Currently In The Works...

As silly as it sounds, I've been hard at work on a little blogger e-course since March. The subject: PR for bloggers and small online businesses. The idea first came to be when Mike and I were driving in the car way back when. Like some random bolt of lightning it just dawned on us. I'm not sure how the conversation started... maybe something like me expressing my distaste for the blatant lack of professionalism on both sides of the fence when it came to partnering up with other brands/bloggers. Either way, we started snowballing ideas. Days passed, weeks passed, and then months. I was so overwhelmed by how much information there was and how I was going to manage to localize it to one place. Six months later and it's still not finished, but it's well on it's way! 


I've searched high and low for an ecourse/ebook like this and I simply haven't found one. Darren Rowse (ProBlogger) came out with one called Guide to Blogging about your Business as well as one called Guide to Online Marketing (each of those links actually gets you 50% off the prices). I'm almost always into Darren's stuff but these were just too expensive for me (they're regularly $100!). I haven't read them and instead I've decided to write my own. 


Blogging can be a tough game. Especially if you're into a niche market like fashion, tech or travel. That kind of spending can add up fast! There are a ton of blogs who are successful on little cash, and that's awesome! Most of us have to shell out money for an awesome layout, sponsorships, business cards, etc etc. We don't have $50+ to throw into an ebook. 


My Blogging PR ebook will be designed with multiple niches of online personalities in mind. Maybe you're a fashion blogger, craft blogger or an Etsian, whatever! I hope I can share some bits about how to successfully manage your blog while exceeding your growth potential!


Topics will include things as important as sponsorships (offering them and buying them), understanding your traffic and stats, blog/brand branding, how to handle "haters" or hate mail, how to attract readers (and more importantly: how to keep them!), honest and unbiased reviews, how to politely decline/turn someone away for sponsorship/review/etc, ways to promote yourself without being "spammy", working with/contacting brands, and professional etiquette just to name a few! 


Blogging takes a lot of time and effort. It's not for the faint of heart. If you're investing a lot of time and money into your blog then you hope to reap some sort of reward/benefit, right? Hopefully my PR ebook will help! I'm not some professional, know-it-all, expert or anything but I'd like to think that my knowledge of said pieces has increased ten-fold since I started blogging seriously a handful of years ago! 


The ebook will also feature a much more extended (and refined!) version of the DOs and DONTs of Blogging! It'll be a labor of love but I can't wait to share it with you! 


Is this an ebook that you would be interested in? What topics would you love to see covered?



(Above picture via Tumblr... and totally unrelated)



ETA: Since there's already been a buzz about affordability/pricing, the ebook will be priced absolutely no higher than $25 USD! Depending on the range I'm able to achieve with the ebook, it will absolutely be priced accordingly! Thank you for all of the support thus far! Obviously blogging wouldn't be quite as fun without you! &heart;s

Post Title

→

Currently In The Works...

Post URL

→

https://charlotte-lifesaboutthejourney.blogspot.com/2011/09/currently-in-works.html

Visit Charlotte Lifes About The Journey for Daily Updated Wedding Dresses Collection

Blogging Tut: Streamlining Photo Size

Blog design and aesthetics are a kind of a big deal to me. I'm a stickler for having all of my pictures being the same width because it creates an orderly, streamlined feel. Now, go back a year and a half or more and you'll see photos of all widths. I'm still embarrassed by this. I was in school for graphic design for goodness sake! (I'm still tempted to go edit them manually and fix it!) Okay, so aside from "How do I get more readers/followers?" question, the one I get most often is "How do I make all of my photos the same width?" I guess I scared people into insecurity with my Blogging DO's and DONT's post! That wasn't my intention, but if you've noticed you don't really like the look, I'm happy to help! It's undeniable that an audience likes big, full pictures. So let's give it to them! I promise it's a painless, super easy fix and you don't need to be a graphic design/coding pro to figure it out. Just follow these short and simple steps and you, too, will have a fabulously streamlined content area! It can also help boost your traffic and Google rank! *This tutorial is for those of you who don't want to Photoshop all of your pictures to the exact dimensions! I hate doing that and like keeping the original file so that's why I created this! xo




this is what you don't want it to look like!


