Author Branding Through Blogging – Part 2

The Book Vs. the Author

 

As my writing interests expanded, so did my blog. It eventually morphed into an author website with links to my other social media profiles and my books, an overview of my professional portfolio and, of course, my blog posts. I thought about creating a different website for SLEEP IS FOR THE WEAK for about a nanosecond before abandoning that idea. Why? Start as you mean to continue. I’m so glad I didn’t – if I had, then I’d be tempted to do another one for THE OBVIOUS GAME and then all of the sudden I’d have three websites to maintain and promote on top of the books and my blog.

Are you an author first and foremost or do you see yourself as a professional expert who happens to have a book (and there’s no shame in that – I have a psychologist friend who falls into this category)? If you’re an author first – meaning you intend to write more than one book – seriously consider whether you want to invest time, energy and money into a website for each book. That goes for a Facebook page for each book, a Twitter account for your characters, anything that’s going to take your time and energy away from your writing. It’s my job to sit on social media all day, and I still don’t do everything that could be done. It’s exhausting.

I see my blog as an example of my writing and a home base. I have a few different styles of posts I rotate through, and though none of them are the same as my voice in my books, if you like my blog I think you’ll like my books and vice versa, because I don’t change significantly from place to place. If you want to figure out how to contact me, you can find all that stuff on my blog. It’s a one-stop shop. It may not be as beautiful or clever as some of the book websites I’ve seen, but it’s updated a few times a week and it has a community of people who – bless them – care what I have to say and support me and my writing in ways that shock me all the time. That community of people has taken eight years to build, and I don’t take it for granted, ever. It’s what keeps me posting even when I feel like I have nothing to say. If you focus on putting up some examples of your writing and your interests as well as including all your contact information, social media profiles and links to your books, you’re well on your way to establishing your own community of people who will like you for yourself, not for what you’re trying to project.

Next: What Should I Say?