Blogging as a marketing tool (?)

One of my publishers recently sent me a pamphlet about how to use the Internet to market your book. It had lots of good info, especially if it's your first book. And even more especially, if you write non-fiction. Their example used Author A, who had no web presence at all, and Author B, who wrote a book about the environment.

We don’t need to talk anymore about Author A, because his book is for all intents and purposes remaindered in short order.

Author B, who is a very busy bee, registers both his name and the name of his book, makes sure he has an entry in Wikipedia, etc. The part that caught my eye was that he starts a blog six months before the book comes out and posts 2-3 times a wee” about environmental issues “always being sure to put the stories and commentary in the context of his upcoming book.” And then links and posts to similar Web sites and blogs.

In the happy world of the brochure, by the time his book comes out, he has a readership of thousands, is asked to guest blog dozens of times, and even gets speaking gigs conferences and seminars. The book gets written up on dozens more blogs and mentioned in numerous email newsletters for environmental groups, which helpfully link back to his site.

Well, um, maybe. For non-fiction. Although it seems hard to think of how you could think of 75 topics you hadn’t covered in your actual book-book.

But for those of us who write fiction? I’m not sure this idea would work. I post a lot. I have a readership in the thousands. My next book even has a theme about environmental activists. Extreme environmental activists. But I couldn’t think of something to blog about on this topic 2-3 times a week for six months. Especially not of the “read more in my book” variety. I’m not sure what other blogs I would be commenting on. I’m not unsympathetic to ELF’s cause, but I’m also not pro.

I just don’t think fiction lends itself to 75 posts that all reference the book in some way. Plus putting even more posts on other blogs. Even if it could be done, that’s just too “me, me, me” for my taste.

I blog about writing, the writing business, books and authors I like, and stuff that catches my eye.Probably the latter is the only topic that might interest my potential readers. Maybe not even that. But I don’t know if I have the energy to think of stuff that would solely appeal to my readers. I’m not even sure what that would be.

What are your thoughts?