PureBlogging

Could you write a book? Have you already written one? If you have been blogging regularly for some time, then you have probably written enough for a book.

I worked it out. One one of my blogs, I have written nearly 400 posts. While some of them are short, many of them are long. I reckon a rough average is 300 words a post. That’s 120,000 words right there - more than enough for a non-fiction book. In fact, I once asked a publisher about this, and she said that the minimum for a non-fiction ebook was 60,000 words.

Of course, meeting the word count is only the starting point for creating a book from your blog. I turned to the Small Publishers, Artists & Writers Network (SPAWN) for advice on what makes a successful non-fiction book. The article listed seven elements for success.

1. A timely or timeless, unique or interesting subject which appeals to a wide audience.

I don’t know about you, but most of the content on my blog is timeless. Writing advice doesn’t really date. The only content that’s likely to be dated are the posts that respond to current events and preoccupations in the blogging world. Most of the successful bloggers also have the wide audience which would make a book of their blog successful.

2. A descriptive and attention-getting title

This advice is much the same as for individual blog posts. The question is, how do you find a book title that encompasses all of what your blog is about. Blog titles are often short and memorable, and you might find that you need more description to make them appeal to book lovers.

3. Well written and edited, and easy to read

Again, if you have a successful blog, the chances are that your content is easy to read and well written. The challenge in making it into a book comes in editing it into a coherent whole. Book readers won’t be able to navigate your content using tags and links, so you will have to organise it in a more linear fashion than you would normally do.

4. Written by a professional, expert or good researcher

Here’s one area where blogs are different from books. Even the blogs that we most respect were started by bloggers who were trying something new. They weren’t experts then, but became experts by dint of experience. That said, most blog-aware readers are more likely to buy a book by Darren Rowse than Joe Bloggs (Brit slang for the man on the street).

As with a good blog, though, it’s the content that will sell it. If you have got some of the other elements right and good content as well, then you will make a successful book from your blog.

5. Well organised

I see this as being the same as point 3, especially if you get a good editor.

6. Attractive and professional presentation

Once you’ve created your book, then you need to give it a cover, and a blurb. The more it looks like a real book, the more seriously the book buying public will take it. If you are self publishing, splash out on a good cover design. If you have got a publisher, then they will use their experience to find a cover that works.

7. Well promoted and marketed

This is where your blogging experience will let you shine. In the offline world, books are often promoted at launches, signings and events. In the online world, blogs, forums and social networks rule. Now, you already know a lot about this, so you won’t have any trouble promoting your book through all your usual networks - and that’s a surefire way to make the book of your blog a success.

Have you thought of making your blog into a book? What would you need to do to make it work?