Thursday, April 12, 2012

How To Organize a Successful Group Blog & Connect With Readers

As you know by now, Meg, Erin, Kelly, Kinsey and PG are in Chicago at the Romantic Times Convention. In addition to all the fun, wine and laughter, we're also actually imparting knowledge. Or something.




We are presenting a panel called How To Organize a Successful Group Blog and Connect With Readers.




We decided to post our presentation outline here for our participants and for anyone else who wants to know what we know *g*




In the case that you can't be with us in person, or you are here in person and want to ask us a question but don't get a chance, please post it here in the comments! We'll answer everything asap! Or something. *g*



I. How We Got Started
* Why we did it


* How we did it


* Decisions to be made





II. Chemistry
* You can't plan chemistry
*What we have in common
* Benefits of working as a TEAM - Together We Achieve More


III. Group Projects
* Bonding
* Group Promo
* Supporting one another
* Picking a project





IV. Guest Bloggers


• Why you want them


• Where to find them




V. Pros and Cons




• Group participation - some might, some might not


• Real life often intervenes and you have to deal with it


• You don't have to do it all by yourself





VI. Reader Perspective


10 comments:

Sandy Williams said...

Hi girls!

I very much enjoyed your panel yesterday at RT. Yall were so much fun and had everyone laughing,and I picked up some good tips about group blogging that I'm going to take back to my group.

Thanks for a great panel!

Sandy

Fedora said...

*sigh* Thanks for sharing a little bit of the experience with us at home! Woot! I'll bet that panel was awesome!

elaing8 said...

Great post.I hope everyone is having a great time at RT.

kog said...

Should you start a group blog with writers in the same genre? Are you worried about competing with them for the same contracts?

What kind of time committment should you be prepared to make for a successful group blog?

Sherry said...

I enjoyed your post. I hope everyone is a fun at RT.

Erin Nicholas said...

Hi, Sandy! Thanks for coming to the panel yesterday-- we had a good time too! :)

Kog, thanks for the question. Kelly and I are going to try to answer :)

Regarding all blog members being in the same genre-- there are pros and cons. Obviously, we chose to go with a variety. That allows cross-promotion and perhaps new audiences to find new authors. It also adds variety to our blog topics and giveaways, etc.

For us we represent contemporary, erotic romance and paranormal. Many of us write more than one genre anyway, so if someone is is looking for paranormal romance they have more than one option with us, and so on.

As far as competition-- Kelly and I can only answer for ourselves (and maybe the other girls will chime in) but neither of us look at it that way at all. We're all actively working (some of us with more than one publisher). If we don't have something coming out it's not because someone else got the contract instead, it's simply because we don't have anything submitted right now *g*. And as for sharing or competing for readers, I think it's *more* likely that a reader who likes one of us will try the others rather than less likely. I don't think readers stop reading an author just because they found another one. I think they just keep adding to their TBR pile! *g* At least, that's what I do!

I'd love to know what the other girls think. Also, what do you readers think?

Great questions! Thanks!
Erin (and Kelly)

Bonnie Dee said...

Your panel was fun and gave me a lot to think about. However I think I'd rather join an established group blog than try to start one up from scratch. It seems like a very smart way to pool your resources and accomplish a lot.
Anyway, all the Naughties there were a hoot. Sounds like you guys have a blast.

Bonnie Dee said...

Crap, I meant to post that from my Bonnie Dee account. The comment above is from me.

Drmgrl99 - Dawn said...

Thanks for including me in on the panel I had a great time and I hope that to see more group blogs :)

Sandy Williams said...

Dawn, you were the reader on the panel, right? If so, it was a great idea having you there! I love to hear what readers think.