Publishers tell you to start a blog - but is it good advice? by Lucy Rycroft

Shortly before lockdown, I'd accepted the very kind invitation to speak at the next ACW Writers' Day in Manchester, on the subject of writing 'small things' - which, in my case, would be focused on blogs.

At time of writing, I don't know whether the event will be able to go ahead, but - as these things do - the topic has been swimming around my head, with thoughts and ideas flowing a-plenty.

So, without giving away any spoilers in case the event DOES go ahead, I thought I'd perhaps direct my thoughts into the very relevant question of: Should I start a blog?

Various authors have told me that they were instructed to start blogging as a way of growing an audience for their books - so I'd like to unpack this a little, and see whether it's good advice.

On the surface, it seems sensible. We know that, these days, much more is required of authors when it comes to marketing and selling their work. Christian publishers rarely have the budget for a decent marketing campaign, and therefore much is left to authors who may rightly feel ill-equipped in this field. After all, they are authors, not salespeople. Starting a blog seems like an excellent way for an author to grow an audience without having to do much of the face-to-face stuff.

On the flip side, though, is a blog the right suggestion to be making? After all, blogging is incredibly time-consuming - if you want to do it well.

For a start, you need to publish regularly and consistently so that your readers don't forget about you, and so that you plonk yourself on their radar enough for them to recommend you to others. 'Regular and consistent' means different things to different people, so I'll just give my own recommendation, which is weekly. And then there are all the other aspects of blogging which take time: promoting on social media, adding links and images, responding to comments, planning future posts, website maintenance, and so on.

Another consideration is how you will endear yourself to your readers. Writing about anything you fancy may be appealing - but are you giving a consistent diet to those who might be your 'audience'? There is no shame in writing a blog just for fun - I did it for several years - as it's a great way of honing your writing in a safe place. But if you're blogging deliberately to find your audience, then you need to really keep them in mind more than your own writing whims.

I know this is hard to hear, so I'll repeat and clarify: blogging for fun has many advantages, not least the safe space to write about whatever takes your fancy - but if you're blogging to build an audience, then you need to consider this audience first. Because if you don't - why are they going to read what you write? What's in it for them?

The way to do this is to start with your audience first. In blogging terms, this is called an 'avatar'. If you write about mental health, or identity, or theology, take a moment to think: who is your avatar? What is their gender, age, family situation and financial position? What do they do for a living? What are their biggest challenges? What keeps them awake at night? What dreams and hopes do they have for the future?

Taking some time to sit down and write out your avatar (and yes, giving them a name does help them come to life) will sharpen your blogging, as you ask yourself: Would Kate want to read this? Would this be appealing to her? Would this help her? Why would she be bothered?

These are just a couple of considerations to bear in mind when deciding whether or not to start a blog. There are many ways to build an audience online, and blogging is just one. It is an incredibly fulfilling one - but also a very demanding one. A good alternative could be to simply open a Facebook, Twitter or Instagram account (thinking very carefully about which platform your avatar is most likely to use), and start sharing your key thoughts and messages there. It's a lot less time-consuming and perhaps just as effective.