Tag Archives: Blogs

An Evening For Fashion & Lifestyle Influencers

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On Thursday I headed to Amazon HQ along with other fashion and lifestyle writers and bloggers for an Evening for Fashion & Lifestyle Influencers hosted by Amazon.co.uk. It was an entertaining evening, full of information and amazing, inspirational people. There was informative talks by fashion and blogging industry professionals, and the Amazon Fashion team also gave a great talk.

An Evening for Fashion & Lifestyle Influencers An Evening for Fashion & Lifestyle Influencers coco's tea party

I checked out the fashionable people and eat far too many biscuits and canapés. Professional Blogger, Ella Gregory (CocosTeaParty.com) was brilliant, giving amazing tips and talking endearingly about how she got started. Cosmopolitan journalist Gemma Royston-Claire was up next. Gemma gave great advice on writing engaging content and giving readers what they want. “People click for inspiration, education or entertainment.” Gemma said. Good advice indeed, and she should know as she started off with her own blog and now writes for Cosmopolitan Magazine. After food and drink we learned about Amazon Fashion. I was left very impressed with what Amazon had to offer and Frost will hopefully be doing a collaboration with them soon. I wanted to start shopping right there and then.

Freelance Fashion Stylist Rachel Story was next. She styles for HELLO! Magazine amongst others. Rachel gave some really great tips on styling. She is obviously at the top of her game and I learned a lot from her.

Lastly, Reena Rai from Fashiondaydreams.com talked about How to use Affiliate Marketing. Reena was definitely the most stylish of the evening. Head to toe in black and lace accessorised with killer shoes. She gave great tips on how to monetise with affiliate marketing.

The evening finished off with a Q&A with the Amazon team. The Q&A was great as I learned a lot of little tips to improve the SEO of Frost. Thank you to Amazon and all of the speakers for an amazing evening.

About the speakers:

 


Ella Gregory, CocosTeaParty.com

@cocosteaparty

London based, full time fashion blogger. Listed in The Independent’s Twitter 100: Top 10 Fashion.

 

 

 

Gemma Royston-Claire, Journalist

@gemfatale

Currently writes for Cosmopolitan magazine. Previously had an award winning column at Company mag, alongside her blog: www.gemfatale.co.uk

 

 

 

Rachel Story, Fashion Stylist

@Rachelstory29

Works with brands including HELLO! Magazine, Harvey Nichols & Ted Baker.

 

 

Reena Rai, Blogger

@Reena_Rai

Reena runs FashionDayDreams.com, alongside her day job in luxury retail. She’s a successful affiliate marketer.

 

 

 

Travel Jerusalem: A Modern Guide To An Ancient Wonder

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by Holly Thomas. All images by iPhone, copyright Holly Thomas [Twitter, Instagram: @HolstaT]

Jerusalem is in our consciousness from earliest childhood. But it’s a place that, for many of those who have never been, occupies the same mental space as fairy tales. Something which we’ve known of since we can remember, but can’t imagine being real. I’m not religious, and in Jerusalem you are met at every turn with things which described second-hand would sound preposterous. But when you’re there, the history of it all is immediate, indisputable, and alive.

It helps that so much architecture is – against all odds – beautifully preserved. Jerusalem has amplified since the days of crusades and crucifixions and the new city and West Bank stretch far, swaddling villages and towns, including Bethlehem. But step inside the Old City, home to the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the site of the Last Supper, and you’re plunged into another world.

Jerusalem Travel Guide Frost Writer Holly Thomas Has The Time of Her Life

So, you should go to the Old City first

The Old City stands east of the (busy) Hebron Road, which runs through the centre of Jerusalem. The sections of Hebron Road which north and south of the West Bank, and through Jerusalem, are barred to green – Palestinian – license plates. Israeli license plates are yellow. Jerusalem feels safe, and as a traveller, you have nothing to fear.

Jerusalem Travel Guide Frost Writer Holly Thomas Has The Time of Her Life3Jerusalem Travel Guide Frost Writer Holly Thomas Has The Time of Her Life8 The first thing you see when you walk through Jaffa Gate on the Western side of the city is King David’s Tower, which was built (bar an extension courtesy of the Turks) by King Herod – a crack architect, it turns out. Every night the sand-coloured building plays host to a light show which tells the 3000-year story of Jerusalem accompanied by music. It’s a beautiful show, well worth spending 30 minutes on to get a sense of the city’s roots. Jerusalem Travel Guide Frost Writer Holly Thomas Has The Time of Her Life13 It’s a tiny place but the concentration of marvellous things is so high that I couldn’t possibly recommend them all in this space. So here are a few unmissables. Everything is so close together that I promise you’ll discover your own in-between hunting these out:

The Western (wailing) Wall

For obvious reasons, this is the only area of the Old City which you must pass though some security to enter. Standing against a backdrop of the Mount of Olives, and with the Call to Prayer echoing regularly just next door, it is plain why this is a site of high emotion for so many. But it’s so worth seeing. Dress conservatively – knees covered – and behave with respect for the three thousand years of history the wall represents. Jerusalem Travel Guide Frost Writer Holly Thomas Has The Time of Her Life10 Jerusalem Travel Guide Frost Writer Holly Thomas Has The Time of Her Life7

The Cenaculum of the Last Supper

This is just down the street from the Western Wall, but for the full experience, head to the Church by way of the Stations of the Cross. These days the path is lined with shops and stalls, but there are still lasting signs, such as the Church of Simon, built on the spot where its namesake apparently helped a fatigued Jesus make his final steps.

A few treasures in the Church

The first thing you see when you Church of the Holy Sepulchre is the stone of the anointing, where Jesus is said to have been prepared for burial. To reach the site of the crucifixion itself, you must pass through a small, dark archway and climb a short winding staircase. There you’ll find the Alter of the Crucifixion, and next to it a hole in the floor covered by glass, exposing the bare ground below. Be prepared for a crowd, particularly in the evening and on Sunday. Jerusalem Travel Guide Frost Writer Holly Thomas Has The Time of Her Life5 Descend the other side, and you’ll see what looks like a sensationally ornate hut – that’s the Aedicule, which contains the Holy Sepulchre itself. The Aedicule has two rooms, one holding the Angel’s Stone, which is believed to be a fragment of the large stone that sealed the tomb, and another holding the tomb itself. Be prepared to queue for entry.

