Does Blogging Help An Unpublished Writer

Published on by thelonelyauthorblog

Hello, as a new member to the blogging world, I ask myself is this platform useful for an unpublished writer. Having read varying opinions about this, I will offer a few random thoughts about the subject.

First, what negatives can come from blogging (other than carpal tunnel syndrome)? Not knowing how to effectively manage one’s time can be a major setback. Blogging your life away when you could be editing your manuscript, writing the next chapter, or improving your query appears to be the greatest danger. Too many people get caught up in social media and forget the priorities in their lives. If your goal is to become a published author, your writing must come before your blog.

Blogging doesn’t necessarily translate into improved book sales for a fiction writer. I have read reports that state blogging is a huge plus for writers of non-fiction, who have a platform to demonstrate their expertise. Their followers will mostly likely be people interested in the subject matter. A fiction writer can post short stories and have a following, but not all of your followers will enjoy the type of fiction you write, thus no guarantee of greater book sales.

What are the positives? Well, I am trying to use my blog as a platform to introduce my characters. I don’t use excerpts from my manuscript, I write about my characters in other periods in their lives; days or years before the time period of the book. My queries will mention my blog and advise literary agents they can learn more about my characters on my blog.

Having this blog has also forced me to think more about my writing and the marketing aspect of the publishing world. We as author need to wear two hats. writer and salesman. And the first thing we need to sell is ourselves. I admit marketing myself and my work has never been my forte. Hopefully, this will help me improve my queries and my self confidence when approaching literary agents. It can’t hurt.

What do you think about blogging helping or hurting your unpublished work?

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285 thoughts on “Does Blogging Help An Unpublished Writer”

    1. Carrie you have so much more to juggle, too. Honestly, I don’t know how women do it. I imagine you sleep about four hours a day on a good day. And changing the subject when is Eating Bull coming out in paperback? Sorry, I am an old fashion guy, need the feel the pages in my hand. Will you make an announcement about the date? Love all stories about serial killers and you seem to have found a fresh take on the genre. Thanks for stopping by..

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      1. I get plenty of sleep–it’s too important not to! I have one son in college and the other is in high school, so their requirements of me aren’t great. Now, when they were little, that was a different story. 🙂

        Eating Bull will be released November 12th in ebook and paperback (unless there’s a hold up). I’ll certainly announce it. Thank you so much for your interest!

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  2. I think blogging helps an unpublished or published writer. Your blog is more of a personal platform in which you could develop your characters and people could also give you their feedback on your characters. When it comes to books, the sales will represent the popularity of your book, but not what people think.

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    1. Hopeful Wanderer, I hope to do exactly what you describe. Introduce my characters. It has also forced me to think of my characters in situations outside of my novels. So, it has been a helpful too for me.
      Thanks for stopping by to comment.

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  3. Blogging takes up so much of my free time these days. I enjoy it, but I’m not a writer and I have no plans to start on a novel. I just can’t imagine how you guys find the time to blog and write other stuff. Your hands must whizz over the keyboard at phenomenal speeds! 🙂

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  4. Hopefully it will help you too. Simply throw out your negative thinking and concentrate on this line. A scholar get his attention where ever he may go, but a king doesn’t get that. If you are able to make a following list here you will shortly achieve it in the book segment also.

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  6. I have mixed feelings about the blogging, time expended, vs sales or attention from a literary agent. I don’t think, despite all that is written, that blogging necessarily equals sales for most authors. 14,000 follows does not = 14,000 sales, just a temporarily happy ego. It doesn’t even = 14,000 likes on a good day, poor ego. 5,000 book sales a week is what it takes to be a New York Times Bestseller. Word of mouth sells a good book. Blogging is ultimately a selfish act if you only have something to sell. Following and clicking ‘like’ when you just want to remain seen without reading or caring about a post is unfulfilling. If you truly enjoy blogging and connecting with others in an otherwise solitary craft, such as art or writing, then it has a wonderful benefit beyond an expectation of sales. So, blog on.

