of a well thought-out marketing strategy, not a whim. Make sure you understand your goals, as well as your level of tolerance for negative comments from random critics in the blogosphere.

So you forgot an important one: it keeps you writing. It prevents the nasty habit of opening up a document, re-reading it, perhaps making some small edits (or perhaps not) and then closing it without really adding anything. By breaking a book down into narrowly focused, roughed-out sections, posting regularly on the same topic without repeating oneself, one writes a book as a matter of course.

I like this advice and plan to put it into practice for my next non-fiction book!Thanks.

I am writing a book and just started a blog a few weeks ago. I wish I would have done this sooner. I am quickly getting a following but was told by an agent they usually want someone who has about 10,000 followers.

I agree with your post that the quickest way to reach people is through blogging and other social network tools. My blog is for cancer survivors and I feel good that I am able to reach and help people now.

I put the first draft of my debut mystery novel online as I wrote it. I would guess that five people saw it. But I was largely unknown at the time. Now I have been blogging for several years and in a couple of months, I will start writing my next mystery novel. I expect that I will double my viewers this time. Seriously.

Both of my novels and most of my short stories are available for free on Scribd. I do believe in Tim O’Reilly’s “Obscurity is the Enemy” concept. I also believe that as an unknown writer, everything I sell in paperback had better be available for free in digital form. Yes, Cory Doctorow is my hero!

I do not expect a book publisher to find me and want to publish me, no matter how big or small my platform is. My only concern is that I come to press with a new book every year, and that each new book is better than the last. Growing my audience year after year is more important to me than getting a Cinderella contract. Because even with said contract, if you don’t have an audience, you won’t get another contract.

To be a successful author you need to keep writing and keep releasing new books, until your back catalog begins to earn enough to eat on. Expecting your first or fifth book to suddenly be your tipping point, is unrealistic and putting your drafts online is only one small part of getting an audience.

Also, get on Twitter. It is impossible to measure the value of speaking to other established writers as you learn your craft.

Thomas,
Everything you say makes sense to me! I appreciate how concise your message is and on point.
Always something to sink our teeth into!
Stephanie

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