Writers in the Storm

A blog about writing

storm moving across a field
April 19, 2021

Tips for Landing a Guest Posting Gig

by Becca Puglisi

I’m so happy to be back at Writers in the Storm today talking about writerly goodness with all of you. I get to do this a couple of times each year, thanks to this crew’s generosity. And it all started with me reaching out and begging requesting a guest posting opportunity.

Guest posting can be a great idea for a number of reasons. First, you’re helping a fellow blogger by providing valuable content that they don’t have to write themselves. Most bloggers are crazy busy, so having someone write a relevant, quality post for them is usually a godsend. At the same time, you’re providing that valuable content to potential followers who aren’t part of your regular audience—people who just might traipse on over to your blog and find out more about you and your books.

Best of all, guest posting is one of the quickest, most reliable ways of building up a strong author following.

Angela and I love to host quality guest posters at our blog, but the process of finding those people can be frustrating. We have to turn away many more potential posters than we accept—usually for superficial reasons that could easily be avoided.

So if you’re a writer who’s interested in guest posting (or podcasting, being interviewed on a radio show, etc.), read on through today’s therapy session as I work through my angst about common pitfalls in this area.

Tips to maximize your chances for success

When You’re Requesting to Guest Post

Follow the Blogger’s Preferred Procedures for Guest Posting

Bloggers have different ways of signing people up to post at their site. And if the blog you’re interested in is sizable, chances are, you’re not the first person to ask about writing for them. To simplify their lives, bloggers will typically create guidelines that provide the important details so they don’t have to answer the same questions over and over.

A cursory search of the blog’s menu bar will usually show you those guidelines. If you can’t find them, try the search bar. If you’re still unable to unearth them, send a quick message to the blog owner letting them know that you’re interested in providing a guest post but you were unable to find their guidelines, and asking them to point you in the right direction. This tells the owner that you’re willing to follow any parameters they have for submitting a post.

Believe me: they’ll be happy to hear that you’ve made an attempt in this area.

Offer Content That Hasn’t Been Done to Death

While posting at someone else’s blog can absolutely benefit the writer, it only works because if it also benefits the host. And it only benefits the host when your post offers new or fresh material for their readers.

So before you pitch an idea, look at what’s already been posted there. Most blogs have a Category function that groups content according to its kind. Look up the categories that fit your idea, and read those posts. (You can also use the search bar if you can’t find a breakdown of categories.) If there are already a few posts covering your topic, or one was just posted a few weeks prior, that blog may not be the best fit for your idea.

Becca’s Pet Peeve: Refrain from asking the host which topics they’d like you to write about.

This sounds like a thoughtful thing to do, but it actually creates more work for the blogger as they have to look back and see what hasn’t been covered—essentially doing what you, the potential poster, could do on your own. Remember: one of your goals in obtaining a guest post should be to make things easier for your host. So do your own homework, and you’ll likely get a better reception.

Offer More than One Topic

If you have multiple post ideas (and you’ve checked to be sure they haven’t been covered too much at the blog), give the host a choice. Our blog has been around in one form or another since 2008. That’s a lot of blog posts and finding new topics that we haven’t just pummeled into the ground can be a challenge. I LOVE when a guest poster provides options because it increases the likelihood that at least one of them will be a viable possibility.

Proofread Your Request before Submitting It

This should go without saying, but…it needs to be said. Your guest post request is kind of like the query letter for your book: it’s the host’s introduction to you and your work. If your submission is wordy, rambling, filled with mistakes, doesn’t provide the requested information, or otherwise needs more work, the host will know that your post is going to be more of the same. So read your request over carefully before sending it.

Becca’s Pet Peeve: Include your contact information. And make sure that email address doesn’t have typos. /facepalm

When You’re Writing the Guest Post

Follow the Host’s Guidelines

By the time you’re given the green light for your idea, you’ve likely been provided with all the info you need to write it. The person you corresponded with (or maybe the guidelines themselves) will have told you the target word count, how much promotion is allowed, what kind of rating is preferred in terms of language, and other blog-specific dos and don’ts. If you have questions, just ask.

Pro tip: bloggers want you to have the information you need before you provide the post because it cuts down on the work that has to be done once the post comes in.

Take It Easy with the Promo

Whether you’re reading a blog post, participating in a Facebook group, or engaging with someone on Twitter, one thing remains true about self-promotion: too much is a turn-off. This is especially true in a blog post, because the purpose is supposed to be to provide practical information to the reader. If every other paragraph contains a plug for the author’s book, product, or service, it starts to get old.

This became such a problem for Angela and me that we decided to reserve promotion for the poster’s bio. This doesn’t have to be your rule; many bloggers offer more latitude in this area. But the principle remains: too much promotion defeats your purpose of helping the host and their audience. So keep it to a minimum.

Proofread, Proofread, Proofread

There comes a point when the effort to edit a guest post just isn’t worth the host’s time. Like your manuscript when you start sending it out, your efforts are much more likely to be rewarded if your post is clean, practical, and concise.

After the Post is Published

Respond to Comments

DO NOT skip this one. It’s one of the best ways to gain new followers. Continue the conversation. Make real connections. Provide more help by answering commenters’ questions or pointing them toward people and resources that can. Even a simple Thanks so much for reading, or I’m so glad the post was useful can make a lasting impression.

