How busy authors can consistently blog

Lindsay Manfredi is a ghost writer/blogger and social media marketer out of Indianapolis. Her company, Linzstar Inc. currently works with an array of industries worldwide, ranging from healthcare to tech, helping them craft their message and market their brand.

I’m always amazed at how some authors consistently blog. My friend, Chris Brogan) is always writing, constantly on the road, and I see him doing amazing things for people and organizations. How he does it, and still manages to knock out a great blog nearly everyday makes me pretty much look up to him in awe. (auhhhh.)

Another author that I seem to get things from on a regular basis, whether it be his art or his blog is Hugh McLeod. I have his current book, Ignore Everybody. Both he and Brogan are excellent examples of authors who have used their past blogs as major foundations for their current bestsellers.

But not everyone can do it like they do. Not every author has time to write amazing books and have time to blog. So, for those of you who don’t have the time or don’t understand how this works, here are some tips I have from working with an array of clients who know they need to blog.

• Hire a copywriter or ghost writer – If you know you need to do it, and you don’t have the time or energy, hire someone. Outsource this. You can choose to have them write under their name, or yours (and you can do this ethically…and I’ll tell you why in a sec.) Bottom line is, don’t keep talking about it or thinking about it. Get your name out there. Get your ideas out there. Oh, and as far as budget is concerned, nearly all of my clients put me in the marketing category.
• Teach your writing style – If you are going to have someone write for you under your name, give your ghost writer a sample of previous work. This could be a past blog or a previous presentation of some sort. This helps in the entire process. The biggest reason it’s so helpful is for little things like, some of my clients prefer to not use conjunctions. Some are way more lax in their writing style. It’s little things like that, that really make a difference.
• Schedule a weekly call – Okay, sometimes it’s not always a phone call. I have clients all over the world, so AIM and email are definitely just as useful. I hold my clients accountable to sending me their ideas. Afterall, it is their blog. I typically get the idea, the main points, and any research thereafter is my responsibility. This communication should be geared toward topics, what you’re currently researching and speaking about. But the main thing…your ghost wants to work for you, so be sure to give them the points and make sure they’re asking the right questions in order to craft the post.
• Turn edits around quickly – (and please don’t be too controlling) Okay, what I mean by this is writers have schedules they adhere to. Or at least I do. I block certain times out for writing and I also have things like business development that still need to happen. The quicker you can get edits to your writer, the quicker we can get things posted, shared, tweeted, and promote what you are saying. I live by my calendar during the week. It’s my checklist. It’s extremely helpful to work with clients who are prompt and responsible. Then you become the dream client. Also, don’t be afraid to say what you like or don’t like. We need to know these things.

There is a healthy balance between giving away bits without giving away the entire book. There are many great writers out there who can help authors do that. Let us help you get your message out if you’re unable to do it. If you’re currently working with a ghost and they’re not up to par, don’t be afraid to go with someone else if you’ve had a conversation and things aren’t getting better. I hope this list helps. Any questions?