"Human to human communication creates change": Blogging for social good at the AYAD Human Rights Forum.

On Tuesday 9 April, I was asked to speak at the AYAD human rights forum at Federation Square Melbourne as a part of National Youth Week. An AusAID initiative, AYAD is a program for young people from 18-30 to volunteer in developing countries. The forum was to inspire young people to use ther skills and passions to create global change. The audience comprised more than 230 passionate young people committed to making a difference to human rights. My fellow speakers - Jessie Taylor, Julie McKay, Brendan Rigby and Dan Ryan - were some of the smartest, influential and compassionate people I've met (and oh so tall).

(Jessie, Julie, Dan, Brendan, Me)

 

The speakers really were exceptional. Jessie Taylor is my age - she's a barrister, film maker, refugee advocate, speaker and foster mum to a 17 year old refugee. Brendan Rigby is an education specialist, volunteering in developing nations. Our MC, Dan Ryan was the 2012 UN Youth Ambassador, going on a national listening tour before presenting these issues he heard to the United Nations General Assembly in October 2012. Can you believe he's only 25?! And Julie McKay, age 29, is the UN Women Executive Director and 2013 ACT Young Australian of the Year. While I don't want to downplay my own achievements, before I met the four speakers and had only read their bios, I felt rather ill-equipped to speak about human rights. What do I have to do with human rights? Because I'm just a blogger. And blogging is a little narcisstic, right? When the others asked what I was speaking about, I honestly said "I know very little."

My silly nervousness soon dissipated when I spent some time laughing with my new friends, and listening to their stories. And I thought about how blogging is making a difference - both reaching out to communities and giving voice to those who may not previously have been heard. And while I think blogging is becoming very commercialised and brand oriented and less about the writing, and bloggers are criticised for being superficial, self indulgent and entitled, there are still so many bloggers who are brave enough to share their stories to make a genuine difference to others. And Julie Taylor said in her speech that so many of us are "human rights defenders" just by helping others. So I guess I am too, doing my small bit.

Julie spoke about her time with UN Women, mentioning two women she'd met through her work who made choices to better their lives and also lives of others on a global scale. She said "Never doubt what you can contribute and what you can achieve." She also spoke of the human lottery - how we can't help what situation we are born into.

Brendan Rigby talked a lot about how education has made such a difference to the life of one girl in Ghana - and through her determination and her teachers' beliefs in her, she accomplished more than was ever expected.

Jessie Taylor told the story of how her foster son came to be an asylum seeker. It was a harrowing tale (you can hear it here) and she reinforced that many of the asylum seekers have been through so much brutality that they'll do anything to escape to have a better life. Jessie said how important it is to inform people of the facts, especially around human rights issues that are feared, to help remove their prejudice. She ended her speech saying "Don't ever let anyone put fear into you. If you want to create change, do it and do it now."

After our speeches, we spoke on a panel on stage. We all agreed it is easier to make a difference in a little patch of the world using your own skills. Julie McKay said "offer whatever you can when volunteering" - while she doesn't feel like she could make a difference on the ground in third world countries, she is good at getting funding from organisations to help the work on the ground. We spoke about fear of the unknown and how once an issue is humanised, fear is allayed a little (Jessie mentioned her Mum not understanding the asylum seekers, but her mind was changed when she met Jessie's foster son for the first time). We talked about speaking up when you hear misinformation that creates fear. I spoke a little about "othering" and deviated a little from blogging and disability, citing some of the attitudes toward my Mum - "but you're not black, you're different to those other blacks". And I also answered a question about encountering negativity online, saying that sometimes I just have to step back from an issue because no amount of reasoning and education can make a positive difference.

It was fantastic to be a part of this forum - I made some new friends, learnt a lot about global issues and feel motivated to continue making positive change.

That quote in this post's title is from Jessie Taylor. "Human to human communication about humans creates change". And this is so true about blogging. We share stories so others others can learn, empathise and share theirs.

AYAD Human Rights Forum speech

I'm sure most of you here are social media users. You'll be nodding at my frustration when I tell you how tired I am of seeing disablist Facebook memes, homophobic and racist rants, and sexist photos on my social media feed. Just the other night, I got caught up ranting about the Logies and whether 'best new talent' is a good way to describe Joel Madden. There is so much slacktivism - like this picture if you care about this sick baby, turn your profile picture pink for breast cancer. The Internet can be a dangerous tool to spread misinformation, accusations and cyber bullying. And it’s easy to get caught up on social media, ranting about things that don’t really matter, like I did on Logies night. But the internet can foster communities, inform and change attitudes.

The rapid speed at which information is created and shared on the internet, and the reach of social media, means the internet is great vehicle for online activism and creating a positive change.

Digital Marketing Ramblings provides the following statistics for social media use in April 2013:

• 106 Billion monthly Facebook users, with an average of 159 friends.
• 500 Million total Twitter users
• 343 Million Google Plus users
• 170 Million total Tumblr users
• 1 Billion total YouTube uses with 4 Billion visits per day.

Digital Buzz Daily says that in one day, 2 Million blog posts are written, 294 Billion emails are sent, and more iPhones are sold than babies born.

It was estimated in 2011, there were more than 156 Million blogs worldwide, this figure has certainly increased.

Blogging is very cheap. It can be done from anywhere in the world, and from computers, tablets and mobile phones.

I believe blogging gives a voice to people who may not have previously had a voice, and may lead to mainstream media publication.

Blogging can offer support to those who may not feel supported in their real life. People with disabilities or in remote areas can connect with others across the world to form a sense of community and shared understanding. It creates strong friendships - one of my friends I met through blogging is here tonight.

