Interview with Author, Blogger, & Freelance Writer Laura Smith
Interview with Laura Smith
I am super excited to welcome Laura Smith to the Shades of Tatiana Blog Interview series! Today we are going to have a little chat about her long journey, goals, and tools she used to get where she is today. If you want insight into this awesome & creative woman who is not only a blogger & writer but also an author. Keep reading to learn more.
So, without further ado, let’s meet Laura Smith!
Laura Smith is a middle grade author, blogger, and freelance writer from Pittsburgh, PA. She has been blogging since 2006, most recently on HubPages, and has self-published three children’s books on Amazon. Her favorite topics to write about include writing, books, movies, psychology, and personal essays. She has also been published on websites such as, Ok Whatever, Listosaur, Support for Indie Authors, and ProWritingAid. Moreover, Smith has regular gigs writing reviews for LitPick and Horrorscreams Videovault.
Let’s Get Started!
1. How did you first get involved in freelance writing & blogging?
When I was in college I was looking for a way to make money over the summer. So, I found this site called The Blogger News Network and started to write news blogs for them. The pay was meager, but I liked that my writing was being read, and they also sent me books and films to review. So, it gave me some experience.
After I graduated, I continued to blog for other sites like Suite 101 and then for the last five years, HubPages. I’ve been writing for them for five years just to get further writing exposure and to keep my writing skills sharp.
The freelance opportunities started to take off at the end of 2018. I had just completed two writing internships to try to break into writing full time. They suggested that I start a blog and try to guest post on other sites. So, I began looking for these opportunities, and I ended up with a few one-time gigs along with some regular gigs over the past year.
2. I read that there are over 200 blog posts in your name on HubPages. What is it like writing for HubPages?
HubPages is a nice little gig to have because I can write what I want and when I want, and there is no overhead on my end. Growth is slow but steady, and now that I have a better knowledge of SEO and marketing, I can apply it to my old blogs and get more views.
3. What do you find most challenging about blogging about your topic?
I’m always shooting for originality so my challenge is in coming up with thoughts and angles that I haven’t seen on my chosen topic before. I don’t want to just be another spoke on the wheel. I want my writing to stand out. So, that takes a little more brainpower than just rattling off the same points as all of the other articles I read on the subject.
4. Tell me about some of the people you’ve met while working on your blog?
Well, my Twitter followers have tripled over the past year. So, I’ve met a lot of fellow writers and bloggers who are just trying to make it. That’s the social media account where I spend most of my time.
I’ve also interviewed a lot of writers and bloggers on my blog over the past few months. So, it’s been nice to hear about other experiences and how they do what they do.
On the freelance side of things, I’ve made quite a few contacts who have more successful sites from me, and they’ve been a great resource and given me a chance to showcase my writing on their sites. Writers are not always the most reliable people when it comes to meeting deadlines or fulfilling promises to write guest posts. So, when I come across a writer who holds up their end of a bargain, they have my respect.
5. How would you describe your writing & blogging style?
I’d say my style is always evolving. I’ve read a lot of other blogs over the past years, and some of them are more formal and instructive while others are conversational. I want whoever visits my blog to be entertained, but I also don’t want it to feel like they’re reading my journal. So, I try to balance between professional and personal so that my pieces sound credible but also conversational.
6. What advice would you give someone who is interested in starting their writing journey (blogging, freelance writing, author, etc.)?
I’d say to definitely read up on how to do it. Figure out what you want to write about. Learn SEO and marketing techniques. Read other blogs. Join blogger group pages. Start to grow your social media accounts ASAP. Take your time. Throw a few hundred bucks into your blog. And don’t start it if you’re not going to keep it up because you have to be consistent and continue to write, even when you think that no one else is reading.
7. What is your highest/greatest win?
In the fall, I wrote this piece offering fall cleaning tips. It’s not my usual type of post, but I was in the middle of fall cleaning my house. So, I decided to write about it. A few days after I posted it, my daily views skyrocketed, mostly through Pinterest engagement.
Everything returned to normal after a few days, but I enjoyed riding that high, and it gave me hope for future success like that. You never know when your post is going to be a hit. So, if you’re in the middle of a rut, it can turn around in an instant.
