One online writing class that I took through RWA (read about them here) about how to blog--the person teaching the class insisted that as writers the last thing you want to do is publish your novel directly to your blog chapter by chapter. Not only do you risk being plagiarized, but why would a publisher have an incentive to publish your work if it is already available for free on the internet? This person admitted that some authors have found success that way so it is a viable option.
Then there are the others in the opposite camp who believe that it is perfectly acceptable and insist that you should share your manuscript on your blog. For example, I'm intrigued by this book: How to Blog a Book: Write, Publish, and Promote Your Work One Post at a Time by Nina Amir. (It's on my wish list.)
I've glanced at this book, and I don't think she advocates publishing your novel chapter by chapter per se, but she does share practical advice on how to create blog posts around your manuscript and how to attract readers to your blog, thus building a platform with the intention that a publisher will sign you on for a book deal. The stark reality of today's publishing world is that a publisher is less likely to pick up an unknown author these days unless she has a built in following on her blog (and other social media).
I'm not sure in which camp I fall. I see wisdom in both sides of this debate.
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