Authors are expected to have their own blogs today. Not just after the book comes out, but before. Publishers look at the visitor statistics to your blog as the potential market for your book. So before you send in that brilliant book proposal, build a platform for your publication.

If you have never done any blogging before, the place to start is with reading and observing what others are doing. Robert Brewer at Writer’s Digest has just put together a wonderful blog entry about the best blogs for writers to follow.  Read his post to dive into the subject further.

Okay. You skipped over his post? Then let’s start simple and easy. First, a blog is a term used to describe a website that has content which changes frequently. Instead of a static website, a web-log (blog) is updated with fresh material often.

Even if you decide not to blog or are not ready to blog, you will gain a great deal of new knowledge about writing, publishing, marketing, editing, and the business of being an author by reading the best of the blogs.

Robert “My Name Is Not Bob” Brewer is a well respected Writer’s Digest writer, poet, editor and blogger. He’s identified the best of the best. Pick out one or two to start follow as a reader.  It’s a start that yields its own rewards.

Good writers read good writing!