blogging Archives - Fearless Captivations

Happy 5th Blog Anniversary + Blogger Q&A

Anita — Wed, 08 Nov 2017 12:57:28 +0000

My first blog posts were very “emo.” I’ve blogged since junior high, though it was mostly a journal of what was going on in my life and SO MANY FEELINGS from my teenage self. I continued that through to college, and being a public relations major, blogging came along with the skills I needed to develop. It slowly evolved from a download of my feelings to things I was learning and my travels.

While the first blog post here went up in 2009, I didn’t start posting regularly until 2012, encouraged by Twitter friends and the Bloggers in Sin City Conference. I think that’s around the time this URL came into existence also. That means FIVE YEARS of constant blogging in my spare time, especially in the last two or three years when I kicked it up a notch. Countless experiences shared, opportunities taken, conferences and media events attended, and friends made. All because I wanted to create a digital scrapbook of my life and share my tips with others.

Some days I wanted to quit because it is time-consuming, I wasn’t sure if there was any value to it, and figuring out how to make the website function properly was stressful. (I’m sure a lot of bloggers have felt this way!) Sometimes I’m still hearing the “hello?” echo on the internet. Somewhere along the way, this blog went from something I do in my spare time to me accepting that “I am a blogger.” I recognized its importance to me and committed to the work. It helps that people are more accepting of the role also. I created and grew this blog, and I’m proud of it. That’s when you know you’re passionate about something. Writing posts and creating content takes a lot of time and effort, but I’m so thankful to have this little space on the internet.

I’m also glad you’re here. Whether you’ve been reading from the beginning or randomly found this post, I hope this blog inspires you to live a fearless life and find things that captivate you. THANK YOU for being a part of it.

Blogger Q&A

Now for the fun part! Here are some answers to my most frequently asked questions.

1. What does Fearless Captivations mean? How did you come up with it?

Way back when I came up with my blog name, I didn’t think too much about long-term branding or how long the name is. (HA!) Fearless has always been an important word to me. It’s a mindset and goal inspiring me to go beyond my comfort zone. I made up Captivations because I loved the word captivated. Together it means being unashamed and proud of the things you’re passionate about in life and striving for your best life, whatever that looks like for you.

2. Do you blog full-time?

Nope! My full-time job is in hospitality marketing. I blog (write, take photos, edit photos, market, etc.) in my free time on weeknights and weekends! It’s almost like a second full-time job. I’ve thought blogging full-time would be way too stressful for me (no steady paycheck and healthcare) but the positives of working for myself are enticing.

3. Do you eat a lot of free food? How much do you spend eating out?

My bank account would love it if there was more free food. I go to maybe one or two complimentary tastings a month (it is usually noted that it was free) and the rest of the time I enjoy eating out on my own dime. Thankfully, I have a lot of foodies in my life, so I never have trouble finding an eating companion. (Eating companions are great for trying more food!)

4. Do you make money from your blog?

No. With the costs of maintaining a website and creating content (eating out, throwing parties, etc.), I probably lose money! I’m very picky with any paid partnerships that are offered, I don’t pitch brands often, and I don’t like the look of display ads on my blog. Making money is a goal, but for now, the primary goal is providing content that is inspiring and helpful.

5. Where do you find inspiration for your posts?

Everywhere! From restaurants I go to, places I travel, my life and habits, and things I care about. For better or worse, being a lifestyle blog allows me to write about a wide range of subjects. My blog focuses on food, travel, and celebrations/parties, but I’ve also written about life, creativity, adventure, and wellness. I think the blog is a continuous, slow evolution of what I experience and learn, and that’s a great thing!

6. How do you organize your blog content?

I have an editorial calendar with blog posts planned out about five months in advance and eight to ten posts per month, so I know what posts I need to be preparing. The calendar is flexible, so sometimes the content moves around (or in other words, I run out of time to prepare it properly) but it’s very helpful to keep on track. It also moves around if an opportunity with a brand pops up or if I’m inspired to write something. I’m usually drafting up to 10 posts at one time.

7. How long does it take to publish a blog post?

At the least, one to two hours and at the most, I would guess up to six hours. To me, publishing a blog post means writing the post, taking the photos, editing the photos, putting the post together on the back-end of the site, meticulously copyediting the post, and then promoting the post after publishing. I’ve never timed the process before but I think the average time is about three hours per post.

8. What’s in the future of Fearless Captivations?

Bigger and better things, of course! There will always be content related to food, travel, and celebrations. That means trying new restaurants, traveling to new places, and throwing parties. While I’ll continue to have recommendation lists and tips, I also want to share more stories.

9. What are your dream brands to partner with?

Any brand that I use regularly or would use regularly. I don’t have specific brands in mind. I could see me partnering with workout studios in Austin, food brands (especially organic foods), or travel destinations and companies. So, if there are any companies that want to sponsor my round-the-world trip, I’m all ears!

10. What is your favorite content to post?

Is this like asking which child is your favorite? I think it’s easy to determine the level of enthusiasm and passion when you read a post from any blog. That’s why I strive to post things I love. Travel posts usually take the most time and research but they also usually involve a fun trip. Party posts involve a lot of planning too but those posts are the results of gathering friends for a fun time. My monthly Captivations posts seem to be my most energized posts lately. So, yes, they are all my favorite posts.

Here’s to many more years of blogging!

Have more questions? Leave me a comment below or send me a message!

P.S. Want to know the truth about bloggers and blog content? Check out this post.

P.P.S. I still feel this way about social media.

