C.C.Cole

C.C.Cole
author C.C.Cole's blog

Saturday, May 19, 2012

On Blog Writing vs. Book Writing

"Julie & Julia"

As I written before, my writing journey began with the death of my sister due to a domestic violence incident.  After many years of writing, putting down, changing computers from small floppy discs to CDs to current outside storage devices, I published “Act of Redemption" in 2009.

With my non-cheap promotional “package,” a wordpress blog and a separate website was set up for me.  I had no idea how to blog, found the website as uninteresting as everyone else, so I threw both out of cyberspace and started over.  To give credit where it’s due, “The Blog Farm” educated me more on blogging than anyone else in those early days.

Now, two books and over three hundred blog articles later, I’ve found myself being three writers:  1) dark fantasy writer 2) book reviewer 3) blog writer.  I didn’t plan this.  Logically, it makes sense for writers to be readers.  How am I supposed to justify myself as a writer of anything without reading?  And how am I supposed to improve my writing without reading?  Reading is essential to writing.  And besides, I love it.  As I read more, I believe in supporting other new authors, so I post reviews.  I don’t write lengthy reviews because I’m still a novice and am spoiler-weary.  Learning is part of the journey.

My blog writing emerged from advice given to me:  Provide original material for your blog.  So I started writing articles.  Pre-2009 I would’ve never imagined myself having a blog posting regular articles, but now that’s a large part of my writing energy.  For me, it’s energy put to good use because it keeps me writing regularly and interacting with readers.  Books don’t do that.  We write them, publish them, market them, and hope for the best when it comes to sales and reviews.  There’s some interaction, but to me not like with blogging.  In blog writing, it’s a different mindset, challenging in a different way.  Bloggers usually have a general “theme” like reading/writing (my theme), and the posts reflect various aspects of the theme, be it book reviews, hideous publishing experiences, cooking, computer software, or the experience of parenting, just to name a few blog topics out there.

Does book writing “trump” blog writing?  Yes, books are published and have a longer life of readers, so of course it makes sense that writing books are the better long term investment of a writer’s time.  Blogging is “for today.”  But in these days of the ebook revolution, so many books are out there; no new writer knows what their hard work will become.  Blog writing keeps us going by making writers use their minds and skills and be shown to the public almost daily. 

Does every new author need to be a blog writer?  No, since no size of anything fits all and blog writing is time consuming.  Do new authors need to review books?  No, that’s no more a fit for all than blog writing.  Do new authors need to read?  Answer:  Bestselling authors know the answer to that question.

7 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing your journey into the writing world, C.C. You do write the most interesting blogs. I agree with you. While blogging is helpful to draw attention to oneself as an author and keeps the writing skills in use daily, it is not necessary for a writer. Neither is reviewing books.

    I, personally, enjoy blogging and reviewing books WHEN I FIND TIME...and it keeps my mind ever thinking... (poor structure, but what the hey!) :-) I recommend new authors try the blogging, though; they might find they are a natural fit!

    And the answer to your question is: YES, WRITERS DO NEED TO READ. Some great mind once said, "You can't be a writer without first being a reader." So true...

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts on a regular basis, C.C. I blog but am not nearly as regular as you.

    Hugs - Betty Dravis

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  2. Thanks so much for your comment, Betty! You set a great example for us all!

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  3. Great post C.C. and thanks very much for sharing, I picked up some really useful tips!

    Cat

    www.cathrine-garnell@blogspot.co.uk
    www.cathrinegarnell.co.uk

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  4. Best advice ever! And it is just so common sense. Why anyone would think they can write if they won't read is completely beyond me. It's like say you can swim without moving your limbs... not gonna happen!

    Two things a writer has to do...

    Write every day.
    Read every day.

    I have been reading since I was three and writing since age 6 (personal journals)and can't imagine it ever being any other way.

    I don't blog write, per se... I post poems and fiction that I have written on my blogs, but that isn't every day. I do have one blog that I post on every day; that one is mostly photographs I have taken or stories I have written.

    I am married and have two part time jobs and several writing projects going - a novel in progress and fiction pieces for two charity anthologies - , so not a lot of free time for blog writing. But as you say, blog writing isn't essential to be a successful writer.

    I also write book reviews. I don't review every book I read... I'd never get anything else done as my reviews tend to be rather lengthy. But it is important to support other writers. That is what members of a community do... they support each other. A review doesn't have to be lengthy... just be sincere... show support... offer constructive critique.

    It all comes back around. :)

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  5. This is a beautiful post and may I say a beautiful blog..

    I intend to add you to my 'must be observed' list. x

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  6. Thank you very much for the comments!

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