5 Ways to Go From Blogger to a Published Author

Writing is the way of self-expression which helps a person analyse, organize and develop expertise over a particular subject. Most of us at some point of time want to write a book and be a published author. A formal book has always been the epitome of knowledge and expertise you hold in your subject of interest. It goes undeniably, that a published book can be the best business card you can give your buyers to lure them into your world. But becoming an author was never easy. Writing a book takes a lot of manual and brain work and then publishing it, always required a traditional publisher to whom you can pitch your manuscript. Then it remained at the publisher’s discretion to accept or reject the work which had taken your immense efforts. But in recent years the publishing world has changed a lot; writing and publishing have become more author-friendly. Now you can publish and print your own book with self-publishing. This method can be achieved in multiple ways, and one of ways is blogging your ideas.

Blogging is a very popular and effective way of expressing your ideas to a larger audience. Many a times, we write and post things, the volume of which is equivalent to that of a book. After some period, you find yourself sitting on a mountain of content which could be turned into a book. Posting your ideas regularly is a way of publishing which helps you get instant live feedback too. The social media has opened wider avenues for everyone and as civilization connects locations, around the world, the web connects people. Reaching out to prospective readers has become a piece of cake in today’s world. This is a good way of assessing your content and gauging marketability of your product before you publish and print any book. Every time you blog something and hit the publish button, you are actually publishing your ideas to the world, but getting a formal book from a blog always gives an added advantage with prestige, because as long as you do not have text bound between that gorgeous cover, technically, you are not a published author, though a blogger and writer.

1. Blog a book: You can start writing with blogs. Construct your idea as you would do for a book, because blogging is a good way to keep your motivated. Finishing a book definitely requires writing regularly and blogging helps in that.

• Choose your topic wisely based on your knowledge genre and market demand which will decide the saleability of your Ebook.
• Check the blogosphere as well as your local bookstores to mark your competitors. Inspire yourself from your methods. Learn from their mistakes and do not repeat the same in your writing.
• Develop a promotional plan for your blog on social media as well as physical areas. Remember your blog is at the center of your becoming a published author. You have to put same amount of effort in circulating your work as you would do for a formal book. Reach out to local festival organizers and offer them sponsorship for promoting your blog. Also go to nearby bookstores and conduct a few giveaways for promoting your ebook. Social media a presence is very important. Share your blog on related sites. Link it wherever possible where people may be interested in reading your ideas. Make an email list to promote your blog. There a places to host online giveaways. Invite people to like and share your blog. Build an author website with a page where people can rate your blog and give reviews. The strategies that you use in self-publishing your content in the form of blog will help you when you publish and print your own book. Increase your fan base with an author platform. Participate on Goodreads and other related sites; engage in discussions with other authors and readers to promote your blog.
• Write regularly and consistently, at least 2-3 times a week to keep your blog updated.

2. Make way for people to Find your Book: When you start with blogging towards publishing your own book, you have to help people find your work.

• Set up categories based on your chapters. Don’t use creative names; use searchable terms or keyword phrases.
• Create a page for table of contents. Use widgets and such tools to create links because as the book is being blogged it will help readers find the chapters of the book.
• Create page turning option. Designing your blog website is important too. Create links like ‘previous page’ and ‘next page’ to help readers move smoothly through the book.

Now your plan doesn’t end with blogging. Creating a successful blog was only the first step to publish and print your own book, and be an author consequently. Now continuing the blog process in an optimized way is necessary.

3. Blog to attract Publishers: If your intention is to attract literary agents and publishers who will be interested in sponsoring your book, use your innovative ideas in promoting the work in a certain way. Many a times, literary agents and publishers scroll and troll the web to find promising bloggers who have a test ready blog that can be a successful book. A successful blog, one with lots of readers, acts like a beacon to agents and publishers. When they follow the light—the trail of readers—to your blog, they have what they want: numbers. Wow them with your unique visitors and page views. If your numbers aren’t as large as you’d like (or they’d like), at least show growth month to month. Google Analytics tends to be the most accurate measure of these numbers, but your hosting company probably has analytics as well, and these can prove more impressive.
4. Write short series: At this point of time, take a break but do not stop. Keep blogging on short topics or stories to create an anthology or series, because a full book can be overwhelming, but a parallel series blogging will keep up the pace of writing both as a blogger and a writer.
5. Self-Publish the book: Even if you do not land up a lucrative traditional deal, you can always attract your readers when you publish and print the book in the form of an Ebook or a print book, via self-publishing or assisted publishing. When a blogger has a good fan base, the readers are more than happy to purchase a book written by their favourite blogger. Do not miss this opportunity. The self-publishing world has drastically changed in recent years, giving authors more money, honour and value for the product they have created with so much love. There are several print on demand (POD) and Direct Publishing platforms which will guide and help you publish and print your book. In this case, you retain the sole copyright of your content, you have full control on how to design and present your book to your fans and gives the author maximum profit. There are many guided publishing houses which assist new time authors to achieve their dreams with professional services so that the print book receives the finesse required to reach the audience outside web.

Writing and publishing is a long process which takes a major part of a person’s life, and consume much of his brain matter. Doing it right and getting people to read your work and appreciate it, is even harder. But blogging can help you initiate the process so that you can publish and print the book. The old school clichés about self-publishing are a myth now, and it is taken extremely seriously by writers and readers. Fifty Shades of Grey can be a classic example of self-publishing success story. There are many more; the next can be yours.

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