10 Questions with Wil of Spot Cool Stuff

1. Describe your blog in five sentences or less.
How about one phrase or less:  Destinations, gadgets, music, movies, websites and high design items with a WOW factor.

2. Link us to one post from your blog that best defines who you are.
Only one? My most recent post is still swirling in my mind. So, at this moment, I have to point you to Eat Breakfast With A Giraffe.  Besides the fact that I hope this post makes people go WOW, my intent was to make this place seem accessible. Almost anyone with the means can go experience it for themselves, you don’t need to be any great adventurer. I mean, how great is it that we live on a planet where there’s a Giraffe Manor?

3. What sets you apart from other bloggers?
Our WOW factor. And that we bring that sensibility (or try to) to all five categories we write about: travel, tech, media, websites, and design.

4. When and how did you first discover blogging?
At the same time bloggers first discovered blogging, back in the late 90s or early 2000s when I was working for the Discovery Channel Online.

5. What is your biggest pet peeve related to blogging or the internet?
Blogs that have more ads than useful content. I saw a blog yesterday (I wish I could remember the URL) that was literally dozens of adsense ads surrounding a blog post that was, wait for it, one sentence long.

6. Name one plugin, blogging widget, or service that you can’t live without.
Especially on the travel portion of Spot Cool Stuff I couldn’t live without my Folding Categories plugin; I have so many categories it would really be impossible otherwise.  The plugin I’m starting to like more and more is CommentLuv. I started using it in my Travel And Websites areas but might be expanding that to the others.

7. If you could choose anyone, living or dead, to write a guest post for your blog, who would it be and why?
How can you not go for some one dead if that option is out there?  Lots of names come to mind but in the end I’d have to say Leonardo da Vinci.  I’m not sure there’s ever been a person who has more sought out life’s WOW factors.

8. How has blogging made you a better person?
Interesting that you are assuming that it has. Writing, researching and making contact with others has certainly enriched my life. But made me a better person?  I’m not sure.

9. What are your tips for becoming a better blogger?
A friend of mine recently launched a blog and asked me to take a look. Her blog posts were written in light red text placed upon a medium-red background.  Naturally, I told her that her readers might find her color choice difficult to read and headache-inducing. Her reply: “But I like red!”  So my advice is this: Think about your blog from your reader’s point of view.  How does what you are writing appear to them? What’s THEIR experience on your blog and how can you make that better? What do they want to know?  On almost every blog I’ve been to (mine as well, in some ways) the blogger is far too self-centric.

10. Name one great blog that you read on a regular basis. What makes it unique?
Breed ‘Em And Weep – Excellent writing, combined with a delicious sense of humor and profound outlook on life.

Ten Questions with Karen of Europe A La Carte

1. Describe your blog in five sentences or less.
The Europe a la Carte blog is part of my UK based travel business, focusing on authentic travel in Europe on a modest budget. I feature travel deals, accommodation, less well known destinations, guest interviews, travel tips, site reviews etc. My blog aims to inform, inspire and entertain readers who love travel in Europe.

2. Link us to one post from your blog that best defines who you are.
No place for good advice on the web

3. What sets you apart from other bloggers?
I’m an independent blogger who wants to write posts about travel in Europe that readers will find useful rather than writing for search engine optimisation and trying to attract attention in social media sites. My blog has perform a balancing act of attracting and retaining readers through content which also increases traffic and revenue for my site, through clicks on adverts or affiliate links. I have to see a return on the investment of time spend on the blog but if I write constant sales pitches no one will read the blog.

4. When and how did you first discover blogging?
I received an email from a business studies student asking for help with research for her dissertation about travel business blogs in Autumn 2006. Until then I thought that blogs were the online diaries of teenage geeks. I read up about business blogs and it was all so positive that I launched my blog in October 2006.

5. What is your biggest pet peeve related to blogging or the internet?
The fact the blog which are part of a network ie B5 media or Boots n All immediately have a head start in rankings over an independent blogger such as myself. I started as editor of the Wandalust UK travel blog in March 2008, which is part of the Creative Weblogging network of 130 blog.

