10 Year Blogoversary Interview + $20 PayPal Giveaway

Posted August 25, 2017 by shooting in Giveaway, Guest Post / 36 Comments

Happy Friday, everyone! If you aren’t already aware, I’m celebrating 10 years of blogging at Shooting Stars Mag. I’m part of a lovely Facebook group called The Peaceful Posse and I reached out there to see if anyone would want to allow me to do a guest post on their blog, and I got some awesome ladies that agreed! However, I also heard from Karen, who happened to be celebrating her 10 year blogoversary as well, so we decided to do posts on each other’s blogs in terms of interviews. Today, I’m sharing my interview with Karen (and there’s a giveaway at the end) and you can head to Karen’s blog A Peek at Karen’s World to read my interview! Fun, right?

An Interview with Karen, from A Peek at Karen’s World

  1. How did you start blogging?

I had just moved back to California from Utah after 6 years and wanted a way to keep up with my friends. I wrote a few posts on MySpace, but hated the design of their system, so I dropped it pretty quickly. And then, I was doing NaNoWriMo in 2007 and got super into a chat group for single writers. They all had 101 in 1001 Goal Lists set up on Blogger. Well, I don’t like to feel left out, so I wanted to do that too. But I didn’t do much with that because those 101 goals turned out to be pretty lofty. But then I realized I could set up a blog, keep on writing, and keep my friends up-to-date on my life. Ten years later, I’m still here.

  1. How has your blog changed in 10 years?

In SO many ways! I cringe when I read some of those first few posts because, for one thing, my writing is much different. Back in the day, for some reason, I used to try to write more formally or something? Now, I try to keep things light. More conversational.  More fun. Because if it’s not fun, I don’t want to do it.

There are a lot of other differences too. My design, my purpose for writing, my photos. It started out as a way to keep up with a few friends, but now I have a bunch of online/blog friends and so it’s a fun way to keep up with them too. Plus, I’ve gotten so many opportunities through the blog. Movie and book reviews, invitations to great events, all of that. I never imagined it would open up so many possibilities for me.

  1. What would you tell people who want to start a blog?

Do NOT do it for the money! Because it’s SO obvious when someone is just trying to make a buck, accepting sponsored posts for things that aren’t even a little bit interesting to them or relevant to their readers. Plus, no matter how many big bloggers tell you “Here are all the secrets to making it big!” the truth is, there are some things you can do. But making it big as a blogger has a LOT to do with luck too.

I would also say, connect with people. That’s what it’s really all about. Connection. Discovering people you never could have met in the real world. Have fun, get to know people, and relax. There’s no need to compete because there’s room for EVERYONE on the Nice List!

  1. Do you have a set blog roll of blogs you must visit?

I have a lot of blogs I follow and read as regularly as I can. I don’t want to list them because I don’t want to make anyone feel left out.

But I will say that I NEVER miss a post from Jenny Lawson, aka The Bloggess. She makes me cry from laughing constantly.

  1. Do you remember the first guest to read your blog that wasn’t a friend or relative? If so, who?

I do! There were three all around the same time. Janet, Gina, and someone who only called herself Shop Girl. None of them blog very regularly anymore, but I keep in touch with all of them on other social media channels, particularly Instagram.  We found each other through another blogger’s comment section, of all places. She did a meme post where there was a list of topics and you got a letter if you commented and all your answers had to start with that letter. I wanted to see how others had answered some of the questions, so I went and checked out their blogs. Those three all came back to visit me, too. It was the first time I ever considered that I could do more with my blog than simply keep it between me and my friends.

  1. Who are some bloggers you miss?

So many. There’s Kristina Pulsipher, who used to have the funniest blog around. DaNae Handy was right up there, too. My friend Melanie Jacobson, who is also a professional writer. A bunch of people are still around on Instagram and other places, so I can still keep in touch that way. But there was a really awesome lady I met years ago named Angie. She was the sweetest person, and one day she announced she was taking a break because of health issues. I later found out it was The Big C, and eventually her blog was completely deleted. Over the years, I’ve often found myself wondering what ever happened to her.