First up, we need to determine what pixel area we're working with in our content area. The content area is the space where your blog entries show up. Generally to the side of, or in between your side panels. If you have a Mac, you can do a Shift+Apple+4 and "measure" the pixel width of this area to get a general idea. I'm working with a 490px content area. I know this by going to Dashboard --> Design --> Edit HTML and searching for "#main-wrapper" and it should tell you the pixel amount. (If your layout doesn't have this CSS in it, leave a comment below and I'll be happy to measure your layout for you! Just be sure to check back to see the answer and measurement!) You can also skip the measurement all together and just play around with a width number in your Blogger update. (For example, start with width=400 and if it's too skinny, go 450. if it's too wide, go 375. Play with it until you get a width that you think looks attractive!)



it should look something like this


Now that you know that, we can move on! I don't suggest hosting your photos with Blogger. AKA Don't start writing your entry and then use the little landscape button up there in the text editor to upload a photo. Why do I say this? Blogger compresses your photos and makes them grainy. Blogger also chooses preset sizes for "Small/Medium/Large" You can edit them, but they will be grainy. 


I suggest using a third party host such as Photobucket to host your files. (I know many will disagree with me, and even I did myself not long ago, but Photobucket is a great resource for someone who doesn't need a professional/ton amount of space and it's free. Even if you need unlimited bandwidth, it's like $2-$3 a month! Flickr is also a good alternative but unless you're a bit more familiar with coding, it can get a tad bit trickier!  There are several more steps involved with Flickr. (So for the sake of this tutorial, we're using Photobucket.com!) You can use any hosting site that gives you a direct link! For example, ImageShack, TinyPic, etc!


Now upload your photos! When you hover over the picture you want to select, the Direct Link will be copyable. Copy it and head over to your "New Post" page on Blogger.





Write up your post as normal and then find the places you want to place the pictures. Copy and paste this code below to put in *each* spot for the photo! ** Be sure to change the "490" number to the size of YOUR content area! If you want to give it a little padding, reduce it by 5 pixels and center the image! Be sure to delete the asteriks before using! **


<*img src="Direct Link URL Here" width="490" alt="Description of Photo"*>


* The ALT tag sends this message to Google/search engines when people are looking for something specific. If I tagged mine "Kaelah Bee Honeybee Outfit" then my photos would show up when someone Googled "Kaelah Bee". If you blog a rad recipe then add that description! You've got new readers just waiting to find you! The alt tag is completely optional!


* The reason we use "width" tag and not a "height" one or both is because your browser will automatically resize your image proportionally to fit the area and since we're more concerned with them lining up width-wise, that is all we take into consideration!


If you follow these short handy tips then your layout is for sure going to look like a million bucks!


A Few More Photo Tips...
* When editing your photos, make sure the file size is 72 dpi and not 300! This will help with layout loading time! 


*Change up the composition by putting two photos side by side in the space of one! This helps break up the monotony of really big pictures! 


*If you'd like to make your photo a clickable link (for a click-through source) then use this code below: (just remember to remove those pesky asteriks!)


<*a href="URL to Page/Source Here"><*img src="Direct Link URL Here" width="490" alt="Description of Photo"*><*/a>


Overall you should just use your blog to expand your knowledge of everything! Don't feel resigned to having something on your layout that you don't like. It should be an inspiring place that you love to contribute to, and it should be an aesthetically pleasing place for your readers to encourage them to stay a little while. If you don't know how to do something, Google it! I'm graduated with a BFA and I still have to Google certain things!


PS: I really wasn't sure how "easy" to make this so if you have questions, please chime in in the comments below! I'll be happy to try and answer those! Just be sure to check back every so often! Happy Blogging! 

Post Title

→

Blogging Tut: Streamlining Photo Size

Post URL

→

https://charlotte-lifesaboutthejourney.blogspot.com/2011/05/blogging-tut-streamlining-photo-size.html

Visit Charlotte Lifes About The Journey for Daily Updated Wedding Dresses Collection

Battling Blogger's Block

So I sat here for a little while staring at my computer (much like the guy up there!) and my blog book thinking "What am I going to possibly write about today? What on Earth could I say?" because truth be known: I don't have anything to say really. Nothing profound or exciting, nothing that seems interesting. Then I realized that we all face this... what to post and what not to post for fear that our words would fall upon deaf ears. "What if they don't get it the way I intended it?" I think these fears permeate the very core of every blogger at some point or another. Today's issue just seems to be that I don't know what to talk about. So here I am, rambling about not knowing what to say. Blogging about blogger's block! Ironic, much?

Last night's speech by President Obama was profound. I hope that all of the families affected by 9/11 can find some closure. Many thanks all around to our troops who are doing spectacular work! They get stuff done! Would you laugh at me if I told you that I spent most of the morning reblogging pictures of Obama riding a unicorn with rainbows shooting from his palms? It's true. I did.

