While most authors don’t like it, the need for an author blog is increasing by the day. Many authors believe that keeping up a blog will take time away from the writing that is going to bring them actual money. There are some precious few who don’t know what having a blog actually means. Having a blog is like having a direct line to your readers; you connect with them, sharing with them and overall making sure that they are aware that you have something new and big in store.

You get to show tidbits of your work in progress, hype your recently released novels and overall ensure that your readers are with you. Your blog can be the best place for you to market your old, new and upcoming novels without having to pay any advertisement fees. It is a special tool in your arsenal if you are an independent author.

If you are thinking about starting an author blog or if you need just a guide to start you up, here is everything you need to know to start a basic author blog.

• The first thing that you need to do is get your domain name. You can actually use any free blog space like WordPress, but having your own website and a domain name is better. It is very much like having your own address on the internet where your readers know they will find you. Make sure that you choose a name your readers can remember and is easily associated with your author brand.

• After that, you will need a server that will host your website. You can always choose WordPress, but many other platforms offer their services at different rates. You will have to look up what you can afford, set a budget and then get a server that is perfect for you.

• Once you have that, you need to start adding your content. Your content could be an excerpt from your recently released novel that you are currently marketing or it can be an excerpt from your upcoming novel that you are currently working on. If you are a non-fiction writer, your blog can be the best place for you to keep your writing fresh, keep posting little pieces about the particular topic you often write about.

• Before you start adding content that you know your readers are going to be interested in, you need to start adding some content to get your blog up and running. You need to add your home page, your About Page, Contact Us page and most importantly, your blog.

• Don’t forget to connect your blog with your social media pages so that your readers know where else they can stay connected with you. You can connect your blog with your Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as these three platforms are great for bringing in new readers and spreading your message via word to mouth.

Once all of this is in place, you are ready to start blogging!