Leanne Barrett: March 2017

Thursday 23 March 2017

Blog Content: What will I include in my blog, Ladybird's Flight?

This post was originally written for my blog Ladybird's Flight.

Today I read Your Author Blog: What Should an Author Blog About? Not only did I find it interesting but it has come at the right time for me. I am early on in my blogging process and hopefully these tips will help me add content to my  blog that might interest others. 

While I'm not an author of books, maybe one day, I still found the words of wisdom helpful. The blogging is part of me documenting my inspirations and journey.  

What to blog about? 
(The topics outlined here are taken from the article above that inspired a rush of ideas for me to explore.)


Travel and Photos: Canberra
I have a great affinity with Canberra and the region and would like like to document places that hold a special meaning to me. I am two generations Canberran. So when I travel around Canberra there are many locations that bring back memories and I find me telling stories associated with these places. Some of these places are associated with our family history and I recall stories told to me by my parents and grandparents. Though place we share family stories. 

Travel and Photos: Other Locations
This blog will also record other places that inspire me in some way, from its beauty to a story behind the location e.g. I love to look at art so every time I visit Melbourne we go to the National Gallery of Victoria and in an earlier blog I have shared some paintings and ephemera that inspired my interest or creativity.

How to's and recipes
In this area I have already blogged and photographed some of my cooking experiences and recipes. I find cooking at times a very relaxing and soul fulfilling experience. I see cooking as; an extension of my creativity, a connection to family and at other times it is the exploring of ingredients that is of import to me, as sometimes I have to eliminate foods from my diet for health reasons. So far my blog Ladybird's Fligt has explored the idea of cooking every cup cake in a specific cook book and Dairy Free or Gluten Free recipes. Now I'd liked to add FODMAPs into the repertoire.

Spotlight Your Genre
I love to read books in the genre of historical fiction and fantasy. 
Some of my favourite authors have included;
  • Kate Forsythe
  • Juliet Marillier
  • Tamora Pierce
  • Diana Gabaldon
  • Posie Graeme-Evans
  • Fiona McIntosh 
So in this blog there will be articles related to Historical Fiction e.g. clothing, art, music and places of the selected time period.

Informative Pieces 
At times the blog will explore things that inspire artistic thoughts. I used to be a volunteer guide at the National Gallery of Australia and we would often talk about influences on an artist. Sometimes this can be other artists, art styles or locations. Therefore I plan to document exhibitions, films/documentaries and places that I go to or that inspire me.

List and Reviews
I will blog about things related to reading and children's literature and literacy. Over last five and a half years I wrote the eNews and developed partnerships for the ACT Branch of the Children's Book Council of Australia. During this position I have collected and developed a directory of useful resources relating to children's literature. Hence there will be blogs about events, book reviews and lists of helpful websites, blogs and Facebook pages.

Interviews and Profiles
Research is often involved in the process of exploring creativity. However this research can be rarely included in the creative product. Consequently a way to communicate this information is to share what has been discovered. Some of these may include other blogs especially when it excites the mind and intermittently interviewing people or themes further explore a topic.

About your pets The article I read suggested blogging about your pets... not sure that I will do this unless it relates to my creative works.

    What not to blog?
    • You will find no more apologies if I become slow at blogging
    • There were many more not to blogs on the article's list but I don't have anymore to add to this part of the conversation so read the article mentioned above.