To try and combat the blogger's block today I opted to work on some fascinators for the shop update later this week. I went out and bought some gorgeous lace this weekend and so I used a champagne lace for this one. No tulle underlining but just simply lace. I like it. It's very dainty and sweet (in my opinion). I also have white, antique white, brown and black to play with!




Anyway- back to my original point: I have a whole list of To-Do's and potential blog topics to write about in my little book (it's color coded, by the way! Organization FTW!), but I just can't seem to find something that fits into my schedule today or they simply just don't sound good enough right now. I have several DIYs to do, organizing through the house, and company to get ready for... do you ever feel like blogging has to take a backseat? (It definitely should, of course! Life is much more important!) But my point is to ask you this question: How do you combat blogger's block?

Any fool proof tricks and tips you've picked up along your way? I've asked you all what you wanted to see on the 'bee, and I loved your responses! All of them are on my list, but if you didn't get a chance to chime in before, What would you like to see on the 'bee?

I could really use your tips today! ;)

Post Title

→

Battling Blogger's Block

Post URL

→

https://charlotte-lifesaboutthejourney.blogspot.com/2011/05/battling-blogger-block.html

Visit Charlotte Lifes About The Journey for Daily Updated Wedding Dresses Collection

The DOs and DON'Ts of Blogging!

One of the most frequently asked questions I get is "How do I get more readers to my blog?" or some sort of variation. While I don't believe there is a fool-proof way to go about it, I think there are certain things you can do to keep you on track of having a successful blog. (Plus, even if there were a fool-proof method, I wouldn't feel worthy enough to preach it.) I think one of the biggest hangups of the term "successful blog" is that people tend to judge success by the amount of followers one has. That's obviously not a direct measure of a blog's (or bloggers) worth! I don't believe success should be measured by followers, sponsors, or free products... instead it should be measured by the amount of happiness it brings to the person writing, the quality of the content, and the conversations between the audience.

Still, it can be hard to find the motivation to blog when you've only got 4 or 5 followers. I know this because I was definitely there. Heck, even with the amount of amazing readers I have now I still find it hard to motivate myself sometimes (like right now).

While there may be certain things you can do to ensure that you make the most of your slice of the blogosphere, things like this are always open to criticism and argument. What I'll share below is simply what works for me. The next blogger may have a totally different approach to how they do things.



♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥


Here are some tips and tricks that I've used (and still do!) to help keep my blog running smoothly. Maybe some will work for you, too! Here are my DOs and DONTs! (Seriously... keep in mind this is purely my opinion!)

DON'T let the lack of readers hinder you from creating great content. For the first six months that I had Little Chief Honeybee I was writing to the same 10 or 15 people. 95% of my posts received 0 comments. (You can go look for yourself!) Still, I stayed consistent and I put forth that effort and eventually the readers came.

DO be consistent and sincere. These are two very different things, obviously, but they're both important. Being consistent allows readers to stay engaged to your blog. When bloggers go weeks or months without posts we tend to forget about them and we're not so likely to check back. The best way I found to keep my blogging consistent was to set a blogging schedule. Every Monday I'd blog about music, every Wednesday would be weddings, every Thursday would be a list of things that I love that week, etc. This helped me when I was feeling less than inspired and it also let my readers know what to expect on certain days. If someone loved music they could come by on Mondays and they knew they'd find some tunes. When I speak about being sincere I mean being honest, open, and, to a certain extent, vulnerable. People like to relate to other people. They like to see into the lives of other people in the world and they like to know they're not alone. By being honest and real you're sharing part of yourself that these strangers may never see. Blogging about things that make you feel vulnerable helps show that you're a human. You're not a super-blogging-robot who does everything on an auto-function. You have emotions, you break down, you celebrate, you cry and you aren't invincible. You'll be surprised at how many others can relate to you and help you in your time of need. Plus, people can smell a fake blog from a mile away.

While we're on the topic of being genuine vs. fake... DO Blog about what inspires you. Don't blog simply to appeal to the masses. If you're not a girl who loves whimsical pictures, fashion and romance, don't blog about it! If you love metal, live music or certain animals, share those! You may not be an overnight success and you may not garner the amount of attention that someone who blogs only bows and cupcakes does, but your readers will be genuine! They will be there for you and the content. If you're constantly blogging about things that don't inspire you and keep you interested then your lack of enthusiasm will show through your work. If you blog something and your readers just "don't get it" don't worry about it! Make sure your blog is FOR YOU.