6. Name one plugin, blogging widget, or service that you can’t live without.
Wordpress blogging platform which I use for Europe a la Carte, Wandalust uses Movable Type and it’s awful. Wordpress is much more stable and easier to use. My son recommended and installed a self hosted Wordpress blog when I started blogging.

7. If you could choose anyone, living or dead, to write a guest post for your blog, who would it be and why?
Jan Morris the travel writer. I totally agree with her sentiment, “The best way to find out about a place is wander around. Wander around, alone, with all your antennae out thinking about what’s happening and what you see and what you feel.”

8. How has blogging made you a better person?
Not sure if it’s made me a better person, just different. Well I reckon I’ve become a confirmed blogaholic as I write 3 blogs now, Europe a la Carte, Wandalust and Business Blog Boost about the benefits of blogging for your business. That takes up a lot of my time. I feel that I live part of my life in a virtual world and I’ve made lots of virtual friends and contacts in the blogosphere. Unfortunately it means I’ve less time for “real” contact with family and friends. I’m not a very techie person. Our son a computing student looks after my IT. He’s tried to set it up to be as simple as possible for me to do things myself. However it has been really hard for me to do things like get to grips with basic html. To be a successful independent blogger it would be great to be more IT literate.

9. What are your tips for becoming a better blogger?
Dedication and perseverance. Blogging for your business can really boost your business without spending a lot of money but you will require to invest a lot of time and effort. You have to participate in the blogoshpere, read and comment at other blogs. network and promote your blog.

10. Name one great blog that you read on a regular basis. What makes it unique?
Travel Rants is an independent blog written for the UK travel consumer and it’s a great forum for consumers to air their concerns over travel related issues. Travel Rants was recently voted best consumer travel blog in the Travolution awards. The founder and editor Darren Cronian adheres to the ideals of the blogosphere by intervening on consumers behalf with travel companies and promoting other travel blogs, while holding down a full time job.

10 Questions with Olivia of High Culture on a Low Budget

1. Describe your blog in five sentences or less.
As a former employee of the fine arts and a lifetime traveler, I often find that culture and hopping a plane/train go hand in hand (for me at least). Yet I also hate the misconception that the fine arts are for fine budgets. So when I got into travel writing, I really strove to make the “other” side of high culture known to people going through Europe on a shoestring budget. There are cheap opera tickets, free days at the museum, public concerts, etc., and High Culture on a Low Budget is a haven for all of those goodies (plus the occasional splurge). In addition to being breathlessly plugged-in, it has also recently launched weekly columns for travel playlists from some of the best-known travelers, ask a local Q&As, and cheap dates for the weekend warriors.

2. Link us to one post from your blog that best defines who you are.
That may have to be my first post, which was Vienna’s Universitat Grosser Festaal with its gorgeous Klimt ceilings. I love Vienna; if I had to live in one city for the rest of my life I’d park my derriere on Mariahilferstrasse and be quite happy. And, since the University is closed to the public, you kind of have to use some fancy footwork to get in there. I’m all about being a little sneaky to get some great art. However, my most popular post remains the Paris: Opera Garnier and Beyond so I guess I did something right there, too—I’ve been told your most popular posts are generally the ones that are most “you” (as it were).

3. What sets you apart from other bloggers?
I used “blow job” in tandem with a post on a Polish art gallery. Take that, Fodors. Like I said, I try to give high culture a spin for the Gen X and Gen Y crowds. We didn’t necessarily grow up with weekends at the philharmonic or afternoons at the museum. So it’s about making that part as exciting as the part where you can do it all on 10 Euro.

4. When and how did you first discover blogging?
I think like most teenagers in my generation, I must have played around with Blogger in high school. But my first major blog was started when I moved to Italy. It was an easy way for me to keep in touch with my friends (all five of them) and to get in daily writing exercises. I wound up getting some recognition for it in the blogosphere and in the Rome edition of Metro for having a no-holds-barred view of my travels (including a few wild nights around Europe). I had fun with that for about a year before turning to service-oriented travel blogging.