My story

I am a blogger. And those two points I just mentioned apply to my experience. I have been blogging on and off since 2001, though been blogging on my current blog Tune Into Radio Carly since December 2009. It is this blog that has made the most difference to my audience and I.

I write about food, live music and Melbourne culture, social commentary and love, as well as working with causes such as Sam Johnson's Love Your Sister, Donate Life and Sunsmart.

I also write about what it's like to have a visibly different appearance - because I have a lifelong genetic skin condition called Ichthyosis. It means scaly red skin. I describe the medical and social challenges and triumphs of living with this condition. I use honesty and humour, and always try to put my best face forward online, because in the back of my mind, there's still fear that my image will be misused.

I show people that it's ok to look different. I encourage those who look different to feel proud, and those who judge difference to raise their expectations of people like me.

In 2010 I wrote a blog post which was later published on Victorian Government disability website Divine - it was about how blogging gives me the chance to tell my story without the sensationalism that the mainstream media gives to those with disabilities, chronic illnesses and visible differences. I won a Yooralla Media Award for best online commentary, and maintain the belief that blogging puts me in control of my own story today.

My audience varies. Some of my readers visit for the food pictures, others visit to read a band review. There are many readers who write to me telling me they have Ichthyosis and did not realise there was anyone else out there until they found my blog. Others are parents of children with the condition, and my blog (and successes in life) assures them that things will be ok for their children. And then there are people that write to me telling me I've taught them or their children about diversity, and even changed their mindsets. Just last week a teacher friend of mine wrote telling me she has used some of my blog posts in her grade 9 class. The posts she used were where I've explained situations of bullying and harassment because of my appearance. She told me that the class got a good perspective about what it's like to look different and that the class bully thought about his previous behaviour and asked for a print out of my posts to read at home.

Blogging has led to many opportunities - which of course in the online age, are globally reaching. This little media career of mine was something I'd dreamed of then studied for, but I'd never expected because of my appearance. I was a finalist in Sydney Writers Centre's Best Australian Blogs awards in 2011 and 2012 and also received a grant from the Layne Beachley Aim for the Stars Foundation to further my writing and speaking. I have been published on mainstream media websites such as Fairfax's Daily Life, Mamamia, News Limited's The Punch, ABC's Ramp Up and in Frankie Magazine. I have spoken on ABC Radio's Life Matters program about visible difference and the concept of Skin Hunger, on Triple J's Hack about love and disability as well as employment and disability, and am a regular cast member on Channel 31's No Limits. My Day Job is a communicator and events planner in the Australian Public Service. I've spoken to a range of public servants about being a responsible public servant and social media user. I've also been able to educate the genetics and dermatology teams at the Royal Melbourne Hospital (many are International doctors) about the social aspects of Ichythosis as well as how blogging has led to media career. And last year, a university program in England - the Centre for Appearance Research at the University of Western England - found my blog and asked me to review an online program for them which helped young people with visible differences develop confidence and coping strategies, and then invited me to speak at their academic conference called Appearance Matters. I went to England in June last year, speaking in front of around 50 academics and a few patients.

Other bloggers making a difference

Last year a number of Australian bloggers including Eden Riley were flown to Niger and then India by World Vision - and they reported on the living, education and employment conditions of people living in these third world countries. Their stories, videos and photos encouraged many of their readers to sponsor children or donate to World Vision. World Vision told me that over 50 sponsorships have been directly attributed to four blogging ambassadors who blogged from India last November.

Though not a blog, there is a Facebook page called This is what disability looks like. It features photos of disabled people doing every day things. It depicts real people from around the world living with disability.

My friend Gloria Malone has a blog called Teen Mom NYC - she highlights the social and financial issues teenage mothers experience. She is a 22 year old university student who gave birth to a child when she was 15. While Gloria is based in New York, her blog reaches out to andngives voices to teenage parents worldwide. She was recently published in the New York Times, and her article was shared across the world.

And I have friends in the USA who have created a blog called Confetti Skin – all about different forms and experiences of the condition I have - Ichthyosis. They cover personal, local and international issues about Ichthyosis, including most recently, their opinion on the media coverage of a Malawan baby born with the condition.

How you can make a difference

Start a blog about issues you're passionate about! It's free and the interfaces are intuitive. You can be a citizen journalist.

If you're on an aid trip, write your experiences and broadcast them to the world. Give other people a chance to tell their stories on your blog – interview them by video, share their art, music and stories.

Share that blog! Share it on your social media networks. Share your blog with your friends and organisations – the partner organisations here today - that can make a difference.

Read other blogs and comment on them, keeping the conversation going.

I challenge you to leave here and use the internet productively and responsibly. Think about the reach of social media. You never know who may be reading and how you may be helping someone.

You can use your skills, your path and your voice to make a difference through blogging and online activism. Blogging is often a powerful tool for the most unlikely people.

Thanks for having me at the AYAD human rights forum, and a special thanks to Jess from Austraining International for finding me and asking me to speak, and the great communications leading up to the forum. Also, in lieu of payment, a donation was made to Love Your Sister. View more photos from the forum here.

I'd love to keep the conversation going. Tell me of a blog you know that contributes to improving human rights? I'll share them on my social network platforms.

 

 

This skin, it's hungry.

you cling to me like a koala on my back,

warm and close,

arms encircling my paper bark trunk.

our limbs play, like intertwining branches,

tickling infinity,

delivering each other stars.

we doze, full of eucalyptus love,

concave like gum leaves,

i will store this memory

in deserted knots for the winter.

