“Should I start a blog to establish my online presence?”

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As writers, we’ve all heard it: “You should start a blog!”

That’s standard advice for those looking to build a following and get their names out there. And if you’re a novelist, that advice is ubiquitous (though somewhat dubious, IMO). But if you’re a screenwriter, is it to your advantage to blog? Or is your time better spent elsewhere?

Should you have a blog?

As a screenwriter, your foremost responsibility is writing amazing screenplays.

Your second is to build real relationships and connections to help you get those screenplays into the right hands, get funding and get made. Having an online presence can be part of how you make that happen; having a blog can be a subset of your online presence, along with social media and a website.  

The website, blog and social media trifecta can end up being a significant time investment, but the payoff can also be high. I’ve landed screenwriting assignments as a direct result of the relationship building I’ve done online. And while blogging itself can take time away from writing, there are some advantages for screenwriters, both personally and professionally.

The pros of having a blog

Here are some reasons — on the personal side — you might want to have a blog:

• A blog helps you get comfortable with putting work into the world Pressing “publish” is akin to hitting “send” when querying industry pros; it helps build your inner grit around finishing and shipping — something many writers need to practice.

• Writing begets writing
  The more writing you do, the more ideas flow.

• Blogging strengthens your voice
  If you want to find your writing voice clearly, blogging regularly can help you tap your inner Sorkin.

• A blog is an outlet for expressing yourself
  Words without a place to go — a container if you will — can feel like they’re gumming up the works. A blog can be a place to get them down.

And on the professional side? Even better:

• A blog (and website) can help you establish your screenwriting brand When you’re clear about what, how and where you’re focusing your writing — whether on a dominant theme; topic, issue, era, voice, style, budget range, audience, or genre — you can use your brand as a guide when choosing your primary blog topics. And when you’re writing in that kind of a focused way, your blog becomes an ambassador for who you are in the screenwriting world.

• A blog can position you as an expert in a specific area
  Similarly, if you have a particular area of interest or expertise related to your brand, a blog can be a place to share your research and express your opinions about it. It can also be a starting point to connect with others who share your interests.

• You can demonstrate your voice for potential buyers
  If you’ve already got a strong voice that comes through in your writing, a blog can be a terrific place to showcase it… it may even land you a gig on voice alone.

Common blogging fails

Despite the good reasons to start a blog, there are mistakes you won’t want to make. Here are a few of them:

• Not knowing why you’re blogging in the first place
  What’s your intention? Are you aiming for industry results or for personal enjoyment? Have a clear purpose and goal in mind to help you stay on track with what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. For most screenwriters, it’s about building a brand and online presence that will attract industry professionals and interest them in the work.

• Venting about the screenwriting industry
  Using a blog to vent about the industry is not a good plan. If you’re aiming to establish your online presence, that means acting like a pro.

• Not being realistic about the time it takes to blog
  Blogging takes time, and if you’re serious about making it part of your online presence, you’ll want to publish regularly. Be realistic about how much time you have to write, and put your screenplays first on the list. Do you have time left for blogging?

• Starting a blog too early in your screenwriting career
  If you’re a new screenwriter, the most important thing to do is master the craft, build a library of high-caliber screenplays, and get them as ready as possible to go into the world. Once you have several solid scripts under your belt, starting a blog makes some sense.

• Forgetting that your blog is just one part of your online presence
  You can’t “just” blog and expect people to find you. You’ll also need to market your screenplays and market your blog posts, along with querying, pitching and building relationships.

• Writing about any old thing
  Many writers use their blogs to write about writing, share personal anecdotes or critique films. There’s nothing necessarily wrong with any of those, but standing alone, they are the basis for different endeavors and aren’t necessarily achieving any industry-specific goals. Instead, you can weave topics like these into the mix, but keep the focus on pieces that establish your brand.

• Writing without an audience in mind
  If you’re writing about writing, who is your audience? Is your goal to serve and support other writers? If you’re writing personal anecdotes, what are they about? If you’re writing about being a parent, for example, your audience is likely other parents, not industry professionals… unless your brand is family dramas. Then there’s a tie-in for the audience you’re really targeting: Industry professionals.

• Not thinking about how industry professionals might be looking for you and your work
  Speaking of industry pros, when a director or producer decides they want to find a script to make, how do they describe what they’re looking for? I often see them posting messages looking for a “low-budget action film” or a “family drama in a contained setting.” So when you’re blogging (and talking about your work) use the right lingo to describe what you do to make it easy for them to find you.

• Hitting readers over the head with selling
  You don’t want to use your blog to sell, sell, sell. Instead, use it to write articles you believe in, share your expertise, brand and voice, and inspire the pros to want to work with you. 

So, should you blog?

It depends. Where are you in your screenwriting career?

Just starting out? If you really want to blog for personal enjoyment, go for it. But my recommendation is to put your focus on honing your craft, clarifying your brand, and building a small library of screenplays first. While you’re working, think about how you might position your work in the marketplace when you’re ready to get out there.

Ready to hit the market? Start with the obvious stuff first — querying, pitching and getting your work in front of the producers, directors, actors and studios that might be interested. And if you want to use a blog to help position yourself, go for it — but write within the confines of the brand, audience and expertise you’re aiming to establish. Give thought to what producers and directors might be looking for that relate to your screenplays so they can find you. And have fun!

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Your weekend writer’s assignment

If you’re thinking of starting a blog, what end result are you targeting? Write it down. Even if it’s only one part of your overall strategy, brainstorm about how you can make your blog as effective as possible in achieving it. What might industry pros be looking for that you have to offer? What topics might you write about on your blog to help them find you?

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Got questions you want answered?

After working with hundreds of writers over the last seven years, writing coach and Called to Write founder Jenna Avery has answers for you about how to balance your life and your screenwriting, trust yourself as writer, fulfill your call to write, and more. Submit your most pressing questions to finaldraft@calledtowrite.com or via Jenna’s online form and she may choose your question to answer in a future article.