Hello, 2017…and Reader Feedback Survey!!

hello 2017 and reader feedback surveyHello, 2017…welcome back, friends!!! How have you been?? Did you have a relaxing Christmas? Did you ring in the New Year with wild abandon? I hope you were able to enjoy yourself with the people you love!

It’s GREAT to be back with our regular posting schedule! Truth be told, I may have experienced a bit of blog withdrawal and worked on a few layout/design things over the break to get everything in tip top shape for 2017…but rest assured that I logged plenty of hours watching Hallmark Channel movies too. I mean, I haven’t completely threw my priorities out the window — that would really be sheer madness!

Speaking of blogging, I’ve created a short survey that I’d love to have you take! Over the years, this space has become just as much yours as it is mine and it’s always my goal to make sure you see yourself and your thoughts reflected here — we are a community, after all, and I couldn’t do this blog without you! With that in mind, here is a short Reader Feedback Survey that will only take a few minutes! I want to hear from YOU on things like…

What is your favorite thing about So About What I Said?

What are your least favorite types of posts?

What would you like to see more of in 2017?

How often do you visit the blog?

I truly value your thoughts/insights and I’d love for you to take the survey if you have a few minutes, friends! I thought now would be the perfect time to think ahead to 2017 since January is all about making goals and starting the new year off on the right foot — I’m sure you all have lots of goals of your own that you’re setting and looking forward to working on!

As always, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! Also feel free to email me at mellow1422@aol.com with your thoughts as well. Here’s to 2017… #LetsDoThis

[Photo via We Heart It]

Update Your Bookmarks! So About What I Said Is Back!

Hi…hey…howdy…hello!!

It’s been pretty quiet around these parts for the last few weeks, friends!! Aside from writing two election posts last week, you haven’t heard much from Yours Truly.

Until now!

If you follow me on Twitter, you might have seen my enthusiastically exciting tweets over the weekend. I got myself all in a tizzy because I knew today was going to be a VERY special day. It’s a day I’ve been talking about for awhile. It’s a day I sometimes thought would never come. It’s a day that is sure to go down in history — well, in my mind, anyway…

So About What I Said has a new home with its very own domain!! It’s official new home is melissablakeblog.com…

Yes, that’s right — let the celebration begin, let the church bells rings from every village in the land, let balloons and confetti line all the streets of the world!!

Can you tell I’m pretty stoked, friends?? In honor of this most glorious of days, I thought it only appropriate to celebrate with a big blowout posts. Although the blog looks the same, there are a few things that have changed, so let’s dive right in…

The Backstory

When I started So About What I Said in 2008 (this month, actually!), blogging was really in its infancy; no one knew exactly what this new medium was. Was it just an online diary? The Internet equivalent of simply spouting off? At first, people weren’t sure what the purpose was, never mind the idea that you could actually become a legitimate blogger, but I knew one thing: I needed to have an online presence — especially for my writing — so I naturally wrote my first post on Blogger.

The years flew by and something pretty amazing happened: I soon fell in love with everything about blogging and the whole blogging community. I discovered just how powerful this medium is, but more important than that, I found my career. It was sort of like finding my place in the world, like coming home, and I knew I wanted to do this for a very, very long time.

In the beginning, the Blogger platform served my needs perfectly. But the more I looked toward the future, the more I began to see the value of owning my own little corner of the Web. Not only is it more professional, but moving to a self-hosted WordPress blog would allow me more flexibility and opportunities; I could take my blogging and my writing to the next level.

That’s where Lisette from High Note Designs comes in. I may be creative, but, umm, tech-savvy has never been one of my strong suits — plus, the thought of trying to migrate EVERYTHING myself and losing 5,000+ posts nearly gave me a heart attack. Lisette is an amazing designer and specializes in moving blogs from Blogger to WordPress, so I knew I needed her in my corner. She was such a joy to work with and helped me bring my new blog vision to life. She never minded answering my millions of questions and took the time to explain everything. I felt like I was enrolled in WordPress 101 and it was a really fun learning experience! And, no blog posts were lost in the transfer process!

An Update on a Classic

Like I said, the overall design of the blog doesn’t look that much different. It was really important to me to keep the essence and feel the same, but you know me — I do like to tweak things every now and then. So you’ll notice a couple subtle changes. The most obvious? The blog went from three to two columns, which means that the sidebar needed to be rearranged a little. I also want to update my ‘Daily Reads’ section, so look for that coming soon — got any suggestions?

As for other changes to be aware of…

I changed the look of the drop-down menus…don’t you love the background color and font size?

aa2My social media icons are also new and spiffy looking. I wanted to incorporate more of the blog’s color palette (read: pink!) and also feature the social media’s logo on each one.

aa6When you click on posts, you’ll see two cool things at the bottom: A collection of Related Posts and social share buttons so you can go to town and share on your favorite social media platform. We’re still in the process of transferring all the photos from Blogger, so if you see a related post without its accompanying photo, don’t worry — all will be fixed once the photo transfer is complete!

