update – I now have enough offers to write posts and am closing off applications. If you have already submitted your name and have heard back from me with login detail then you’re free to submit your post but unfortunately for others I can’t take any more as 100 people have already applied. Thanks to everyone for participating.
Over the next month I will be traveling quite a bit (first a short break with my family and then I’m off to SXSW). While I’m gone I would like to feature both some of my own posts (written in advance) as well as some high quality guest posts from the wider ProBlogger readership.
If you have a blog tips that you’d like to share with ProBlogger readers then I’d like to invite you to submit it using the process outlined below.
A Word of Warning
Let me say right up front that I will not be able to use everyone’s posts. Any time that I’ve done something like this I have been inundated with submissions and I fully expect to only to be able to use 10-15 submissions. I don’t say that to discourage you – but to attempt to get some realistic expectations.
What am I looking for?
- I’m looking for practical blog tips on any aspect of blogging (writing content, advertising, finding readers, affiliate programs, design, blog tools, SEO etc). Basically anything you’ve seen me cover before in terms of topic is fair game.
- I am looking for posts of any length – as long as they’re helpful to readers I don’t mind if they are long or short
- I’m not looking for posts from web celebrities – just quality content
- I’m not looking for posts with lots of self promotion. You’re welcome to mention what you do and will have a byline link but let your quality content promote you.
- I’m looking for content not published elsewhere – not because I’m wanting to keep all the good stuff for myself but because of issues of duplicate content. Feel free to post on the same topic elsewhere – but it needs to be in an original form.
How to Submit Your Tip
The way I’m going to run this is to set up a WordPress.com blog. If you’d like to participate I’ll ask you to submit your tip on that blog. Posts will be stored as drafts and not go public until I select those that I wish to publish and I’ll then transfer them to ProBlogger.net. Here’s how to participate:
- To participate you must signup as a WordPress.com user before applying. Get your WP account here.
- If you’d like to participate you need to email me with GUESTPOST as the subject line to (EMAIL ADDRESSED REMOVED AS SUBMISSIONS ARE NOW CLOSED)
- In that email you need to tell me the email address that you used to register as a WP.com user.
- I’ll then create a user account for you and you can enter your submission as a post in the blog. I’ll be looking for the best quality posts as well as posts in a format that I can use (ie include as much html formatting as possible).
You can express your interest and send me your WP login details for the next 24 hours or so but after that I’ll have to close things off. Once you’ve sent your login details I’ll email you with further information on how to submit your post.
My hope is that this process will highlight some great new voices, teach us all a lot and help improve ProBlogger. I’ll try to use as many submissions as I can but again cannot guarantee to use everyone’s so please don’t be offended if I don’t select yours.
update – I now have enough offers to write posts and am closing off applications. If you have already submitted your name and have heard back from me with login detail then you’re free to submit your post but unfortunately for others I can’t take any more as 100 people have already applied. Thanks to everyone for participating.
Bad timing, Darren. It looks like WordPress.com is down. At least it is for me.
When it’s online I’ll signup. Is there a limit to the number of posts you’ll publish from one author? I suspect not, but I wanted to check anyway.
Hey thanks for the opportunity :) I will try don’t treat me as celebrity please? JK!
it’ll be neat to see the results of this!
I think the rush to sign up to wordpress.com has caused it to go down!
Hey Darren – nice idea and HAPPY TRAVELS!
Wish you happy traveling and many photos, don’t forget to share with us!
LC loves photos! ..
Are prospective ProBlogger guest posters crashing WordPress.com?
I can’t for the life of me reach the site to throw my hat into the ring. Am I alone?
“I’m not looking for posts of any length”
Does this mean “no particular length” or that you would prefer short posts?
@Rob: Me too…
Yes, WordPress.com is down. Gotta love ’em.
Oh no! We accidentally DDOSed WordPress.com! :D
I had a post to submit, but WP is down (as previously noted). I wonder why..?
I will totally be doing this, thanks for the chance darren!
WordPress.com looks be back up now. :)
I’ll be writing one Darren :)
Hi Darren – how many words are you looking for exactly? Posts that aren’t of any length doesn’t give us a lot to go on. Thanks.
I’ll be submitting.
posts can be of any length as long as they are of a high quality.
Use as many words as you need to say what you want to say – then stop.
