There's some interesting conversation going on for and about YA writers at Carol's Prints and Invincible Summer. If you write YA, I suggest you check them out because they bring up some very valid points about writing YA. I don't write YA, but one of the issues brought up has made me go "Hmm..."
It's the point about who we blog for. Do we blog for other writers? For readers? For agents or editors we hope might be checking us out? Personal friends and family? After all, as I've said in this Marketing Monday post and will come back to in future marketing-related posts, we need to know who our target audience is and write for them.
Which brings me to my own blog. I originally started this blog, called A Mused Writer, mostly to ramble and make sense of my writing, whine about the challenges of getting published and, I hoped, to mix and mingle with other writers. I planned to share what I've learned and my experiences in exchange for all the great knowledge writers share on their own blogs.
When I switched over my URL, www.KristieCook.com, to the blog, though, it also became my communication tool to reach out to readers. I'd read somewhere about how our blogs' audiences change over time, depending where we are in the publishing spectrum - from newbie and unagented to agented but unpublished to published to bestseller. It made sense and I knew my messages would have to evolve with my audience.
After reading the two blogs above, though, and giving it some serious consideration, my publishing team and I agreed that www.KristieCook.com should be for the author communicating with readers - about my books, my characters, the series, special events and appearances, etc., as well as a way for readers to get to know me on a more personal level. The book sites are all about the books, creating questions. The author site should be about answering questions and making a connection with the reader.
But what about my writer friends? I love you all. I've learned so much from you and I'd still like to share the little bit that I know, too. One of my goals in going indie is to be able to help other new writers achieve their goals. So I'm not about to give you up.
So, a bunch of words to basically say that I'll be doing some renovations here. I don't know the logistics yet, but I'm pretty sure that the end result will be either a new author's site or a new writer's blog. I don't want to lose archives relevant to either side, though, so I still have to figure it all out. Wish me luck!
What do you think? Have you thought about what you'll do with your blog as your career evolves? Anyone interested in doing a writing blog with me? :-) And any thoughts about those other two posts for YA writers?
I started my blog specifically to network with other writers. I had been a lurker for a couple years, and then finally dove in and presented myself as an aspiring writer through my blog.
ReplyDeleteI've always thought of it as a networking tool only, and if/when I ever get a book deal, I'd make an official website and communicate with fans through that.
I'm looking forward to reading the two blogs you posted about,thanks. I started mine to meet new writer friends, and had no idea I'd meet so many. I usually blog about writing, but sometimes (like tonight's post), I just need to get things out of my system. And it's nice to know that others feel the same.
ReplyDeleteAt the moment, I have two blogs. The second blog was started because I didn't want to put the general writing topics, themes, genre chat in the same places as writing excerpts, blogfest entries and my writing updates. But let me go back to the first one, since I started it well over a year ago.
ReplyDeleteDawn Embers, I don't remember exactly why I started it but I'd seen some blogs and it sounded like a good idea. I had a political blog at the time, which I used as a project for a special class at the university. Got an A even, but when I was done I realized I wanted to talk about writing instead. So, I started the blog with the idea of rambling about writing, interview some authors and maybe review a few books. I never imagined 130+ people would follow my blog. Something like that.
It's In the Book (itsinthebookde) was second and is now where the posts pertaining my actual writing goes.
I like to blog to network, to share my thoughts and you never know who will see them. Thanks to my sister, I had Tamora Pierce comment on two posts, which was super cool in that nerdy fangirl type of way. But sometimes I wonder about the reasons for blogging. I don't get many comments at this point and even giveaways have minimal participation but at this point I'm hooked. I'd rather blog than do homework! lol
That is a really good topic! I blog for my writer friends but I've also recently been thinking about the changes my blog will make once I get published. I do eventually want it to morph into something for my readers but I'll always touch on things for writers~though maybe a bit less. I want to help others as well as keep my readers interested.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the shoutout, luv. I've been concerned about who I was targeting with my blog for a long time. The thing with YA is that not that many teens are trolling the blogs, so the bulk of my following will likely end up being writers and bloggers, so it's a fine line, trying to make it appealing to my readers as well as other writers and bloggers. I think there's a compromise, but it definitely involves taking both into consideration for every post probably.
ReplyDeleteCheyanne, that was my plan, too. But we should start building a reader-base BEFORE we get that book deal. I figured my blog was building that base...which it has, but most of my blog readers are writers who probably get tired of my writing about Promise and Purpose so much. And readers skip over the posts about marketing books, challenges of writing, etc. :-P
ReplyDeleteLisa, yes, it is nice to be able to vent because others know exactly what you're going through. That's why I love my writer friends and don't want to lose that part of my blogging.
ReplyDeleteDawn, you and I have discussed this more extensively. I've been thinking about this since before we started that discussion. I'm becoming more and more convinced that making a split is the best thing to do.
ReplyDeleteHeather, that morphing is what I've been trying to do. It's hard, though, because I think you lose readers' interest when you blog about irrelevant (to them) topics too often. I keep going back to my marketing post about the target customer. Everything you write should have a purpose for a target customer, even if that target customer is yourself. If you're happy with only pleasing yourself, then no worries. Otherwise, you have to think about your readers, especially with blogging (books are a little different).
ReplyDeleteCarolina, you do have to take both into consideration for every post and that's what makes it hard. My marketing posts, for example, are mostly for writers, but other readers can benefit from the info, too. But showing how it's relevant to them, as well, just makes the post more diluted and cumbersome.
ReplyDeleteAs for your YA readers - they WILL look for your website. If you have a blog, I guarantee they will get into it. From what I know of your writing, they'll be hanging on every word you write. If I were a YA writer, I'd definitely have something different just for my readers, because what I'd say to them would be so much different than what I'd say to experienced, jaded adults.