I wrote that poem many years ago, towards the end of a relationship. It was falling apart, but still, we clung together, him like a koala on my back - warm, close and sleepy. I knew we were coming to an end, and told myself those memories would be there when he wasn't. In the cold winter.

Storing the memory of touch for the winter. Like jars of bottled summer fruits, full of sunshine and bursts of flavour, mouthfuls transporting you back to the warm months. Only, now, I think I've run out. My bear suit is thinning. My jars of peaches are low in stock. And the tree's knots are almost deserted, ready to be nests for avian couplings.

The touch I encounter regularly is solo - a necessary oil-slick, and sometimes gloved and clinical, punctuated by medical terms such as erythrodermic and cellulitis.

I've shaken a lot of hands lately. Networking. But that's not satiating my skin hunger. I'm yearning for proper touch. And the irony of it all is I am surrounded by more people than ever, feeling loved and wanted, yet skin hunger is quite a lonely existence. It's empty and prickly and I wrap myself up in my blanket tighter each night.

A toddler on the tram clung to her bear, and I wondered when it stopped being ok for adults to carry around a toy, just to cling to something, to hold something close.

Touch is nurturing, regenerative. It's like the human equivalent of photosynthesis, allowing us to flourish. Sometimes standing out can black out the light, rendering a sense of the untouchable, consequently creating sensory deprivation. Without touch it's hard to flourish.

I try so hard to remember. It's two weeks or so since I've hugged someone hard. He gives the best bear hugs, and is generous with them too. It's getting harder when the space between touch grows longer. I imagine this how the princess felt, trying to feel the pea below the stack of mattresses. You can't bring out touch to evoke nostalgia. It's not like a smell or a meal to bring back a memory. Even your song isn't the same as the hug you gave me when you left. Nothing ever compensates.

With everyone I meet, I am bursting with the expectation of tactile possibilities. I hope and I hope, hanging awkwardly, unsure if I should initiate the first touch. This skin, it's hungry.

 

Gotye parody video wins FilmLife festival for organ donation

A parody of Gotye’s 2011 hit Somebody I Used To Know has won the 2013 FilmLife Awards - an annual short film festival that encourages young people to “discover, decide and discuss” organ and tissue donation.

The winning film Somebody That I'll Never Know produced by Brooke Huuskes was voted Best Film in a field of 18 films at a ceremony held in Sydney. Comprising high production values and a remarkable resemblance to the original, the short film has even received the blessing of Wally De Backer (AKA Gotye) himself.

Brooke, a 28-year-old Monash University PhD student remade the music video to encourage others to discuss their organ and tissue donation wishes with their loved ones. Brooke herself is an organ recipient, having received a kidney from her father– a living donor – in 2010. This experience inspired her to enter FilmLife, - an annual film making competition that encourages young filmmakers to use their creativity to change lives by making compelling short films on the tricky topic.

Brooke’s first-hand knowledge of the importance of organ donation and the overwhelming gratitude she feels towards her father inspired her to make the film. She says “whenever I think of what my Dad did for me I get teary-eyed”.

Brooke’s film is particularly timely; coming at the climax of a week where the Organ and Tissue Authority announced that official organ donor rates are at record levels in the first quarter of 2013.

 

BBQ, Beer and a Bloody Brilliant Idea was another of my favourites.


 

 

And these were too.

I think, as well as getting young budding filmmakers involved in the film making process, the content and distributions of films will get young audiences talking about organ donations.

You can see all the videos here. It was a great experience watching all the videos - some of the film makers were at the Footscray Community Arts Centre screening in Melbourne and some others, including Brooke, were in Sydney. We spent the night watching the videos and crossing between the cities for announcements. We had a very excited audience, definitely team Melbourne!

I was a judge in the FilmLife blogging competition - I can proudly announce that Peta Murray from The Groundswell Project, Matt Ross from Dad Down Under and I chose Alysha Hermann's One Life as the winner.


In deciding on a winner we were asked to consider whether a post inspired conversation about organ and tissue donation, whether it showed creativity, whether it was well written, whether it was presented creatively and whether it had any “x-factor” in capturing and using the theme in an unexpected way.

Alysha’s post scored high points against all criteria.

The all-important question mark in her title set the tone for a piece that engages directly with the reader in a complex and challenging conversation.

Alysha quickly draws us in to her musings about some of the mysteries that attend matters of life and death. Her use of repeated questioning holds the reader close, challenging us, asking us to delve into our own hearts and minds, and to travel in our imaginations to an uncomfortable place.

The piece adopted a poetic voice, mixed with a more conventional descriptive approach that demonstrated versatility and skill from the writer. Over three cleverly structured “acts”, each in a slightly different style, Alysha set out her case. We found her post beautifully written, and attractive on the page. Its compelling imagery and energy propelled us forward, and kept us involved to the end.

“Lives held suspended along the length of a siren’s light…”

Just one of many powerful moments, delivering us to a final message both clear and powerful, yet placing the onus very much upon the reader to make a choice.

Congratulations to all the entrants for their contributions. All of your posts asked questions of us, and all of them taught us something new or helped us think afresh about the topic of organ donation.

A reason I was a judge at the FilmLife festival was because my friend Camille received the call - she received a double lung transplant - and so she couldn't be a judge. It was her first night out - here we are with FilmLife judge Dr Sally Cockburn. Camille's presence certainly made FilmLife more poignant for me. She's living proof that organ donation saves lives, and we need to get more people talking and registering for organ donation.

For more information about the FilmLife Project, click here.

