Inspirational Blogger Interview: Susannah Conway
I am very excited to announce a new series here on my blog ~ the Inspirational Blogger Interview.
Over the few years I have been reading and keeping my own blog there have been certain bloggers who have made a huge impact on me. Over the coming weeks I would like to share with you some of these inspirational people. It is quite apt that I start this series with Susannah Conway because Susannah’s blog was one of the very first I found. From day one it has been such a huge source of inspiration for me. I have mentioned Susannah before (most recently here) and I can never say enough about her! Without further ado I will hand you over to the very lovely Susannah…
Hi, thank you for agreeing to take part in my Inspirational Blogger interview! First of all, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got started on your creative journey?
I am a photographer and writer living in Bath, England. I lead self-awareness e-courses online and have just written two books, both of which will be coming out next year. I think my creative journey started the day I learned how to write—I’ve had a pencil and notebook in my hands ever since! I studied photography for three years at college and later completed a degree in journalism, working for a national newspaper before going freelance in 2003. In 2005 the man I loved died very suddenly and my life went off on a very different tangent through bereavement and eventually healing. I found my way back to myself through my cameras and journals.
How did you first find out about blogging and what made you decide to have a go?
I found my first blog at the start of 2006—it was linked from a website, I can’t remember which. After clicking around for a while I uncovered this incredibly creative world right there on my computer screen. I left a few comments and connected with a blogger in California who is now a close friend, and it was she who encouraged me to start my own blog… so I did. It’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
Has blogging had a positive affect on your creative success and the way you run your business?
Actually my business indirectly grew out of my blog. When I decided to turn the self-awareness class I’d been teaching locally into an online class I first announced it on my blog. After that first run word seemed to spread; I’ve now been leading Unravelling classes for over two years. The blog has always been an essential part of how I promote the course, but rather than blogging about Unravelling all the time (which would be boring and repetitive) I just blog the way I’ve always done. By being myself in social media (my blog, Twitter, Facebook etc) I act as an ambassador for my class and my style of teaching.
How has your blog developed since you began?
I started by writing about my journey through bereavement and how I was piecing myself back together, and what I write today is really just a continuation of the story. My blog remains a personal space where I can share my discoveries. I had a few guest posts while I was writing my book, and have the occasional interview too, but on the whole the blog is just about my outlook on life. That seems to work best—any time I’ve tried to do something different it hasn’t rung true.
What has been the best thing to come out of having your blog?
Goodness, where do I start?! Friendship, community, opportunity, clarity. A business that supports me. A book deal! Never in a million years would I have thought any of this was possible. I’m humbled by how much goodness has come out of something so devastating. I sometimes wish I could go back to the me of 2005 and tell her that she will survive the grief that’s ripped through her life.
Can you leave us with one piece of advice for anybody who is just starting out in the blogging world or who would like to improve their blog?
Enjoy it. There are a lot of blogs about blogging out there, with tips a plenty for how to find an audience, use SEO, utilise your stats, write a viral post blah blah blah. If I’d seen those blogs when I was just starting out I would have been completely overwhelmed! My best tip is to enjoy the space you’ve created online—share your passions and give us a peek into who you truly are. Write for yourself, first and foremost, and make friends with your camera—the combination of words and images is what makes a blog come to life.
BIO:
Susannah Conway is a photographer, writer and the creator of the Unravelling e-courses. A Polaroid addict and very proud aunt, her first book, This I Know: Notes on Unraveling the Heart (Globe Pequot Press), launches in June 2012. She’s also co-authored another book, Instant Love: How to Make Magic and Memories with Polaroids (Chronicle Books), coming out in spring 2012. You can read more about her shenanigans on her blog at SusannahConway.com and connect with her on Twitter.
I would just like to take this opportunity to thank Susannah again for taking time out of her very busy schedule and answering my questions.
I hope this post has inspired you to enjoy your blogging or perhaps start a blog if you haven’t already!
