While there are plenty of people out there with the unique combination of passion, creativity, and technical know-how (not to mention free time) needed to start and manage a blog, the truth is that most people who undertake the blogging experience will need help at some point in order to keep the ball rolling. And whether you start out as a group of friends or colleagues sharing a unified vision with the world, or your solo operation expands more rapidly than you intended, you could find yourself trying to manage multiple authors on your blog. Even if you have management experience you might not be prepared for the demands of such an exercise, considering that authors (not to be confused with biddable writers for hire) likely have their own ideas and ways of doing things. So if you’re struggling to keep a stable of authors on task, here are just a few tips to help you manage.

The first thing to remember is that you’re the boss. The minute you forget this you’ll have an opinionated (and verbose) pack of hyenas trampling you. So be assertive and take the time to figure out exactly what you want before you ever approach your staff. Or if you are part of a collective of authors, sit down at the outset to lay the ground rules. You might put certain people in charge of specific areas so that no one is stepping on toes, or you could create a system of consensus when it comes to making decisions. As the very least you should consider putting together a mission statement or a business plan that you can refer back to in times of contention so that everyone can be reminded of why you started a blog together in the first place.

Once you have a hierarchy and an overall vision established, you’ll have to get down to the minutiae, or daily tasks, of managing a blog. This doesn’t sound like much fun, but it can be. Whether your goal in starting a blog was to reach a like-minded audience or you’ve taken it on as a business venture, it’s important to take pleasure in what you’re doing. And properly managing your authors can make that day-to-day much more enjoyable. For example, keep in mind that you’re working with creative people. While this can certainly be trying at times, it can also make for an inspirational and innovative atmosphere. You’ll just have to rein it in so that you don’t get so out of control thinking about new ideas that no actual work gets done.

And of course, you don’t have to go it alone. Sites like  Project Manage Soft can help you find the technical solutions you need to keep all of your authors busy and productive while allowing you to take control of your workflow. Or if you’re just not terribly organized you might consider delegating some of the management responsibilities to a more qualified individual while you make the most of your own talents elsewhere (marketing, sales, or even writing blog entries yourself). Part of being a good manager is owning your strengths and weaknesses and finding the right people for the job. So if you’re having a heck of a time keeping your many authors in line, think about promoting one that is particularly capable to manage the others.