I recently had a little one-on-one questionnaire with Christy and Erica from the blog Novel Ink. First let me start off by saying they're probably two of the sweetest ladies on the blogosphere and they work so well together as a team. I mean just look at how much their blog has grown! They've been such a great help in educating me on having a co-blogger. If you didn't know, I've recently been thinking of getting a co-blogger myself and this struck as a great opportunity to post a Let's Discuss post.
A co-blogger is just as important as the head blogger in a blog. It's a mutual relationship that works both ways in which each person is dependent on the other for content and attaining their audience. Lately I've found myself more stressed to post every. single. day. That's a huge issue considering how much I love to blog, and how I do it because it's my passion. I wanted to discuss some of the 7 attributes that make a good co-blogger, and if you couldn't eventually tell (this will lead into me obviously finding a co-blogger).
**DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT AN EXPERT ON THIS SUBJECT**
1. A person that works well with you. When finding a co-blogger, you should definitely look for something who's sparked the same interests with you and must have something in common. You know that term 'opposites attract'? Well if you're two entirely different people from two entirely different universes, I'm not sure how that would work. In some cases it would work but it's better if you know who and what works best with you.
2. Proactive. A co-blogger, I believe, has to be someone that is driven to work with you and make the blog an entertaining thing. Someone that responds to emails in a matter of hours, not days. Someone that posts when they are assigned to post. And if they ever do run into a problem, they email ahead of time to avoid confusion.
3. Dedicated. A dedicated co-blogger is someone that will stick with you till the end. TO BE HONEST, no one likes a flake. NO ONE. And I'm not talking about flakes as in dandruff, I'm talking in terms of blogger. If you're not going to stick around as a co-blogger for at least 6 months, then why bother.
4. Interest. If you want to be a co-blogger for a book blog, I'd expect at least some interest in books!! Same thing with lifestyle blogs and art blogs. You want to be interested in the same thing the blog is focused on, or then what's the point? In some cases, you might be there to add something different but that's only in some cases.
5. Creativity. Co-bloggers are there to enlighten new ideas and generate fun events! They should be contributing ideas as well as voicing their opinions. It's not a collaboration if one person isn't doing anything. For a lack of a better term I'm going to say creativity, but what I really mean is contribution.
6. Motivation. Someone who motivates you to keep blogging and not to give up. Some people find co-bloggers because they can't handle the workload but others find it delightful to have someone to talk to and just to communicate intimately with. Co-bloggers should love working with you and the two (or how many co-bloggers) should be practically inseparable.
Hope ya'll enjoyed this post. If you're looking for a co-blogger, definitely keep these six traits in mind. They'll definitely lead you into finding your perfect bookish soul mate!
I think it would be hard to have a co-blogger, especially one that is not locally related to you. It would be hard for me to give up control to make sure that all my posts go up on time!
ReplyDeleteMissie @ A Flurry of Ponderings
That's a good point!
DeleteThis is definitely a good foundation to work with. But I think it would be hard for me to give control over my blog, which I've worked so hard to build up, to someone. I don't mind having occasional guest posts or something, but I'm just not one for teamwork, lol. Especially when I can have it my way. ;)
ReplyDeleteLovely seeing your blog again! I hope to come back by more often!
Brittany @ http://www.spacebetweenthespines.com/
I think that's what I fear most. Giving control of my blog to someone I wouldn't be 100% familiar with. Thanks for sharing and thanks for commenting :D :D
DeleteAwe thanks so much Alex! I think you're the sweetest :)
ReplyDeleteI've read the comments above mine, and I totally get what everyone is saying. I felt like that too before Erica came aboard. But she's just so great and she makes the blog so much better. I think that fits into number 1, finding someone you work well with. I can't imagine sharing my space with someone who I didn't get along with, but thankfully I don't have that problem. I'm so much more relaxed and not as stressed now, because I know that I have someone else to lean on, if/when I'm having a hard time coming up with post ideas. She's always there to run through ideas with me, and to give me her honest opinion and I appreciate that so much.
