What is the name of your Blog?Vermont Travel Notes
What is your name?
Jeff Connor
Where are you from? (include country, state and/or city)
Formerly Dayton, Ohio, now Duxbury Vermont
What is your current age or age range?
59
Please describe your blog
News, advice, tips for planning a trip to Vermont. Events, attractions, ideas on what to see and do, how to get there.
Describe the main purpose of your blogging, what are you trying to accomplish?
As an innkeeper, I constantly get asked what there is to do here. It's such a common question, I thought it would make sense for me to blog about it. Now, when people ask me that question, I tell the information I always have but I also add that they should take a look at my blog for more details.
What blogging platform do you do and why?
I think it is called U Blog. My webmaster supplied it.
What do you blog the most about?
Mostly about events such as festivals, concerts, shows - those kinds of things.
What kind of blogs make you angry?
I don't get angry about it but I skip blogs that are like diaries written by people who are doing much with their lives. They remind me of Thoreau saying "most men lead lives of quiet desperation." I'm probably no exception but I don't need to read about in detail from others.
Give five of your best blogging tips.
1.Stay on topic. 2.Make an effort to look for the newsworthy and beyond ordinary. 3.Write frequently even if it has to be brief. You can add more information later. 4.A little complaining is tolerable but whining is not. 5.Add a little something lighthearted to keep the writing from being over bearing (but notice the word "little" here).
What are some things you would NEVER blog about?
The usual stuff I avoid in conversation too: money, sex, politics, religion, illegal drugs, the news media, radio talk show hosts.
Did you start blogging for the purpose of making money and if so, are you making enough money?
I think my niche is too narrow to make much money. Too many other sites, both general and travel, have overwhelming amounts of traffic much bigger than my site so I do not expect to get but a trickle of general attention that would create any meaningful money.
How long have you been blogging?
About 1 1/4 years.
About how many hours per day do you spend blogging?
Half an hour average including topic research.
Do you track RSS feeds and if so, how many do you usually track daily?
I subscribe to about two dozen but I also use the links on my blog to go to some of my favorites that I don't subscribe to.
Do you use Digg, and why or why not?
No. I have not spent much time on social networking. I'm not looking to make friends doing this and I find too many new sites on my own. However, I keep going back to it from time to time and someday maybe I will make it a priority. Right now I am more than busy.
Do you use Stumbleupon, and why or why not?
Yes, I signed up a few years ago, drifted away for a while, and just recently added it to my browser.
What are your top five blogging site picks and why?
Megapickles - a Vermont photo blog with beautiful photos
The next three usually have interesting news: Upgrade: Travel Better Blog Travel Plan Idea Blog Travel Rants
The Vermont Gardener - well written, frequent entries, good photos
Have you met anyone offline as a result of your blog?
No
What is the url of your blog?
Vermont Travel Notes
