Well hello there! I thought the picture of that huge ice
cream cone would get your attention. Feel free to grab the bowl sitting on the
table and we'll have a little chat. :)
First, thank you Emily for having me! I love Blogging Mentor Mondays and I can't believe I'm actually featured. *Looks around nervously* I
am supposed to be here, right?
You're definitely in the right place. Tell us, when and why did you start your blog?
I started
writing *checks blog for dates* on July 18th, 2011. So not too long ago
considering. I launched my blog because I just typed 'the end' for my first
manuscript and thought, that was fun. Now what? After doing a bit of research I
realized that if I wanted to make a go out of being a published writer I had A
LOT of learning to do. I needed to dive into the writing community and make
those important connections so I created a blog as a home base.
What advice can you give to bloggers who are building their
following?
Hmmm...well if you're going for numbers, mega tons of followers,
I might not be the best person to answer this question. I think the important
thing to figure out is why you want followers. Do you want them so if an agent
looks at your blog they will say, 'Holy crap! This person has a kick a**
manuscript and 10,000 followers!' and you don't really mind whether the
followers are still interested in your blog? You just need the numbers?
Or do you want followers to have a community? A support system.
If you're going for the 'community feel' I think it works exactly how 'real
life' works. People will care about you if you care about them. Comment on
others' blogs. Join bloghops and cheer on those who are also in it. Enter
contests and follow those bloggers who leave great
constructive criticism on your entry.
I will not say I am super wonderful at this, but I try my
best.
Our best is all any of us can do. : ) So, what is your most memorable blogging experience?
Oh
geez...I guess it would have to be my 100 followers blog contest. I gave away
50 page critiques to ANYONE who wanted one. Looking back on it, I was nuts, but
it was so worth it. I
had the chance to read about ten amazing manuscripts. I really wished I had
time to finish them, but I had my critique partners' work flowing in as well as
my manuscript to work on. Why isn't there more time??? Haha.
But, it was so much fun that I will do something similar
when I reach 200 followers. Might have to be a contest though. A lottery or
something for the winners :)
How generous of you! I think I can guess, but I have to ask: What is the top reason you blog today?
Relationships.
Hands down. The support in the online writing community is phenomenal and I
wouldn't be as sure about my future as a writer without it. I love you guys!!
Aww! Do you love us enough to share your ice cream cone? : )
Okay, here's your random question: If you could travel anywhere in the world to research a book, where would you go?
Okay, here's your random question: If you could travel anywhere in the world to research a book, where would you go?
Well, currently the book I am
writing takes place in Arizona Ireland
Of course I've already been there so I would also like to go
somewhere I haven't been. I think I'd like to visit an African country. I know
that is very broad but really, I'm not picky ;)
Thanks again for having me Emily! This was so much fun!
Thank you for mentoring us, Kelley! I'm craving ice cream now...
39 comments:
great interview. Love Kelley and I was one of the lucky people who had 50 pages crit by her, and Kelley was AMAZING! and so generous :)
I adore Kelley, she is so sweet and supportive!
I can't believe you gave away critiques to anyone who wanted one. WOW!
Great interview. And 50 page critiques that is amazing.
A community of good blogger buddies is far more valuable than a huge following. I don't worry about my follower count as much as the comments, because those are the people I'm interacting with.
"That was fun. Now what?" <---LOL! That's so Kelley. It's like, "There's a half marathon? Sure, I'll run it." ;)
Both you guys (Emily and Kelley) rock. Your blogs have become fast favorite's for me ;)
I need to go to that library in Ireland! That sounds incredible. Such a fun interview! I'm going to check out Kelley's blog now. :)
I don't worry about my follower count either. I'm much more interested in the connections with the people I interact with.
And giving away fifty page critiques is brilliant! Except for the no limit part. Gotta cap it at no more than three maybe. :))
You are amazing Kelley! When you come to Arizona, you come and see me yes?
Oh I just LOVE Kelley :) I can say (because she let me read her MS) that she is a wonderful writer!!!
I'd love to go to Ireland, too. Wow, 50 critiques! That is so nice! Great interview to you both.
Wonderful interview! And thanks for introducting a fellow fledging writer. You both do a great job building community :)
Great interview! Going to follow her right now :)
Some great suggestions there. I love the interaction and connection I feel with my regular commentors, and I miss it when I don't blog as often.
I have always been terrified of great white sharks. I don't think I could go anywhere near the water in South Africa. It just seems too dangerous. Like...I'm talking an unreal almost shark phobia/panic-inducing fear of them.
Hi Kelley! *waves* Great interview, ladies!
Thanks for the great interview. I'm duly impressed at the free critiques to mark 100 followers, and to speed you on your way to 200 followers, (and some more free critiques) I'm gonna have to visit your blog and sign on as a new follower. (So, there!)
Yes! I'm totally craving ice cream now.I'm thinking pralines and cream. MMMM!
And Kelley is wonderful. Honestly- she is one of my favorite bloggers because you really do build a relationship with her. I learn from her every day and I love it!
Great blogging mentor monday, Em! You've done it again! I love it!
I was one of those lucky duckies who Kelly critiqued. She is way generous, and I am proud to be her blogging friend!
Love for the writing community AND ice cream? Great interview! :D
Kelly, you are all that and then some!
sweets for a sweetie =)
thanks emily for letting us get to know kelley better =)
I'd like to travel to space, too, Kelly :) Blogging is about community and support.
Great blogging advice... thanks for sharing.
Ireland-all the way for me. Checking out your blog now.
I do love her statement on understanding "why" you want followers. I love the whole idea of a support system like all of us have. I think it makes writing "easier."
This was a great interview, ladies. Kelley sounds like an awesome blogger.
I think the blogging community is amazing, and it helps to have people like Kelley in it. :)
Lovely interview! I love reading your posts. They definitely have that friendly feel, and keeps me coming back for more! :)
Thanks for all of your comments! These interviews are a ton of fun, especially with great bloggers like Kelley.
She's such a doll. I bet she's eating a lot of ice cream after her half marathon. I would!
Mmm, pralines. :P
Great interview. Now I want ice cream.
Great interview. I had a giggle at the part about building numbers for the blog.
You had me at ice cream! Wow that was a generous giveaway. Good luck with the marathon recovery and organizing a trip to Africa. I traveled there, gosh, now almost six years ago, and would go back in a heartbeat. I visited South Africa, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Kenya. I would say trip of a lifetime, but I hope there are more trips during this life.
Great interview! I especially liked the part about how she made the distinction between bloggers who want followers so they can impress agents with how many they have and bloggers who want followers because it means they can be part of a community and have a support system. I've encountered a few bloggers in the past who definitely care more about numbers; the kind who will leave comments like "I'll follow you if you follow me." And if someone was only going to follow me for THAT reason, it wouldn't be as much fun to blog, because it would make me think that they weren't even reading my posts.
Loved this interview! You guys both rock. And I totally agree with the followers thing. Numbers for numbers sake isn't any fun at all. It's the relationships that count!
Thanks everyone for such wonderful comments!!
I'm done with vacation now :( but it was so great to come back to all this lovin' :)
And thanks again SO MUCH Emily for having me!!!
Wonderful interview ladies! I love learning these tid bits :)
Yay Kelley!! Great interview. And I'm jealous I want to go to Ireland. And I'm with you on Africa.
This interview was so nice and informative. Kelley is a sweet person and has commented on my own blog several times. Between the Bookends is an awesome blog and I wish Kelley all the best.
I also wish her interviewer Emily the best too.
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