by Bobbie Christmas
Q: Maybe I’m too old to understand all this new technology, but what on earth is a blog?
A: The term “blog” is a blend of the words “web” and “log.” In general a blog is a journal published on the Internet. Bloggers (those who write blogs) can write journal entries themselves, invite others to write entries, and invite others to leave comments. They then can either permit access to anyone or require people to subscribe, sometimes for a fee.
Most blogs cover a specific subject, such as writing, editing, cooking, traveling, music, or photography. Many authors use blogs to build a platform—a following of loyal readers who might then buy the authors’ books.
Q: Has anyone ever tried blogging a new novel? For example, putting up a chapter or two every week?
A: I’m sure many people have done so. One person who comes to mind is Julie Foster, who set out to follow Julia Childs’s recipes and blog about her experiences. Foster turned her blog into a book titled Julie/Julia, which later also became the basis for a movie.
A word of warning here, however. Some publishers consider anything that has been published, even as a blog on the Internet, as published. Those publishers may refuse to buy a book that was once a blog because first rights are no longer available. If you plan to self-publish, however, you don’t have to worry about such things.
Q: I need to establish a blog site. There seems to be a million choices of providers. Can you tell me if some are better sites for writers, and if so, what are they? Any information would be appreciated.
A: I don’t know if one site is better than another, but I originally used Blogger, which was run by Google. I chose it because it had no associated fees and because it was easy to use. Ease of use was vital to me, because I’m not a techie.
WordPress is another popular blog-hosting site, but it has (or had) limitations. For example, if you use a guest blogger, your name may still be listed as the author, which can frustrate guest bloggers. I know, because I was a guest blogger on a WordPress site, but the site always appeared to say the content was written by the person who hosted the blog, rather than by me.
Now my blog appears directly on my website, which has been the best way for me to blog. In this way folks need only to access my website to learn about me, learn about my services, and also read my blog entries. My webmaster set up my latest blog system using WordPress.
Q: Do I need to pay an editor to edit my blog entries before I post them?
A: Have you ever asked a barber if you need a haircut? Ask an editor if you should use an editor, and you can anticipate the obvious answer.
Jokes aside, the actual answer depends on the purpose of your blog and whether it is informal or formal. If you’re writing an informal blog about your day-to-day adventures and simply want your friends to read it, feel free to skip paying an editor. If you are a professional and your blog is intended to bring in business, or if you are an author trying to build a platform of dedicated readers who will buy your books, then yes, by all means you need to be sure your blog posts are professionally edited before you post them.
I have several clients who keep me on retainer to edit their blog entries before they post them. They are all professionals who want to reach current and prospective clients. Some of these clients plan to combine their blog posts into books later, and voila! The books will have already been edited.
Bobbie Christmas, book editor, author of Write In Style: Use Your Computer to Improve Your Writing, and owner of Zebra Communications, will answer your questions, too. Send them to Bobbie@zebraeditor.com.