Some people have asked me why I write a blog when I could be concentrating on my current novel and as usual I cannot generalise but can only give my personal points of view. Here are some of my thoughts on the matter:
- Promotion The obvious reason, initially, was to promote my debut novel ‘Riduna’ by writing a variety of topics which might interest a target reader, such as pertinent places, people and events. A fun way to link up with like minded people.
- Writing Background Information to my novel Secondly it gave me an opportunity to write about my research for ‘Riduna’ giving more background information to my readers not available on my website.
- Advertise News of Events It freed my from the constraints of my website which I had no control over, so that between my diary blog and my theme blog I could advertise events etc without continually contacting my Webmaster. (as he hides in his capsule – Do not Disturb! – I’m busy with more technical stuff – Only Joking Peter if you’re reading this!)
- Writing about writing I didn’t want my blog to be just a writer’s blog about writing – excellent though some of the ones I’ve read are – on why, how and what I write – but I did want to explore the way in which I write and describe, not only how my writing has developed over the last few years, ever honing my skills, but also share my mistakes and frustrations along the way. Writing is like teaching. It is a continuous learning curve and the time you think you’ve got it almost perfect is probably the time to give up.
- Topical Posts A blog is an ideal opportunity for a novel writer like myself, to write about a variety topics, in fact whatever’s on my mind at the time. These are my ‘one off’ blogs when I share personal thoughts and experiences.
- It is a platform to reach an audience sometimes the unexpected. You never know who is reading your posts. My highest number of readers on a day is 65. That’s great because the graphs show a steady increase month by month. A few respond, not always by leaving a comment but usually by sharing a tweet on twitter or writing on facebook.
- Social Media Networking I’m excited to follow in the footsteps of some famous authors in discovering the way that Twitter, Facebook and blogs all link up and each seem to generate a different type of audience. My understanding of how it all works has been a little slow off the mark but I’m on a journey and it’s an exciting one.
- Two way communication I was talking to a Journalist of a national newspaper and it was interesting to think that his readers are on the whole faceless and voiceless. Almost the moment I have published my blog I can be reached by readers from all over the world. One moment I have made a lady in Canada feel homesick for the island of her birth and on another I’m reached by a lady in Australia whose literature teacher at school was similar to mine.
So why do I blog? Because I enjoy doing it!
Next post in this theme ‘Is a Blog Writer a Real Writer?’ comments on a postcard please and sent asap
Diana Jackson 