For information about organ donation, visit donatelife.gov.au

 

You. Who are you?

 

You are that man on the City Circle tram, my first reader that 'came out' in person, holding my arm so I didn't fall as the tram jerked around the corner, telling me you've been reading since you saw me on Business Chic.

You are the stranger on Facebook who told me you relate to my stories of Ichthyosis because you also have the condition, and had not spoken about it much until my article.

You are the stylish corporate who strutted across the tram tracks, telling me you love my blog as we passed each other in the peak hour crowd.

You are the colleague in the lift who made my other colleagues realise there's more to me than my day job.

You are the musician's manager, encouraging his support act to read my work.

You are the diner in the restaurant, telling me you'd hope you'd meet me there after seeing my pictures from the next room on Instagram.

You are the stranger my parents gave my card to - a Miss Australia Winner - emailing me out of the blue.

You are the senior manager who told me you've been reading my blog over the long weekend, and I should look to be published more widely.

You are the boy who teased me at school, reading and then apologising, and who would later become a lover.

You are one of my favourite singers, sharing my work as I've told the world about your perfect voice and lyrics.

You are the shopper in Borough Market who excitedly called my name with that broad Australian accent, making me forget I was in London for a minute.

You got to know me through my words, and now you're one of my very best friends. There's many of you.

You are my blog reader.

Thank you for doing and saying so.

♡


I was at an event the other night and someone I had just met asked me what I do. I'm a writer, I told them. "That's right", they said, "I've read your writing before". And the night continued with similar conversations. A fellow public servant told me she has used my writing as a resource in her department's diversity policy (a big compliment!). A young woman asked me for advice on becoming confident in despite of her chronic illness. And I don't want to seem arrogant, but I want to share this with you:

I met a teenager studying year 12. She told me she was "a big fan" of me after reading my article in Frankie. The level of excitement she showed upon meeting me was about the same as when I've met Darren Hayes. She was extremely excited! So cute! She told me she wanted to be a journalist when she finishes school. I encouraged her to start a blog.

Though these were brief meetings, I took some time to ask these people about themselves. I wanted to know about them. What brought them to the event? What are they hoping to do in their lives? Will they let me know about their journeys after the event?

I was saying, there's a strange power imbalance in being a blogger. People know a lot about me because of my online presence, and when I meet them, I know nothing about them. Often the meetings are so fleeting. They excitedly tell me they read my blog, I thank them, and most of the time they rush off when I'd really love to stop and chat. I want to get to know my readers.

I was also saying on twitter that I will never cease allowing anonymous commenters, because so often they leave the most golden, powerful comments. Writing a blog and enabling anonymous commenters seems to give people permission to share their personal stories. I love that. Thank you.

Blogging is like a one-way window. You see me, you know me, but I don't often know you. And I want to know who you are.

So tell me:

Who are you? What brings you to my blog? What are your dreams? Tell me a secret. How are you going to change the world?

Be anonymous or share your name. Tell me about you.

 

Blogging tips: So you wanna start a blog?!

(source)

I'm impressed by a man who is thinking about starting a blog at 2.26 am on a Saturday night, and writes to me asking for tips on how to blog! He's never had a blog before and is keen to get started, having written a number of potential draft posts before sending me that message. Clearly the thought of starting a blog in the middle of the night means my friend should start one, yeah? HELL YEAH!

Blogs are a great way of telling your story - they're immediate and easily updatable. And you can start one really quickly, should the thought stop you from sleeping at night.

So here are my tips for starting a blog.

Choose your platform.

There are a range of blogging platforms available - many are free. You can try Blogger, Wordpress, Tumblr, SquareSpace, TypePad, Drupal, Moveable Type, Weebly, MySpace, Bravenet or Live Journal, or do your own search for other options.

You can sign up for a blog account easily using your email address and adding a few details about yourself. You can blog with your name or semi-anonymously with a pseudonym (more about that in a future blogging tips post).

Blogging platforms are relatively simple to use - they're intuitive and you don't need to know HTML coding to create a blog and its posts. I have a basic knowledge of HTML from my eCommerce degree and do use it a little for links and tables, but only very occasionally.

I use Blogger (Blogspot) and find this really easy to use - I like the templates and commenting system (except the spam!) and it's easy to create posts and update them - see my pictorial instructions below. Blogger allows users to have a blog homepage plus tabs featuring other information such as 'About me', and 'Contact' pages, as well as side bars for links to other blogs (known as your blog roll) plugins such as Facebook page links and stat counters, and your blog post archives.

Before you add content to your blog (known as blog posts) make sure you've got your template ready. Think of a name and URL (web address) for your blog - make it something you want for the long haul. Add a picture in the header. Create your sidebar. Make sure the text will be readable - consider using Arial or Verdana - and use black (or dark) text on a light background. Put a disclaimer on it if necessary. Link to the blogs and websites you like. And you're set!

(You can also integrate a blog onto an existing website (or link to it from your existing site). I haven't done this before but you can pop over to Infinite 42 for some instructions.)

Blogger tutorial

1. Visit www.blogger.com and select 'Create blog'. This is when you create the blog's name and URL. I do believe you need a Google account but I think you can link your existing email address to the account (which is what I do) or set up a Gmail account. Follow the steps as you navigate each page.

2. Navigate your dashboard. From here you can create new posts, change the template, view and moderate comments, change privacy settings, and layout and view basic statistics.

3. Choose a template. Here you can choose the colours and background picture, fonts and layout.

4. Add sidebar features (head back to the dashboard to do this). You can add plugins and a blog roll as I mentioned above. You can also move elements around. It's best to do this on the computer rather than a tablet or phone.

