Presented at the Whidbey Island Writer's Conference 2012. Your author blog is your stage, the place where you get to shine a light on your work. It’s one of the best platforms to build your brand, deliver your marketing message and grow a community of loyal readers. Learn about what a blog can do, get the basics of creating a WordPress blog and walk away with tips for developing appealing content.

1. How to Finally
Get that Author
Blog You’ve
Always Wanted
bob dunn - WordPress trainer, coach & blogger

2. Do I need
a blog?

3. How Can A Blog Help Me As An Author?
Increase Traffic to Your Website
Reach a Larger Audience of Readers
Showcase Your Talent
Attract editors and agents
Sell your book(s) directly or indirectly

4. WordPress.com
vs.
self-hosted WordPress

5. WordPress.com vs. self-hosted
the software is free
if you are self-hosted you will need to
pay for hosting
if you are self-hosted you will need to
update and backup

6. WordPress.com vs. self-hosted
SET-UP & INSTALLATION
.com - easy setup
self-hosted -
depends on your host

7. WordPress.com vs. self-hosted
THEMES
.com - limited to over 75 free themes
+ some premium themes
self-hosted - hundreds and hundreds,
including premium themes

8. WordPress.com vs. self-hosted
WIDGETS & PLUGINS
.com - limited widgets, but release of
new widget
self-hosted - widgets, widgets and
more widgets
can only use plugins on self-hosted

9. and most importantly
how much control you have over your
blog

13. starting out
comment on blogs • look at authors’,
agents’ and other writers’ blogs

14. Brand
your
author’s
blog

15. develop
a strong
voice
and be
flexible

16. connecting

17. sharing

18. as a blogger
and an
author...

19. don’t
ignore
comments

20. be careful
not to
turn your
blog into
a personal
diary

21. be careful of what you say

22. and do you
really want
to publish
that now?

23. You Need to Know This About Your Readers
1. The 90-9-1 rule:
• 90% of your readers are lurkers (they read, but do not comment).
• 9% contribute from time to time, but other priorities distract them.
• 1% participate frequently and account for most of the comments.
2. Most won’t read your whole post carefully
• The average readers spends 96 seconds reading the average post.
• 79% of readers scan, rather than read.
• Only 16% will read the whole page.

24. Where can I get
ideas to blog
about?

25. Watch and listen

26. Family relationships and life experiences

27. Writers’ blogs and
forums

28. Workshops &
conferences

29. Your old posts

30. Comments from
your readers

31. tips to make your content shine

32. understand the difference between
writing for Google and writing for
your readers

33. be fairly consistent

34. know your readers

35. entertain your reader

36. write headlines that grab your reader

37. don’t stray too far from your genre

38. encourage comments

39. GET THE WORD OUT
Register your blog with Google
Comment on other blogs
Join discussions
Use social media and feeds
Advertise your blog everywhere

40. bob dunn - WordPress trainer, coach & blogger
425.223.0022
bobwp.com
bob@bobwp.com
twitter: @bobwp