As we have discovered so far, maintaining a blog is hard work. While it seems that working with someone else to maintain a blog would be easier, after reading “7 Essential Ingredients for a Successful Collaborative Blog“, I can see that there are many different ways collaboration could go. Similar to any business venture or move in a new direction, starting a blog with a friend would sound like fun, but could be tragic if not properly thought out. Like the writers in the post mentioned, if both of you are not equally committed to the blog, it would go to ruin. Being friends would make this more difficult, as neither of you would want to insult your friend be call them out on the lack of commitment. No one would want to be the “bossy” member of the partnership, and eventually either the blog or the friendship would fall apart. Equal commitment is important, and necessary to establish when beginning something. This is easier to do if you work with someone with whom your relationship is professional. In many ways, a blog is a professional endeavor, and a successful collaborative blog must work like any project at a work place environment. Meetings and brainstorming are easier to accomplish if a personal component is not present in the relationship.
Many of the points mentioned in the article remind me of similar advice given to me when moving into college. “Don’t room with your best friend unless you’ve both talked everything out – literally everything” I have known many friends who have been roommates who end up hating each other due to diverging habits. One was a morning person and the other a night owl, one was chatting and the other liked solitude when studying, or the even more common problem pretty unequal neatness. But, some friends can make the best of roommates, just like some friends can make great business partners. It just depends on equal understanding of what the situation you’re embarging on together entails.
A meeting in the TV Show Mad Men
Source
All of these points boil down to the ultimate skill of communication. Effective communication is vital. If there is anything that I’ve learned at Rutgers that I know will help me out in life beyond graduation, it’s how to effectively communicate with people via various media outlets. Many of the methods of good email communication are touched upon the the post “Guest Blogging: A Beginner’s Guide“, and they can be applied to all email inquiries outside of blogging. Inquiring about a job position, a position in a lab, a meeting to pitch and idea to a boss higher up – all of these scenarios occur in the real-world of jobs regardless of which field that job is a part of.
RU Creative Blogging FA14 
Hey Val! I really liked how you touched upon the professionalism aspects of a blog. At the end of the day, blogging really is a business just like you say just because of the presence of key skills and aspects in both aspects. One of the skills you touched upon is communication and I really think that plays a huge role in the success for anything in the real world. You need to be able to communicate effectively if you plan on going into businesses or working together on teams. The key word here is professionalism just like you said. I also like how you talked about how you hear this kind of advice from your professors and others regarding moving into college. At the end of the day, these blogging tips are global to all other aspects in our life. We’re talking about organization, thought process, etc… I think that blogging really does kind of illustrate the the bigger world in terms of similarities just like how you stated how these tips remind you of how blogging is like a business. Your reference to roommate relations perfectly demonstrates how strong communication can be when working together and working collaboratively.
LikeLike
Hey Valerie!
I could totally see where you are coming from when you said although it seems that blogging with people is easy, it actually isn’t. Blogging with people means different perspectives. And to mesh different perspectives into one is quite difficult. It is something new and foreign. That is what I felt when I was notified that I was going to do a guest post. I couldn’t just think of what I wanted to do, but had to incorporate what my partner blogs about for her blog post. With different perspectives, it is hard to maintain consistency and uniformity!
If blogging with others, it is important to keep calm and collected throughout the whole process. Any disputes could result in a chaos. You don’t want to seem as a bossy, rude, or lazy person. It is critical that everyone who is contributing contributes and establishes a good relationship or the blog will die. And trust me, the readers will know. I really like your analogy because it is so appropriate. I am living in the suites and I live with 5 other girls. Living with my roommate is not hard because we do have similarities, but living with the other 4 is a pain. They are not cooperative, inconsiderate, and etc. However, since we are all living together for a whole school year I know it is important for me to be calm and collected. If something is not going the way it should, I should simply in a considerate way tell them what is wrong. And blogging with others is totally like that just as you said!
LikeLike
Hi Valeriya,
I love that you talked in detail about the partnership of collaborative blogging. The woman I interviewed for my research actually started her blog out as collaboration with a friend but because of differences in expectations they did split professionally. I’m sure the other woman is upset about that now since the woman who stuck with the blog now has a book deal. However as you said and she told me it all comes down to commitment level. Their commitment levels differed and now it can be plainly seen, because one has a book deal and the other doesn’t. The one was ready to treat their blog as an important business and reaped the benefits while the other did not. I like how you compared the advice in this article to advice you were given on rooming with your best friend at the beginning of college. Living with a person is very much like a business in and of itself, all parties need to have similar expectations and work towards success of the collaboration the same amount. I agree with you that friendships can be sprung out of work collaborations and things like moving to college and rooming with someone you don’t know. Though on the surface both of these things may seem simpler when doing them with a friend I think you and the article did a good job of explaining why that might not be the case. Good job!
LikeLike
Hey Valeriya!
