Born to Blog: Building Your Blog for Personal and Business Success One Post at a Time" by Mark W. Schaefer and Stanford A. Smith vs logging for Writers: How Authors & Writers Build Successful Blogs" by Robin Houghton
Born to Blog: Building Your Blog for Personal and Business Success One Post at a Time” by Mark W. Schaefer and Stanford A. Smith:
- Focus: This book provides a comprehensive guide on building a successful blog from both a personal and business perspective. It covers strategic planning, content creation, and growing your audience.
- Strengths: It’s practical and detailed, offering actionable advice for both beginners and seasoned bloggers. The authors have a broad focus, including strategies for personal branding and business growth through blogging.
- Ideal For: Entrepreneurs, business owners, and anyone looking to leverage blogging for personal or professional success.
“Blogging for Writers: How Authors & Writers Build Successful Blogs” by Robin Houghton:
- Focus: This book is specifically tailored to authors and writers who want to use blogging as a tool to enhance their writing career. It addresses the unique needs of writers and how to build a blog that supports their authorial goals.
- Strengths: It offers targeted advice for writers, including how to use a blog to build a platform, engage readers, and promote books. It’s practical for those who want to integrate blogging with their writing career.
- Ideal For: Authors, novelists, and any writers who are looking to build a blog as part of their author platform.
In Summary:
- Choose “Born to Blog” if you’re looking for a broader approach to blogging that covers both personal and business aspects.
- Opt for “Blogging for Writers” if you are specifically a writer seeking to use blogging as a tool for building your author platform and engaging with your audience.
Both books offer valuable perspectives, so your choice depends on whether you’re interested in a general approach or a writer-focused strategy.
| Aspect | Mark W. Schaefer & Stanford A. Smith | Robin Houghton |
|---|---|---|
| Book Title | “Born to Blog: Building Your Blog for Personal and Business Success One Post at a Time” | “Blogging for Writers: How Authors & Writers Build Successful Blogs” |
| Main Focus | Blogging for personal branding and business success | Blogging specifically for authors and writers |
| Target Audience | Entrepreneurs, business owners, personal bloggers | Authors, novelists, and writers |
| Core Themes | Strategic planning, content creation, audience growth, monetization | Building an author platform, engaging readers, book promotion |
| Practical Application | General blogging strategies applicable to various fields | Specific strategies tailored to the needs of writers |
| Content Style | Comprehensive and practical advice for broad applications | Targeted and practical advice for integrating blogging with a writing career |
| Strengths | Detailed strategies for both personal and professional blogging | Focused on leveraging blogging to enhance a writing career |
| Unique Selling Point | Covers both personal and business blogging strategies | Tailored advice for writers, with emphasis on author branding and book promotion |
This table should help you understand the different perspectives and focuses of the authors, helping you decide which book best fits your needs.
1. Key Learnings
From “Born to Blog” by Mark W. Schaefer & Stanford A. Smith
Bullet Points:
- Strategic Planning: Develop a clear blogging strategy that aligns with personal or business goals.
- Content Creation: Craft engaging and valuable content that attracts and retains readers.
- Audience Growth: Utilize various methods (SEO, social media, email marketing) to expand your audience.
- Monetization: Explore ways to monetize your blog, such as affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, and selling products/services.
Table:
| Aspect | Key Learning |
|---|---|
| Strategic Planning | Align your blogging efforts with clear, actionable goals. |
| Content Creation | Focus on creating valuable and relevant content for your audience. |
| Audience Growth | Use diverse strategies to increase and engage your readership. |
| Monetization | Implement various methods to generate revenue from your blog. |
From “Blogging for Writers” by Robin Houghton
Bullet Points:
- Author Platform: Build a blog that enhances your visibility and credibility as an author.
- Engagement: Create content that connects with readers and builds a loyal following.
- Promotion: Use your blog as a tool for promoting your books and writing projects.
- Integration: Integrate blogging with your overall writing and marketing strategy.
Table:
| Aspect | Key Learning |
|---|---|
| Author Platform | Develop a blog that strengthens your identity as an author. |
| Engagement | Write content that resonates with and engages your target readers. |
| Promotion | Leverage your blog to market and promote your books. |
| Integration | Ensure your blogging efforts are aligned with your broader writing strategy. |
2. Conclusions
From “Born to Blog”
List Format:
- Comprehensive Approach: Suitable for those looking to use blogging for diverse personal and business purposes.
- Actionable Strategies: Provides practical, actionable steps applicable to a wide range of blogging goals.
- Broad Application: Ideal for entrepreneurs, marketers, and general bloggers.
From “Blogging for Writers”
List Format:
- Specialized Focus: Tailored specifically for authors and those in the writing profession.
- Author-Centric Strategies: Offers insights into how blogging can be used effectively to support and promote a writing career.
- Integration with Writing: Helps writers align their blogging efforts with their overall author brand and marketing strategies.
3. Why You Should Read Both
Comparative Table:
| Reason | “Born to Blog” | “Blogging for Writers” |
|---|---|---|
| Breadth vs. Specificity | Provides broad strategies applicable to various fields | Focuses specifically on the needs of authors and writers |
| General vs. Niche | Suitable for anyone interested in blogging for personal or business growth | Ideal for writers looking to integrate blogging with their career |
| Strategic vs. Tactical | Offers comprehensive blogging strategies for diverse purposes | Provides tactical advice for enhancing a writing career through blogging |
Conclusion:
- “Born to Blog” is ideal if you’re looking for a broad, strategic approach to blogging applicable to various goals.
- “Blogging for Writers” is the go-to resource if you are an author looking to use blogging as a tool to enhance your writing career and connect with readers.
Reading both books can provide a well-rounded understanding of how blogging can be tailored to different goals and audiences, offering a mix of general blogging strategies and specific tactics for writers.
3.5
