Judging from the comments section of yesterday’s post, it seems that we’re all in agreement that some sort of web presence is necessary for published and unpublished authors alike.
But how much of a web presence is ideal? How much time should an author be devoting to their site? And how much of a difference-maker is it?
I know authors who are incredibly busy, who have day jobs in addition to successful writing careers, and time for book promotion is markedly limited given that they also have to, you know, write books. So what should they be doing with the limited time they have to promote their books? Is blogging and/or working on a website the most effective use of that time?
And, ultimately, does blogging sell books? Are there authors out there who have made “the leap” because of their blog? Or do successful books drive successful blogs? Is the time it takes to build a successful blog worth it?
Really looking forward to this discussion.
Amy Nathan says
I don’t have book to blog about, yet, but I’ll tell you that I have bought books from every single author whose blog I read. I have also bought some books by authors whose agents blogs I read.
I think blogs do sell books.
As a reader I end up feeling like I have a connection to the author. That’s always a good thing.
Anonymous says
Depends on the conternt of the blog too:
I don’t like the blogs where the authors get too personal–I don’t care about your pet cat, or that your in-laws are visiting, or even that you’re on page 233 of your next ms.
My author blog will be strictly professional: news of major developments, ie, the mass market paperback of XYZ drops on x date, movie rights have been sold to balhblah, book store signing on y date, character contrst, check out the new trailer,,,,check out pictures from vacation while researching next novel…that kinda thang.
No personal chat on the blogs.
sex scenes at starbucks says
I have a question for those who have been blogging for a long time-have you run into any problems from using your real name?
I’ve been online four or five years and have had very few weird experiences (mostly a few oddities from MySpace). I started out anon, but now googling my real name often comes up with Sex Scenes, so I’m pretty well out of the closet now. Bloggers are truly some of the kindest, best-hearted folks out there, friendly in the truest sense of the word. It’s not to say there aren’t problem bloggers, but generally ignoring them makes them go away.
Anonymous says
You may laugh at this, but I’ve purchased a LOT of books based on agent’s blogs (both their recommendations and their client’s work), and what’s hilarious: is to read one of their client’s books and to find the very things the agent’s say you should never do, like having characters waking as the books intro. Do as I say, not as I do, I guess. I have purchased a few book based on author’s blog, but not as many as based on agent’s blogs.
Kate Lord Brown says
Is this a chicken and egg question? In the UK at least we have had the dazzling success of Wife in the North, and most high profile journalists seem to have very active blogs. Personally if I’d realised blogging was this much fun I would have done it years ago – but writing a blog about writing has no relation to my ‘real’ work (though both can be done in your uggs and pyjamas).
Anonymous says
I’m a great admirer of bloggers, but, as a fiction writer, I find that it takes energy away from my fiction writing, rather than adding to it. For me, it would be an excuse.
(Why do we do that? Put obstacles in front of what we really love.)
I am so thankful, though, for those of you who do blog!
Any publicity I received (if that was my goal in blogging) would not be worth the effect it would have on my fiction. The time we have in this life is so short, and the amount of energy finite.
VELMA SABINA!!! says
two words: DIABLO CODY
ChrisEldin says
Great post!!
We have a team blog that promotes authors for free. It’s a Book Roast, and we’ve had great success so far.
We are matchmakers–authors with their fans (YAY!)
Fun, interactive, and humorous. Everyone wins. It’s completely free.
http://www.bookroast.blogspot.com
Our next roast is coming up…
Mary says
I agree with SS@S, “going calling” is a vital part of blogging, and a key distinguisher between websites and blogs.
Whether blogs sell books depends on the blog; a great blog will certainly help sales. But the blog is ancillary to the book, which, ultimately, succeeds or fails on its own merit.
Kristin Laughtin says
In my own experience, I’ve only read author blogs that I’ve seen recommended somewhere. Yes, I’ve gotten interested and bought books by some of those authors, but I would never have looked for their blogs on my own. However, I do visit author websites without any outside influence, and those tend to get me more interested in their books. Webpages are usually just more focused than blogs, and I learn more about the product they want to sell–the book. If they have a link to their blog, so much the better, but blogs aren’t the first thing I seek out.
