AONC's community has thousands of fans and followers. Also, the content on the blog is very interesting and inspiring. Not only that, Chris is on the quest to visit each country in the world and shares his experiences after visiting them. His expression of words is awesome and thats what I like the most about him.
It is an immense pleasure for us to have him as 'Blogger of the week' on our blog. Catch his interview below:
Chris, although you don't need an intro but lets have a brief one from you.
I'm a writer, traveler, and entrepreneur. My blog is for unconventional people of all backgrounds. I'm on a quest to visit every country in the world.
I read your 'About' page and kept on reading until I finished. It is so inspirational and interesting. From where do you draw your inspiration?
I hope it doesn't too insular to say that I derive a lot of inspiration from the AONC community itself. I do meet-ups with readers whenever I travel, and I always enjoy hearing what other people are doing. Then I do away and think, wow, these people have busy, active lives doing all kinds of remarkable things, yet for some reason they care about what I have to say. This awareness inspires and challenges me to improve.
Tell us about the inception of your awesome blog 'The Art Of Non-Conformity'. When and how did it form?
I started in February 2008 after I finished graduate school and a four-year stint as a volunteer in West Africa. I wanted to visit every country in the world and write about it. As I went along, I broadened the scope a bit to focus on other forms of non-conformity and adventure.
What do you think makes your blog stand out?
I honestly believe that consistent effort over time -- without wavering -- is the major thing that separates successful creatives of all kinds from unsuccessful ones. In my case, I have never missed a scheduled post in three years, and hopefully never will. Other things that help are: a clear message or theme (mine is: "You don't have to live your life the way other people expect you to") and design that integrates all aspects of the brand and related goals. For that, I'm very grateful to my superstar designer Reese Spykerman, who has been a crucial part of the project from the beginning.
Your beliefs and philosophies seem firm in your writing. Is that the essence of good blogging-to believe in your ideas and then communicating it in a right way?
Well, you need to have some kind of message, yes. Lots of people start blogs about "one man / one woman finding their way in the world," and this usually doesn't turn out well. It's OK to waver from time to time, but readers are more interested in someone who knows where they are going.
You've published your own E-books. What are the differences between publishing a book and a blog? Do they compliment each other?
Yes, I've published both digital products, a regular blog, and a print book from a traditional publisher. The differences are quite substantial and hard to summarize, but in short, I do believe they compliment each other. I would never want to choose between one or the other; I enjoy each for different reasons.
When you started your blog, did you ever think that it would become as famous and successful as it has become now?
No, I had no idea. My initial goal was to have 1,000 readers, and now we have more than 1 million page views each month.
How has blogging helped you grow personally as well professionally?
I'm a naturally shy person and used to keep to myself, but now I host meet-ups, go on book tours, and speak at events. I've learned a great deal about community through this evolution.
What do you think is the turning point in your blogging journey or is it yet to come?
There have been a number of turning points, and hopefully more to come as well. One example: I remember walking home from the first meet-up I hosted, where I expected 5 people to come and 50 showed up. That experience made me think a lot more seriously about my goals and what I'm trying to accomplish with the project.
Many other bloggers would draw inspiration from you. What message do you have for them?
Always focus on why readers should care about what you have to say. You can do this even if your posts are personal or about you, as a lot of mine are. If you have three readers, treat those people like the most important people in the world. Keep doing this when you have 30, 300, and 3,000. If you're not sure what to do at any given point, ask yourself: how can I help people? What can I do that will provide real value to a small part of the world - those amazing people who, for some reason, chose to entrust me to their RSS feed or Inbox? I really believe if you make this your focus, you can ignore a lot of other advises about blogging. Nobody cares about which Wordpress theme you use; they care about how you will change their life for the better. Do that over and over, and all will be well.
Chris, that's such a valuable and practical advice. Thanks for sparing time to talk to us. It was a wonderful experience to have you with us. We wish you all the best!!
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