‘Blazing Minds’/Karen Woodham Interview

Blogging has exploded in popularity in recent years. With popularity comes awards. Some of you may remember the UK Blog Awards. We had a crack at them a few times and I’ve got to guest post on their blog.

Karen Woodham, the person behind the Blazing Minds blog, won the blog award in the ‘Individual Events Category’ in 2015. We got so send her some questions about her blog and how she got where she is today.

What got you into blogging?

“Back in 2008, people were mentioning blogging to me, intrigued by the sound of writing down my thoughts and haring them, I gave it a try. Starting with a wordpress.com account I posted about what I’d done in the day and things like that, not very exciting, a little down the line and after getting my own domain name and hosting, I reviewed a movie and after that everything started falling in to place, the cinema loved my review and asked me to do more, then the local theatre the ball was certainly rolling.

Now I have become a member of the team at a cinema as a resident reviewer/blogger for films and live screenings. So after all these years. blogging has now become a part of my life, not bad for something that after the first six months I contemplated giving it up!”

How did you come up with the name ‘Blazing Minds’?

“Ah the name, a lot of people ask me how I came up with it and they are surprised when I tell them, it was purely something that just popped in to my head one day when I was sitting around contemplating starting the blog. There I was frantically trying to think of a name, nothing sounded right, then during a ping of inspiration and for no apparent reason “Blazing Minds” came in to my head.

How could I not go with it, it sounded crazy, intriguing and different, so I went for it.”

How did it feel when you won your UK Blog Award in 2015?

“I was totally shocked when I one the UK Blog Award, actually I was shocked when I was nominated! I never thought that my humble little blog would even get a nomination yet alone win. It was amazing to know that so many people had voted for me during the public vote and that the judges had actually selected me to win.

Sadly I couldn’t get to the awards ceremony in London, but while watching a movie on the night, my Twitter started to get a little more active that usual, then I saw that I had been announced as the winner of the Individual Event category and that another blogger had picked up my award for me, suffice to say there was a lot of running around and screaming in the house on that night.

Shortly after my award arrived in the post and now it sits by my computer, just to remind that you can succeed by doing something that you enjoy.”

Check out tweeps .. I’m the proud owner of a @UKBlogAwards #UKBA15 Award. #ProudMoment pic.twitter.com/LivEcsBdTq

— Karen Woodham (@BlazingMinds) May 6, 2015

How has your life changed since you won the award?

“Things have become even busier than they were before the award, there have been lots of PR companies getting in touch to work with them, such as one for one of the biggest cinema chains in the UK, movie companies and distributers, local venues and so much more.

It’s loads of fun, but tiring, sometimes you just can’t keep up with everything and sadly sometimes you just have to refuse requests. I’m also getting recognised a lot more at event, I was at a SciFi Convention recently and the amount of people coming up to me and saying, “Wow it’s Karen from Blazing Minds” or “OMG aren’t you Karen from Blazing Minds? Congratulations on the award”, was totally weird and kind of unnerving!”

Has the award spurned you on to try and win other awards? If so, what ones?

“I’ve never thought of looking in to other awards, although I would love to be a finalist in the Shorty Awards as that is a great one to be included in, but fingers crossed that I get nominated for the UK Blog Awards 2016, you just never know and if I do get nominated again for that, I will certainly make my way to London for the ceremony, the last one looked brilliant.”

You cover many events and talk to many people and celebrities. What would you say has been your most favourite event you’ve covered? And what event would you like to cover but haven’t yet?

“There have been so many great events and I’ve met and become friends with some wonderful people in the entertainment industry. It’s very, very, hard to pick one as a favourite, but if it was going to be big events it would have to be Sci-Fi Weekender which is a weekend in Pwllheli, North Wales, where you get to meet some amazing SciFi fans, actors, authors and more.

As for an event I would love to cover, well, being a SciFi fan I would love to do the San Diego Comic Con, the ultimate comic con.”

What advice would you give to other bloggers?

“For those about to start blogging, I would have to tell them don’t give, it may seem that in the early days that your blog isn’t getting much traffic, but give it time to grow, find your own style, be yourself and most of all enjoy being a blogger. Yes can be hard work, but by putting the time and passion in to blogging will always pay off in the end.”

If you want, after reading this, to find her or just check out her site here are the links;

Website: www.blazingminds.co.uk

Twitter: www.twitter.com/blazingminds

Facebook: www.facebook.com/blazingminds