Day eleven in the course is about finding buddies, who write similar subjects on their blog. Find one another and arrange guest blogs on each other’s website. Good luck with that.
Every time you follow a course there usually is a moment you get nervous, because something is going to happen that feels out of your comfort zone.
For me, it mostly was the beginning. Real life courses I followed always started with an introduction round. That was the moment I feared.
You’re just together. You don’t know each other, but you have to tell something about yourself for them to hear, while trying to nót sound like a nervous wreck with red cheeks.
Mostly, I didn’t even hear what the others before me said. I was frantically thinking about what to say when it was my turn.
It’s different with on-line courses. You can pitch in when you want, to introduce yourself in your own time and pace. But. On day eleven, I did get nervous. Finding guest-bloggers? The idea surely is good, but I barely have gathered buddies! How am I supposed to find guest-bloggers then?
Mirjam, relax, breath in deeply, exhale slowly.
You’re not obligated to fulfill this assignment if you’re not ready.
But, I want to participate! I want to find buddies with the same interests, to gather contacts in the group before the course ends. I only have three days left!
A conversation that played out in my head. At some point I concluded, I couldn’t write a blog post how I achieved this assignment. Instead, I made an effort to again find people in the group, with the same interests.
One person, who was so nice to respond had a question. Does it have to be TRUE crime?
Hm, maybe I had sounded too limiting and restricting by asking for ‘those’ people.
And no, of course, it doesn’t have to. I also like to engage with other people.
It’s just that I also would like to find true crime enthusiasts.
Newsflash, they might not have joined this course.
Maybe you only need more time and look elsewhere for them.
Agreed, I will. In the last three days of the course I just try to ‘team up’ with people who are interested in writing, achieving a goal, learning new skills. Because I also requested those subjects. I assume most people are busy with improving. That alley might be easier to cover.
I will focus on that for the next three days, besides my efforts of socializing and engaging. In the process, I could come up with a blog post for this assignment. Problem solved,
Author of (based on) True Crime and articles based on injustices.
Mirjam Penning 
Can I get the first 10 lessons? This is the first I’ve seen of this course and I am a new blogger.
PJ Fleck, thanks for stopping by.
You sure can see those. You can read my previous blog posts about this subject under blog. You can read the original assignments at WordPress Daily Post. On that page you see an image of blogging university and next to it the courses 101 and 201.
I understand your desire to want guest bloggers to have like interests. I have thought about having guest bloggers on my main blog, but I’m not ready to turn over control to anybody else. I want a certain tone, certain length and am particular about content. Even though we have only had the Fat-Bottom-Fifties Get Fierce blog for about 3 months, we have already had a guest blogger – that blog has a different tone and content is more flexible. AND I was very familiar with the writer and suggested the topic to her based on something I saw on her own blog.
With regard to finding those with like interests, (if you haven’t already) you might check on Facebook to see if there is an existing group for your topic.
Hi Mirjam, when I read your buddy request, it actually sounded to me as if you were looking to find people who are interested in your special field. It might have been too limiting, there are many people participating in this class, but not that many that you could find someone for your special niche. When you try to find buddies in the field of writing, I think this is much easier. Yesterday, I’ve seen a lot of requests of writers who wanted to find like-minded people.
Hi Shel, nice to see you again!
I am the same as you in this and I can relate. I like to have control over my own blog as well.
It would be more a matter of someone is writing something we both agree on and then it gets posted on my blog. I wouldn’t like to share the rights to the site.
Maybe some people will share a blog in the future, if they really get along well and definitely are on the same page, but I understood it as I state here above.
I definitely like the fat-bottom-fifties get fierce blog. A really nice site!
The article I commented on was great. I wanted to hang out with the fifties people. I almost felt sorry for myself I am ‘only’ 40. So, that was a job well done.
As soon as I get around to it, I certainly will read more articles there.
Thanks for the facebook tip. I’ll follow-up on it more in the very near future!
Hi Klees, thanks for commenting. Very helpful. You are right in two ways. First way. I was looking for people with those interests, but it was more meant as one of two of those categories. It wasn’t (necessarily) meant to be both of them. English isn’t my native, sometimes I might come across a bit different than I had in mind to come across. 😉
You’re also right that the group isn’t the gate to that specific interest and that’s fine.
I hoped it was, but it’s okay that it isn’t. I sure can look elsewhere as well and there isn’t any rush anymore. Therefore, I will look in the already existing topics to look for people in my second category or similar to it. Fow now its even more about engaging with others in the commons for me. I sure like that place!
Even before Blogging 201, someone had suggested guest blogging as a good creative opportunity for my blog. I have to admit that my first thought was, “but it’s my baby!” What if they don’t treat it the same? I asked a journalist for a small town paper to be my very first guest blogger. In the gentlest words i could muster, I told her that I would like editorial control to make changes to fit the format (length, layout, etc.) She understood completely and wrote a post that added depth to why I was blogging. It was a great experience and i am looking forward to the next guest blogger when the opportunity presents itself.
Hello Debbie! I hear you. I would feel the same if I had to share the control over the settings. That’s not going to happen.
But on the other hand, I wouldn’t want to have control over the article that the other person is writing.
That’s ‘their baby’. And their baby is visiting, so the tone a.o is less important to me. I even welcome the change in tone, the style of that person. When mentioned that’s another blogger with a guest article, people will expect it to be different.
I even think that’s the purpose. Another wind in the house.
For me only counts: the subject and netiquette. As long as the subject fits my blog and there isn’t unneccessary foul language in the article, no racism from the writer, no personal attacks, I’m good!
According to spelling mistakes, that area, I would review the article before posting.
But, I still make quite some mistakes as well. For example my latest crime article. Into pieces: the Sylvia Fleming Murder.
I definitely have to revise it. I re-read it and I discovered quite some I need to change.
Thanks for stopping by and telling your positive experience with guest blogging.