Catherine Sanderson aka Petite Anglaise kindly accepted to answer the questions from our new feature We are Fuelmyblog. Yep Petite Anglaise joined Fuel way back in its infancy so while she is a pro-blogger we felt it was appropriate to file the following under We are Fuelmyblog.
Her story has been all over the blogosphere and mainstream media, last summer she released her first book Petite Anglaise available in UK, USA and Canada. We enjoy reading her blog and we read the book – they both compliment each other perfectly – if you have not read it yet I would urge you to do so now. I cannot wait to read the next book.
What’s your name?
Catherine Sanderson
What’s the name of your blog?
Petite anglaise
What’s the URL of your blog?
How old is your blog?
Four – it was born on 7 July 2004
If you’re willing to share, how many visitors per day do you have to your blog?
It varies enormously with press mentions and posting frequency but the average is around 3k – 4k per weekday
How much time do you spend blogging every week?
Less than I used to. In the first couple of years I blogged every weekday and spent a couple of hours a day writing my posts. These days I’ve cut back to a weekly or twice weekly post.
Is it the creative process or the editing process which takes you longest when writing a post?
A bit of both. I usually let an idea mature for a few days before I decide what angle to approach it from, then I write it fairly quickly and edit it a few times until I’m happy with the wording and flow.
What inspired you to first start writing a blog?
I read an article in the Guardian about blogs back in June/July 2004 when the newspapers were busy speculating about the identity of Belle de Jour. Her blog inspired me in particular because it was so well written. It was a great example of how to get readers hooked by hinting at things but not spelling them out, teasing the readers, using titillation but never vulgarity …
What do you do to get inspired to write?
The things which usually inspire me to write a post are strong feelings I want to get out of my system or funny anecdotes (often centred around my interactions with my five-year-old daughter).
How do you market your blog?
When I first set it up, I was lucky enough to get nominated for blog pick of the day on the Guardian Online website and then, six months later, readers nominated me in the bloggies in the Best New category (which I didn’t win, but which brought a lot of visitors). Things I did myself included leaving comments on the blogs I was reading, joining webrings (eg for expats), using ‘blogexplosion’ and signing up to various blog directories. When I got fired for blogging in 2006, the name of my blog was splashed across the press and that caused a huge (but very temporary) peak in visitors.
What are the blogging tools you cannot do without?
I blog using wordpress on a domain hosted by ASmallOrange. The only extra tool I use is Hipcast/Audioblog to post audio files (to avoid hosting them myself). Occasionally I put a photoset on flickr and link to it from my blog.
Is there anything that you simply refuse to blog about?
I don’t blog about politics (I know my limitations) and I try not to talk about my family and friends behind their backs.
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?
Good question. When I got sacked for blogging, I wondered if this would happen. I haven’t had to go back into an office environment since then so I’ve never had to put this to the test. I hope that I’d be able to give my employer assurances that I wouldn’t blog about/from work rather than close my blog…
Do you talk about your blog with your relatives and friends or do you avoid mentioning it?
My friends and relatives all know about it but I don’t think they read it very often, as they prefer to hear things from the ‘horse’s mouth’, as it were. I tend to only discuss blogging with fellow bloggers, and occasionally my husband when I’m upset about a comment.
What is the biggest mistake you made when starting your blog?
When I first moved from blogger to a hosted domain, I had no idea that my personal details were out there for anyone to see on a WHOIS lookup. I have a private registration now, because given that I’m not anonymous these days, I’d rather any Tom, Dick or Harry couldn’t find my address or telephone number…
Any tips for aspiring bloggers?
Content is everything. I’ve noticed that in the USA, lots of bloggers get their sites professionally designed with all the bells and whistles possible. But if the posts aren’t engaging, that’s a complete waste of time. I look back at Belle de Jour, still one of the best in the genre, and she’s still using a Blogger default template, as does Girl With a One Track Mind.
Who are the bloggers that you look up to the most?
When I first started, there were a number of British bloggers I really looked up to – almost hero worshipped. Many of them are now friends. Bloggers I have a lot of respect for – mainly because of their longevity – are Little Red Boat, Dooce, Pandemain …
Do you still see yourself blogging in 5 years time?
I have no idea! I’ve slowed down, but I don’t think I can see myself stopping altogether. It probably depends what life throws at me and how much I find myself ‘needing’ the blog as a place to vent and make sense of my feelings…
Petite Anglaise is the bee’s knees – the fact that she’s lovely has absolutely nothing to do with it …….
A great interview – thanks for taking the time, I just wondered what your family thought about seeing you in the Press?
Having been a fan for over three years I, for one, hope you keep going for the next five at least: even if you only post once a month!
I wish somebody would sack me due to my blogging tendencies.
Oh hang on, I’m self-employed – just going to have a quiet word with myself in the corridor…
Petite Anglaise. Sounds lovely, looks lovely. The tip on the WHOIS information is gold. I’ve tried to convince people of that one myself!
@ Penfold – Could you also have a word with that old guy who wears a box? kthx.
Fracas – nada I can do about that I’m afraid. Why do you think I moved to Portugal in the first place…?
Penfold: you poor thing…
Fracas: Catherine’s book is out in Canada too, a great read
Great interview. It’s a fascinating blog, and those are some good tips. Key one there is “content is everything”. Lovely to see a hugely successful blog with a very minimal design, highlighting the great writing. Just as it should be!