5. What is your biggest pet peeve related to blogging or the Internet?
“Or the Internet?” Wow, that’s a wide range. I’m going to go with Tila Tequila here. Seriously. What the hell? Another pet peeve I have as a writer is how easily others can rip off your work and how flimsy your side of the argument holds up without any hard copy proof. I’ve pitched via e-mail to outlets that have in turn rejected me and then assigned my story idea to an in-house writer. I’ve seen some of my posts (which, in the interest of full disclosure, will occasionally include sentences lifted from press releases, event details, etc. Which, coming from a PR background, I can tell you is exactly what they’re there for) lifted into other blogs and websites. That sort of pettiness frustrates me, but you learn to develop a thick skin.

6. Name one plugin, blogging widget, or service that you can’t live without.
I’m addicted to my WordPress blog stats page. It helps me figure out what I did on what day to make my hits jump (or plummet), I can monitor which posts are the most popular over time (which is what led to the playlist inception). And it also helps me monitor where I get my incoming links, etc. It’s a pretty simple service, but one that helps a great deal.

7. If you could choose anyone, living or dead, to write a guest post for your blog, who would it be and why?
I’m kind of with Barry (of Inn of the Last Home) on this one; HC/LB is my baby and I’m a little protective of it. I’m the mommy that will listen to the advice from other mommies on the playground, but the minute one of them tries to otherwise shape my kid directly, I’ll probably be the one smacking her down in the sandbox with my tweed handbag and leather boots. I am, however, all for interviews and guest contributions (vis-à-vis playlists) to my blog, and I have a long wish-list for travel mix-masters for the latter. Off the top of my head: Anthony Bourdain, Cedric Klapisch, Barack Obama, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Julie Delphy, Eric Ripert, the folks at Hidden Europe magazine, Takahashi Murakami, Tim Gunn…they all travel, right?

8. How has blogging made you a better person?
It’s taught me about the communal/community aspects of writing. Here, if you have a milkshake, and I have a milkshake, and I have a straw. And my straw reaches across the room, and starts to drink your milkshake. I drink your milkshake. Oh, wait, I think that may have been how oil has made me a better person. But there are some communal/community aspects of writing that can only be learned through blogging, I believe. It creates a dialogue that can go almost instantaneously between blogger and readership, and that encourages honesty and authenticity from bloggers. I always take the extra five minutes to make sure I’m giving out the right information; I’m not too proud to e-mail an institution or put off a post to make sure it’s on pitch (as it were). And then I drink your milkshake.

9. What are your tips for becoming a better blogger?
Discipline. If you say you’re going to blog every day, blog every day. That doesn’t mean that each post has to be on par with Hemingway or Tolstoy, but you’ll get in the groove of writing on a set basis and it will make the process much more natural and easy. If you’re blogging to further your writing career, this sort of daily exercise will help you exponentially. Also, look for ways to make your blog engage with your readership if you are looking to build a large fan base. Starting this month (April), I’ve been emphasizing the community aspect of HC/LB and am excited about the turns it’s taking. While I am not entirely for someone else writing my blog, I love the idea of someone else speaking on it.

10. Name one great blog that you read on a regular basis. What makes it unique?
Being a displaced New Yorker, I’m all over New York Magazine’s blogs — Daily Intel, Grub Street, The Cut, etc. I feel like they keep me plugged into my home and give me a mix of politics, fashion dish, cultural goings-on, foodie news, and New York gossip. I was also really happy to see Alex Robertson Textor launch Spendthrift Shoestring last year; he’s an amazing travel writer and was one of my first editors, so I already have some built-in loyalty. Bias aside, he has a great sense of style when it comes to writing (and 80s Europop) and constructs engaging narratives on a word budget. No small feat.

I’ve been visiting Photos from Northern Norway – A Photo Blog for a while now and have enjoyed some of the most beautiful photography you’ll ever see. I wish I could insert some of the photos here but because of copyright laws, I will only link to some of my favorites.

