How to Launch a Career With Your Blog

"I've really lucked out in that my blog-reading audience has helped promote my non-blog endeavors," says Brown.

Sarah now has a deal with Crown to write a book based on Cringe and she is co-producing a Cringe television show.

"I'm glad that my recent success was buoyed by my blog and its readers, but is not actually blog-related," says Brown. "I'm much happier being known to the world as the person behind Cringe who also writes, rather than the person behind Que Sera Sera who also Cringes."

Brown joins a long list of bloggers whose blogs have led to book deals with major publishing houses.

Stephanie Klein, writer of the blog, Greek Tragedy, caused a stir in 2005 with her six-figure, two book deal. Ana Marie Cox of Wonkette and Jessica Cutler of Washingtonienne, also signed big blog-to-book deals.

While books based on blogs have met with mixed success, the fiercely loyal community a writer can establish through a blog keeps agents and publishers searching the blogosphere for their next author.

It is the community that a blog engenders that can lead directly or indirectly to career opportunities.

"Blogs enable you to have a relationship with your public, whatever that public is," says Jarvis. "Having a conversation with people -- that will yield dividends."