How We Blog is an ongoing series that reveals the blogging habits of some of my favorite bloggers.
Next up: Suzanne from S.HOPtalk.
1. Please describe your blog and your reason for creating it.
I was helping a client develop their company’s marketing and communications plan and it included a social media component. As I started to research blogs and blogging, I became intrigued and decided to start my own to gain some hands-on experience and knowledge. I was instantly hooked and have been blogging ever since. I suppose you could classify S.HOPtalk as a lifestyle blog. It chronicles my passion for unique, one-of-a kind finds and those things that inspire me–whether it’s an artist, a photograph, my travels, or the simple pleasures in everyday life. I don’t think it has changed drastically from its original focus, but I’ve definitely fine tuned it along the way and probably always will.
2. Where do you find inspiration for your posts?
I find inspiration everywhere. I follow a couple dozen blogs regularly, but really try to avoid just rehashing what someone else has already posted. I think it’s important to find your own voice and niche. I like to post about discoveries that have special meaning to me and that I can relate back to my own life and experiences. I’m also a huge fan of flickr and could easily get lost in its inspiration for hours if I don’t keep myself in check. Etsy is another endless source of inspiration.
3. Please tell me a little bit about your blogging habits.
As much as I’ve tried to create one, I don’t have a set schedule for blogging. I generally try to start and have an idea for the next day’s post, the night before. I’ll then tweak and edit the post in the morning and typically have it live by 10 am. The amount of time I put into posts varies. Some posts are just quick quips about a special find, others are much more involved. For example, I run an interview series, My Place or Yours, which features city “guides” from around the world as seen through the eyes of the artists/bloggers who live there. Those are very time intensive posts {about 3-4 hours on average} because they typically include several photos and links which need to be formatted and edited in addition to the actual writing of the post.
4. How many other blogs do you read a day? What are some of your favorites?
There are about a half a dozen blogs which are “must reads” everyday and probably a dozen or so more that I read catch up on and read weekly. There are a few people with which I made special connections, including Nichole from Little Brown Pen, Mrs. French from Bliss, Melissa from Melissa Loves, and Karey from Mackin Ink {which, sadly, Karey stopped writing earlier this year}. My hope is to actually meet these imaginary friends some day. For more of my favorites, refer to “Places to Go, People to Meet” in my right side bar .
5. What do you love the most about blogging?
The connections I’ve made with some amazing artists and others in the blogging community. I also love the creative outlet it provides and the opportunity to write and photograph–both of which I hope to improve and expand upon.
Thank you, Suzanne, for your thoughtful answers!
I’m always looking for more great blogs to highlight. If you would like to be a part of the How We Blog series, please contact me: pj at somewhereinmiddleamerica dot com