In this column, I’ll answer questions about blogging, provide links to blogs that are helpful to writers, and generally poke around the blogosphere.

Q. After I start a blog, how do I get people to find it?

A. Post a link on your website. When you update your blog, post the link on your Facebook page. Ditto for Twitter, if you tweet. Put your blog URL on your business cards. Comment on other people’s blogs. Anyone reading the comments will be able to click your signature and access your blogger profile.

A website, a blog, and social media are all part of a writer’s platform. All make people aware that you’re a writer and help promote your books. Some agents Google potential clients to see what kind of a web presence they have, so it’s a good idea to update your blog at regular intervals.

Q. So if I start a blog to promote my writing, I write about writing, right?

A. Uh, not exactly. Writing about writing is boring unless you’re a famous author and maybe even then. Write about your life and what you do. Write about your interests. Write the kind of stuff you’d like to read on someone’s blog. Think of your blog as your column. If you were writing a newspaper column, what would you write about? That’s what you’ll blog about.

Q. Any other suggestions?

A. The Pimp My Novel blog (pimpmynovel.blogspot.com) posted “The Ten Commandments of Blogging” on Septemember 3, 2009. Website 101 offers “Top 10 Blog Writing Tips” which are also very helpful. Jane Friedman has written some helpful articles on her There Are No Rules blog on the Writer’s Digest website: “Should You Blog? And if so, What are the Best Practices?” and “The First Five Simple Steps for Growing Readership on Your Blog.”

If you have questions about blogs or blogging, send them to me, and I’ll try to answer them in an upcoming column.

Read Becky's previous column here!