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    1. I am sure that blogging doesn’t necessarily mean added sales. (And I love your ratios. LOL) Thank you for the insightful opinion, advice, and comment. As you said what sells a book is word of mouth, and of course, a great book. So, far I am enjoying the blogging experience. It has helped me meet people like you. Thanks for stopping by to opine.

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  7. I’ve written books and then found that blogging is more rewarding. For myself that is. But on another note if you introduce your writing here and followers send your posts to twitter, etc. it would be a plus also. Just saying.

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  8. You made me smile when you said that you write about your characters during other times of their lives, outside of the story you are writing. I don’t write fiction so I’m always fascinated by the fiction writing process and how writers engage with their characters and almost see them as having complete lives.

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  10. You raise a lot of great points. I use my blog to share my writing which has always been, first and foremost, therapy. I also use it to share my love of life and thoughts about the myriad of emotions we experience every day. And, I guess, I use my blog as a way to meet like-minded people who continue to be inspirations to me as I continue this journey of life.

    Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Writing is therapy for me too. I am happy that you said that. I always wondered if I was the only one. Blogging has helped me get in touch with other writers, Odd the lonely author connecting with other people. How sweet. Thanks for your follow, comments, and friendship, It is great connecting with you.

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      1. It’s my pleasure…I look forward to building on what we have started…and we are all lonely authors, as writing is a solitary endeavor only completely understood by those who write…have a great day, my friend…Thomas

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  11. Good question! Blogging, my style, might hinder my unpublished works due to my continuous experimentation of writing styles tested on my site. As a writer, I don’t write about the writing process. Instead, I use my blog-site as a platform to maintain a deadline, producing (I hope) entertaining polished prose. It’s a shorter satisfying process compared to the marathon-run of writing/editing/publishing novels.

    It’s also been great way to find new writer/reader friends who offer constructive feedback and support while I try to perfect my craft.

    But most all, you do what feels right for you.

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    1. Yes, blogging is an excellent way to experiment with our writing. That is exactly what I am doing with my characters. And you’re right, I have discovered so many supportive and positive people. I know I made the right decision to start this blog. Thanks for stopping by to comment. And your blog and writing are awesome. Will drop by real soon.

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  12. What I find fascinating about blogging is the sense of community it creates. It gets very easy to meet people, have ideas and share views about writing. Having said that I have found that “what works” for a blog post does not necessarily work when it comes to the type of literary type of writing you want to do. For example, I saw that short stories tend to attract less readers than an easy-to-read blog post. Yet, having a routine for blogging helps finding the kind of tune you want to get for your stories. For example, I have started writing deep and spiritual stories to then realise that what I want to write is more towards the dark and horror realm. Just my two cents really…

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    1. Thanks for your two cents. Blogging has provided me the platform to introduce my characters in little excerpts. I have already received encouraging feedback, that builds my confidence. For a novel writer the benefits may not be as great as a blog for poetry. I have read incredible passages and poems that have inspired me to write more. This community as you referred to it, is full of inspiration and hope. It has been a positive experience for me so far. It has also forced me to write EVERYDAY. Thank you for stopping by to comment, offer your opinion, and thanks for following me. Let me say, it is a pleasure to follow your blog.

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  14. Not sure if it helps or not. I suppose if you reach thousands of followers it might. Quite frankly, I started blogging because I got so frustrated with the whole publishing process. At least it’s a way to get myself out there, and be part of the writing community. Plus I get to decide what goes on my blog and when, and it’s sort of a litmus test. Does anyone besides my family even like what I write? I don’t think there’s any set formula…do what’s right for you. Just keep writing.

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    1. Lisa V, yeah it must help a little when you have 30 or 0 thousand followers. (I am about 40 thousand short of that. LOL). Like you said, it is a great platform to hear what others think about our work. My wife, daughter, and friends are always so encouraging, but are they really being honest? Getting feedback from other writers is what helps us improve our craft. I will stop by your page to provide more criticism.Thanks for following me. It is a pleasure following your blog. I will be in touch with you. Thanks.

