Comments on: Blog off! Or is it worth blogging? http://www.danutakean.com/blog/?p=264 About publishing, for writers Sat, 23 Jan 2010 15:47:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Emma Darwin http://www.danutakean.com/blog/?p=264&cpage=1#comment-21214 Emma Darwin Thu, 20 Sep 2007 20:28:32 +0000 http://www.danutakean.com/blog/?p=264#comment-21214 Danuta, you say, ” I can’t emphasise enough how this should be about relationship building, not selling.” I think this is so true. My website is about marketing and by extension selling - my public face - but I've decided to keep my blog wholly separate. This Itch of Writing is my personal face: it's about writing and reading, and the people who will be interested in it are thoughtful readers who are interested in how writing works or doesn't. I've no idea if it will affect sales: I started it partly as a purely self-interested way of scratching the smaller itches of writing when I'm neck-deep in a novel. If I have any ambitions for it as a sales-booster, it's because it offers an extension for the conversation between readers and writers that you get at talks and festivals. That's the kind of conversation I'm hoping to build as I have more books and more translations published. Danuta, you say, ” I can’t emphasise enough how this should be about relationship building, not selling.”

I think this is so true. My website is about marketing and by extension selling – my public face – but I’ve decided to keep my blog wholly separate. This Itch of Writing is my personal face: it’s about writing and reading, and the people who will be interested in it are thoughtful readers who are interested in how writing works or doesn’t.

I’ve no idea if it will affect sales: I started it partly as a purely self-interested way of scratching the smaller itches of writing when I’m neck-deep in a novel. If I have any ambitions for it as a sales-booster, it’s because it offers an extension for the conversation between readers and writers that you get at talks and festivals. That’s the kind of conversation I’m hoping to build as I have more books and more translations published.

]]> By: Danuta Kean http://www.danutakean.com/blog/?p=264&cpage=1#comment-21140 Danuta Kean Wed, 19 Sep 2007 18:11:03 +0000 http://www.danutakean.com/blog/?p=264#comment-21140 I have to agree with all of that Richard. I think though that blogs are more likely to sell non-fiction than fiction for some reason. I have to agree with all of that Richard. I think though that blogs are more likely to sell non-fiction than fiction for some reason.

]]> By: Richard Havers http://www.danutakean.com/blog/?p=264&cpage=1#comment-21139 Richard Havers Wed, 19 Sep 2007 16:56:41 +0000 http://www.danutakean.com/blog/?p=264#comment-21139 Danuta, you say, " I can’t emphasise enough how this should be about relationship building, not selling." I think that's absolutely what it's all about. I started my own blog as a kind of writing exercise. I wasn't writing a book at the time and it gave me the chance to try out ideas, styles and all sorts. I have got a blog about one of the books I’ve written and it has definitely sold books - it's non fiction. It has also garnered a US interview and a link to their 600,000 subscribers, which is good. However, I think your points about it not being a substitute for an overall marketing strategy are spot on. Having said that in my opinion many in publishing confuse marketing with sales. Many more don't even know what marketing is, period. Danuta, you say, ” I can’t emphasise enough how this should be about relationship building, not selling.”

I think that’s absolutely what it’s all about. I started my own blog as a kind of writing exercise. I wasn’t writing a book at the time and it gave me the chance to try out ideas, styles and all sorts. I have got a blog about one of the books I’ve written and it has definitely sold books – it’s non fiction. It has also garnered a US interview and a link to their 600,000 subscribers, which is good. However, I think your points about it not being a substitute for an overall marketing strategy are spot on. Having said that in my opinion many in publishing confuse marketing with sales. Many more don’t even know what marketing is, period.

