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?
Melinda Roberts Tyler
What’s the name of your blog?
The Melindaville Blog
What’s the URL of your blog?
How old is your blog?
Two months old
If you’re willing to share, how many visitors per day do you have
to your blog?
Somewhere between 5– 10 but I am hoping to improve that!
How much time do you spend blogging every week?
10 – 20 hours
Is it the creative process or the editing process which take you
longest when writing a post?
The creative process is usually quite fast (but not always). I tend to allow myself to express myself freely during the creative process, writing quickly and getting it all out without worrying about style. This usually
leads to needing more time for editing. I am a stickler for well-structured writing, so I tend check and re-check each entry thoroughly (perhaps even compulsively!).
What inspired you to first start writing a blog?
I am in the process of writing my memoir about my experiences as a former actor, punk rock musician, sex-industry worker, and hard-core heroin addict. My book is aimed at telling my story to inspire others to change the direction of their lives and to raise awareness in our society about the need for free and available treatment for addicts, particularly women in the sex industry. I thought blogging about both my experiences
and the writing of my book would raise that awareness.
What do you do to get inspired to write?
I have always loved writing, even as a young child. I used to write plays when I was as young as seven years old! In school, creative writing was a favorite subject. After entering recovery and attending college and
graduate schools, I found writing was a necessary part of that process—and one that I enjoyed thoroughly. I have done quite a bit of professional writing, including textbooks, reference materials, and articles in scholarly journals. My memoir is the most creative (and difficult) thing I have ever written.
How do you market your blog?
I mostly just entering my blog into communities such as Fuel My Blog. I am still learning about the marketing end of blogging, which I admit is not my favorite part!
What are the blogging tools you cannot do without?
My dictionary and thesaurus.
Is there anything that you simply refuse to blog about?
I will blog about any subject that is relative to my cause. I won’t blog about things that are not relevant, such as making money or how to be a better blogger (there are already plenty of those that do better than would).
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 would not take the job. The blog is too important to me already—even though it is quite young.
Do you talk about your blog with your relatives and friends or do
you avoid mentioning it?
My friends and family all know I am blogging—in fact, I hope they spread the word to others!
What is the biggest mistake you made when starting your blog?
I would have used a different blogging package. I am quite happy with the one I am using but it is not as flexible as I would like. I will likely change this in the future.
Any tips for aspiring bloggers?
Provide original, well-written, well-supported, and interesting content for your readers—content is absolutely the most important. Also, stick with blogging even when you don’t have many readers. It’s great if others read your blog but a new blogger has to be satisfied with blogging for their own enjoyment because it takes a long time to build up steady readers. I think many people are pretty impatient when it comes to blogging and like any venture we undertake, success takes time and work.
Who are the bloggers that you look up to the most?
There are so many that I respect. I respect the blogs that have original content that is interesting and pertinent to our world and that are thought out, well researched, and nicely written.
Do you still see yourself blogging in 5 years time?
Absolutely!
“I think many people are pretty impatient when it comes to blogging and like any venture we undertake, success takes time and work.” well said Melinda – another fine interview – very interesting.
Sorry, I sounded quite sensible for a minute – it won’t happen again.
Melinda what a great post/interview and I popped by to read what you have written so far …. I know some of what you talk about and can ID with the drug culture life, not me but someone very close in my life a way back. I look forward to your memoirs in full