DON'T get into blogging to make money, get famous, get free stuff, or get invited to places. Those who get into blogging solely for those reasons are destined to fail. Readers will see right through your persona and realize that you're just in it for the "stuff." Don't rush into accepting sponsors! I didn't even think about accepting sponsors until I had well over 500 or so followers. Even then I was so afraid! Who am I to ask people to pay me to put their button on my blog?! I still feel that way! When you start to put a price on your blog you're also turning it into a business. It's no longer a "I'll just blog when I feel like it" or "I'm just going to stop" sort of thing. It's a "I'm promoting a business and I'm getting paid to do this, so I need to do it." That's not to say you can't have a day off. I take days off all the time. If I just don't feel like doing it, I won't. But unless something big happens I never go 2 days without blogging.


♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥


DO treat your readers and sponsors with the utmost respect. They are the ones who come back day after day and they are the ones who invest their time and money into you and your creative endeavors. Don't write them off or treat them poorly! Show your gratitude with an awesome giveaway now and then or a special treat!

DO source your pictures and content and always link back to other blogs if you get an idea or inspiration from them! Don't worry, your readers will not leave you simply because you linked to someone else! On the contrary, they'll probably love you for it and they'll think you're awesome for sharing another awesome blog with them! If you don't know the original source for your pictures, etc, be open to someone sharing it with you! Then link appropriately!

DON'T overload your blog with ads, giveaways, reviews, and unnecessary mumbo-jumbo! While they're great for treats and to help get your voice out there, they're not the best quality content.

DO network! Get your name out there in ways such as networking, saying hello or emailing your favorite bloggers, asking someone you admire for an interview, trading buttons with someone with a similar readership as you and even taking out sponsorships on larger blogs that have a following you wish to have! Don't be afraid to branch out to other "genres" of blogs... crafting, recipe/food, fashion, mom blogs, etc!



♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥


DON'T feel like you have to be a fashion blog to be successful! I don't think I could ever run a full-fashion blog. I like sharing too much to limit it to just that, so Little Chief Honeybee is a lifestyle blog. My lifestyle just so happens to include outfit posts a few times a week! Don't feel like you have to limit yourself to just one area to gain followers. Also- Don't feel like you have to be a size 2 to rock some outfit posts! You don't need designer outfits, skinny jeans or platinum blonde hair to get noticed! Show your personality and your personal style!

DO find something that makes you unique and run with it! Whatever it may be... maybe you live in a really cool town/state/country... maybe you have crazy colored hair on the daily... maybe you wear only the color green... Whatever it is, play it up!

DON'T feed the trolls! You will get haters.. You will. It's the simple (and sad) truth of blogging. It may take them a while to find you, but you'll tick someone off for no reason whatsoever and they'll set out on a mission to tear down everything you've worked so hard to build up. Don't let them! If you receive a negative, rude, malicious or just unnecessary comment on your blog, you have three choices: 1) delete it and go about your business. 2) leave it and let the tension build with other commenters (I've realized that this is never a good thing. While it's nice to know my followers are willing to stick up for me, it's no one's battle but my own.) or 3) You can feed right into their trap with a reply/blog entry/etc. This is something I've also learned firsthand is never a good thing. Don't let a "hater" control how you feel about yourself or your blog! They will look for any way to weasel into your confidence whether it's telling you look bad, have crap writings or that your blog sucks... don't listen to them. Anyone willing to waste their time bringing down others isn't someone you want to please with your blog anyway. Easier said than done, I know, but establish a protocol for how you handle mean comments and stick to it!




♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥


DO get business cards with your blog link on them! Don't be ashamed of your writings or blog! It's still so hard for me to share my blog with people I know in "real life" but they find it eventually and it's fun to get emails from people I know who say they've been reading for months. Don't be afraid to share it with people you meet! It's a great way to keep in contact and yes, "blogger" is an acceptable job title!

DO be engaging with your readers! Ask questions and be sure to follow up to comments left on your posts! I wish Blogger had a better way to reply to comments (C'mon Blogger! What's the deal?! Should we start a petition?!) but since there isn't, I tend to either respond in the comments or I find the commenters blog/twitter and reply that way. Every blogger handles it differently but it's important to not leave your readers hanging! Why would you want to talk to someone who just ignores you?!

DON'T spam other blogs with your link! Nothing is more infuriating than someone leaving a 2 word comment (if anything at all!) and then 3 long lines with their blog link and why everyone should go check them out. That's just a no-no in the blogosphere! If you leave a thoughtful and sincere comment, you should absolutely link back to yourself so the blogger can check you out! But don't spam every comment with a lot of nonsense about following you. Some bloggers have a comment policy on their blog so be sure to pay attention to this if they do! (I allow links in comments on my blog, but I only approve them if the person isn't solely fishing for followers). I'll say that it's totally okay to leave a short comment... absolutely! Just knowing you're out there reading is awesome... my point is to not let your link and request for followers overpower your statement. It's totally fine to say a short something and leave your link, but I think we can all decipher the difference in a sincere short comment and a "I'm just going to say 'cool post' so I can leave a 3 page long link and plea for you to come check me out" haha!