Jerusalem Travel Guide Frost Writer Holly Thomas Has The Time of Her Life6

The roof

This was my favourite place in Jerusalem. I was lucky in that I met someone who showed me how to get up there, but it wouldn’t be hard to find someone to point the way (you might have to be prepared to buy a trinket off one of the street stall vendors). Go at dawn or sunset, if you can. Unlike the walls walk, the roof is never closed.

Away from the bustle of the tourist-jammed streets below, this is where you’ll feel you’re in the Jerusalem the Romans found. Schoolboys park their bikes up there, people hang their washing (oddly like Edinburgh, Jerusalem is stacked in layers, house atop house atop street), and you can quite literally see everything from a perspective you’d never otherwise have known existed.

Jerusalem Travel Guide Frost Writer Holly Thomas Has The Time of Her Life4

Jerusalem Travel Guide Frost Writer Holly Thomas Has The Time of Her Life9Don’t forget the new city

I’ll admit I biased my time in Jerusalem pretty heavily in favour of “old stuff”, but there’s a whole lot beyond that to see if you fancy a dip into the 21st century between biblical ruins. Try the market, unlikely jazz cafes in the evenings, and the adorable hipster quarter. There are a few decent clubs, but if you want a wild one, go to Tel Aviv (about 40 minutes in a taxi). And don’t be perturbed by all the teenagers with guns – they’re in the middle of their compulsory military service.

Jerusalem Travel Guide food

Further afield

The Holocaust Museum

If you only have time for one excursion beyond Jerusalem’s city centre, make it to the Holocaust Museum. It was the first stop on our trip, and it lingered in the back of our minds until long after we’d left. The building is stark, and beautiful, clean lines which stand in the midst of quiet serpentine grounds dotted with trees, overlooking the valley. Entry is free, but children under ten years old aren’t permitted inside.

Set at least 4 hours aside for it if you can. If you have a day spare, this could fill it. There is a staggering amount to see, plus over 11 hours of video footage playing throughout the main exhibition alone. It’s all riveting, beautifully presented, and will tug powerfully at your heart. The extraordinary breadth and delicacy of the subject matter is handled exquisitely, covering the historical prelude to the Shoah, the Nazi’s rise to power and gradual attrition of Jewish liberties, and at last the gruesome unfolding of the Holocaust across Europe in horrifying detail. Jerusalem Travel Guide Frost Writer Holly Thomas Has The Time of Her Life2 The collection is acutely personal, packed with details which will knock your breath out. Like mementoes from the ghetto, set next to a video interview describing first-hand the sight of emaciated bodies littering the street, no clothes spare to protect their final modesty. There are letters flung through train windows bidding farewells which were never known, and charred shoes from the death camps piled in a heap on the floor. There is more to take in than you possibly could in one viewing, but once you start you will continue, wrapt, until you are saturated. Make sure that you leave time at the end for the children’s memorial, a cave in the grounds with candles reflected to infinity on its mirrored walls. Also, the Avenue of the Righteous Among The Nations, where you’ll find a tree dedicated to Oskar Schindler and his wife Emilie.

Out of town

Go to the Jordon Valley. Sinking 400 kilometres below sea level is like arriving onto another planet, conversely a drier, hotter, desert Mars-like planet, dotted with thin donkeys and ibexes. If you can, pass Jericho on your way to the beach. It’s one of the oldest cities in the world, dating back 11,000 years. It was Alexander the Great’s private estate, and King Herod later leased it from Cleopatra (who received it from Mark Anthony as a gift). Even if you just drive past it, it’s worth planning your West Bank route around. And you must an hour or two aside for a trip up to Herod’s fortress on Masada. Jerusalem Travel Guide Frost Writer Holly Thomas Has The Time of Her Life11

Masada (Herod’s fortress)

You can either climb or take a ski lift up the mountain to see this spectacular evidence of Herod’s final paranoia (he built the fortress in -reasonable – anticipation of a rebellion by his long-suffering subjects). The view is unparalleled, and to Herod’s credit as a mad architect, the fortress remains in fantastic condition millennia later. Jerusalem Travel Guide See if you can spot the lockers in the wall next to the old indoor swimming pool (really). Also remember to walk right up to the edge (it’s obvious where that is once you’re up there) and shout something into the canyon for a wicked echo. Jerusalem Travel Guide Frost Writer Holly Thomas Has The Time of Her Life16

The beach

The Dead Sea calls for a couple of hours at most. Spend longer and you’ll get bored, but a dip and a splash is uplifting and delightful. It’s smaller than you’d imagine – so much so that iPhones became confused, and O2 welcomed me to Jordon (which was visible through the mist which hung over the water). The beaches are concurrently small, dotted along the shore, and have a vaguely dated resort-like feel. A hint of Butlins lingers over the deserted playground behind the beach huts. The water, though, is magical. Slather yourself in thick mud, wait for it to dry, and then wade in to rinse it off. You *really* can’t sink, and Jesus’s feats suddenly appear less fantastical as you realise the impossibility of not floating. Lie on your back and you feel supported, safe, and importantly, warm. Jerusalem Travel Guide Holly Thomas

Where to stay

The Arthur Hotel has resided comfortably on Tripadvisor Jerusalem’s top five list for some time now, and it’s instantly clear why. This boutique hotel – just 15 minutes’ walk (or a three minute tram ride) from the Old City maintains an intimate, private atmosphere, tucked down a side street of one of the most buzzing neighbourhoods in Jerusalem. The service is lovely – you hardly notice it’s there until you need something, at which point help materialises immediately. The rooms have an individual, luxurious feel, and are decorated with obvious care, a world away from the homogeny of so many elite chain hotels. Breakfast, served as a daily buffet from 7am-10am, is delicious, with regional delicacies such as shakshuka, grilled vegetables, and fish offered alongside more familiar pastries, cereal and fruit salad. For explorers who have been too busy gaping at their surroundings to stop for lunch during the day, there is also a ‘happy hour’ in the restaurant from 5pm-7pm, where you can enjoy snacks and sandwiches with your complimentary wine.