The author if this blog is Thomas Laupstad, who lives in Northern Norway. He is interested in preserving nature and so enjoys photographing his favorite subject…Norway. And it is spectacular! Some of my favorite photos are the Northern Lights, Snow covered Forest and Village, and an old Fishing Boat.

Interestingly, he also takes pictures of Norwegians insects, and other wildlife. Even pictures of flies and snails are artfully done!

I really enjoy this blog. It’s very simple, the pictures load quickly and it’s a quick browse with instant gratification. If you’re interested in any of his photography, it is for sale as well.

This is a beautiful and tasteful blog; an extraordinary little niche in the large photography blog market. Keep the beautiful art coming, Thomas!

1. Describe your blog in five sentences or less.
My blog is about my new life in Costa Rica with my family. It contains daily life for a family of five in a completely different place that is still exactly the same. I hope to inspire people to make big changes, inform people about what it is like in a country other than the U.S. (both the similarities and the differences) and entertain people with the antics of my life and little ones.

2. Link us to one post from your blog that best defines who you are.
Mi Amor – or a Trip to the Hardware Store in Costa Rica

3. What sets you apart from other bloggers?
I really believe that there is such a common thread among people and the human experience that every blog is like a three-course meal with similiar options. Mine throws together a Mommy-type blog for an appetizer, with a travel themed blog for the main course, and a sweet dessert of highlighting that we are all the same.

4. When and how did you first discover blogging?
When my husband and I started to secretly plan this excursion, I told my best friend. She has always been a journal writer and suggested I keep a journal about the experience. At the time I was living in Silicon Valley and blog was the big buzzword of the day. 1 + 1 = 2, or in this case www.costaricacrazy.blogspot.com.

5. What is your biggest pet peeve related to blogging or the internet?
I think that my biggest pet peeve is more with myself. I am just hitting middle-age and not as quick as I once was. The explosion of options, widgets, services, feeds, and so on is evolving faster than I can get a solid grasp of what has already been. And the lingo sometimes feels like a different language. I am not even sure that I know what entrecards are? Please help me.

6. Name one plugin, blogging widget, or service that you can’t live without.
I have just begun to understand the beauty of the feed aggregators and have fallen in love with FeedDemon. It feels a little like an endless to do list, but is so much better than trying to favorite each blog that I am interested in.

7. If you could choose anyone, living or dead, to write a guest post for your blog, who would it be and why?
This is a tough one. I only recently got a handle on writing myself and never thought of using a guest blogger. After writing in and erasing several people, I think that it would be interesting to post something from my father. He has always been a technically sound and emotional writer and it would not be a bad idea to have his say on Costa Rica and our hip-hop to this country. He has told me in conversations what he thinks, but to write for publication will draw out more how he feels. A really good idea. Thanks.

8. How has blogging made you a better person?
I look at things differently now. I have always been observant, however now I am looking for something to photograph or write about to interest a broader range of people. I also think that it has improved my writing skills.

9. What are your tips for becoming a better blogger?
I think the most important points are to keep posting (she says with a chuckle after a couple month gap) and keep observing.

10. Name one great blog that you read on a regular basis. What makes it unique?
I hate to admit, but my secret pleasure is PostSecret. It is anonymously written by so many people and in a short statement a whole life episode is revealed. It appeals to the voyeur in me, as well as the sympathetic.

I read a blog post written by RumblingLankan about BlogsWeLuv, which was featured on the slBlogs homepage. If it were not for that, I would not have even seen this amazing site, let alone become a contributor. (Thanks Tish and Mike, you rock!!!)

The concept of slBlogs is really simple. If you are Sri Lankan (that’s for the time being) and if you have a blog which is updated frequently, you can syndicate your blog to slBlogs. And whenever you update your blog with a new post, it will be featured on the slBlogs homepage until it’s replaced by new blog posts.

Even if you are not Sri Lankan, here’s why you should check it out.

