Blog Questions Challenge
I’ve seen a few people repost Scott Boms’ blogging questions as a “challenge” and thought I’d join in!
Why did you start blogging in the first place?
I’m a plaque nerd. I love reading every historical / heritage sign I can find and often go home and search for the subject of the plaque afterwards. In some cases though, I can’t find anything online, so I do a bunch of research myself, then share it here for anyone else looking!
BTW, I highly recommend this episode of 99% Invisible – Always Read The Plaque.
What platform are you using to manage your blog and why did you choose it? Have you blogged on other platforms before?
My website was set up as an alternative to Etsy for my cross stitch patterns, so I’m just using the blog function on a bog standard Shopify site. Honestly, I could probably find a much cheaper platform that would be more fit for purpose, but it’d be a lot of work to move everything!
How do you write your posts? For example, in a local editing tool, or in a panel/dashboard that’s part of your blog?
I’m old school (or basic, depending on your opinion), so I just write everything in Word, then copy it across.
When do you feel most inspired to write?
When I read a new plaque! Or when I find more information about one of my existing topics – Canadian women pilots, Vancouver plaques etc.
Do you publish immediately after writing or do you let it simmer a bit as a draft?
The “draft” part normally takes a while – researching and gathering info, then writing up little bits as I go. Once I’ve got the full thing done though, I immediately publish.
What are you generally interested in writing about?
Interesting people who have possibly been overlooked. People who should have a Wikipedia page, but don’t!
Who are you writing for?
For plaques, people who have also seen one and wanted to know more about it. For my “flying ladies” (as my daughter calls them), their family members who may not have known what “grandma” did.
What’s your favorite post on your blog?
Oh blimey, how to choose?! Whatever post has most recently been found and commented on by someone who knew the person. Especially, if it was an aviatrix where there wasn’t any information available until I went digging for it.
Any future plans for your blog? Maybe a redesign, a move to another platform, or adding a new feature?
I’d like to set up a general blog feed where my posts on any topic appear chronologically. Right now, everything is very split by category.
And urgh, I really should think about moving off Shopify.
Next?
I’m going to post this on BlueSky and see if anyone else wants to share!