As I’m on adult “Spring Break,” the blogger Interview is designed to engage with bloggers whom I like and respect, and who have something to say. It will run each weekday from March 21-28. I posed to each of the interviewees the same 13 questions and requested that they answer at least 10 of them; I told them that their answers could be as short or long as they wished.
When I first moved move to Denver, I started emailing several bloggers in the hopes of somehow making a new friend or two with similar interests to my own. While several did not respond Desire’ was the one who did. Since then, Des and I have become fast friends. Her kind spirit and killer fashion sense make her a perfect friend for anyone interested in spreading her good vibes, and her husband and Ray get along incredibly well, too. Beyond being a generally awesome human being, Des and her very close friend Jolene write an unreal lifestyle blog together called Darling Be Daring – their “attempt at a colorful lifestyle” where they essentially take us along on their journeys to experience the amazing gifts life has to offer. Below, Des shares some insiders tips that will keep the creativity flowing. Enjoy!
What goal did you set out to achieve when you started blogging? Has it changed?
I started blogging with the intention to have a creative outlet, and to connect with people I typically wouldn’t have the opportunity to meet. It was a time of my life where in my job I wasn’t able to write creatively or even have the time to meet new people so I started blogging in hopes that it would fill those voids in my life. I still 100% still view blogging as an amazing creative outlet and it has led me to meet some of my favorite people- BUT it’s so much more than I ever thought it was going to be. It’s better and harder, but wouldn’t change decision of starting in a million years.
What’s the biggest – and, in retrospect, most important – mistake you’ve made and how did you grow from it?
The biggest mistake I made was starting with the mentality that I need to post ALL the time. When you first start there is such a learning curve- don’t get me wrong I am still learning EVERYDAY but at the beginning you really are a baby. And I started to do quantity over quality. I am so glad I made that mistake though because now I have such a higher standard for the quality of every single post.
What’s the most significant thing you do each week, and why is it so significant?
The most significant thing I do every week is probably a few things- I think planning out my week is what keeps me sane and also reading other great blogs is very important too. Planning your week keeps your head on straight and keeps you from either NOT posting or posting crap. And every single Monday I start my week by one writing down and scheduling all posts and Instagrams and secondly catching up on all my favorite bloggers. I think connecting and being inspired by people that do what you do keeps you accountable to put out good content and it adds to YOUR ideas.
If you had to define the most important aspect of blogging successfully, what would it be and why?
There are so many important aspects of blogging but I think what I am learning is the most important is BEING YOURSELF. Because that is the only thing that no other blogger can offer.
Do you prefer posting on your blog, Instagram, Twitter, SnapChat, or any other account, and why?
Blog and Instagram for SURE. Blog is my favorite because I love the writing part, and getting more than a caption to explain a post. But Instagram is a close second. I love working on the vibe and look… I mean scrolling through pretty pictures is just fun.
Most memorable meal? Where, what, and why?
This week I had nachos with my sister. It was cheap and good- basically I will ALWAYS answer this question with whenever my last cheat meal was, haha.
What’s one thing that you haven’t done yet that you would most like to do?
This is VERY random I know, but I would love to plan a trip for my husband. He always makes our travel plans because he really good at it, but one day I want to plan a whole trip and he just gets to relax and be surprised.
How do you typically plan your posts each week, and how far in advance?
I typically do photos a week in advance, or at least like to- but sometimes it’s the day of or before. I think the key is to try and plan in advance the MAJORITY of the time, so typically I try and shoot the week before and the sit down Sunday or Monday and lay it all out for posting when and how for that week. But I mean part of the plus of being a blogger is your schedule- so I try not to freak out if I am shooting and posting in the same day because things get busy!
What are some of your favorite blogs to follow for inspiration?
Ahh, I have so many, but a few; Cara Loren, Glitter Guide, Sazan Hendrix, PaleOMg, Hello Fashion Blog, Design Love Fest….list could go on for days, but these are some of my faves.
Keenest insight (so far) from your life and/or blogging career?
Just compete with yourself.
Tomorrow: Kathleen from “Tiny House Tiny Footprint”
