WordPress.com welcomes The Bloggess (and more!)
We’re really proud that so many great writers from all genres call WordPress.com home. Last week, we welcomed one more — Jenny Lawson, AKA The Bloggess, whose site just moved on to WordPress.com’s VIP service.
An incredibly popular blogger and now a New York Times bestselling author, Jenny’s blunt, incisive writing style and willingness to lay everything bare have made her a blogging favorite. Once the dust settled on her site’s relocation, she took a few minutes to chat blogging, traditional publishing, cats, and who she wants to be when she grows up.
When was the first time you realized, “Whoa, there’s something to this blogging thing?”
I’ve always loved to write, in notebooks and on napkins and now in blogs and books. The great thing about blogs, though, is that you get immediate feedback — and that’s so fabulous when you’ve always felt like an outsider. I think blogging has given many of us voices that we never heard before.
What are your main sources of inspiration, cats aside? Any advice for bloggers who think what they have to say isn’t “important”?
Cats make up at least 98 percent of the internet, so I feel like I’m under-representing, but I’m still trying. Ferris Mewler and Hunter S. Thomcat are great muses, but most of my blog comes from awkward conversations with my very patient but easily frustrated husband. Or from awkward conversations I have with myself.
I don’t think there’s such a thing as an unimportant story, but some are told better than others.
I don’t think there’s such a thing as an unimportant story, but some are told better than others. I only publish about one-third of the stories I write, and even then I try to always cut my posts down by 50% because it makes me cut out all the fluff.
What’s the most valuable part, for you, of being part of the blogging community?
Blogging saved me. I struggle with a lot of mental illness and I finally decided that it was creating a false history to not talk about it. I was shocked by the outpouring of people who said “Me too. I thought I was the only one.”
And then something amazing happened. People started to get help because they saw how completely not alone they were. There are people alive today simply because of the community I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of. Knowing that I’m not alone and that I can reach out for help has been a literal life-saver.
Tell us about the decision to publish a book.
I wrote a book twelve years ago about all the ways I’ve mortified myself. I wrote it because I have an awful memory and wanted to share all our terribly wonderful family stories.
I didn’t plan for anyone else to read it, but an agent discovered my blog and insisted that people would want to read my ridiculously irreverent tales. Turns out she was right. It debuted #1 on the New York Times bestsellers list. Shocked the hell out of me. I assumed I was in some sort of a coma.
A ton of people found the book because of the blog, and now a ton of people have found the blog because of the book. It’s odd, but wonderful.
Why the move to WordPress.com VIP? What are you most looking forward to?
I have a rare gift for crashing websites, particularly my own. It’s a talent, really. I’ve been told that if I manage to crash VIP everyone gets ponies. It’s a no-lose situation.
If you couldn’t blog, what would you do with yourself?
Drugs, probably. I can’t not write. It’s what keeps me sane.
Who do you want to be when you grow up?
Thanks, Jenny!
WordPress.com VIP is also excited to welcome PostSecret and Thought Catalog to the VIP family — we’re proud to be able to power funny, insightful, thought-provoking sites like theirs and Jenny’s.
- January 23, 2014
- Community, VIP, WordPress.com
I LOVE HER
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This is awesome. ;D WordPress and Jennie Lawson are a match made in blogging heaven.
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I found The Bloggess after reading her book. So glad I did. She makes me laugh. Great to see her on WP now.
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Love the sense of humor!
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Hi, Bloggess! Been a fan of your blog a long time!
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Fantastic. Love The Bloggess.
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Nice! Welcome!
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What a find! I am a mental illnesser as well…took myself off meds a couple of months ago…made the mistake of telling family who now seem to look for any deviance from happy jolly to point and say I should go back on them. I found they flat lined me. Made me too nice. Couldn’t cry, not that I ever have much anyway. Now able to voice my true feelings when warranted…getting the message that they like me better nice and agreeable! Oh well…
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Me too! She’s awesome!
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Looking forward to reading Jenny’s blogs. I love the title of the book — especially the “mostly true memoir” subtitle.
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Time to follow a new blog 😀
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*claps* WTG, Jenny. 🙂
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Can’t wait to find out how her life involves mouse taxidermy.
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I’ve been a fan of the Bloggess for a while now. I was so happy to see she had joined WordPress since she’ll finally show up in my Reader. The party has started!!!
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I noticed Consequence of Sound on the VIP platform too!
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Some bloggers have too much talent. Please, do not hoard all the talent.
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Congrats to her, and I hope she goes on being awesome!
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I love The Bloggess! When I found out about her site, I kicked myself for not thinking of “the bloggess” first.
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So many writers use WordPress. I wish you had a theme especially for authors in the manner of “authorlicious”, which I would love to use, but I want to stay with WP.com and not take my blog to another host.
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Thanks for blogging with WordPress.com 🙂 There are actually a few different themes that you could tweak to acheieve a look/features similar to Authorlicious — off the top of my head, I’d look at Moka and Twenty Twelve:
http://theme.wordpress.com/themes/twentytwelve/
http://theme.wordpress.com/themes/moka/
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“I can’t not write.” 🙂
Jenny, The Bloggess, you have a Fan !!
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I love The Bloggess. The giant chicken being among my favorite posts. So awesome!
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Read your book. Now I know who wrote it. Will follow blindly because you made me laugh my a** off.
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Is it wrong of me to root for free ponies?
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I loooooove The Bloggess! Not in a creepy stalker kind of way, but a “let’s be bff’s and braid each others hair” way. That’s not weird.
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I love Jenny, I love the awareness she has brought to issues mentioned here as well as taxidermy, which gets a bad rap sometimes. I love her cats and I love Victor, too. It’s a package deal and I am happy to see she will be on WordPress, where it will be easier to spread the love.
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Be welcome! 🙂
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