I’ve been trying to defang the prospect of blogging for beginners. You can see other posts about How to Blog for Authors like: H2 Start an Author’s Blog and Do Fiction Writers Need to Blog? and What to blog about – for writers. There are a few more posts coming up soon, so if you’re intending to start an author’s blog, this is a good “rabbit hole” for you! Dive in!
While I’m linking blogs in a series I’ll post the first half of the year here, and another half later.
Why should authors blog?
Blogging is a place to hone your voice, be yourself and gather fans and followers – who eventually might be interested in reading more from you – i.e. your book. There are a few reasons people read blogs, so like any good writer, you must keep your audience in mind. Why read a blog?
- It’s entertaining
- It’s useful, helpful information
- It’s inspiring
- They read it and feel seen
What’s the other big reason to write a blog? Most traditional publishers will look for a “platform” of followers and fans when they determine which books to publish. It doesn’t seem fair, and yet, here we are. A blog and an email list are the easiest way to “collect” people who care about you, and would, actually, be interested if you were to publish a book.
If you intend to publish yourself, that is all the more reason to have a platform! You need to reach people and entice them to read your book, without the benefit of bookstores, promotions and shelving.
What should I write about?
This is the other big question! So, when/if you’re at a loss for what to write about, cast a glance here for a list of literary themed holidays worthy of celebration!
Use any of these holidays as a prompt… what did the celebrated person or book mean to you as a child? How does it inspire your writing? Write a blog post, and then just tighten it up and hit “Publish.”
January
18th/Winnie the Pooh Day
CC PDM 1.0
Winnie the Pooh Day is celebrated on birthday of author A A Milne. People gather to honor the beloved author and even more beloved bear with picnics, honey snacks and Tigger antics.
Opine on what it might be like to be as famous as AA Milne. Or write a childhood memory inspired by Pooh or Tigger.
February
2nd-8th/Children’s Authors and Illustrator Week
Created to promote literacy and a love of reading at an early age. Children’s authors and illustrators speak and read to children nationwide.
What excited you to read as a child? How did it feel to get a new book?
14th/Library Lovers Day/Month
It’s a valentine to our libraries and librarians.
What would you say now, to a librarian from your childhood?
March
2nd/Read Across America
cc0_1.0
Celebrate reading and the zaniness that is Dr. Seuss with Read Across America. March 2 is his birthday, and the National Education Assoc. kicks off a year of reading.
Write a real news story in the style of Dr. Seuss
6th-12th/Read an Ebook Week
The Read an Ebook Week holiday is a no brainer for a blog event. Either read an ebook and review it (and encourage your community to do the same), or PROMOTE YOUR EBOOK.
April
2nd/Children’s Book Day
Hans Christian Andersen’s birthday, author of The Little Mermaid and The Ugly Duckling, The Little Match Girl a favorite of mine.
6th/National Bookmobile Day
Bookmobiles get books to people who would otherwise have no way of receiving them.
How would affect a character if they were reading, when others around them were not? Who would that character become?
14th/Celebrate Teen Literature Day
YA literature is growing faster than any other genre. Is this your opportunity to consider YA? or showcase award-winning authors and books in the genre?
18th/National Columnists Day
Created by The National Society of Newspaper Columnists, it was established on April 18th, in memory of the day columnist, and Pulitzer Prize winner, Ernie Pyle, killed in World War II.
Prompt: For me, my all-time favorite columnist is Erma Bombeck. Who is/was yours? Who can you showcase? What does this columnist mean to you? Tweet at them, and show them some love!
20th/Tell a Story Day
Stories shape and change our lives. Tell a true story today – something that happened to you, a story handed down through your family, or a heretofore anonymous boost you gave someone.
28th/Great Poetry Reading Day
Thank a poet today (who are your favorites? Emily Dickinson? Amanda Gordon?) Or host or attend a poetry reading at a book store or on Zoom. You could blog some of your poetry, or post a video of your last reading.
D.E.A.R. Month
D.E.A.R. stands for Drop Everything and Read. It kicks off on April 12, birthday of beloved children’s author Beverly Cleary.
Share what you’re reading. Ask what your community is reading? Ask, “What book would I have to read to understand who you are?”
May
12th-18th: Reading is Fun
Get caught reading – you can have a selfie contest of favorite reading spots or write about your reading habits when you were a kid. Were you a bookworm?
June
Audiobook Appreciation Month
June is all about generating excitement and enthusiasm for audiobooks. An underrated commodity, audiobooks are great for car rides, long trips, and those days when the reading glasses just don’t cut it. June is the time for beach trips and travel adventures, so don’t forget to bring along your favorite audiobook!
That’s the first half of the year. This inspires even me… I’m beginning to think I might be recording an ebook in June and sharing out that experience. Does it inspire you? Let’s talk about holidays and what to blog about this week in the Write Without the Fight group. Ask to join if you haven’t already. It’ll be AA Milne’s birthday this week, and we could celebrate Winnie the Pooh. Who are you most like? Winnie? Tigger? Piglet? Eeyore or Rabbit? How does this diverse set of characters and conflict make you think about your own characters differently? See you inside the FB group for interesting discussions!