Q+A Answers Numero Uno (The Blogging Edition)

What made you want to start blogging initially? Was it a spur of the moment thing or did you plan it out completely before taking the plunge? 

- Jacquina

I actually had two other blogs before I started Charlotte's Web. One (called 'Drink Tea, Write Stories') I posted on about 3 times and didn't tell anyone about - I started that one because I was a bored recent graduate struggling to find a job and thought it would be fun. I was in a bit of a crappy place emotionally at the time (unemployment makes me super moody) and so didn't really get into it. My second blog (Milk.. Two Sugars) I started one day at my first graduate job simply because I got through tasks quicker than they expected and had a lot of downtime, resulting in being very very bored. I ran that blog for about 7 months before walking away from it, I loved it so much but lost my mojo a bit when a stray cat we were looking after passed away. (I'm weird, I know)

Then came Charlotte's Web. Also completely unplanned if I'm honest. I can't remember what I was doing the day I started it, I just remember I'd been reading through Sofia's Journal and wanted to do her '100 Things That Make Me Happy' series, and so I did, and here I am! My outlook on my blog is very casual and relaxed, I hate planning too many posts and usually do things on the spur of the moment. I went through a phase earlier in the year where I would plan everything weeks in advance, and I really started hating blogging because of it. It's much more fun to just write whatever is in my head.. my advice to anyone wanting to start a blog is to just start. You'll figure it out as you go along :)

Would you blog if you only had 3 followers for the rest of your blogging-life? 

- Zoe

If I had only ever had 3 followers I like to think that I would, simply because I love to write. My boyfriend thinks I'd get bored and give up, which is probably closer to the mark. Blogging for me isn't about how many followers I have (I had 27 on my last blog and was thrilled with that) but I do really enjoy the interaction with other bloggers, which I don't think I'd get much of if I only had 3 people reading my ramblings. Then again, if those 3 people were all people that interacted with me and wanted to chat, I think I'd stick around.

However, if I suddenly lost all of the followers I have and only had 3 left, I'd probably be too sad to carry on blogging.

How do your friends and family in the real world view your blogging? 

- Rachael

My family doesn't know I blog, simply because I don't live with them and it has never come up in conversation. Though if my Mum said to me 'do you have a blog?' I'd tell her, I don't deliberately keep it a secret it's just something I don't tend to talk about. She doesn't understand the internet anyway, and my grandparents have never even used the web as far as I know, so I don't think they'd understand what I was saying even if I did tell them! If I was going to bring it up and show them out of the blue, I'd start with my Stepdad, he knows how to use e-mail and everything.

My 'real life' friends are cool with it :) they are all very nice people and very supportive. Again it's not something I bring up in conversation often (and I'm not on Facebook so don't promote my blog that way) so it's only my closest friends that are aware of it anyway.

Did you do your own blog design? Or did someone help you? 

- Launna

After a lot (and I mean a lot, I had no idea what I wanted!) of back and forth I came up with roughly what I wanted, and chose the colours, font etc, but the whole thing was pulled together by a professional blog designer. I don't think I could have done it without her, and love how well my blog design reflects my personality now. You can find a link to the designer in my sidebar, she has worked with many other bloggers so can be trusted with your baby (by which I mean blog) --->

What's the best thing about blogging? 

- Chloe

Meeting (even if only online kind of meeting) people that I connect with. The majority of bloggers I have come across are wonderful people, and I love chatting to people on twitter/stalking them on instagram/ discussing things that don't interest a lot of people I know in the 'real world.' With everyone in the blogging world laying their life out for everyone to read, it's easy to find like minded people and to make new friends. And you can never have enough friends :)