Keep up with me elsewhere! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Bloglovin’. You can also subscribe to the exclusive email list.

The post Happy 5th Blog Anniversary + Blogger Q&A appeared first on Fearless Captivations.

The Truth About Bloggers and Blog Content

Anita — Fri, 26 Jun 2015 11:32:28 +0000

Earlier this year I went to a restaurant recommended by a popular food blogger and I ended up strongly disliking the food. I left that experience bummed that I had spent $24 on an awful meal, gave an awful experience to a friend that had joined me, and believed this blogger’s raving comments. I began thinking about the way we consume media and trust recommendations. From my experience working with bloggers and being a blogger, here’s some truth.

Bloggers will rarely post about something they didn’t like, especially if the experience was complimentary.
Lots of photos are staged to make an image or experience more appealing.
Bloggers give their recount of their dining experience, which has a hundred different factors, including mood, eating companions, amount of alcohol consumed, and how much they paid for it.
Bloggers are individuals with their own particular tastes, palettes, likes, dislikes, desires, background and education. You are bound to have similarities and differences with them.

I don’t mean to crack your rose-colored glasses! Yes, there are many bloggers who have become experts in subjects because of their constant exposure, involvement, and education with the subject. They are still entitled to their own opinions and content. As with anything in life, have a bit of skepticism and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Blogging is not all a ploy to take your money.

As a blogger, I write about my experience in hopes that you will find the same joy I had when you experience it for yourself. I map out my path to where I found joy. I list the sights I saw on my trip, I tell you about the things I ate at a restaurant, and I show you how I decorated a space for a party. There are a million factors between my experience and yours. Who I am (personality, desires, how I see and understand things), my goals, and the people I interact with are some of those factors. You won’t have the exact experience I did, though it may be very similar, but you can find your own joy in your own unique experience.

This is why a DIY you try to replicate won’t always turn out exactly like the photo you’re working from, hence Pinterest fails. This is why you may visit a buzz-worthy restaurant and find you didn’t enjoy the same dishes. This is why your travel experience will always differ from a companion’s even if you both follow a blogger’s recommendations. Bloggers are merely guides. We give recommendations about life, travel and food. Then, you take that guidance and make an experience your own. On Fearless Captivations, I hope to inspire adventurous living, in whatever shape or form it comes. I’ll post ideas and inspiration, but it’s up to you to take the information to bring joy to your life.

What’s your experience with bloggers? Who or what post has inspired you lately?

If you’re a brand, check out this post about how to engage with bloggers to grow your business on my marketing-focused blog.

Photo by Death to Stock Photo

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Authenticity Behind Social Media’s Filters

Anita — Fri, 08 May 2015 11:03:12 +0000

ESPN published a very heart-breaking story about a girl named Madison Holleran yesterday. She was a very loved, beautiful college track star, struggling with depression, though it didn’t get to an official prognosis. Nineteen-year-old Madison jumped off the ninth level of a parking garage on Jan. 17, 2014.

While I think what she was feeling was deeper than pressure from social media, the story centered around the evidence that the ideal personas and edited versions of our lives that we present on social media are affecting us in possibly negative ways. As we absorb the information shared by others, we feel the pressure to make our lives look cool and picture-perfect. The internal negativity that develops can affect how and what we think about ourselves and others, what we think about our worth, and how we think we SHOULD be. We forget that it’s ok to NOT be ok, that we don’t have to live perfect lives, and that our worth isn’t dependent on how many likes we get on an Instagram photo. We forget that it’s ok to share feelings of sadness and struggle. We think admitting those feelings are disappointing and shameful.

Similarly, we lose a certain closeness with the people in our lives. We think watching their lives from afar and liking a photo or writing a comment replaces a phone call or face-to-face meeting. We forget to reach out to the people we care about to make extra sure they know how we feel and that we are there for them no matter what. We let social media be an excuse to not check in with people.

Social media is filled with filters and a lot of people use them. I use them! I rarely post about feelings other than happiness and excitement. I make sure my photos are as good as I can filter them before I post. I spell-check several times. I think twice about whether or not I should post something. Sure, this is a true representation of who I am (optimistic and cautious), but I don’t talk much about the struggles. I don’t talk about my struggles – from traffic and thoughts about my career to what makes me cry – at the risk of sounding petty, vulnerable, pessimistic, or self-righteous.

Social media is only a tool that tries to improve our lives. Behind social media’s filters, we are all humans trying our best to live our best lives.

What do we do about this?

Let’s be easier on ourselves.

My life isn’t perfect and I know yours isn’t either. So, can we be a little easier on ourselves? Could we think twice when we judge our own worth against what we see on social media? Can we be sure to connect with the people we care about in real life as much as we connect online?

Let’s make sure our social feeds make us feel good.

I’m all for inspiration and accountability, but there’s a certain point when seeing someone’s post makes you think negatively instead of positively. If you’re starting to feel bad about yourself and when it triggers you, it’s time to clean your feed.

Let’s live offline.

The internet has a lot of pros. We find opportunities, inspiration, and connection there. But we can’t let how we’ll be perceived online to be what dictates how we live offline. Are you doing something only so you can show it online? What if you lived a day where nothing you did would be shown online? How would you live differently? Taking breaks from social media gives us perspective and rest.

Let’s foster community.

The best thing about social media is the community. I’ve met so many friends through it! Now, how do we make real, authentic connections with social media? Maybe it’s comments and messages that turn into real-life outings and conversations.

What are some ways you use social media for good?

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blogging Archives - Fearless Captivations

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