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Blog to Book? Yes or No? The Experts Weigh In

Blog To Book? Yes Or No? The Experts Weigh In

Should you take the route that many take, turning your blog posts into a book? Before I share my opinion on this question, let’s look at what other experts have to say.

Jane Friedman

Jane is considered to be one of the top experts on book writing. Here is what she thinks about the subject taken from a blog post she wrote in 2012: Please Don’t Blog Your Book: 4 Reasons Why.

Here, she shares great reasons why you shouldn’t turn your blog posts into a book. But the statement that really brings home her point is when she writes:

“If I read a book and think, ‘I could’ve gotten this from a series of blog posts,’ then I consider it a failure.”

Jane further points out that books that gain a groundswell of readers are those that really dive deep into a subject. I would add, when you are writing nonfiction, that good books also tell many great stories about the author so that you get to know the author like you would a good friend. But, also, you get great stories about other people.  Take, for example, the Heath brothers’ recent book,  The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact. 

In their book, the authors share stories like that of The Magic Castle that bills itself as:

“The Magic Castle is an exclusive, private club. Reservations are required, as are coat and tie. Inside, miracles are rampant. Here’s how to make your appearance.

Now Appearing and Disappearing.

THERE ARE MANY SHOWS to see.
Some are on stage. Some are close up.” 

This “outside” story illuminated the concept that the authors were focusing on around the power of moments. Because of this story and many others showcased in the book, it pulled readers into an experience that helped them get a much deeper understanding of how they too might create better experiences in their lives and businesses. 

Others Weigh In

There are certainly those who do recommend turning your blog posts into a book. They include posts from Writers Digest   and Reedsy,

Finally, Jane also points out to take a look at Chris Guillebeau’s 279 Days to Overnight Success. Chris was successful in turning his great blog posts into a bestselling book. But even more, he gives this away for free now. So, do check it out!

My Opinion?

I’m a big believer that you should start your book from scratch. From there, once you have spent the time, first, going through all the books that are similar to the one you want to write, then analyzing the 4-5 star reviews, the 1-2 start reviews, and looking at patterns of comments made by the readers, you will end up with a much clearer roadmap of how to make your book stand out.

From there you can create a book that complements those that already exist. Then you can turn your competitors’ books into books that actually help your book get a lift. Why? Because you use your creative abilities (or get help from others who know the publishing landscape cold) to create a book that will stand the test of time. Of course, you can then tap into blog posts you have written to develop your book’s content, but you aren’t trying to shove a round peg into a square hole of book publishing.

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