For the next two weeks, we will be reading the blog of Zoë Westhof, a young American writer living in Thailand! She blogs at Essential Prose.
But before you rush off to read her site, take a minute to hear from her below:
Hello, fellow readers and bloggers!
I’m ridiculously excited to connect with you all. You’ve got quite a lot of strength in numbers, and I’m just humble little me, so yea — I’m a bit nervous too. I’m very open to feedback, and I take criticism pretty well (as long as it’s constructive!), so tell me what you think. What you really think — not just ‘good job’ or ‘what a load of crap,’ but why it’s a good job (or a load of crap).
I can’t wait for the conversations.
Warm wishes,
Zoë
Getting to Know Zoë
- Who are you? Zoë Westhof, writer, mover and shaker. Raised in Hoboken, New Jersey, living in Thailand. They say I’m a clever gal, but a goofy and clumsy one too. I write and edit to make an income, and I also write a lot that I don’t get paid for (yet!).
- How would you describe your blog? Well, it’s gradually taken on a mind of its own. I started off with the idea to write about writing, but my plan didn’t go much further than that. Now, I blog about creativity, writing, and actively choosing a lifestyle that allows you to create.
- Why do you blog? It’s pretty fascinating to watch how connections sprout and expand among bloggers, and I wanted to explore it myself. It’s exciting to find this community of people who are thinking about the same things, and bouncing ideas off each other. I love the feeling that a blog is constantly changing and growing.
- What blogs do you love? Hm. I’d say you’re my #1, Chuck, but then everyone would think I’m a dirty suck-up. So here’s my Google Reader top five at the moment: Amy @ QuietRebelWriter, Men with Pens, Chris @ The Art of Nonconformity, Sonia @ Remarkable Communication, and Amy @ Write From Home.
- What are your feelings on being selected for this? Oh, it’s no big deal… OK, I was really shocked. And really giddy. It’s an amazing challenge, and I’m extremely excited that you’re giving me the chance to take it on.
- What’s the best way for us to support you for these next two weeks? With witty comments! Spine-tingling conversation! Stumbles are always nice. And presents…?
- What’s the hardest thing about blogging for you? The posts that I most enjoy writing are the ones that get a bit personal. The ones where I put myself out there a little bit. When I’m about to publish one of those posts, and until I get the first comment, self-doubt starts snaking through my mind. It’s a little frightening, but it’s a rush.
- What’s something interesting about you that has nothing to do with blogging? I’m learning my fourth language (Thai).
- What is your opinion on building relationships through blogging? I’m still feeling out this virtual socializing thing, but I think it can be pretty splendid. If you find the right crowd, of course. It’s important for me to make these connections, because most of my “real life” friends aren’t bloggers or writers.
- If you had to give blogging a less silly name, what would you call it? For some reason the only alternatives I can think of are decidedly sillier. Web+publishing= bpub-ing? I’ll spare you all.
Why I Chose Zoë’s Blog
Zoë’s blog was exactly what I was looking for to get this whole project kicked off. She’s a very talented writer who was not only lacking an audience but who had demonstrated an impressive willingness and ability to improve her blogging. Comparing her earliest posts to her more recent work, I could see rapid, consistent progress, and I knew that she would take this opportunity and make the most of it.
Here are a few of her posts that caught my interest:
The “Geeky to the Core” post is the one that made me laugh, by the way.
So What Should We Do As Readers?
Above everything else, we’ve all committed to reading her blog for the next two weeks. So even if you just scan through all of your other blogs and feeds that you follow, try to make a deliberate effort to really read what she posts.
Engage with her in the comments at her site, through email, or through Twitter (http://twitter.com/zoewesthof). Give her your compliments, offer her your suggestions, but also share your thoughtful reactions to what it is that she’s saying.
When you find posts of hers that you really like, consider commenting, linking, Twittering or Stumbling them to share it with other people. Don’t force it–this isn’t some sort of scheme. If it’s good, though, it’s good to help give it exposure.
Here is her RSS feed, but go ahead and take a trip to Zoë’s blog first in order to see the design and the layout.
Happy Reading
I’m excited to see what Zoë serves up for us this week, and I’m just as excited to see how all of you receive her blog and engage with her and each other. As always, don’t hesitate to email me or contact me on Twitter with any suggestions, comments, or just to say hello. Otherwise, I’ll see you in the “Essential Prose” comment section!
