“Couples that Blog Together…” plus 1 more

Posted: 13 Oct 2012 01:00 PM PDT

This guest post is by Jefferson and Michelle of See Debt Run.

Blogging with your significant other can be a very rewarding experience, as long as you communicate openly.

My wife and I started personal finance site See Debt Run in January of this year to document our journey out of debt, and to share the experiences that we had along the way.

When we decided to start See Debt Run, we agreed that our site should feature both of our voices equally, and we both pledged to work together to improve our financial situation and to work towards making the site a success. We never expected that this adventure would bring us even closer together.

Divide and conquer

Most people aren't aware of how much work bloggers really have to do behind the scenes. Networking with peers, managing inquiries, researching keywords, and learning and implementing SEO best practices can all be just as time consuming as creating content. Having two people to tackle these tasks gives you the ability to divide and conquer, which can go a long way towards preventing blogger burnout (which happens to everyone).

Since I work full time, I am often unavailable during the day to respond to comments or handle any other blog issues that come up. Because my wife stays at home with our one-year-old daughter, she can respond to comments or inquiries during the baby's naptime, which is a major advantage.

In the evenings, after the kids are in bed, we buckle down and take care of writing for the site, editing, and other blogging tasks.

During this time, we actually enjoy working side by side. While many married couple are probably spending their evenings watching television, my wife and I are instead collaborating together to build something, which is a reward in and of itself.

Lend a hand

The very best part about blogging with your spouse is the fact you have an editor who is available 100% of the time.

We agreed from the start that we would provide honest feedback to each other, and as such, we always read each other’s posts before they go up on the site. It isn’t unusual for my wife to suggest that I remake a section of one of my articles, or for me to suggest that she add a better transition between paragraphs in one of hers.

To keep the site running smoothly, we use a variety of tools to keep things straight. We maintain a shared text file that we call the “idea well.” Whenever we think of something that might make a good post, it gets added to the file, where either one of us are welcome to run with it. As these ideas turn into real posts, we maintain a shared calendar to keep track of which articles will be running and when.

The hour or two that we have before bed is not always enough time to get our articles completed and ready for publishing. If one of us needs some time to write, the other is always willing to take the kids out to the playground, to clear the house of the normal distractions.

There have also been a few occasions since starting the blog that each of us has suffered a bit of writers’ block, and when that has happened, the other was more than willing to step up and write up a few extra posts.

Use your voices, since you have more than one

From a writing perspective, I like to think that having two voices instead of one helps us appeal to a broader audience.

Logic might tell you that your readers want to connect with a single author, finding their perspective appealing, but with both of us posting regularly, we have the ability to make even more connections. My wife and I have very different writing styles, and as such, we appeal to different groups of people.

My wife is a dynamic storyteller who has a talent for using conversations in her writing. When she tells a story, she uses small details and raw emotions to help readers feel like they were right there with our family when the situation was going down.

I tend to write in a more traditional style, often backing up my articles with detailed examples and statistics. I have found the most success in writing articles that give career advice or offer specific tips about methods that we are using to improve our financial situation.

No two people have the exact same writing style. If you and your partner can each find your own unique voice, together you can find harmony.

Communication is key

To other couples out there that may be considering starting a blog together, I would wholeheartedly recommend it! Sustaining a successful a blog involves many long hours working on your computer, and having someone there with you goes a long way towards alleviating the monotony.

The most important advice that I can offer would be to make sure that you communicate openly. If you are considering making a change with the blog or discussing a new promotional opportunity, be sure to discuss it before moving forward.

Remember that you are full partners in this game, and you both have an equal stake in the site’s success. As long as you respect your partner and communicate openly, couple blogging can be a very rewarding experience.

Do you blog with your life partner—or another type of blogging partner? Tell your story in the comments.

Jefferson and his wife Michelle write at the personal finance blog See Debt Run, where they document their family’s journey to financial sanity. They write about frugal parenting, money making opportunities, career advice, and more.

Originally at: Blog Tips at ProBlogger

Couples that Blog Together…

Find—and Use—Your Blogging Freedom

Posted: 13 Oct 2012 07:06 AM PDT

This guest post is by Jon Rhodes of Affiliate Marketing Tips.

Isn’t the idea of being a full-time blogger great?! You control your own time, and answer to nobody. You don’t have to ask someone for permission if you want to take some time off, or go and pursue a new idea you’ve had.

