Multiple Personality Disorder

When you get a slew of bloggers going all at once, such as with a larger community blog, it can get a little nuts. While you want to encourage your authors to post and you want fresh content, sometimes it is hard to keep up as a reader when there are several posts an hour.

Who's on first?
Before you start taking this grandiose project of 20 blog authors, consider delegating certain topics or site responsibilities to specific authors. Like a group blog, someone needs to be in charge. When you get a lot of authors, you may end up with multiple entries about the same thing, an overwhelming amout of entries in general, or just a disconnect between the site's overall purpose and an author's agenda.

What's on second?
Create a team atmosphere. Your blog authors should be as committed to your blog as you are. If they feel as though they are part of something big, part of something exciting, and that they have appreciated, they will be more apt to post creative entries and contribute to the growth of the site.

I don't know who's on third.
No one is perfect, and once in a while you ill get an author who might be one sandwich short of a picnic when it comes to your blog. Some administrators do not mind if their authors occasionally post something off-topic. It applies in various instances, but if it is a regular ocurrence and you do not approve of it, this is one of those times you will have to practise tactful discipline.

Managing Group Dynamics

Establish dominance. It is wise to decide who is in charge. You cannot all be in charge. Someone has to take the lead. Usually, it is the person who came up with the site concept or pays for the server space, or otherwise takes the first initiative to make the blog happen. Make sure your authors are clear and agree with whoever you decide to give the lead. That way, you can avoid power plays or hurt feelings.

Exercise. Do not rule with a short leash. Let your authors stretch their legs a little. You will have happier authors who feel more willing to contribute if they feel as though their voices are heard and they are permitted to speak their minds.

Discipline. Sometimes, confrontation is just unavoidable. But you can express yourself without being accusatory or aggressive. Be calm, kind, and tactful but direct. If your authors are not projecting the image that you want to convey, it is not unreasonable to address it.

Affection. Value your authors. You have chosen them for a reason, and if they are quality writers, nice people and good friends, reward them either with small tokens or praise, publicly or privately. Let them know they are welcomed on your blog and in the community, and that you value their contributions. You will have happier writers and happier readers.

Columns

Some websites are collections of solo blogs tucked inside another bigger blog community. These solo blogs in this settings are sometimes called columns. They tend to showcase the writing of a single blog author in her own style and often give her a dedicated section of the community site. Usually there is a cohensive design brand overall, but sometimes the columns display each author's own decorative point of view.

Occasionally, an independently-produced solo blog indicates that it is part of a larger blog network by displaying a button or banner on its site. This indicates that it is part of an overall community, but neither a column nor necessary a group or traditional community blog.

Good of Community

While writing with bloggers who are similar to you is great in the small scale, a larger blog with more authors, a community blog, can bring diversity to your audience. Having an eclectic group of authors allows your readers to connect with the blogger who is most like them, it offers a little something for everyone. Variety is the spice of life.

Community blogs are a growing trend. A community blog can provide a haven for people with similar interests or attitudes to commune and chit-chat with not only the blog authors, but also with each other. Some community blogs offer additional features, such as forums or message boards, so that readers can connect, set up profiles, and create even more content than you might otherwise be able to achieve with a solo blog.

The Group Scoop

A group blog tends to be on a bit smaller scale than a community blog. Usually two or three friends get together and share one blog, each writing entries in their own unique voice. The topics of group blogs are varied, just like a solo blog, and can run the gamut from personal blog to gossip to fashion.

Working with a couple of people can be a good way to start out, as it can be more exciting than blogging alone and easier to manage than dozens of authors. It still gives each blogger a feeling of empowerment without it spiraling into something bigger than you can handle. When you get too many cooks in the kitchen, sometimes the tone of a blog can change, and you or your readers can become uninterested. So it is important to choose bloggers that mesh with your groove to write with.