Daniel at Daily Blog Tips writes 10 Requisites for Professional Bloggers and has some useful things to say under the following headings:
1. Time
2. Expertise on a topic
3. Passion for the topic
4. Writing skills
5. Technical Knowledge
6. Blogging Knowledge
7. Web Design Skills
8. Business/Marketing Knowledge
9. Creativity and Innovative Ideas
10. Network of contacts
While I think all of these skills and abilities will be an asset to a Professional Blogger – my own strategy has always been to attempt to surround myself with people who are able to compensate for those that are lacking for me.
On the above list I would say that I’m lacking on 5 and 7 especially (and am borderline on a number of others).
Five more requisites that I’d add to the list:
11. Patience – too many bloggers give up too quickly. Building a successful blog takes time (not only in the way described by Daily Blog Tips but it takes sustained effort over many months and years).
12. Relational Abilities – extending upon ‘network of contacts’ listed above – I’d suggest you also need to know how to relate to people. This is true on a number of levels – from readers, to other bloggers, to those you engage to work for you, to parters. Knowing how to befriend, motivate, encourage an inspire others is key in most types of blogging. The other aspect of this is that I find many successful bloggers are not selfish about their relationships and often have a gift in being able to connect people with one another.
13. The Ability to Communicate – going beyond the ability to write well is the ability to communicate. Just as important as grammar and spelling is the ability to get a message through and persuade your readership. I know some great technical writers whose work is dry, uninteresting and uninspiring.
14. Information Gatherers – one of the characteristics that I’ve noticed lately about some of the successful bloggers that I interact with is that they have an insatiable desire (and great ability) to gather information. This probably relates to some types of blogs more than others.
15. Comfortability with Themselves – I’ll finish with one I strongly believe in. I see many bloggers attempting to make it big through imitating other bloggers or attempting to replicate what others are doing. While you can learn a lot from imitation – uniqueness and individuality is also important. Finding your own voice, style and rhythm is essential.
I’m sure there are many many more characteristics that would be great for a Pro blogger to have (in fact we did a group writing project a while back with 84 submissions on habits of effective bloggers which covers a lot of this too.
But what have Daniel and I missed from our lists that you’d add? There must be plenty more!
