Just an FYI for the Racers: I have created a new blog that more accurately brands me as a writer. (i.e. 'branding' like a trademark.) My main blog will remain the same, but I will also have besanderson.blogspot.com (currently called 'Tabula Rasa') to use as a place for posting my work.
I've already tossed one short story out there, if any of you are interested in a quick read.
What do the rest of you think about branding as it relates to this crazy profession? Do you work at making a name for yourself via your blogs and/or websites? Or do you think I'm just a nut for taking on another blog?
Inquiring minds want to know.
9 comments:
Well I've just purchased two domain names for future use. Being published is so competitive that I'm a firm believer that anything and everything helps. You have to get yourself out there. So no, I don't think you're a nut. Quite the opposite!
Not a nut at all. Like it or not, it seems to be the direction things are taking. It would be nice to think we could concentrate on our writing and find a discerning publisher who takes the time to read things submitted to them. Now, they seem to spend increasing amounts of time trawling blogspace for popular sites with lots of positive feedback. It's all part of the game and the only reason I have a couple of blogs - one where I can mouth off and the other where I can build an identity for the works in progress. Self marketing has always been a part of being a writer. I suppose we have to move into the twenty-first century to stand a chance of ambushing a whizz-kid agent or a publisher.
I am totally with you and Graeme on this. My main blog is about me, my progress as a writer and the other aspects of my life I am happy to talk about. But I do think carefully about what I write.
Since the end of last year I have quietly had a second blog, which I kept private for a long time, but now link to from my main blog. This is the one that contains short extracts from the first three chapters of my work in progress, has a very brief synopsis and will be building on the main themes.
I think it's really sensible. If your aim is - as Helen implies - to get published by a regular publisher, a successful blog can go along way directly: It acts as proof that there's a market for you out there & proof that you're already established with an audience.
It also gives you the option of just doing it for yourself. If you can build up a big enough audience, why not just self-publish, market it through them, & have done with it?
Alongside all of that, as I'm sure you've figured out from this place, it's a great networking tool.
Good luck with it all!
daniel
I have a website gateway to all my blogs and other websites. I think you have to, these days. I know that Miss Snark would always look at an applicant's site so I assume other agents and publishers do as well.
Not nutty at all - I think it's a fabulous way to showcase your work and, as has been said before, self-marketing does seem the way to go.
Like Helen, I (well, lovely bf actually) bought a domain name for me which I will do something with when the time is right.
I have rather a mish-mash on my blog but tend to think personality is a large part of most things and a blog conveys that - or, at the very least, gives an idea of whether or or not one can string a sentence together coherently.
Loved the story, for what it's worth.
Thanks guys. =o) Nice to know I'm not just running around making more work for myself for nothing.
And thanks, Jen. It's really worth a lot. =oD
There are lots of reasons to blog and offering the world a free sample of your brand is pretty good one.
Makes great sense to me.
Keep creating,
Mike
I think it makes a lot of sense.
We have to market ourselves - especially if any of us intend to take the self publishing route which is getting more respectable...and cheaper..all the time (Already anticipating the 'keep your day job' replies from agents.)
On having a private blog, I have one just for me as it helps me to keep track of things and if my old laptop crashes - it's all there.
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