I'm trying to process, bit by bit, an article in Writer's Digest about the new trend - blogging your book. The premise is that many books that have been published recently started as blogs, so that this is a viable way for a new writer to find an audience and prove his or her worth to a potential publisher.
I'm not so sure how I feel about this. Part of me finds it blissfully logical - of COURSE! If you have something to say, and if you can say it well and clearly enough to earn that audience through blogging, a publisher is far more likely to see your worth... after all, dedicated blog followers will buy a printed book, particularly if it has additional content not found online. Right?
The other part of me recoils. Isn't this just a step above - or, perhaps more accurately, to one side - from self-publishing? And... well, there's that whole idea of "if you can get the milk for free, why buy the cow?" Not to mention the P-word. PLAGIARISM. These days, it's hard to teach kids - even college age kids - that just because you found it online, it doesn't mean it's free for the taking.
I'm thinking of dipping my toe into the water... I've got my master's project, a very audience-specific book manuscript, and haven't been able to find a publisher. I really don't want to self-pub. So... I'll try blogging it. If you're a teacher and you love animals, this blog will be for you - Critters in the Classroom. I'll also be shamelessly begging for help getting the word out about it - you have been warned. And I'll blog here about the progress.
Commence experimentation.
Links to Book Blogging for the Curious:
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