DO have great quality pictures! While not everyone can afford a luxury DLSR camera to take outfit/blog photos, you must realize that people will judge your blog based solely on the quality of the pictures! There have been many times I had to rely on my iPhone for blog photos and it's okay in small doses, but you can't base your entire blog off of that. There are plenty of quality point-and-shoot digital cameras available and as long as you photograph them on the highest quality with good lighting then you should be good to go!

DO pay attention to the aesthetics of your blog! Just like your pictures, people will judge you based on what your layout looks like! Don't choose colors that are too bold. Don't choose patterns that are too wild. Don't choose typefaces that are too hard to read. Do choose simple and calm color palettes. Do choose to make your look consistent. Do make sure all of your photos are the same width! (This is such a big one for me! I feel like if you use your content area to it's utmost potential then you're sure to see results! Nothing annoys me like pictures that aren't the same width in a blog post! Then again, I'm a bit anal about those things! Several website applications such as Picnik can be used to make the pictures a certain width!)

ETA: DON'T have auto-play music on your blog! This tip comes courtesy of Miss JLYoungsma and she's so so right! Just don't! That's the quickest way to ensure someone will leave faster than they arrived! If you're going to have a playlist on your blog, put it conveniently on the side and make sure the auto-play function is turned off! Nothing is worse than hearing someone else's music over your own!


♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥



While I could probably go on for days about things you should and shouldn't do, the truth is that it really all depends on who you are and what you decide is best for you and your blog! The only wrong way to blog is to not blog at all so I say dive in, get dirty and fall in love! Blogging has opened up so many doors for me and it's let me meet some of the most incredible people.. people that I call my best friends even! It's taken me all around the country and it's brought me an immeasurable amount of happiness. While it may feel like a full-time job (it really is!), I couldn't imagine my life without it!

With that being said, maybe you'd like to share some of your blogging DOs and DON'Ts in the comments below?! Even if you're not a blogger yourself, what are some things you love/hate about blogs? (You don't have to name names! In fact, you probably shouldn't, but please share!)



What tips would you give to new bloggers?


Also- leave your blog link along with your comment so I can visit! xo

Post Title

→

The DOs and DON'Ts of Blogging!

Post URL

→

https://charlotte-lifesaboutthejourney.blogspot.com/2011/02/dos-and-don-of-blogging.html

Visit Charlotte Lifes About The Journey for Daily Updated Wedding Dresses Collection

Two confessions

First confession -- My name is Ann Lee Gibson, and I am an imperfect and intermittent blogger. Work, family, life, sleep and fun all conspire to keep me from being a daily, weekly or even monthly blogger. It ain’t ever gonna happen, and I’ve now accepted it.

Second confession -- I wanted this blog to be only about law firm competitive intelligence, hence the blog title. However, sometimes I also want to talk or vent about other law firm marketing topics that are only peripherally related to law firm CI. Therefore, I’ve decided that from now on I will unleash myself here on any law firm marketing topic I find I’m obsessing about, that has raised my blood pressure, or that tickles my funny bone.

Live with it.

And now, on to the next post.

Post Title

→

Two confessions

Post URL

→

https://charlotte-lifesaboutthejourney.blogspot.com/2011/01/two-confessions.html

Visit Charlotte Lifes About The Journey for Daily Updated Wedding Dresses Collection

Fashion Blogs vs. Fatshion Blogs: The Line

While yesterday's little paragraph is still fresh on my mind thanks to some truly wonderful comments I received, I wanted to touch base on a few things and really get my opinion out there about something. What is with society's obsession with other people's weight?! It's one thing to self-obsess and worry about every calorie you consume, but to go do that about a total stranger is another entirely.


