Carmellita’s Tips and Thoughts on Launching Her Very Own Lifestyle Blog For Creatives

Colors of Life newsletter #1: Are you thinking about starting your blog but not quite sure how to go about it? Then check out this post for helpful insights!

Recently, a new writer referred to me, along with a few others, as an established writer. From her standpoint that may be true but contrary to what they think, the road to this point was certainly not without a steep learning curve. In other words, I honestly don’t think I would have gone far without the support and encouragement of the community here.

One of the ways I like to give back is by doing interesting interviews for my new column Colors of Life in the Quick Talk pub which explores the creativity of writers. That way they not only gain additional exposure but also help their readers get to know them better.

I had already lined up interviews with some very talented creatives but when I heard my soul sister Carmellita would be launching her website Blue Lotus Living this week, I thought it would be wonderful to do an interview collab that coincided with the launch date.

So without further ado, I present Carmellita!

Me: I have known you for over a year now, both as a writer and as a valued friend. You have evolved into a powerhouse writer with a loyal base — I would say a reintroduction is in order. How would you describe your writing journey thus far?

Carmellita: Hi, I am Carmellita. And yes, Carmellita is my real name. And I am a creator here on Medium. Wow, that sounded so formal. Let’s try this again, I’m Carmellita and I’m a writer who loves to read, dance, and make stuff.

Oh my goodness, Yana we have known each other for over a year. It does feel like we’ve known each other longer.

You, Amanda Laughtland, Annelise Lords, Jesse Wilson, and Melinda Van Fleet were among a few fellow writers who left comments on stories when I returned to Medium in September 2021.

I appreciate you all so much. You encouraged me to keep going when it seemed as if no one was listening.

My writing journey, wow, it has certainly been a journey, or an adventure I would say.

As I shared in my story, Carmellita in the Making, I’ve known I wanted to be a writer since I was seven years old. The journey has been quite an adventure.

I think my confidence as a writer blossomed at the age of 12. I entered a random science fiction contest and I won. I won $200. I begged my Mom not to announce it in the local paper, but she did anyway. It was a small blurb, but there I was in the local paper. My teacher Mrs. Allen at the time announced it to the class and I nearly died.

Around the same time, my mom discovered my poems hidden under my mattress and with tears in her eyes, encouraged me to continue writing poetry. I entered lots of contests. I won some and didn’t place at all in some.

My mom, grandmother, and aunts were my first audience. Later I’d have teachers like Mr. Burrell, Mr. Wilson, and Mrs. Fort who would urge me to continue to write.

Because of their encouragement, I’ve always been confident about writing. It’s not arrogance. I know I can write.

Still, after completing college, I didn’t know how to earn a living as a creative writer. So I became a Program Manager for an Enterprise Community Non-profit Organization. During those years, I learned grant proposal writing. And I was a grant writer for years.

Later, after reading a book called Think and Grow Rich, I would start a business called Savvy Workz and sold my services as a grant writer.

Grant writing for several organizations over an 8 to 9-year period became a hard gig so I joined a site back in 2010 called Elance. I landed a few big ghostwriting jobs and those clients wanted to continue working with me. I wrote for two of my highest-paying clients for 9 years.

It gave me time to perform poetry and act in a few community plays.

But after a panic attack and the decision to change my life, I discovered I didn’t want to be a ghostwriter anymore. I wanted to write under my name. With a few bucks in my savings, a rental property, and running a few social media accounts for my friends.

I also packed my things and I moved from Louisiana to Tennessee. Then I found Medium through some research I did on Best-selling Author Steven Barnes and thought I’d give it a go.

I didn’t stay on the platform very long — about a month. But I returned in September 2021 and I’ve been here since.

I have to credit Medium as the place where I regained my creative writing voice. As a ghostwriter, I often wrote in the voice, style, and tone of my clients, but this past year, I’ve regained my creative voice.

I am so grateful to everyone in this community for their encouragement, inspiration, and motivation.

I think most writers and readers on this platform under stand when I say as creators, writers, makers, and artists we must continue to evolve, grow, and expand.

And that’s why I say my journey is an adventure. If I were to describe where I am right now in the writing journey according to the Shero/Hero’s Journey, I would say I am having my “Meeting With the Goddess.”

I’m at that stage in my writing career where I must go deeper to achieve my goals, show up ready and prepared, and unapologetically create my dreams.

Me: I understand you are ready to launch your blog. How exciting! Tell us about what inspired you to start your blog and how it all came about.

Carmellita: I started my blog back in 2010 and well, stopped around 2011. I found it too difficult to keep up a blog and work with my freelance clients. I was a “ghostwriter.” I wrote entire ebooks for clients so it was hard to maintain a blog too.

Now, as I said I’m prepared. My creative voice is back and I feel as if I’ve come back to life.

Roslyn J., my bestie and business partner, and I are launching our blog Blue Lotus Living on February 23, 2023. We’re so excited about it. We’re still tweaking a few things but I’m proud of the work we’ve done so far.

Again, we’ve wanted to start our own blog for years. Now we’re doing the damn thing!

Me: What are the topics you will focus on? Can you share the creative process of how you bring blog ideas to life?