• I came across many great bloggers and blogs thanks to slblogs. Well, since slblogs requires your blog to be updated frequently, the chances of you coming across those “once a month” blogs are very rare. And obviously, frequent bloggers blog frequently because they are passionate about it, and thus become probloggers who offer quality content always, all the time.
• They give away too much free stuff. First they gave away a free domain for a year. This was their first ever blog contest and apparently someone by the name of Mithila won it. (Ahem!!!). Now, two weeks later, they are giving away 3 more domains with 1GB bandwidth for one year. Yes, you read it right, 3 domains! 1GB! 1 year!
• The staff is ultra cool. Slblogs staff members are so helpful that they willingly share their messenger IDs when inquired, with the sole intention of helping you out. The most important thing is that their support is free to anyone. You can contact Nirosha Kodituwakku from slblogs for more information.

So, all in all, slblogs is worth checking out. As I said, I wouldn’t be writing this if it were not for them.

Note: I do not get paid by slblogs for promoting their site!!!

10 Questions with Nishadha of RumblingLankan.com

1. Describe your blog in five sentences or less.
My ramblings about generating traffic, WordPress, Sri Lanka Institute of Technology (my University), situation in Sri Lanka, and some miscellaneous stuff I feel like blogging about.

2. Link us to one post that best defines who you are.
Top Adsense Earners Trick
This is a tricky one. Since I write most about generating traffic, I don’t think they define who I am, so I chose this one. Although this is not the most popular of the lot, I did some research on this before writing, so I guess I like it more.

3. What sets you apart from other bloggers?
Well I’m trying to make some money online, but I guess I’m not blogging only about it. As mentioned in the first question, I do blog about other stuff too. Blogger trying to earn some money with the least amount of ads? Well I guess that’s something that sets me apart since I run only an Adsense banner.

4. When and how did you first discover blogging?
It’s an article I found in the news paper. Although I have heard about blogging before, that article is the one that inspired me I guess, where the bloggers in Sri Lanka spread the word about the tsunami devastation in Sri Lanka. People sharing their feelings with the whole world with some few words, the power of it is amazing.

5. What is your biggest pet peeve related to blogging or the internet?
I guess its spam mails, with everybody pushing some product at you. I suppose you can argue you can just delete them, but they’re the single biggest annoyance to me.

6. Name one plugin, blogging widget, or service that you can’t live without.
Well, at the moment its Entrecard. It’s getting me traffic, and I got to meet some nice people who are willing to help.

7. If you could choose anyone, living or dead, to write a guest post for your blog,who would it be and why?
There is this one blog I love to read. I don’t the blogger’s actual name; she posts as Mia. I would love if she can write a guest post for me. She has a way of saying simple things in life in a intriguing way.

8. How has blogging made you a better person?
Well, I learned a lot about working with WordPress , PHP and MySql because of my blog, so my technical knowledge improved. I learned that you can’t please everyone but the least you can do is be polite in your replies to comments and think that some might get offended by what you are writing. And all the friends I met because of blogging have surely contributed to me becoming a better person.

9. What are your tips for becoming a better blogger?
Listen to the readers. I guess that’s the most important lesson. And not to be offended when someone points out a mistake, and try to fix it as soon as possible. I guess a blog is about building relationships so having a healthy relationship with your bloggers can do wonders to your blog.

10. Name one great blog that you read on a regular basis. What makes it unique?
Whisperings
I cant pinpoint an exact reason, but for some reason that I don’t understand, I love reading this blog. I’m an software engineer so I mostly browse tech blogs and amidst all that this one is a welcome and a refreshing change. When I’m sick and tired with work, this is the place I usually go. This is my favorite post.
Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Find Her a Match (not)…Altogether Now…Join in…

2.Link us to one post from your blog that best defines who you are.
Happiness Comes From Within

I picked this post because I believe that anyone can choose happiness no matter what your circumstances are or what life throws at you. Before I use to think, if I just can get that job, travel to that place, or buy new clothes, I will be happy. It doesn’t work that way. Of course I became happy at first, but it wasn’t the lasting kind of happiness. I’m glad I finally realized that happiness comes from inside and not as a result of money, materialistic things, or approval from other people. I feel much better when thinking this way and while I know lots of people live by the same mindset, there are many millionaires and successful people who are miserable and don’t understand that money can’t buy them what they want most of all…to be happy.

