Bonjour, Blogger! : Lucy

Name: Lucy
Age: 23
Location: London
Blog URL: www.grazedknees.com

What is your blog about? I’ve recently revamped it and it’s mostly about stuff I do in London, but other places in the UK have featured to. I used to blog about beauty with a bit of lifestyle thrown in there, but since my days at work are now consumed with beauty, it’s nice to be able to write about other things. It’s also a good way to make me do things and go places too. London is full of so many amazing resturants, museums, markets, parks and so much more, and I haven’t made the most of living here, even though I moved about 10 months ago!

Is this your first blog? Nope! I’ve been blogging for about ten years. I used to keep a online diary over on LiveJournal (didn’t everyone?!) where I’d confess my deepest, darkest secrets to about twenty five people who I allowed to read it, and I had various websites when I was a teenager too that I designed and coded myself. Grazed Knees was my first ‘proper’ attempt at writing publicly though.

When did you start your current blog? Back in 2009 I think it was, but it was under a different name. A name that was so cringe that I can’t even bare to type it out.

What made you do it? Well I was a year into my Journalism degree and I wanted somewhere to showcase my writing and somewhere I could use as an online portifolio that I could show to potential employers. Over the years it evolved into a beauty blog and now it’s almost totally lifestyle based.

What was your first blog post about? I don’t know, probably some sort of introductory post. I’m too embarrassed to back and read.

What do you think is the most useful tool to you as a blogger? Oh god, I don’t know! Probably social media. What would blogging be without Twitter?! What would LIFE be without twitter?!

Do people in your “real life” know about your blog? Yes! I did have a secret internet life for about 10 years before I admitted to being a total obsessive though. I’m proud of what I’ve created now!

If yes, has your blog helped you career wise? Kind of. I didn’t get my job at Cosmo through my blog but I’ve been told it helped. It meant the beauty team could read my posts and see that I could write (apparently!), obviously being good at assitant/admin type things isn’t always enough, there has to be some sort of writing ability too.

What has been the one thing (blog post, project, etc) you’ve been really proud of? I think just building a readership and being able to keep it going! I’m so good at starting things and getting bored a few months later that I’m kind of amazed it’s still going, albeit not as strongly as it once was, but it’s still there!

Where do you see your blog in a year? No idea, it’s not a massive priority for me at the minute. I am slowly falling back in love with blogging though and it’s nice to have a focus outside of work, but at the minute my job/career will always come first.

What do you wish you knew when starting your blog? How much of an impact it would have on my life! The year after I finished uni was hell, I was working full time at McDonald’s, living at home and applying for endless jobs. If I hadn’t have been blogging I probably would have lost all focus on what I wanted to do with my life. The fact my blog was there to help me earn extra cash and keep me headed in the right direction was an absolute godsend.

What do you wish you know about now? I don’t know really! I’m a bit rubbish at this, aren’t I?

How do you keep motivated to post? I don’t! I took a longer-than-planned break from blogging because I lost all motivation, but I’m slowly getting back into it and really enjoying it again. It’s nice when people make the effort to read and comment, especially since I’ve been so rubbish! I think when I see my stats going back up again, that’s what makes me realise that actually, maybe people do enjoy the things I write.

Anything else you’d like to add? Nope, I don’t think so!

Thanks Lucy! If you’re interested in being part of this little series, drop us an email at hi@bonjourblogger.com