Blogging can be a bit scary for new writers. It’s time-consuming. It’s a commitment. And besides, what to write about?

These are all good questions, but to show agents and editors – and readers – who you are, it’s a great idea to use a blog as a tool. Blogging is even an excellent idea for authors who aren’t yet published. We want to know who you are. How better to find out than to hear from you once a week?

Some writers have a web site and others have a link that will take you directly to a blog. Either way works.

How often?

I recommend blogging once a week because more than that can become onerous over time. Granted, our blog appears five times a week, but notice that we have four bloggers, and Friday is a fun blog.

Focus?

Choose a focus for your blog. It can be a wide focus, but not too wide. Let the reader know what to expect. For example, this blog’s readers know to expect posts related to the business of publishing, except on Fridays. Rarely do the posts deviate from that mission. Your blog’s mission is one good reason not to try to post too often, because you will run out of topics and will need to write on the same topic but from different angles. You want all your posts to be worth your readers’ time, and you don’t want to burn out.

When?

When you decide what weekday to post your blog, choose a day that’s normally slow for you so you can respond to comments from your followers. Granted, some blogs don’t receive many comments, but you’re working toward having many comments as a goal.

Yellow light!

Why so many precautions? Because all too often when I’m evaluating authors, I see abandoned blogs. Please don’t abandon your blog. If you have, take down your posts and start anew. Show us that you are active. Thank you.

Your turn:

Do you have a blog? What do you write about?

Besides this one, what blog do you enjoy most?

What tips on writing blogs can you share?