Erik says
Nathan said:
If someone is just dashing off blog posts they’re either already at a level where they don’t need to invest as much time anymore, or they’re not doing it right.
You’re right. I forgot what a big network I had to start with and how I built it up. Quality will get the word of mouth working, but you do have to start it.
I think that’s why I came here at first, frankly. 🙂
Jolie says
Donald Maass is great and all, and it’s true that what’s inside the book is what makes it sell.
Unless nobody knows it exists. That’s where the Internet comes into play, and it’s important to take advantage of this vastly useful tool because promotional space in print media is hard to come by.
I’m too broke right now to buy books, but since I really got into reading publishing/author blogs, I add at least one book to my Amazon wish list every week so that I’ll remember them later. Most of these books I will eventually buy or borrow from a library. The ones I like, I’ll promote online and recommend to my family/friends.
Chumplet says
Blogging friends have bought my book and told me so. As a matter of fact, I think my only sales came from fellow bloggers!
I know some authors who spend a great amount of time on their web presence, and it results in sales. But I don’t have that kind of time with family and work, so I simply do what makes me most comfortable.
If my next book garners an agent or a big contract, I think I’ll kick it up a notch, but not until then. For now, I’m just enjoying myself.
Adaora A. says
Donald Maass is great and all, and it’s true that what’s inside the book is what makes it sell.
Unless nobody knows it exists. That’s where the Internet comes into play, and it’s important to take advantage of this vastly useful tool because promotional space in print media is hard to come by.
That’s what I’m saying. Even hiring an advertising professional (PR), and doing other things to promote your book – which I’ve heard can cost money before you make money from it – is taxing. And here is a way that is free, fast efficient, and shoves you right into the screens of people’s computers, and makes them know you exist. That your book exists.
Tom Burchfield says
I agree with Adoara that it can play an important role in promoting my book, but by itself it means nothing, if the book is garbage; I could not see focusing every one of my little feuilletons on the writing process, but when I do I always try to induce a little guilt in the readers; threats are useful, too (“Hair will grow in the palms of your hands if you do not buy . . . .”)
Anonymous says
As an avid reader, I love nothing more than finishing a book I really enjoyed and then going to an author blog or website where I get more info about the book, the story (deleted scenes, extra backstory, etc not included in the book) and updates on when more books are coming out. It may not have sold me on the book that I just read, but it can definitely sell me on other books by the author that I have not read yet or are to be published in the near future. And frequent updates are a must to keep me coming back until the newest book is printed and on sale!
April Hollands says
Surely a writer sells blogs and books. If a blog influences the sale of books or vice versa, it’s surely the quality of the writing rather than the mechanism used that’s important. I’d prefer to be writing rather than reading (www.lefrancophoney.com – shameless plug which will no doubt be removed).
In the same vein, I’ve read very few books in the past few years. Someone who asked me about my novel thought it absurd that a writer doesn’t read. Why? I’d like to know how many books Shakespeare read, and if he had read more, would his originality and ability to create so many now commonly-used words (like ‘extraordinary’) have been hindered?
Karen Duvall says
Of course having a blog doesn’t “sell” more books. I imagine a blog will satisfy fans who already love your books, though.
I think of blogging more like having a telephone number. Everybody has one, and if you don’t, you’re somehow out of sync with society.
That’s not entirely true… yet. But I can almost guarantee it will be before long, especially for authors. Same with (gag) myspace, which I’ll resist for as long as possible.
K.C. Shaw says
I’ve bought books because I liked the author’s blog. Just recently, for instance, I bought two of Elizabeth Bear’s books because I enjoy her blog so much. I figured it was a way to thank her for entertaining me, and the books look good too.
I started my own blog almost a year ago and try to post daily. It’s not a great blog and I don’t spend as much time expanding my web presence as I should, but I figure I’ll kick into higher gear when I’ve got more to sell.
I also have a website (amateurish but at least it doesn’t play music/have crappy eye-straining fonts/show pictures of me or my family, etc.). It’s solely so people who Google me have an “official” page to land on besides my blog. I link to magazines where my stories are available, and update the page any time there’s a change. I’m always surprised at how many hits it gets.
