I come from running a smaller, personal blog (that get’s neglected quite often) and looking at this, I almost feel embarrassed as I barely cross one or two items off this list… perhaps this is why traffic is low and only a small handful of close friend ever comment? But then, when I try to picture myself putting the energy into some of these, I worry my readers would find it obnoxious?

That said, perhaps Dorland’s checklist is better geared to those blogging full-time for a large company? Or maybe all other bloggers are doing this already and I’m the odd one out, not putting the time in that my little blog deserves? Just food for thought.

I’m curious how many of you go through a personal list like this, what steps do you take to promote your post in the afterglow?

PAGES FROM MY MOLESKINE

Description: The diaries of an architect with a penchant for all things clever & beautiful. Covers all things design.
Categories: Art, Design
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Twitter: @moleskinepages

You can view the issue over at Papercutmag.com or you can purchase the print version here soon. More great news – this is also their first ever fully-interactive digital edition meaning it will be available for purchase next week as an iPad app on iTunes and the App Store, chock full of extra goodies!

A seriously huge congrats to the team over at Papercut – the issue is beautiful and full of SO MUCH creativity and inspiration (as always)!!!

PUNKY STYLE

Description: Personal style blog of a vintage store owner.
Categories: DIY, Fashion, Lifestyle
Location: Boston, MA
Twitter: @punkystyle

Read all about the history of FLUX., how Liz finally embraced 140 character limits and what she has in store next after the jump!

This April rounds up a year of huge growth for you, let’s talk about roots. How long have you been blogging?

I started to get serious about writing online and sharing my thoughts with the world in 2007. After spending some time focusing on exhibition listings and brief commentaries, I realized that I had more to say. There were artists whose brains I wanted to pick, events I felt as though everyone should know about, and Arts related questions whose answers I was eager to share with others in a public forum.

What made you decide to incorporate the pigeon as your logo? Where did it come from?

I have always been fascinated with pigeons. I lived in London for a year and the pigeons would come sit by me in the park as I read. Probably because they assumed I had bread, but I’d like to think of it as more of a magical experience. For me, a European park visit is reminiscent of a scene from Snow White with woodland creatures eagerly emerging from burrows and flying in from surrounding tree branches to greet you.

Additionally, pigeons are everywhere. They pitter around most metropolitan cities in an omnipresent yet simultaneously undetected manner. There is something intrinsically scrappy about the species that makes them feel accessible and on the same (literal)level as pedestrians. No pretension with pigeons.

I have also always been interested in the history of WWI+II carrier pigeons and their prominent roles in relaying vital information during combat. There are many more connections between pigeons and FLUX., but I should probably cut myself off before sounding like someone over-explaining the reasoning behind their tattoos.

Not only did you go with a total makeover, but you switched platforms. Why leave Tumblr for WordPress? What were your goals for the redesign in the beginning? What was the process like? What has changed for you as a result?

Tumblr was an absolute nightmare for my purposes. Unless I was uploading a single picture, with no text, it was just..bad news. Nothing would format properly, it didn’t take to well to hand-coding and I couldn’t get through a post without previewing it a couple dozen times. I needed a website that was easy to manage, visually pleasing, clean, user friendly, and professional. Something I could be proud to share with others.

I like that Tumblr is fairly accessible and no frills for basic users, but WordPress has really opened up a whole new blogging world for me. Thanks to Jess of JSGD’s web design prowess, & Christina’s organizational whip-cracking, I now have a site that enables me to do loads of customization with ease. I can tweak posts, tag artist names, utilize jump links, sort posts into user specified categories, embed videos, alter font sizes and colors, and quickly perform other routine tasks that used to take time and energy away from the actual creation of content.

Since the redesign, it feels as though many things have changed for FLUX. Some organically, some spurred on by a little nudge out of the nest.  While the sentiment behind the content remains the same, it is now being delivered in a shiny new package.  I think there is a certain degree of confidence that comes along with having a website that truly represents you and your brand, and makes you proud to share with others.  I now have a slice of internet that is thoughtfully designed, simple, and something readers of all ages can easily digest and hopefully feel as inspired by the Arts as I do.

You operate in such a close and local community – how has it been meeting other bloggers in the art community and outside of it?