I totally agree that there are many potential pitfalls to group blogging. I personally run another blog outside of the ones we maintain for class, and I couldn’t imagine sharing it with someone. As you said, equal commitment is essential to being on the same page and having a successful blog. If the other person is slacking, it can not only hurt the blog, but hurt your relationship with them. Also, it’s often hard to find a unified voice, and if writing personalities are different, it can make things inconsistent for readers. I also tend to find that I don’t really like criticizing others or “telling them how to do their job,” so I would be uncomfortable telling someone when they’re doing something wrong, or that they need to edit their writing. So, it could either end with having a mediocre blog with mistakes or telling someone and potentially making them angry.
That roommate analogy is so spot on with this topic! But there are also definitely plus sides to blogging with other people, if things are done right and communicated well. There has to be clear communication of duties, goals, and respect before the URL is even created.
LikeLike
Hi Valeryia!
I completely agree with you that a collaborative blog cannot be taken likely and must be looked at as more of a business endeavor than a hobby to take on with a friend. If two people want to start a blog and make a profit off of it, then it must become a professional matter rather than a personal one. And as you mentioned, most people know or at least have been told that it is not wise to embark on business endeavors with friends. Things can go wrong, you may disagree with each other, one might take it more seriously than the other, etc. For me personally, if I were to ever begin a blog or any kind of business with someone else, I don’t think I would ever do it with someone I had known previously because there is too much risk that the friendship would be overridden by professional issues. And there are some friendships where it’s just not worth taking the risk. I like how you related the concept of collaborating on blogs to rooming with friends in college. It definitely follows the same idea that sometimes, friends should be left as friends and not try to make them roommates, business partners, etc unless you go over with the person in great detail exactly how things are going to go. The articles definitely taught me that collaborative blogging is not as simple as it may seem and that it’s important to handle it with a business perspective if you want it to be successful.
LikeLike
Hi Valeryia!
I enjoyed reading your posts. I like the anology that you gave. Don’t dorm with your best friends, because it could destroy your friendship. But then sometimes it’s actually good. Because now you found out what he/she is really like and know the ups and downs. When guest blogging, sometimes you run in to that kind of situation. You think about doing something different with your blog but then after looking at some one you can see if that idea will work or not. A guest will write on something with his expertise. So he will be better than you. And if your followers don’t like it than you definatly know you shouldn’t persue that idea. Because if somebody better than you can’t do it. So, a guest blogger can make you realize that. Sometime it will attract more followers and give you some diverse idea. Yes, communicating is crucial skill to have in life. where ever you go you will work on projects in group so a miss communication can screw up the whole project. I get team assignments in class and i know how important it is to keep up with each other. Overall, you bring my nice points.
LikeLike
Hey!
I like how you analyzed group blogging in your response. I agree with the fact that starting up a blog to be read with your friend would be a lot of fun, but there could be a lot of issues with that. Like in Justin’s post and the article, team work is the most important aspect of any group work done. To run a successful blog, ideas must be shared and tasks must be equally divided. Too much discrepancies and issues will cause issues or like you said will cause the blog to “go to ruin.”
I also think that when it is with a friend rather than a business partner, you analyzed that right – it is hard to be frank with your friends sometimes because feelings come first. If I started a blog with my friend, I probably would not have an issue telling them the truth, but it definitely would take a bit longer than if I needed to talk to my co-worker. It reminds me of roommates, actually. Friends as roommates may hide and not acknowledge their conflict, while those who understand that they are roommates first will be able to put things in the open.
Your point of communication is important with everything you do as a group. Not talking and discussing causes confusion and no one knows where anyone stands.
I liked your response a lot, great job!
LikeLike
Hi Valeriya!
I really agree with your first point about blogging. I have so many interests that I’d love to blog about, but just can’t find the time to do so! I thought that blogging for this class would be particularly easy, since I know my topic very well. The hardest part is keeping up with a consistent schedule to follow every week and holding myself accountable for those deadlines, so I can very much relate to what you were saying about maintaining a blog. That being said, I see blogging with a friend as a very complicated structure. We all know how group work can be and this definitely has the potential to tear friendships a part if it isn’t handled correctly. I’ve encountered this very fragile position in the past, where you have to both be a friend and a figure of authority to someone that you are close with and that is difficult to handle at times. Communication is really useful for understanding someone’s thoughts, intentions and perspective. Blogs communicate a lot about a person and their personal lives. I feel like blogs in general are small, mirrored images or representations of the individual that writes them. Overall, great post! Very engaging!
LikeLike
I really liked how you stressed that both partners have to be equally committed to the blog. When reading the article that stuck out to me most. When we did the partnering and guest blogging this week with out partners I realized how efficient it went because I felt that these steps were followed. We also both wanted it to get by a deadline and promptly did so, so that we could do everything at an optimal time. I also liked your last paragraph of communication. I think this is the key to make anything successful. It is such a strong point that can be stressed everywhere, not just blogging. Communication and really stressing what needs to be done in a way that is appealing to both parties can really spark up a good partnership that is beneficial to both people. Like any relationship if two or more people are gathering to do something, in this case blogging, everything you stressed and highlighted are definitely the basics to make everything work out for the better.
