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A Writer Writes: Answer Bag Ticket #1

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Need a social revolution? Write On!

How goes it neighbor?

I’m a a newbie when it comes to writing a novel intended for publication. Beyond pubbing my short story/novella eBook, I’m learning like you, so it takes me by surprise when fellow aspiring authors ask me for advice. That’s scary, and flattering because my mission is to spill my experience of the process and the industry, without discouraging anyone. So, with assurances that the answers ring true for me, in the next three posts, I’ll  address the top questions from the last couple of months.  I invite you to apply the practices from my Answer Bag and juggle the possibilities to see if they’ll work for you.

Answer Bag Ticket #1: Do I need a blog or website?

I’m tempted to answer, “HELL YES”, but that gets us nowhere. It is also a short answer for a long journey. Ask yourself two questions to determine if having a blog or website is right for you:

* Am I writing for myself or an audience?

*What do I want the blog to do for me or my intended audience?

The key is to consider what you are writing for.

If time spent at your keyboard produces content intended for just you or your friends and family: It is a closed circle of reader ship, so you are probably okay without a blog or website unless you want to use it as a meeting place to share your, or your group’s writing efforts. On the other hand, a blog is a great way to get started practicing the act of writing itself. Starting a blog gets you into the habit of sitting down at the keyboard each day, and by exploring other blogs within a service like Blogger or WordPress, you might just get inspired to hit the keys and share your thoughts with others. Oh, and get a timer. It helps to dedicate a specific amount of time to your goal of writing daily.

If you are a new writer, with an eye on publication: Whether it’s a short story you want to submit to a magazine or anthology, or a full length manuscript for a work of fiction, you are going to want to begin building a name for yourself, and one of the simplest ways to do that is to create a personal, yet public blog. Its uses are many, and there are no shortage of social sites on which to blog. As with a personal blog, a public blog can help you get into the habit of writing every day, as well as discovering an enormous community of online interaction and support for your interests and efforts. That is just the beginning.

Having a public blog-space gives you a place to build your brand as an author; in other words, it offers exposure. The best way to go about that is to write something every week or a couple times a week. You can discuss subjects of interest to you, or that you are expert in, or you can wonder as you wander around on this space rock of ours, and put it to words. Either way, put it out there so that people find you. The secret ingredient?  Enjoy what you are writing about, but make an effort to experience other blogs and interact with those writers. Share what they are doing on  sites that intrigue you with a link from your site. Comment, learn, savor and most of all write. Once you have your blog site or web page set up, you might decide to branch out onto Twitter or Facebook, Google plus, and other social media sites.

So now you are a blogger who aspires to submit work for publication.

You’ve got a blog or website, have decorated and made it homey, silly or creepy to your heart’s content. You have followers and you are in constant contact with them, posting your opinions, and commenting on theirs. You have a Twitter account, plus you are blogging on a Google account. You’ve added a Facebook presence and are participating in five other social media venues with pictures on Pinterest…and you haven’t typed a soul-searing short story in weeks. You have penned no poetry, and the deadline to submit it cannot be seen from your rear view mirror, it is so far in the past. Oh, and what about your manuscript?

What manuscript? You’ve been so busy interacting and tapping away at the keys for your various social media sites that you forgot your original purpose.

Blogging is truly a remarkable social/marketing tool, whatever platform you choose. But best of all? It sucks your time away and you won’t even see it happening. You have become a lab rat in a successful social experiment.

My advice?

Unplug.

Like over indulgence of pretty much anything, too much blogging is a time-trap. Narrow your focus to one or two blogs until you have a few of those original writing goals under your belt, and watch your time free up for writing that 300 page doozy that’s stewing in your brain. Hit the keyboard with an eye to target that submission deadline, or even create an imaginary deadline that you want your current work to be ready by, because the person who submits is ahead of the pack.

It’s that simple.

Sure, blogging is a great way to commiserate with fellow writers, to connect with people from around the globe who have like interests and share with each other our fears and goals, our pitfalls and triumphs; but to become a published writer you must write with a goal to submitting your work.

The rule of thumb that I follow is that if my brain needs a change of pace from my current projects, but I still want to focus on writing to stay in the habit every day, I blog. So my blog exists for me to learn from others, share knowledge through continuance of writing, and socialize. Also, it is the marketing tool for my brand name, but for that to happen, I have to have a product. I keep this in mind…and so should you, my writing friends:

When you are blogging you are practicing your writing and connecting socially and professionally, but you are not crafting your story.

When you are writing you are working toward a goal; spinning tales to offer your potential readers through publication.

Blogger Blog.

Writers write.

Now go hammer out that story. Your readers will  flood your blog with good will later.

My own MS in progress is just past 41,000 words and counting, earning me a coffee break, everything bagel, and a blogpost. Right now the writing life is a chewy circle seeded with free time and spiked with liquid roast-heaven in a cup. Savor the goodness!

Cheers!

Kate Dancey



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