Day 2: 5 Book Blogs for 5 Blog Platforms

After yesterday's post I received three kinds of responses:

1. Is it too late to join (quick answer No. rolling admission, just pick up at Day 1)
   
2. I don't have the time to commit, but I will some day. (quick answer, just register and pick up at Day 1 when you can.)
3. Do I build a blog now and how?
   

Let's pause at the last response. "Do I build my blog now?"

Yes, but you build it first on pen and paper. You don't want to set up a blog one place then learn later that it would be better supported someplace else. It is critical to take the time in the beginning to plan and research the tools you need to build a better blog than what you have.

There are five questions that will help you make your best choice:

1. Am I willing to self-host this blog? That means will my blog sit on my server or do I need a an open source blog that is free to build online.
   
2. Does my blog need to be able to perform simple functions or advanced ones? For example can I feed my constant contact mailing list into my feed.
3. How is easy will it take to set up?
4. What parameters do I have to layout and design? (something you talked about in the message board)
5. Is customization a must for me?

As I describe the three main blogging platform out there, you check off which platforms say yes to the answer to your questions. I will provide great examples of each platform here at 30 Days to Build a Better Book Blog.

It's not too late to sign up. You begin your course at Day 1 and work yourself up at your own pace.

Day 1: If you Knew why your Blog was Special...?

Eight years ago while I sat watching television in a hospital bed I saw a commercial that changed my life. “BET books launches a new inspirational novel line –New Spirit—with the debut of its first Christian romance title Jacquelin Thomas’ Prodigal Husband, a love story about...” I couldn’t believe it. Someone had written a romance about black people, about black Christian people. I was excited and couldn’t wait to get that book in my hands. However, I couldn’t go out and get the book, because I was bed ridden. So I wrote the name of the book down, called my mom and my dad and asked them to get the book for me. I read the book in two hours.

Today I receive a new Christian novel every week. Truthfully, I could receive a new book every day. Some times during the year I literary receive a book for every day. One more thing...All of these books I receive for free. In fact, all these books I receive before they hit the store shelves and sometimes I receive books before they find a publishing house. Isn’t that something?

Six years ago before I began I had no clue there were other bloggers out there doing what I did. I had no clue there were book review blogs online. But by the end of that year I knew why I was doing it and for whom I was writing to. Christian Fiction Blog was launched the summer after I began.

So what happened? What changed me?

Welcome to Day 1 of 30 Days to Build a Better Blog: If You Knew Why Your Blog was Special...

To read the full post, go here to register for this free book blogging event.

The Before the Big Day: Why is Blogging having a Resurgence?

The story behind Christian Fiction Blog is very simple. I ran out of book review space for the paper I edited. We decided to put what we couldn’t afford to print online. Rejoice News was the publication. They gave me the books to do at will. I created Christian Fiction Blog, because those were the books that were not getting space in the pub. Six years ago and more so today Christian fiction titles have little room in periodicals. One of the reasons why the blog has become popular is because I began at a time when contemporary Christian fiction coverage was nil, and I stayed around even when bloggers had left the platform to explore podcasting and Nings and such.

At the top of the year many print mags folded or went online[especially Book Review publications,] businesses dropped advertising relations to explore more pr opps, blogs like Huffington Post and Perez Hilton were being legitimized, and blogs were reporting news faster than traditional media. Most importantly, with the invention of Smartphones, more and more people are coming online and searching for items that aren’t being covered on websites or news sites, but via blogs.

You can be that resource for not just online users and your community, but for the reading community at large. It is all up to you.

30 Days to Build a Better Book Blog is designed to help you answer the questions, you have about blogging. I am glad that you are here. If you have not signed up for the session, email me at deegospel pr at gmail dot com. We begin tomorrow. Content for this event will not be on this blog.

Free Goody: Register for 30 Days to Build a Better Book Blog

Christian Fiction Blog is five years old now and will begin kindergarten next month. In celebration of her first school year we are inviting you to come to class with us. CFB's 30 Days to build a Better Book Blog Event begins September 1, 2009. I will teach you:


* How to set up your blog

* Where to find free blog templates that makes your blog look more professional

* Why RSS Feeds and burning your blog is important

* What is SEO and tips to get your Blog SEO optimized

* Different types of book blogs and the blog readers who read them

* Blog Content Basics

* Scheduling

* Microblogging using Twitter and Utterli

* The Power of Video

* A listing of publishing houses seeking book bloggers

* Other sources for free books to review

* How to write an online book review

* How to become an Amazon Affiliate and an affiliate for the major bookstore chains

* What are blog alliances and how to become a blog alliance member

* The Christian Fiction Blog Affiliate Program (yeah, that's new and it has nothing to do with book tours)

* Blog Tour Creation and Membership

* Podcasting and BlogTalk Radio

* Why Pretty Blogs Get More Readers

* Bookmarking your Blog with Digg, Mahalo and three other good ones

* Cracking Technorati

* Membership Blog Hosting

* How to translate Facebook Followers into Blog Readers

* Forums and Community Building

* Troubleshooting your Blog

* How to write a post in 10 minutes or less

* why authors should make their blogs their online hub

* Chatting on your Blog

* 10 Big Mistakes Book Bloggers Make

* How to Monetize your Blog

* Bookish Social Media Sites and How to Leverage your Blog through them

* and more and more and more...

Each day I will give you an assignment and you come back to the blog and post your homework for other members in the community to see and comment. 30 Days will also have a forum at Christian Fiction Network and our Facebook Fan Page Profile for you to participate and get to meet other members of this 30 Day Event. I will kick off this event by hosting an Atlanta tweetup here to meet some of you guys before we begin and then meet more of you who are women bloggers this October at Blogalicious Weekend(please register before next month.)