5. Write a post! Click on the orange and white button or the pen button to write a new post. You can add pictures and hyperlinks, format text, embed video, preview on the web and schedule from this screen. You can also edit from the dashboard later.

Click publish! Aaand you're a blogger!

Writing tools.

I often write straight to Blogger, but this is probably not a good idea because I could lose my work (there is a backup function) or there's a risk of poor editing (but you can go back to edit posts after they're published). For new bloggers, I recommend writing your posts in a word program, editing for spelling, grammar and spacing in that program, and then copying and pasting to your blogging platform. You will need to upload your pictures through the blogging platform rather than cutting and pasting to with the text (and you may also have to manually edit the hyperlinks within your blogging platform too).

I also make notes on my iPad or iPhone and email these to myself so I can cut and paste straight to Blogsy on the iPad or Blogger on the computer.

Very rarely do I use a notepad and pen now!


Create that content!

Find a topic you're passionate about and want to write about for a long time and stick with it. Your blog doesn't have to be niched, but it does help if you have a focus (for the reader and for your own goals). Maybe you want to start a blog to develop your writing or share your knowledge and experience. You can still write about a range of topics on your blog, but regularly bring the focus of your blog back to your focus topic. For example, while I write about lots of facets of my life (food, Melbourne, love, social commentary, blogging) I always ensure I blog regularly about Ichthyosis, visible difference and chronic illness. That's my focus.

Write what you're comfortable with. You can reveal as much or as little as you like. Write from the heart - what I like about blogging is that it can show real emotion and passion, and readers really engage with this authenticity.

You can blog with words or pictures or even create videos or soundbites and upload them to your blog. (Whatever you do, don't have automatically loading music playing when your blog opens!).

Cite your sources if you've used pictures or quotes from elsewhere.

Ask permission if you are going to write about someone in your life. Be careful blogging about your work, colleagues or workplace (I'd avoid this completely unless your blog is your own work!).

Allow comments and respond to them. Don't use Captcha on your comments - while it does filter out some spam, it makes it hard for the real commenters to leave a comment.

Write like someone's watching - create quailty content and know that you will be read by someone! Your blog will expand your profile if you let it. You may not have 100 subscribers in the first week, it takes time.

Just write! And write regularly.

Many new bloggers start with excitement. "Yes! I'll blog three times a week! Yes I'll connect with other bloggers! Yes it'll be easy.", they exclaim with gusto. But then they stop, and their blog is frozen in time, with their grand announcement to start blogging still on page one, three months ago.


And so many people say they want to start but put it off. They often make all sorts of excuses how they need to find a topic and they're too busy. Just sit down and write. You'll be pleasantly surprised.


When you first start out blogging, aim to write once or twice a week. Write regularly so your readers will know when to expect posts. Set aside some time to write - maybe 15 minutes a day or an hour on the weekend.


I used to try to publish a blog post every day, but this got tiring. And I ran out of content. So now I aim for three to four times a week, plus fit in writing for other publications too. I almost always write blog posts at night or in the weekends, and and schedule them for 7 am in the morning. Sometimes I'll write a lot of posts on a weekend, over a bottle of wine, and the first post will come out fairly sensible and by the fourth post I'm much more creative. I don't know the rules about drinking and blogging.


Having said all of that, write when you feel like it. If you just blog for regularity or because you think you owe it to your readers, but feel like you're forcing the words, have a break. Blog when you have something to say.

Find some apps.

There are lots of apps to allow blogging on the run. I blogged my entire overseas trip on my iPad, albeit with no smartphone coverage and an often temperamental wifi connection.

I use Apple products - so if you use Apple too and like the sounds of the apps I've mentioned, search for them in iTunes. If you are not an Apple user, search your equivalent app store for blogging apps.

I use Blogsy for blogging on the iPad (and you can get an iPhone version) - it cost me around $5. I like that it integrates other apps such as Facebook, Instagram and Sarari for easy access while blogging. Blogsy works with all of the blogging platforms I mentioned above. I can't recommend it highly enough!

There is a Blogger app for the iPhone (and equivalent for some of the other platforms including Wordpress and Tumblr) but I don't use it to write and publish new blog posts as there are only basic functions on it, and you need to use HTML for links and formatting text. I do use it for editing a published post on the run.

I also use Instagram to upload pictures - it's a community of its own, and it's often a picture that inspires my words, Facebook and Twitter for the iPhone and iPad - to promote my blog, and Photoshop Express and iPhoto on the iPad and MacBook to edit photos.

Apps such as Hootsuite and Buffer allow you to schedule tweets and Facebook posts, and in some cases, enable you to use multiple social media platforms from one interface. Visit Roadside Multimedia for more information about these apps.

Promote your blog!


Promote your blog on your social media platforms. Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, Instagram and Pintrest are good to start with. (Melissa from SugerCoatit has a great post about sharing your own work on Pintrest.)


Set up a Facebook page for your blog (a page as opposed to your personal profile - this will enable people who aren't your Facebook friends to connect with you, see your updates and also share your posts easily. Consider branding it like you brand your blog - use the same name as your blog. A separate Facebook page will also enable you to keep your blog separate from your personal Facebook profile - this is useful if you don't want your family and friends to see that you've got a blog.

I syndicate my blog posts to Networked Blogs so when a post is published, the links automatically (though sometimes with a time delay) publish to my personal Facebook profile, my blog's Facebook page and Twitter.

Join in!