Prior to the site launch, I think I was more inclined to hide behind the glow of my computer screen. I quickly realized that I wanted and needed to play a more active role in the Boston Arts Community I wrote so much about. And so I introduced FLUX. onto the social media scene and began to acquaint myself within the offline Arts culture in Boston.

Twitter, a site I once thought of as a platform to talk about what you ate for lunch, has proven to be such an essential tool in connecting with other members of the Arts community in Massachusetts and around the world.  It still amazes me that I can pose a question to an institution like the Tate Modern in London, and there is the possibility and potential for them to directly respond to me. It flattens the Arts hierarchy to a certain degree as people begin to do away with exclusivity and embrace collaboration. It’s all about the connections and relationships we form with one another and it’s strange to think that from <140 character conversations, I have been introduced to some incredible individuals and involved with exciting initiatives that might not otherwise have been possible.

You had your first curated show in September - so amazing! - what’s next for FLUX.? What can we look forward to?

From the moment the final painting was hung for the last FLUX. show, my mind was months ahead of me, brainstorming ideas for the site’s next curatorial venture.  I don’t have an interest in one-upping the last show, or simply putting paintings on white walls, so I have to be a bit more creative and calculated in figuring out my next move. The next exhibition will focus more on the gallery visit as an experience and draw upon the talents of local artists working in a variety of disciplines. Hardly a small undertaking, but stay tuned.

Aside from the upcoming show, I have been focusing my attention on collaborative projects with individuals and institutions who are just as excited as I am to see things change for the better in Boston. It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you surround yourself with supportive people.  I feel like this past year has been an exercise in gathering information, speaking with everyone I can, building momentum and laying a solid foundation that will enable things to really take off in the coming years.

Top five blogs on your daily reading list?

Hyperallergic
Dark Silence in Suburbia
This Isn’t Happiness
BLDGWLF
Today and Tomorrow

What do you strive to B?

I strive to be in two places at once.

FLUX. BOSTON

Description: FLUX. Boston is a resource for artists and art enthusiasts in the Boston area and beyond. I am a desk-rat by day, but I spend my downtime, in-between chaos time, Chrome bookmarks, and nights thinking about/working on art and the likes. FLUX. features information about local events/happenings and other findings that keep me inspired and smiling.
Categories: Art, Business, City-Specific, Design, Lifestyle
Location: Boston, MA
Twitter: @fluxboston

THANKS LIZ!!!! LOVE YOU!

What can we learn from them?

Find your niche!

These fine ladies have found theirs. Just by reading the name of their blog you know the theme and the type of people that will mingle in there. It’s a total magnet for creative minds. You can do the same with your own blog, whatever your topic is.

Yes, there are more than 350+ million blogs in the world, but there are also more than a billion internet users. That’s A LOT of eyes looking for a place to hang out – cue: your blog! Take advantage of these giant stats and create a blog that speaks to your audience. Make it about something your’re good/expert at, that way you’ll always feel inspired to create original content, keeping it fresh and engaging. Trust me, always keep your niche in mind and soon enough you’ll jumping up and down because your blog has been featured on The Huffi for “Awesome blogs to follow”.

Happy blogging!

Gabe

DESIGN CRUSH

Description: An on-going love letter to the design community full of everything from art, to music, to products.
Categories: Art, Design, Food, Music
Location: Oklahoma City, OK
Twitter: @designcrush

DESIGN DARLING

Description: A daily style blog with emphasis on fashion and interior design.
Categories: Design, Fashion, Lifestyle
Location: Darien, CT
Twitter: @mackenziehoran

DESIGN EVOLUTION

Description: This blog covers what’s new in interior design, follows my home renovation projects, and offers instructional diy projects that are easy enough for just about anyone. In addition to decor, posts will also include topics pertaining to entertaining any size crowd large or small.
Categories: Art, Design, DIY, Food, Design, Lifestyle
Location: Montclair, NJ
Twitter: @vertigodesign

HOW ABOUT ORANGE

RADIANT REPUBLIC

Description: A lifestyle blog about interiors, style inspiration, and generally beautiful things.
Categories: Design, Fashion
Location: Boston, MA
Twitter: @radiantrepublic

SARAH WINCHESTER STUDIOS

Description: Photography, Fashion, inspiration, design
Categories: Art, Design, Fashion, Travel
Location: Boston, MA
Twitter: @sarah_w_studios

Another a fun surprise was seeing uber-talented Boston illustrator, PAPERFASHION (who you may remember from Gabe’s recent post) on the spread leading right before Erika and Sarah’s! Katie created two adorable illustrations for this month’s blogger side-by-side! Wedding blogs, Brooklyn Bride and 100 Layer Cake offered up some great tips!

