Voices of 2013. Overnight success.

On Friday night I went to the Voices of 2013 party. It was wonderful to see so many bloggy friends again - I swear the friendship is the best thing about blogging. Everyone was so very lovely on Friday night - gosh it was good to see these ladies (and very few men) over champagnes and canapés. The ladies in the room were all so glamorous - it was fun to frock up!

(With Christina from Hair Romance and Andrea from Fox in Flats)

I was lucky enough to be a finalist in the personal and parenting blog category - with Naomi, Kate, Tricia and Kelly.

I was also lucky to be in the company of these wonderful winners (who were all so excited to win!):

House of Humble - overall winner

Whole Larder Love - best food blog

Smaggle - best style and beauty blog

House Of Humble - best creative blog

My Darling Lemon Thyme - people's choice

cake crumbs & beach sand and Cook Republic - sponsors' choice winners.

 

It was an absolute surprise to win another award. These past three weeks have been the biggest, most overwhelming ever. Just wow. Thank you to Kidspot for running this competition, and all the classes and parties. I've loved it.

I've been thinking about the work we do as bloggers, and how it's finally being recognised as real media. And there's as much work in blogging as in other occupations.

As bloggers, we are writers, editors, marketers, bookkeepers, taste testers, food stylists, photographers, fashion stylists, social media managers, comment moderators, researchers, pitchers, financial negotiators and digital strategists. Often this is done on top of our day jobs - or it is our day job. We put ourselves out there, inviting support and criticism.

The blogging world has changed - for the better I think. Of course, there always seems to be the issue of the moment (monetisation, sponsorship anyone?) but the community is thriving more than ever. Competitions like Voices give prominence to the lesser known bloggers - so many of the top 100 said how much Voices has boosted their profile and also connected them with the community - online and offline. When I was blogging back in the early 2000s, there was an online community only. This time around, the online blogging community has moved offline, and I am so grateful for that.

(With Heidi from Apples Under My Bed)

I also think that there is an expectation from newer bloggers and those that do not blog that blogging is a get rich quick scheme. I can tell you that I've made $750 on sponsored posts this year, plus around $100 on ads. This year I have written and published 186 posts and I've had the biggest stats ever. It took me just over three years to reach a million hits, and almost a year to clock up another half a million. And yet I've made a bigger splash away from my blog.

(Melbourne Carlys represent - with Smaggle)

I laugh when I see TV characters taking up blogging - Julie Rafter on Packed to the Rafters and most recently, Sonia from Neighbours come to mind. They are quick to become leaders in the blogging community and quick to get a newspaper column and paid opportunities. TV character bloggers are overnight successes. It just doesn't happen.

I've spent almost 1460 overnights blogging on this blog. This has been a particularly successful year for me - of which I am so proud, but it's certainly not been an overnight success. It's a huge amount of work - and with very little pay via this blog for me. I do it because I love it, to have a voice, and for the chance to build up a writing portfolio. I now write with the view to be published elsewhere - it does save time.

(With Nathalie from Easy Peasy Kids)

So what advice do I have for new bloggers? Be persistent, be authentic and consistently your best (you don't need to write every day but when you do, put your best out there), and get involved in the blogging communities. And write well.

I believe great blogging comes down to good, engaging writing. The bloggers who I consider to be good writers (or talented photographers) engage me the most. Good spelling, grammar, punctuation and vocabulary make for a blog worth me reading - and it can be within any genre. And I think, if you want to make a go out of being a blogger, write like you want to be published, employing good writing. A strong story is so important for me as a reader, but if it’s not written well, I feel like the strong story may have lost its impact.

There is no overnight success with blogging. It's a slow build, and monetarily, may be considered as slave labour. But stick at it and your blog's reach will grow. You will grow too, and it will be one of the best, most rewarding hobbies you've ever started.

(With Pip from Meet Me At Mikes)

 

I won a Yooralla Media Award!

