I used to have a lot of time reading other blogs. I miss it. But as with everything, growing up has this really strange ways of changing one’s priorities. I was quite the voracious blog reader and I used to visit blogs and put my two cents in (because I always thought one’s opinion was always welcome…I mean hello, why post a blog publicly and allow comments, right?).
Times have changed. Sometimes I am saddened by the fact that I no longer seem to have the time to do the things I used to love doing. But I did promise myself that I would make changes to my current behaviour patterns because I noticed that I wasn’t, really, very happy anymore. I didn’t feel very creative anymore. I became caught up in what I thought were more adult things to do (make dinner, clear up, laundry, ironing, vegetate on the sofa staring somnambulistically at the telly or whinge about how tired I was). I think it affected my appetite for life…either in real life or online. I was quite social. I realise that now, I am making myself sound so old!
Anywho, the next Blogging 101 assignment was to visit the neighbours. To read what people were writing, to get inspiration. I laughed because the assignment gave me permission to be nosy! And well, to look at other blogs so that my blog would know what it wanted to be when it grew up!
One of the blogs I came across (thank you Stylist!) was Sara Tasker’s blog Me & Orla. I can’t remember how I came across the Stylist article. She’s one of those amazingly creative people who have managed to quit the day job and do what she loves because of Instagram.
The blog layout is amazing in its simplicity. It’s crisp and clean. Because she takes amazing photos (hence her success on Instagram), the photos take priority. I love “the voice” of her blog. When you read the words, it’s like you’re included in this weirdly personal conversation. I like it though. I’ve also downloaded her pdf on her virtual Instagram retreat. I love how some of the new internet creatives are so generous with their experiences. Some people won’t share because they want to keep the niche they discovered on the great WWW their little secret monopoly.
If you have time, go and visit her website!
I might do this on a regular basis. Look at blogs and write about them. It’s good for content plus, it’s the perfect excuse to be nosy! Not that I really need an excuse.
Yellywelly 