I marked the comment I received from "Anonymous" as spam because that's exactly what I saw it as. Spam. Spam from today's obsessive society trying to brainwash us all into thinking we're not good enough or that we need to be better, thinner, tanner, blonder. It's just not right. The real kicker to the anonymous comment was how it was worded. Anon wanted to seem like a concerned friend. For the sake of the post, I figure I might as well subject you to the ignorance as well:
"do you feel like you're gaining weight? i mean, wearing tights and dresses every day can be easy because tights and dresses are loose fitting so it accommodates weight gain. but looking at your photos from when you dated adam, you've gained at least 15 pounds, you are a lot heavier. maybe you should try and wear jeans more often, or go to the gym again! it seemed motivating for you before! wearing pants that make you feel a little uncomfortable can be a good reminder to not eat so much, just a friendly tip because i see your arms getting bigger too and you wouldn't want to stretch out your sick tatts!"
Truly ballsy, aren't they? Because if someone gains weight it automatically means that they eat too much. Or if they gain 5, 10, 15 pounds their entire body will be stricken with stretch marks. Because dresses means I can eat as much as I want and never have unbutton my pants. WHAT?! What is this garbage? I LOVE that they're telling me to wear something that makes me feel uncomfortable all the time so I'm constantly reminded of how much I weigh or what I look like! I also love that they try so hard to sound so sweet and sincere, when all they're trying to do is get a rude, malicious comment out there. "You're fat!" is all they're saying. Like I said yesterday, are you aware that I do indeed own a mirror? I see my pictures. In fact, I see the ones that are far less flattering than those posted… but I still post them. Why? Because I'm okay with me. I like me. I think I'm a rather cool gal. 


Am I healthy? You betcha! Am I intelligent? You know it! Am I educated? Sure am! Am I driven? Oh yeah! Am I a good person? I'd like to think so. Who cares if I'm fat or skinny or black or white or asian? I don't… so why do you?! Why are you so wrapped up in what I do with myself? I'm merely pixels on a screen to you…


Anyway - that's not the point of this post. The point of this post is to celebrate everything we are. Whether others see it as a good or bad thing. We are who we are and it's completely irrelevant if they approve. 


I had this conversation with Mike a few weeks ago how it bothered me that a normal girl, or chubby girl, or fat girl is automatically lumped into the "FATshion" bloggers category if she posts about her outfits. I wear normal clothes. I don't shop at Torrid or Lane Bryant or any plus-size specific chains, not that there is anything wrong with that in the slightest. (I do own those Faith 21 jeans from Forever 21 though and they are brilliant for $12!) I can walk into any department store and get dressed most of the time… so why are there people pressuring me to label myself as a Fatshion blogger (when I'm not even a fashion blogger to begin with)? Why do there have to be distinct lines? Last time I checked, the average American female was a size 14… I wear a 12 (not that it matters), but I still get bullied. No, I'm not tiny. I probably never will be. I've got hips for days and I could starve myself skinny but I'd probably never be smaller than an 8 because of how my body is made. I'm okay with it. You should be, too.


Do I read some fatshion blogs? Absolutely. Do I feel inspired by the way a 200 or 250 pound gal can dress herself and still be chic and stylish? You know it. Do I simultaneously feel inspired by the 115 pound 5'7" girl rocking her clothes? Of course! We don't have to limit ourselves or our inspirations from things that are exactly like us. I'd like to think a 100 pound girl could read my blog and still be inspired. Or the 250 pound girl. Asian, white, black, Latino, etc. Why is the weight card the only one that seems to be so prominent among blogs?! 


If you want to label yourself a plus size blogger or a fatshion blogger, by all means, go for it! But don't feel like you HAVE to simply because you wear something bigger than a 10 or a 12. That's nonsense. I've met so many wonderful girls through blogging and it's been the best experience. But you occasionally have those pig-headed folk who try to waltz in and make everyone else feel bad about themselves. Why? Why do you do it, anonymous? I bet someone made you feel bad about yourself at one point in your life. I bet they pointed out your big ears, lovehandles, freckles, or crooked eye… and for that, I'm truly sorry. I'm so sorry that someone could be so mean to you. But you also have to understand that rushing back out into the world to spew off the same ignorance to other strangers won't make you feel good about yourself. Instead, you're just going to feel lonely and sad and cruel.  Why aren't we spreading more love around the blogosphere?


If you think I'm fat, that's cool. You're totally entitled to that opinion. You are not, however, entitled to spout off that load of nonsense on my blog and to my readers. They're not here to be brought down by your bigotry. 


