The Power and Pleasure
of Blogging for Writers
Debra Eve
Author and Blogger
LaterBloomer.com
“The best time to start promoting your
book is three years before it comes out.
Three years to build a reputation, build a
permission asset, build a blog, build a
following, build credibility and build the
connections you'll need later.”
− Seth Godin, bestselling Author & Marketer
My First Blog: Where I Went Wrong
Who am I? What do I look like? What have I done for you lately?
My Redesigned Blog: What I Did Right
Name  Likeness  Free PDF  Welcome to my garden party!
Twitter Redesign: What I Did Right
From Elle B @Later_Bloomer to @DebraEve
The Result: Visitors Doubled
Number of visitors
November 1: Simultaneously announced new
LaterBloomer.com and free PDF anthology with
an 11-day social media blitz
The Result: Hit Google Page 1
• Moving from “Later
Bloomer” to “Debra Eve”
• People can now relate to
the writer behind the
blog
• Getting ready for new
projects (archaeological
memoir, novel)
Next: Uploaded PDF to Kindle
Hello world!
And…
Nothing.
Kindle “Free” Promo:
Ben Franklin’s Birthday
First Kindle “Free” Promo:
Thanks, Ben!
Kindle “Free” Promo:
Surprise!
Let’s Revisit Those Blog Stats
Number of visitors
What’s happening
here?
November 1:
Relaunched
LaterBloomer
January 20:
Ben’s Kindle
Birthday Promo
Kindle Advertises My Platform
Amazon previews the first 10% of your book FREE.
Send looky-loos back to your blog.
My Platform Advertises My Book
The Power of Blogging:
Feedback Loop
From http://CatherineRyanHoward.com
What Did I Learn About the Power of
Blogging, Brand, and Platform?
“Who knows a man's name, holds that man's
life in his keeping...the proof of unshaken,
unshakeable trust.”
− Ursula K. Le Guin, A Wizard of Earthsea
What Did I Learn About the Power of
Blogging, Brand, and Platform?
“Understand that a nonfiction book is a
souvenir, just a vessel for the ideas themselves.
You don't want the ideas to get stuck in the
book…you want them to spread. Which means
that you shouldn't hoard the idea! The more
you give away, the better you will do.”
− Seth Godin
The Pleasure of Blogging:
Social Media Connections
“I am evidence that
social media does sell
books, but only if you
don’t use it to sell
books.”
– Catherine Ryan Howard
Facebook Page vs. Personal Profile
Customize.
It’s professional,
easy, and shows
you care
Facebook is the largest social media platform.
You’ll need an author and/or book page.
Pinterest
(http://pinterest.com/debraeve/lady-late-bloomers/)
Pinterest traffic has increased over 2,700% in the
last 10 months. It’s now the third largest site after
Facebook and Twitter.
Pinterest
(http://pinterest.com/debraeve/writers-blogging-and-book-promotion/)
I invited my
friends to
curate a board
for you!
Pinterest “might prove to be more effective than any
other current social network in driving readers (not
other writers) to your books.”
− Rachelle Gardner, Agent
The Power and Pleasure of Blogging:
Wrapping Up
Buy up all online real estate NOW
in your greatest asset, your name
• Domain (GoDaddy.com)
• Wordpress.com
• Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest
Although not active yet, I’ve also secured
• Goodreads | LinkedIn | Google+
• She Writes | Red Room
The Power and Pleasure of Blogging:
Wrapping Up
What’s your MVP?
(minimum viable product)
What can you create and give
away on your blog to start a
feedback loop?
•
•
•
•
•
Short story
Short video
Newsletter
PDF guide
MP3 reading or . . .
The Power and Pleasure of Blogging:
Wrapping Up
• Original piece of art
(with grammar guide)!
May 4, 2012
giveaway from
Winepress of Words
(http://www.winepressofwords.com)
The Power and Pleasure of Blogging:
A Closing Thought
• “You are not a brand. Social
media is not your platform. The
world has enough brands.
• “Approach social media…as a
place where you can bring all the
crazy and compelling facets of
your personality to bear on an
unsuspecting populace your
audience.
• “People want to follow other
people. People don’t want to
follow brands.”
− Chuck Wendig
The Power and Pleasure of Blogging:
What Really Matters