Creative Corner: Anjali – This Splendid Shambles

Hello buddy!

I’m sooooo excited to see you here today because I’m bringing you something GOOD.

Thanks for joining me for a new edition of Creative Corner, where we meet exceptionally gifted creatives. Today’s guest is no exception!

If you missed out on the previous fun interview, don’t worry, click here. Catch up then come right back and continue reading here.

Meet blogging coach, Anjali the visionary behind the blog This Splendid Shambles. This New Zealand-based blogger also doubles as a blogging coach with a passion for helping women create and grow their blogs with confidence.

When Anjali isn’t busy working on content for This Splendid Shambles or coaching fellow bloggers, you’ll find her curled up with a good book (hey fellow bibliophile!), playing board games with

What was the inspiration behind your blog’s title “This Splendid Shambles”? 

I started blogging back in 2009. When I started TSS it was near the end of 2010 and it was a real conglomerate of topics.

I wrote about my love of books through reviews, round-ups, and author spotlights. I wrote about my travels and adventures; I shared craft ideas and tutorials, and I published posts on blogging and how to use social media and Pinterest in collaboration with a blog. 

It was a real mix (and still is, to be honest) of all the things that I loved in my own life. It was me sharing the shambles of my life, but it was wonderful and splendid all the same. And so This Splendid Shambles was born. 

When and why did you start blogging? 

It was actually a friend of mine who got me into blogging. He had a blog at the time, back in 2009, and he recognised my love of writing and photography, and suggested I check out this thing called a ‘blog’. I didn’t really know too much about blogs or blogging back then, but I started one and haven’t looked back. It’s been one of the best things I’ve ever done. 

What are your goals for your blog this year? 

As well as a blogger, I’m also a blog coach, and I help women create and grow their blogs through 1:1 coaching and courses. My goals are to continue to teach, train, and mentor women around the world as they continue to confidently create content and tell their stories through their blogs.

How do you come up with blog post ideas?

Generating blog post ideas is one of my favourite things to do. I honestly love coming up with ideas, and there are many ways to do this. 

Sometimes I’ll know a general topic I want to write about, then I’ll put that idea into a keyword generator and see what other things people are searching for. That will often see me walking away with a long list of ideas within that topic. 

Other times it’s user generated. Perhaps someone has asked a question or made a comment that has sparked an idea. 

I also do a lot of the ‘same’ posts. For example, I work with publishing companies reviewing books, so generally speaking every book I read, I also review. Which is a blog post and a social media post. 

Where’s your favourite content creation spot? 

While I don’t do it as much as I would like to, I really do like working and blogging at a cafe. There’s something about being in the gentle hustle and bustle that really gets me in a productive space, and I find I can write a lot more and get a lot more done in that space.

What are your hobbies and interests outside of blogging?  

Oooh, what aren’t my hobbies? I’m a big reader and spend a lot of my time with my nose in a book. I’m also an avid traveller, whether that’s around my own country here in New Zealand or, global crises dependent, around the world. My friends and I play a lot of board games too, and I have a collection that’s getting far too big for the room they’re in.

Occasionally, I get the paints out and relive my art passion from high school, though definitely not as much as I would like.

How do you attract new readers to your blog? 

Most of my new readers find This Splendid Shambles via Google search and also Pinterest. Pinterest is an incredible resource at our fingertips. While it can take a while to see any results or traffic, it’s well worth putting in the effort. 

Returning readers, however, are usually those coming from social media. They’re people who have read a post or two in the past and like what they’re seeing. 

Which post do you think deserves more views? 

As bloggers, we probably think that every post deserves more views haha. But I have always really loved 10 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Create in Canva and I do think that my post on how to stay consistent as a blogger is really helpful, especially for new bloggers. 

What can we expect from you when we subscribe to your blog? 

Subscribing to my blog means a few things: usually 3 blog posts per week. One of which is book related, one is travel related, and the other is usually blogging or social media-related. 

If you sign up to my mailing list, you’ll get access to the free Resource Library which holds fun things such as printables, worksheets, guides on growing your blog, Canva templates and more. I send out weekly blogging tips to those interested in blogging, and then more of a newsletter format to those keen to check out the book and travel posts.

A word of advice for aspiring bloggers… 

Don’t throw in the towel too early. 

Blogging is a lot of work, especially if you’re trying to monetize or make a living out of it. The blogging world has changed a lot since I started my first blog. While the nature of the blog has grown and pivoted, one thing has never changed: you and your story. 

It doesn’t matter if you have had a blog for years, or you’re just starting out. It takes courage and boldness and persistence to have a blog and to share what you’re sharing. 

And if it ever feels like it’s not going the way you want, take a breath and step back and reevaluate. Adjust what you’re doing, talk to someone and get their advice, and don’t give up. 

And that brings us to the end of this exciting blogger interview.

If you haven’t had enough of Anjali, catch up with them on Instagram, and Facebook. Exchange pins on Pinterest and follow them on Twitter.

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Thank you for joining me on the blog today. I’ll see you next week.