8. What do you think is the most common reason for people failing or giving up?
The brutal truth is that I think it’s procrastination, not wanting to put the work in. I see so many people giving excuses online as to why they haven’t been posting or engaging on their blog. They claim to be busy, depressed, or going through personal problems. But if you really love something, you will put the time into making it work. You don’t have to meet your goals or be writing day and night. And everyone is entitled to a break. But if you don’t have the discipline or desire to climb over your personal or professional hurdles to keep it going, you’ll never succeed.
9. What is your greatest fear, and how do you manage it?
I have a lot of personal fears. So, I’m always going through life scared out of my mind. As a result, I’m constantly having to do things that scare me. It takes a lot of energy and bravery to battle through them, but I do it because there is usually no other option. I’ve been doing it my whole life. It has practically eaten a hole through my stomach, but at least I can say I did it, and that experience helps me to jump through the next hoop.
In terms of my writing fears, I most fear that I’ll have put all of this time into writing for nothing. I’ve been writing since I was five years old. I’ve been writing professionally since I was 20. Now, I’m in my early 30’s, and I’m hoping that all of the time I’ve put in and knowledge I’ve acquired will finally pay off.
If I die without having accomplished any notable writing success, it will have all been for nothing. But I’ve come way too far to quit, and I’m at the point now where I have to write. I can’t not write, whether anyone else reads it or not.
10. What networking do you feel helps your blogging business?
For me, it’s social media networking that earns me views. I’m starting to see search engine traffic now that my blog is nearly a year old, but without those daily blog share threads, I wouldn’t have the modest views that I get.
Pinterest has been especially picking up lately, and I’m told that’s the account you really want to focus on to gain views. So, I’ve put a lot of time into learning how to design eye-catching pins and post them onto my boards and group boards in order to reach a large audience and hope for some engagement. It’s even been helpful in improving my numbers on my HubPages posts.
11. How do you keep coming up with material/content for your blog? Many people struggle with coming up with different articles/posts and they only have one blog.
They say when you’re young that you can’t really write anything “good” because you haven’t lived long enough to have anything interesting to write about. I used to be so offended by this remark, but the older I get, the more I realize how true that was of my writing experience.
I used to come down with writer’s block constantly. I’d sit there for hours trying to think of something to write about. Then, I went through some things and learned some things. I learned that I can write about whatever I want, whether that be a novel for 10-year-olds, a review about the latest movie I went to see, a life-altering story from my life, or tips on how to be a better writer. I don’t limit myself, and as a result, I always have something to write about.
I also don’t have a specific niche for my blog, I call it an entertainment site, but I have reviews, essays, philosophical arguments, guest posts, interviews, and whatever else I feel like writing about. I know that’s a big no-no in the blogging world, but it seems to be working for me, especially in terms of content creation.
Fun Questions
12. What do you do when you aren’t working on your blog?
When I’m not writing, I like to draw and paint, watch or go to the movies, spend time with my family, exercise, and shop.
13. What’s your favorite word?
My favorite word is poem. I’m not a good poet, and I don’t even like to read poetry, but the word itself has a calming effect.
14. What mantra do you live by?
Balance is key.
15. What tools/platforms did you use or still use to grow your writing/blogging career?
I use WordPress, Bluehost, Tinypng.com, Canva, Kartra, Revenue Hits, and social media.
16. What characteristics or skills are most important when pursuing freelance writing?
You need to know where to look for opportunities, to start out small and work your way up, to be open to constructive criticism, and to be patient in terms of how long it takes from the day you submit to the day you get published and paid.
17. What do you wish you had known when you started out?
I wish I had known about blog share groups, more about WordPress themes, how important site speed is, and how to include ads and find affiliate links. All of those things were a learning process that required a lot of research and reconstruction of my site which took away from my writing time.
18. Where do you see your business in the next year? In the next five years? The next ten years?
Next year, I hope to double my views and engagement. I want to focus more on monetizing through ads and affiliates so that the time I put into the blog earns me enough money to keep it going and expand.
In five years, I hope that I can turn writing into a full-time career, and my blog can be the central hub in which to find me and my work.
Ultimately, I’m hoping that my blog leads to new writing opportunities and that it serves as a portfolio for my body of work. It may no longer resemble itself in 10 years, but I hope that what I have now serves as a jumping-off point for something bigger down the line.
