Tag: Confessions of a Blogger

Image c/o Heidi. 

I first saw this tag on Michelle's blog a couple of months ago and thought I'd join in too as it seemed like a good idea. 

When did you start your blog?

I first started Strangeness & Charm in late December 2010, in between Christmas and New Year. 

Have you had any other online presences?

Since we first got the internet when I was 11, I've been a part of many different online communities. It started off with the message boards over at Ty.com (yes, the beanie babies website) which I was a part of for a year or so. I then made my first website when I was around 12 which was called 'Hedwig1' and it was all about beanie babies, Harry Potter and Winnie the Pooh. I made several different websites on Homestead and Geocities around this time. I then discovered GirLand which I was on for a couple of years until I discovered LiveJournal (which I'm still a part of now) and a couple of other message boards.. was anyone else a member of Nova, fu.CK or any of those other message boards? I also had a couple of domain names when I was around 14-15, one of them (too-late.org) was a personal blog and the other one (showbiz-online.org) was a Muse fansite which was pretty popular.

Why did you start a blog?

I was at home during the Christmas holidays and I'd been pretty ill with flu so I didn't have the energy to do much. I'd been reading a few blogs for a while and had been thinking about starting my own up, so I thought there was no better time than when I was stuck at home with nothing to do! It took me a while to come up with a name and a layout that I was pleased with but I had my blog up and running with its first follower a day or so after I decided to start it!

When did you become serious about starting a blog?

I don't think I take blogging too seriously, it's only a hobby really and the fact that I make a bit of money from it is just a bonus. I first got involved with meet ups and socialising with other bloggers when I went along to the first BrumBloggerMeet in July 2011, 7 months after I first started blogging. Since then, I've been to loads of different blogging events and meet ups, I've even organised a couple of my own!

What was your first post?

My first post was a bit of an introduction and a wishlist all at once. You can see it here. 

What has been your biggest challenge about blogging?

Sticking with it while I was at uni was quite challenging, especially during my third year when I had a lot of work to do. Apart from that, I don't really find it very challenging. I really enjoy it and if I didn't, then I wouldn't be doing it!

Where do you see your blog in one year?

I'd like to get a bit more of a 'blogging schedule' on the go as my posts are a bit sporadic at the moment, but apart from that I'm quite content with how my blog is right now. I'd like to make more of an effort to attend events in different parts of the country as well. 

What is the most discouraging thing that has happened to you?

I can't think of anything to be honest, even getting my own thread on Guru Gossip hasn't discouraged me at all. It did take me a while to gain my first few followers but that didn't really bother me, I just carried on blogging to the small number that I had. 

What's your lasting inspiration/motivation?

Other blogs and bloggers. I'm also motivated by the opportunities that I get from blogging, I never thought that I'd get to do so many exciting things when I first started. 

Let me know if you do this tag too!