Editorial: The views and opinions expressed herein are the author’s own personal thoughts and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Chico Writer’s Groups membership.

By Kathie Leung

Should Aspiring Authors Maintain Websites and/or Blogs?

One of the most recent discussions we’ve been having is about the importance of blogging as an aspiring author. There are many theories out there, but the determining factor boils down to why. Why is a blog necessary?

To an unpublished author intending on going the old school way of publishing, meaning via a literary agent with the intentions of being published hard copy, there doesn’t seem to be a good enough argument for a blog. A static web page or site, yes, but a blog – no. Since this is merely a summation of the discussion, a follow-up post with the specific arguments on either side along with supporting evidence will be provided. But for the purpose of this post, we will leave it at that.

A static page or website provides a curious literary agent with a bit more insight into the author, a means for putting a face to the name should the author be bold enough to post a mugshot on the site, perhaps a sample of his/her writing. Anything more could potentially be shooting yourself in the foot. Blogging with articles about writing, thoughts, ideas, character development, politics, the grade your dearest got on a recent essay might be a bit too much information and a potential liability for the agent and/or the publishing house where your book might have been sold. Of course it depends on what specifically you say – or don’t, the points of view you offer, how liberal or conservative you happen to be; but as a general rule, a blog is iffy. If you simply must write snippets and publish them to the ‘net, why not create a blog with a screenname other than your own via any number of the free blog services out there? Just be careful not to link to them with your professional ‘net presence.

If you go with establishing an Internet presence, put some thought and consideration of what you put out there for the world to see. Once it posted, it will never ever go away. That includes Facebook, Google+,  MySpace, and Twitter. Querying an agent and seeking publication is like a job interview. Your potential employer (agent/publisher) will look and what you say and do on the Internet will be weighted accordingly. Pose a potential liability? Kiss that contract goodbye. Climb on the bandwagon thrashing an author who did this or that and what does that say about your own character? Is that a risk a publisher or an agent is willing to take if they sign you? The fact is this: we have come into an age where instant communication and public announcements made world wide is a mainstay. What might have seemed insignificant in the past, such as an erroneous web site, an unfollowed blog, a tweet made at two-thirty in the morning while three sheets to the wind, are all taken much more seriously, scrutinized, legally decided upon: Is this individual a risk we are willing to take on?

What Should Go Into A Static Website?

Your name. Your contact information that you are comfortable making public (and I mean public) such as email address (always good to have a specific account set up via Google, Yahoo! and the likes that can be disowned later on if the spam and what have you get out of control), a USPS mailing address (PO Box, preferably for the same reasons unless you really don’t mind weirdos coming to your door when they’re three sheets to the wind or better yet, off their meds), etc. The genres you write in, any publications where your work has been published (with links, of course), possibly some links to your favorite authors or agents, writing forums, etc. and then a chapter or two of your completed works that you’re in the process of actively sending out queries and pitching at conferences.

What Should NOT Go Onto A Website?

Anything personally identifiable. Don’t post pictures of your kids. Don’t post a map to your city. Don’t post your cell phone number. Don’t post your social security number, tax-id number, credit card information. Just don’t. Even if you have -1 followers, never, ever post anything personal.

What if I have no intentions of traditionally publishing my work and am moving straight into self-publishing?

The key here is selling your work, right? You want people to read your novel, more importantly to buy your novel. Blogging from a main character’s point of view is a nifty idea so long as you’re not giving your novel away for free. But blogging about the craft of writing without selling a significant number of books? Probably not such a good idea. That’s my own personal opinion.

We (The Chico Writer’s Group) have had self-published authors come through our doors in the past and I know others who have self-published as well. With one exception, there is a reason why these individuals self-published: they couldn’t take the rejection from the agents they were querying. But was their writing worthy of going into print? With one exception – hell no. Did they have a good grasp on the craft? Absolutely not. Did they provide useful advice on how to write? Nope.

It’s dangerous to be out there writing about the craft if you aren’t well versed in it. This, of course, is an argument many have in the kingdom of writing. There are some who strongly believe that unless you are a published author, meaning through the traditional process, you have no right to be giving advice about the craft. There are others who feel there is merit to talking about the craft, so it all boils down to where you personally stand on the issue. But if you are intending on using your site to promote your self-published work, my advice is to keep your thoughts, opinions, and advice regarding the craft completely separate from the promotional website/blog.

What are the Pros of Blogging?

Selling your books once you actually are published.
Making your writing samples accessible to literary agents you are querying.
Establishing links with other authors, both published and aspiring, that might lead to book sales once you are published.
Possibly gaining attention from someone who might put you on the path towards publication.

What are the Cons of Blogging?

Time. It takes a lot of time to blog and keep up with the whole process of maintaining a blog. If you stop blogging for any reason, it takes a long time to reestablish yourself within the network once you return.

Promoting thoughts and ideas which others might be offended by. I know of authors, from best sellers to strictly self-published, who have spewed their personal opinions on anything from politics to religion. And I know that in several cases, their opinions were so strong that they offended their readership, enough that some of those who were offended stopped reading them altogether, both their blogs and their novels.  In one particular case, there was a call to boycott the author.

Wearing egg on your face. Blogging about things you think you know about but might come to learn later on you clearly did not could be potentially damaging. Of course, a well-thought out post that doesn’t necessarily put the thoughts out there as unarguable fact and leaves it open for dialog – and such dialog follows the golden rule of debating the thought, not attacking the thinker, would prevent this from being problematic thus moving this from a con to a pro. All depends on how you handle conveying the thoughts and the subsequent discussion.

Will Not Having a Site/Blog HURT Sales? 

I don’t know if there is a way to actually tell this. I happen to like the idea of an author establishing a presence on the Internet, but if I’m looking for a new author, I’d be more likely to tune into Amazon’s recommended reading lists, the New York Times, and up until recently, Oprah’s book club reads. Once I became familiar with the author, I might follow them on Facebook, connect with them on Google Plus, add them on Twitter (even tho I’m hardly ever there) and hunt them down on the web. Still, I’m hardly a repeat visitor but that’s just me. I know of some that are so into the characters an author builds or the style the author writes in that they become obsessed. I aspire to become one of those that can create obsessable (yes, my own word) characters and style.

More on this topic: 

Joe Konrath, author of the best selling Jack Daniels books (an obsessable character) has an excellent website for readers, authors, and those in the business of publishing.

Be careful when reading posts off a search about this topic. The date of the post is the most important thing to consider. Anything that has been discussed prior to the big push to self-publish and epublish without the use of an agent (e.g. directly via a publisher) is outdated. More information and resources to come in a few weeks.

As always, you are welcome to post your comments and thoughts on this topic!

Kathie Leung is a published author of poetry and short stories and an aspiring author of mystery/thriller/suspense novels. She is the founder, organizer, and moderator of the Chico Writer’s Group. More about Kathie can be found at www.kathieleung.com