Someone in my Formspring asked about some plus sized bloggers the other day and I have a small list of ones that I follow. I also snagged some from thefatgirlsguide.com (Don't worry, you don't have to be a fat girl to be inspired by these wonderful ladies! Their blogs are full of fashion, food (how taboo!), events, and inspiration.) If you'd like to add any to the list, please leave them in a comment below!
• pluseyes.tumblr.com
• therotund.tumblr.com
• heyfatchick.tumblr.com
• http://thefatgirlsguide.com/
• messycarla.blogspot.com
• definatalie.tumblr.com
• curvesahead.tumblr.com
• fakefuckery.tumblr.com
• fuckyeahangryfatgrrrls.tumblr.com
• kitchenknivesandcherrybombs.tumblr.com
• ilovefat.tumblr.com
• fatgirlsguide.tumblr.com
• prettyhotandthick.tumblr.com
• riotsnotdiets.tumblr.com
• mohandasghandi.tumblr.com
• weighty.tumblr.com
• donewiththisshit.tumblr.com
• bbwprincess.tumblr.com
• genderbitch.tumblr.com
• thef-word.tumblr.com
• fiercefatties.tumblr.com


I think the important part of fashion blogging or just generally getting dressed is to be sure you're dressing for your body type. Yes, I wear dresses every single day, but that's because dresses flatter my smaller waist and my big ol' hips & booty. I don't get the same satisfaction out of high waisted skirts or shorts. While I definitely make my fashion mistakes (oh believe me, I do!), I like to think I have a general understanding of what is totally wrong for me (and thus I avoid it). You could be a size 4 and wear the wrong thing and end up looking like a size 12... just like you can be a size 16 and wear the perfect silhouette and look like a size 6. No one else knows what is on your tag! Dress in stuff that fits! Even the tiniest girls wear some of the tightest things and it just hugs them in all the wrong places! Don't be afraid to buy a size up simply because of the number on the tag! You'll end up looking 3 sizes smaller because it fits! Don't squeeze your butt into a size 11 if you need a 13! You'll look like you need a 15! 


With that being said, I want to thank all of you who were so kind and sweet in yesterday's post, but I also hope you realize that I'm not upset about the comment. I'm more upset about how blogging is turning some people into catty high schoolers and such. I don't let silly comments like that through (though I've only received 2 in the past few months, knock on wood) because I don't need an army of blog readers to defend me or tell me I'm not fat or whatever. I'm perfectly capable of letting things like that slide off of me because I know there is no merit in their words. My comment policy allows people to state their mind, but there is a line drawn when it's just meant to be malicious or hurtful toward me or anyone I feature. :) Hope I didn't talk your ears off, y'all! Bare those arms, ladies! Even if they jiggle! And always remember – You are 100% worthy of wonderful things in life and you are beautiful exactly the way you are!

Post Title

→

Fashion Blogs vs. Fatshion Blogs: The Line

Post URL

→

https://charlotte-lifesaboutthejourney.blogspot.com/2010/11/fashion-blogs-vs-fatshion-blogs-line.html

Visit Charlotte Lifes About The Journey for Daily Updated Wedding Dresses Collection

How To Deal with (and Thrive from!) Your Haters!

Okay, so I stumbled upon this amazing link via Gala Darling and I just found myself nodding my head with every single point made. I instantly knew I had to share this. I apologize for the blatant repost but all credit is given where credit is due and I think everyone should read this (especially if you are a blogger yourself!) Tim Ferriss educates us on how to deal with, learn from, and thrive via the haterade thrown your way from online anons and such! (source). The following excerpt is a direct reblog of a Mashable article. Please note that I was in no way involved with this interview.






Dealing with negativity online can be tough, which was why we were all ears when Tim Ferriss, author of The Four Hour Work Week, took the stage at The Next Web ‘10 event in Amsterdam to discuss how to learn to love haters.
While Mashable recently offered you advice on how to deal with negative feedback specifically in the social media realm, Ferriss takes the concept a step further with advice on how to contend with — and benefit from — criticism across all platforms.
We caught up with Ferriss backstage at the event to find out more about his seven principles for dealing with haters.
Read on for some interesting ideas and let us know which work for you — as well as your own strategies — in the comments below.


1. It doesn’t matter how many people don’t get it. What matters is how many people do.
“It’s critical in social media, as in life, to have a clear objective and not to lose sight of that,” Ferriss says. He argues that if your objective is to do the greatest good for the greatest number of people or to change the world in some small way (be it through a product or service), you only need to pick your first 1,000 fans — and carefully. “As long as you’re accomplishing your objectives, that 1,000 will lead to a cascading effect,” Ferriss explains. “The 10 million that don’t get it don’t matter.”


2. 10% of people will find a way to take anything personally. Expect it.
“People are least productive in reactive mode,” Ferriss states, before explaining that if you are expecting resistance and attackers, you can choose your response in advance, as opposed to reacting inappropriately. This, Ferriss says, will only multiply the problem. “Online I see people committing ’social media suicide’ all the time by one of two ways. Firstly by responding to all criticism, meaning you’re never going to find time to complete important milestones of your own, and by responding to things that don’t warrant a response.” This, says Ferriss, lends more credibility by driving traffic.