  1. Have any of your blogger buddies become IRL buddies?

Yes! My friend Lauren recently moved to LA and we’ve gotten to hang out a couple of times. The above-mentioned Kristina and Melanie.

There was also a really awesome guy named Jason that became a really good friend. I was heartbroken when he passed away a couple of years ago, but when I went to his memorial service, I was totally overcome by how many people were there.

  1. What is the one topic you won’t write about?

While I pride myself on being a pretty open book, there are a LOT of old family issues I won’t write about. I would love to write about some of those things, but I don’t feel like it’s entirely my story to tell, so it feels wrong to share all those gritty details. It’s out of respect for them, not out of any sense of embarrassment or anything.

  1. Random/fun: what is your favorite book?

Harry Potter, all day every day. The complete series. But if I have to be a little more interesting than the biggest selling novel series in history, it would probably be “Little Women.” I LOVE that book.

  1. Random/fun: If your life was turned into a movie, who do you wish would play you?

Melissa McCarthy. Not only is she freaking hilarious and gorgeous, she’s also an Academy Award nominee, so that is a perfect match!

***

10 Year Blogoversary Interview + $20 PayPal #giveaway #ontheblog Click To Tweet

Thanks so much for letting me interview you, Karen! I hope you all check out Karen’s blog and congratulate her on 10 years of blogging! It’s not easy!

Now before we get to the giveaway, I want to share all of Karen’s blog/social links. You get entries for following her, so do so now!

Blog: http://apeekatkarensworld.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/karenmpeterson

Instagram: https://instagram.com/karenmpeterson

Facebook: https://facebook.com/apeekatkarensworld

Giveaway Time!!

Between Karen and I, the giveaway prize is for $20 via PayPal. It’s International if you have a Paypal account, but the money is in USD.

Giveaway ends Saturday, September 9th.

If the below Rafflecopter won’t load, use this link.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

36 responses to “10 Year Blogoversary Interview + $20 PayPal Giveaway

  1. RO

    To do this consistently for 10 years is pretty amazing and HUGE kudos to you both! may you have many more years of success. Hugs…RO

  2. Oh wow, happy blogoversary, Lauren. That is BEYOND AWESOME. Ten years, honey! It was just a dream for me. I’m still hoping to make it one year. Wow, so proud of you. You’re one of the nicest bloggers I’ve met and one of my inspirations as well. Here wishing you another 10 (even more) awesome blogging experience filled with lots of wonderful books and things that you love. ?❤️?

    • shooting

      Sometimes just getting through the first year is the biggest challenge – so go you! And thank you so much. 🙂

      -Lauren

  3. Alwssa

    My favorite books are also Harry Potter and Little Women, Congratulations on both your 10th year anniversary!

    • shooting

      Oh yes, you should celebrate! 8 years is fantastic. And definitely check out the FB group. We’d be happy to have you!

  4. Danielle Hammelef

    Congrats! Ten years is huge! I’ve seen many bloggers come and go and hanging out with us for this long is quite an accomplishment. From your interview, blogging and writing books have many things in common–such as, don’t get in it for the money, but do it because it’s makes you happy and to have fun. I loved the part about building relationships and you’ve seen so much joy and heartbreak along the way.

  5. Happy happy blogoversary 🙂

    Awww, I love Karen! Such a wonderful and sweet presence in this blog world. I don’t think I knew she got her start on Myspace! Great to hear more from her and see her name appear here. What a wonderful giveaway!

  6. Ten years for both of you, wow! I am only about 3 1/2 years blogging and that gives me hope for the future. So much yes to Harry Potter, too.

    I too get sad about the bloggers who quit blogging and just disappear. A am Facebook friends with a few people who quit blogging, and connected on Twitter with some others, but I still always wonder about the others.

    Congratulations to both of you! I don’t think I know any other ten year bloggers. Thank you for the wonderful giveaway. 🙂

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