Blogging my novel

[nzmegs]

OK, this is scary for me because my novel has been my baby for years now. I have a few thousand words written and a pretty good idea of how it will pan out and what the conclusion will be. it is more or less written in my head.

I have a freelance writing blog, but i am considering adding my novel to the blog on a weekly basis. Say a chapter a week.

it would help me to get the motivation to get it written and would also give it some exposure.

My fear - as with all writers, is that it simply isn't good enough and I worry that I will receive negative comments. Noone but me has read what I have written and opening it up to the world is frightening.

Financially this could be good for my blog and will bring in a few more readers. Who knows it could even lead to a publishing deal - stranger things have happened

Has anyone else done this?

[WarrenG]

I've considered this before.

There's a big unanswerable debate over whether it's best to give content away free or sell it. Why are you thinking put it for free, instead of write it and then send out proposals to publishers?

Regarding a deadline: Personally I think making a commitment to post one chapter a week is a bad idea. Because although that might give you the commitment to get going, it might also be a strain on you, that stops you from getting into the flow, and worrying about meeting the deadline. Also, you'll feel pressured to put something up, even if you're not completely happy with it. Even great writers write crap, they just know what to throw in the bin and what to keep.

Then again, you might thrive under the pressure -- if you think this is the case, then go ahead and try using a deadline. Otherwise, I'd leave it open as to when you'll add the next chapters.

So those are the issues I think you should consider - if you really want to put it up free instead of sell it or try to publish it, and whether to set a deadline for your updates or not.

Your main concern (fear) isn't really a consideration at all. It shouldn't even be a factor in your decision making equation. So you'll be nervous about how it's received? There's no rule that says you should never be nervous or worried about whether people will like your work. But even if you are, you can handle a bit of anxiety, and you'll get over it pretty quickly. It's a perfect exercise in getting over this fear.

[nzmegs]

Thanks warren. you are right - feel the fear and all that! it would be great to make some money out of my novel - but i suppose i just don't know if it will ever be good enough to send out to agents/publishers.

I suppose if I am looking at deadlines I should simply set myself a deadline and get it written. Then try with a few agents and if i have no luck i can publish it online.

The reason the first few thousnd words have taken so long is becuase I read and reread and make changes. So posting a first draft is likely a bad idea.

I guess i should simply push on and write the damn thing. it will stop the ideas from swimming about in my head!

[SleepBro]

Not a bad idea, but like the other guy said, you may be pressured to post garbage. And giving away free content of this magnitude seems like a waste of precious money-making material!

[Aminka Ozmun]

I'm an aspiring author who's decided on an e-publishing route, so this is definitely a topic close to my heart!

After doing some basic research on the matter, it seems that all the "purely e-published" authors (Amanda Hocking, etc.) debuted stories on their blogs first. It's just the nature of the medium, the internet -- "information wants to be free."

By the same token, however, because "content is king" you should feel confident that if you're any good, you will find your audience...with time spent on appropriate marketing, particularly the social kind so increasingly important now.

Check out the website Novelr.com, dedicated to web fiction, entirely free "blooks." They have a ton of great thought-provoking articles that will help your thinking on the matter!

Last thing: don't forget that you're on a StevePavlina.com forum -- and how did Steve become successful? Providing interesting written material for free!

[nzmegs]

Thanks Aminka - you are very wise. I have no objections to providing things for free - I do that with my blog anyway. I am more scared of the reaction....

Perhaps i need to allow my friends and family to read it first knowing they would provide constructive criticism.

[Aminka Ozmun]

Well, Nzmegs, unless your friends and family usually read the kind of stuff you write anyway, their feedback may not be as helpful as you'd need.

As for negative feedback, you must understand that you will never please everyone. You must, in fact, hope for the best while preparing for the worst.

That's show business. We writers are entertainers like everyone else, though we aspire towards artistry in our best moments.

Actually, you might want to sign up with Francis Ford Coppola's free online peer-reviewed writing workshop at Zoetrope.com. They don't do novels, but I'm sure you can always pretend that what you've got is a novella-in-progress!

It's a fun community. Before you get your stuff reviewed, you have to review other people's first. I think you'll enjoy it very much 'cause everyone's very careful to not be offensive since they want their stuff reviewed as well!

[Clint Cora]

Feedback is a good thing because it helps you improve your writing. And putting out little bits at a time, maybe even less than a chapter, will allow you to edit your book as you write it.

Of course, don't take any single feedback as gospel. Feedback becomes more valuable if you start to get the same type of comments over and over again for specific pieces of your work.

[Agota]

I think the important question to ask yourself is whether you actually want to publish your novel on your blog or get a book deal and publish it as a "real" book?

I might be wrong, but it seems that you'd actually want to get a book deal, yet your fear clouds your judgment and that why you're considering the online publishing route. Can it be that this is the case, or am I totally wrong here?

[Andrew Brunelle]

I think blogging your book would get you exposure, but at the same time it may "cheapen" your novel if you want to get a book deal. But if you monetize your site correctly, your novel could make money as long as you have the traffic to do so. You might not even need this book deal. Of course, your book has to be unique and stand out, and you may have to do tons of self-promotion, but I'm not in the publishing world, unless you count my now pretty dormant blog.

[Steve Boyd]

Totally do it

What's the worst that happens? You write a book, everyone ignore it except a few dedicated souls who think it's the greatest thing ever

Oh and you get to feel proud for the rest of your life for creating something that you're passionate about

Gogogogogogogogogo

[JoeDRL]

I think you should go for it!
But take a little more advance on your novel so deadlines won't be such a big problem. Can you imagine writing because you have to post something in a couple of days? Good trick to completely loose your focus and inspiration.

Have fun and good luck

[InterfaceLeader]

I would say to write the whole novel first.

This is because a novel needs rewriting after the first draft--not just from a words, grammar, etc. point of view, but the structure, character arcs, etc. also need work. You'll find it very hard to go back and re-shuffle scenes if they are all already published!

Alternatively, you can stop thinking of it as a novel, and think of it as *serial fiction* which is a different way of writing. TV shows do this. It means every complete segment posted online needs to stand alone as well as work within the whole. (And preferably keep people coming back for more!) But this may well change the whole vision you had!

You could also publish short stories, as a way to hone your skills and keep yourself from getting burned out on the novel.

Or you can write the whole novel, do your re-writing, and *then* publish it a chapter a week. (Or on kindle, or submit to publishers, etc etc...)

[tod]

I posted my novel on my blog, and I also set the price for the Smashwords edition to "Pay what you want." This has had a very important effect: many people who never would have read it otherwise, did read it, and gave me glowing reviews. I mean, astonishing reviews.

The downside is that you still have to build traffic. I was really hoping that if I put it out there, people would find it, but I am finding that I have to tell them about it first. And I don't know anybody. Why is marketing so hard?

Also, as the other posters said, definitely finish it first.

My novel Solo Flight, which you can read for free.

[SrKen]

I have just posted Blog Writers Block: A Rewarding Alternative
Or Article, Journal, Book Writing Using A Blog Program

There might be something of interest on there for you.