There are many perks to being a full-time blogger. However you must make sure that you are actually enjoying these perks.

The problems

What I see some new full-time bloggers doing is being equally as hard on themselves as their former bosses were.

Sure, you need to work hard to be successful, but you must also enjoy some of the benefits that attracted you to this type of work in the first place—at least occasionally. Otherwise, what’s the point?

Many people seem to stay cooped up at work in their own homes for much of the day. This is similar to being stuck in the office all day, accept with an office at least you can leave and go home to a different environment at the end of your working day.

Others seem to squander their at-home time on low-quality perks, such as surfing the Web, watching TV, or eating too much. These things are okay for a while, but shouldn’t you be going beyond this if you wish to maximise the position you worked so hard to get yourself into?

The solutions

Think to yourself for a few moments about the reasons why you decided to become a blogger.

Now question yourself: are you really fulfilling those reasons, or have you simply got yourself into a loop of bad habits?

If you’re in the second category, right now is the time to change this! Not only will it let you enjoy your blogging lifestyle, getting creative with your time will also improve your creativity and productivity. It’s good for you and your blog.

Take a break

Plan something for about a week’s time—a trip for the day, or even a few days if your circumstances allow it. Something that you have wanted to do but never got round to because you’ve had no time. This activity doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated—unless you want it to be.

I have always wanted to go up Mount Snowdon (in North Wales) on the train, but never got round to it. So recently I did the 250-mile round trip during a weekday while everyone else was at work.

I did something that gave me full reward for the position I’ve worked so hard to get myself into.

So make your plan. Once you’ve thought of an activity that will utilise your freedom, schedule it into your diary, and stick to your plan.

Take this appointment seriously. Your health and wellbeing is the most important thing in the world. You cannot look after your blog, your business, or your loved ones if you are not healthy and vibrant yourself.

The benefits aren’t just in the activity itself—they’re also in the build-up, knowing you have some liberating activity planned in the near future. It can put a spring in your step and help you feel good about the world. It can also help boost your productivity in the meantime, and afterward, as you feel refreshed and rejuvenated.

Once you have executed this, you should plan another soon after. This will help you actually experience the feelings of freedom that your lifestyle now permits, and ensure that you get a chance to recharge the batteries as often as you need to.

A break on a smaller scale

Can’t take a full day off in the near future? Need to refresh yourself in between breaks?

You can also utilise your liberty by finding different places to work. Many businesses now offer free wireless internet. So if you have a laptop you can get a change of scenery and find nice cafés, parks, libraries and other places to work from.

Most employers won’t let you do this, but now you’re a full-time blogger, you can! This is likely to help your creativity when writing and making business decisions, as well as getting you out of the house.

Joining a gym is another great idea. I go early in the morning, at about 9am, three times a week. Rather than going in the evening after work when I’m tired and have had enough, I can go early, to wake myself up and get the blood flowing.

I come home, shower and eat, and feel refreshed, happy, positive, and ready to work. I must admit that I find it much easier to stick with going to the gym now that I work my own hours from home—I’ve been going consistently for more than two years now. Back when I was employed, I would last about six months and usually stop when things got a bit stressful with work and commitments. But blogging full-time lets you manage your life as you like.

Making the most of it

Even if you are currently working full-time, or part-time, as well as blogging, you can still make time for yourself and utilize what freedom you do have. Maybe plan something for the evening after work, or the weekend, or book a day or two off. We all have limits on our freedoms, but most people fall well short of utilising what it is they have got.

Many people get stuck in the rut of living to work. We want stability for ourselves and our families, and we can easily become obsessed with this. However we must sometimes take time out to smell the roses.

You will probably work better and more efficiently—on your blog, and in your job if you have one—if you look after yourself more in this way.

Final thoughts

So go, get your thinking cap on and plan something for the near future. If money is an issue, it could even be a picnic or a walk somewhere nice.

The important thing is how you spend your time. Life is for living, and we only get one shot at it.

Jon Rhodes is a successful blogger and affiliate marketer from the UK. He strongly advocates ethical affiliate marketing, which he firmly believes is the best strategy for long term success. Learn his secrets to making money online at his blog Affiliate Marketing Tips.

Originally at: Blog Tips at ProBlogger

Find—and Use—Your Blogging Freedom