As our blogging community at the BDN grows, we are meeting more and more passionate voices describing their Maine experiences in ways that connect with our readers.
Today we thought we’d introduce you to one such voice, Erinne Magee, who blogs at Without Screens about experiences her and her daughter share together living unplugged. Erinne describes the ways in which they live purposefully and authentically while exploring Maine’s natural beauty. A born writer, Erinne uses her blog as a way to connect with her community and to inspire healthy living in others through her writing.
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She recently sat down to answer some questions about her experience blogging for the BDN Maine blog network.
Tell us about how you got into blogging.
I have been writing for years but reached out to the BDN when I wanted to gain more of a sense of community from my writing. I didn’t want to write “for myself” but instead write to connect with others on a local scale.
How do you see your blog as a tool for getting involved with your community?
It’s been great in forcing myself to try new things. For example, my daughter and I have always hiked and done outdoorsy activities together, but rather than revisiting the same places with the same perspective, I sought out new trails and ways to get involved with the community. Ultimately, I got out of my comfort zone a bit more.
Have your readers ever been inspired to get out into the great Maine outdoors because of your blog?
My blog focuses on “screen free” living and I’ve certainly used the topic loosely. I often get emails or messages asking for tips or things to do with children. Sometimes the inquiries involve the outdoors, but a lot of times parents are just sick of doing “the same ole thing” and will ask for creative ways to have fun with kiddos. I LOVE getting these messages.
Why do you think people love to read about Maine?
No matter where I travel, people are intrigued about life in Maine. We seem to have this air of mystery that has people wondering: “what is Maine really like?” I think the simplicity combined with the four seasons of natural beauty is something other people in the country aren’t accustomed to having year-round, so reading about our state makes them feel like they are vicariously living the Maine-ah life.
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If you could give one piece of advice to new bloggers, what would it be?
Have a topic but don’t feel confined by it. If you don’t have much of a writing background, you are going to learn so much as you go and ultimately, you’ll want to tweak things about your blog. That’s ok! Also, remember you aren’t in this alone! The writing community is one-of-a-kind, so reach out and connect! You will feel immediately feel embraced and accepted, so don’t feel shy about making those connections with fellow writers.
If you have a blog idea then please don’t be shy! We want to hear about it. You can contact us on our pitch page here. If you don’t know how to pitch then don’t worry, we have you covered with this blog post that gives you some great tips. And if you have any questions feel free to swing by our Facebook page, Twitter page, or leave us a question or comment below.