Andrea Wren: Journalist

How to build and monetise a blog - my column in the Guardian

It's finally been published today - the cover feature to my Guardian column about building and monetising a blog. If you read the feature, you'll see why I'm so excruciatingly excited to be working on this project.

For one thing, I'll be working with the super talented Glen Allsopp of ViperChill, who was open-minded (and brave?) enough to listen to my crack pot idea of doing such a thing in the public eye.

I approached Glen after reading about him in a Guardian article about 'modern-day nomads' published at the beginning of last year, and everything that has happened since has just seemed 'meant to be'.

The best thing for me is that I'll be really, finally, getting to grips with this thing called 'blogging' and doing it with a great teacher and mentor, while at the same time, teaching others to do the same.

It feels like it's been a long time working up to the start of this project - and at times we weren't sure how it could happen - but the effort has paid off.

The column proper will start next Saturday, but if you really want to follow and build your own blog while I do so, then you should sign up (for free) to the Blogging Case Study resource website that Glen has created.

Here, Glen will provide all the information that I'm not going to be able to fit into the column, such as the techie stuff that you'll need to know, so it will be a valuable and worthy resource for anyone who wishes to learn as I do.

(Just to be clear - the BloggingCaseStudy.com resource site is NOT the new blog that I am starting up - that's to be kept quiet until I have a chance to build it properly with its own audience. Otherwise, how can we show that Glen's methods work if all eyes are on it right away?).

Check out the cover feature article again here: How to build and monetise a blog

You can follow me on Twitter at @andrea_wren

And the good news is...I have a Guardian column!

It's been a while since I've updated my journalist website, but I'm happy to do so with the good news that I have been commissioned a column in the Guardian, which will last for 6 months.

The cover feature to launch and introduce the column will be published in the Saturday Guardian Work section on the 3rd September, then two weeks following my column 'proper' launches, on September 17th.

Though I am not going to reveal the nature of the column (you'll have to wait and see!), it's all very exciting stuff, and I'm thrilled to have this opportunity. There will be a lot of work ahead for me, but it's work that I just can't wait to get stuck into.

So watch this space - and look out for the cover feature in Saturday Guardian Work section on September 3rd 2011. I'm positive it will be something a lot of people will also be very excited about.

Being a travel journalist and travel blogger - 'jogger'!

I learnt this weekend while at TravelBloggersUnite that the PR term for people who are journalists and bloggers is 'joggers'! Which is me, apparently. Which of course has nothing to do with getting red-faced and breaking my ankles trying to do a marathon.

I write on business, health, young people's issues and other topics, but I'm focusing more than ever on travel writing - and in this instance, it's the two worlds of travel journalism and travel blogging that collide to make me a 'jogger'.

I love my travel journalist work, and have every intention of keeping that up, but with my Travelling Wren blog I'm creating my own audience, rather than relying on pitching out to editors and getting commissions to get my travel writing read and published.

Being a travel blogger as opposed to a travel writer (though I suppose you could debate at length as to what the similarities and differences are) is a relatively new area for me, and one that I can see will be wonderfully enjoyable.

Next East Manchester & Tameside poetry Stanza meeting 29th March

Getting back on track, I'm happy to announce the next East Manchester and Tameside Stanza poetry group is going meet on 29th March 2011 at the usual venue of the Joshua Bradley in Gee Cross, Hyde.

It's the first one of 2011, and after a few people asking me when it was going to start up again, I finally got my act together to set the date (it's encouraging to know that people wanted the group still!).

Anyhow, the time is as usual, 7.30pm to 9.30pm, and the poem we'll be reading and discussing is a Sylvia Plath favourite of mine, Moonrise. There is a web copy of it here: http://www.angelfire.com/tn/plath/moonrise.html

As always, we'll have the opportunity to each share a poem (we'll keep this to one poem each to allow time for everyone to have feedback) so bring a copy of a poem you would like to share. Time-permitting, we will do a creative writing exercise too, so pen and paper will be handy.

Stanzas are not just for Poetry Society members, so everyone with an interest in poetry is welcome.

For newcomers - the general format of the group is:

Discussion of a poem by of a published poet

Everyone taking a turn to read a poem they have brought, with members offering constructive feedback

If time allows, a creative writing exercise

The Stanza meeting will take place in the Bamford Room upstairs at the Joshua Bradley, Address: The Joshua Bradley, Hyde Road, Gee Cross, Hyde, Greater Manchester SK14 5EG (http://www.hydesbrewery.co.uk/joshuabradley/index.html)

Please do join the Facebook group to stay updated!

Oldham Twestival 2011 - book tickets for Thursday 24th March

Twestival is a single day, global movement which uses the power of social media to organize offline events that mobilize communities in support of local charities. On Thursday 24 March 2011, 150+ towns and cities all over the world are holding a charity event under the 'Twestival' banner, and locally to me, Oldham sees its first ever event in support of Oldham Mountain Rescue.

Oldham Twestival After Dark is taking place at Boundary Park's Corner Flag Suite, overlooking the famous Latics ground. Tickets are £10 and all of that goes to the local charity.

Upon arrival you will get a goody bag containing donated items from local businesses, plus a pen, which you will need to complete your Twiz sheet, as there will be a Twiz (quiz). Dominos pizza will be delivering some pizzas during the evening and Oldham Athletics warm-up guy, Broady, will be compering.

You will get to see first hand the work of Oldham Mountain Rescue when some of the team arrive with one or two rescue dogs. There will also be a raffle during the evening with a range of  fabulous prizes donated by local businesses. At some point, the organisers will be attempting a link up with other Twestival cities for live streaming.

When the screen is not showing the excellent work that Oldham Mountain Rescue do, or hosting the Twiz questions, it will be a Twitter wall so mass tweeting will be encouraged. The evening will also see the culmination of an online auction.

CLICK HERE to book tickets. If you have any problems using the online system or want more information, please contact: deborah@owl-marketing.co.uk

Twestival is run by volunteers and 100% of monies go to the nominated charity.