LikeLike
Hi Valeriya! I completely agree with you that a professional relationship should not have a personal relationship interfering within it. While some people would say that they would not be hesitant to tell their partner/friend to stop slacking and pick their end of the stick, it is much easier said than done.
I like how you compared it to relationships with your roommates. My friends mom works for housing at Rutgers, so I had the option to pick to be roommates with my best friend, who has been my best friend since preschool. We decided against it. One reason being that we didn’t want to end up hating each other being stuck together 24/7, but the other being so that we can meet new people as well. My spare time was spent with her regardless if I lived with her or not. But to live with somebody and then spend your spare time with that same person on top of it, can be a little much and can lead to a toxic relationship.
Professional relationships need to be taken seriously and do not have room for friendship ‘drama.’ And I do not mean the type of drama that would end a friendship forever, but the type of drama as in your one friend ditched you yesterday so you need a day or two to get over it. Business relationships can not work if there is too strong of an outside personal connection occurring within.
Great post Valeriya, you made very interesting points.
LikeLike
Hey Valerie!
Maintaining a blog is defiantly harder I believe doing it alone rather in a group where everyone shares the work equally. Comparing blogging to a professional setting I believe you nailed this comparison. Personally, I wouldn’t decide to start a blog with any of my friends. The issues of friendships working together always exist in one form or another. One of the partners is too lazy or the other individual doesn’t want to be to mean; they all exist. This all goes to the effective communication skill that is needed and most of the time found in the work place. Working to meet a goal is the ultimate sacrifice that everyone involved has to commit. I defiantly see how Rutgers has changed how you communicate with different people as I’ve changed the way I communicate as well. For example, talking to professors and potential jobs. One thing I learned throughout Rutgers is being able to sacrifice and allowing yourself to do what is better for yourself. Hence, if you’re part of any organization or club then you have to put the group’s best interest first in your mindset. This is why communication is so important as you mention throughout the post.
LikeLike
Hello Valeriya! People always say not to mix business with pleasure or not to take business personal but when you’re doing something with a friend it is very difficult not to mix them.Which brings me to you analogy of the whole rooming with your best friend thing.That can go downhill or workout for the best just like working with someone on a blog. Everyone is different and has a different style so it is good to first lay down the rules and come to a common understanding. That way no one has to feel like the bad guy or like one person is committed more than the other as you mentioned. I like the fact that you focused of the idea of professionalism as well it is important to always be professional with any job that you do. And blogging is definitely like a job. When it comes to business friendship should be separated from that. There is not any room for problems that may be going on in the friendship. Communication is key in a lot of cases. Being able to get your point across and talking to your partner is very important. Overall, you had a nice post!
LikeLike
Hi!
I 100% agree with your point about communication. Everyone essentially has a different perspective on things regardless if the relationship is personal or professional. Personalities can always clash but in a professional relationship it is easier to articulate differences through communication because each party will understand that the critiques are to better the brand. Blogging can be a brand therefore there needs to be that level of professionalism to allow the blog to grow. If a blogging partnership is a purely professional partnership that will allow each personal an open forum to better the brand without taking things personal. I think that is very important! This puts aside feelings and puts the blog first.
LikeLike
Hey there Val!
Guest blogging does require communication and cooperation. I think everyone in our class experience this first hand through our homework assignment. It can be difficult in some cases to produce material for another person’s blog when their topic is unrelated or different from your regular style of writing.
However, guest blogging definitely adds something to your blog. It’s nice to have other people’s voices show up on your blog and it’s an excellent way to keep your readers interested. A new voice is like a breath of fresh air. It can be exactly what your blog needs at times!
Guest blogging revolves around team work and it has the potential to be great but on the other hand, things can go very very wrong. I believe it all boils down to how well people work together. If the posts are planned and make sense, they will contribute to the quality of the overall blog. If not, it could be detrimental.
See you tomorrow!
LikeLike
Hi Val,
You bring up some good points about collaborative blogging in that it can go either way – either successful or really unsuccessful. What will define the success of the blog is the communication involved. If there is good communication about the goals and responsibilities between each member, then the blog will be successful. You talked about collaborative blogging between friends and I think it’s interesting that you bring up the example of rooming with your best friend. This connects with me because I was on the verge of rooming with my best friend freshman year but we decided that logistically, it probably wouldn’t work out. Even then, we remained friends and spent time together really often. I think that there was an understanding between us that it wouldn’t work out well. So I think that as mature adults, it is important to understand the limitations of having a business/blog with a friend. The individuals must understand how this relationship could affect the outcome of the business/blog. It’s not impossible, but there are certain obstacles to overcome and these require communication to solve.
LikeLike