My blogging rituals by @menopauseonline

HI, MY NAME IS… Karen Robinson

MY TWITTER HANDLE IS… @menopauseonline

MY BLOG URL IS… https://menopauseonline.co.uk

I’M FROM…. Stockton on Tees (North East UK)

ASIDE FROM BLOGGING, I ENJOY… Reading (prefer fiction, but will devour work-related books too), walking in the Yorkshire Dales or North Yorks. Moors, gin, eating in really good restaurants, and spending time with my 16-month-old granddaughter (the love of my life!)

I’M CURRENTLY WATCHING… Vera. In fact any crime drama. I also love Nordic Noir.

I’M CURRENTLY READING… Fiction – Ann Cleeves Vera novels. Right from the very beginning. Non-fiction – The Future of Healthcare, Humans and Machines in Partnership Dr Emmanual Fombu (I quickly read it for a review and am now reading it ‘properly’

I GOT STARTED BLOGGING IN…early 2017

MY BLOGGING PROCESS INCLUDES…
Research, online & in books, asking questions on social media so I can see what the audience thinks about the subject matter, what their questions are and where I need to go with it.
I map it out under headlines (these probably don’t end up being the headings in the blog itself).
Then I allocate researched bullet points under each of these headings.
Flesh it out and find my voice (this is audience and subject matter dependent).
Start to write – anything and everything just get all the ideas on to a blank page.
Edit – hack it to bits, rearrange sentences and paragraphs to make it flow. Reread – adjust grammar, check for spelling, rewrite headings
Select images
Check SEO
Add links (internal and external)
Add affiliate links to any relevant products
Share blog link anywhere and everywhere I can

I BLOG ABOUT… menopause, midlife, health, fitness, beauty, fashion, work – anything that directly affects the 45+ woman

I MOSTLY BLOG AT…
I work best from 10.00am to 6.00pm at home. I’m not a morning person and I’m not a night owl either.

MY GREATEST BLOGGING ACHIEVEMENT SO FAR IS… the first time I was paid for doing something I love. The fact that I’d been asked was such a confidence boost.

WHEN I’M BLOGGING I LISTEN TO… Unashamed plug here – my son is a classical guitarist and I listen to him playing – either on CD or on YouTube. Matthew Robinson (solo), a member of Melá Guitar Quartet and also accompanies Eduardo Niebla (Flamenco/Jazz fusion). Gets me focused and in the zone.

MY FAVOURITE SNACK/DRINK WHILE BLOGGING IS… Bananas. Water to stay hydrated.

IF I HAD A BLOGGING SUPERPOWER, IT WOULD BE… To pull it all together quicker than I do now (too much of a fusspot) and also to earn a fabulous regular monthly salary!

IF I COULD INTERVIEW ANYONE ON MY BLOG, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE… The Menopause Doctor – the only GP I’ve uncovered who actually ‘gets’ it for midlife women who are struggling.

IF I COULD RECORD A VLOG WITH SOMEONE FAMOUS IT WOULD BE… Lorraine Kelly – she understands the issues, is down to earth and would do wonders for the confidence and well-being of my audience demographic

OTHER BLOGS I GET INSPIRATION FROM ARE… I love reading lifestyle blogs as well as medical, health and fitness. I get a lot of inspiration from A.Vogel and self-motivational inspiration from coach Lynda Kenny.

I LOVE BLOGGING BECAUSE… I love researching, I love writing, I love the flexibility and freedom it gives me. If I can help just one woman through her struggles then my blogging has nailed it. I was nervous about hitting the ‘Publish’ button for a while but now when I do it I love to feel it’s a job well done.