Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Things You’ll Need:
- Computer
- Internet connection
- Weblog application
- Project name
- Domain registration service
- Web design software or text editor
Step1
Map Out Your Project
Chances are, whatever you're working on, you have a plan of action already, but this is a good time to formalize it. Feel free to reevaluate it from time to time, but establishing a general idea of where you're going and how you're getting there is a good idea and makes a great initial post when you're staring at a blank blog in the beginning.
Step2
Register Your Domain
A podcaster once joked about not being able to write a book, start a business or sell a product if the domain is already taken. Even though that is somewhat exaggerated, the underlying sentiment is sound: make sure you can market. In the Internet age, marketing means having an easy to remember domain, so register yours as soon as possible. Even if you plan to use a free hosting service for your blog and website, register the domain and park it somewhere so that no one buys it in the mean time. You can always have it mirror your free site to get the most mileage from your investment.
Step3
Start a Blog
A blog is the most basic requirement for a production diary. The point of a production diary is to keep people apprised of your progress: ups, downs, victories and the occasional setback will foster a sense of familiarity and community among your followers, making them feel invested in the project. When you complete your movie, gallery show or manuscript, your base audience will be clamoring for it.
Step4
Build Up Your Site
Customizing the site, either with free blog templates or CSS-style page design, will reinforce the ideas behind your work. Compose an About Page that details the goals of your project--use it like an author uses a book jacket. Talk about your inspirations to give them a reason to care about it the way you do. Try not to give away too much of your story, though; you still want them to buy your book or pay for a movie ticket when all is said and done.
Step5
Update Regularly
This is the part that's beneficial to you. When you know someone is going to be reading about your progress you'll be more inclined to make sure you're giving them some progress to read about. It's a sneaky way to motivate yourself if this project is one that you have to squeeze in between others or you're just having a slow day at the easel. It also keeps your readers interested and coming back.
Step6
Offer Previews
Movies can benefit from video clips, on the scene accounts and other interactive input. Authors can make excerpts available and artists can show sketches of the work in progress.