Final note

Jerusalem is a complicated place, no mistake. There isn’t space here to dwell on the implications that one of the holiest sites on earth, sacred to so many, is perplexed on all sides by strife. There is pain in Jerusalem, both older than the ruins, and newer than the Hebron road. If you ask why it isn’t advised to go to the Mount of Olives on a particular day (this is sometimes the case, though visitors really are the safest people in the city), the answer you get will vary hugely depending on who you ask. Wounds are deep, and though I fell for Israel heart and soul, I think it is necessary to stay mindful of your surroundings. This shouldn’t be a deterrent – on the contrary, it should be an incentive to go to this important and fascinating country. Just be respectful and cautious with your opinions when you are talking to the people for whom it is home. “It sounds silly, to call a four-day trip ‘life changing’,” said my friend on the plane back. “But it was.”

Immediate Media Co Partners With Leading Independent Publisher Network Handpicked Media

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Exciting news in publishing: Handpicked Media, whose independent publishing platform Frost Magazine is proudly part of, has teamed up with Immediate Media. The press release is below and we are very excited. 

The Handpicked Media team.

The Handpicked Media team.

Immediate Media Co, the special interest content and platform company,  announces a partnership with Handpicked Media to provide sales agency support for the leading social content marketing and blog network.

The partnership sees Immediate’s commercial division provide agency sales support to Handpicked. Immediate already provides similar services for a roster of clients including BBC Worldwide, Eye to Eye Media and LPG Inc.

Handpicked represents over 300 independent websites and blogs, reaching over 10 million unique users a month. The partnership will allow Immediate to use its commercial infrastructure to unlock the value of these influential bloggers and sites.

As a social content marketing platform, Handpicked Media has curated a growing network of influential blog sites across a range of lifestyle channels since it was launched in 2009 by media entrepreneur Krista Madden. It manages the interaction between its network and a range of consumer brands, offering clients an array of opportunities to reach a very targeted and highly engaged social audience. Key content channels within the Handpicked network include Entertainment, Lifestyle, Beauty, Fashion and Food.

Immediate Commercial Director Duncan Tickell says: “Handpicked has a network of fantastically engaged audiences with its roster of blog and independent media sites. These highly passionate and engaged audiences are complementary to our existing portfolio and offer our commercial partners a new and exciting way in which to connect with them”.

Handpicked solutions include social media strategy, blogger outreach, content creation, events and integrated campaigns for a range of brand partners including Intel, Vodafone, P&G and Hilton.

Krista adds: “We are really pleased to be working with the successful team at Immediate Media, their range of brands is a perfect fit for the Handpicked audience. We both see the benefits of creating great content with context and scale across our popular communities. ”

Immediate is home to internationally famous brands including Radio Times, Gardeners’ World, BBC Good Food, Olive, You & Your Wedding, Perfect Weddings and Made For Mums.

Follow them at @Immediate_Media

 

 

Calling Lifestyle bloggers: Enter The UK’s Most Prestigious Digital Awards

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Entries for the National UK Blog Awards will close in 10 days on Friday 31 October 2014 and provide a unique opportunity for bloggers from the lifestyle industry to be recognised nationwide.

blogawards
The first ever National UK Blog Awards took place in April and achieved huge success with over 900 bloggers entering the awards and 16,000 members of the public voting to determine which blogs deserved a finalist spot.


Alongside the category for the lifestyle industry, bloggers will have the chance to enter into 13 other categories including fashion and retail, education, health and travel, whilst members of the public can also nominate their favourite individual or company blogger.
Gemma Pears, director of the National UK Blog Awards, said: “The UK Blog Awards provide a unique opportunity to be acknowledged and recognised as a true knowledge provider within your industry.


“Blogging is growing increasingly important in the UK; it’s a great way to position yourself as an expert in your field to build your credibility, as well as being able to showcase your knowledge whether you’re blogging as an industry professional or simply because you love to write.


“Awards are a hugely powerful marketing tool. They give you and your business immediate credibility and set you apart from the industry norm.


“Whether your blog is your business, a hobby or it’s part of your daily working tasks, a good blog can really help develop your client’s trust and helps close the gap between the ‘you’ and ‘ them’.”


You can enter your own blog or nominate a blog at www.blogawardsuk.co.uk with entries closing on Friday 31 October.

 

 

The Rise of Female Bloggers

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Frost magazineI am not actually a fan of things that pick out gender, race or class. A person should be solely judged on who they are and what they do, but we don’t live in an ideal world. Then I read Dr Duncan Green’s blog post on why there are so few female bloggers and I thought ‘what the hell is he talking about?’ Personally I have nothing against Dr Green. I am sure he is a lovely person, but, in this point, he is not accurate.

There are a wealth of female bloggers out there, writing about anything and everything you can think of. Personally I started blogging when I was 15. I had a livejournal and I would blog about other women I admired. Sofia Coppola and Angelina Jolie were my main points of conversation. I have a blog in which I cover my acting career, and now I also have a blog called Frost Magazine which I have run for four years. Frost is my baby, It has been more successful than I thought it could ever be and was picked up by Handpicked Future. But one women does not make a revolution. So I have found and interviewed the top female bloggers in Britain today. The criteria was the following: I had to read the blog and enjoy it and so did other people. Simple. I apologise if I left you out, there are thousands of other female bloggers out there and it is not possible to cover everyone. But do get in contact if you have a blog. I hope their blogs and answers inspire many more women to set up blogs and make their voice heard. (in the issue of clarity, I have also answered these questions. My answers are at the bottom).

