Musings - Mama Kat's Workshop (4th August 2011)

If you were to go back to the moment you decided to start a blog, what ten blogging tips would you share with yourself?

Time Travel... it fascinates me. I think its the dreamer in me, the me who dreams, that would love to go back, forward, lateral just to learn more... perhaps change? perhaps see what I could have done better? different? at all? I would definitely avoid the flannel shirts of '95!

But I digress, again. Actually, let me continue with you on this tangent for another moment...

Recently, I started watching Being Erica. A woman, roughly my age, takes part in unconventional 'therapy sessions' where she gets to travel back through her life to try and do differently those things that, in the present, she regrets. It's amazing, the type of TV show that puts the heat in your stomach because you are slightly envious that you can't live that life, can't confront your past. Erica's therapist, Dr. Tom, gets her to write down a list of her regrets... I challenge you to do the same. I challenge myself to do it too.

But on to the workshop. What would I tip myself about blogging? If I could go back to the beginning...

1. Stop faffing with the background! You are going to spend hours wasting your time trying to make something interesting. Go straight to ShabbyBlogs and see the wonders that they have ready made.
2. What are you doing? You are going to start a weekly diary... what ever happens keep it going... you will regret it if you don't.
3. Who are they? Read more blogs, find out who people are, comment on what they have to say. Broaden your mind.
4. Snap it up! You love photographs so make the most of it. Take more, snap more, blog them. Readers love to read but let them SEE.
5. What you know... Be who you are, don't try and be pretentious because you will start to hate what the blog has become. Write from the heart but don't lay everything out on your sleeve...
6. FEED your readers! Sort out your RSS and ATOM feeds so that people can easily follow you. What is that you are asking yourself (literally)? Google it!
7. Take the time! Life is going to get emotional and crazy and then amazing but make sure you make time to blog. This is your memoir, gaps are not permitted in life.
8. Jot it down! I know you always carry a note book, but use it! Inspiration can and will strike at any time. Even the most mundane occurrences may strike you later as fodder for thought.
9. Don't stress about it. People WILL read what you have to write. You WILL connect! Life IS worth its documentation. Put aside DOUBTS and just go for it.
10. And find Mama Kat! You will meet some amazing people through her.

Now back to my list of regrets... why did I wear tartan exactly? :) xx