Bloggers need to do their bit

George Angus on having a writing blog:

I’ve yet to find a writer who is not anxious to help another writer with support or information that will help move them forward. Trade secrets are non-existent. Pretty incredible if you consider most other industries out there.

I agree, that’s been my experience too. It’s also worth noting that the most successful (a term I use loosely) writing blogs are those that provide information, opinions and advice about writing, rather than authors simply writing about their own work.

I say that because so many authors these days are told that they must have an online presence. That’s such an odd and, to my mind, misleading term. It suggests that all you need to do is get a website, put your work online and wait for the hits to come.

That’s not how it works at all. Being a writer online is about sharing information and being part of a community. It’s important to promote your work, and you can still do that, but you need offer something more. You need to do your bit.