Let’s Get Social

Speaking of social media, have you perused my social accounts lately? I gave them a little makeover too — and I did this all by myself!

aa3Facebook: After almost five years, I finally updated my profile photo and added a cover photo!

aa4I also fleshed out the ‘About’ section — some fun facts included!

aa5Twitter: I did the same thing — updated my profile pic and added a cover photo. Why did this take me so long? I also rewrote my bio, adding a few of my byline hot spots!

**Side note: In the name of full disclosure, I didn’t get a chance to make all the changes I wanted to on Pinterest and Instagram, but they are coming! It’s on my massive to-do list, so it will get done! AND, as always, feel free to subscribe to the blog via RSS or subscribe by email to stay in the know!

Are you still with me? Bonus points if you are! Anyway, I couldn’t be more grateful to Lisette for a smooth transition! I think the finished product truly reflects the heart of So About What I Said — honoring its past while also making room for its future. Of course, there are still some things to fix — like making sure all 42,000 photos transfer and fixing broken links — but I’m so excited to get back into the blogging groove! Thanks, friends, for sticking by me this month and being so patient while I got everything in order. I feel like a kid on Christmas morning!

Is there anything you’d like to see? Any posts you’re dying for me to write? Let me know and don’t forget to update your bookmarks to melissablakeblog.com! As always, I love you and our awesome community!! xoxo

5 Things I’ve Learned About Blogging

The Internet moves at lightning speed and is always changing (sorry, Hotmail…), and sometimes, it’s enough to make your head spin. It can be wild and unpredictable, but it can also be magical and beautiful. It’s beautiful in unexpected ways.

At least that’s how it was when I fell in love with blogging. Nearly eight years ago, I started So About What I Said, where I write about disabilities, relationships, lifestyle and pop culture. I had graduated college a few years earlier and was working part-time as a college newspaper adviser while also trying to get my freelance writing career off the ground. At the time, starting a blog seemed like the next logical step to take; having a place to showcase my writing, I figured, was the first step in the right direction. So one late-fall day in November, I found myself sitting at my computer, my hands poised over the keyboard. I knew it was now or never, so I took the plunge and hit ‘publish’ on my first post. It was brilliantly titled First Post.

I had a lot to learn.

Thankfully, things only improved from there, and over the years, I’ve learned a thing or two along the way — everything from writing skills to dealing with haters to my surprising interest in fashion. If I could go back in time and give Melissa 2008 some advice, these are the five things I’d tell her (well, me)…


Blogging takes planning before you even hit publish on that first post
Blogging is so much more than quickly typing some missive and hitting publish, especially if you’re serious about the potential longevity of your blog. I had to decide what blogging platform to use first. I’ve had success with Blogger and even hired a designer in 2013 to give my blog a makeover and give it a more personal and professional touch. Aside from the technical decisions, it’s important to spend time planning the editorial side of your blog. Before I even chose a platform, I spent more than a month deciding on the nuts and bolts of what I wanted my blog to be. Things like: what would I name it, what sorts of things I would write about, how I wanted the design to look. My creative side enjoyed this part of the process almost as much as actually writing that first post.

Blogging takes hard work
Yes, this one sounds obvious, but blogging is about more than simply posting and waiting for readers to find you. In the beginning, I worked just as hard on getting my blog out there as I did writing each post. I commented on other posts in my niche. I guest posted for other bloggers. I maintained an active presence on social media. And of course, I made sure to post quality content consistently. Once I got into a rhythm, my blogging game really started moving forward.


Blogging success doesn’t happen overnight
There are those out there who claim that they got rich quick from blogging, but that’s not how it really works. I worked hard to grow my blog for a good two years before I even began thinking about monetizing it. When I did start making money, I had the most success with sidebar ads; I worked with small business owners, many from Etsy, and charged a monthly rate to advertise and host a giveaway. Each month, I worked with anywhere from 10 to 20 advertisers, and it was nice to finally see a more steady income.

Blogging about a topic you’re passionate — and knowledgeable — about is key
I knew that it would be painfully obvious if I was writing about something I didn’t care about; heck, it would be pretty boring, too. So I made sure to choose topics I loved and topics I myself would want to read. I wanted to give my blog an overall magazine feel as well, so I launched three recurring series early on, which quickly became reader favorites: Letters To My Future Husband, Love Lounge and MEMO TO MEN.

Blogging doesn’t guarantee that everyone is going to like you
Here’s the radical idea — that’s perfectly OK. In fact, you should even expect that. People will not agree with every post you write, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t write them. Take some time, think about their criticism and where it’s coming from. If you think it’s warranted, take steps to change. If not, in the words of Taylor Swift, “shake it off.” Haters gonna hate, right?

The bottom line: You and your blog are a brand. If you’re looking to build a successful, profitable and long-lasting blog, it’s essential to start thinking in terms of being a business, but I also learned to balance that with producing content I could be proud of. I’m excited to see where blogging goes in the future. I’m sure of one thing, though: It’s bound to be one wild ride on the Information Superhighway.

