The idea of writing a novel directly into a blog is not new.
In fact there was quite the little fad that took the blogging community by storm in 2004 when numerous writers kept trying to find new ways to use the blogging format to their advantage.
Many of the new blog formats died out, including the blog novel.
However, the reasons for the blog novel's demise have more to do with the fact that it is a hard project to complete than that it does not work or is not fun.
First off, the concept.
A blog novel is a essentially a novel that a blogger writers in installments on their blog over a long period of time.
Every day they will add 300-500 words or so to the novel and then wait for comments from their readers.
These readers will off opinions, advice and comments on the nature of the novel and how well it is turning out.
The blogger can host polls, ask for submissions or sponsor spinoffs to make their novel more exciting for the readers.
Essentially, it's similar to a Choose Your Own Adventure style book, except the author still gets the final say.
Of course that sounds like a fun format and for that reason, hundreds of people have tried to use it in recent years to gather excitement around their next project.
That being the prime reason for the format, the blog novel is used by many writers to get a built in audience for a new book project.
If they can gather steady traffic to their blog, they can become familiar with a series of steady readers who are almost guaranteed to read the novel when it is completed.
These people will not only be extremely invested in the book, they will feel as though they had a say in writing it.
Secondly, a blog novel allows a writer to start making money from their novel right away by using the traditional means of advertising and money making on a blog.
By using Google Ads or sponsored affiliated programs, blog novelists can ask their readers to help contribute to the process by visiting ads and links that will pay off big in the end.
Ultimately, with the right investment, a blog novel can be incredibly entertaining both the writer and the readers and offers a great chance for a writer to get a head start on their readership as well as a small advance for their writing efforts.
What publisher wouldn't be interested in a book that hundreds of people are already raving about?
In fact there was quite the little fad that took the blogging community by storm in 2004 when numerous writers kept trying to find new ways to use the blogging format to their advantage.
Many of the new blog formats died out, including the blog novel.
However, the reasons for the blog novel's demise have more to do with the fact that it is a hard project to complete than that it does not work or is not fun.
First off, the concept.
A blog novel is a essentially a novel that a blogger writers in installments on their blog over a long period of time.
Every day they will add 300-500 words or so to the novel and then wait for comments from their readers.
These readers will off opinions, advice and comments on the nature of the novel and how well it is turning out.
The blogger can host polls, ask for submissions or sponsor spinoffs to make their novel more exciting for the readers.
Essentially, it's similar to a Choose Your Own Adventure style book, except the author still gets the final say.
Of course that sounds like a fun format and for that reason, hundreds of people have tried to use it in recent years to gather excitement around their next project.
That being the prime reason for the format, the blog novel is used by many writers to get a built in audience for a new book project.
If they can gather steady traffic to their blog, they can become familiar with a series of steady readers who are almost guaranteed to read the novel when it is completed.
These people will not only be extremely invested in the book, they will feel as though they had a say in writing it.
Secondly, a blog novel allows a writer to start making money from their novel right away by using the traditional means of advertising and money making on a blog.
By using Google Ads or sponsored affiliated programs, blog novelists can ask their readers to help contribute to the process by visiting ads and links that will pay off big in the end.
Ultimately, with the right investment, a blog novel can be incredibly entertaining both the writer and the readers and offers a great chance for a writer to get a head start on their readership as well as a small advance for their writing efforts.
What publisher wouldn't be interested in a book that hundreds of people are already raving about?
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