On Tuesday and Wednesday of this week I was in Canberra for a very special event. My Mum was my guest. I was one of the winners of the Yooralla Media Awards. The awards were held at the National Press Club, and hosted by The Project's Charlie Pickering. The awards were attended by the shadow Disability Minister Jenny Macklin and Disability Commissioner Graeme Innes. Following the ceremony, Senator Mitch Fifield gave the National Press Club address.

I was a joint winner of the best online commentary for a body of work (I won the text category).

 

It was such an honour to win in the company of talented and socially conscious journalists from the ABC, SBS, Channel 7, Channel 10 and other publishers. I felt like a real journalist! And I made some great new friends there.

Graeme Innes reiterated one of the winners' comments that "disability reporting has moved from adversity to diversity". The winning entires showed honest, moving and inspirational reporting, yet never pitying or heroifying.

It's lovely finally being able to tell my editors - from Daily Life, Kidspot, Essential Baby, The Guardian and Mamamia - about this award. They've been so encouraging through my writing journey.

The support I've received from the judges, media colleagues, family and friends has been wonderful. I am overwhelmed with love right now. Thanks to everyone who has sent messages to me, especially those who do great work in the media.

It was a happy surprise when I met Debra Cerasa, CEO of MS Australia, and her colleague Lee at the awards. We sat in the airline lounge and I taught her some social media afterward. Debra wrote a great summary of the awards on the MS Australia blog.

It has been such a whirlwind week - a new romance, a new (temporary) day job and this award! Life's good!

Here is my acceptance speech:

Thank you for this award – and thanks to everyone who have helped me along the way – my editors, parents, friends, mentors in my day job, RMIT University, and to Yooralla and the judges. Graeme Innes has been reading and retweeting my blog posts recently and I’ve squealed in the same way as when I found out my idol Darren Hayes read my blog.

Also, thanks to the people who have said stupid things about the way I look - while there's ignorance and rudeness, I'm never without writing material.

I’m so proud to win this award today, especially among esteemed journalists. Almost all of articles I’ve had published this year have been republications from my blog. It's wonderful that blogging is recognised, valued and paid for by the maintream media. I can't believe I'm recognised as a real journalist today - my career goal since I was at primary school.

I believe there needs to be more people with disabilities telling their stories across all media - in online publishing, print media radio and TV. Telling our own stories educates, reduces stigma, pity, exploitation and sensationalism, and raises the level of expectation that society has about people with disabilities. It normalises difference.

My break in media started because of my blog. Online media has given me the chance to tell my own story in my own words – and has had a reach that I’ve never imagined. When a reader writes to me to tell me my story made them feel that they’re less alone and helped them to accept their or their child's visible difference or disability, I know I’ve done a great job.

For those of you in the room who want to break into the media to tell your story, or if you know of anyone with a disability who wants to, my biggest piece of advice would be to start a blog to get your voice out there.

Thank you.

Congratulations to all the winners. You can view their winning entries here.

 

Introducing Neil from Bushwalking Blog: a BUPA Health Influencer award winner

The winners of the BUPA Health Influencer blog awards are fantastic people, and I am proud to be in their company. I want to introduce you to them each week, and I encourage you to read their blogs. They've all made a positive difference in their communities and also in their own lives.

Today's post features Neil Fahey from Bushwalking Blog. Neil provides all sorts of tips about bushwalking. He won the Healthy Lifestyle category. I first met Neil at the BUPA blog awards but had chatted to him on Twitter before that. Aside from being happy he is a winner, I'm also happy he's making my friend Lori so very happy too :) Meet Neil!

"Bushwalking Blog started when I booked a hike on the Inca Trail in mid-2009, and realised I was completely unprepared. I started hiking regularly and found myself visiting some amazingly beautiful places, which I thought it would have been a shame not to keep a record of. It grew from there and now features everything from how-tos and trip reports, to news, outdoors photography, safety tips, and gear reviews.

My aim with Bushwalking Blog is to make hiking more accessible, and inspire others to get off the couch and enjoy the many benefits of a walk in nature. I do this by providing readers with helpful tips and advice but most importantly, I provide ideas for places to hike that can easily be found by location, length, or difficulty.

Writing is one of my favourite pastimes. I feel a certain satisfaction every time I hit the Publish button on a blog post. It's one of the things I need in my life in order to be happy.