3. What sets you apart from other bloggers?
First and foremost… the name. I mean, who wouldn’t want to visit a blog with the word ‘blissful’ in it? And I have a really beautiful picture of a mirror border and a burning white candle above the title. I took it during a recent hotel stay in London and think it matches well with the title. I’m always optimistic and positive when blogging, and never complain or whine about things that bugs me. I know bloggers who get good traffic by writing about things that annoy and irritate them, but I prefer to focus on what I love and am passionate about.

I rarely write a blog post without including at least one picture. I find that photographs brighten a blog post and make it more appealing. And rather than just choosing photos at random I make an effort to find pictures that complement the content. I either use my own pictures or upload from stock sites as stock.xhng. Sometimes I skip the text and only upload pictures from different photographers to help them promote their work, ‘Why I Love Skylines’ which has some amazing shots of impressing skylines across the world is a good example.

Also, I’m a Swedish girl who blogs in English. I don’t know any other English travel blogs written by someone from Sweden. If you do, please let me know so I can check it out.

4. When and how did you first discover blogging?
I heard about blogging a few years ago through different Swedish newspapers and magazines, and created my own blog in April 2007. I chose Wordpress.com because I thought they had the best templates and widgets.

5. What is your biggest pet peeve related to blogging or the internet?
I don’t like blogs with a boring or dull look. I think it’s important to make your blog appealing with a good design. The content is obviously more important, but if I don’t like the appearance of a blog I rather go to another site. I do make an exception if the content is great. A few days ago I found Scott H Young’s blog. I don’t like his design at all, but the content is great so of course I had to subscribe.

6. Name one plugin, blogging widget, or service that you can’t live without.
I love the blog stats service. I have a free Wordpress.com blog and apart from page views, they show you top posts and pages, referrers, what search engine terms people use to find your blog, incoming links, and what links visitors click on. It’s interesting to see what posts are most popular and the terms people use to find my blog.

7. If you could choose anyone, living or dead, to write a guest post for your blog, who would it be and why?
Since I have a travel blog it would have to be a travel writer. I’d choose Paul Theroux… without a doubt. I love his travelogues, especially ‘The Happy Isles of Oceania: Paddling the Pacific’ and ‘The Railway Bazaar’. It would be interesting to see what type of post he would write and if he would let me upload one of his pictures. I hope so.

Paul Theroux… if you by any chance happen to read this, please contact me and you will have the honor to be the first professional travel writer who submits a guest post to Blissful Travel. That’s not too bad, right? Or if anyone who knows Theroux reads this, please give him the link to this page :)

8. How has blogging made you a better person?
I have learnt a lot since I started blogging. Not just about traveling and photography, but about myself and what I love, what I care about the most, and how important it is to do the things you love and go after your dreams… no matter what they are. I love sharing my thoughts by writing and I think that makes me a better person because I put my thoughts, ideas and opinions out there instead of just keeping them to myself. I think as long as we do what we love, learn and aren’t afraid to try new things, we become better persons every day.

9. What are your tips for becoming a better blogger?
Write, write, and write. Blog regularly, if possible once a day or at least a few times a week. You will definitely improve your blogging skills by updating your blog often. That’s self-explanatory, but it never hurts to repeat it. If you want to blog full-time and earn an income from your blog, I’d say three posts a day is the norm.

Write about the things you love. Read other blogs to get inspiration, network with fellow bloggers to exchange ideas, and make an effort to write interesting blog posts that catches the reader’s attention. Whatever you do, don’t be boring. Appealing and fascinating is good, if you’re witty and amusing as well that’s a big plus.

10. Name one great blog that you read on a regular basis. What makes it unique?

I love ‘High Culture on a Low Budget’ by Olivia Giovetti, an L.A. based freelance writer who has lots of experience from traveling in Europe on a budget. I haven’t heard about any other blog that combines traveling and culture in such a good and witty way. The blog has a pretty design, beautiful pictures, and gives an insiders point of view on where to go for high culture on a low budget. This is a perfect example of a great niche.