JES says
Oh man. I feel SO ambivalent about this question…
First, I have sometimes (but rarely) bought a book based strictly on an author’s blog. I’ve been delighted to find blogs about favorite book series, too (although I discovered the series well in advance).
One of the experiments I’m trying with my own blog is keeping track of the blogs of “writers to be read” — that is, writers whose work I expect to read, someday, in book form, but whose work doesn’t yet appear that way. I find these people in the comments sections of other (agent, editor, author) blogs and can pretty much guarantee I’ll pick their books up. But established authors’ blogs? Meh.
The main ambivalence I’m feeling is about how much time I spend blogging (not blog READING, but blog WRITING). The comments here about spending 20-30 minutes on an entry couldn’t be further from my experience. (I do tend to write longer “thought-y” entries, though.) And I have no idea if, let alone when, I’d actually see some return on the investment…
Well, thanks. Now I’m all upset. 🙂
Bethanne says
Anonymous said…
I’m sorry to say that more than once I’ve read a blog and decided against purchasing the authors’ books, because they sounded like such a ____.
I’ve had this happen to me, too. BUT, I do love to visit an author’s blog, if I read his/her books. So, I think it should be there…available and fresh. Like the books I’m reading. 😀
Rob says
Oh, in my case, my blog has definitely impacted sales of my book, and the marketing campaign for the book has driven traffic back to the blog, so I think they continue to sort of feed off of each other. St. Martin’s figured that out early and started tying the book to the blog URL almost immediately.
But in my case, the subject of the book and the focus of most of my blogging is the same, so there’s definitely a sense of a continuing story happening online. When I stray from that subject matter (particularly in reference to book promotion, which I try to keep to a minimum), attention wanes.
So I think that building an audience through blogging and also maintaining a continuing connection with the potential book reader can be helpful. Just cold-starting a new blog, though? I’m not sure that would have much effect. There are a lot of blogs out there. Catching the world’s attention is hard work.
cindy says
michelle m, i bought your book because julianne d mentioned it on her blog–and i saw your comment. =D
and i don’t know about blogs selling books (i’m not there yet), but it helped me land a picture book contract with my editor. (she googled me while my YA novel was on sub with her.) so no complaints here!
great discussion!
Anonymous says
Nathan,
I have a question that’s been bugging me lately. If you’re querying to mulitple agents, then this is the best worst-case scenario. What if two or more agents request partials? Is it okay for you to send it to all of the agents, or should you choose one? It seems that you could throw away a potential agent if you chose only one, but if you sent it to all of them they might not like that. What do you suggest?
Marti says
Yes blogging can sell books. But you have to create a web “presence” by getting the word out about your blog and your book(s). It involves visiting other blogs, leaving comments and being conversational, not always hard sell. It also means being active on Twitter, Facebook and other social media. It is all part of this new age of author-as-marketer.
I sold a book to someone who is a big name on Twitter, who then mentioned that they read and enjoyed the book, and from that single mention, I sold close to a hundred books. So I know the power of Internet connections.
I have been on the Internet for ten years. My picture, name, age, address and phone number are all out there and I’ve never had any problems. No stalkers or identity theft, and even the troll (hateful) comments are rare.
My advise is to make time for it – it will help you become better known and will almost certainly sell books.
Thank you for bringing this topic up, Nathan. I’ve really enjoyed reading everyone’s take on this.
sex scenes at starbucks says
(Why do we do that? Put obstacles in front of what we really love.)
Because what we love is hard.
I’m the opposite. Blogging often “warms me up” to the tougher business of fiction.
It’s reading blogs (and leaving comments like this, my third on this post) that takes away from real writing. Curse you, Nathan Bransford, for coming up with a cool topic!!
December/Stacia says
I hate to sound mushy, self-important, or like I’m patting myself on the back, but a few people have mentioned how when they become regular readers of an author’s blog they start to feel like that author is their friend, and it almost sounds like you guys think that’s kind of silly or like you’re naive or silly for saying/feeling it.
My regular blog readers have become friends. I occasionally have conversations with them outside the blog; when I have news they often know about it first, before it gets posted publicly. When they don’t show up to comment for a while I might email to ask if everything is okay (we’re talking people who comment every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for months, even years now).
