Blogging Questions Challenge

Nobody’s asked me, but that’s never stopped me from having an opinion, so here goes.

Why did you start blogging in the first place?

I feel that I should say something deep or profound, but actually I can’t remember. I really started blogging regularly during #rhizo14 though, as that gave me a community to blog with and motivation to blog. So blame Dave.

What platform are you using to manage your blog and why do you use it?

WordPress. I know how to use it and I don’t know of anything better.

Have you blogged on other platforms before?

No, this is my first and only personal blog (though I am self-hosted thanks to Niall). All the institutional blogs I admin and have used are or have been WordPress. I did use Wikispaces a lot at one time though. I always much preferred wikis to blogs.

How do you write your posts?

It depends. Short posts are bashed out straight into the editing interface. I choose my Silent Sunday post every Saturday afternoon, and enjoy sifting through my week’s photos to find one to capture the spirit of that week. Longer posts are usually composed longhand, in dribs and drabs, with a fountain pen (I have many!) and lovely shimmery ink. I sometimes scrawl ideas on post-it notes and in the margins of other things I am writing. Sometimes I am in a meeting, watching TV, or reading a book when I get an idea I need to jot down to write around later. On sunny weekend afternoons I will pack a bag of pens and paper and sit in the back garden doodling and drafting something. And then, once I’ve written them, there’s the question of whether I should bother publishing them at all.

When do you feel most inspired to write?

Whenever I have the space to think. Sunny days (see above), boring Zoom meetings when I can get away with turning off my camera, when I am working with inspiring and interesting people who wake up my creative processes. Just before tea on a day Niall is cooking it. Whenever I am allowed to type or write (having two cats can be a barrier to these!). When I am on a long train journey or waiting for a plane. When I am amused, inspired or annoyed. When I want to know what I think. When I want to understand. When I am part of a community who are talking and blogging. After rhizo14/15, it was the CLMooc collaborative that inspired me, and of course the Daily Create/DS106 people. When I am walking, cleaning or knitting.

Do you normally publish immediately after writing, or do you let it simmer a bit?

I usually press publish as soon as it’s all in WordPress, then immediately spot typos and edit it. But it might be months simmering in my head and scrawled on bits of paper before it gets into a form that I can type up (see how I write, above and my post about being good enough).

What’s your favorite post on your blog?

I like my post about ticky-tacky feedback quite a lot, partly because I enjoy writing about things that give me ear worms and Little Boxes is a great track (and oh my, I love that uke!). I also enjoyed writing the one about Cargo Cults – I learnt a lot as I wrote that. I also learnt loads by writing my post about vicarious learning.

Any future plans for the blog?

Just to keep on blogging, and to return to more written posts. Heck, I miss writing long posts. And to add a blog roll. I am sure I had one once, but it’s not there now.

Who will participate next?

I waited a while to write this post because my husband, Niall Barr, was moving his blog to a new home. So over to him. I’d also love to see my CLMOOC pal Sheri join us.

Because Niall asked: I’ve been tracing this challenge back, and as far as I can see it starts here: https://blog.avas.space/bear-blog-challenge/