What blog do you write?

I write for Christian Music Fan. I’ve grown up in the church all my life so there’s an obvious connection to Christian music. I’ve also spent some time living in Nashville and Franklin, TN so I’ve got some contacts in the industry as well.

How long have you been blogging?

I’ve been blogging now for about 3 years seriously. It’s been a terrific ride but there’s been a lot to learn and some discipline to be developed.

What do you like best about blogging?

I love the conversation and freedom to just share what you’re thinking with people. It’s great if people read and respond to what you share to both challenge and confirm your own assumptions, but even if nobody read the process is very cathartic for me.

Describe yourself in 5 words.

detailed, procedural, humorous, demure, determined

What is the last song that you heard that made you say ‘Wow!’?

Whoa! Good question. For me it would probably be “A New Law” by Derek Webb from his Mockingbird album.

What album is currently taking over your rotation?

I’m not sure if there’s a single album. I’ve been taking advantage of grabbing free music downloads from a variety of sites lately so my playlist is usually a compilation of all those songs and that’s what I’m listening to actively now.

What advice would you give someone who is just starting out as a blogger?

How ever much time you think you’re going to devote to writing, plan on investing twice that much on just reading and absorbing everything you can find about your topic niche.

Favorite quote?

Today is the tomorrow we worried about yesterday. I’ve come a long way in my outlook on hurdles and challenges that come along your way through life. You can either freak out over them and get stuck mired down in the emotion of it, or just hit it head on and realize that for the most part our lives are easy compared to lots of other people around us that are working through much harder challenges in their life. Just be thankful and understand you are blessed.

Post from: Toronto Unplugged

(She Plays Music)

BLOGGER: Deborah Ng

What blog(s) do you write?

I blog She Plays Music. I also maintain about ten other blogs.

How long have you been blogging?

I started my flagship blog, Freelance Writing Jobs, three years ago. I’ve been blogging on a full time professional basis for a little over a year now.

What do you like best about blogging?

It’s a toss up between freedom and community – I love the freedom I have to say what I want. I worked in publishing for a long time and there’s not as much freedom there. Even when I was writing on a freelance basis someone was always editing my words and changing my voice. With blogging my voice is apparent and I can convey the tone I wish without getting red penciled.

Plus being able to network with such a wonderful and diverse community makes the job a real pleasure.

Describe yourself in 5 words.

Addicted to my computer keyboard.

What is the last song that you heard that made you say ‘Wow!’?

The last song that truly blew me away was Amy Winehouse’s “Rehab”. It was before she was in the news all the time and I heard it in my car and just said “woa..this is awesome.” Then I listened for the rest of the day to find out who was singing it so I could download the song.

What album is currently taking over your rotation?

As I type this I’m listening to Audioslave’s “Revelations”.

What advice would you give someone who is just starting out as a blogger?

Don’t expect to be an overnight success. It takes time and patience to build up a blog and get the traffic rolling. Too many bloggers expect it to happen overnight and that’s very rare. And have fun….blogging should always be fun.

Favorite quote?

“Music is what feelings sound like.” I don’t know who said it, but it’s so true.

Post from: Toronto Unplugged

What blog do you write?
Oz Music Scene

How long have you been blogging?
Professionally it’s been about six months now. But I’ve kept a personal blog for roughly seven years, so it feels like a natural progression.

What do you like best about blogging?
I’m a bit of a control freak, so it’s really great to write about the things I want to write about, and the way I want to write them. I also love hearing from my readers, and meeting new people because of it.

Describe yourself in 5 words.
Passionate, domestic, honest, creative, optimistic

What is the last song that you heard that made you say ‘Wow!’?
“How Far We’ve Come” by Matchbox Twenty. I’ve been a Matchbox fan forever, and to have them come back with such a strong single thrilled me. It’s just so unbelievably catchy and so much fun.

What album is currently taking over your rotation?
Live at Lizotte’s. It’s a compilation of live recordings from one of my favourite Australian venues. It features some classic Aussie tracks stripped back and acoustic, which gives you a deeper appreciation of these iconic songs.

What blogging tactics have you found to be most beneficial for generating traffic?
Posting regularly and at least once a day is the only way to do it – no one is going to keep visiting your blog if there’s nothing new to see. I also think it’s important as a music blogger to see live concerts and listen to new music so you’ve always got something to write about.

What advice would you give someone who is just starting out as a blogger?
Blog about a topic you’re passionate about, and the rest will come naturally.

Favorite quote?
Great things are not accomplished by those who yield to trends and fads and popular opinion – Jack Kerouac

Post from: Toronto Unplugged