Successful blog to published author?

[( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)]

I'm thinking about investing more time into putting more content on my blog to raise viewers. Does anyone know of any Christian writers that have went from running a blog to getting a book deal?

 

[Saucy]

It will take years and years and you'll have to write something that provides value to other people.

 

[High Fidelity]

I'm thinking about investing more time into putting more content on my blog to raise viewers. Does anyone know of any Christian writers that have went from running a blog to getting a book deal?

The chances of becoming successful probably aren't great, honestly. There are various media platforms now that are just so over-saturated by people trying to make it that unless you're already a name, it's really difficult to get the light of day.

I think the best you can do is remain diligent in the quality and quantity(as in frequently and consistently providing content) of your work and slowly grow your blog and go from there.

Put it this way, looking at the statistic of college football players that have it all in front of them and the infrastructure around them to make it happen, only 1.7% go on to play professionally. That said, it's going to be difficult whatever anyone tries to do to make it nowadays.

Have you considered working as a journalist or writing columns for newspapers or websites? Having things like that which are commercial examples of your work will likely help you along the way as well.

Just my $0.02 as someone that isn't an author by any stretch of the imagination, but I've seen a lot of people aspire to make a living creating content and most of them invest thousands, get nowhere and end up in a bad spot mentally because they shoulder the 'failure' themselves as opposed to the odds against them.

Anyway, best of luck and I sincerely hope it works out for you I'll gladly give some advice about site design and layout if you go down the route of a private website(which is inexpensive and you could publish articles there as well as established blogging sites and link them to the original article on your own website).

 

[vinsight4u]

deleted

 

[( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)]

Thanks HF. I do have a personal website thru blogger. But I don't feel the need to share it right now. I also feel writers are going to have an extra leg-up with Facebook changing their news-feed policies. Who knows. We'll see.

I'm still interested to find examples of bloggers turned authors. If anyone knows of any please share. The only instance I know of was not Christian.

 

[High Fidelity]

I also feel writers are going to have an extra leg-up with Facebook changing their news-feed policies. Who knows. We'll see.

I haven't looked in to that, but that would be really cool and especially if you can capitalise on it early!

 

[JAM2b]

A good resource is fundsforwriters.com It's not about free money to write. It is about how to establish an income with your writing until you can create a name for yourself and perfect your craft.

The writer/owner of this site and newsletter was a freelance writer for a while and is now a published book author.

According to what I have read, blogging has a different effect depending on what type of books you want to write. If you are wanting to be a non-fiction or technical writer, then blogging is definitely a good way to slowly gain a following. But if you are going to be a fiction writer, it's not as important.

 

[Rebecca Lemke]

I personally know three!

Rebecca Gregoire, daughter of Sheila Gregoire of To Love, Honor and Vacuum. She wrote a viral blog post called "Why I Didn't Rebel" (also the title of the book), and later was approached for a book deal by all of her mother's publishers. They got into a bidding war!

Thomas Umstattd, while he did not get approached by a publisher, took charge and self-published. I consider him very successful, despite not going the traditional route.

Jessica Harris, she self-published Beggar's Daughter after blogging for several years. I also consider her successful because, just like Thomas, I hear about her book often.

I would love to see your blog, can you share the link?

 

[faroukfarouk]

I personally know three!

Rebecca Gregoire, daughter of Sheila Gregoire of To Love, Honor and Vacuum. She wrote a viral blog post called "Why I Didn't Rebel" (also the title of the book), and later was approached for a book deal by all of her mother's publishers. They got into a bidding war!

Thomas Umstattd, while he did not get approached by a publisher, took charge and self-published. I consider him very successful, despite not going the traditional route.

Jessica Harris, she self-published Beggar's Daughter after blogging for several years. I also consider her successful because, just like Thomas, I hear about her book often.

I would love to see your blog, can you share the link?

So did you specialize in English in school?

 

[faroukfarouk]

I'm thinking about investing more time into putting more content on my blog to raise viewers. Does anyone know of any Christian writers that have went from running a blog to getting a book deal?

I think these days the dividing line between a blog and a book is becoming somewhat blurred in any case.

But writing skills are at a premium.

 

[Rebecca Lemke]

So did you specialize in English in school?

You are making me really nervous that I have a serious typo I haven't caught. Haha is this sarcasm? What makes you ask?

