Doesn’t get a lot more direct than that title, now, does it? So why are these things on my mind? Well, first of all, YA author Diana Peterfreund recently opined that blogs are not the ultimate marketing tool. Now, I’m going to have to agree with that. Everybody knows that skywriting has that slot, with blimps coming in a distant second. (Clearly I’m a big fan of flight.)
But when it comes to authors and blogs, I have to admit that I had not read a single book by most of the authors whose blogs I follow until after I began to read their online musings. I found most of them through comments or blogrolls on others’ sites, and followed them to their webly homes. (Yes, I’m perfectly aware that this makes me sound like a stalker, thank you very much.) I liked their writing, and I found that I rather liked them, too. Or what they let me know of them, at least. And who doesn’t want to read a book by someone who seems nice and turns out decent writing on a semi-regular basis? Of course, I had to find them first, which as Diana points out is often difficult for someone whose only publishing credit is a blog — or, I would add, for a published author whose books one has not yet read. Indeed, I usually find the more dedicated bloggers, either through their active participation in the blogsophere or through recommendations by other bloggers. Like much of the best marketing, it’s all about word of mouth. If bloggers are just sitting there waiting to be discovered but are not participating in the blogosphere, it’s probably not going to happen until or unless a bigger force — such as a recently released book — brings readers to them.
So, where am I going with this? Well, everybody knows I’m a fan of reading, which means that my default birthday/Christmas present is a gift card for a bookstore. And when it comes time to spend the loot, I often look to my RSS feeds first. I like to support my favorite bloggers, and I know I’ll get some good reads at the same time. Even as I type this, books by Jill Shalvis, Lani Diane Rich, Eileen Cook, and Samantha Graves (to name a few) are headed my way. These authors’ books are all new to me, even if their blogs are not. And I’m already saving up for another round (which will probably include some of Diana’s books).
To be fair, I also have a habit of looking up my favorite authors’ websites and indulging in their blogs as well, should they have them. In that case, the books led me to the blogs, and not the other way around. But blogging has helped me discover some amazing writers, ones whose books I probably wouldn’t have noticed on those crowded bookstore shelves had I not already known their names from blogging.
Am I alone here? If not, then stop by Diana’s blog, add her to your RSS reader (because you’ll probably want to), then buy her books to prove her wrong. Or hope that I sell the mess I’m currently working on, and then don’t buy the book because you get my blog for free. Your choice.
And because I am queen of my own blog (aren’t we all?), I will indulge my urge to continue pontificating by pointing out that brownies are evil, terrible things. Especially when warm and gooey and filled with chocolate chips. I went into this afternoon’s staff meeting with just one chin, and after an hour sitting within reach of a plate of the malicious goo, I walked away with four more chins. This is not a good look for me. Plus, my neck is getting tired from swinging that extra skin around. I’m just saying.
Your turn. Do you read your favorite bloggers’ books — assuming they have a book out? If so, which came first for you as a reader — the book or the blog? Or, alternatively, what is the most evil food you know? C’mon. Spill.
A bit of both for me. I read alot of blogs of authors and usually end up buying books of theirs based not only upon the characters IN the books, but by the authors writing style on their blogs.
Did you have to mention Brownies? I have mix in the pantry……..
It’s funny. Whenever I make that comment on my blog, I always hear from blog readers who say they discovered my books from my blog. But that’s the medium. That’s my blog. If I’m at a signing, I rarely hear “and I read your blog!” A disproportionate percentage of book readers who also read my blog found me through my blog. It’s misleading. Most readers of my books do not read my blog.
I’d also wager that there are many (if not more) readers of my blog who found me through my blog that do NOT read my books, than readers of my blog that found me through my blog that DO read my books. I believe this because I myself read many blogs of writers whose books I do not read.
Blogging is not the platform it is made out to be. If a dozen book readers find me through my blog, I’m happy about it, just as I’m happy if I attend a signing and sell a dozen books. But I don’t think I’ve made a difference in my overall sell-through.
By the way, your blog is very beautiful. And now I’ve found YOU through YOURS.
I’ve definitely read someone just because they blog. I remember finding Jill Shalvis’ blog and as I was reading it and smiling, laughing, I realized, “Wait a minute I’ve read her before!” and thus began my automatic buy for Jill.
She’s just one example. I have many. I can only hope that people do or will feel the same way about me (someday…). 🙂
Brandy, I do the exact same thing.
Diana, I definitely see your point. For every rule there will always be exceptions; while a blog may not increase sell-through by a large amount, there will still be people who discover you through your blog. And then those people love your books and recommend them to people who may not necessarily go online at all. So a blog can be one medium for word-of-mouth to work, but it is just one of many, and not necessarily the most effective one. One point I really tried to work in but couldn’t address was that I loved how you said that people should blog for the fun of it, because blogging to increase your sell-through alone–or for any other reason than just the sheer enjoyment of the words and the interaction with other bloggers–is not worth it
Karen, me, too! I hadn’t read any of hers until I found her blog. Her blog is so funny and she’s so articulate that I had a feeling I would really enjoy her books. But there’s also something about reading a book written by someone you feel you “know”, even if it’s simply through a blog that anyone can read.
Hey, my ears were burning, lol. I have to agree with what Diana said. I’m not seeing a huge cross over of people who read my blog and people who read my books. Mostly I blog because I work alone all day and it’s lonely, and I LOVE having friends only a click away.
That’s fascinating, Jill. I buy books from bloggers, so it’s easy to assume that everyone else does. It makes me wonder, then, why some agents are so set on their authors having blogs. Two agents this week alone have mentioned that they give bonus points to would-be clients who have active blogs. But then, they wrote that in their own blogs, so it’s clear that they value the medium, whereas many other agents do not maintain their own blogs.
Very interesting. But since I’m immersed in the blog world and a lot of people aren’t, I guess I can understand that. Too bad cos people are missing out on some fabulous blogs. 🙂
Crossover! Yes, that’s the word. Dur.
“bonus” points for an agent strikes me as silly. “Wow, brilliant book, but no blog. REJECT.” “Wow, sucky book, but what a blog, SIGN!” Somehow, I doubt it. But you’re right. It is the preaching to the choir effect . A blogging agent speaking to blog readers. Everyone’s a blog-lover. No one new is coming into that circle. They are just freaking out brilliant writers sans blogs.
While we are all spending hours and hours per day writing blogs, other writers are writing more books, and getting more releases out, which really are good marketing. IMO.
I have a friend who I started reading her blog, and then won her book in a contest, and now I CAN’T WAIT for her next book to come out. Probably because she stopped blogging, and now I miss her.
So maybe both? I don’t know. But the chinese restaurant down the street needs to go out of business so I stop eating crab rangoon every day for lunch.