"Should all writers have a blog?"
I see this question cropping up a lot ... usually from individual writers as "Do I need a blog?"
Here's the quick answer: no.
Not every writer needs a blog. In
fact, for some writers, a blog is probably a distraction from their work. Instead of focusing on what they actually want to write, they pour time into writing a weekly (or even daily!) blog post that, frankly, hardly anyone is going to read.
I'm certainly not anti-blogging (and you've probably noticed that I have a blog of my own, Aliventures...) I do feel strongly, though, that there's no "one size fits all" answer for writers.
Three
Reasons a Blog Might Suit You, as a Writer
A blog could well be a good fit for you if one of these applies:
#1: You're a Non-Fiction Writer
If you plan to write non-fiction books (or have already written one or more), then a blog can be a great way to build an audience and "platform" for your work.
Gretchen Rubin does this with her blog (
gretchenrubin.com) about "happiness and good habits", and her various books that tie in to that topic.
#2: You Have Services or Products to Sell to Your
Audience
This describes the majority of blogs that I read regularly: they post lots of excellent, free content (usually at least weekly) – and this is funded through selling products and/or services.
For instance, Darren Rowse from
ProBlogger.com runs an excellent, long-established blog about blogging. He also sells blogging-related ebooks, runs an annual conference, and takes part in various affiliate promotions. (Note: I wouldn't advise trying to make money purely from affiliate income and/or advertising: I'll be talking
about this more in next week's newsletter.)
#3: You Want to Write Occasional, In-Depth Blog Posts
This type of blog can, I think, work well for almost any writer. You can add a "blog" section to your website and write occasional articles that are aimed at your ideal reader or client.
Joanna Penn (under her fiction-writing name J.F. Penn) does this with an "Articles" section on her website,
JFPenn.com. She writes in-depth posts about places she's visited while researching her novels, and presents these in a way designed to appeal to readers coming from search engines (e.g. "10 Beautiful And
Unusual Places To Visit In Venice").
If you do intend to blog, put some serious thought into what your blog is supposed to achieve. Is it a way to showcase your writing to potential freelance clients? Are you designing your posts to get readers in from search engines and social media, so you can sell them your book? Do you want to build up a long-term readership who'll buy products and services from you for years to
come?
Your blogging goals will make a huge difference to how you set up your blog, what you write about, and how often you write.
If you're currently blogging and realising that you haven't ever really thought about what your blog is for, now might be a good time to take a step back! Have a few weeks off from blogging (you may find that readers barely notice – sad but true!) and spend some time figuring out where
you want to go with your blog. Best of luck!
Next week, I'll be tackling the question "Can you really make money from a blog?" If there's a particular aspect of that you'd like to see me address, or a blogging question you'd like me to cover during this month, just email me at ali@aliventures.com.
Thanks! 
