Today, multi genre author Marie Lavender describes her blogging ‘journey’ – and offers several ideas for new authors thinking of starting a blog. She also has a new publication of her own out this week – see details at the end of this article.
Blogging: A Journey and Its Benefits – by Marie Lavender.
When I started publishing books back in 2010, I had read about launching a blog. So I went for it. Unfortunately, I didn’t know the first thing about blogging at the time. If you browse through my older entries, you can see the struggle. But we all learn. In 2012, I was invited to guest blog on Nicole Galloway’s site. From that experience I gleaned how it was supposed to look. Of course, over the years I’ve subscribed to numerous blogs, and I’ve picked up little nuances here and there. I kept myself open to trying out new projects, not just with my writing career, but as a blogger.
My first blogging venture was the Writing in the Modern Age blog (affectionately termed WritModAge). It was established in 2010, but I didn’t accept guest writers/authors until
March of 2013. Since then, the blog has expanded into a great place for writers at any stage of their careers to visit for advice, and for readers to find their new favorite authors. Posts range from articles with tips about writing, publishing or marketing, all the way to new releases and book features, cover reveals, poetry spotlights, author interviews, service interviews, the Author’s Bookshelf Feature, occasional multi-author book giveaways, and special annual writers’ participation events, such as our 350th Anniversary post “What Does Your Writing Process Look Like?” On Writing in the Modern Age, we average about 95 guest authors featured per year, but that doesn’t count the new ones that donate books in our giveaways.
Another site I launched around the same time was Marie Lavender’s Books! blog (affectionately named MLB). The MLB blog was established in 2012, when I began writing articles and sharing writer news equally between my two blogs at the time. In 2015, I started accepting guest authors through exclusive author interviews, book spotlight interviews, cover reveals and new release features. We average about 60 to 70 guest authors featured per year on the MLB blog. I still post my own articles on both of those. I have another blog through my author website, offering updates, but that one is definitely smaller for now.
The final blog I want to mention is the I Love Romance Blog (ILRB). This blog was launched in 2014, with the intent of centering it on discussions about romance novels, as well as tips on romantic relationships. At first, not knowing exactly where to go with the blog, I posted random thoughts on romance, then started writing and posting romantic poetry. Soon enough, however, I networked and hosted character interviews, and the blog evolved to include other features like new releases, cover reveals and promoting free Amazon days for authors, presenting romantic guest posts, poetry spotlights, special events like multi-author book giveaways, or our latest popular series, “What Does Romance Mean to Me?” Our upcoming feature is titled “Heroes & Heroines”, which will entail a glimpse into each author’s take on a character (what drove them to write the story or kept them up at night). Each year on this blog, we have 60+ guest authors and average about 20,000 visitors and 40,000 total views.
So, what are the benefits of blogging as a writer?
- You will find your blogging niche. Discover what interests you and tell others about it in a unique, fun way. Plus, you can talk about your books in a manner that doesn’t sound like shameless promotion.
- You can meet new readers. I can’t tell you how many people have emailed me, or tagged me on social media, just to thank me for a great blog post!
- Readers need a way to keep connected with you. Whether you decide to get into indie publishing or go a more traditional route, you must find a way to reach potential readers. Even traditional publishers expect new authors to have a blog, or at least a website with a blog option. In my case, I have four blogs. I still write articles now and then for my blogs, but I am usually hosting all these great people, you know?
Blogging, however, is a great method for learning about others, and to show readers your utterly human side. Yes, even those foolish mistakes, the wins and losses we don’t always talk about.
My blogs aren’t the New York Times, but I’d like to believe I’ve made an impact on readers and writers alike. None of blogging was easy (don’t get me started on the occasional tech issues), yet in the process I’ve gained author friends and met people whom I never imagined I would. And last but not least, I helped other authors by promoting their work, and even assisted fledgling writers in making their mark on the world.
Thank you for reading about my blogs, and feel free to check out my modern romantic drama collection, Directions of the Heart, which was officially released on the 25th July!
Purchase Links for Directions of the Heart:
- https://bookgoodies.com/a/B071WVZZPV
- myBook.to/DoH
- Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/729271
- Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/directions-of-the-heart-marie-lavender/1126548251
- Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/directions-of-the-heart-a-romantic-drama-collection
- CreateSpace link: https://www.createspace.com/7239124
Guest Blogger Bio: Bestselling multi-genre author of UPON YOUR RETURN and 21 other books. Mystery Blogger Award for 2017. A to Z Blog Challenge Survivor in 2016. March 2016 Empress of the Universe title – winner of the “Broken Heart” themed contest and the “I Love You” themed contest on Poetry Universe. SECOND CHANCE HEART and A LITTLE MAGICK placed in the TOP 10 on the 2015 P&E Readers’ Poll. Nominated in the TRR Readers’ Choice Awards for Winter 2015. Poetry winner of the 2015 PnPAuthors Contest. The Versatile Blogger Award for 2015. Honorable Mention in the 2014 BTS Red Carpet Book Awards. Finalist and Runner-up in the 2014 MARSocial’s Author of the Year Competition. Honorable mention in the January 2014 Reader’s Choice Award. Liebster Blogger Award for 2013 and 2014. Top 10 Authors on AuthorsDB.com. Winner of the Great One Liners Contest on the Directory of Published Authors.
Marie Lavender lives in the Midwest with her family and three cats. She has been writing for a little over twenty-five years. She has more works in progress than she can count on two hands. Since 2010, Marie has published 22 books in the genres of historical romance, contemporary romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, fantasy, science fiction, mystery/thriller, dramatic fiction, literary fiction and poetry. She has also contributed to several multi-author anthologies. Her current series are The Heiresses in Love Series, The Magick Series, The Blood at First Sight Series and The Code of Endhivar Series.
Links:
http://marielavender.com/
http://iloveromanceblog.wordpress.com/
http://marielavenderbooks.blogspot.com/
http://marielavender.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/marie.lavender.58
https://www.facebook.com/MarieAnnLavender
https://twitter.com/marielavender1
https://plus.google.com/u/0/+MarieLavender/posts
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/marie-lavender/27/187/10a
Amazon author page: Author.to/MarieLavender
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6938764.Marie_Lavender
http://marielavender1.allauthor.com/
http://authorsdb.com/authors-directory/1578-marie-lavender
http://www.pw.org/content/marie_lavender
http://manicreaders.com/marielavender/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJu8HjRVYCFOqcIoX6ZxdqQ/videos
writingandbreathing 
This was a great blog post, very informative and fun. Thanks for sharing.
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I learned much from your blog post. Thank you for sharing.
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