Elbows Music Blog Community

While I can't really argue that I have too much experience with the matter, I've definitely got a feeling that there is some critical mass of contributors that is optimal (that was slightly redundant, eh?).

m&i started out with several contributors offering up somewhat comparable amount of content, and I think this brought a lot of traffic. In terms of solid readers, more contributors means more of the 'friends of friends' effect that generally gets you a solid base. It also allows you to have several different styles of writing and more frequent posts, which obviously are beneficial.

At the same time, you can start to lose your blogs personality with more writers. If some writers dish out bad content or write poorly, you've got a problem. If your blog has a specific genre focus and writers stray away from that, you're alienating users. On the other hand, m&i is (hopefully) about good writing with as many genres covered as possible. I started out the blog with a core group with very varied tastes ranging from somewhat mainstream to obscure improvisational jazz with the intention of broadening the horizons of the contributors as well as readers.

Another thing about more contributors is that it makes organizing things harder. If you want to limit posts per day or have specific features each week, there might be a specific number that is optimal.

But the bottom line is that you just have to feel around and figure out what is right for your blog; it obviously changes with size and niche.

@ Malleus&incus
I have already been feeling largely like a babysitter, not because my fellow authors have been "miss behaving" just because I am a freak when it comes to consistency and perfection of ascetics. On the other hand, I have been happy to be introduced to the music they are posting. I think I'm going to allow contributors until I achieve that balance you were talking about.


@songbyToad
And I wouldn't want it any other way.

We have maybe a dozen contributors but mainly for film and tv stuff. Most of them are my friends from way back. One of them is my friend's dad!

I think it's good to have a few people on purely so you can discuss site-related stuff really. I don't think my readers care enough to be surveyed about every little thing that I think about changing so it's nice to have other opinions. I try to only get people onboard who'd use the blog as their main online writing outlet, I'm less interested in the kind of "mercenary" writers who occasionally email me - I prefer to see us as more of a family than a stepping stone to further one's career. All in all, having a small group of contributors is probably a good thing as long as the original writer(s) still maintain strong presence.

yes, same here. people dwindle away after few months. I thought at first it was peculiar of MdM, posting 'list' instead of more traditional blog post + music.



But a good team is hard to create. The best is still trying to encourage as many people to start blogging, exchanging seats, link up, cross posts, guest posts, then more complex regular post.



I also think it's a function of what type of reader gathers. Most come wanting to enjoy and read, instead of elaborate opinion. Then there is also cross culture difficulties. (It's a big world out there ... lol)

I've had a lot of contributers come and go, and usually they just peter out and stop answering emails. I was lucky to find Mark, who has been nothing but consistent from day 1. But he's basically the diamond in the rough at this point.

@Jason - 30 Contributors, Editor-in-Chief!! Fuck - Dude, KEEP GOING, bury Pitchfork in the noise. Seriously.

I, by no means, expect to hit 30+ contributors or have to means or need to hire anyone. But after reading everyone's comments have taken on a few more writers.

As to editing content, I simply wont do it past typos. Of-course I'll veto a post if its crappy but otherwise I like to let each other have their own voice.