Taking The Plunge As A Guest Author
Writing for someone else’s blog is the strangest experience.
One minute you’re happily writing away on your own site, words flowing, ideas tumbling, blogging with utter confidence.
Then you accept an invitation to write for someone else and suddenly…
Fear sets in. A new audience. High expectations. The sense of responsibility to a blogging colleague or friend. Readers who aren’t your own.
What on earth will you write? What on earth will you think of to say? What on earth were you thinking of?
Your mind goes blank. Your fingers freeze. You never want to blog again.
But of course the story doesn’t finish there. Fast forward to the moment when your post goes live and everything feels different.
A new sense of connection with the blogger you’re writing for – a strong, lasting sense of connection. Feedback and comments from new readers – that one always works a treat. A sense of satisfaction at the stretch you’ve taken with your writing. A feeling of pride at getting past your fears. The knowledge that you could go back – there – and write again, and that it’ll be easier (maybe!) to write in a new place for someone else.
And how did you get from one point to the other? Well I’d love to know what works for you but what I’ve done is…
Focus on my writing purpose – my underlying message, my reason for writing, even if it’s for a different audience
Focus on my positive intention – to share my words, to meet new people, to provide something of value to a blogging friend
Focus on just one person – and write for them
Trust – in my words, in my intention, in the person who’s invited me to write
And if all else fails… just
Jump!
Publishing the work of guest authors is another matter entirely. I’ve written about this before – bringing in new voices is a fantastic way to re-energize your blog. And shifting from the role of writer to publisher is a powerful learning experience for the host too.
Seeing what people have written in preview is a total buzz, a burst of excitement. It was like starting to unwrap a surprise present, and then stopping in wonder and amazement when you see what’s inside.
I’ve had a preview of the first guest post for February (yes, two brave souls have taken up the challenge!) and it gave me that same feeling – of wonder, excitement, gratitude.
You’ll get a chance to see what I mean when I share the first post tomorrow. I’m sure you’ll love it. Oh but when the guest posts do appear – don’t be fooled by how easy the authors make it look.
Remember they had to jump first.
Wow, Joanna, it’s like you’ve just articulated all my thoughts and feelings on this subject! I’m going to be making the ‘jump’ this afternoon. Wish me luck!
All I can say Amy is… I’ve been there
It starts off a struggle – and then turns into something great. I’m looking forward to seeing what you come up with!
Joanna
Ok, now I’m really nervous! I loved this post. I couldn’t have said it better myself.
Well Deb, you know that you’ve got nothing to worry about – because you’ve already made the jump
Joanna
I’ve only done one guest blog as a favour to help start off someone’s site. It was interesting but really there was no standard to keep up to. I just did what I always do and she ran with it. I can imagine it would be somewhat different offering something for a blog with an established tone.
Excellent timing with this post, Joanna, because I was just asked if I’d be interested in guest-blogging and was thinking how weird (but nice) that would be!
Jim, I think it does have something to do with the ‘established tone’ – speaking purely for myself (maybe others are wiser!) I find myself trying too hard to ‘fit in’, then wonder where my own voice has gone, then gradually relax and shift position so it’s still “me” but writing in a different place with a different group of people.
It’s all good writing and learning experience though.
Joanna
–Deb, weird but nice is a good way of putting it. I’m sure you’ll come up with the goods when you do the guest post – don’t forget to tell us about it
Joanna
Hi Joanna – another tip before jumping in – check the comments people have left for other guest posters. I know one blogger who writes some decent posts and others are rushed and shabby.
He has a woman guest post for him sometimes and she always writes far better quality posts than he does. Yet, she gets slated by most of his readers – and of course most of them are men.
Mind you, this can happen with ordinary blog posts too. I just read a comment by someone on Problogger slagging off his post and saying she was unsubscribing. I was miffed, as it was a great post. And when i checked out the offending posters blog, it was garbage.
By the way, I was smart this time – I went back and edited your name from Joanne to Joanna before posting!
Joanna,
Great advice not just for guest blogging but can truly be applied to any new writing challenge. Thank you so much for continuing to share your incredible insight!
Karen
Catherine, two tips in one comment thanks!
Checking the tone of the comments is a good way to prepare – I guess it might put some people off if they’re… on the vigorous side – or maybe make you more determined to have your say and join the conversation.
Fortunately I have the most constructive set of commenters here so anyone who takes the plunge with Confident Writing is assured of a warm welcome
The second tip… preview and edit your comment – many’s the time I’ve wished I remembered that one!
Joanna
Karen, you’re right, this is probably common advice for times when you’re writing out of your comfort zone.
I guess what I find interesting about this experience is the way we can flip so easily from feeling comfortable and confident in one setting to feeling utterly tongue tied in another!
Joanna
Hi Joanna, I know I’m always making typos in my comments, but did you read about this one that Barbara made? I hope you don’t mind me putting the link in this post, but it made me laugh all day. You can read about it here:
http://bloggingwithoutablog.com/i-cant-believe-i-said-that/
No worries Catherine, it was a good follow up to our conversation.
And I can’t believe she said that either!
Joanna
That’s a great point about picking one person and writing for them. I’ll keep that one in mind! Thanks for the advice!
Hi Pete, that one’s saved my bacon in more writing situations than I care to mention!
Thanks for stopping by
Joanna
This article could have been cooked in my kitchen… in that kitchen that never brings food on the table, the one that drinks for hours the most glorious pictures in the most wonderful cookbooks and THINKS the food and follows all the steps to cook perfectly… in THOUGHT, and tastes every bity of it, smells it all to the smallest detail all and has the timing perfect… in HER HEAD.
To jump and to trust – it is so hard when one doesn’t get a lot of feedback – but you are so right about this all! Oh, I know all about it and just currently am living thorugh it all again. I have jumped. But am still falling in the void, sometimes I feel my wings stretch but only to find them soon again to flutter and freeze frantically tight.
Marlyse, thanks for sharing such a powerful set of feelings. I’m sure many others will recognise what you have written here.
Keep talking to us here and you’ll know you’re not alone, you’re not in the void – with feedback, support and encouragement you’ll find yourself stretching and flying free I’m sure
Joanna
[...] Well that’s the formal introduction to Amy. She’s also an extremely friendly and positive member of the Twitter community, which is how I got to know her, a fantastic photographer – you really want to check out some of her pictures at Less Ordinary – and, luckily for me, a Scottish blogger! Which meant we had a rare treat a few weeks ago meeting up for lunch and conversation about all things blogging. I’m really delighted that Amy picked up the challenge to take a leap and write for us here. [...]