Name Debbie Djordjevic Blog www.thelife-edit.blogspot.com

How long have you been blogging for?

About a year

Describe your blog

It’s a general lifestyle blog written by a woman in her late forties. We are under-represented in the blogosphere but just because you hit a new marketing demographic doesn’t mean you somehow ‘die’. I am as interested in fashion, beauty, food and popular culture as I was twenty years ago, I just have an older (but not necessarily wiser) take on things. I write for women like me and to show the younger generation that ageing is nothing to be scared of and can actually be enjoyed. I have late teenage daughters who keep me young but I don’t want to be them, we just learn from one another really. I like finding products that I think work and are relevant and I will pass those on. I hope I inform and inspire and also entertain, but I write it for me as an aide memoir as much as anything – I have been known to visit my own blog for a recipe I’ve loved rather than search for it again through my numerous cookbooks.

How did you get started?

Well working at Handpicked Media with so many blogs I felt I needed to really understand a bloggers perspective and the only way to do that was to start one myself.  I am a journalist by trade and this is a very different kettle of fish.

Highest point?

Seeing my traffic grow considerably once I came out of the Google search sandbox and everyone could find me. Having people respond to posts – though I must admit this tends to happen on my Facebook page or on Twitter rather than on my blog.

Lowest Point?

Clearing off all the spam comments which are written to try to fool me – I’ve been around too long to be fooled!

Favourite blog?

Now I am not going to get into trouble with all my brilliant blogger mates out there, but I can tell you the first blog I read was www.lileks.com which is an American journalist’s blog which makes me laugh out loud and gives me insight into American life. I started reading him as far back as 2002 so I have been aware of blogging for a long time. Inspiration? The many, many blogs I come across in my day job. I admire their passion, tenacity and the fact that they have gained audiences by tapping in to what people want to read.

Top tips for other bloggers?

Keep going and don’t do it for the money. It’s a brilliant way of getting exposure, proving that you have opinions worth sharing, making friends, and gaining experience, just don’t expect to necessarily be able to give up the day job. Some can, but the vast majority should do it for fun and to share a voice.

Do you make a living blogging?

No and I wouldn’t want to. I have spent 20 years making a living from either writing or editing and this is a blessed release. The freedom to blog about a wide range of topics and to give my own opinion is worth more. If I was younger I may think differently and I’m in awe of those who manage to make a living, don’t get me wrong – and lots of them keep their credibility and unique voice while doing so – it’s just not the reason I blog.

What do women add to the blogosphere?

It’s not just women don’t forget, men add a lot too! But women specifically have had decades of being told by the likes of me what to wear, what to buy and how to live. We all need a little assurance that we are making the right choices (we can’t all be trend setters, how appalling would that be) but it is cool to get opinions from women ‘just like me’ rather than the media. I have experienced through the different communities I have been involved with over the years the most incredible and powerful support that women give one another over the internet. Women who may never meet, who come from different backgrounds and experiences are able, via online communities and social media tools to work together, give encouragement, support and encourage and sometimes (though thankfully not too often) support in a very basic way when others are grieving. It is a shame that the publicity that is given online is always to the minority of bullies and ‘trolls’ who enjoy creating miser,y other than the thousands out there who daily give support and encouragement and are never talked about. Women are not stupid, they know what they like and they naturally like to share their experiences with others – the internet has given them a voice which is relevant and often extremely knowledgeable.

Name Carrie Barclay (aka Queenie) Blogs DIGITAL bungalow — www.digitalbungalow.co.uk Kitchen Bitching — www.kitchenbitching.co.uk

How long have you been blogging for? DIGITAL bungalow launched in June 2011 and Kitchen Bitching launched in November 2011.

Describe your blogs

DIGITAL bungalow is a conglomerate of creative minds. Technically a lifestyle blog, Db features everything from art to restaurant reviews; wedding inspiration to fashion photography … and many other subjects in between. We want DIGITAL bungalow to be a source of inspiration so if it inspires you in some way, we’ll feature it! Kitchen Bitching is a cookery site like no other; aimed at enthusiastic amateur cooks with some knowledge but in need of a friendly, helping hand from fellow enthusiasts. All amateur cooks know the pain of a recipe that just won’t do as it’s told. Like a disobedient puppy it sulks, sticks, slides or sinks at that crucial moment just as your mother-in-law is rap-rapping on the door. Kitchen Bitching is here to provide an open forum for amateur cooks to bitch about their culinary woes, rave about their kitchen triumphs and get hints and tips from the very best source – other cooks!

How did you get started?

I write for a living, and my partner is a photographer. DIGITAL bungalow was simply an opportunity to write about anything and everything that inspired myself and my partner. Very quickly we caught the bug and we were, for a time, posting at least once a day. When Kitchen Bitching was born we reduced our posts on Db to allow us to focus on KB, and now DIGITAL bungalow and Kitchen Bitching run harmoniously alongside each other. The idea for Kitchen Bitching came about during a bitching session in our kitchen about a cake recipe that wasn’t playing ball! Within days the site was designed and live, and we haven’t looked back! We appointed an Editor about a month after launch and we’ve now got 12 regular contributors and an ever-growing number of loyal, enthusiastic readers.

Highest point?

The highest point to date has to be when DIGITAL bungalow was incorporated as a Limited Company. What started as a little pastime has now become a bona fide business and we’re thrilled to be in talks with people about running events for bloggers, and I’ve recently been headhunted as a consultant for KAPOW Consulting to help new bloggers and small businesses enter into the blogosphere.

Lowest point?

When we were trying to keep up momentum of posting every single day and I felt that Db was losing its focus it was a difficult time. I all but gave up on the project, until my wonderful partner (in business and in life) sat me down and told me where I was going wrong. In blogging there’s sometimes no one to rein you in or monitor what you’re doing, so it’s fantastic to work alongside someone who you trust to get the best out of you and not let you wander too far off-track.

Favourite blog?

