Q is for...

 

QUAILTY:

The idea with your articles and posts on your blog is quality over quantity, ensuring that your followers have the kind of content that will have them singing your praises, and coming back to your blog, time after time. 

It's easy to just throw up posts, ramble on about what ever you feel like every day...however that wont keep your followers, they will catch on quick and not engage.

QUALIFICATIONS:

The only qualifications you need to set up your blog is curiosity in learning how to use the blogging site you have chosen, and knowledge of your subject.

QUESTIONS:

A great method of interaction, is inviting your followers to ask you questions about your process. Ensure you check the comments often and answer any questions that have been asked.

QUOTE ('S):

Don't forget to share quotes from your work, or some that you like.

P is for...

 

PLOT TWISTS:

Discuss how you create shocking moments in your novel (without giving away spoilers). Followers and other writers who may find your blog would be interested in this). If you have books already published, you could maybe tell them how you came up with one of your twists if you have them in your novel.

POINT OF VIEW:

Talk about why you have used the point of view you have used and why it fits for your story. Kinda like;

Third person (he / she) most popular.

First person (I) can be difficult but is still kind of popular.

If you can't decide which one you want to use, try a paragraph or chapter in both, and whichever feels best is what you use.  

If you have done this, you can go on to explain how it worked out for you and which book you may or may not have used it on. There are other points of view you can use and discuss as well; these two, however, seem to be the most used.

PROMOTION: 

Promote your work often, but not often enough to annoy your followers. You can also share your posts on all your socials at the same time. You can pick a day that you mark off on your calendar for promotion, once a week, biweekly or monthly. Don't forget to put a widget on your blog where you can add your book cover and where people can buy it.

O is for....

 

 

ORGANISATION:

 

Use management software to organise your calender and content. It's good to keep track of what you are posting and when. Also helps to track conventions and book signings so your followers can meet you in person.

OUTLINE:

Talk about how you plan out your novel, do you create an outline, or pants it. Is the outline bullet pointed, or paragraphs, or something else.

N is for....

 

NEWSLETTER;

The latest thing apparently for us writers/authors is newsletters. These can be used alongside your blogs, social media and websites in order to reach out to those who would like to follow us and read our books. 

Apparently you can get a widget for your blog or website to gather e-mails that you will then use to send out your newsletters.

As I'm only really learning this thing myself, I'm not in a position to recommend what platform to use (though I hear Substack is supposed to be the bees' knees) or even what to put in them (I guess what you would be putting in your blog).

I know it's a lot of work, but that's what happens nowadays; we don't have people to do this for us unless we are earning bucks and can afford a PA or someone tech-savvy to do it for us. 

If you have a newsletter, let me know how it's working out for you.

NICHE:

A niche is a specialised area, like knowing everything about vampires that has ever been written; being able to draw a map that actually looks awesome; being able to design cool covers; having the ability to edit well; or proofreading to a high standard. 

Just make sure that you don't get hemmed in and that you let your own voice shine through and that you don't go all dictionary / encyclopaedic on your niche subject. 

NOVEL PROCESS:

You can write articles on your novel-writing process, the various stages, or today's dilemmas right on through to publication. 

M is for.....

 

MARKETING (SUBTLE):

Even though your blog is perfect for marketing your book(s), & merch, it is adviseable that it is not the only thing you do there. Your followers wont appreciate it, which is why you include all the other things we've mentioned, they keep it interesting, and your followers coming back for more.

Don't forget to talk about your other methods of marketing, this can help newbies out who may find your page and who need help.

MERCH:

When we talk about merch, we mean things like bookmarks, pencils, pens, notebooks, cups, totes, key fobs, digital drawings, & tees to mention some things. There are loads of sites that can put images and logos on items for you at varying prices, it depends on what you want to pay. Some things you can do yourself, others not so much.

MOTIVATION:

Another two fer here, 

First up, talk about what motivates you to write, to keep going when it all seems daunting. What gets your ass in the chair and starts you writing?

Second is your characters, let your followers know what motivates your characters, what keeps them going as well.