How to Lose a Blogger’s Interest in .5 Seconds

Photo Credit: Fanpop.com

The inspiration for today’s post is from something that happened very recently over at my other blog Newbieauthorsguide.com (NAG for short).

I certainly believe I have experienced first-hand what a lot of bloggers gripe about from authors and writers (probably any blogger for that matter). For me this is over a guest post rather than a book review request or something like that. However, the roads are parallel in a lot of respects. Of course, what I actually write in the email is a lot more professional that what I yelled at the computer screen from this person’s responses to my emails to her previous email. All kinds of growling and expletives followed after “Are you serious?!”; “Seriously?!”; and “Are you kidding me?!”

Not Reading the Guidelines. The guidelines pages on blogs are there for a reason. They are not just wasted space or another page that’s there just to make our blogs look pretty. They have a function and a purpose. We put them there so we don’t have to say the same things over, and over, and over… This should be the first page you look at when you arrive at a blog, if you are interested in doing a guest post or submitting for a book review, interview, or anything of that nature. If they don’t have a guidelines page or you have a specific question the guidelines doesn’t address, by all means ask! If you haven’t read the guidelines, the blogger will probably point you to the page or ask you to read them, if you haven’t already. Take a hint and read the guidelines before anything else.

Not Following Directions. Chances are you have probably heard the adage “listen, and follow directions” probably since kindergarten or preschool. For some reason some people think that they should not do that in the professional world or as adults. This is a first rate way to annoy somebody or get fired or whatever the case may be. If something is unclear, do ask! Directions are what is asked for or looked for at the start of something. That’s the first thing you read on a test, right?

Give Someone the Runaround. This can be just as irritating or even more-so than not following directions. If you say you are going to do something or have contacted a blogger to do something and they express interest; the worst thing anyone can do in not deliver and keep giving evasive answers and/or excuses. This has been the biggest thing in this last incident. I have yet to see a guest post written for NAG from this person, and they sent samples of posts not related to the content and say things like “Don’t worry, the post will match your blog’s theme and topic” or “I have already sent you posts for your review” when in fact the posts are for other blogs and not related writing, book marketing, etc. Show me the post, or I’ll show you the door. I don’t have time to play email tag with you when other guests follow the guidlelines, follow directions, and can give me a post to review.

I should also add this person also didn’t bother to send possible topics for me to choose from and then send a post (s/he did neither). This reeks as unprofessional and possibly scammy or spammy.

Send Topics and Samples not Related to a Blog’s Content. This can go for the query stage and beyond. This is almost like asking to go on blind faith. Trying to back the blogger into a corner in an agreement and then send a post that has nothing to do with a blog’s subject matter is a waste of a blogger’s time and rather irritating. Some bloggers will try to work with you if it doesn’t “quite fit” others won’t even bother. Bloggers have themes and interests for a reason and their readers read that blog for that reason. It’s all part of the gag. This person keeps trying to get me into a corner, and of course I am unsure of what this person is going to send in. I am not getting backed into that corner.

Not Referring to the Blogger by His/Her Name. I’ve heard book bloggers say it, and this also applies to any blogger of any kind whatsoever. A blogger is going to have their handle, real name, or some kind of a name on their website. Usually the About page (that’s what that page exists!). Dear Blogger, or Webmaster, or Admin, or [Blog URL] Admin, is so botlike and lifeless. Chances are they will be sent to spam or deleted. For Pete’s sake don’t call some one “Dear”, “Possum”, “Honey” or something creepy like that. Weird things happen online, and that’s a sure-fire way to irritate (and maybe creep out) a blogger. If you can’t find the blogger’s name a simple “Hi” will do, but do try to find our name–it’s there somewhere.

So, now that’s all covered. So you ask what happened to the guest poster, you ask?

Well,  I still haven’t seen a post. The last communication was a repeat of an earlier one: “Don’t worry, I will write a post that will match your blog’s theme and content.” If I see another email asking about my decision after I haven’t seen a post after 2 weeks of cat-n’-mouse email, then I will simply reply “Not Interested”.

I’m done. *waves hand*

Photo Credit: Venusbuzz.com