Other than my own (of course!) my absolute favourite blog in the world is A Beautiful Mess (http://abeautifulmess.typepad.com/). The design, the subject matter, the photography and the aspirational nature of this blog means I can lose myself for hours in its folds and crevices. Elsie Larson really knows her stuff and her approach is friendly warm and inviting – A Beautiful Mess is a lovely place to spend time.

Inspiration?

Db is inspired by everything we come into contact with that gets us excited! On a personal level as a blogger I do really admire Elsie Larson of A Beautiful Mess and Sian Meades of Domestic Sluttery (for whom I was a columnist until recently); both ladies are such established, professional bloggers flying the flag for female bloggers and businesswomen everywhere. Kitchen Bitching is inspired by every man, woman and child out there who wants to be able to cook up a storm in the kitchen but invariably ends up sitting under a table with a tea towel over their heads having a little weep (or is that just me?!). Again, on a personal level I have to say that Holly Bell (of Great British Bake Off fame) is a truly inspirational woman. We’ve been lucky enough to work with Holly on a number of features on Kitchen Bitching – she’s such a down-to-earth, realistic person and, my word, can she cook!

Top tips for other bloggers.

Be nice! Bloggers have a bit of a reputation in certain industries for having a rather inflated sense of self-importance. The world doesn’t owe you a living, and PRs aren’t there just to give you free stuff. If you got into blogging for the freebies then may I politely suggest you get out now! Blogging is about personal opinion, self-expression and having a creative outlet. Sure, sometimes people will want to offer you nice things, often for free, but remember that these are a privilege, not a right. Find clarity. Your blog is like your baby. You won’t be able to see its sticking-out ears or unfortunately shaped nose. To you your blog is perfect, but make sure you have some people around that you trust to let you know if you’re moving down the wrong path or wandering off on a tangent. A blog is an ever-evolving entity, but if you’re simply revolving with no real purpose then you’ll struggle to engage your audience. Remember the photos! Images are SO important in a blog – we all spend so much of our time on computers for work and pleasure that a break from big chunks of text in the form of clear, well-composed, engaging pictures is a sure-fire way of getting readers coming back for more! Do you make a living blogging? How do you make a living from blogging? DIGITAL bungalow is now a Limited Company so we now do make money from what we do – although not purely from the sites on their own – we make money through using our reputation as bloggers to help new bloggers and small businesses set up social media platforms, through organising events and we also offer sponsorship deals and partnerships to a very select number of companies that we admire and respect.

What do women add to the blogosphere?

Women add to the blogosphere exactly what men add. The world of blogging is a micro version of the real world. There are wonderful caring people, horrible bullies, friends-in-the-making and people you’d cross over the street to avoid. Women are as much of a necessity in the blogosphere as they are in reality. In order to have a successful, thriving blogging community you need representatives from all walks of life – men, women, children and even the odd pet included.

Name Shimelle Laine Blog pretty paper. true stories. www.shimelle.com 

How long have you been blogging for?

I started blogging informally via livejournal in 2002, and transitioned to a more professional blog in 2006.  That blog soon started to present itself as something that needed more time than I could devote as just a side project, so in 2007 I took a year out from my job (as Head of English in a secondary school) to try the blog business full time, and I’ve yet to go back.

Describe your blog

I write a very niche blog in the crafting world, with a focus on scrapbooking.  My blog itself includes a range of articles to cover new craft products, how-to videos and discussions on the merits of documenting everyday life through photos and writing.  I also offer premium content in the form of online workshops through paid subscription.

How did you get started?

I got into scrapbooking as a hobby while at university, and not long later picked up some freelance work for specialist magazines, which was always just a bit if work now and then, but it grew year on year and gave me the opportunity to lead workshops at weekend retreats for crafty women.  I found that keeping a personal blog, mostly read by close friends, made me want to update my website often but it was such a hassle in the format of a traditional site, so I added a blog format to make it easier to share finished projects, really.  As soon as I added that element, I got requests to teach my workshops in more places than were viable and I felt horrible that I kept having to say I couldn’t make it to every town requested, which made teaching online a logical next step.

Highest point?

Going full time in 2007, then being able to be the household earner from 2010, allowing us take on some seriously big travel then letting my husband work on a project that wouldn’t have a regular income.

Lowest Point?

Although my posts are less about the details of my own life than many female bloggers, it is very personal in that I blog things I have made for myself.  Because of that, it is often hard to separate criticism and I have had a few times when I took something so personally that I felt I couldn’t continue.  I’m thankful I’ve not lost my love of craft along the way, as it is very common for people in creative industries to stop enjoying it when they transition from fun to work.

Favourite blog?

I really don’t have a single favourite, and maybe that is odd.  I love to discover a new blog then read it all up, like when you can’t go to sleep because you’ve just started a really fabulous novel.  But because I like to read that way, I often get a little overkill and I don’t go back for a few weeks.  I like to save up the posts and have a bit more depth to read at once so it feels like an extended conversation with the blogger.  I also find these days I read more via links passed around on social media than just from my personal favourites, and I love how that has introduced me to new content in fields I probably wouldn’t have found on my own.  One day I followed a single link from a friend of a friend and ended up reading case studies in an entirely different field that inspired a pitch that became a big part of the work I do now – and it was all because I read a really rambling blog post by a friend of a friend of a friend.  

Inspiration?

I work with a mix of regular features that repeat on certain days, topics assigned by companies I work with and things that I just get the urge to try or share in some way.  That balance works really well for me – it gives me half routine, half flexibility.  If I rely entirely on being spontaneous, I never get anything done and if I rely entirely on routine, it feels too monotonous to be worthwhile.  I like that I approach things in a slightly different way to a lot of bloggers in my niche.  Many are very much about the visual because it’s craft, but I love the written word.  I love the discussion that comes with a community of readers.  So I am often inspired by how on one hand, this topic is quite literally just glue and pretty paper but on the other, there is quite a lot of philosophical goodness to be found, if one wants to consider it.