When you start a blog, you become part of a community. Enjoy that community! Find blogs in your niche. Comment on other blogs. Share the work of bloggers who you admire. Talk to people on your social media networks. Tell people in real life about your blog. Have fun!

Best of luck blogging, my friend :)

And that's it for now. I'm going to write about my writing process soon, because someone else has asked. Happy blogging!

Edit: that friend who asked me how to start a blog? He started it! Impressive work, Paul De Gelder.




It you've got any questions about blogging, do send them my way. I'm thinking of making blogging tips a regular feature on my blog. What do you think?

Previous blogging tips:

Statistics vs the desire to write

Write like someone's watching

Invest in those who invest in you

Being a responsible employee and social media user

Social media and employees

Being a responsible patient on social media

Blogging as therapy

Taking your blog to the speaking circuit (guest post on Styling You)

What I know about writing (Tale Teller podcast)

Finding the blogging balance

Six tips for new bloggers

Triple J's Hack, my blog in the classroom and Ichthyosis resource page

It's a bit of a mixed bag today. While its a short working week, I am quite tired. lots on my mind and many things to do. I've been to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival to see Hannah Gadsby and will see a few more shows tonight. I've also been writing a speech for the AYAD conference next week.

The other night I spoke on Triple J's Hack program. I think Hack is one of the best current affairs programs going and it was lovely to be invited by journo Alex Mann. The discussion was around disability and employment - many of the guests spike about the discriminatory treatment they've received from employers when disclosing their disability. Really terrible situations. As I tweeted, it's not right that we need to weigh up whether it's worth disclosing our disability in employment - a suppression of identity. You Listen to the podcast here. I am speaking towards the end, but I recommend listening to the whole podcast!

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A friend of mine is a teacher and she's been using some of my blog posts in her year 9 class - educating the students about diversity and bullying. She sent me this message today. Made my week. It's really good to know that I'm making a difference.

If you want to use any of my posts in your classes, let me know.

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I am asked a lot of questions by patients and parents of children with Ichthyosis and visible differences. There are a few great resources about Ichthyosis and visible difference, and of course, I've written a lot here about my medical and social experiences. I wanted to collate them so I have a page at the ready to send people.

Last night I created a new page - an Ichthyosis and appearance diversity resource page, containing links to information about my own treatment, plus Ichthyosis support groups and blogs, heath communities, appearance diversity information, tips for talking to people with disabilities and visible differences, disability media, and links to mental illness support services. Of course, as with everything I write about Ichthyosis, please seek your doctor or psychologists' advice before trying anything new.

You can view my resource page here.

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Voting for the Australian Writer's Centre Best Blogs Competition is open for 2013. There are so many entries - I am very excited to read some new blogs on this list. Please consider swinging a vote my way - my blog is listed as Tune into Radio Carly - and vote for some other fantastic blogs while you're at it. Thank you!

 

Blogging tip: Are you driven by statistics or the desire to write?

Blogging can make you feel great. Your writing develops to a point where you beam with pride. Your words on a screen look so shiny! They're quality. You make new friends. Oh my god, so many friends! It’s perfectly acceptable and sociable to spend a Saturday night at home, talking to your friends you made in Blog Land, while drinking a bottle of cabsav, LOLing in your loungeroom over hashtags while your family and cat look at you like you’re a little bit weird.

Having a blog is instant validation. You write something and 10 minutes later, you have an email telling you what a wonderful piece you wrote, what a wonderful person you are, that your reader can relate to your story, and how your style is fabulous, darling. You receive five hundred likes. And you feel pretty damn good about yourself.

I love looking at my stats – mostly seeing how readers reached my blog, but also seeing an increasing readership from a wide range of locations. I seem to attract a lot of people interested in Callan Mulvey, short shorts, disability sex workers and Icthyosis. And those personal Googles – at first it was freaky knowing that people were entering my name into the internet. But then I became comfortable with it (I’m on someone’s mind!), though still find it strange when I see a Google search like “Carly Findlay Depression” (as was searched for on Sunday 24 March) – and I wonder what made them think that I have depression, and subsequently search the internet to see whether I do. (I don't, FYI.)

High readership and social media followers can buoy bloggers (and bloggers buy page views and Twitter followers - who does that??!). As readership increases, confidence can increase too. The more friends you have, the more popular you are, right? And popularity seems to equal happiness and success. At least on screen..

But then when the popularity and validation reduces, it can leave bloggers feeling like they’ve got no friends. And drama can ensue - who's unfollowed who, whether disagreement is trolling or just disagreement, and passive-aggressive tweets and blog posts. Bloggers get caught up in the tangle of worrying about lack of validation, and perhaps the writing comes second. And I think this is dangerous, particularly when a blogger may already be lonely or isolated in the offline world. While contentious, I'm going to call it: I think there's a danger of validation social media heightening insecurity and worry. I've seen many examples of it.

While blogging can be great therapy, sometimes it becomes too introspective, and hanging out too much online can fuel a cycle of sadness. The instant contact and validation can make you feel very wanted and loved, and lack of it can make you feel low. I have been there - when I first started using the internet and had more friends on ICQ than in real life, and also when I felt addicted to words in online relationships.

I think constant commenting on a reduction in validation by blog comments, social media fans and page views indicates insecurity. I see conversations about losing Twitter followers and Facebook fans. Bloggers pretend they’re not worried about their statistics (especially a reduction in visitors or subscribers), but harp on about them anyway. This seems tedious to me. And a little narcissistic. So much is invested in a follower count.

