📌 Why I Blog (and Enjoy It!)

Short version: I do it because--gasp!--I really love to write!

I'm excited to be on next week's "Sustaining an Author Newsletter" panel alongside authors Patrice Gopo and Maria Marianayagam for the Courage to Create member community. (If you're a member, here's the event link—hope to see you there!)

Panel-planning pro that Patrice is, she’s got us all thinking a bit about our “newsletter Big Whys.” Putting my thoughts on why I Substack on my Substack may be ridiculously meta, but it also feels appropriate. Drafting posts is actually a big part of how I “think through” many writerly things—from made-up words to what I think constitutes a “classic” picture book!

Still, I find it funny that, in the kidlit creative community, discussion of blogging or newsletter writing MOST often results in:

• immediate repulsion at “how much time it would take”

• proclamations of “not being techy” and/or

• unbridled enthusiasm, followed by daily postings for a week or two—and then nothing at all

(This is a #nojudgement zone! Heck, I’ve been in all three boats myself!)

Yet how many of us do morning pages (or daily sketching)? How many of us write or create digital art on our laptops (which is about the level of ‘techspert’ blogging or email requires)? How many of us submit (without a response) to agents and publishers? Why do we expect authorial-content writing to be wholly different from any other writing form?

Note: from here on out, I’ll refer to everything related to authorial content (newsletters, blogs, and web writing) as blogging to save time. But know I mean the entire “authorial content” universe.

Anyhow, I digress. Instead, let me restart with…

Five Great Reasons for Children’s Book Creators to Blog (according to me):

1. To grow as a writer. The most powerful reason to blog is also the reason I most commonly see overlooked: to work on your craft! Writing a blog or newsletter is real writing—in fact, writing for an audience hones skills that other forms of writing for yourself, frankly, don't. DO you have things to say? Would YOU publish your writing? Blogging is a great way to prove it!

2. To find your tribe—and help them find you. Your people—your fellow creators, your future editors, agents, and readers—are out there! Writing with them as potential audiences in mind makes it easier for them to find you organically and authentically over genuine shared interests and philosophies. That is, it can—if you open up to sharing those things about yourself. Related, sharing in such ways can help future (or current) readers connect more deeply with you and your creative process.

3. To help others. Whether you deep-dive into why a picture book "works" or recount your writing, agenting, and publishing experiences over time—the more you share, the more transparent these mysteries become for others. One great example is the "Behind the Page" series that Brittany Pomales has been doing, from which I've learned a lot.

4. To express yourself. As a creator, your career isn’t something that “happens” to you. Creators create! Build up your writing portfolio, one week at a time—and be accountable to yourself for putting your creative ideas out there.

5. Because it’s fun! And if it’s not—you can change it up to be what you DO find fun. Love poetry? Maybe you read a favorite aloud every month! Can’t get enough of Shel Silverstein? Perhaps you devote your ENTIRE blog to studying his body of work. However focused or broad you want your blog to be—write it your way!

“Well, that’s great, Elayne,” you may be saying (in my dreams). “But what about…<sad accordion music wafts in…>”

Four Not-Great Reasons for Children’s Book Creators to Blog, also according to me:

1. To market your book. If your overriding goal for your blog is book marketing (which is fine!), IMHO, you’d be better off building relationships with existing, well-known blogs rather than building your own blog (and readership!) from scratch. Go to THEIR blogs. Comment on THEIR posts. Get to know THOSE bloggers, instead.

2. Because it seems quick. Well, creating a blog IS quick—it’s the readership that takes time—and a whole lot of it. And there’s the rub.

3. Because it seems easy. Modern tools (like Substack!) have made this process much easier than in the past—but like any other form of writing, a well-read post requires thought and craft. Sure, blog posts are less formal than a manuscript—but your blog also becomes part of your writing portfolio, and you need it to reflect well on you.

4. To only share “news.” Of course, you want to share big news on your blog (or Substack). But if you are only using it for “news,” consider what that means when a new reader comes to it: everything except the latest post is olds. Instead, think evergreen for the majority of your blog content. Interviews? Evergreen. Tips and tricks? Evergreen. What book festival you were at last Tuesday? NOT evergreen. Share stuff like this, of course, but try your best to keep most of your content the kind that hooks readers no matter when they “meet” you.

So which Liz Lemon are you when it comes to blogging?

The great news is…no matter what, your answer is FINE—and never has to be final. You do you, sugar plum. As for me, I will keep chugging along ici.

Yours, write on cue,

Elayne

My posts are always free, but my focus isn't; if you found this post interesting or useful, please consider ♡’ing it so I know. Thank you!