Blogger in the Spotlight

Continuing in our series of Friday’s Bloggers in the Spotlight, I want to introduce Kay Lorraine who writes an irreverent and off-beat blog called Biz Bitch.

Friday Spotlight Interview

1.  Kay, what made you decide to begin a blog?  I am basically a business person and when this current economic downturn began, I looked around at the way people in business were behaving and I was alternately fascinated and appalled.  I wanted to talk to someone about it but no one would listen to me.  So I wrote a blog.

2.  What made you decide on the name Biz Bitch?   As a business person I tend to think in terms of marketing.  Years ago, I attended a day-long “branding boot camp” given by marketing expert David Tyreman.  One of my assignments that day was finding three words that reflected my own personal brand – three words that would sum up what people can expect when working with me that differentiates me from my competitors.  My three words were: Smart, Fearless and Funny.  The name Biz Bitch is a pretty accurate extension of my personal brand strategy. Before you ever read a word, you anticipate that this blog will be about business; it will be fearlessly edgy and definitely not have a serious, academic vibe.  Also, the name got your attention, didn’t it?!

3.  How often do you write a new post on your blog?   In the past, such as when I was writing movie reviews for a national website, I disciplined myself to write to a schedule.   But nobody is paying me here so I write when the muse is upon me, so to speak.  Sometimes that is weekly.  Other times, I have gone for long periods without writing anything.  Depression is a real creative-killer.  In fact, I once wrote a blog about “How to do Absolutely Nothing.”  It’s valuable information for an out-of-work business person.

4.  Do you read other people’s blogs?  Absolutely!  I love reading other blogs because I learn so much from them.  It expands my horizons beyond my normal comfort zone and that’s a good thing.  I am always amazed by people who only read blogs about things that “interest them.”  How limiting is that?  I am endlessly fascinated by stuff that doesn’t even occur to me but someone else has found so interesting that they have created an entire running blog about it.  I actually follow one blog devoted entirely to thrift shopping and another dedicated to crocheted knick-knacks.  I was absolutely awe-struck by the amount of work someone would put into crocheting a basket of fruit – and then writing about it.  Different strokes for different folks.  Blogs are an educational smorgasbord of semi-worthless information.  People who have never read my blog probably haven’t even thought about how to feng shui their car, hide their unsorted junk in stacked and draped Costco grape boxes or the correct way to scrub used aluminum foil before disposal in England (answer: with a tooth brush).

5.  Are you surprised at the number of countries where your blog is read?  That was a huge shock.  Once I noticed, I started trying (the key word there is “trying”) to train my followers to sign their comments with their state and country.  I think that readers find it fun to see the range of places that are sharing their experience.  Comments from my last post came from India, Canada, Australia, England, Thailand, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark and all over the United States.  How cool is that?

6.  What advice would you give someone who is thinking of starting their own blog?  Just do it.  Go to BlogSpot or Word Press and use one of their templates.  There’s no need to do your own website unless you are trying to sell something or plan to live off the advertising income.  (Big tip – don’t quit your day job.)

7.  What’s your next big project?  Law School.   It’s a shocker, right?  At 65 years of age, I am preparing to begin law school.   My husband will be 70 this month.  You gotta love a man who is so supportive of his wife that he is willing to take on her student loans at 70.

You can follow Kay’s blog at http://BizBitchBlog.blogspot.com  (And don’t forget to make a comment with your location.  Please!)

I hope you enjoyed getting to know Kay Lorraine.  Please take a moment and check out her blog, it’s definitely worth the visit.

Wendy McCance

Wendy McCance is a Michigan based freelance writer and social media consultant. Wendy has gained attention as the founder of the popular blog Searching for the Happiness which can be viewed in 6 local papers online, including the Oakland Press.The combination of writing skills and social media knowledge is what makes Wendy such a powerhouse to work with. Stay tuned for opportunities to advertise, guest post and as always, have your questions answered.

To contact Wendy McCance about a writing assignment, interview or speaking engagement, please email her at: [email protected]

12 thoughts on “Blogger in the Spotlight

  1. Pingback: Writers Helping Other Writers « belly button blues

  2. What a great interview. I’ve been wanting to do a posting on Writers Helping Other Writers, and, because this is a great example of that, I’d like to include a link to your post with your permission. Let me know.

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