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  15. My husband and I are planning on co-authoring an illustrated novel…not a comic book and not a children’s book. But since I started this blog, BURNToast with my sister (and you would think co-authoring wouldn’t be as time-consuming) I have little free time to work on our book. But we just started, I’m hoping it’ll come easier. We have learned to set deadlines for submitting our work to one another to have plenty of time for edits and revisions. But most of the week is taken up by work during the day, writing at night, revising, submitting, revising more, and then posting. I’m sure we’ll get in a groove though.

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    1. Amazing. At first blogging didn’t consume much of my time, but lately it has drained me. It isn’t easy juggling our time. Best of luck on your book. I figured co-authoring your blog would have been easier. I will stop by your page and spend more time there. Thanks for stopping by mine. Really appreciate it.

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  16. I have found that blogging opened up a new world for me and gave me the confidence to finally publish a memoir (10 years in the making). It has given me a platform to be offered a regular gig writing paid one-off articles for a magazine in Texas. I self-published on Kindle and it will never be a best-seller but there is a great sense of achievement. When I have a deadline coming up, I stick to blogging short anecdotes or sometimes just photographs. When I have more time, I communicate more with WordPress friends and followers. Finally, if an article has to be researched and I am tired, it helps to change writing topics to refresh the mind. I even wrote my first piece of creative fiction recently (published on another blog) and really enjoyed it. Good luck with your blog – it is beautifully laid out.

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    1. Thanks for your input. And congratulations. You are correct, blogging does open a new world for all of us, I have read great work from unknown writers who normally wouldn’t never get the chance to reach our homes. I have received input and advice from other talented writers that build my confidence. I am so happy I started blogging. And I am happy to follow and converse with you. Thanks.

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  17. At it’s best blogging provides a way to connect with other writers, for critique and the kind of creative interactions that spark fresh ideas. I think of it as a spontaneous electronic salon to which everyone is invited.

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    1. I love this reply. You are right about the writing community coming together to interact, motivate, and inspire. I have read many posts n other blogs that inspire me to write more. Thanks for stopping by. I really appreciate your thoughts.

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  18. Glad to know an author like you. I can’t say much about blogging as I am new also and I am not a writer. I guess, I love reading and interacting more unlike you. 🙂 Blogging for me is sharing and meeting people, great people and usually very good writers. God bless to all of your writing endeavors!

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  19. If you write to earn income, become an instructor. If you write to earn fame, kill someone. If you write because you must, then the conduit does not matter. What matters is doing it well.
    You have created here a thought-provoking, well written piece. Hardly a waste of time.
    I would be more concerned with the time blogging siphons from reading than writing. Great authors almost uniformly speak about the importance of good reading in connection with good writing. So much of the internet is trite and wasteful (present company excluded). That might be where the true danger to your art hides.
    I wish you all the best in your endeavors.

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  22. Thought provoking for sure. I totally agree that you can suddenly find yourself spending too much time blogging, rather than editing or writing and yet social media is the tool to promote your work. Tricky…

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  23. I think blogging is a creative outlet and allows you to get your work out there. It provides you with online friendships and see what others are doing. I also think that it’s a weak marketing tool. Oh, it will get you the occasional comment of your book on Amazon or Goodreads but it’s far from paying for your investment both in time and money. I think the most essential thing to remember if you want to use blogging as a marketing tool is to follow blogs who like to read what you write. Something, I’m still trying to do. 🙂

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    1. Thank you for your insightful comments. I think blogging can unite you with others from the writing community, perhaps provide some feedback, but help in actual sales, I doubt it. Thank you for stopping by my page to comment. I will be spending some time at your blog.

