OUR ATTENDEE SPOTLIGHT IS:
Truly Tafakari by Dara Tafakari
Niche
Lifestyle
What do you hope to experience at Blogging While Brown 2015?
Blogging While Brown 2015 will be my first blogging conference ever! I’m beyond excited to meet fellow bloggers, learn more about blogging as a business, and become a smarter blogger in the process. Making genuine connections offline is an area I would also like to improve upon. I hope I come away from the experience with information I can use and the wherewithal to turn plans into progress.
Why did you decide to start a blog?
I started a blog because I made a life-changing decision not to take a new job, but to use the time I had to write more. I also needed somewhere online to write because Facebook “notes” were not the business! I saw how other bloggers had created communities and I wanted to experience that for myself.
When people come to your blog, what will they find?
When you come to Truly Tafakari, more than anything, you will find a voice that is unafraid to say all the things you think about Black life in America. You will find your “yasss” and your “Amen.” I also love highlighting creative Black women and men. My blog is not just about "The Struggle"; it’s the funny, everyday pieces of life, race, and pop culture that make being Black so glorious. And biscuits. You will also find biscuits there. And oh, you will definitely find me: a quirky wife and mother living life unapologetically Black.
Who are your blogging inspirations or heroes/ heroines?
In the pantheon of Black bloggers I admire, Luvvie Ajayi is high on my list because she manages to incorporate humor and truth in a way that seems effortless. I also love Denene Millner’s voice, Afrobella (Patrice Grell Yursik)’s graciousness, VerySmartBrothas’ balance (and the world’s best commentariat), and Ta-Nehisi Coates’ brilliance.
Do you need something from your fellow bloggers to take your blogging to the next level?
I need to learn simple dos and don’ts of blogging that I may have missed without the benefit of a supportive community. I often get the feeling that I’m trying to reinvent the wheel.
What are your top blogging tips for other bloggers?
My top tips for bloggers would be:
1. Be yourself. Readers love authenticity and transparency.
2. Set boundaries. Know your niche well and give yourself the space you need to maintain privacy.
3. Engage with other bloggers on social media and in the blogosphere.
4. Be consistent. Readers love knowing when and where they can catch their favorite blogger!
5. Choose a broad blog topic that interests you and that can spawn many smaller topics.
Where do you see you and your blog in 5 years?
I see my blog as a platform both to get my voice out there and also to connect with other like-minded people. To that end, in five years, I’d like to be writing my blog full-time, with staff writers, a mini shop where I can sell items, and hosting occasional events to meet readers and other bloggers.
See you in Austin!