3. “Trying to get everyone to like you is a sign of mediocrity.” (Colin Powell)
“If you treat everyone the same and respond to everyone by apologizing or agreeing, you’re not going to be recognizing the best performers, and you’re not going to be improving the worst performers,” Ferriss says. “That guarantees you’ll get more behavior you don’t want and less you do.” That doesn’t mean never respond, Ferriss goes on to say, but be “tactical and strategic” when you do.


4. “If you are really effective at what you do, 95% of the things said about you will be negative.” (Scott Boras)
“This principle goes hand-in-hand with number two,” Ferriss says. “I actually keep this quote in my wallet because it is a reminder that the best people in almost any field are almost always the people who get the most criticism.” The bigger your impact, explains Ferriss (whose book is a New York Times, WSJ and BusinessWeek bestseller), and the larger the ambition and scale of your project, the more negativity you’ll encounter. Ferriss jokes he has haters “in about 35 languages.”


5. “If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid.” (Epictetus)
“Another way to phrase this is through a more recent quote from Elbert Hubbard,” Ferriss says. “‘To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.” Ferriss, who holds a Guinness World Record for the most consecutive tango spins, says he has learned to enjoy criticism over the years. Ferriss, using Roman philosophy to expand on his point, says: “Cato, who Seneca believed to be the perfect stoic, practiced this by wearing darker robes than was customary and by wearing no tunic. He expected to be ridiculed and he was, he did this to train himself to only be ashamed of those things that are truly worth being ashamed of. To do anything remotely interesting you need to train yourself to be effective at dealing with, responding to, even enjoying criticism… In fact, I would take the quote a step further and encourage people to actively pursue being thought foolish and stupid.”


6. “Living well is the best revenge.” (George Herbert)
“The best way to counter-attack a hater is to make it blatantly obvious that their attack has had no impact on you,” Ferriss advises. “That, and [show] how much fun you’re having!” Ferriss goes on to say that the best revenge is letting haters continue to live with their own resentment and anger, which most of the time has nothing to do with you in particular. “If a vessel contains acid and you pour some on an object, it’s still the vessel that sustains the most damage,” Ferriss says. “Don’t get angry, don’t get even — focus on living well and that will eat at them more than anything you can do.”


7. Keep calm and carry on.
The slogan “Keep Calm and Carry On” was originally produced by the British government during the Second World War as a propaganda message to comfort people in the face of Nazi invasion. Ferriss takes the message and applies it to today’s world. “Focus on impact, not approval. If you believe you can change the world, which I hope you do, do what you believe is right and expect resistance and expect attackers,” Ferriss concludes. “Keep calm and carry on!”
---




Do you agree with Tim's points? I have to say, I agreed with all of this prior, but I never knew how strongly I agreed with it, even after the anon fiasco earlier this week. This paints an entirely new picture and I hope you're just as inspired by his words as I was! You all made such wonderful points in the "Haters Gon' Hate" post and I think you were all right on target with Tim!


xoxo




PS; If you're visiting from Rebecca's blog, The Clothes Horse, welcome and please say hello! Feel free to introduce yourself or enter the giveaway! Or if you're feeling frisky, shoot me an email at kaelahbee@gmail.com! Thanks for stopping by!

Post Title

→

How To Deal with (and Thrive from!) Your Haters!

Post URL

→

https://charlotte-lifesaboutthejourney.blogspot.com/2010/07/how-to-deal-with-and-thrive-from-your.html

Visit Charlotte Lifes About The Journey for Daily Updated Wedding Dresses Collection

Time for a law firm CI blog?

For some time I've thought it's time we had a blog on competitive intelligence that serves the business development and growth needs of law firms.

I'm a likely candidate to blog on this topic, since I work in the area of law firm CI. But for years I've thought of myself as an unlikely blogger, with the usual objections:

1. I'm too busy (true)

2. I'm afraid I'll look foolish if I publish something I haven't fully thought through (will surely happen)

3. What if nobody cares (that would surely eliminate concern #2 above)

So how's about I just hang out here and don't tell anybody about this blog until I get the hang of it.

Sounds good. Let's go.

Post Title

→

Time for a law firm CI blog?

Post URL

→

https://charlotte-lifesaboutthejourney.blogspot.com/2008/08/time-for-law-firm-ci-blog.html

Visit Charlotte Lifes About The Journey for Daily Updated Wedding Dresses Collection