Carmellita: We’re connecting lifestyle, creativity, and personal growth through a concept and framework called Intentional Life Design. We’ve studied the fields of Human Potential, Personal Growth, and Creativity Enhancement for so long that we can see how Intentional Life Design will be helpful to other creators, writers, artists, and makers.

We’ll touch on many of the topics I’ve written about here on Medium. You know, topics such as Radical Self-Care, Slow Living, Resilience, Self-Worth, Creative Empowerment, and the Body-Mind-Spirit Connection.

We’ll also include a topic I will share more about soon here on Medium. The topic of how I’m incorporating more Raw and Living Foods into my diet to help with hormone imbalances, hormonal weight gain, and fibroids.

We want each reader to heal and create the life they want to live. That’s the mission.

Me: Are you going to be reposting your blogs to Medium or will you continue to write fresh content for your Medium audience?

Carmellita: Yes, yes that’s the plan. We will syndicate our blog posts here on Medium but I will also continue to write fresh content for the platform as well.

Specifically, I want to publish more poetry and essays on Medium, experiment with some short fiction to get audience feedback and explore more inspirational pieces.

And a few writers would like me to share my blogging journey. My processes and my lessons learned. I love the idea and I’ll happily share.

As far as my blogging process, it’s a bit different from my process of publishing on Medium.

When I’m writing with my blogger’s hat on, I’m thinking about the needs, values, and concerns of a more targeted audience, a niche. My work as a blogger is part demonstration, education, and entertainment.

I noticed with my first two posts, which I’ve tested on my blog, I need to bring more of my fun side.

Yeah, I’m working on that.

Me: What, in your opinion, are the advantages of having your own blog?

Carmelita: The biggest advantage of having your own blog is you own it! I tell people, I don’t own Medium. I own my content and stories on Medium, but I don’t own the platform.

Building digital assets is important for an online writer. Digital assets aren’t just cryptocurrency and NFTs. Digital assets include blogs, podcasts, ebooks, websites, apps, and even some social media accounts. If you create a magnificent and profitable website you can sell it.

I can’t sell my Medium account. I may earn incentives for my stories’ performance but again, I don’t own Medium.

Me: Do you have any tips for writers who are looking to start their own blog?

Carmellita: When starting a blog, you don’t have to jump in the river before you’re ready. My advice would be:

Write on Medium for 6 months to a year. Build your confidence as a blogger. Learn things such as SEO, how to engage with an audience, and how to share your work on social media. And do one better than I did by offering your readers an incentive for joining your email list or newsletter. An incentive could be a free email course, guide, newsletter, or mini-ebook.

Also, you don’t have to break the bank to get started. As I was advised at a WordPress Meetup I attended:

Get your domain, but wait until you’re ready to start before purchasing a webhost account.

For Medium Authors, I would add

You can save a few dollars each month from your Medium earnings and purchase a domain. Then save a few more dollars and purchase a host when you’re ready to start.

Before purchasing a web host provider, It’s best to wait until you are ready because many hosts offer introductory WordPress hosting packages as low as $36.00 for the first year (about 3 bucks a month). That gives you a year before you pay the regular price.

I would not advise designing your blog unless you know what you’re doing. You can find someone to upload and design a simple blog for you on Fiverr.com or you can use a much easier site (it costs a bit more per month) called Showit. It’s a drag-and-drop, WordPress-Hosted Site Building tool.

And despite what you have been told, you can publish your Medium content on your blog. You just have to “inform” the search engines with a simple line of text that says:

Originally published at: http://www.medium.com/yourstorylink

Me: Can you share some of the challenges you have faced along the way to launching your blog? What are some of the things you wish more people knew about bloggers?

Carmellita: My biggest challenge has been perfectionism. As I’ve shared here before, I am a recovering perfectionist. I still have my moments when I think I can “do it better” or “say it better.” With the designing end of things, I’ve had to let go and say, “it’s not perfect, Carm and that’s okay.”

I wish people understood that bloggers are business people because blogging is a business. Here on Medium, we are Social Bloggers reaching audiences on a platform where we share stories and ideas.

Nevertheless, those of us who are taking the platform “seriously” as many Medium Creators like to say, understand that taking Medium seriously includes testing, strategy, planning, and execution. That’s business.

And having your blog is all of this to the tenth power.

Me: It would be great if you can share some tips about how you self-care during this busy time.

Carmellita: My self-care is a lifestyle for me. But on the more practical side, I practice stillness and meditation daily. For example, this past summer as I meditated or wrote in a stream of consciousness, I kept turquoise crystals in my writing space. Additionally, I’d bathe in basil essential oil at night (great for inflammation).

Now, I’m working with cobalt as a stone and vetiver essential oil (great for stress and exhaustion). And I’ve been practicing the four-part yoga breath. The practice helps regulate serotonin levels, amazing.

It may not seem like a self-care practice but I’m watching movies again. I binge on a series from time to time. I’d been so hard on myself.

Now, I realized, I needed to relax and lighten up. It’s okay. As one who proclaims Radical Self-Care, I’ve had to practice what I preach.

Take a breath, relax, slow down, and enjoy the adventure.

Me: Thank you so much for agreeing to be part of the interview and best wishes for the blog! I invite readers to check out Carmellita’s blog at Blue Lotus Living:

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