It’s been a month since I wrote my first post for the #AuthorToolboxBlogHop, on the need for educating oneself to be a good writer. Since then I’ve published one short story on my blog and a few lifestyle articles, but haven’t written as much as I would have liked to.
I’ve been wondering how I can contribute meaningfully to this blog hop, where participants share varied forms of writing advice. Unfortunately, I’m not as far along on my writing journey as others in the hop, which makes it difficult to write on new and relevant subjects every month. However, I’ll do the best I can for as long as possible.
Today I’ll highlight the benefits of writing a recurring fictional series on my blog, centred around the Sahni’s, a family based in New Delhi. So far, I’ve written three pieces with each focusing on a separate family member. The stories are set in current times, and address a turbulent event seen through the eyes of different characters.
A retired army officer, Brigadier Baljit Singh Sahni, is ideally placed to comment on the divisive and highly controversial citizenship bill that the Indian Government tried to enforce in January 2020. His homely yet independent-minded wife, Rosie Sahni, proves her mettle by providing shelter to her chauffeur’s family, when he faces religious persecution and violence during the Delhi riots of February 2020. Their free-spirited yet pampered daughter, Kimmy Sahni, shows the new normal we have had to accept after the coronavirus and ensuing lockdowns entered our lives.
I had never intended for the Sahni’s to become recurring characters, especially in a blog-exclusive series. However, they have been easy for me to sketch out and use as mouthpieces for spreading my personal beliefs, and have become permanent fixtures. Perhaps someday they will be the protagonists of my books.
If, like me, you’re just dabbling in creative writing at this point, a recurring fictional series on your blog is a good place to begin. Here’s why:
- It allows you to flesh out the characters through multiple story lines
- Your blog offers an existing readership that appreciates your work and helps you improve through constructive feedback
- When your work strikes a chord with a reader, they come back for more, and buy your books when you’re ready to write them
- There are no deadlines to run after, which cuts the anxiety and stress of traditional publication methods
- You can play around by writing multiple perspectives of the same story, and pick the one that works best if you choose to write a book later
Do you write recurring fictional series on your blogs? Do you think there’s merit in doing that? Or is it a waste of time? I’d love to know your thoughts in the comments below.
If you’re interested, do check out the three stories on my blog:
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Visit the other #AuthorToolboxBlogHop participants here
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If you need more convincing on why social media and blogging is great for you, read this post by my friend Swarnali.
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