Are you a blogger, friends? What lessons have you learned over the years? What advice would you give to those just starting out? And, what’s your blog address? I’d love to read it… xoxo

Behind The Blog: Living Life The Write Way

Last week, I posted my interview with Karis Rogerson, the amazing writer and blogger behind Living Life The Write Way — how cool is that name? Perfect, right? Well, today, I’m so excited to share a peek into Karis’s world and writing life. She’s got such wonderful tips to share, and I’d love to just sit down with her in a coffee shop and chat about blogging all afternoon. Plus, she was raised in my dream country! Take it away, Karis…

Quick facts:

Name: Karis Elizabeth Rogerson


Birthday: May 10th, 1993


Where are you from: I was born in Columbia, South Carolina, but raised in Italy. My parents work with a small evangelical church there and we moved around the country a bit. I did most of my schooling in public schools, although from 10-12th grade, I was at boarding school in Germany.


3 words that describe me: Let’s see…sassy, sarcastic, scared


Occupation: Student and freelance writer


Blog: Living Life The Write Way


When did you start your blog: I began the blog three years ago, as a sophomore in college. I wrote sporadically and would go months without posting, but now I’m back up and running and posting twice a week — profiles on Wednesday and thoughts on writing on Saturday.

What inspired you to start a blog?
It was perhaps less inspiration and more being told it was something I should do for my career. I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was in probably the second grade and studied journalism in undergrad as a way to get there and make money while my books were marinating in my brain 🙂 So I started the blog as a way to showcase my writing, have fun and grow my online persona.


What do you love the most about blogging/writing? Does anything about it stress you out?
The best thing about blogging is when a post does well. It’s stressful, though, because sometimes I’ll write a great post and it’ll fall flat; other times, I’ll write what I think is mediocre and it just does really well. So there’s a lot of mental rearranging, figuring out what works where and what people want to read. The profiles have been successful! They average about twice as many views as the regular posts, and they’re so much fun to write.

If you had to describe your blog in one sentence, what would you say?
Ruminations on living a life of writing.

What has blogging/writing taught you?
Everything. Writing is my soul, I say. It does something to me, soothes me, gives me a jolt of adrenaline, heals me, in a way I haven’t experienced through anything else. I’ve done some video editing for school and as fun as it is, it doesn’t have the effect on my heart and soul that writing does. Writing is my greatest joy. What has it taught me? It’s taught me openness and vulnerability; it’s given me the ability to share and express my empathy in ways others seem to understand. Writing is…magic.

What advice do you have for new bloggers/writing?
Just put yourself out there. It’s hard, and it’s slow-going at first, but if you remain consistent and stay open and put yourself into it, you’ll be successful in the end.

Where do you see yourself and your blog in 5 years?
The dream: as a published author and successful journalist with thousands of followers, still writing my profiles and ruminating on writing. The reality? Well, I like to think in terms of dreams until reality slaps me in the face and makes me reconsider my dreams.

What has surprised you the most about blogging?
People! I’m what I like to call an optimistic pessimist, the pessimistic part being that I don’t trust people and expect them to hate me. Some of them have — but most haven’t, and that’s been a joy to experience.


Thanks so much, Karis! Be sure to check out her blog and follow her on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram! Would you and your blog like to be featured in a future Behind The Blog post? I’d love to have you, so email me at mellow1422@aol.com — looking forward to hearing from you, friends! xoxo

Thoughts on Writing

It’s not often that I find myself on the other side of the interview (my nosy self is so used to asking the questions!), but that’s exactly where I found myself a couple weeks ago when fellow writer and blogger Karis Rogerson invited me to be a part of her interview series. Excited, I gave an enthusiastic, “Yes,” and before I knew it, a list of questions showed up in my inbox.

I never think I’ll have anything meaningful or worthwhile to say — and that people will actually want to read — but I found myself getting into a groove as I was writing. Apparently, I have lots to say, on everything from writing to my disability to evil haters. You can read the full interview, but here’s my favorite part…

I may be in a wheelchair, but when I’m writing, I’m not tied to anything. I can truly express myself and that is such an incredible feeling…One of my favorite things in the whole world is working on a piece of writing, being vulnerable in my words and then sending those words out into the world. It can be nerve-wracking wondering how people will respond, but that’s part of the excitement for me. I’ve always believed that a writer’s job is to make people feel, think, react, so whether those reactions are good or bad, I know I’ve done my job.

Exciting and nerve-wracking, indeed! But, as I’ve said many times before, I can’t imagine doing anything else with my life. I mean, really, in what other job can you be so honest-bordering-on-TMI and not get sent a-packing? My point exactly.

Read the rest of the interview here, and as always, I’d love to hear your thoughts! Thanks so much, Karis!! xoxo

P.S. Thoughts on blogging as a job! 🙂

[Photo via We Heart It]