So don’t feel like you’re unimportant or like the writers in question don’t feel a connection with you, too. Because we do. Every person who reads and takes the time to comment on my blog is appreciated and cared about, and I know for a fact I’m far from the only one.
Michelle Moran says
Thank you, Cindy! And how you juggle three fabulous blogs is beyond me entirely!
Anonymous says
John Scalzi would say yes, author blogs do sell books. His first 2 were published on his site before being picked up by Tor. His fan base is huge – built on the blog before the first book came out.
Kizmet
ORION says
After reading the rest of the comments and thinking about it more – I really think that successful blogging is one that creates a virtual community-
I’ve met fellow bloggers at my signings and at conferences- I’ve connected with people I might never have met-
As an author I value those connections. I don’t see it as mercenary “trying to sell books” I see it as outreach.
gerriwritinglog says
Author websites and blogs don’t sell me on books. In fact, I don’t usually go looking for either unless I want to know the next book’s release date. Sometimes I stick around, esp. if the author is a. saying something doesn’t show him/her to be a tit (yes, some do), b. saying interesting things that may or may not be related to writing, and/or c. is a friend in either real or cyberspace.
No, I’m afraid I’m old-fashioned. Blurb at the back of the book, plz, preferably in a bookstore. The story takes it from there.
Gabrielle says
Oh, absolutely. I don’t think author blogs sell first books, but they sell second and third. For example, if I like a book enough to google an author, I’ll find their address and hopefully, blog. If the blog’s well written and interesting, I’ll add it to my Google Reader.
This means that several times a week (depending on how much the author posts), that author’s life and work are in my mind. You can’t buy that kind of publicity, and it works on me. I’m always updated on their latest stuff, know more about the actual books, etc. If authors are not blogging, they better already be bestselling and Today Show-worthy.
AstonWest says
The blog (and sites such as MySpace) can be a great tool to network with other people and introduce yourself (and your book) to them. The website offers a spot to direct folks who are interested in you (and your book) and want to read more…like an excerpt.
I’ve had several folks read a blog (either Blogger or MySpace) and be interested in my work enough to want to buy my book.
Ultimately, success is going to be in those people enjoying the material between the covers and telling other people about it.
At least from the folks who’ve read advance copies, it sounds like it may prove successful for me.
🙂
Anonymous says
Consensus:
The blogs are good for promo material ad having a result come up when someone searches for an autor’s name.
But any content besides release dates is at your own risk of alienating potential or existing fans. Stick to business and you can’t go wrong. Let the books do the talking, use the internet to point people to the books, not as a platform for content that is already in the books or may be in future books.
Heidi the Hick says
I have 8 books on my shelf which I read about on blogs and decided I had to have.
Maybe I’d have seen then in the store and bought them, but that’s not how it went. I read about the book, read the author’s blog, got excited about the project, and ran out to buy it when it was released (or after there was money in the bank at least.)
Obviously the book has to grab my interest. I have to admit though, if the author turned me off on his/her blog I might think twice about supporting that person’s writing career with my time and money. So far that hasn’t happened. I have been impressed with most writer blogs I come across.
superwench83 says
An author’s blog alone won’t make me buy a book. But if I like an author’s blog and I read a review of the book and I also read an interview with the author and liked that, then yes. For me, no promotion tool by itself will sell me on a book. But a combination of them can definitely do that. This is why I think it’s important to have several methods of promotion.
I agree with Nathan’s comment as well as someone else’s that yes, blogging is time consuming. It’s more than just the thirty or so minutes you spend actually writing each post. Just as with writing a good novel, writing a good blog means brainstorming on ideas for interesting posts and doing research on the topics you want to post about. And I also agree that half of blogging is about visiting other blogs and making connections there. Not a single one of my blog readers came along just because they stumbled across the blog accidentally. I met these people at other blogs and writing forums. Getting new readers takes as much or more effort as writing the blog itself.
Nettie Hartsock says
Great question! I think the one thing that might help the discussion to is to make it clear that your website can be your blog all in one. So for instance you can claim your book domain name or author domain name and run the whole site off a free blog platform. You have the best of both worlds in that case and you can control the content without depending on a web designer if you want to make updates.