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  24. I will say that blogging has helped my non-fic book sales more than any other marketing effort I’ve made. I share my thoughts, give stuff away, and encourage readers to get more from my store. I don’t know if it will work as well for fiction. I’ll find out soon!

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  25. You raise many valid points here about blogging. Tick to carpal tunnel (don’t those tests just hurt!), tick to not editing/working on draft etc. However, great to meet so many like-minded people, be introduced to new books / ideas / techniques as well as basic computer help as well as fun challenges and tags. Balance is the answer I suppose. At least I don’t do any other social networking…which is just as well I think!

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  26. I definitely think blogging helps, but it took me a long time to find the right balance and sort through how I would spend my blogging time. I now only follow blogs that engage with me (liking or commenting on my posts). This allows me time to invest in the bloggers who invest in me. Relationships grow and its fun rather than a chore. Bloggers get to know me and they buy my books, do reviews and blog about them. I do the same – just purchased Carrie’s book. Does it get me hundreds of readers? No, but I’m patient. I never started writing to get rich anyway. Ad campaigns probably work better and save tons of time, but they’re expensive over the long haul.

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  28. Reblogged this on quirkywritingcorner and commented:
    One of the things I had planned to do on my blog was share more of my own writing. This way everyone would see my writing skills and, hopefully, buy my books. However, I do very little writing. I enjoy the blog more for fun and learning than as a book-selling platform. Does that make me a blog failure? Nope. I have learned a lot on a variety of subjects, gotten ideas for characters and scenes, and have made new friends. Can’t ask for better than that.

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    1. It is a win win situation. I don’t think blogging is the right marketing platform. It may sell a handful of books at most. what is priceless about blogging is the interaction with other writers, receiving feedback. It will be great conversing with you. I will drop by your page later today or tomorrow. Thanks for commenting. And a million thanks for the reblog.

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  29. I like the idea of exploring characters outside of the confines of your manuscript. This is an exercise I’ve done before but never on my blog. I imagine them as invisible friends ( always had one as a child) so it would be easy to write about their back stories.
    As for blogging, I do it because I love the connection with people I’d probably never meet otherwise. As a side benefit blogging has helped my writing motivation, sort of entrenched the writing discipline I needed. And oh, the stories to be found out there in blogging land …!

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    1. It is so true Robyn. Now I am spending more time writing or thinking about writing. And of all the communities in the world, I don’t think you can’t find one as united and creative as the writing community. Think about posting shorts scenes of your characters outside of your book. What better way to introduce them? I would be happy to read them for you. Hey. thanks for stopping by to comment.

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      1. Thank you! A generous offer and a reciprocal one where time allows. While my blog is largely a reflective one of life through the lens of my garden, I am a writer with one finished ms and another half done. I have been in the thrall of stories and my imagination since I can remember. I like your thoughtful comments and positive approach to our craft. I look forward to reading more of your posts later today. : )

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  30. I’ve been blogging for almost a year now on a non-fiction topic. They are short life-writing stories about personal change through an urban experiment of riding my bicycle in everyday life. I’m also writing a NF manuscript on another topic. This means there is always the need to self-manage my time and energy across these projects. I find if I cease to think of them as competing projects and begin to see them as avenues for my creative expression, they find a place of greater harmony with each other and within my day.

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    1. Blogging is so helpful for non-fiction writers. Your expertise (even in life experience) can help the marketing of your work. Time management is key t our success. We need to find to blog and connect with other writers, and still find time to create and edit new work. Thanks for stopping by my blog, it is late, so I will visit your page tomorrow. Thanks for reaching out to me.

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  31. Blogging does take up a lot of time! It sounds like you have a great idea, though, to use blogging as a creative tool to help focus and develop your characters or ideas for your other writing. Best of luck in your endeavors!

