Sunday, July 3, 2011

Blog Interview: Carina Santos of Nothing Spaces

1) What made you start a blog?

The early incarnations of this blog was on a blogspot founded back in 2002, addled with quizzes. I got one because my best friend got a deadjournal. I slowly started talking more about my life and my day, and then I began trying to articulate my thoughts, and it evolved from there. Currently, my blog on Nothing Spaces is a bit more serious than my Tumblr, and it's also a bit less open than my Livejournal, but I like it because it keeps me writing and thinking, and I like being able to talk to people all over the world.

2) When you first started blogging, what kind of readers were you expecting? Do you think that everyone should consider this?

I really never considered this. When I started blogging, the only readers I had were friends. Then I really only got international readers because I made friends with a lot of people on Livejournal communities. My first internet friends were people who were also into Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings. They would talk about their personal lives in between fangirling, and from there, I got to know a lot of them better. I don't really think about attracting a certain type of person. My blog is very personal—it's not a niche blog, where I talk about one specific thing like books or food or clothes. It's very much me. While I appreciate and am super grateful that I have readers at all, I never really aimed for any specific type.

If you are looking to blog about a certain niche or for a certain audience, then this is definitely something you should consider, because it will help you generate your content. I just kind of really like a lot of things, and I like talking about them, so that's really what my blog is about.

3) What is your style when it comes to writing?

I write the way I think. I'm not very good at verbally articulating my feelings, so I sort my thoughts through my writing. I think my style is very candid and conversational. It's how I would like to sound like, when I speak. Unfortunately, I have difficulty bridging the gap between my thoughts and my speech, so this is how I communicate best.

4) Was it easy telling people how you feel through your page?

There are times when it's easier, but sometimes, knowing who reads my blog—by this, I mean, my parents and some of their friends, which will always be weird to me—restricts what I want to say. I suppose that's what my Livejournal is for. I think if it's something I really want to share, though, it's super easy. :)

5) Any advice you would like to give the people who are thinking of starting a blog?

The thing is, so many people have been starting blogs all over the place. Whether it's going to be a personal blog, or more of something specific or curatorial, make sure that your blog has substance because that will really set it apart. A lot of blogs are lazy and rely on face value, but it's nice when you give your readers something to chew on.

6) Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I really don't know. Hopefully, less clueless as I am right now. I don't want to see a future self who's given up on my dreams or who has stopped caring about connecting with people. Hopefully, my blog will still be alive? I would want to still be doing what I love to do.

7) One word that best describes your blog?

Uh-oh, bad at this. Can I skip?

carinasantosfansign

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