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
Tristan thank you for taking part in that interview and sharing your experience on blogging with us all

What’s your name?

Tristan — most know me as “the almost right word” or “the a.r.w.”

What’s the name of your blog?

…the almost right word

What’s the URL of your blog?

http://thealmostrightword.net

How old is your blog?

I began this blog in February 2008 — it’s nine months old…a baby.

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

Probably an average of 40 — sometimes more, sometimes less.

How much time do you spend blogging every week?

I’m guessing I spend a couple hours, every week, blogging. I spend a lot more time reading other blogs.

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

I would venture to say the editing process. I can usually write a post in a matter of minutes. It’s whether or not I want to publish it, as-is, that gets a little tricky. Writing seems to come much more easily.

What inspired you to first start writing a blog?

I’ve kept a journal since I was a little kid, so writing has always been of interest to me. In high school, I worked on the newspaper — this gave me an introduction to journalism. Since then, I’ve always wanted to be a part of a magazine. Blogging is the closest I can come to doing that, while still having the freedom to write about topics that I find interesting and relevant.

What do you do to get inspired to write?

Sometimes it’s just a matter of sitting down, after work, and listening to music. That time of day is when I’m most inspired. However, reading The New York Times or Rolling Stone magazine usually inspires me as well.

How do you market your blog?

I’ve joined a lot of blog networking sites, like this one here. I’ve also joined a ning site called Twenty Something Bloggers. I get a lot of traffic from them, especially since they recently featured my blog on the home page. I try to comment on any post that I find interesting or thought-provoking.

What are the blogging tools you cannot do without?

I love Wordpress.org. I think it’s a really extensive platform to maintain a blog, of any kind. I love the freedom to edit my template or theme and their regular upgrades mean a constant influx of new features.

Is there anything that you simply refuse to blog about?

I keep my personal life private — I don’t mention what I do for a living, people I know or any details about personal relationships. I’ll write more personal posts, but there are certain subjects I just don’t want to make public.

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?

I can’t imagine really being asked this, since my blog isn’t very controversial or problematic, in the workplace. However, if I were asked to close my blog in order to obtain a position, I would probably have to weigh my options pretty carefully. My blog is important to me, but a great job may be more important. I could always start over at a later time — that’s one of things I love about blogging.

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

There are certain people I am open with, and others who have no idea that I blog. I have a lot of friends who just don’t read blogs, or have any interest in blogging in general. My parents know that I blog, but they don’t read it on a regular basis. I try to write posts that I wouldn’t mind anyone reading — that way, if someone unexpected comes across my blog, I won’t be embarrassed.

What is the biggest mistake you made when starting a blog?

When I first starting blogging, I was writing a lot about my personal life. I quickly learned that it’s pretty easy to find out if someone keeps a blog, especially if they are putting their real name on it. Since then (and since I deleted that blog) I have decided to be more private about my personal life. I have a journal for a reason, and a blog for other reasons. The two need to remain separate, for me. There are just certain things I don’t need to make public.
Any tips for aspiring bloggers?
Write about what’s important to you. Don’t pay attention to how many visitors you have or how many comments you receive – blogs are personal projects, they shouldn’t be influenced by outside opinions.
Who are the bloggers that you look up to the most?
Of course, I fell for Dooce early on. I was certainly inspired by her, but I’m not sure if I look up to her, necessarily. I look up to Arianna Huffington – she started a blog that receives a lot of attention and really put a step forward in the political blogging movement. She’s also attracted contributors whom we don’t normally consider as “bloggers” like Nora Ephron and Dennis Kucinich.
Do you still see yourself blogging in 5 years time?
I’d like to think so. This particular blog is a significant project for me. I hope that it grows and that the topics I find relevant are relevant to others too.

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