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  32. I’m not a fiction writer but love this medium to share my recipes and photos…my sister and I just started our blog in March and I’ve found over the last six months that blogging can become ‘all-consuming” and I’ve had to create a schedule for myself to get away from the desk! Also, I’m not sure blogging helps an unpublished writer…I do plan on publishing a cookbook (or a few) from what we’re blogging, however there are so many blogs out there (wonderful and mediocre) that it’s hard to get noticed. So for now, we just do what we love and hope for the best! Good luck to you as well! :):)

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  36. Blogging is definitely getting me more comfortable with talking about my writing with others, and accepting both criticism and praise. Not to mention it’s great for breaking writer’s block wide open…

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  37. Good thoughts. Thanks for sharing. For me, starting a blog was a way to get over my fear of other people reading what I write, and to help me stay on track with writing, to make sure I’m doing it every day (even if I don’t post every day). Also, like you mentioned, it’s a way for me to get familiar with marketing myself, which is totally not a strength for me.

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    1. Marketing has always been my downfall. Blogging forces us to be writers and salesmen. As you said, it makes we write or think of writing everyday. Also helps me connect with talented writers like you. Thanks for stopping by. I love your blog.

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      1. Thanks for the compliments (here and on my blog)! And, you’re write about the connection piece. Besides working on my writing, the thing I’ve most enjoyed is being able to connect with other writers, learn from them, and hopefully be mutually encouraging. I’m glad we were able to connect.

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  38. I think the latest and pretty brilliant example of blogger-turned-writer would be Andy Weir. I think blogging does help us a writer. When we put up something for public reading(like a post), we are opening ourselves to scrutiny. That can only help us and our writing. So a definite thumbs up. Nice post again.

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      1. I read somewhere that he faced rejection for The Martian from publishers, just as you did for your book. He started putting up his book in chapters on his website. And today we have a Oscar-contender from that. And yes, we sure need criticism. 😉

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  39. I love blogging, and it has definitely taken up my time when I should be working on my manuscript. One positive thing about it is that it is a good networking forum with other authors.

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  40. Well m doing diploma in public relations so I like to write as well so blogging is kind a place well suited for me where I can get response for my writings, and m new to this blogging sites so it’s more fascinating for me plus I can also getting more new ideas and opportunity to know other’s way of thinking too, so it’s really resourcefull for me

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  42. Hi,
    You liked my comment on Pearly’s site. I wanted to come over to thank you.
    I looked over your post. Sounds kind of sad to me. Authors have to blog and publish and use their blog to gain interest… so busy. Yet, you say it doesn’t even necessarily help. Sounds simpler in the past.
    Janice

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  46. Blogging is a bit addictive so maybe I shouldn’t have gone down this path ? I reckon I might have been much further ahead in terms of my writing, but I enjoy it!! Possibly it is my way to procrastinate …… but I’m going to fight against the urge and have a mini blogging break soon and get my writing projects in order.

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  47. I’m glad to know it might be useful to me, as a writer of non-fiction. I do understand how much time this does take away from writing my book. Building a platform is very important, however, so it’s crucial. It’s also fun!

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  48. I love that you play out other aspects of your characters on the blog, giving them a life beyond the borders of the book. That is very clever and I bet it’s fun to insert them into other scenarios as well!

    Thank you for the follow 🙂 Now I’ve found you!

    ☀ Memee

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  49. That is an interesting approach, to introduce your characters here. I like that idea a lot, and am looking forward to reading more.
    Like you, blogging is my attempt at marketing which does not come naturally for me at all but has really always been necessary for creative people. I like the social aspect of blogging, because being shut up in my studio or out in the field I can feel lonely. This way I can invite friends into my studio and then ask them to leave again simply by turning off my computer for the day.

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    1. Thanks. Blogging is the perfect way for you to market your work.will continue introducing secondary characters and show my main characters in different situations. It is a long road. So, I will try to amuse so we can enjoy the ride. Thanks for stopping by.

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  50. I agree completely. My blog is nonfiction, about anxiety and mental health issues. So I think it’ll help my writing. But I do have trouble balancing it all. Thanks for the follow.. I look forward to your posts!

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