When blogging stops being fun, stop, at least for a little while! I think when you feel a little excluded because your page views are lower than they were last week, or you lost a couple of followers, switch off your screen. Disconnect from social media for a while – spend time with your family and friends in person. Enjoy your own company. And remember, your blog and its statistics do not define you. It’s ok to take a little break – the world will continue without your online presence.

The resurgence of the 'slow blogging movement' encourages bloggers to let go of the immediacy of blogging - the immediacy of posting and the immediacy of receiving validation and blog when inspiration strikes. I really like the idea to reject page ranking:

"Slow Blogging is a response to and a rejection of Pagerank. Pagerank, the ugly-beautiful monster that sits behind the many folded curtains of Google, deciding the question of authority and relevance to your searches. Blog early, blog often, and Google will reward you. Condition your creative self to the secret frequency, and find yourself adored by Google; you will appear where everybody looks – in the first few pages of results. Follow your own pace and find your works never found; refuse Pagerank its favours and your work is pulled as if by riptide into the deep waters of undifferentiated results. Its twisted idea of the common good has made Pagerank a terrifying enemy of the commons, setting a pace that forbids the reflection that is necessary to move past the day to day and into legacy."
(From the Slow Blog Manifesto)

I asked my friends on Twitter what switching off from the Internet means for them.

Amelia_Draws says "sanity... talking less crap... not getting mired in shite that doesnt count. Living gives you stuff to blog about."
Adam Samuel says "disconnect and recharge. Fresh air and find new ideas. Then when you come back your readers will be there waiting :)."
Billy Greene says "perspective. That, and balance. Living a life gives experiences and fresh material."
Kelsey Cooke says "the big one for me is having more time to live out the things I'll later write about."
I Am Evil Cupcake says "Stepping away from any drama. Helps to refocus."
And Mrs CeeCee says "It's always good to have a 'holiday' from anything that takes a lot of your energy."

When you do return to your blog or your social media platforms, have a think about your initial motivators to blog. Was it for the instant validation you’d receive by statistics, or your desire to write?

I really like what Undead Dad has written:

"...I have to remember my priorities. Although I love seeing a new “like” on the screen or a new person following my work, I have to remember that blogging is about giving my thoughts the chance to expand, and extending that process into my personal relationships. That is where the heart of the growth lies. I am forever indebted to readers with whom my words resonate, because they emphasize that this process of growth and learning is a valid one, and one that deserves further investment.
I would chance a guess that this process motivates the writing of many other bloggers. Blogging is a chance to expand upon one’s thoughts in order to develop further as a person. It gives the writer an opportunity to reflect on one’s self and perhaps carry those insights into other, more personal relationships. For this reason I have a new appreciation and, dare I say, love for blogging."

Looking back on my thesis, I thought about what motivated me to start writing this blog:

Nardi et al (2004, p. 9) raise the idea of the “blog as a muse: thinking by writing”, and discuss bloggers who have been “forced to keep writing” because of their blogs, and who believe “material in their blogs might have another life in future magazine articles, scholarly research or other forms of publication”. This idea of the blog as a muse certainly applies to my experience.
(Nardi, B, Schiano, D, Gumbrecht, M and Swartz, L (2004), 'I'm Blogging This: A closer look at why people blog', Submitted to Communications of the ACM.)

A brand new blogger, Melissa Savage, has been blogging since late January 2013. We met last year, after working at the same organisation for a year or so, and I've encouraged her to start blogging because she's a great writer, active on social media and she also enjoys reading blogs.

She enjoys the validation, writing about how quickly came to love blogging here. “At first I kept the blog private and didn't want to show it to anyone, and then one day I accidentally linked it to my Facebook and Twitter, and then people read it, and then I got addicted to seeing how many people read it, and getting their feedback”, Melissa says.

But the pride she has in her writing means just as much. “Then I wrote a series of posts that connected, and I suddenly got comments and messages from everywhere and it was amazing. I am still trying to recapture than magic and build an audience that is bigger than just my family and friends on social media.”

“Most of I all enjoy making the blog better, working on my writing, engaging with people and learning about linking it all up and using my networks to get people to read my work. And as long as I keep putting my heart into it, my readership will keep growing”, Melissa told me. I love her attitude!

Sometimes people will visit your blog, sometimes they won’t. People are entitled to unfollow you on Twitter or Facebook. People are busy, with online and offline lives. Sometimes current topical issues will win you readers, sometimes personal stories will resonate, and sometimes being shared in a wider network will too. Other times, none of these things will work. I haven’t yet found a formula for writing a post that’s successful – other than writing from the heart.

It you've got any questions about blogging, do send them my way.

Previous blogging tips:

Write like someone's watching

Invest in those who invest in you

Being a responsible employee and social media user

Taking your blog to the speaking circuit (guest post on Styling You)

What I know about writing (Tale Teller podcast)

Homegrown - whole foods, Theatre of Ideas at Melbourne Food and Wine Festival and sausage making.

I've become really conscious about what I eat. I haven't become a diet fad bore, cutting out total food groups, but I am keen to cook and eat whole foods where I can. I love the simplicity of fresh produce - it's so tasty and I really do feel better for eating it. I also really love knowing where my food comes from. I get excited talking about food, especially when I find out people have grown their own. One of the managers at my day job brought in the blue chicken eggs, below. They were laid by Lavender Araucana chickens. The camera didn't pick up the true colour of the eggs, but imagine a pale Tiffany blue.




