Tuesday 13 May 2014

Push up Bra Blogging - Alumni view

I was somewhat intrigued by Julie's blog course last year 'Push Up Bra Approach To Blogging'.  You've got to admit that, just like a push up bra, it does grab the attention!  So as a graduate of the course I thought I'd do a quick post to explain what I got out of following the course.
 
When you think about it, starting a blog is a bit like getting your first bra.  When I was a teenager, all the cool shops like Chelsea Girl and Miss Selfridge had communal changing rooms.  Oh no, we had no privacy - everything was on show and up for comparison!  A bit like publishing your first post on the internet.  So, starting your blog, you're that shy girl hiding modestly in the corner - in your sensible, no frill undies.  You look around, blog hopping, and there are all manner of bras blogs out there.  Some are prettier than yours, some have more fancy bits, some have more direction and some are full on va-va-voom Wonderbrablogs.  You don't want to be Miss Sensible any more, you want to be rounding up that blog, showing it off and pointing it in the right direction.  What you're looking for is a more experienced blogger to show you what you can do to make the most of your assets.  Quite frankly, you need Julie.
 
It's kind of ironic that having featured in the first two posts of the push up bra course, McFly have since joined forces with another band are now known as McBusted! I digress ...
 
So did the course affect my blogging?  Am I two sizes bigger and altogether more of an eyeful?  Well, maybe not, but I do find that I am able to structure my posts.  I've found a few memes that I enjoy: 'One photo - twenty words' and 'Sit and have a cup of tea' with Abi,  'Simply a Moment' with Alexa, (although I think from her last post that this may be coming to an end), and of course  'My Month in Numbers' with Julie. I like the structure of knowing where in the month these posts are coming and even if all else fails, I know I have at least four posts sorted during the month!  I like the companionship of getting to know the other bloggers that join in the same themes too.
 
I use an app called Collect which makes a collage out of daily photos.  I like it because it makes me take (at least) one photo a day to make into a photo diary so I can easily see what the month has held when I do My Month in Numbers.  This makes it easy to draft out a post for that meme mid way through the month and add to it. 
 
Which brings me to David Tennant aka Doctor Who.  So you're in the tardis with David {I can think of worse places to be ;-)} You've got your blog posts drafted and almost ready to go.  It may be a post you wrote weeks ago, but who's to know it isn't fresh out of the keyboard?  You can time travel back and forth.  Getting in that tardis is great for jotting down ideas for a post that you aren't quite ready to write properly.  Then when the time is right ... just get back in, press a few buttons, go back and get it, make a few amendments and hit publish. No one knows when you wrote it, it may not be 'new' to you, but it is to your readers.  It's a secret between you and David.
 
So I think that I have underwired my blog.  I don't feel 'oh my goodness I haven't written anything for ages, what on earth shall I blog about' because I know that I can pop in that tardis and find ideas that I've jotted down.  Some may never make it to publication but quite often I find the basis of a new post that just needs a bit of fine tuning. 
 
So that's what I learnt from changing to my Push Up Bra approach to Blogging.  Did you try it last year or are you ready to take the plunge now?   

13 comments:

Deb @ PaperTurtle said...

Well I thought I noticed a difference in you, Deb, but maybe it's just that awesome confident posture you're sporting rather than the a push-up bra.

Haha - I loved reading your review and I nodded in agreement on a few things. I do have several drafts written that I grab from time to time when I need to fill my blogging calendar. Some of them will never be published and that's ok. I always enjoy visiting your blog and reading your fun posts. :o)

Julie Kirk said...

Well if there's anything I like more than reading in the sunshine and Jonny Lee Miller ... it's an extended metaphor! I just loved how you've picked up my bra and ran with it [any time you fancy handing it back would be good with me].

Such a complete treat to read this Deb. I can't tell you how grateful I am!

I love how you've absorbed the Dr.Who Approach. Seriously ... it's so gratifying to know that something that began in my head makes sense to someone else!

If you ever get round to dropping an image in I can pin it to the Pinterest board. But, anyway, I'm off to share this on FB + Twitter now.

Thanks again. So much!

Julie xx

p.s: McBUSTed!!!!

Lou said...

A fab read Deb's! There's a lot there that I can relate too. Must pop over and see Julie x

Sian said...

Great reading!

I know I do need to work on having a few posts in reserve. I'm a fly by the seat of my pants girl usually. Maybe stop concentrating on pants and go for bras instead ? :)

Jane said...

great post, I didn't get round to taking part last year but you've intrigued me, must be the thought of David Tennant!

alexa said...

This has been a most entertaining read and I didn't know about the McBusted! I am working my through Julie's series with real seriousness this time (as in 'do' rather than 'think about doing and then not') and this post has been a great edition. Thank-you!

Denise said...

Fascinating reading Deb,I need to slow down life and get some structure to my blogging. Xxx

Amy said...

Deb made me spit out my drink! heheheheee.

Actually, I took this little class too and while I agree with her approach, it, unfortunately, doesn't work for me ... I need the spontaneity and like Sian, am pants focused and not bra focused!

Ruth said...

I didn't get around to this last year, but I've been looking at it this week, as I feel a new burst of inspiration and ideas are due.

Ruth said...

PS: this post was very funny!!

Fiona@Staring at the Sea said...

What a great post Deb! Such an entertaining read. I dipped in and out of the series last year, but didn't really implement any of the ideas, even though I thought a lot of them would work for me. I must go back and refresh my memory.

Paula - Buenos Aires said...

I´m sure we will find yet another golden resources in the series that we didn´t see the first time around just because it wasn´t time/fit for us then. :)

Anonymous said...

What a great post Deb. I started with the series last year but drifted off. This has inspired me to go check it out again.