Blogging: Blog Hop - Why do I write?

The lovely Erin from Mouthless Mutters asked if she could tag me in to a meme that's being passed around the Canberra Bloggosphere at the moment. 

It just so happens to have come at a time where I am doing some contemplation and self assessment with regards to my Blogging, so I happily agreed to take up the tag and to answer the four little questions myself.

Why do I write?

Vanity, largely, and for self expression. I started Blogging in high school, literally keeping an online diary. Sadly, several of these still exist out there somewhere, and this inspired my incredibly poorly written honors thesis.

I started personal style blogging when I realised my clothes were more interesting than my feelings.

Ultimately I think it's really subjective, but for me my Blog is an extension of me. It's a little piece of my brain on the internet.  I don't get Bloggers who take on a personality, or start saying "we think this..." or "We love that...". I am one guy, sitting at a computer in trackies, doing the Blog. I always try and represent that, unless I am literally working with another person. I want to be responsible for the ethics, tone and 'policies' of my Blog at the end of the day, and not hide behind the name 'Ink & Leathers'.

How does my writing differ from others in my genre?

Lately I don’t feel like there is a lot of writing happening on the Blog. I mean, I talk about my clothes and my life, really, so it doesn’t compare to the sort of discussions happening in magazines or on online communities and forums, about Luxury or Menswear.

Generally speaking though, I think that as someone who has been actively writing in one way or another since primary school, and blogging for over ten years, I have a pretty developed voice. This is something that a lot of people work at for years before actually finding it. My challenge now, however, is applying my voice and humour to my chosen genres of luxury and menswear.

How does my writing process work?

It differs from topic to topic, but generally it starts with what I throw on my back that morning, which in turn is determined by what I have planned to wear up to a week ahead. Ordinarily I photograph a week's worth of outfits on a Saturday morning, and then I write the posts and edit the photos as I move through the week. I write in the evening, so that I have the experience of having worn the outfit to draw on. Now I'm trying to take my photos in more varied and interesting locations, so more work is going into taking the photos etc. The writing is literally the easiest part of the process for me.

What am I working on?

As an overarching statement, what I’m working towards is one day being able to make a living from my Blog, like my Blogging idols Phoebe from Lady Melbourne and Carly from Smaggle.

More specifically, right now I am working on setting up YouTube channel and learning the ins and outs of Vlogging generally. I’m not camera shy and I have lots of ideas, however, I am technologically deficient and have no idea what I am doing. I need a YouTube or video editing for dummies book.

Otherwise, I’ve just gone part-time at work so that I have one day a fortnight which I can dedicate entirely to my blog. In six months time I want to up that to two days a fortnight, and then form there we’ll see where it takes me.

Passing the baton

So, after seeing the illustrious lineage of this tag/meme here, here, and here; I thought it only appropriate to pass the baton on to a recently acquired friend and colleague in the Fashion Blogging sphere, Jiawa from Closet Voayge. 

Jiawa has great style, is a pro with a camera, and is a fantastic friend and sounding board. I honestly feel like I have learned a tremendous amount from her in the less than five months we have known one another. I have a great time discussing Blogging, Fashion and life with Jiawa, and I’m really interested to see what it is that she has to say about her writing.