Saturday 11 April 2020

you made a difference: a tag {about blogs}

Me: look at all those tags I was supposed to do like a year ago
Brain: that's a lot
Me: if I'm back to blogging again, one of those would be perfect-
Brain: no
Me: what
Brain: *hands me a new tag* 
Me: how exactly are you helping



So this tag is a little different to most.

You know how you normally answer questions and then tag someone else?

For this one, the answers to the questions are the people you're tagging. (Well, some of them. Some might not be around anymore.)


It's sort of a shout-out to the cool people who have influenced your blogging journey.

forgive me if this is already a thing. I'll blame Brain.
• • • • • • •

| Old friends | 

Who was the first blogger you followed?


Note: If you don't remember the exact answer, throw up all the names that were significant to you when you started!

Firstly, I'd like to thank myself for putting the above loophole in. Truly inspired.



Well, Go Teen Writers, I think? Andrea at asurgeofthunder (has she moved blogs? I can't find her!), Micaiah at Notebooks and Novels, {TAG, Micaiah!}, Audrey (who is now K.M. Small), and Gray Marie (who has moved to The Worthy Beloved).


Who was the first person to comment on your blog?


Miss March, from Sunshiny Corner! {TAG, Miss March!} She was so sweet - as is her blog, which is full of period drama and classic stuff like Winnie the Pooh (the original, which is The Best and not at all just for kids). And... yeah, it's hard to describe, but "sweet" is the absolute best word for both Miss March and her blog. Also "sunshiny", which I suppose makes sense??


Sometimes bloggers stop blogging or go on indefinite hiatus - who do you miss now they're gone?


Hannah Rodriguez at furiouseverafters. I loved her blog; I thought she was cool (and for some reason she made me think of a female Cisco Ramone from Flash??) and she was one of the earlier bloggers I got to know.

I never got to read her explanation post before she took her blog down - or the comments which might have provided some backstory? - but from the little I can see in my Blogger reading page preview, it sounded like a messy situation. Her Goodreads and NaNoWriMo profile became inactive too and I didn't have any other way to contact her.

I always wished I had a chance to check on her, make sure she was okay??


Who started blogging around the same time as you?


Faith, from R.F. Gammon, Author (previously A Writer's Song). {TAG, Faith!} We were both March 2017 babies. xD She was also one of the first blogs I remember following!



| Current bloggers |

Do you have a blogging friendship which has extended beyond the screen?


I dooo! Kenzie from Smudged Thoughts and I are now penpals! {TAG, Kenzie!} If you ask her nicely, she might tell you what I sent her in the letter that started it off.....

I also, a long time ago, received a really encouraging and lovely note from Jessica at Apples of Gold, who is, like me, an Aussie blogger!



Which blogger has most influenced your current blogging or writing style?


I'd like to say Kenzie again! She has such a wonderfully whimsy blogging style that I WANT to say she's a big influence on my blog. Go read hers and see. *prods you with a pitchfork* No, seriously, if you don't follow her you, absolutely should. She's hilarious.

Also I think we all secretly want to be Cait from Paper Fury. But I TRY not to absorb her writing style too much (it's a genuine problem because I really want to). {TAG, Cait!}


Who was the last person who tagged you?


R.J. Catlin from bekreations on Wordpress. Unfortunately: this was so long ago (back before I, uh, hiatus-ed?) that the blog no longer exists. WHOOPS. This is why I shouldn't procrastinate so severely. Sorry, R.J. (Have you changed blogs?)

So the person before R.J. was Julia at Litaflame {TAG, Julia!} with a Forging the Fellowship tag she invented herself! which I have got on my to-do list, because it sounds fun, even though I am over a year overdue.

• • • • • • •

So to recap:

| Old friends |
  • Who was the first blogger you followed? (or the first few you remember)
  • Who was the first person to comment on your blog?
  • Sometimes bloggers stop blogging or go on indefinite hiatus - who do you miss now they're gone?
  • Who started blogging around the same time as you?
| Current bloggers |
  • Do you have a blogging friendship which has extended beyond the screen?
  • Which blogger has most influenced your current blogging or writing style?
  • Who was the last person who tagged you?

You can use the graphic at the top of this post if you like? or make your own, whatever suits. And as far as tagging goes... I love flexible rules, so for your answers, tag as many or few of the bloggers as you like!



And I've tagged:


But of course, if I've mentioned you and not specifically tagged you, do join in! I might not know your current blog address, orrrr I might have thought you were busy/on hiatus/not interested. Yes, I am that socially awkward.

• • • • • • •

Anyway, so, uh, that's another day when I haven't disappeared on an unannounced hiatus!
 *ticks box on habit chart* Three more and I get a sticker!!
Me: you will be responsible and reliable
Me: and not flake out on this blogging thing  a g a i n
Brain: absolutely
Brain, silently: ...one day
Brain, silently, and with eyes as wild as Aragorn's:

Me: NO. BAD.

• • • • • • •

Who's a blogger you remember fondly from when you started out? What questions would you have added to this tag? And would I have been anyone's answer to the "missing blogger" question, because I may or may not have been thinking of how I randomly disappeared. Are there any bloggers you'd like to shout out for just being awesome??

