Time to share another amazing blogger! In the post, we feature JoAnn from The Casual Perfectionist

What is the name of your blog? How did you choose this name?

The name of my blog is The Casual Perfectionist. I wanted to pick something that would describe me, and this does! I am a perfectionist, but I’m trying really hard to be casual about it. Some days are better than others. Ha!

How did you get started blogging?

The short answer: I wanted an easy way to chronicle my daughter’s life and our adventures in parenthood. I wanted a place to share our stories about our forays in home-improvement and our travel adventures. I was already updating a mailing list with emails, and blogging proved to be a more efficient way to do that. (Plus, Claire is 3 years old now, and it’s so much fun looking back over the things we have recorded. I’m amazed at how many things I would have forgotten had I not written them down!)

The long answer: Check out this post: Getting Started is the Hardest Part

What platform do you use? (I.e. Blogger, WordPress, etc.)

I use WordPress to edit my blog, and I love it! I have my own URL, and the WordPress editor has made updating a breeze!

What do you wish you had known when you started?

I didn’t really realize that such a huge community has grown around bloggers in real life. I started out completely anonymous on my blog, and for my own good reasons. I’ve slowly let the veil drop, and the number of people I’ve met in this awesome community is amazing to me. It shouldn’t be so shocking, but it was something that was totally unexpected.

What blogs do you most admire?

I LOVE reading blogs. I finally had to take down my blogroll because it was getting out of control, and I hate leaving people out! Instead, I collect blogs on my GoogleReader. (I have 200+ on there right now!)

That being said, I love Dooce. (Heather Armstrong at dooce.com). I have been a huge fan of hers for many years now. I accidentally stumbled upon her blog when I typed a plea into Google about getting my morning sickness to stop, and one of her blog posts came up. She is sometimes polarizing, and her style isn’t for everyone, but reading her posts makes me laugh out loud. She is one of the reasons I started blogging. Meeting her in real life at her book-signing in Denver was a treat!

What is your best tip for moms who are new to social media?

I have built the best online relationships by visiting blogs and then leaving a comment. If I read something I enjoy, I tell the blogger that. (On the flip side, I LOVE reading comments on my blog! It gives me a sense of community, and I realize that I’m not just shouting out into a void. Someone is there. Someone is listening and dealing with the same things I am. That is so powerful.) I’ve also read the comments on other blogs and then visited those commenters’ blogs. Everyone who comments back and forth leads to even more people with which to connect. It creates this intricate web, and you’d be amazed at who you “meet” this way!

____________________________

Popularity: 26% [?]