It’s a rum ol’ game, this blogging.
Putting yourself out there, (selected) warts and all, but also holding back a little. Every blogger has their own limits regarding what they’re prepared to share and what they keep private, and unless I missed the memo (entirely possible – I miss a lot of memos, including the one that says your sentences shouldn’t be nine clauses long), nobody has yet figured out the definitive answer about exactly how open a blogger should be.
(Disclaimer: the photos in this post are rubbish: I was ill, OK?)
One of the many things that I like about blogging is… bloggers. Sure, there are probably some obnoxious ones out there somewhere*, but the ones I’ve met have almost all been interesting, witty, and creative. Several have become real-life friends (you know who you are), whilst others are people-whom-I-know-would-be-proper-friends-if-they-didn’t-inconsiderately-live-hundreds/thousands-of-miles-away.
Anyway on Saturday, I went to Blogfest in London. Muchly hurrah! A whole auditorium full of bloggers! I went with my fine friend Selma and her lovely friend Nicki. Their entertaining company distracted me from the fact that I was facing an entire train journey with no suitable knitting/crochet projects to work on. (The big-etc-etc-etc-crochet-house-project is currently so large that I would’ve needed to have bought it a separate seat, and quite possibly a selection of snacks from the buffet car as well, so I left it at home, the greedy blighter.)
Now, I’m not a fan of London. At all. Even slightly. So it takes a lot to lure me in, but this is the third year on the trot that I’ve been to Blogfest. How to describe the event? Well, it’s a day-long mix of big-name speakers talking about blog-relevant themes such as privacy, plus smaller workshops on specific and practical bloggy topics. Also, there was a great deal of food.
And there was free gin.
There was also an atmosphere that I can only describe with the cliché of ‘buzzing’, although possibly the buzz was just tinnitus brought on by the Dickensian lurgy. And given that the event was run by Mumsnet, the attendees comprised a disproportionate number of mothers happily hysterical at the joy/confusion of escaping nappy-changing for an entire day.
Anyway, the talks. May I just at this point write the words ‘I love Sandi Toksvig’? Also, we were visited on a giant overhead screen by the magnificent Margaret Atwood (4.45am her time, hence her apparent need for a thick coat and a large coffee), although it was frustratingly difficult to hear a word she said due to wonky technology. Still, she smiled a lot and appeared to be enjoying listening to the panel discussion that was going on amongst the ants sitting below her giant head.
Meanwhile, Fi Glover chaired with panache, and journalist Robert Crampton gave the useful advice that it’s OK to write about your nearest and dearest as long as you are the one who crawls out of the anecdote looking like a fool. And did I mention that David Baddiel, Meera Syal and Lionel Shriver spoke too? Meanwhile, Shappi Khorsandi winced at memories of her online over-sharing:-
These big-name talks definitely provided thought-provoking entertainment more than practical tips, but I have no problem with being entertained. Where we got down to brass tacks was in the smaller workshops. Film director Mike Figgis taught us all about videoing ourselves, and kept it real for those of us not blessed with Hollywood budgets. Hayley Willis gave a slightly rambling but still worthwhile talk on photographic techniques: for example, rather than ramping up the saturation on your photos, try pulling back the black to make your colours ‘pop’. (Yes, I know that my photos with this post are rubbish: I was ILL.)
And of course whilst all this was going on, we were meeting each other. Being nosy, I was desperately curious about everyone else’s blogs. I had a good chat with Kitchen Counter Culture, and I can also inform you that HannahSpannah is thoroughly lovely and friendly.
And at the end, it was time for gin (a Mumsnet tradition), and also Prosecco, and also much chatter. Happy days.
All in all, a pretty awesome day, despite the lack of knitting.
- Sudden scary realization: maybe if you don’t know any obnoxious bloggers, that means that you are the obnoxious blogger…
Sounds fabulous. There was a WordPress conference in California last year that Celi at the kitchens garden found really useful. I didn’t know about it until she wrote about it, though…
In my (very limited) experience, blogging conferences are a lot of fun. It’s good to be surrounded for a day by people who really do understand why we have this strange pastime.
Sounds like you had a fab day even if you didn’t have anything to knit en-route. I hope you’re feeling better 🙂
The lack of knitting felt weird and wrong! But yes it was a good day, and yes I’m feeling better thanks.
