29 Google Blogger For Dummies to be released in February! January 29, 2009 /

If you're familiar with the "Dummies" series of books, you'll understand how helpful and insightful these textbooks can be in dealing with any subject.

That being said, I'm happy to announce that Google Blogger for Dummies is due to hit bookshops on February 3rd. It's available to pre-order now from Amazon.com
 (priced at $16.49) and will be available in Barnes and Noble, Waterstones and other bookshops, and also directly from Wiley.

The author, Susan Gunelius, has been kind enough to send me a 60 page preview of this book, complete with a full and detailed table of contents and two sample chapters for my preliminary review. Also, when the book is released early next month, Susan has graciously offered me a copy of the book so that I can review it in it's entirety and offer Blogger Buster readers my insights.

What Google Blogger for Dummies will cover

Being a "Dummies" guide, Google Blogger for Dummies will cover both the basics of using Blogger (creating and setting up a first blog) and also some advanced techniques and insights which even experienced bloggers will find both useful and insightful.

There are 16 chapters in all (plus the "Parts of Tens"): the first five chapters explain how to set up and manage a blog with Blogger, while the remaining chapters offer insight into building a successful blog including advice about social networks, publishing blog posts and managing your template. All of this is written with particular reference to Blogger.

Here is the "At a Glance" Table of Contents of Google Blogger Dummies:

Part I: Introducing Google Blogger

• Chapter 1: Choosing Blogger as Your Blogging Software 
• Chapter 2: Welcome to the Blogosphere
• Chapter 3: Blogging Basics and Buzzwords

Part II: Using Google Blogger

• Chapter 4: Getting Started with Blogger 
• Chapter 5: Setting Up Your Blog 
• Chapter 6: Writing and Publishing Blog Posts 
• Chapter 7: Enhancing Your Blog with Templates 
• Chapter 8: Adding Features and Functionality with Elements and Gadgets 
• Chapter 9: Managing Your Blog 

Part III: Making Money with Blogger 

• Chapter 10: The Business of Blogging
• Chapter 11: Maximizing Revenue with Google AdSense

Part IV: Growing Your Audience

• Chapter 12: The Power of Networking and Relationship Building
• Chapter 13: Boosting Your Search Engine Ranking 

Part V: Extending Your Blog 

• Chapter 14: Growing or Downsizing Your Blog.
• Chapter 15: Blogging from Different Media
• Chapter 16: Moving Beyond Blogger

Part VI: The Part of Tens

• Chapter 17: Ten Useful Social Networking and Social Bookmarking Sites
• Chapter 18: Ten Common Blogger Problems and Possible Solutions
• Chapter 19: Ten Places to Find Free Blogger Themes and Templates

Furthermore, each chapter is further divided into useful sections which succinctly explain each aspect in detail, accompanied by tips and hints to help you get the most from your blogging experience.

My thoughts so far

After reading through the sample chapters, I can honestly say I'm looking forward to reviewing the full text. Susan's writing is pleasant and easy to read, while her advices on the "etiquette" of blogging ensure Google Blogger for Dummies explains as much about the experience of effective blogging as it does about using the Blogger platform.

Once I've received my copy and have read this in it's entirety, I will review Google Blogger for Dummies in detail here on Blogger Buster. In the meantime, keep an eye out for this title as it's sure to be landing on the shelves of a bookstore near you.