Nowadays, many indie publishers expect authors to market their own books. This can present a unique challenge to authors, giving them the opportunity to fine tune their business skills, make connections, foster their self-esteem, and even provide different career opportunities for themselves. Other times, however, marketing could seem like a distraction. It could take away from precious writing time, and potentially produce a lower quality book than what your readers deserve. However, one way you could market your book, as well as improve writing skills, is by blogging.

Whether it be through articles, poems, or short snippets of the book itself, a blog can help an author remember their passion for their stories, even if it means putting a little extra work into their blogs. They can help generate supplemental income, as well as connect with readers. Below are a few more ways you can use your blog to help market your book. 

Build up a loyal fan base for you and your books

Blogging can help you determine just who is actually buying your book, and who would want to see more of it. When you have followers on your blog, it means that whatever you post, they’ll be notified of that post. It helps you narrow your focus on that particular audience. What’s more, when you build up an email list that your followers can sign up on, you can offer them unique deals such as free books or writing tips that could make marketing your next book easier.

Offer unique information regarding your book

One of the reasons why authors use a blog is to offer up new information about their book. Whether it be nonfiction or fiction, providing this information can give your readers some insight into your writing process, your thinking, and the like. This information can include your characters, or the setting, or even the inspirations that you use for your book. At the very least, it can be a personal journal for your writing journal, which leads me to the next point. 

Act as a personal journal 

Writing can be hard at times. Sometimes, we just want to throw in the towel. We just don’t want to deal with the stresses of being an author, whether or not we do it for a living or as a hobby. Having a place to write those stresses and experiences down can help us tremendously, from lifting a certain emotional burden off our shoulders, or to even making sure that no other writer makes the same mistakes we do. At the very least, it’s a way to preserve our sanity.

Maintaining a blog is hard work. At times, you’re going to have to write, even if no one shows up for your blog. Other times, you’ll have to do so much for your blog that you won’t have time to write the book you’ve wanted to. Even so, blogging is worth the extra trouble. From the extra marketing boost your blog can give your book, to the emotional and psychological benefits having a blog can give you, it’s something to consider.