Blogs, Self-Publishing, Relationships and Competition

Do you know who you are competing with when you write a blog?

The Internet is a big place for a small writer, as there are millions of people on the web looking for something specific, which might not be your writing. You need to get at least some of these people on to your site. It’s not marketing which is the problem, rather it’s the time involved, and the concept that instead of being in direct competition with another writer you can help build something of value for them, and yourself.If you are in competition with other writers, you don’t focus on building something better, you will miss out on many opportunities which other writers will help you with.

Some writers will point out to a fellow writer if a marketing plan will or won’t work.  Some will be willing to trade services with you- editing for writing a blog post.  You become better, and balance relationships with competition.  You balance blogging with self-publishing something better.

In the world of writing and the Internet, it’s not about what you do alone, but how many people find your work helpful.  Writing is about creating a better sense of emotions with others, and a better way to learn this is improving your relationships.  In essence you have to reinvent not only your writing style but your blog.  You owe it to your readership to find a way to connect with them on a stronger level.

Twitter and Facebook need people, or people who are willing to re-tweet or share others works.  It’s a bit of a I’ll help you if you help me sort of relationship, but it is an unspoken balance between writers on these social networking sites.  The more active you are the more likely you’ll be seen, but by this same token, you will have to compete with one person: you.

Do you personally want to make money with your writing.  Do you want to be able to publish more books?

Great- build relationships with your readers, and compete to be faster, better and more of a writer with yourself. Becoming both requires a balance.

What about a blog?  Want to have a more powerful blog?  You have to work at this too.  You need to compete with yourself each day to make it better.  Even on Living a Life of Writing, we’ve been very lucky to have a fantastic book reviewer, and he does an incredible job at it.  It’s not only myself who thinks this, but many of the comments he has had.

You also need to have readers who comment and you need to comment back- it’s a balance between competition and relationships.  It’s about being better.

What about money? What about the thrill of competition with some one else?

You’ll make more money if you work together than apart.  This blog wouldn’t be as good if I didn’t have other writers and editors helping me.  There is no better thrill of ‘competition’ when I see them throw a ‘no holds barred’ type commentary between us.  These sorts of commentaries are personal, done away from the public eye, possibly make us all mad at each other- but are part of being better as a person and a writer. It means we are open in the right context.

We might want to say we are committed to being open, but this is, if you want it to be, a big business.  This blogging business will make or break you.  Earning income is one thing, but if you aren’t serious about SEO or building a better blog, you won’t make money.

If I want to earn money, and go out and do this, it’s only because I’ve been encouraged to be better- it’s about a writer’s life.

Publishing a book is much the same.  When I self-publish a book, I’ve got someone pushing me hard. I make sure my ‘inner circle’ knows the dates I have to work with and they are focused on getting me to this point.  However,  I also have to compete with myself.  I can’t make excuses about how my life is playing havoc with my writing.

My writing is my job.  I compete with myself to make my writing better, and stronger.  I also work hard at relationships, because these will help me grow as a writer, and a person.  Competition is a good thing when you know where you need to focus it.