For authors, agents, publicists and publishing houses that blog you need to get to the Blogalicious Conference to meet professional bloggers who are women of color. If your target audience is women of color, then these are the women you need to begin building a relationship with. If you are a new blogger and you want to learn how to monetize or leverage your blog or meet me, then come one meet me there.

Now, here is how you participate....

To ensure that you are committed and to help hold you accountable for participating I need you to complete four tasks:

1. Email me at deegospelpr at gmail dot com with:

* your name

* email address

* twitter handle

* facebook profile url

* blog url

* blogtalkradio account url if you have one

* utterli account url if you have one

* book genre(s) you blog about

* books you would like to read

2. Blog about this event on your blog or send a Tweet about this event on Twitter

3. Place the link to this event in your Facebook Profile with the words I'm building in 30 Days.

4. and finally join our Facebook Fan Page.

I will set you up and tell you the next step to begin. When you give me this information I will not share it with anyone or spam you with a lot of junk or subscribe you to Christian Fiction Blog. It's purpose is solely to communicate with you and give your your daily homework and lession. I will also partner you up with a book blogger in this community. If you refer a friend to this free event, I will send you a free treat.

If you have any questions, contact me at deegospelpr at gmail dot com or tweet me @deegospel.

Thanks,

Dee Stewart
Christian Fiction Blog
www.christianfiction.blogspot.com

8 Points Online Marketing Plan

Join me this weekend at the SORMAG Online Writer's Conference. Yesterday my Workshop: 8 Points Online Marketing Plan is up . I will stop through today also, to answer any questions. http://sormag.blogspot.com/2009/08/workshop8-points-online-marketing-plan.html


Don't forget it's not too late to register to my blogging event, 30 Days to Build a Better Book Blog. The Fun begins September 1, 2009.

Related Posts:

Happy Birthday Michael Jackson; Fine Artist

A very interesting article at TimesOnline regarding Michael Jackson's drawings that will be published as The Michael Jackson Orpus. This pick is a self portrait he created while on the Bad Tour.

The Michael Jackson Opus will be handbound in leather in a silk clamshell case and is being produced by the team behind several other Opus books, including one on Manchester United that changed hands this year for £1 million, making it the most expensive sports publication on record. But the singer made it clear that he wanted the book to be priced so it would be available to the majority of his fans.

Today is Michael Jackson's 51st birthday and although I know he was excited about this Orpus Project it makes me wonder about myself and my legacy. I never thought about putting all the things I've created in a book for Selah.

Has anyone else done this or are thinking about this. Read here to learn more about the project.

Weekend Chat: If you don't like what I wrote about you, then what? How to Handle Reporters & Critics

Last night I received an email from an author regarding their book review. Let's call this author "Author X," because this post isn't about a specific author, but about author relations in general, especially on the part of the reviewer(that be me.) From time to time I receive AARF's (an author review feedback.) This month I received two responses. As we prepare for our 30 Days to Build a Better Book Blog Series(began September 1, 2009, so I hope you've registered--no content from this series will be on the blog, just the topics for discussion for the day) I want to talk briefly about AARF's as a part of our weekend chatterbox questions.

As I just said Author X sent me two different responses to two reviews I had completed earlier this year for a magazine I write for. In my reviewing experience I have received three kinds of responses: positive, rfp(request for help) and inquisitory. There are two other kinds that I will save for the blog series. The two AARFS were positive and inquisitory. Postive AARPs are simply a thanks accompanied with a gift of appreciation. who wouldn't love those? The inquisitory AARPs is my made up word for when an author questions my review, while providing background informationa about why they wrote what they wrote--a story inside the story. I love these AARP types most.

Why?

Inquisitory AARFs facilitates the grounds for having a deeper discussion about the book. As an avid reader I love deep talk about a book. How the book has a deeper meaning that can affect the world.This is the discussion Author X and I had through the night last night. I thank Author X for it. (wink, hope she's reading this.)

it is an honor to have national bestselling authors come to you privately to talk about their book. I am only limited to use 150 words or less for my reviews. So what I submit is a tweet version of a two page document that I have created. When I share a break down of this review ten times out of ten Author X (although they may not agree) understands how I made my decision. It is one thing to write a review(great or challenged) without any reasons to buttress the rating. It does not help the author or Author x's audience or other readers, who did not know that Author X existed and now wants to know more about Author X.

Moreover, I learn the author's position and more about the book, which usually makes me wand to reread the book. You know me I'll talk about an interesting book for years.

And here is the basis for the weekend chatterbox question...

This week Kim Zolciak of Bravo's Atlanta Housewives has blasted--what she believes--is a negative portrayal of an upcoming issue of the ladies in Atlanta Magazine. After reading her rant on her blog and a sneak peak of the article on the AM site I determined that Ms. Zolxiak's choice to communicate her frustration in an open source environment may have done more harm thatn good. It's one thing to chop it up with others within your circle or camp, but to take it on the web, you have to be a little careful. This rant has now turned into a request to boycott and an AJC article and a lot of celebrity bloggers digging in.

So here's my discussion for the weekend. Please comment here or on my facebook page. I will put a link to this blog up there and also comment on twitter:

1. For the author/celeb what is the best way to approach your gatekeepers when it seems as if they are guarding the door without harming yourself?

2. For the reviewer/reporter what is the best way to handle a conflict of New Media?


Three reminders:

• Visit the blog to learn how to sign up for 30 DAYS BBB.
• Visit me at SORMAG tomorrow. I will be discussing how to create an online marketing plan for authors
• Send me Christian Fiction news at media.candy at gmail dot com
• If you want to guestblog at CFB...better register. lol