Promote the Post on Social Media

Again, the guest posting opportunity is all about quid pro quo. A great way to help out your host is to share your post on your own channels, encouraging your followers to head over and check it out. Sure, they’re going to be reading your post, but they’re also visiting the host’s blog. It would be great for the blogger who gave you this opportunity to pick up a few followers they didn’t have before.

Now, maybe you don’t see this as a good thing. Maybe you’re concerned that turning your readers on to other blogs will pull them away from yours. In all honestly, this is not something to worry about. But as a writer, how many bloggers do you follow? Don’t you have different go-to people, depending on what information or specific experience you’re looking for?

Writers benefit from helping other writers. They just do. So get out there and share the love.

And get moving on those guest post requests! Everyone has something to say, knowledge to share from their own unique perspective. Put these tips to use, expand your audience, and help out a fellow writer at the same time.

Have you considered using the audience-sharing power of guest posting to build your brand? If you've done so, what was your experience?

Note: The link to Becca and Angela's guidelines is above, but please alert us in the comments if you would like the guidelines for posting here at WITS (after you've commented on Becca's stellar post, of course)!

* * * * * *

About Becca

Becca Puglisi is an international speaker, writing coach, and bestselling author of The Emotion Thesaurus and other resources for writers. Her books have sold over 500,000 copies and are available in multiple languages, are sourced by US universities, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world. She is passionate about learning and sharing her knowledge with others through her Writers Helping Writers blog and via One Stop For Writers—a powerhouse online library created to help writers elevate their storytelling.

20 comments on “Tips for Landing a Guest Posting Gig”

  1. Well, I just never considered guest blogging on your fabulous site... facepalm indeed. Great post, thank you!

  2. You hit all the essentials, Becca—and it was fun to read your essay because your site was the very first one I guest-posted on four years ago! I would add to your perfect overview that one ought to follow the blog for a while to learn about the style, since sites are different, and also to comment on other people's posts so the host gets familiar with your name and comes to view you as an engaged member of the community. Like everything in the writing world, it's a long game ...

    1. Ooo, excellent additions, Barbara! When you're used to getting a lot of cold-call requests, it's a big deal when someone with a familiar name shows up on the list. So your idea for commenting on other posts at the blog is a good one. You can also get your name out there by offering to be involved when the blogger puts out a call for help—with a book launch, promotion, contest, etc.

  3. Excellent suggestions. I gave up hosting guests because even though I provided explicit instructions, so many guests either didn't read or chose not to follow them. It was as much work to get their posts up than to create one of my own--if not more.

    1. I JUST had to make a difficult decision this morning about a post that was so promising but hadn't followed some of the guidelines and was going to take me too much time to get it where it needed to be. Following those guidelines is crucial.

  4. This was a very timely post for me as this is something I want to pursue. Thanks so much for laying everything out in such a clear, concise way. I'm saving this to refer back to!

    1. Take the plunge, Maggie! I know it can be nerve-wracking, reaching out and asking for this kind of thing. But just remember that while it's something that will benefit you, you're also helping the host. Seeing it as a way to serve others helped me push through my fear. Best of luck to you 🙂

  5. Great post, Becca. I would also add that networking at conferences is a great way to get in the door. That's how I landed the regular guest spot here on WITS. I met Jenny during the mixer time at a conference. I wasn't really looking for a guest spot, but the meeting led to us joining the same online group and that led to the offer to guest post. A couple of good posts and now I'm kind of an "off the bench" player here, plugging the holes when a date opens up.

    One thing I would caution against is pestering someone you just met and putting on the full court press. Build a relationship first so they know what you have to offer. The door will open much easier that way.

    1. So true. Conferences are a great way to network—but it really only works if that isn't your primary goal, for the pushy reasons you mentioned. If we can see it as a way to meet people who share our passions and learn from them, the beneficial partnerships come along much more smoothly.

  6. Becca, I love that this post addresses such an easy way to audience-build (and stretch your skills at the same time). As Barbara says, this IS a long game and it's nice to be able to enjoy that game with friends.

    I don't know how many people were in on the early days of you and Angela building this beautiful brand and career around the simple act of giving back. By (in many cases freely) giving knowledge to others, you ladies have become a household name in the writing world, which just knocks me out. I love the real world example of the glorious things that happen when you follow your passion and share your knowledge.

    Anywho...you ladies deserve all the wonderful things!! You've worked your asses off.

    (P.S. Please take one pass from the top because I just approved a comment.)

    1. MWAH!

      You and all the other beautiful people in this industry are what keep us motivated. We so appreciate our relationship with you and WITS and the way we can support each other. 🙂

  7. Great reminders for landing a guest post and for setting up my own guidelines for my upcoming blog. BTW - The Emotional Wound Thesaurus is my go to resource for character development.

    1. Oh, I'm so glad to hear The Emotional Wound Thesaurus is helping you create stronger characters! And as far as setting up your guidelines, I'd look at a few blogs who host guest posters and see what parameters they've put in place. This should give you a pool of ideas so you can figure out which ones you'd like to follow and which ones aren't necessary. Good luck!

Subscribe to WITS

Recent Posts

Search

WITS Team

Categories

Archives

Copyright © 2024 Writers In The Storm - All Rights Reserved