Birmingham Bloggers UK

Describe Jason Norris in one line:

Ex Graduate Apprentice and adopted Brummie blogging about being a graduate, working for a Deloitte and being part of the city.

When did you start blogging - and why?

I started blogging during my final placement as the Graduate Apprentice, which was with creative entrepreneur, Stefan Lewandowski. Initially it was to track my progress and development through my year, but its now become a more personal chance to comment on the range of activities I get involved with during the city. I’m still new to blogging, but so far its been fantastic, a great way to develop both personally and professionally.

What is the first post I should read on your blog?

Graduates in Birmingham - how I feel as a new graduate in the city.

What has your blog done for you lately?

Help me think about how I can help make the professional services sector a little more creative - I’m currently try to arrange the set up of a blog detailing the work of Birmingham Future.

Whats the one tip you would give to other bloggers?

Experiment! It takes time to find a style, and its flexible to change as you change. I try and post on something I feel strongly about, that way I feel like I know something about the subject, and if I don’t I will at least do some research.

Describe Rich Batsford in one line

News, views and comments from an independent musician, promoter and keen creative.

When did you start blogging - and why?

My first blog was back in 2001 but it wasn’t using a blog service, just a page on a website, and I don’t think anyone ever read it.  I discovered things like Wordpress and RSS a year ago and started again.   One of my first blog posts explored my motivations for blogging - http://www.richbatsford.com/?p=6

What is the first post I should read on your blog?

The latest one

What has your blog done for you lately?

Helped convince me I’m not alone

What’s the one tip you would give to other bloggers?

Keep going - you’ll find your voice (when you do, have a word with it will you,  I’m still looking for mine).

• http://www.richbatsford.com/
• RSS: http://feeds.feedburner.com/richbatsford/Jbbf
• See Rich Batsford on the Birmingham Bloggers Map

Describe hellocatfood.com in one line

A blog documenting my development as an artist.

When did you start blogging - and why?

I officially started in 2003 and it was more to do with my personal life. Since 2007 I’ve branched out to talk more about my practice and things that interest me.

What is the first post I should read on your blog?

What is the first post I should read on your blog?

http://www.hellocatfood.com/2008/06/08/thank-you <– it shows me at my best

What has your blog done for you lately?

It’s encouraged me to reach out to people more and got me reading other blogs

What’s the one tip you would give to other bloggers?

Focus on real life!

• http://www.hellocatfood.com/
• RSS: http://www.hellocatfood.com/feed
  
• See Hello Cat Food on the Birmingham Bloggers Map

PeteAshton.com

Describe the careless gene in one line

My obsessions. Let me show you them.

When did you start blogging - and why?

A couple of years ago I started going to a ridiculous number of gigs, so I decided to write about them in an effort to stop myself forgetting who I’d seen. After a while I tired of that and flirted with blogging recipes for a bit. Then I became super-obsessed with knitting, and quickly discovered that a blog is the perfect way to exhibit one’s handiwork, especially if one is loathe to walk up to people in the street with a big sign above one’s head saying I MADE THIS.

What is the first post I should read on your blog?

Whichever is the most recent one at time of reading. You may as well drop into the prevailing mania.

What has your blog done for you lately?

Umm… it’s given me the incentive to get things done, so that I can boast about them more frequently.

What’s the one tip you would give to other bloggers?

If it takes you longer than half an hour to write a post, don’t post it. Or if you do, turn the comments off. There is nothing more disheartening than crafting a beautifully-worded post that enshrines your opinion on a topic than some troll popping up to tell you you’re stupid and a terrible writer. Maybe I’m just sensitive though.

• http://carelessgenes.wordpress.com/
• RSS: http://careless.tumblr.com/rss
• See the careless gene on the Birmingham Bloggers Map

Describe Simon Hammond’s Blog in one line

My one with a serious face, a geeky hat and a cheeky wink.

When did you start blogging - and why?

Blogger was new and cool in 2002. I was too cheap to buy a diary and my girlfriend was rubbish at listening.

What is the first post I should read on your blog?

http://simonhammond.com/blog/2005/06/24/science-dull-hard

What has your blog done for you lately?

Given me an excuse to go to a Bloggers meet.

What’s the one tip you would give to other bloggers?

Write about what you know - however esoteric you think that is.

• http://simonhammond.com/blog/
• RSS: http://simonhammond.com/blog/feed/
• See Simon Hammond’s Blog on the Birmingham Bloggers Map

Describe Alex Hughes’s Cartoons in one line

Cartoons, caricatures and other musings by Alex Hughes

When did you start blogging - and why?

According to the log on Blogger, I started in 2003 (blimey, has it been that long).

What is the first post I should read on your blog?

The most recent one (but I guess we’ll all say that). I post my topical cartoons from Tribune every Tuesday.

What has your blog done for you lately?

Helped promote my work and break new markets.

What’s the one tip you would give to other bloggers?

Keep it short and sweet (please!)

• http://blog.alexhughescartoons.co.uk/
• http://blog.alexhughescartoons.co.uk/feeds/posts/default
• See Alex Hughes’s Cartoons on the Birmingham Bloggers Map

Describe Pete Marshall’s Visual Diary in one line

A visual diary

When did you start blogging - and why?

Started as a way of keeping a diary for a degree course

What is the first post I should read on your blog?

The about me

What has your blog done for you lately?

Helped me get a first!

What’s the one tip you would give to other bloggers?

Update your blogs

• http://petemarshall.com/new_blog/
• http://petemarshall.com/photoblog/
• See Pete Marshall’s Visual Diary on the Birmingham Bloggers map

Describe The Coffee Grounds in one line

I can’t describe anything in one line. That’s not to say it isn’t categorisable, just that I’m not very good at summarising.

When did you start blogging - and why?

August 1998 at http://caption.org/ (domain now handed on to others). Was part of the comics small-press/self-published/zine/your-preferred-term-here scene, and this internet thing seemed like a good idea at the time. Since March 2008 at http://www.jezuk.co.uk/jez. Well, why not? Motives then were not as they are now, nor as they have been in the time in between. Back then probably something along the lines of “why not?”. Now, I’m often aware that my Mum worries if I don’t write something for a while
What is the first post I should read on your blog?

Erm …

What has your blog done for you lately?

I was contacted by someone who wanted to interview me for a radio package she was doing as part of a her degree course.

What’s the one tip you would give to other bloggers?

Don’t worry about your website.

• http://www.jezuk.co.uk/cgi-bin/view/jez
• http://www.jezuk.co.uk/cgi-bin/view/jez/coffeegrounds_with_comments.rdf
• See The Coffee Grounds on the Birmingham Bloggers map