Liebster Award 2016 | Annie Basson

Hey Everyone, 

I have been nominated for another Reader's nominated award, and I'd like to thank Jessica Fairweather for nominating me. It's amazing to know that people are reading what I post!!!

Facts about me:

1. I love blogging and creative writing but I don't enjoy reading too much - but I want to change that.
2. I am doing an English Language AS course currently and have an exam soon (even though I'm in year 11).
3. I want to start my YouTube channel up (again) this summer.
4. I love being outdoors even though the weather in England doesn't want to play along.
5. I've only traveled around England, to France (for a week with school in year 7 which I don't remember any of) and to South Africa to see my family - but I want to travel to other places too.
6. I have a fairly large family - who live in various countries around the world.
7. I'm that crazy person who dances in the shops if a good song comes on - I sing along too.
8. I originally started my blog, at 11 years old, to try and become a poet and author (I don't think I'm mentally prepared to share the link of that quite yet...)
9. I'm a bit of a procrastinator - but I like to be productive. (I don't understand either).
10. I like it when people call me weird or strange - because it shows I'm different and unique (and because I'm weird and strange). 
11. As a career, I want to be a YouTuber, Blogger and a Mum (eventually) but as a back up plan I wanted to go into website design or produce media content. 

Questions from Nominator: 

1. Name one thing you cannot live without as a blogger.
Note books!!! I get so many random ideas at random times - mainly when I'm supposed to be sleeping - so it's handy to be able to jot them down quickly.

2. Why do you blog?
I blog for many reasons; one being, it's a hobby! I've tried many hobbies (e.g. Scrapbooking, YouTube - which I want to try again - and more) and this one just seems to be the one I can't spend too long not doing it.

Another reason is because I love to write and share my thoughts of the world with it. And I LOVE to connect with people from around the world, who enjoy blogging just as much as I do. (And I'm in secondary school/high school so I've learnt to embrace what I love - and many find blogging a strange hobby - or "phase" - for a 16 year old.

3. Where do your inspirations come from for your posts?
To be honest, I have no idea. Maybe from the world around me, my thoughts and watching YouTube videos or reading blog posts inspiring me to do something similar with a wacky twist.

4. How do you manage your time for blogging?
In all honesty, I don't. You see how often I post.... but I'm going to try and organise my time better because it's nice to blog as a break from school and work but also being productive. I just blog when I'm motivated to - but I'm not always allowed to when I want to (for example, my GCSEs start in a few weeks and I've done not nearly enough revision - oops!)

5. Where do you see yourself in 5 years with your blog?
In 5 years? *sigh* I'll be 21 years old - ARGH!!! Scary thought! Hopefully I'll still be blogging (and if not, I hope to be happy) but if I'm still blogging, I hope to get a career out of it and out of YouTube (although, I'm aware that you have to be lucky for these to be your jobs). But overall, I hope I'm still blogging.

6. What do you hope to get out of blogging?
Happiness and motivation to live my life to the fullest and to persuade myself to do what I'm enjoying and love.

7. What are the 2 benefits you have received from blogging?
Well, people at school now take me a bit more seriously about blogging and YouTube and understand that this isn't just a stupid thing I do on the weekend, but it's something I invest a lot of time in doing (and I definitely correct them in saying it takes a long time to make a blog post and editing YouTube videos). Also, I've noticed my frame of mind is more positive and I'm not so scare of completely expressing how I feel (I am rarely anxious anymore - and I also have my family, friends and my best friends - Grace and Sian - to thank for it).

8. Write a sentence on what your blog is about?
It's mainly lifestyle with random bits and bobs in between.

9. What is your advise to newbie bloggers?
Don't compare your success to others. When I first started I was quite upset when I realised the only people who followed my blog were my dad and brother - and it was me that clicked the follow button on their accounts to follow my blog. But when I started gaining followers I was SO excited (and I still am). Even on my social media, my followers are increasing. It's incredible!

Also, write what YOU want to write about. Don't feel like you have to apologise many times for not posting because work, school or life got in the way. It's your blog, so write the post YOU want to write and post, when feel you want to.

10. What are some of your favorite blogger's group?
I like the ones that have about 100 (or so) bloggers in, so it's not so daunting and I can check out other blogs too (and there aren't too many to keep track of either). I've joined quite a few and depending on how I feel, I post on different communities but any that are in your genre of blogging should be ok - if you don't like a community, it's ok to leave it. (If you want to see what communities I'm in, I'm sure you can see on profile).

11. Why do you keep blogging?
It's mainly because it gives me a more positive mindset and it makes me feel productive, as well as it's fun and the communities are great! Blogging makes me feel like I'm more me (if that makes any sense what so ever, aha).

My nominations: 

I know, I don't know many bloggers...

Hollie Beca
All Things Pin
Geraldine's Wonderful World

Questions for nominees:

1. How do you get inspired to write posts?
2. What do you plan for your blog?
3. When you started your blog, did you think it would be what it is today?
4. What do you think is the best feature of your blog?
5. Any tips for someone who just started their blog?
6. How has your blog affected you? (e.g. your confidence, the way you look at the world etc.)
7. Where do you see your blog in a couple of years time?
8. How did you decide that blogging was for you?
9. If you could, would you blog full time? Why?
10. What do you wish you knew before starting to post?
11. Why did you decide to keep posting on your blog?

Rules:

1. Thank the blogger who nominated you and link back to their blog.

2. Include the Liebster Award badge on your site.

3.Answer the 11 question from your nominator.

4. Give 11 facts about yourself

5.Nominate between 5 to 11 blogs who has under 200 followers.

6.Notify the nominees.