If you’re starting to write, you might not know where to publish your work. Should writers have a blog, or should they publish their writing elsewhere?
Publish Insights 2 April 2022
Pen and Paper, Tablet, or Computer
New and aspiring writers sometimes have a difficult time figuring out exactly how to start their writing careers. The internet is a complex place, and you can find numerous topics discussing writing tips.
However, one question constantly keeps popping up without a clear answer, and that is: Should writers have a blog? To help you answer that question, we will look at the benefits of publishing your work on an accessible website.
The benefits of having a blog:
1. Showcase your writing skills
Even established writers who have been published multiple times will tell you that there is never a point in your writing career where you will get so popular that you don’t need marketing anymore. You always need to promote your latest writing and grow your brand.
Even if writing isn’t your primary focus, you can still use it as a soapbox to promote your other activities. For us at ClinicalPosters in California, writing is a way to talk about some of the things we are passionate about, like health, medicine, programming, and art.
For those who are just starting their career as a writer, your blog can be a great reference for your previous work. When sending a pitch for other writing gigs, you can use it as a portfolio. However, hosting your content online can be dangerous if you lose access to your work. So you should save a backup copy and consider posting on various sites.
When attempting a cold pitch for a writing job, including some of your previous work is a good idea. Your blog can serve as a reference point to demonstrate that you are a skillful writer.
Additionally, just as with any other skill in life, you need to actively practice writing to get better at it. A blog can serve as the perfect place to share your writing with the world and track your progress. If you are looking for a way to get constructive feedback on your writing, you will need to display it publicly. Then, the answer to “Should writers have a blog” becomes pretty obvious.
2. Grow a following for your writing
It’s almost impossible to come out of nowhere and write a bestselling novel without anyone knowing about you. If you want your writing to reach a large audience, you’ll need to devote time to growing your online following. Although you aren’t directly limited to what you can write on your blog, you should still try to write engaging and interesting articles that naturally draw audiences.
The best way to build a large audience for your writing is to pick a niche and then stick to it. Over time, you can tackle various topics, but you should initially try to be consistent in your pieces and writing style.
3. A blog improves the visibility of your writing
Improving your online visibility requires catering to both audiences and search engines. What good is your writing if no one gets to read it? Search engines and SEO are very complex topics, but suffice it to say, they will have an enormous impact on the number of people who can find your writing. But should writers have a blog, and what does your writing have to do with SEO?
- For starters, setting up a blog will allow you to have multiple pages on your site. These can host backlinks and direct users to your other content.
- Write about timeless topics. Publish articles on classic topics that will provide value for your users over time. Even if you want to focus on current events, your blog can hold multiple timeless articles to boost your visibility.
- Engage users by having a comments section. Blogs are particularly well suited for connecting with your audience and engaging them in active discussion. User interaction is a great way to improve the SEO of your website.
4. Generate income through the writing on your blog
It can be difficult to make enough money through your writing alone. Most writers are forced to diversify their sources of income and look for additional revenue streams. Thankfully, a blog can help you get some extra money from your writing.
- Once you have settled on your niche, you can see who the major brands are and then contact them about sponsorship.
- Another form of monetization could come from writing about relevant products and hosting affiliate links.
- You can use your blog to promote your other products. If writing isn’t your only job, you can have links to your other products or services on your blog. On the other hand, if you want to focus on writing, you can still promote your books through your web store. This is also an excellent way to offer your dedicated fans a way to support your writing.
How writers can create a blog
By now, you probably understand why writers should have a blog. All that’s left is to create one and start publishing your writing. However, not everyone who wants to write is tech-savvy and knows how to set up a blog. Fortunately, this isn’t too difficult, and you can create a blog website without knowing much about web design.
There are multiple online tools you can use, and WP is perfect for this. If you have products to sell, an e-commerce site like Shopify includes blog features. But to focus specifically on blogging, many writers decide to use WordPress. It has numerous interchangeable templates and plugins. Most importantly, creating new pages for your articles is easy. This means that you can focus on your writing without worrying about managing a complex website.
In conclusion
Blogs are easy to set up and maintain. They also represent the perfect playground to test your writing and hone your skills. There is no doubt that the answer to “Should writers have a blog?” is a resounding yes!
Your writing will get better the more you do it, and you will see an improvement in your skills through every piece you publish. Create a blog, start posting articles, and let your audience learn more about you and your work.
Images from FreePik, Pexels, and Pixabay.