I’m glad to hear that. Have a good weekend.:-)
You too!
sounds like you had a good day despite being sick and knitless. 🙂
Yes thanks, but I don’t intend to repeat the mistake of being knitless – that was BAD!
Interesting – never would have occurred to me, a live conference about blogging. I think it would possibly take a bit more to lure me to the big city. Does that mean I’m “it”?
Trust me, it’s a lot of fun to meet so many people who really do ‘get’ why we have this strange pastime. I share your aversion to the big city, though. Perhaps there should be country-based blogging conferences too.
Free gin?! Where can I book me one of those seats eh Ms Twisted? I follow Kitchen Counter Culture! I might have to go and have a sit down now. All of that metaphorical gin went to my obnoxious head…
No! You’re DEFINITELY not the obnoxious blogger. Kitchen Counter Culture is a thoroughly lovely and friendly and interesting person, by the way. We discussed ethical advertising.
I figure as I don’t know any obnoxious bloggers, it must be me ;). I follow her blog in my RSS Feed Reader. Love her posts 🙂
I really enjoyed meeting you, and you hid so well the fact that you were feeling rubbish (tinnitus??? Mon Dieu!) Fun blog piece about the day. Can’t wait to look at your “English Landscape” piece now.
You too, and I love your blog now that I’ve had a proper chance to look at it. I wish we’d had more time to talk. (I don’t really have tinnitus – was just over-egging the melodrama of an annoying but ordinary virus.) Hope you saw Narf’s comment above?
How interesting a day you had. I am one of those could-be friend bloggers who has the audacity to live millions of miles away in a faraway land called Australia.
I have been blogging for years but I never seem to be able to stick to it… what is your secret? Please share.
Thank you for your lovely comment. I’m not sure I’ve got any secret… But I have found blogging quite addictive. Once this thing gathered momentum, I didn’t feel that I could neglect it! It’s like an extra child that needs feeding once every three or four days. But seriously, this is supposed to be fun and it shouldn’t be a chore. Just write when you want to write. And enjoy.
Sounds like you had a great day despite being half-dead. Hope you’re feeling much better now.
BTW – what’s with the serving drinks in jam jars? Don’t Mumsnet have sufficient glasses? Even as a student I never had to resort to jam jars!
Thank you, yes I’m finally on the mend.
Yes, I was a little surprised by the jam jar thing, although it did mean that people could take their drinks away with them if they wanted to. I did prefer last year’s conventional-but-lovely gin and tonics. In glasses. I guess we’re just old-fashioned?
Still gutted I couldn’t join you this year – looked like another great day, with a better goody bag than last year too! Hope you are feeling better now – the tuberculosis has been doing the rounds here too.
It was better all round than last year. Sorry not to be there with you this time. Next year????? (Yes I’m slowly getting better, thanks. Hope you haven’t had this vile lurgy.)
Sandi Toksvig, Lionel Shriver, food and Prosecco?Wowzers!!! I have mega-envy….. Hope you’re feeling better…. xx
It was pretty good on all fronts. I just wish we’d been able to hear Margaret Atwood properly.
I would love to attend a blogging conference one day. I had the extraordinary opportunity earlier this year to meet Pauline, Kelly, Lisa, Laurie, Stacy, Julia and a few other bloggers in Washington, D.C. We gathered from three countries. It’s an experience I’ll never forget.
It’s rather wonderful to be surrounded by other bloggers, isn’t it? Just to talk to people who understand this strange interest of ours. If you get the chance to go to a blogging conference, definitely take it.
That it is. I’m going to be on the look out now for one in our area. I’m inspired.
Did they do any talks on how to blog when your poor old Mac is too ancient to cope with much more than I simple email … and even then …..?! Fabulous post as always. Thank you for bravely fighting the lurgey (sounds ‘orrible by the way) and giving us a taste of Blogfest. I am even half tempted to make a rare trip to The Smoke for the next one. Moke (Hope you are feeling all better now.)
Sadly, they didn’t offer that particular talk (although I would definitely have gone to it, and the one about how to blog when your internet connection is completely rubbish). I do recommend Blogfest, if you can face The Smoke. See you there next year?
Hope so. It sounds great fun. Moke
I’ve never heard of this: sounds nice. As far as over sharing I gauge it by comfort level. Some don’t mind sharing personal details, pictures of self and family and such. For me, if anyone has a face in a picture I asked the necessary persons permission because I don’t have pictures of self online. When my nieces and nephews were younger I asked their parents. As they have gotten older I ask them.