Last week we discussed guest posting, where you formulate a post to go up on someone else's blog. This week, let's look at being the host and putting someone else's post up on your blog.
The five pointers last week were: 1. Choose a Relevant Host Blog, 2. Choose a Relevant Blog Topic, 3. Be Present/Visit the Commenters, 4. Link to Your Site, 5. Thank your Host.
Just as guest posting on another blog can expose you to new readers, hosting someone else can bring guests by your blog that have been led there by the promise of an interesting post from the other blogger. Thus, you get introduced to their readers, and they see what you have to offer.
Some basic pointers for guest hosting.
1. Establish rules. Be sure the guest poster knows what you expect from them, and any rules you may have that are applicable to your blog. When do you want their post by? Do you have specific formatting rules? Do they need to watch their language? Do you want a specific length? How would you like it submitted (text, html)? Think carefully about what you expect from them and make sure to make it clear from the beginning, for the benefit of both of you. If you want a specific topic or theme covered, be clear on that, as well.
2. Introduce them. Write a nice introduction about your guest poster. Be sure to include links to their blog or website, and anything else you might want to link to (Facebook, Twitter, links to purchase their books, etc.). Consider including their image or their most recent book cover. Don't know what to say? Think about how a talk show host might introduce them, or visit other blogs they have guested on.
3. Be on time. If their guest post is supposed to go up on Monday, the 23rd, be sure you've got it formatted and posted on Monday, the 23rd. Let your guest know when you will be posting it. If you post at a specific time, let them know that, as well. You want them to be able to cross-promote, so give them the tools to do so.
4. Be present. This one sounds familiar, doesn't it? Well, it applies here, too. Even though you are playing host instead of poster, it's still good for you to be there to respond to comments and to visit the commenters. After all, they took the time to visit your blog, even if it was to read someone else's post. Bear in mind that many of the comments will be from your readers, and you want to maintain that relationship and show your appreciation for their support of your guest poster.
5. Thank your guest. Yep, another one that sounds familiar. Your guest put a lot of work into writing a quality piece for your blog, as well as (hopefully) cross-promoting and bringing people over to visit you. Thank them for their time and for their post.
Hosting a guest can be as beneficial as guesting on someone else's blog. Also important is that you're forging a relationship with another blogger, so try to make it a positive interaction for both of you.
May you find your Muse.
Shannon
The Warrior Muse
April Blogging from A to Z Challenge #AtoZChallenge
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Monday, June 3, 2013
Challenge Participant Feature - Mary Montague Sikes!
For the Challenge, Mary decided to do an animal painting a day, which I thought was very ambitious. Not only did she succeed, her paintings were beautiful. Please welcome Mary!
Alex, thank you for having me as part of the A to Z feature!
What made you choose your theme of a painting a day?
For many years, I've admired people who made the effort to create a new work of art every day. There are even web sites devoted to promoting that work. I thought that the challenge was the perfect opportunity to try out A Painting A Day.
Every day, I worried and wondered if I would actually be able to pull off yet another painting. That was especially true while I was in Boone, NC taking a workshop in experimental painting. It was hard to shift creative gears and paint an animal and post it in just a little over an hour for each of four days.
It's really hard to choose. I have them spread around the walls of my studio right now. The possum and the jaguar are among my favorites, possibly because I like the design of the background foliage in each of those paintings. My husband likes the X-Ray Tetra best. While I was working on them, I found I liked the newest work best on most days.
Did you work from a photo or create them from scratch?
I worked from photos—mostly that I took myself or borrowed from my daughter, Amy, who took animal pictures while visiting Tasmania last year. It would be hard to create animal paintings from scratch unless they were fantasy images.
I looked at unicorn paintings on the Internet to get ideas then used the photo I took of the horse sculpture in Avon, Colorado and embellished it with a horn! I used that same photograph when I painted the horse for the A to Z Challenge.
I took six of the animal paintings with me to Tides Inn for display on Memorial Day weekend. I also printed out a greeting card for each of the animals and sold them at the Art Marketplace set up at the Inn. The gift shop manager there kept all I had left, except for the alligator and the iguana. Turns out she doesn't like reptiles. I'm looking for a gallery or a place that would like to display all the animal paintings together in a show. Several people urged me to contact publishers of children's books with a proposal. I hope to do that as well. It's hard to pursue those things when I want to keep on painting instead!
I loved doing the painting a day and would like to try something similar for next year. However, I don't know what subject might work best. I need to choose something that will keep up my enthusiasm to the last day!
As a bonus, from this year's A Painting A Day for the A to Z Challenge, I have a new painting almost finished on the wall of my studio. It's 30" x 42" acrylic on stretched canvas. For several years, the canvas has been leaning on the floor roughly sketched out with charcoal. Each day in April (except for the time in Boone), I used the leftover acrylics on my palette from the Challenge painting on this new work. I haven't named it yet but hope to have it completed in early June. I'll unveil it then! What a nice surprise to get an extra painting from A to Z!
Thank you, Mary! Your paintings rocked.
Co-host Ninja Captain Alex is the author of Best Sellers CassaStar and CassaFire and his blog can be found HERE
Thursday, May 30, 2013
The Three Golden Rules for Surviving Blog Challenges
By Terri Rochenski
This year I decided to join in the A-Z blog challenge. It’s
a big undertaking, not a quickie way to gain faithful followers. I learned a
few things along the way – things that had I not done, I never would have
succeeded.
Being prepared.
As a stay-at-home mom, finding time to read and write is
tough. Life itself often gets in the way, distracting me from deadlines that
must be met. I realized the only way I would make it through this challenge
would be to do things in advance. I’m ridiculously organized, so I made up a
to-do list – preparing my mind I WAS going to succeed being #1.
Chose a theme.
I read this countless times, and decided since I’m such a
neat / order freak this idea was perfect for me. I chose quotes & excerpts,
then went on to create my own little widget to place at the beginning of each
post letting visitors know what my challenge was all about. After this, I
scoured my publisher & the world of fantasy books for titles that began with
each letter of the alphabet.
Scheduling.
Starting a month before the challenge began I dove into
pre-blogging. Getting posts completed in advance took the stress of the
challenge off my shoulders. Luckily, I was able to complete all 26 posts before
the challenge even began, thus freeing up the entire month of April for … well,
life!
And the month of April brought a LOT of life.
Yes, I visited blogs during the challenge – I even signed up
to help ‘police’ the linky list of participants. On top of that, there was 20
feet of the front of my house being completely ripped open for a new entryway
and front windows, spring break for daughter #1, 10 day vacation at my parent’s
internet-less Pennsylvania homestead where I grew up, an ARC to read for my
publisher, and awful, all-day-long morning sickness. o_O
Will I do this or a similar challenge again? Depends. If I
have a major deadline looming like I do right now for the completion of the 2nd
book in my 2-book series contracted with J. Taylor Publishing, then I’d have to
say NO. Or if child #3 turns out to be a ripping terror who doesn’t let me sit
and breathe until 8 at night it’ll be NO.
But if the next challenge comes along when only “normal”
life is looming, I’ll give it a go. I just won’t attempt it without following
these golden rules!
How about you? Planner? Panster? What got you through your
last challenge?
Terri Rochenski
About the Author: Terri started writing stories in the 8th grade, when a little gnome whispered in her brain. Gundi’s Great Adventure never hit the best seller list, but it started a long love affair with storytelling.
Today she enjoys an escape to Middle Earth during the rare ‘me’ moments her two young daughters allow. When not playing toys, picking them back up, or kissing boo-boos, she can be found sprawled on the couch with a book or pencil in hand, and toothpicks propping her eyelids open.
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