Aside from that, blogging has enabled me to gain more exposure for my skills in writing, editing, social media, and web design and development, which has led to quite a bit of freelance work. I'm currently looking to get out of I.T. day-job and work full-time in the online communications field, and I believe blogging has ultimately provided me with the experience and skills to do so.

 

It's amazing just to be officially recognised for something that I've poured my heart and soul into for the last 5 years of my life. I'm hoping that it will help in building Bushwalking Blog's audience and, ultimately, lead to more people taking up hiking as a hobby.

I'm continually trying to grow Bushwalking Blog and expand its reach, so one thing I'm planning is to start increasing the frequency of my posts. I have a few other blog-related projects in the works, but I can't be specific about those just yet.

 

I've got a few tips for new bloggers. Firstly, make sure you're passionate about your chosen subject. Blogging is bloody hard work, so you'll tire of it in no time if you're not passionate. Secondly, if you're sure that you're up for the challenge, don't sit around thinking and planning - just go for it. Write interesting blog posts that people will connect with, let your personality shine through, and find an audience by connecting with potential readers via social media. You'll need to be patient and determined."

You can follow Neil:

Blog: Bushwalkingblog.com.au

Facebook: facebook.com/BushwalkingBlog

Twitter: twitter.com/BushwalkingBlog

 

Introducing Lee from Supercharged Food: a BUPA Health Influencer award winner.

The winners of the BUPA Health Influencer blog awards are fantastic people, and I am proud to be in their company. I want to introduce you to them each week, and I encourage you to read their blogs. They've all made a positive difference in their communities and also in their own lives.

My first featured blogger is Lee Holmes from Supercharged Food. She was the overall competition winner as well as winning the Healthy Eating category. I adore her blog header - beautiful graphic design - and I really want to make this blueberries and brown rice recipe. Meet Lee!

"Supercharged Food is a book and website which helps people make nutritious food choices; if you take a visit you'll find healthy recipes, a shopping list, meal planner, cooking tips and wellness information. I hope you come and take a look and try out some of the recipes!"

People visit Supercharged Food to discover new recipes which are nutritious and healing. They also can look through tips on how to get started and improve health from a cellular level. People can come and read in depth information about aspects of cooking and preparing healthy food such as juicing, dehydrating, what appliances and tools to use. There's a review section about many of the latest wellness products and a lot of people like to enter the monthly competitions to be in the running to win healthy prizes and nurturing gifts.

I see blogging as a creative outlet and to be able to inspire others is such a fantastic gift. It's fun to create new recipes and share them with others. I learn a lot from other bloggers too, and it's a wonderful network of people to be involved with, especially in the health and wellness arena. I've met so many inspiring people. Especially you Carly!

Bloggers aren't always immediately recognized for the work that they do so it's great to be able to be involved with BUPA who have created the awards to highlight and recognize the current influencers in the health space. Personally I was shocked to have won because there were so many blogs of a very high caliber not only my category but across all categories so it was very exciting to be selected as the overall winner and the winner of the healthy eating category.

My plans for my blog have always been to keep it real. I have an anti-strategy when it comes to my blog, because I work in marketing and social media and plan strategies all day long for other people I wanted my personal blog to be different. You won't find any behind the scenes publishing calendars or strategy documents :) I write when I feel like it and when I have content that I think will help either educate, inform or inspire others. I have a new recipe book for kids coming out next month and also another book called Eat Yourself Beautiful coming out at the end of the year through Murdoch books. It's all about anti-inflammatory foods and how to eat for certain auto-immune, digestive and inflammatory conditions. I'm also expanding my cooking classes and health coaching business.

My tips for new bloggers are: Be prepared for criticism. Write what you believe in. Network with other bloggers and mostly enjoy what you do."

You can follow Lee's work:

share: www.superchargedfood.com
like: www.facebook.com/superchargedfood
follow: www.twitter.com/LeeSupercharged
blog: supercharged1.wordpress.com
link: www.linkedin.com/in/leesupercharged
watch: www.youtube.com/leeholmes67

 

I won a BUPA Health Influencer blogging award!

