If you want to blog a book, though, I suggest you approach this endeavor like any other book project. This means putting aside your writer’s hat and putting on your business person’s hat before you begin your book project. This allows you to look at the big picture of both your blog and your book, which I will now refer to as your blogged book. Only when you do this can you decide if it is a viable business proposition.
So, ask yourself this question: Are you willing to approach your blogged book like a business person or only like a writer?
If you answered, “Like a writer,” maybe you should consider you blog as your daily writing practice instead of as a book project. If you said, “As a business person,” congratulations. You’ve joined the ranks of the most successful nonfiction writers because in this day and age successful nonfiction writer must also be savvy business people.
Later in this blogged book (which is what I will now also call my writing project), we’ll delve deeper into the business side of your blogged book. For right now, just consider these questions:
- Is my topic unique?
- Does what I have to say add value?
- Is there a market for this book?
- Who are my readers?
- What is my competition?
- How will I position myself in the market?
- What will I include in my blogged book?
- How will I organize the book (and, thereby, my blog)?
Are you really willing to delve into these questions and find the answers? If so, then, you are ready to consider blogging a book.
In my next post, we’ll discuss the advantages of blogging a book rather than writing one traditionally. After all, if you are going to have to go to this much effort just to blog a book—a writing purportedly easy schmeazy to do, maybe you want to write a traditional book after all…or maybe not.
This is very interesting, Nina, and I like your practical,down-to-earth writing style. Thank you!