Top tips for other bloggers

Let the passion come first and the profit come later.  Whenever I work with or meet groups of beginner bloggers, there are always so many who have decided they know they want to make a living blogging but they don’t know what they want to blog about yet.  That sounds like such a recipe for burn out to me.  If you’re only picking a certain topic to make money, how much can you really say about that topic?  And at this point in the game, there is a blog on every topic out there, and the most profitable topics have a flooded market anyway.  What makes this my perfect job is how I get to think and write and share about something I love doing even when I’m not paid for it, and it’s something I would frankly love to write about even if I was pondering whether to pay for craft supplies or food.  Whatever your passion is, then that is the topic for you.  I think that’s why fashion bloggers have such intriguing blogs: they loved putting together outfits and showing them to the world way before they started blogging about it.  By blogging they just have a new, highly filtered and specific audience.  So my biggest tip is always go into blogging for the passion.  And also: punctuation is your friend.

Do you make a living blogging?

Yes! It’s my full time job and I’m currently the sole earner in our household.

How do you make a living blogging?

Unlike most blogs in my niche, I don’t sell traditional sidebar or banner advertising.  I’m not entirely advert-free in that I do earn from affiliate links when I recommend my favourite products.  My main earning comes from teaching online workshops (with a subscription fee) and I also earn by contributing content to a few related sites (stores and manufacturers of craft products), which I also post on my blog.

What do women add to the blogosphere?

Several years ago a real-life friend who is also a blogger and I discussed how there was a gender divide in the blog world and men’s blogs seemed to be in love with technology and so future-oriented, while women’s blogs were filled with dress making and baking and home decor, like a post-war housewife equipped with the latest gadgets from the Apple store.  There is certainly still a bit of that about but I think there is far better representation now.  There are definitely women writing in technology, in games, in comics, in music criticism.  There are more women writing in those fields than there are men writing in my incredibly female niche.  Much like girlfriends in real life, the female blogging world benefits when women work together and it suffers when we cut each other down.  Both things happen.  But of all the things I’ve come to appreciate in all these years of blogging, there really is an audience that accepts intelligent female voices.  As both a student and a teacher I witnessed years of smart girls being teased, tormented or ignored in that entire ‘clever isn’t cool’ attitude that goes on.  On the internet, clever is ridiculously cool.  The blogs I read time and time again? I don’t care what subject they are on: I can tell from their writing that those are smart girls. Of all the comments I’ve received over the years, those who say they read my blog or take my classes because I make them think… those are my absolute favourite.  If the internet can make it fabulous to be confident in one’s intelligence, it makes me very excited for the next generation of smart girls. Name : Simone Antoniazzi Blog : The Bottom of the Ironing Basket  http://thebottomoftheironingbasket.blogspot.co.uk

How long have you been blogging for?

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Describe your blog :

My blog is a mixture of things that inspire me, lifestyle and style images, my own thoughts on life, travel, style, London and family. It’s a collection of anything & everything that I love and find interesting.

How did you get started?

I was inspired by an American friend who had started her own blog.

Highest point?

Probably right now, my readership is at its highest. Through my blog I have been invited to London Fashion Week, to go to Morocco and I am just starting work with a personal trainer! Discovering ability that I didn’t know I had and finding out more about myself.

Lowest Point?

I’ve don’t have one.

Favourite blog? A Cup of Jo http://joannagoddard.blogspot.co.uk/

Inspiration?

Magazines, other blogs, travel, life in general.

Top tips for other bloggers : Blog about what you really genuinely love and find interesting, that way you will develop a style and your “voice” will really come through. Don’t feel you have to be confined to one topic, I blog about whatever appeals to me and is going on with me right now. Being yourself and honesty is the key to longevity.

Do you make a living blogging?

I earn money from it, not enough to give up the day job yet though!

How do you make a living blogging?

I carry advertising and advertorials on my blog.

What do women add to the blogosphere?

Creativity, style, focus. Also, I’ve never had a negative comment on my blog in 3 years, I think readers and other bloggers are supportive and empathetic.

Name: Camilla Tillson Blog: asensibleheart.blogspot.com

How long have you been blogging for?

For about 2 years now

Describe your blog?

Its definitely fashion based with lashings of baking and d.i.y projects and my own photography.

How did you get started?

I saw a really lovely blog online which inspired me to start my own, its so great because that’s exactly what they are there for!

Highest point?

The first time I was featured on a bloggers social networking site as one of their top fashion blogs, its great when your blog gets noticed! and going to Bristol Fashion week for free with my blog! Its really nice to do something active for your blog and meet other bloggers similar to you.

Lowest Point?

I’m not sure if I have had one yet, my blog is all on my own terms, so if I don’t fancy blogging I wont force it.

Favourite blog?

I have to say one of the first blogs I ever read unabellavitablog.com and ‘a beautiful mess’ everything on there is so inspiring!

Inspiration?

A lot of things, the people around me, the the city I live in and I’m inspired every day by my blog feed!

Top tips for other bloggers?

Your blog is your own space, do you own thing and let it develop in its own time. Don’t ruin the space with ads before you have enough traffic, enjoy it while you can. Its not all about stats and followers, mine started off as a online live journal and if people are interested in reading what I post that’s great!

Do you make a living blogging?

Not currently, I wouldn’t ever say no to sponsored posts if I felt it could benefit my blog and my readers. I know its a touchy subject for people, but why not earn a little off doing something you enjoy, as long as you’re doing it for the right reasons.

How do you make a living blogging?

Id probably say via advertising and sponsored posts, and I guess you can save money

if you’re sent clothes and other bits. I’m not too hot on this topic! What do women add to the blogosphere?

So much! It’s great to see woman who have started their own business via their blog. I also think there are a lot of fashionable bloggers who are also tech whizzes, it really changes your views on the graphic/web design world which many people would be male dominated,  there are so many woman bloggers who post about nail art and HTML codes, for example “Girl Does Geek” (http://girldoesgeek.com) and “Flower Girl Blog”

Name Becca Day-Preston Blog www.bdpworld.blogspot.com BDP World

How long have you been blogging for? Only since October: I’m a baby!