 

[faroukfarouk]

You are making me really nervous that I have a serious typo I haven't caught. Haha is this sarcasm? What makes you ask?

No, no! You're obviously into writing; and with a lot of people a developed skill comes from somewhere...

 

[Rebecca Lemke]

No, no! You're obviously into writing; and with a lot of people a developed skill comes from somewhere...

Oh yes, I am that.

I actually did not have any formal writing education before I turned sixteen and went to college, which is why I asked if there was sarcasm!

I suffered some educational neglect while being homeschooled and it made things a little difficult for me. Dyslexia runs in my family as well, so I grew up with a father who couldn't write or read and that really changed things for me. I tried harder because of it when I had opportunities, I saw what a gift communication was. I had two English classes in college, both with professors who had seen people like me (with no English or writing experience) come through. That really helped! I just took a professional course for writing/publishing these past few weeks and it was invaluable.

I've run a blog for three years now which kind of was a trial by fire test of whether I was going to let the deficiencies hold me back or not, and after that, I self-published a book. I met all three of these authors during the last eight months after I published because they are in my niche and we have worked together a lot. They are some amazing Christian folks.

Edit: To directly answer your previous question, I didn't specialize in English. I actually went to college for sociology/social work.

 

[afishamongmany]

Oh yes, I am that.

I actually did not have any formal writing education before I turned sixteen and went to college, which is why I asked if there was sarcasm!

I suffered some educational neglect while being homeschooled and it made things a little difficult for me. Dyslexia runs in my family as well, so I grew up with a father who couldn't write or read and that really changed things for me. I tried harder because of it when I had opportunities, I saw what a gift communication was. I had two English classes in college, both with professors who had seen people like me (with no English or writing experience) come through. That really helped! I just took a professional course for writing/publishing these past few weeks and it was invaluable.

I've run a blog for three years now which kind of was a trial by fire test of whether I was going to let the deficiencies hold me back or not, and after that, I self-published a book. I met all three of these authors during the last eight months after I published because they are in my niche and we have worked together a lot. They are some amazing Christian folks.

Edit: To directly answer your previous question, I didn't specialize in English. I actually went to college for sociology/social work.

Hi Rebecca L - welcome to CF
Interesting to hear your story and to hear that some christian writer are 'making it'.
Bortsss blog link is on in his profile. How about a link to your blog
Go well
><>

 

[Rebecca Lemke]

Hi Rebecca L - welcome to CF
Interesting to hear your story and to hear that some christian writer are 'making it'.
Bortsss blog link is on in his profile. How about a link to your blog
Go well
><>

Oh wonderful, thank you for that information! I will check his blog out. I suppose I should put mine on my profile. I have two blog/websites, one is rebeccalemke.com (be warned, the sidebar is currently having issues - we are working to fix it) and scarletvirgins.com.

 

[( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)]

/bump

anyone have a blog they would like to exchange for a bit for crit for crit and opinion for opinion.?

 

[SassyBee]

I started a blog last year, in hopes to give me an outlet. It's a "My Life. My Story." concept. I wanted to market it to make a name and a profit for women to come together for support and encouragement. So far, I haven't gotten that far. I don't know how to increase traffic and life has gotten in the way recently. I had also written a novel years ago that I just self-published. I thought about marketing through the blog as well, especially since they are kind of military-related. I also wanted to write another novel that is about what I'm going through now. Again, I'm having a hard time with inspiration and desire to write. It's really frustrating because it's messing with my mind and emotions! lol It was my outlet and I feel like I don't have that now! Ugh!

 

[faroukfarouk]

I started a blog last year, in hopes to give me an outlet. It's a "My Life. My Story." concept. I wanted to market it to make a name and a profit for women to come together for support and encouragement. So far, I haven't gotten that far. I don't know how to increase traffic and life has gotten in the way recently. I had also written a novel years ago that I just self-published. I thought about marketing through the blog as well, especially since they are kind of military-related. I also wanted to write another novel that is about what I'm going through now. Again, I'm having a hard time with inspiration and desire to write. It's really frustrating because it's messing with my mind and emotions! lol It was my outlet and I feel like I don't have that now! Ugh!

It's a lot of work to write! but the military is a source of so much interest for writing!

I do like the books of W E B Griffin, which have the US military as much of their background; he is so detailed. (His language can be a bit crude sometimes.)