If you’re an author who doesn’t have time to blog, that’s ok too because you can still set up your pages on the blog platform and just have the latest news etc. on there without blogging all the time.
Jinx says
I'm not certain that blogging sells books. I wouldn't think so. I buy books when I browse through a bookstore like B&N simply because I just like being there. It's one of my favorite stores. I do think that an online presence of some sort is helpful, although published authors should have someone who takes care of their site for them, and I think most do. I take care of my own, and you can probably tell. LOL As for blogging, I think it can be good or bad, depending on what the author blogs about. Mine's all over the place. =p I think once an author has found success, what they blog about is crucial to their career. Some things can be damaging. Since there are 91 comments as I write this, I'm not going to scroll to see who said what, but someone mentioned that they were turned off by an author's blog because she kept criticizing teachers for teaching the classics. I'll agree with that. I'd be turned off, too, but I have a big mouth sometimes, so I'd probably leave a comment or two as well, if possible. As an author, you don't want to lose readers. After all, that's your paycheck, right? There are ways to talk about things without being harsh about them. We teach the classics in school for a reason.
An ideal web presence is difficult to gauge. Obviously, an author shouldn't sit on the computer for hours on end (like me–hehe) blogging and whatnot. If they choose to blog regularly, like some agents I read, it can be done quickly, especially if you have something like this. Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. Colleen Lindsay put that one up. =)
Book promotion is something I dread with every passing moment if I have to do it in person. I can’t stand it. I’ll do it with a smile on my face, but I don’t like it. But, on the internet, no problem. It’s a wonderful faceless void.
Oh wait, my picture is going to show up, isn’t it? Blast!
The Wannabe Scribe says
I don’t Know if this has already been mentioned, but Old Man’s War by John Scalzi was first posted on his blog, and he mentioned in a recent post that his book sold because it was posted on his blog.
I bought Old Man’s War and The Ghost Brigades as result of reading his blog and other contact’s such recommendations on Amazon and so on.
I also stumbled upon Jeff Somers through Janet Reid’s blog, so blogs definitely sell books, to publishers and readers, how many and how often is another question…
The Wannabe Scribe says
Oh yes John Scalzi has been mentioned LOL
Another thing, my blog is mostly crap, I’ve done some word count type stuff, but I keep it about my writing and the problems wannabes face with all the real world stuff they have to deal with (i.e. day jobs), and writing/publishing in general.
I don’t use my real name, and at the moment I only blog when in work, because when I am at home I can write my novel. It keeps me writing even if it isn’t fiction.
When the time comes I’ll start a new blog and website to start promoting the book, but I need to get to the end of that first draft before I seriously consider that. There’ll be small excerpts on there and anything else I can muster up.
I’ll also start using my real name. It won’t be the sort of dross I’m posting at the moment.
Anonymous says
I wonder about collaborative blogs? Two or three authors working together on a single blog? Has anyone tried it?
Seems to me, a poor website is almost worse than none at all. Since blogs are a lot of work, I would think the shared responsibility would lead to double/triple exposure.
Car pool anyone? Mary
Maris Bosquet says
Ohmy, my daywork made me lamentably late to this party, but I do so much want to add a positive something or two.
Do writers’ blog sell books? In my case, YES. Writers’ blogs opened my brain to writers, genres and styles I might never have discovered getting lost in a big box–I mean, book store or trolling through the sadly stocked local shop. And yes, even the lovely agency tool we know as Nathan’s blog has introduced me to even more writers, published or not.
Mary,
I, for one, do use a pen name. It began in an attempt to keep my fiction writing apart from my real-life writing. I’ve since come to realize that DOZENS of people in this region also have my real name, so my clients probably never would have known it was moi writing all that stuff, anyway. It’s since evolved into a matter of applying my real name to my comedic writing and the pen name to the work that reveals my more sensitive side and excavates the depths of misery, humanity, the reason for our being…JUST KIDDING! But I DO use the pen name for the serious work.
maryhaas says
Thanks for the reassurance everyone. It’s nice to hear that, at least in this group, the experiences using real names has been positive. As you can see, I’m using my full name this time!
