"If You're a Children's Writer, You Need a Blog!" by Suzanne Lieurance

Many children's authors have websites these days. But not all of them have a blog. Yet, whether you're a world-famous children's author, or you're just starting to write for kids, you gotta have a blog.

Why?

Because a blog will:

1) Help you get in the habit of writing regularly. And even the posts to your blog should be well-written with a little pizazz - which will be excellent writing practice and help you become a more disciplined writer since you'll need to post to your blog at least 3 to 5 times a week.

2) Help you establish an online readership. You'll be providing readers with helpful and/or interesting information each time you post to your blog. Information people will begin to look forward to reading on a regular basis. If you're an established children's book author, children and adults who read your books will look to your blog to find out what's new with you. They'll want to know your current writing project(s), new books you have coming out soon, and information about author visits you might offer to schools, libraries, etc. It's too difficult to keep a website updated on a daily basis, but it's easy to update your blog.

3) Help you establish yourself as expert in the world of children's writing and publishing. Even before you are published, you can interview more experienced children's writers and post these interviews to your blog or write reviews of new children's books. This information will tell readers you know "what's what" in the world of children's publishing.

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About the author: Get more tips to help you promote your career as a children's writer at the National Writing for Children Center and listen to a free 55-minute teleclass called "Great Beginnings: How to Hook Readers."

Suzanne Lieurance is a children's author and founder and director of the National Writing for Children Center. Visit the center at http://www.writingforchildrencenter.com. She is an expert writer at Ezine Articles.