Who are you?
I’m LAJ a writer and American expat living in The Hague, Netherlands with my family for almost three years.

Tell us about your WordPress website(s)
My website Adventures in Expat Land uses WordPress software. The tagline is ‘living abroad and sharing the good, the less good and the just plain odd’ since I chronicle building a new life in a new country. While I explore the full range of issues, emotions and developments that come with living in a different culture, I tend to include upbeat observations, personal insights and situational humor.

When did you start using WordPress?
Recently I celebrated my website’s one year anniversary. In that year, I’ve been very pleased with WordPress, so much so that I’ll be launching a second site there as well in the near future! It is called Voices Abroad Project.

What are the 3 best things about WordPress?
It’s hard to limit myself to three best features of WordPress, but I guess I’d go with:

1) easy-to-install plug-ins and widgets with automatic notification whenever updated versions of your plug-ins are available.

2) the ability to not only pre-schedule your posts in advance of publication, but also to get the post URL and shortlink as soon as it’s scheduled (This has been fabulous when swapping guest posts as you can schedule the guest post, give the post URL to the guest blogger, and then use the shortlink to pre-schedule tweets. If I guest on some sites that don’t use WordPress, they can’t provide me the post URL or shortlink.)

3) if you need help, WordPress offers both documentation and support forums to quickly find assistance and answers.

How long do you spend updating and maintaining your website(s)?
I spend only a few minutes a week maintaining my site. If I’m looking for a particular upgrade or plug-in to enhance my site, I may do a little research to see how to do it with WordPress. Occasionally I may need to ask someone for help, but WordPress is so popular that I can usually get an answer very quickly.

What advice would you give to first time WordPress users?
I’d tell first-time bloggers that it’s relatively easy to start a WordPress blog. They have a great series of modules to walk you through the process, and you can work with them to purchase your domain name if that’s what you want to do (via WordPress.com). After you’ve begun blogging, you can start to learn more about various features and enhancements to make running your site easier and to upgrade it.

More LAJ: Adventures in  Expatland / Twitter / Facebook Page

S – Simple
U – Useful
P – Personalized
E - Enthusiasm
R - Relevant

Super, it is that simple bloggers!

There are literally hundreds of WordPress themes that you can use on your blog/site. You can spend days if not weeks trying to decide which theme you like the best. But do you know what you are downloading?

What you might not be aware of is that there are also many websites offering themes but they are not trustworthy. You could be downloading a theme that has been manipulated, when you use it on your site you could be spreading unwanted spam to others.

Do some research and save yourself time. Often just a quick Google search, or reading through the website will give you a good idea if the person behind the themes is who they say they are.

There are several websites that I recommend for downloading themes:

WooThemes (paid themes, affiliate link)
ElegantThemes (paid themes, affiliate link)
WordPress.org Directory (free)
Design Disease (free) 
ThemeForest (paid themes)
ThesisTheme (paid themes, affiliate link)

Just do it! It’s really that simple, go for it. When you start a blog you have good idea’s and intentions but too often I see people stagnate after their first blog post. It’s up to you how often you blog, and yes life can happen but don’t let it stop you from posting again.

Your blog is always ‘work in progress’, at least that’s how I see it. Like life there are ups and downs, you just go with the flow. You will have more inspiration some days than others, capture that flow and write some posts and save them as drafts for those moments when you don’t feel inspired.

Maybe you need to reconsider if  a blog really is something you need? No worries, you can always change your WordPress set up and make your website page based and change the blog function to news. That way you will not be setting the expectation of regular updates.

I often reevaluate my intentions and adjust my blogging focus to whatever is going on in my life, it has to be realistic otherwise a blog-block is just around the corner. Now that is an entire other problem that you want to avoid…

1. Who are you and what is the story behind your business?

My name is Deborah Valentine, my own story is too long and convoluted to convey here, suffice it to say that I hold a Canadian and Dutch passport and have been an ‘international’ my whole life – here and in many other countries. The story behind my business? Well, this is also a little convoluted. In reality my business started by mistake. While in the process of looking for employment I was approached 4 years ago to Project Manage the Feel at Home in The Hague Fair. In order to accept the opportunity I had to establish myself as a business in The Netherlands – which was surprisingly straight forward. I never considered myself a business person, and yet I have managed to keep ‘a hand in The Hague’ since. Granted, in those four years I have done many varied projects – making it hard to pinpoint my niche, but it has stayed alive.

In the last year and a half or so I have focussed on one area, namely writing, and have made the decision to build my business on this skill, and passion. Apparently I am good at it – and I enjoy it – and people are willing to pay for it. Seems like a straight forward formula! – even for a non-business person!

Writing is a broad category, so perhaps it is worth elaborating on this. I am no budding author, there is no novel waiting to pour out of me. What I enjoy, and am good at, is finding a unique something in others, or businesses, and weaving a story around it that makes getting to know that individual, service, product appealing. It is marketing writing if you will – though I am not happy with the term copy writing. Given that I speak several languages I am able to do my interviews and or research in the native language of my clients allowing them to express themselves in their own language, and then find the words to express their message in my language, English. This also applies of course to native English speakers who struggle with the written word. It is for this reason that I say I help people find their voice in English.

A secondary, but no less interesting arm of the business is editing material written in English by non-native speakers. Often clients have prepared something themselves in English, a presentation, a project proposal, web texts etc., which needs tweaking. Again, because of my languages I am able to distil what was meant and ensure that the language is used correctly to capture and convey the intent. Since I am fluent in Dutch, and have lived here a long time, this is a skill I am particularly adept at when editing English written by a Dutch person. Sounds unusual, but I do enjoy the challenge of finding what was meant and ensuring it is said.

2. When and why did you start blogging?

Ha, seriously? I started blogging because you told me to . When? Almost 2 years ago – though not at all consistently.

3. How much time do you spend creating content, do you have any time saving tips for others?

I rarely create content – rather ideas pop into my head which I try to retain – usually on bits of paper – and then develop in my blog. More often than not it is a comment from my children (who are more Dutch than Canadian and allow me to see the world around me a little differently) which sets me off on some subjects: though I have been asked by one of them to no longer include them (even without a name) in my blogs!

I am becoming more comfortable with Word Press which has made this process much easier – I can start a blog whenever the idea strikes me and publish it when it feels right … I need to develop a pattern, this is true. As Claudia said earlier – establishing a pattern so people know when to expect something is crucial.

4. How do you stay inspired?

Looking around me, listening, reading, talking to people. There is always something to write about – always something which strikes a chord in me, which is why I think I am also good at what I do – I can always find a hook. I have noticed a trend though: my blogs tend to be about women/international community at large and individuals in general – not so much about what I do. Does that make sense?

5. How has your blog influenced your business, can you give an example?

Too early to tell really. It does provide me with an opportunity of sharing who I am while at the same time being a showcase of my style of writing which is kind of important if you think about it. J I do know that clients’ who were enquiring about my services, after reading an entry or two did respond back saying they liked my style – and then hired me – or referred me.

5. Looking back, what are the lessons you have learned about blogging?

What held me back was wondering what on earth I had to say which would be of interest to anyone. It was only when I started to think of my blog as part of a conversation with a friend, or new acquaintance, that I realised it was a way of engaging with people – letting them get to know me, and I them, through their comments. I consider it an extension of the networking I do, and enjoy. It allows me to be me.

6. What advice would you offer to others looking to take their business online?

Same advice I try to give myself – keep it simple! And, the blueprint for your business is in your hands – if it needs to be redrawn, just do it.

Deborah thank you for taking the time to answer these questions. I look forward to seeing how your blog has developed in a couple of years.