Beaten by Blogging?

This title could be taken both ways – that I’m giving up in the face of the superior weight of Blogging, or that I’m being attacked by a vicious gang of random Blogposts!

Heavens, I feel like both at the moment LOL.

It’s not that I can’t blog. I quite enjoy rambling on, I type quite quickly when I’m in the flow, I enjoy chatting online about books – mine and others – and general topics. But I’m launching a blog tour today, probably the first I’ve ever done, with 21 stops, and a list of requirements including a newsletter update, 4 exclusive excerpts, 4 author interviews, and 8 guest posts.

And then I remember I’m blogging for my dear Not Your Usual Suspects as well …*pass me a tissue while I blub*.

“I enjoy rambling on”? HAHA indeed! Hoist by my own petard, as they say.

So, let’s consider some general Strategies for Blogging when your brain is Bemused and Battered like mine! I’m all about strategising if AT ALL possible LOL.

-        Save any interesting articles that pass your way. I’m not saying to copy them verbatim the next time you have to blog! But if they’ve caught your eye, chances are they will someone else’s. Paraphrase some of it / take clips from it / open a discussion on the parts you found intriguing.

-        Don’t worry about total originality. So maybe some of your online friends have also read the interesting article(s) / had thoughts on publishing trends / have offered advice on how to make your main character less cripplingly boring (tell me! Please!!). But think of how many readers are out there! Chances are 99.999% *haven’t* read the same blogs that you have. After all, how often do you catch *every* post that *everyone* on your Friends List posts? Besides, you’ll bring your own style to the topic. And if the sentiments are good in the first place – they can bear repeating!

-        Share the love. Consider a post recommending something other than your book. Something that’s affected you – something you enjoyed. Although this may seem to direct attention to other books, it’ll also reflect well on your generosity, and your rounded human-being-ness. It doesn’t have to be a “review” – and sometimes it’s probably best to avoid that topic, as many of us know! – but can be something that’s influenced or much loved in your life. And invite readers to share *their* favourites.

-        On that topic, don’t be afraid to ask for readers’ input. You can never tell what will catch people’s interest, but a simple “what do you think?” or “what’s your favourite?” will often start a discussion from the shortest or most simple of blog posts.

-        Share pictures. Visual art inspires the most visceral and immediate response. Readers love to *see* ideas and passions in a picture or photo. Choose a theme based on the weather (see how British I am? LOL) / your book’s setting / the places you write / your favourite painter / your garden etc. (though watch out for copyright on pictures you use from the net).

-        And if you’re still stuck? Blogs are chatty things, in my opinion. Yes, you may have something to sell / inform, but readers probably aren’t looking for instruction at your daily blog. They want entertainment / relaxation / enjoyment, even if it’s only peripheral to your work. A recipe always seems to work. Or pictures of pets. Neither of which are *my* forte, but never mind LOL.

And please feel free to catch up with me at any stage on my blog tour for my new male/male romance "Double Scoop". I'll be the one hanging from my own petard :).

Clare London

www.clarelondon.com