I found SusyJack* (aka Susan Connor) while using Etsy's new Pounce Feature.  Her bold, graphic style graces the covers of journals, cards, necklaces, and calendars that many Etsyians cannot resist. After pouncing on one of her calendars I noticed she writes two blogs:  SusyJack.blogspot.com, dedicated to the progress of her business, and spiralbound, a collection of what piques her interest in the design and fashion worlds. I asked Susy what inspires her to blog and how it has helped her business.

How do you have time for writing not one, but TWO blogs while operating your business SusyJack*?

That's a good question...actually, I never thought about it! But, I'm thinking about it now!

I have considered it absolutely vital to what I am doing as a creative person, and therefore, it is a part of my business, and creativity in general.  It's integral.  But, each blog serves a distinct purpose.  I write the SusyJack* blog to chronicle my own work: my products, my process, my victories and challenges as a person starting her own line, and also to keep in touch with my customers and fellow artist/business-owners.  My other blog, spiralbound_ has a different use; I use it to catalog and organize my ideas and inspirations like a sketchbook, or, as I see it, like a bunch of buckets I pour what I find interesting into.  I don't want everything I see to immediately feed into my products. I think spiralbound_ helps me, in that it's neutral territory.

What motivated you to start each blog?

This thought occurred to me one day: Blogs are not diaries.  They are a powerful system/structure for organizing information.  This idea took the fear of 'what am I going to do if no one cares what I have to say' out of starting my first blog, spiralbound_.  For a long time, the blog was unpublished, meaning it existed, but no one else could see it.  Then, I decided to make it public so that people I worked with and for as a graphic designer could read it and learn more about my ideas and inspirations.

Spiralbound_ was started at the time I was working a horribly boring and unchallenging design job in Boston.  I felt like I was dying inside.  So, I thought I would begin to assemble ideas into a blog.  It was easy to access through my work computer, and I could look at it to remind myself there were things I found inspiring out there.  But, if you go back in my posts in spiralbound_, you can definitely see that the identity of the blog was still forming, even as I was writing it.  It really started as an experiment and as a way to better get to know myself...What I was interested in.  Spiralbound_ revealed things to me, as I began to fill it with content.

SusyJack* started when I joined Etsy and launched my first collection.  I wanted to introduce myself to the community, and being that I had been writing spiralbound_ for 3 years or so, I knew that a blog was the way to do that.  I loved the idea that I could fill people in on how the collection was created and what was coming up.

How has blogging helped your business?

As a designer, spiralbound_ helps me to reach out to other designers, and to clients.  I still do work in branding, and it's great for a potential client to be able to easily see beyond my resumé into what makes me tick, my sense of humor, my style.  Personally, it helps me to remember who I am, who I was, who I might end up being...as a creative in general.

SJ* helps define who is behind the collection...Who the heck is Susy??? Who made this notebook, and what's she all about?  It's also an easy way to find out which products are going to get a good response, and which I maybe need to work a little more on.  For example, I put the calendar out confidently, because people were kind enough to encourage me on my blog.  Additionally, this was definitely reflected in the sales of the item.  I blogged about the calendar progress, and when I listed it, they sold very well.

It gives legitimacy to my business in that people see I'm always working, and working hard: always thinking about the products, my customers, and the community.  It also creates a place where people can comment: many people choose to comment on blogs, instead of sending emails. It's an easy way to engage with someone that's also fairly casual.

Also, if you are continually posting, there is more to find about you, online. So, a blog is a way to stay alive in the ever-growing online world.  When you post, you're more likely to be found by search engines.  (This is a boring, technical reason, but it's true.)  Other bloggers can link you, and you can link them. This helps more people find you.

SusyJack* also helps if I am going to be featured in a blog or periodical, and whoever is writing the feature needs a little more info. They can easily harvest it from my blog.

Does posting to your blogs ever start to feel like homework? How do you keep it fresh and interesting?

I feel that a blog, like a person, should be fed a healthy, worthy diet. This helps me to feel that my posts are still for me, about things I believe in, and not something I'm writing for other people or to sell myself.

With SusyJack* I usually post anything new I'm working on.  I post a lot about products I'm trying to develop, so that people can see how the ideas evolve...That they don't just come out of thin air.

I find that posting only what I truly want to share, and trying hard not to take a 'homework' attitude to it, helps my blogs, and me, and my products, keep their integrity, spontaneity and simplicity.

Do you have any upcoming features for your blogs?

Spiralbound_ hasn't got much in the works for new features, but I did just start a new sidebar a while ago, called the Trend Ether.  I basically make a little list of what I think is coming up. This is pretty much just for me, although I know readers have enjoyed it, too.  I can't help it, I get a really good feeling when something I posted about ages ago becomes a big hit.  This new list helps me to note it before it happens.

I'm also starting to label images with a 'my pick' design so that people can see which item I like the best.

Also, I am thinking of starting a series of posts in the SusyJack* blog that are more about my discoveries as a new business owner.  Things that have worked for me, so far.  Since my background is in design, branding especially, I feel that this could be really valuable info to share.  Info on art-directing, defining your brand, style or collection, creating a tagline, photography, etc.  It's definitely an edge that it helps to have.  I'd like to be able to help people better define what *their thing* is, that way, you don't have to worry about competition because you're confident in your uniqueness.

Any tips for someone starting a blog?

Yes. Pay careful attention to the name. Make sure that you pick a name that you like and will reflect your purpose in writing.  This helps because people need to be able to find you.

Also, and this is REALLY important: don't worry about who reads it.  Don't worry if you have comments.  (It can make blogging into a chore and can lead to disappointment if you're not a blog celebrity overnight.  Just keep at it, and be yourself.)  Getting famous is not what writing a good blog is about.  A good blog is about content.  Make sure you are writing about things you truly care about or are interested in as an individual.  Readership follows.

What are some trends you see for this spring and summer?

Hmm...Hard to say. I am frequently wrong, but I still keep trying.

I think integrity will make a comeback.  I think a return to imperfection.  Instead of pop star and celebrity beauty, I think we're going to see a deeper, more interesting, lived-in beauty emerging: imperfect teeth, hair, real ideas inside a real mind: John and Yoko, Chrissie Hynde, Tim Buckley.  A good book to look at for this is Linda McCartney's Sixties.  Hard to find but amazing.  Beautiful portraits...They feel real, but beautiful at the same time.

Earthy color with hot, acidic, spicy, mossy accents.

Mismatched blacks.

I think the next trend in food is dumplings and meat pies...Although I don't think these will be big in the summer... : )

Is there something in the design world that currently tickles your fancy?

I like things that feel honest, not decorated. I don't mean things that are minimal, necessarily...but things that feel like the artist or designer has gone beyond what they are *certain* will sell. This is how things move forward.

I like to know there's a risk being taken... even if it's just a small one.