This post is part of a series of interviews highlighting Fuelmyblog bloggers and their blogs. If you would like to feature in this series add your name in the comment box or email sylvie(at)fuelmyblog.com

• Whats your name?

My name is Ann though I am known online as “Annie” or “anniegirl”.

• Whats the name of your blog?

The blog is Anniegirl1138. Since it is all about me I named it for myself because titling is my downfall. The “anniegirl” is an old nickname. 1138 is from a George Lucas film earlier in his career.

• What’s the URL of your blog?

http:/annniegirl1138.wordpress.com

• How old is your blog?

In its current incarnation the blog has been at Wordpress since mid-January of this year but before that I was at .mac having moved there from MSNSpaces. I have been blogging since July of 2006.

• If youre willing to share, how many visitors per day do you have to your blog?

Visitors vary and I seem to have quite a few readers who have me either bookmarked or on rss, but lately I run about 100 views daily, give or take a bit, on average. Early through mid-week are my biggest days and I can see as many as 130 to 180 views. Depends on what the topic is. I once wrote a commentary on female body image issues that I titled “Angeline Jolie was Once a Chunky Young women. Got something like 450 visitors that day. Unnerving. It’s that titling problem of mine.

• How much time do you spend blogging every week?

How much time I spend depends on my life and how hectic or not it is. I try to blog ahead and keep drafts in the bank so I have something to post daily. I spend a few hours writing every day, but since I am a writer, it’s not always blogging.

• Is it the creative process or the editing process which take you longest when writing a post?

My husband would tell you that editing is his job. He is my “alpha” reader (he rejects the “beta” thing totally). Generating ideas for posts takes the most time. Writing generally comes easily once I have an idea set in my mind. Editing is not something I spend much time on where the blog is concerned and of course, I have my wonderful husband to help.

• What inspired you to first start writing a blog?

I began blogging about six months after the death of my first husband. It was a therapeutic outlet. I continued after meeting and becoming engaged to my husband now because I wanted to share my journey for others who might be interested in the subject of rebuilding one’s life after a huge loss. Now I blog because I am addicted.

• What do you do to get inspired to write?

I read. A lot. And I shamelessly exploit my life. LOL. After a while, everything you see or hear or do seems to spark the “I should so blog that” voice in the back of your mind. Inspiration is all around.

• Is there anything that you simply refuse to blog about?

Now my husband would fall on the fall laughing because according to him I am the blogging queen of TMI. But I don’t get graphic about my marriage – innuendo okay but details not so much. I also try to respect the privacy of my step-daughters and daughter though I do mention them here and there. I used to write quite a bit about the grief process but stopped short of detailing my late husband’s illness because it seems invasion and I shy away from getting too deeply into that aspect of my past anymore.

• If you went for a job interview and were told that youd have to close your blog in order to get the job, how would you react/feel about it?

There isn’t a job on the planet worth compromising myself for regardless of what I was asked to give up. Employers are buying my time for a certain allotment of the day, not my life.

• Do you talk about your blog with your relatives and friends or do you avoid mentioning it?

I don’t discuss my blog with my parents or siblings – who I have sometimes written frankly about – but mostly that is because they would just stare at me blankly. They are not web people and are still having a hard time wrapping their minds around the idea that I met my current husband on a message board and that many of my friends are virtual. To them blogging is like talking to yourself or having an imaginary friend. Otherwise I am pretty open about it despite the fact that my writer friends regard it as something less than real writing.

• What is the biggest mistake you made when starting your blog?

I tried to write to generate traffic at one point but found that I was turning off my loyal core. Blog readership is built through being genuine and being consistent and starting dialogues. But like any of kind of writing, it should be done because you love it.

• Any tips for aspiring bloggers?

Be yourself. Write from the heart. Get to know the people who read and comment regularly. Don’t let anyone tell you that you aren’t a real writer. We publish; therefore we are.

• What 3 bloggers do you look up to the most?

Tough one. I could easily name twice that or more. Just three? Marsha at Breathings of My Heart. She is a wonderful writer. Great style and always makes me think. Debbie Seigel at Girl With Pen. She awoke my slumbering feminist, and she always has great links to sites and posts that are inspiring. Julie Pippert at Using My Words. A really good writer. Makes me think so hard my head hurts. Can I sneak in a fourth? My husband, Rob, at Tome of the Unknown Blogger. He is a natural storyteller but he doesn’t see himself that way. I only recently managed to get him to admit he is a writer, but he is coming around slowly.

• Do you still see yourself blogging in 5 years time?

I don’t know. It’s hard to say where I will be and I am amazed to still be blogging at two years now. I’m a writer at my core. I can’t see me giving up any creative outlet.

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