Like I said above, I had the fear of giving up control before I brought Erica aboard, but I can honestly say that I don't regret anything. But I can understand that blogging with someone isn't for everyone, but it was the right choice for me :)
Great post, Alex!
Awe thanks love, that made me smile so much hearing you say this :) And thank you to Alex for such the kind words above. Both of you guys have made my day, so thank you :)
DeleteI hope you find a wonderful co-blogger, Alex, good luck!
Much thanks for your guys help along the way and for the kind wishes :D
DeleteI have to agree that I would have a lot of trouble giving over control of my blog! I'm pretty picky, and I probably have trust issues thanks to people not doing their share of the group work we were forced to do four years ago as freshmen! Those are definitely things that I would look for though!
ReplyDeleteI have thought about starting a new feature on my blog where I let a different blogger each time write an approved guest post or something, but I'm not completely sure if it would work yet!
OMG that's sounds amazing. Like contributors, you mean. That does sound nice because you don't need to give them full control!
DeleteHaving a co-blogger, I agree with everything you said. One of the things I love about having a co-blogger is that when you aren't active, they are active. There was time, when I wouldn't post much and Fari would be posting more regularly and vice-versa. Awesome dicussion and good luck if you get a co-blogger!
ReplyDeleteWow that sounds like something I need now. I'm quite active right now all by myself, but I understand that I'm not going to be here all the time, 24/7.
DeleteSuch great tips!! I adore my co-bloggers and they possess all of those qualities, and I hope I do too! Life gets in the way and they each have their own blogs so they're more very close friends who sometimes help out ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing Rachel. And of course you have all these qualities lol :D
DeleteI started my blog with my co-bloggers, so we have had a unique experience. Now, things are a little rough, but I still think having a co-blogger is worth the effort. Of course, you are going to have to go through a long process to find the best one for you.
ReplyDeleteYou should check out Inge and Karolina at Bookshelf Reflections
. They had a long journey to find each other, but they both love co-blogging now.
And to add to your list, I also think a co-blogger should share your sense of humor. I found that our similar sense of humor has helped my blogging adventures with my co-bloggers.
Good luck with your search!
Tessa @ Crazy for YA
I will definitely check out their site! Sense of humor is something I never thought about but that's a great one, now that I think of it! I love people with a great sense of humor.
DeleteKarolina took me on at the beginning of June and really took a risk with me, because we didn't know each other and I'd only been blogging for 10 days. But we get along really well now, we Whatsapp and Skype regularly and we're good friends. We also want the same things for the blog, which is really important, and when she's too busy with school to blog, she knows she can rely on me to make sure we keep pestering our followers :)
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate you sharing your co-blogger experience. It's a great help to others who are nervous about finding one and to myself. LOL It's so nice that you've got someone great to work with!
DeleteI like all these things! I think they are very important in a co-blogger! I didn't know you were looking for a co-blogger on your blog as well?? Are you still ? Was just wondering!!
ReplyDeleteI am completely ready to give up control! I see it more as a chance to *share* my love of books and content and I just love my followers os much my greatest fear is that they wouldn't accept the co-blogger…which is dumb I guess because why wouldn't they?! I think that some of the stuff just takes time, and of course that eager attitude and motivation is important too. I think it's good I'm a very relaxed person..and I don't get angry very easily lol. All in all I'm so excited to have a co-blogger on my blog ;) and no one can predict the future but of course someone who is committed is important! It would be kind of embarrassing to have co-blogger after co-blogger hahaha that would be funny…ah but in all seriuosness that would suck lol .
Great post Alex!!
I'm not necessarily looking for one myself, but I've just always wanted to experience what it was like to have one and I love the feeling of being a co-blogger to have someone that is kind of like your book bestie. I'm way too scared to get one LOL!! And yes i totally agree. If you're going to apply for the position, you must make sure that you have at least 2 of these potential elements and realize that you can't just stay with that blog for a week or month.
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