Describe your blog

It’s a place for me to put all my thoughts about makeup and fashion and nails, without boring my friends. I was shaky at first, not discussing ‘important’ stuff, and just putting up pics of my nails, but recently I’ve written about confidence, airbrushing, period shame (that’s a thing, apparently) and abstinence education in the UK, as well as keeping up the nails and lipstick posts.

How did you get started?

With bad quality pictures and a lack of serious know-how…!

Highest point?

Sali Hughes from The Guardian endorsing my angry rant about National No Makeup Day

Lowest Point?

Getting an email from a follower asking why I don’t “just lose a bit of weight” UGH!

Favourite blog? Feministing

Inspiration? Veronica Sawyer

Top tips for other bloggers.

Do what you love! Don’t chase followers or try to score freebies: just have fun with it.

Do you make a living blogging?

No, and I think I never will!

What do women add to the blogosphere?

 That’s actually a really hard question to answer. I feel like there’s a sense of community innate in women’s blogging that isn’t necessarily there with male bloggers. There’s a more inclusive feel, and a drive towards honesty that I find very refreshing. As a feminist, the amount of incredibly erudite and witty women out there, contributing to the bigger picture. I don’t feel like I’m even a part of that yet, but maybe one day…!

Name Emma Iannarilli Blog fashion-mommy.com

How long have you been blogging for?

Since August 2010

Describe your blog

A fashion/shopping/beauty/lifestyle blog from a full time mom

How did you get started?

I was Deputy head at a Primary school when severe post natel depression forced me to quit my job. After six months in counselling I felt better, but was bored just being a wife and mother. I read an article in a magazine about blogging and decided this could give me a creative outlet. Hence Fashion-Mommy was born!

Highest point?

So many. Meeting heroes like Markus Lupfer and Stella McCartney. Being named on of 2012’s hottest blogs by Spreading Jam. Being named as Blogger of the month for Next, blogger of the week for M&Co and publisher of the month for Boden. Being invited to Evans photoshot  for their Autumn/Winter 2011 catalogue – just so many!

Lowest Point?

I tend to blog at night so I get very little sleep. Juggling the blog as a full-time job, with a demanding child not yet in school can be exhausting,

Favourite blog?

Big Fashionista is hilarious, and I love all the Brummie  Bloggers.

Inspiration?

Liberty London Girl, she was the first blogger I really noticed.

Top tips for other bloggers

Work at building  your audience,  use Twitter and facebook to aid this, reply to comments to engage debate and discussion. Be original  – let your personality shine through your work.

Do you make a living blogging?

I’ve just  started too –  it’s take a year and half to get to this point.

How do you make a living blogging?

Adverts, sponsored posts,  text links, skimlinks  and affiliate links – but it’s not a fortune!

What do women add to the blogosphere?

The female perspective on all subjects – we have a voice, it needs to be heard.

Name Anne-Marie – Ree for short Blog  http://www.reallyree.com/ 

How long have you been blogging for?

It will be 2 years in June.

Describe your blog

A personal lifestyle blog about the things I love across fashion and beauty. Face of the day, Outfit of the Day and lots of Product Review fun!

How did you get started?

I started it as a hobby – and wrote a lengthy post about the differences of opinion between men and women on the subject of shoes! Highest point? Working with BaByliss to make How To hair tutorials.

Lowest Point?

There are always low days when it is hard to stay motivated but they never last.

Favourite blog?

I love BritishBeautyBlogger.com to make sure I am up to date with all things beauty, and have a giggle!

Inspiration?

Everything I see and try inspires me. I have started to actually think in blog posts!

Top tips for other bloggers

Stay connected, build your network and always talk to people.

Do you make a living blogging? Yes

How do you make a living blogging?

By working with brands on a project basis.

What do women add to the blogosphere?

I think that women add fun and beauty and glamour to blogging. Blogging should be fun and engaging and there are tonnes of female personalties shining through!

Name: Aisling Blog: fash-ling  http://www.fash-ling.com

How long have you been blogging for?

A year

Describe your blog: It’s mainly my style, what I wear and what influences my fashion choices but I also include some beauty bits

How did you get started?

I read a lot of the international blogs for years and when a friend started hers I was introduced to the UK blogging scene

Highest point?

Pretty much any time someone new decides to follow me!

Lowest Point? Well trying to deal with HTML, I am useless and I find it so frustrating!

Favourite blog? Frassy

Inspiration? The catwalks, magazines, girls on the street and other blogs of course! Top tips for other bloggers: Just keep doing what you love, that’s all that matters

Do you make a living blogging? No, I do occasionally get sent items or invited to events which is truly an honour

How do you make a living blogging? n/a

What do women add to the blogosphere? I think each person, whether female or male adds a unique aspect to the blogosphere. The great thing about the online world is you can get such varied opinions, in anything you choose to find! Everyone has something to bring to the table and blogs allow for you to add your own personal touch.

Name – Lenka Silhanova Blog – Acting Abroad –  http://lenkasilhanova.blogspot.com

How long have you been blogging for?

Over a year.

Describe your blog

I’m sharing my experience of becoming an actress abroad, sharing tips and creating a community of people with the same goal. I think it’s important for us actors to stick together and help each other out, as I’ve learned a lot myself by reading other people’s blogs. This is a way for me to give back as well as to meet like-minded people and keep myself motivated and goal-oriented.

How did you get started?

I’ve been playing with the idea of starting a public blog for quite a while, since I’ve been keeping a private journal for several years, yet I was intimidated by the whole concept of opening my life and career out there in the world. The first few months were the worst as I was still figuring the whole blogging thing out and writing in English, my second language, wasn’t easy too. But I love the language so much it pushes me to constantly work on improving it. I found that I’ve learned so much by just by sitting down and writing, but also by reading A LOT of blogs, websites (that are edited) and of course books. After few months I’ve really gotten into blogging and I find it now, after a year of blogging, very fulfilling. I also find it to be a great marketing tool, till I’m ready to have my own website, this is a way to showcast my work both as an actor and blogger. Last but not least reason to blog is that it’s a form of storytelling, which is what I’ve chosen to dedicate my life to and this is a way of having it in my life without other people’s permission. It’s taking a part of my career I have the control of in my own hands and being proactive.