Darren – I would’ve loved in on this. I’ll do my best to race against the clock you set (understandably!). Cheers.
I will try this out. this can be a good test to see if my content is really worth reading, or if it needs work.
Please share about SWSW when you return. As a native Texan, I wish I could be there!
Wow, this will be interesting and exciting. I’ll try to come up with a submission. Though the end result has always been a treasure trove of great content.
Plus, another good opportunity to meet new bloggers. :D
Already emailed to you Darren. Looking forward to this one. I got a great one for you. :-)
Darren,
That comment could itself be a very valuable post.
“Use as many words as you need to say what you want to say – then stop”.
OR
“Use the least number of words possible to get your point across – then stop”.
Would apply well to the pulpit as well. ;)
My post is written and ready to go, Darren! Thanks for the opportunity.
So, you’ll be closing this by Thursday evening in UK time then? You won’t close it earlier will you? I don’t want to rush and send in any old crap.
I have another question. I want to give this a go, because well, I figure there’s no harm in trying. You’re asking for original content which makes perfect sense. For those you DON’T use, do they remain the “property” of those who submitted them. Ie. if I submit something and you don’t select it, can I then go and use that post elsewhere?
If my nerves don’t get the better of me, then I’ll be submitting as well. I was just recently asked to be a guest blogger and agreed. It’s pressure to create content up to your standards but it would be a good experience!
Catherine – I’m going to close submissions for next week on Thursday – however if you don’t have time to do it that’s fine because there will be a second round of sorts for when I’m in Austin from 6-15 March.
Great, thanks for giving this chance!
Darren – what a great line:
“Use as many words as you need to say what you want to say – then stop.”
If only more people would follow your advice!!!!!
Being a part guest post of problogger definitely happy moments for someone happy blogging!
Sounds like a great idea.
However, I’m no blogging guru.
Unless you need posts on heavy metal and horror films. I can help with that.
Otherwise, my second blog chronicles my blogging experiences. It is a new blog, I usually use it to review other blogs and to share blogging tips that I found useful.
Needless to say I use Problogger as inspiration for this blog often:
http://metabloggingsecrets.blogspot.com/
What an interesting way to accept guest bloggers articles. Very smart Mr. Rowse. Very smart. :-)
I have always wanted to a guest blogger in this blog. I have been a guest blogger for bloggingtips.com for three wonderful times. However, it is a pity for me that I am not yet familiar with WordPress and if I start to study now, I think I will be late.
I just hope Darren could give me a chance next time even if I am using blogger.com. Or maybe I will start now and wait for March as Darren have said to be the next time around. By that time, I can also have time to prepare my best post for guest blogging, hopefully.
Darren, it is good that you are taking a break. It is required once in a while, that too, with the family. They are equally important. All the best!
I’d like to bring to the fore a question previously asked – if an article is not selected, are you going to hold them for your next round, or release them back to the author for publication as they see fit?
I say pick posts for both this vacation and the next, save yourself some time, and provide more opportunity for us underdogs to get a spot =)
Happy trip Darren.
I just submitted my post about three minutes ago. Am I too late for the first round, or not?
Here’s a question: You mention “issues of duplicate content.” What are those issues? I’m curious because I get different sites stealing my content, there’s always someone who’s copying and posting it as their own and how does this duplicate content affect my blog?
What is my recourse against something like this? Most of the sites will take my posts for a week or two and then they’ll go away but I had one that stole everyday for a month. I finally figured out how to complain to Adsense and they dropped his account (I can only assume since he no longer has ads on the blog) but he still continues to daily snag my stuff.
Tell me there’s a special place in purgatory reserved for jerks like this!
I wanted to know what you do with the posts that you know you’re not going to use. Does the submitter get those back or are they yours to keep for good?
Darren — You didn’t explain your reasoning for the WordPress.com requirement. Is there some promotional side-deal with Automattic going on?
This was a great idea. I’ve really enjoyed the guest postings.
I like your website ,and like to communicate with everyone on this issue!
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Just stopped by to visit and got the crunch on your stuff in here – bravo!
I have admire your unselfishness in taking the time to make this web site.
Hello, a really interesting experience to visit your website. For sure i will come back soon. greets to all !
Got here and seen your stuff – way to go!
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