My Writing Mentor: Blogging Series...Time and Ideas!

For the next few weeks I'll be running a series on Blogs!

Blogs, BLOGS, Blogs...
What are they, who are they for, why are they effective, how to blog, and more. I encourage you all to leave your feedback and tips as well. I have lots of blogging experience, but I'd love to hear your blogging successes! Ever learning...

Part 1 in the series is about a blog's scope and reach. Go here.

Part 2 is about Who should blog. Go here.

Part 3 is about What do I need to know about blogging. Go here.

This week we're addressing: How? How to find the time and ideas to blog!

How? How do you find the time and ideas?

TIME

Join forces, find other like-minded people and figure out a schedule. Gina Conroy started a blog for moms who are writers (published and unpubbed). Her blog now has 400+ links to it! Of course, our CAN blog is another great example.

Writer Mom Interrupted

http://writermominterrupted.blogspot.com/

CAN Book Marketing

http://canblog.typepad.com/canbookmarketing/

Host your own blog with guest bloggers. This is great if you don’t think you can blog everyday. Ask others to contribute. I do this through my posts such as “10 Questions For . . .” and my current one “10 Things I Wish I’d Known.”
Write many blogs ahead of time then post every morning.
Write your blogs and then recruit help for posting. (I have an assistant who does this. I just email what I want posted.)

IDEAS

Be real. Think about things you share with your friends over coffee . . . these are great things to blog about.
Think about common questions you receive about your life and writing. Answer them in blog form. (Share the behind-the-scenes of your book. Talk about your motivation for writing. Tell about how you hope to touch readers’ lives. Chat about how readers have responded to your book.)
Think story. Don’t only think about relating information. Use a story to relate a part of you.
Think “felt need.” It’s not about YOU it’s about the reader. What are they going to get out of the blog?

When? When should I start?

Did you think I was going to say “Today”? Not quite:

Pray about this possible new ministry.
Write down your goals for your blog.
Think about the “personality” you’d like to portray.
Set priorities. (Is this a priority for you at this time?)
Look at your schedule and be realistic.
Check out other people’s blogs. Write down what you like and don’t like.
Look at Blogger, Typepad, MySpace and other blog hosts and consider your options.
Make a blogging plan and stick to it like any other writing and marketing goal.