]]> By: Danuta Kean http://www.danutakean.com/blog/?p=264&cpage=1#comment-21124 Danuta Kean Wed, 19 Sep 2007 08:57:04 +0000 http://www.danutakean.com/blog/?p=264#comment-21124 Branding is an odd one isn't it? On some level I think it is just "doing what you are best at and communicating that", which sounds so much less cynical than branding. I am feeling burned though after a conversation on Monday with an ad exec who told me: In the future brands will buy brands that is all there will be. Of course on one level he is right, but I can't help thinking it sounds so empty. If a blog is all brand and no content, then I think it will fail as the great thing about the interweb is on one level it allows us all to be human again - it is after all about human beings communicating to each other. That means any sales message has to be very subtle. The problem with some publishers' entry into social media etc is that they are doing the equivalent online of the dreadful ads you see for books in railway stations: "Buy this now. Please!" I can't emphasise enough how this should be about relationship building, not selling. Branding is an odd one isn’t it? On some level I think it is just “doing what you are best at and communicating that”, which sounds so much less cynical than branding. I am feeling burned though after a conversation on Monday with an ad exec who told me: In the future brands will buy brands that is all there will be. Of course on one level he is right, but I can’t help thinking it sounds so empty. If a blog is all brand and no content, then I think it will fail as the great thing about the interweb is on one level it allows us all to be human again – it is after all about human beings communicating to each other. That means any sales message has to be very subtle. The problem with some publishers’ entry into social media etc is that they are doing the equivalent online of the dreadful ads you see for books in railway stations: “Buy this now. Please!” I can’t emphasise enough how this should be about relationship building, not selling.

]]> By: Mya http://www.danutakean.com/blog/?p=264&cpage=1#comment-21119 Mya Wed, 19 Sep 2007 07:11:16 +0000 http://www.danutakean.com/blog/?p=264#comment-21119 Lots of food for thought there. My blog is relatively new and was set up once I'd completed my book - I wanted publishers to know I was interested in self-promotion. I too am interested in the brand idea - but you have to be really strict with yourself. There are days when you just don't feel sassy, snappy and ball-busting - you feel like shit! And I guess those are the days you should really stay away from the computer. My blog is steadily picking up readers and I enjoy it, but it's a hell of a time committment. Time will tell if it's actually a waste of time or not. I think Marie (Gods Behaving Badly) Phillips' Struggling Author blog is a good example of a brand supporting blog. Mya x PS I actually like David Baddiel - there's no accounting for taste, is there?! Lots of food for thought there. My blog is relatively new and was set up once I’d completed my book – I wanted publishers to know I was interested in self-promotion. I too am interested in the brand idea – but you have to be really strict with yourself. There are days when you just don’t feel sassy, snappy and ball-busting – you feel like shit! And I guess those are the days you should really stay away from the computer. My blog is steadily picking up readers and I enjoy it, but it’s a hell of a time committment. Time will tell if it’s actually a waste of time or not. I think Marie (Gods Behaving Badly) Phillips’ Struggling Author blog is a good example of a brand supporting blog.

Mya x

PS I actually like David Baddiel – there’s no accounting for taste, is there?!

]]> By: Writer Girl http://www.danutakean.com/blog/?p=264&cpage=1#comment-21093 Writer Girl Tue, 18 Sep 2007 21:46:02 +0000 http://www.danutakean.com/blog/?p=264#comment-21093 Very interesting and insightful. I particularly like your point about blogs being about establishing the author as a brand. I don't think many writers who blog really get this. I am relatively new to the blogosphere but it seems to me that the only valuable role for a blog is to carve out a distinctive voice in the way you describe. The most successful blogs, in my view, have this 'does what it says on the tin' type feel and readers know what to expect from them. That's the easy part. Developing the unique voice, appeal and readership aint such a walk in the park. Very interesting and insightful. I particularly like your point about blogs being about establishing the author as a brand. I don’t think many writers who blog really get this. I am relatively new to the blogosphere but it seems to me that the only valuable role for a blog is to carve out a distinctive voice in the way you describe. The most successful blogs, in my view, have this ‘does what it says on the tin’ type feel and readers know what to expect from them. That’s the easy part. Developing the unique voice, appeal and readership aint such a walk in the park.

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