PAPER FASHION

Description: Fashion Illustration Blog
Categories: Art, Design, Fashion, Music
Location: Boston, MA
Twitter: @paperfashion

BROOKLYN BRIDE

Description: Planning a modern wedding in a world of pink flowers and poofy dresses.
Categories: Wedding, Lifestyle
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Twitter: @brooklynbride

Another DB Blog spotting includes Elise of Pennyweight rocking a cute striped look from the Gap – ps, love the braid!

PENNYWEIGHT

Description: Pennyweight is a collection of inspiring, interesting or just plain lovely things by Elise Yetton. Here you will find a daily dose of design, fashion, interiors, music and more.
Categories: Art, Design, Fashion, Lifestyle, Music
Location: Nashville, TN
Twitter: @pennyweight

Check out the whole issue HERE!

I’m already looking forward to the next issue – and hope to see more amazing bloggers in there!

If you’re a blogger who’s collaborating with another awesome blogger, TELL US and we may just post it here!

ARTSOCIAL

Description: A blog dedicated to contemporary art, gangster crafts, and gallery hopping. Come hang out… you might find a new art crush.
Categories:  Art, Design, DIY
Location: Denver, CO
Twitter: @artsocialonline

BEYOND BEYOND

Description: Beyond Beyond is a UK an international wedding blog featuring amazing photography, design inspiration, and lots of lovely details.
Categories: Wedding
Location: London, United Kingdom
Twitter: @beyondbeyond365

KNEADLE AND BREAD

Description: A lifestyle blog featuring posts on lovely fashion, delicious foods, and swanky spaces.
Categories:  Fashion, Food, Lifestyle
Location: Boston, MA
Twitter: @GabiValladares

NICISEOUL

Description: Candid Photography and Videography – My name is Nicole Markhoff and I am a London based digital media creative who grew up in Mauritius & Germany and moved to South Korea in 2010. I love to capture special moments – no matter the medium, because in the end the best camera is the one that’s with you.
Categories: Art, Fashion, Lifestyle, Travel
Location: London, United Kingdom
Twitter: @nicolekathrin

PENCIL SHAVINGS STUDIO

Description: Color, beauty, and style in the everyday
Categories: Design, Fashion,Lifestyle
Location: Oklahoma City, OK
Twitter: @rachshingleton

B featured here next week:

Our favorite post? These ladies wrote an actual beginners’ guide to roasting a whole pig… that doesn’t make it seem like a terrible idea – impressed!

GLOBETROTTER DIARIES

Description: Globetrotter Diaries explores the culinary cultures around the world by researching and cooking local dishes. Based in Los Angeles, we are constantly inspired by the diversity of this city and of course, the food.Categories:  Food, Travel
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Twitter: @globetrottings

What can we learn from them?

Personality!

Personality and consistency are the secret ingredients for blog success. All of the blogs mentioned above stay true to their style and that’s what sets them apart from the rest. Even though they talk about different things – design, parties and illustration – they share the same goal: to stay true to their vision and to soak their personality in every post. Look, even A Lil’ Louder made a video for it – how fun!?

Remember, in this ocean of blogs, your awesome personality will be the ultimate BAM! factor that will get you noticed.

Happy blogging!

x, Gabe

ANNALEENAS HEM

Description: Interiror/craft blog with a focus on scandinavian style.
Categories:  DIY, Design,
Location: Varberg, Sweden
Twitter: @annaleenahome

A LIL’ LOUDER

Description: A LIL’ LOUDER
Categories: Art, Business, Design, Lifestyle
Location: Boston, MA
Twitter: @alillouder

PAPER FASHION

Description: Fashion Illustration Blog
Categories: Art, Design, Fashion, Music
Location: Boston, MA
Twitter: @paperfashion

Got personality?

Add your blog to Directory B today and #BFOUND!