Guest Posts 2013

The year is almost over, I've finally completed the "Beyond the Square"-Challenge, and I already start missing this project, that had accompanied me for the last twelve months. Time for something new to spice up my blog! On the other hand, I'll probably won't have that much time for a time-consuming project next year (with all the wedding stuff on my mind), so I thought: why not let YOU do the work for me? :)

I've already send e-mails to some of my blogging friends out there and asked them if they would like to write a guest post for my blog - and everyone of them said yes, isn't that awesome? Depending on how you all like this project, I'll write more and more invitations, both to bloggers I've already got on my long, long blog-list, as well as to new bloggers I hope to meet next year.

So, what are the benefits for you, as a guest blogger? Of course I hope you'll get some more readers and "meet" new people. But - writing an introduction or summary about your blog might be an enjoyable thing for you, too: Maybe it will encourage you to go for a walk in your archives and discover great posts you've almost forgot about. Maybe you remember an unfinished project and feel like giving it another try. A blog inventory like this could help you define new goals for both your favorite hobby and your blog, and you could even use your guest-post (or parts of it) as an introduction on the "About"-page on your blog, if you need one. Or maybe you just need a kick-start to your brand-new blog? And maybe it's just fun :) - oh my gosh, this talk turned me so on, that I want to write a guest-post myself!!

The benefits for me are even greater: I'd have lots of awesome posts on my blog (without having to make an effort myself), meet some of your readers (that is, if you mention your guest-post for me on your own blog too, which would be nice *gg*), and after a while I'd have a great collection of introductions to my favorite crochet blogs - which in turn gives any reader a good orientation of all the amazing crochet blogs out there.

Here are some suggestions how your guest-post could be structured and things you could write about. Please don't see it as a strict guideline, I've just written down a few ideas that I had in mind, things that might help you to write your own unique guest post, if you're not sure how to start. (If you've already got an idea how to write the best advertisement for your blog, then please do it the way that you want to write it!)

Introducing yourself:

Suggestions: tell us who you are, where you live, and what you enjoy (other than crocheting). You can write about your family and your job, quote your favorite words of wisdom etc.

Introducing your crochet history:

Suggesions: let us know when and how you've learned it, who taught you (a family member? Internet videos?), what benefits you have from crocheting, etc.

Introducing your blog, this should be the main part of the guest post:

Suggestions: When did you start your blog? Why? How is the structure of your blog, where's your focus? Blankets? Amigurumis? Items for your little ones? Are you a yarn-bomber, or do you "specialize" on a certain crochet technique, like freeform, filet, tunesian or else? Do you share other crafts or hobbies as well? Do you publish your own patterns or tutorials? Do you organize events as link-parties, CALs or Swaps? Do you participate in projects like those? Do you crochet for charity? Do you have special sections that appear on a regular basis (like WIP Wednesday, FO Friday, picture posts, or similar)? Can we find the Crochet-You on other platforms (Ravelry, Pinterest, Facebook etc.)? What are your favorite crochet or craft blogs?

Of course you should spice up your guest post with some pictures: maybe you show an older project that's dear to you and that you're proud of, or your latest finished project, something you've just started, or the project that is most popular with your readers. Or make a collage, if you've got too many things you want to share! Needless to say: bring your blog-button if you've got one (memo to myself: maybe it's time to make one for my blog, too! *gg*)

Maybe I'll add a few words from my side, like why I've asked you to write a guest post, or maybe I'll just let your post speak for itself. 

You see, there are still a lot of maybe's and could-be's, and that's the exciting thing about this new project. I can't wait to get started and see how it develops!

Oh, and just in case you worry: of course I've got plenty of my own crochet to share with you in the next few weeks, too, starting with the good ol' Review-and-Preview-Post before the year is over - stay tuned!