Earlier in March I was a guest at the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival's Theatre of Ideas. Hosted by chef-journalist Jill Dupleix, the Theatre of Ideas featured three farmer-chefs talking about their passion for sustainable food, small scale production, mindful eating and powering the body and brain with wholefoods. In summary, they discussed the journey from earth to table, highlighting the change we need to make to our producing, sourcing and eating habits.

Canadian Michael Stadtlander talked at length about his farm, restaurant and bakery (read a great article about him here). Michael owns and operates Eigensinn Farm and Hasai Bakery. The Theatre of Ideas showcased Michael's restaurant sculpture projects. As well as raising and growing the produce on his farm, he creates thematic sculptural gardens and kitchen areas for dining and food preparation. He and his team created hand potted plates, a treehouse and a giant wine dispenser made of recycled wine bottles. His ideas are lavish, a little outlandish, but very interesting. He believes heaven is on earth and demonstrates this through his food practices.

Next up was Matthew Evans, former food critic turned Gourmet Farmer, based in Tasmania. He hopes there is a shift in conscience in how we source food, and encourages the average person to "have a crack" at growing their own produce. He moved from Sydney to Tasmania, on a 12 hectare farm with a garden, pigs, a house cow and sheep. He now also has Fat Pig Farm - an industrial farm with 40 pigs, 16 cows and 12 sheep, plus a mobile food caravan which he takes to food events. He believes farming is an art, and said it is important to showcase Indigenous people, the older generation and real farmers on TV because they understand the complexities of the earth and food producing. It was interesting to hear him speak about his passion for fresh produce and flavours - he said "if you can source good produce, cooking is really easy."

Both Michael and Matthew spoke about death being the hardest thing about farming. "I had no idea how many animals die for us to have commercially grown food", Matthew said. "Death is grim. It makes me feel like a failure when baby animals die", he said, noting that he is against hunting as a blood sport. Jill Dupleix assured him that being sad about death on a farm is healthy for a mindful farmer to feel.

Swedish Chef Magnus Nilson spoke last - he spoke about the unsustainability of meat production. I had to leave part way through his talk for the Rickshaw Run.

I met Matthew over a glass of champagne in the media room - I spoke to him briefly about my love for fresh produce and learning about the food journey.

A few bloggers were in attendance, including Bern Morley, Heidi Apples and Gourmet Girlfriend (you have to check out her bread challenge on her blog and Instagram (follow the hashtag #ggbreadrevolution - it warms my heart that she's encouraging people to make their own bread!).

I came away from Theatre of Ideas feeling inspired to eat fresher, more mindfully and to go to more food lectures.

I thank the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival for sending me along to this event.

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Over the past two weeks I've been making smoothies for breakfast - green (or orange) and fruit/dairy ones. Some of the great combinations have been spinach, pineapple, celery, grapes, lemon juice and mint, and an awesome pumpkin pie smoothie, inspired by this recipe. I cooked some pumpkin and a carrot in the microwave, chilled it overnight, and added cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, maple syrup, a couple of dates, nut butter, chia seeds, a frozen banana and rice milk. It was so delicious!

This long weekend I went home to my parents' house in country NSW. It was blissfully relaxing - spent reading (Jodi Picoult's The Storyteller - engrossing, heartbreaking and beautifully written), napping and cooking and eating. We went to the farmer's market - smells of bacon and egg rolls and hot coffee and children's laughter filled the air, and we bumped into old friends. I bought some brioche (beautiful toasted with butter and eaten for breakfast with a berry and peach smoothie) and boutique cordial made my former paediatrician's wife, and a hand-potted bowl from the adjacent art gallery.

In the afternoon, my parents and I made sausages. So much fun! Mum and Dad recently went to a sausage making class, and although they had previously made sausages in their old Breville mixer, they learnt some tricks of the trade such as ensuring the air pressure is ok and professionally twisting and looping the sausages. Dad's really big on buying things on eBay, and he bought a sausage making machine last week. It's a simple contraption - a heavy metal body, barrel to hold the mince, a handle to feed the barrel across the body, and a number of nozzles for different sized sausages. (Photos courtesy of my Dad.)

Mum prepared the mince the night before to maximise flavour - fresh local pork amd suet - minced up in the food processor, roasted herbs and spices - soaked in wine. The sausage skins are natural, and there are no preservatives.

When I was young, I didn't appreciate the process of making (not cooking) food. My parents bottled homegrown fruit, grew rows and rows of vegetables, collected eggs from the chicken coop, made sausages, and raised chickens and sheep for meat. I just thought we should buy food ready to eat from the supermarket, as often the hard work made my parents swear, and tending to the garden and animals in the dry heat of summer was arduous for them. But now I see the pleasure in the homegrown. Making our own food tastes better. The ingredients are known and often grown with care. And it brings us together. It's fun! I enjoyed making sausages as a family - we laughed, taught each other and were proud of our efforts.

I had fun feeding the sausage out of the nozzle, ensuring it was a consistent thickness.

My completed sausage was around 1.5 metres, almost as tall as me! Mum showed me how to twist the sausages in alternate directions so they'll hold when cut.

And last night I had some of the sausages for dinner, with roast vegetables and steamed greens, followed by a tart filled with pears in vanilla, maple and ginger sauce. All made fresh from scratch - thanks to Mum for the pastry, and to Camille's sister Rachael for the herbs.

Plated up! Really tasty.

Honey, I baked! The tart had sweetness and zing, and I served a piece of it with a dollop of Greek yoghurt.

For me, cooking is a way of life. I feel better for knowing what's in my food. I ate a burger from McDonalds on the bus trip back to Melbourne. It tasted strange - artificial - and I regretted it. Eating whole foods feels so much better.