"I know we're all supposed to be confident in our self-worth without looking for the approval of others, but to have someone else like you and think you're special is so super powerful it makes me shake."

~ Neil Kramer

 

On Friday I was awarded a BUPA Health Influencer blogging award. The category I won was 'Positive Life Change'. I am so excited about my win - especially to have won in the company of good friends (Sandra and Nathalie respectively won the Social Good and Family Time categories). The calibre of the finalists was high - and many of them are also friends of mine. These awards are an indicator that blogging is creating awareness around health issues and also building and strengthening communities. These awards show that people are taking notice of bloggers.

I'm so proud to be a winner. I've been blogging for almost four years and it is wonderful to be recognised as a health influencer - not only in the blogosphere but to my readers too. This hard work is paying off. (I got this awesome trophy and also an iPad!)

I thought a little about how I've made a positive life change. I can't remember being anything but positive. A friend told me she believes I have been blessed with an outgoing personality and boundless optimism, but I also think I have actively made choices to make the best out of a difficult situation - be it through study, employment, looking for opportunities, making myself known to those who can make a difference to the world and to me, and being very open about living with Ichthyosis. It is difficult to admit, but maybe my positivity and zest for life is a reason I have a slight tough love attitude. I take very few excuses, and I'm not a fan of wallowing. I think, if I can do it, others can too. Over the weekend I had to call roadside assistance to attend to a flat tyre. In five minutes, I had convinced the mechanic, very concerned and apologetic that I had a red face, that he's not to take pity on me. I told him it's through having Ichthyosis that I've been able to tell my story and make connections, and win the award on Friday. He saw that having a visible difference has not been something that has stopped me from living a very full life.

The more I blog, the more the blogosphere changes. And the more the blogosphere changes, the more I run my own race. I just want to be myself here, tell my own story, on my own terms. I may do the occassional sponsored post, but it has to align with my personal values, the way I live my life and overall blog content. I want my blog to be about developing a portfolio of writing for myself, and make a difference to my readers. And it is. I couldn't imagine its impact when I started writing here almost four years ago.

Just through telling my story, I've made a difference to so many people. This blog has helped many people with visible differences tell their story, accept and become more confident with their appearance, seek the help they need, and form a community. It's taught people about Ichthyosis - a very rare condition. Yesterday I got a message from a reader who is volunteering in Thailand. She said she saw a young girl who looked to have Ichthyosis. My reader showed this girl a picture of me on my blog using her iPad, saying "same, beautiful". Though the girl couldn't understand English, she looked knowingly and smiled - she's not alone with this condition. What a relief that must have been. My reader said that before reading here, she knew nothing about the condition.

The beautiful and courageous Carrie Bickmore (host of The Project) presented me with my award. Prior to the presentation, she gave a heartfelt talk that had the audience laughing and crying. Out of respect I'm not going to cover the points in her talk here, but I will say that I admire the way she's coped with adversity. She ended her talk with "Find the sunshine in every day, and be the best you can be". She's such a role model for me - she shows that success comes to those who work hard, and there's often so much going on behind the scenes - readers or an audience aren't always aware of that. Such a beautiful woman.

To be awarded the BUPA Health Influencer blogging award at the end of last week meant so much. It was certainly a big week - Bob Evans sums it up!

Each winner had to give a speech and I was a bit stuck for words - after Carrie's moving talk and also at the surprise of my win. I did manage to say that it is so good to be able to tell my story here on my own terms, because there's far more empathy in doing so.

Thank you BUPA, Matt and Mandy from Porter Novelli, the judges, you the reader, my medical team, and my friends and family for believing in me. That you think I'm special makes me beam.

You can read about the BUPA blog awards, including all of the finalists, here.

Congratulations to the category winners:

$120 Food Challenge (Social Good)

The Bushwalking Blog (Healthy Lifestyle)

Easy Peasy Kids (Family Time)

Super Charged Food (Healthy Eating) - Lee also took out the overall prize.

The Wellness Warrior (Personal Development/SelfCare)