Also is it annoying how much I keep referring to my random hiatus. because it's annoying me and I will stop now. xD

• • • • • • •

In other news: keep me updated on how you're going! or if you need a word of encouragement! I'm in a very fortunate position, at the moment - an introvert living with my family - and if I can help or encourage anyone, I'd love to, so let me know.

- Jem <3

20 comments:

  1. I suppose this is motivation for me to come out of my own unexpected hiatus.
    This is a great idea for a tag! All the people who inspire us along our creative journeys deserves some honour, and I often do think about the ones that suddenly seem to fall off the face of the earth.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yess, join us, Blue! (Do you blog?) There are SO MANY lovely people in the writer-blogger circles, and I just wanted to let some of them know they're appreciated. :)

      Delete
  2. "Brain: *hands me a new tag*
    Me: how exactly are you helping"

    I relate to the above something fierce 🤣 lol.

    This was a great idea!!! Thank you for the taaag! ❤️

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ooh, I like this tag. :D And I enjoyed seeing some of the people who've influenced you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I just wanted to shout out to some of the amazing people around my tiny corner of the blogging world! :D

      Delete
  4. OH. MY. GOODNESS. This literally just made my whole entire week. I definitely was NOT squealing and pressing my hands to my face to stop the fierce blushing, though. Definitely not. Nope. *lies* buT OH MY WORD YOU THINK MY BLOG IS WHIMSICAL???? ASDFGHJKL That is EVERYTHING I ever wanted to hear!!! Oh my goodness me.... (yep. i'm squealing again.)

    I really, really, REALLY love these questions, Jem!!! And I'm pretty sure I have an answer for each and every one of them, so exCUSE ME while I go write out my answers to this tag instead of writing my book like I should be doing.... Aha.....hahahahaha.....ha. *dies*

    I'm also gonna have to take a peek at these other bloggers!! I mean, I'm so behind on reading blogs as it is, but THAT DOESN'T MATTER. I'm always on the hunt for new blogs to follow! XD

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Your blog is whimsical... with a touch of murder. xP (Arthur Conan Doilies, though. how can your blog not be murderously whimsical.) Can't wait to see your answers, Kenzie!!

      And I am SO BEHIND on reading blogs too, but 100% agree you should check these guys out. xD

      Delete
  5. Aww, I love this! <3
    I think you may be talking about Andrea from this blog: https://endless-wonder-blog.blogspot.com/
    At least, she's the only Andrea I know on here that was an older blogger, I could be wrong.

    This blog was one of my favorites from the beginning! It's nice being back here again, it feels like 2017.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't think it's that Andrea - she once commented on my blog under the name Indigo, and the Andrea I'm thinking of was (I believe??) from the Philippines. But thank you for trying <3

      MY BLOG WAS WHAT. I'm blushing, and also flattered because your blog simply SHOT up, Grace! (and yes NOSTALGIA, I feel it too xD)

      Delete
  6. Heeey! Fellow March 2017 blogger :D This looks like a lot of fun and i totally might steal this

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I never knew you were March 2017, Lia?? I always had the impression you'd been around longer! GO AHEAD and steal it (except I gave you permission so now it's not stealing, mwahaha xD)

      Delete
  7. This is a WONDERFUL tag!! I enjoyed reading it - also, Hannah Rodriguez is pretty active on Twitter and Instagram, and she's doing great as far as I know! I don't know if you're on either of those social media platforms, but her username on Twitter is @thehmrodriguez :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. THANK YOU for letting me know about Hannah, Savannah - I'm not on either of those, but it's good to just know she's doing okay. And I'm glad you enjoyed the tag! (You were one of the bloggers baby!me looked up to as well <3)

      Delete
  8. Oh this looks so fun, Jem! And aw, I was one of the first bloggers you followed? I'm honored. <3 I can't wait to do this tag. Thank you for tagging me! =)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You were, yes! <3 My pleasure, and I see you tagged me too, Micaiah... I will try to get onto that xD

      Delete
  9. Your brain is my brain. Seriously, I do that all the time. "Look at all these tags I haven't done for six months! I should do them!" "ORRR, you could write about this totally random and pointless thing, instead!! isn't that a GREAT idea???"

    This tag is amazing, though. (Not at all pointless, whatever I may have accidentally implied. Whoops.) I love the idea.

    Miss March's blog is AMAZING. "Sunshiny" is the perfect word. XD

    And I too adore Kenzie's whimsical, nonsensical writing style. It is extremely sunshiny too, if in a different way.

    Bloggers disappearing is sad. :( I often wonder what happened. (I...actually did wonder that about you, tbh. The day a new post appeared in my inbox I was like "WAIT. JEM ISN'T DEAD????!!! HURRAH!!!!!")

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. SARAH. Firstly, thank you for commenting; it's lovely to know you're here! (and also? reading that you did notice when I came back? I am awkwardly very happy! and embarrassed! [b/c why, brain, did you decide to leave for however many months, with nary a word?? YESS sometimes our brains just?? go rogue??])

      You have a shared love with Miss March, considering the name of your blog, so I'm not surprised you agree her blog is amazing! ;D And Kenzie is more of a murdery sunshiny whimsy! ...which is much more fun than I'm making it sound, as you know. xD

      Delete
  10. I love this tag! It's so kind and pure :) I think I might steal it and do it on my blog :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad you thinks so, Chelsea, and do definitely steal it! :D

      Delete

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