This post is part of a series of interviews highlighting Fuelmyblog bloggers and their blogs, a great way to find out who are the bloggers part of the Fuelmyblog community. If you would like to feature in this series add your name in the comment box or email sylvie(at)fuelmyblog.com
- What’s your name?
Damien Riley.
- What’s the name of your blog?
Postcards from the Funny Farm
- What’s the URL of your blog?
http://postcardsfromthefunnyfarm.com
- How old is your blog?
1 year 8 months old.
- If you’re willing to share, how many visitors per day do you have to your blog?
102 visitors per day on average (past six months).
- How much time do you spend blogging every week?
A couple hours a day, more or less.
- Is it the creative process or the editing process which take you longest when writing a post?
Certainly for me it is the creative process. I do a lot of “template” creation where I can develop my ideas then when they come, it’s just a matter of putting the idea into that “template” if-you-will.
- What inspired you to first start writing a blog?
My first blog was a newsletter for my family and friends. When they weren’t interested in it, I learned about Technorati and connected with other personal bloggers. It became a rocket after that, it started to be a real passion of mine.
- What do you do to get inspired to write?
Tough question. Probably because I don’t do things to get inspired. I do things to capture the inspiration when it comes. I keep a clipboard by my desk at work where I jot down the juicy ideas that come in the day. I have the same at home by my desktop and by my treadmill (which I need to be using more by the way because it brings a hellacious amount of ideas to mind). I also take time to make sure my blog has all the tools and formatting it needs to promote posts. What good is an amazingly inspired post if it reaches no one?
- Is there anything that you simply refuse to blog about?
I quit doing memes a while back.
- If you went for a job interview and were told that you’d have to close your blog in order to get the job, how would you react/feel about it?
Well, I am quite secure in my job as a teacher so it’s definitely a hypothetical, but if it happened I would put feeding my family above any drive to have a blog. Of course, the way I am going, maybe it could feed my family one day!
- Do you talk about your blog with your relatives and friends or do you avoid mentioning it?
I beg them to read it and try blogging. I am very proud of what I do with my blog. They don’t seem too interested. Too bad because I am an enthusiastic blog coach and teacher.
- What is the biggest mistake you made when starting your blog?
I imagined myself as not being read enough and felt frustrated a lot at my low numbers. I should have focused on the ones that were reading me and let it grow naturally from there.
- Any tips for aspiring bloggers?
Wow, yes. Here’s my top 5:
- Use a WordPress self-hosted platform.
- Don’t “launch” until you have at least 20 posts (each 100 words minimum).
- Join these traffic building services and put their widgets in your sidebar at the get go: Fuelmyblog, Technorati, BlogCatalog, Entrecard, BlogRush, MyBlogLog
- Write an informative, but not too long “About” page and once you launch, submit it (along with your main url) to all the social media networks via http://socialmarker.com/
- Who are the bloggers that you look up to the most?
Oh wow. I have a solid network of mentors and friends that are probably up to the thirties. But if I had to come up with 5 to recommend to you here, I’d say:
- http://DerekSemmler.com
- http://lifeisrantastic.blogspot.com/
- http://lorelle.wordpress.com/
- http://thiseclecticlife.com/
- http://www.growinghappiness.com/
- Do you still see yourself blogging in 5 years time?
That will be 2013. It almost sounds like a space odyssey or something. I don’t know. I think a year ago I would have said: “Yes, for sure.” I am chronicling my life on three blogs right now but the money I make is not that great so we’ll have to see. If I start making more than the $300/month I average now, then I could see myself doing it a long time. It really is about money these days. Time is precious when you are 39 with three kids and a lovely wife. If you do it right though, I think the blog can be a way to add money to your bank account and still leave you the free time with your family you value. If you have any questions, or you need some help/coaching drop me a line through one of my blogs below:
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Very useful information – particularly socialmarker – never heard of it of course and probably won’t understand it …….. still, I don’t understand how a television works but that doesn’t stop me watching it …. thanks Damien.
Very good blogging tips. Thanks for sharing.
Social Marker works like this:
You drag the bookmarklet to your ff toolbar and then click it like you would DIGG something or SU something. Then it gets different:
You pick the social media you want (that you are a member of that is) and click it through. Now, you go screen by screen through each submission process for the link you click in the beginning. I can get through about 20 in just a few minutes. It’s ingenious innovation (no they are not paying me, but that’s an idea socialmarker!!!)
Thanks to FMB, Sylvie especially for the publishing.
Thanks for sharing some of your blogging journey Damien. I can vouch for the fact you’re a good teacher and blog coach – I’m very grateful for all the advice and suggestions you’ve offered me!
Joanna
Thank you very much indeed my scottish friend. Of course I have always respected your coaching and writing about composition since I Stumbled across your site this past year. I hope my advice/tips worked. Technology can sap your writing confidence. I keep telling bloggers you have to have both though so find a happy marriage of the two that stays open to growth.
Wow, I am quite humbled by the fact that you have included me among such great company in your list of five friends/mentors. Your friendship means a great deal to me as well and I always appreciate your perspective on things.
Loved the interview Damien!
@Derek: You have a way with words and I appreciate your calm, cool, collected replies to your commenters. Also, I appreciate how quickly to respond to my email questions and requests. You da man!
Great interview and tips as ever, thanks
Greetings all.
If you’d like to add me to the list of interviewees, that would be fun
Thanks!
Richard
[...] We are Fuelmyblog: Postcards from the Funny Farm [...]
the bit about loosing a blog just to get a job is not worth it! i hope no employer requires that! thanks for sharing the interview
[...] day I was filling out interview questions regarding this blog and one of the questions was: “What do you do to get inspired?” I can’t remember my exact words but I answered how I don’t DO things to be [...]
[...] not have read this helpful interview I did where I give a lot more tips on how to generate traffic: My FuelmyBlog Interview Is your blog read as much as you want? addthis_url = [...]
[...] all, I have several interviews of my own floating around out there you can read here: Do You Diggit FuelMyBlog The Man Page This Eclectic [...]
[...] We are Fuelmyblog: Postcards from the Funny Farm [...]