Favourite blog?

That’s a tough question, there are so many great blogs I don’t even know where to start. I love the Actors Voice by Bonnie Gillespie, this blog has taught me everything I needed to know about the show business. The Acting Blog by Mark Westbrook is a great no-BS blog on acting. I also love blogs like The Green Room blog, Backstage Unscripted, The Actors Enterprise, all written by actors for actors. A Younger Theatre is a great platform led by young people passionate about theatre, I learned a lot about UK’s theatre scene through this website and its blogs and I’m lucky enough to write for them too – my blog is called International View. Or actor blogs like Stars In The Eyes, The Great Acting Blog or B.A.B.E. to name just a few, are a great source of inspiration and advice too.

Inspiration?

Actors who get things done, who take their careers into their hands and always work on mastering their craft no matter the level their are on.

Top tips for other bloggers

I’d say just start blogging and learn as you go. Read a lot of blogs to learn about formatting and SEO. Choose the design for your blog so it resembles your personality and the theme of your blog, as well as is pleasant for people’s eyes and looks professional. Aim to improve, don’t settle for what you are doing now thinking it’s good enough. Always appreciate your readers and take the time to create relationships with them. You do it for them, after all, so be there for them. Find a targeted audience for your blog and write about what you know, don’t try to just come up with something, write what you care about and are passionate about with the targeted audience in mind. Put yourself in their skin and ask yourself if what you are writing is going to give them something.

Do you make a living blogging?

Not yet, but would love to as it would allow me to write more. Currently I’m looking into opportunities to do so.

What do women add to the blogosphere?

I think we are great in creating communities and friendships that perhaps begin online, but are taken on and maintained on personal level later on too.

Name Catherine Balavage Blog Frost Magazine

How long have you been blogging for?

Four years with Frost. Longer overall.

Describe your blog

Frost is a thinker’s lifestyle magazine, a magazine for smart people who love fun. I also have an acting blog.

How did you get started?

My love of reading lead to a love of writing

Highest point?

Frost launch party, being picked up by Handpicked Media, covering everything from London Fashion Week to the Raindance Film Festival. Interviewing Zac Goldsmith and Alain De Botton.

Lowest Point?

The hosting company suspending my account because we were getting too much traffic. I had to move the site from one server to another. I had no idea what I was doing. Also: someone hacked the site and I lost some content.

Favourite blog?

All of the above! And Hintmag and Feministing.

Inspiration?

Every writer who ever inspired me to write my own stuff. My parents who told me I could do anything I wanted.

Top tips for other bloggers

Do it because you love writing and have something to say. Don’t do it just because you could pick up lots of free stuff. Also, listen to your instincts.

Do you make a living blogging? No

How do you make a living blogging? Affiliates, advertising, not sure yet. I’m not there.

What do women add to the blogosphere? A balance.

Advice Blogs for Actors {The Film Set | Genevieve Sibayan}

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Like every actor out there, I have a stack of books sitting on a shelf gathering dust becoming more and more irrelevant by the minute. There are some good informative books, but they’re becoming the exception rather than the norm. Sometimes I look at my stack of irrelevant books and resent them for costing me (taunting me with their perfect spines) especially as there is so much fantastic advice and information out there on the internet. Here’s a few below, these are just the ones I subscribe to so there may be tons more. Let me know if you find any.

 

Bonnie Gilespie’s Blog – The Actor’s Voice

There is so much amazing info here, all for free. Everything here is positive, inspiring and useful. Casting Director Bonnie Gilespie has clearly put a lot of time into this column on Showfax and even though she’s US based, it’s relevant internationally.

rss feed: http://more.showfax.com/columns/avoice/index.xml

The Actor’s Voice – POV

Showfax, wiz all zis information your are really spoiling uz. This time it’s Bonnie Gilespie and friends. Friends being people in the biz, and there’s quite a few. By a few I mean tons.

rss feed: http://more.showfax.com/plus/pov/index.xml

The Casting Corner

Another column on Showfax, this time from Casting Director Mark Sikes. Mark posts some great advice on a weekly basis…he’s there every week.

rss feed: http://more.showfax.com/columns/corner/index.xml

The Actor Cast Blog

Yet more great advice. ActorCast is a US based web service allowing Actors to submit directly to Casting Directors existing services. Their blog has articles, How to guides, Q&A’s and Open calls.

rss feed: http://actorcastblog.com/blog/?feed=rss2

Backstage Magazine

A US trade journal for Actors proving just how much of an industry this actually is. They have a regular advice column.

rss: http://feeds.feedburner.com/Backstage-Columns

Playbills vs. Paying Bills

Advice and insight from three actors from across the pond. Ben Whitehair, Joe Von Bokern and Emily Beuchat share their stories, resources, recommendations and stuff from their respective acting scenes in LA, Chicago and New York. Read it, you will be entertained and you will learn things!

rss feed: http://playbillsvspayingbills.com/?feed=rss2

The Film Set – Frost Magazine

Brought to you by a couple of London actresses…Catherine Balavage and Genevieve Sibayan. Ok! ok, you caught me, this suggestion’s a little biased but we do have some interviews with fantastic casting directors and people involved in Film and TV.

rss: http://feeds.feedburner.com/FrostMagazineTheFilmSet

Know any more blogs that I’ve missed out? Leave me a comment below and I’ll update the post.

Update:

Minimum Wage Actors [Thanks Pete Jenkinson for this one]

News about National Minimum Wage stories affecting or having affected Actors and Performers.

rss: http://actorsminimumwage.wordpress.com/feed/


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Genevieve Sibayan is a London based Actress, you can find Genevieve’s blog here and get updates by clicking on her rss feed. If you’d like to subscribe to The Film Set on Frost Magazine then click here.