Shruti says
Nothing can sell a bad book. A blog is a good promotional tool and I think it can create a market, although small. Even when contacting an agent or an editor, having a website gives you a slight edge.
For me, a successful book is a combination of brilliant content and brilliant marketing. A blog can be one arrrow in your arsenal. 🙂
Scott says
A lot of helpful and interesting stuff here. Thanks to all.
I don’t actively try and sell my stuff on my blog for a few reasons. One, its not my personal style to push product all that hard, and I don’t want it to damage my agent hunting in any way. However, I do open the floor for feedback to ideas and have been doing a serial novel/treatment for a few weeks now. At first, I thought I didn’t want to give away “gems”, but eventually my growing sense of insignificance in the universe won out. As a result, I keep to a tight schedule which I enjoy and I get feedback that inspires my next session.
I have referred to the blog in letters to prospective agents, as there is a lot to learn about me without it being all about me, if that makes sense. But any visitor will get some hard background/platform info and a feel for who I am. Also, if I’m doing my job, they may return to enjoy my live writing experiment. So far, a fair amount do on a regular basis, which has been cool.
My initial impetus for creating a blog was to attract anyone that connected with my vision, and if that lead to a professional relationship of some kind, great. Now, it also helps me focus and keeps me working on getting better. Writing is definitely more fun, as well, and that has to be a good thing.
Carolyn says
I’ve been wondering about this for quite a while. I’ve been blogging since 2001. Has my blog sold books? I suspect the answer is mixed, just as the comments here are mixed between people who’ve bought based a blog and decided never to buy based on a blog.
This is really not much different from people who read an author’s book and are either fans forever or determined never to read him or her again. The internet offers authors more ways to connect with readers while simultaneously providing more chances to put one’s foot in one’s authorial mouth. That’s just life in the 21st century.
My blog is fun for me and it provides a way for some people to interact with me. I don’t really view my blog as a sales tool, at least not directly, but as a tool that gives readers a reason to visit hang around my web presence while I’m in between releases.
What matters, though, is the book.
My agent checked out my website and blog before she signed me, by the way.
Ryan Field says
I just bought a book this morning that I’m really looking forward to reading that was mentioned on Jenny Rappaport’s blog. I bought an excellent book recommended on Jonathan Lyon’s blog about Washington Irving. I bought LOTTERY because of a blog (Miss Snark) and loved it…I’m a huge fan of a talented young writer in LA, Jonathan Stephens, and I’m going to buy a short story he recently had published because of his blog. I bought Hank Phillipi Ryan’s book because of a blog. I bought Neil Plakcy’s book because of a blog. And there are more, too. I even bought a cook book as a gift for someone from Rachel Kramer Bussel’s cupcake blog.
And I don’t even spend that much time blogging; I don’t have one of my own. So I think there’s something to it.
Just_Me says
Yes.
Although it wasn’t an author’s blog, it was a community blog where an author wrote. Janet Reid blogs on the Dead Guys blog once weekly, so I followed her over. Monday mornings Jeff Cohen blogs about random things. I love his sense of humor. I figured if I liked his blogging I would like his writing.
I do. I bought It Happened On Knife and enjoyed it. It’s not my usual genre. It isn’t something I would have grabbed off the shelf on my own. His blogging sold me on the story.
Scott says
I’d like to add that, despite my nearly total immersion into the the internet and all its blogtastic glory, my book buying habits haven’t really changed. Sure, I’ve hit amazon for an order, but I already read or heard about the book by then from a third party source. In truth, I love rooting about in book stores and can wander around them endlessly. I also love the tactile experience of buying a book. Often they’re wonderful to touch, and a quick passage read on the fly can sell me far better than dozens of reviews.
That said, film and genre forums clue me in to lots of books and authors. But generally, I make mental notes and refer to them on my next visit to Borders and the like.
So I guess author blogs don’t really sell me on authors, but I’m not ruling out the possibility that one might someday. If mine sells me to someone, that’d be fine, too.
Pema says
I have bought books that were on author’s blogs, simply because the author was one of my favorite bloggers, or I found out about her book from a her blog.
Of course, a writer’s life should be about 75% her books and 25% of blog, but a blog definitely helps sell books.