The Writing Geek

Skelliewag.org is one of the more inspiring blogs I have seen in some time. With a blogosphere mostly full of the same ole same ole, it’s nice to come across something creative and thought provoking. If it’s creative inspiration you are looking for, then Skelliewag.org is the blog to read.

The Writing Geek: What satisfaction do you get from blogging?

Skelliewag: I get different kinds. Helping people out is nice. Getting positive feedback is good. Networking with other bloggers is enjoyable. The indirect income sources have been particularly good. I also like the simple things, particularly watching my feed count increase. Subscribers are like gold to me.

TWG: What do you do to stimulate creativity in your writing?

SW: I do a lot of brainstorming in my notebook. I also get inspiration simply from being active online. I subscribe to a lot of varied feeds and try to keep tabs on creative individuals, whether they’re working in art or blogging or design. I find nothing sparks my own creativity more than basking in the creativity of others.

TWG: You write on a number of topics, and write quite a bit. How do you schedule your time?

SW: It’s been hard for me to develop a consistent schedule, as my non-blogging commitments are rarely static. A general rule is that I use my free time for blog-stuff unless something better comes along. My definition of ’something better’ is pretty broad, so I manage to maintain a pretty active and varied life. I’ve made the decision that there are certain things in life that should always come before blogging, and it’s been great for maintaining balance.

TWG: What is the biggest mistake you have made while blogging?

SW: I’ve been lucky enough to have had a pretty smooth ride with Skelliewag.org, but I’ve been creating web content, blogs and websites for over seven years now, and I’ve made plenty of mistakes during that time. I’d go so far as to say that period was characterized by mistakes and failures, but I don’t think there’s any other way to learn.

The biggest mistakes I’ve made are mistakes I see a lot of people make. I want to reach out to them and go: “Bad idea! I’ve been there. It won’t work.” They’re things like: building blogs around linking out to content elsewhere, without adding value of your own. Or failing to seek out an audience in the early stages, and instead sort of hoping people will turn up. The third would be writing about what you think be popular, rather than what you love. It never works.

TWG: Whats one piece of advice should every blogger abide by?

SW: That’s a tough one. It sounds horribly trite, but I can’t over-emphasize the importance of focusing on a topic, or several, you’re truly passionate about. Passion is the only thing that will keep you going when your blog’s growth slows down, or when you get criticized, or when you don’t make the money you’d hoped, or when you blunder into one of the many other obstacles every blogger is bound to face.

If you find yourself consistently starting and later abandoning or neglecting multiple blogs, that’s a sign you’re not focusing on what you’re really passionate about.

TWG: If you could turn back time, what would you do differently/the same with your blog?

SW: There was a period, between 200 and 300 subscribers, where I plateaued somewhat. Growth slowed to 50% of previous (and current) levels. I think that was partially because I’d never expected things to happen as quickly as they did. When things did happen, I was caught unawares. I realized that I couldn’t focus on content creation alone, and that my approach would need to be broader. Since then it’s been much easier to stay inspired. I only wish I’d started the blog with its current focus, rather than making a gradual transition 300 subscribers into the piece.

TWG: How do you stay motivated for blogging?

SW: It’s like the opposite of a vicious cycle. Not sure what you might call it: a lovely cycle? I pour effort into the blog. The blog grows. I get motivated to pour in more effort. The blog grows. Getting positive feedback really buoys me. I also have an unnatural obsession with my subscriber count, as alluded to earlier. I suppose you could say that I’m lucky enough to love every aspect of blogging: from design, to writing posts, to networking, to promotion, and everything in between. With that in mind, motivation has (so far) been plentiful.

TWG: You have been elected president of the blogosphere. What is your first move?

SW: I’d launch a war on the Axis of Evil: splogs and scrapers.

TWG: Thanks for your time!

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