Blog Redesign Week: Why did you start blogging?

Well, here we are, friends! It’s finally here. The. Big. Week. Can you believe it? After what seemed like years (but in reality was only a matter of months…) of planning and sketching and revising, I’m so excited to roll out the new blog design this week. As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve been working with Jenny from Maiedae Designs, and she’ll be installing the new design tonight. I told my mom a few days ago that I literally feel like a child on Christmas Eve. And in the spirit of merriment, I thought it only appropriate to dedicate the entire week to my own version of Behind The Blog — a behind-the-scenes look at my life as a blogger, what drives me and of course, the nitty gritty of some things you might not even think about when you think of a blogger and their career.

Here’s the plan: I’ll answer a FAQ-type question each day, and if you have any questions of your own, I’d love to hear them (email mellow1422 [at] aol [dot] com). First up: Let’s go back to the beginning, shall we? To where it all began…

How did you become a part of the blogging world? Why did you start a blog?
I actually wish I would have come to the blogging world a little earlier than I did. I started my blog in November 2008, and by that time, the medium was alive and thriving. As a freelance writer and newspaper columnist, I felt like starting a blog was the next logical step. I’ve always said that all writers should have a blog — it’s a natural fit, plus, it’s a good way to showcase your writing and keep your name out there. Because I was starting a blog as part of my career, I wanted it to be as professional as possible, so I did lots and lots of research before I even hit publish on that first post. I read blogging books. I read other blogs to see how other bloggers did things. I wanted to have a plan in place and at least an idea of what direction I wanted the blog to go. I think all my prep time comes through in the design and presentation of my blog, even now, nearly five years later.