During the no- or low-spend February challenge, a reader named A. Marie mentioned she had been interviewed for the “Meet a reader” feature at a site called The Frugal Girl.
(That interview can be found here, if you’d like to go learn more about the awesome A. Marie. Go ahead. I’ll wait.)
Now: Who else is interested in being interviewed?
Yep, I’m appropriating The Frugal Girl’s idea. In part that’s because it sounds like great fun. After all, one of my favorite things about being a writer is getting to talk with people, and I’d love to chat with some of you in real life. (Well, over the phone.)
In fact, I have chatted with some of you in real life, during my travels, and it’s always stimulating.
The other reason I think “Meet A Reader” will fit here is that you folks tend to start conversations in the comments. Seems you’re already meeting readers, in a sense, and bringing us into the conversation. So why not make it official?
Here’s how this would work:
Readers who are interested let me know.
I set up an interview time and send questions in advance, to give a general idea of what we’ll be discussing.
Then I write it all up, and publish it here.
“Meet a reader” ground rules
If you’re too modest to nominate yourself, be aware that I might contact you anyway. You’d be free to say “include me out,” of course. But it’s been my experience that a lot of interesting people don’t see their experiences as particularly noteworthy.
And if there’s someone whose comments have intrigued you in the past? Feel free to nominate that person, in the comments or via e-mail at SurvivingAndThriving (at) live (dot) com.
To be clear: No one is obliged to talk with me. But I hope a bunch of you will.
Other “meet a reader” rules:
1. Some kind of photo/illustration is needed.
Camera-shy? Me, too! So I’d be just as happy running be a photo of you in side-view or silhouette, or a picture of your dog, or an artistic shot of your latest craft, or even your favorite anime character. Whatever works for you.
2. Location can be vague.
Some people value their privacy, and I completely understand that. So if you don’t want it to be “a Fort Worth resident” or “born-and-bred New Yorker,” then I could do something like “lives in a big Southwest town” or “resides in the same big East Coast city where she was born.”
3. Name can be vague, too.
Some of you post with usernames, or parts of your real names. We will go with those, unless you specifically request that your full name be used.
4. I will link to your website, if you have one.
Once folks have learned a little more about you, they’ll probably want to read your stuff.
5. But no blatant self-promotion.
Made this heading bigger because I’m very serious about this. If all your answers contain some form of phrases like, “In my ebook/course/coaching business, I talk about…” or “In my book, which is available on Amazon…” – well, you can expect that not to appear in print.
Yes, I know that people use the Internet to get their names (and their stuff) out there. As noted above, I am happy to link to your site. But this is supposed to be about sharing, not selling.
6. No politics.
Do I really need to explain this one?
If you’re interested, please leave a comment below. I’ll respond to the e-mail address attached to your username.
Donna, I’d love to be interviewed… I have a lot of frugal notions that helped us retire early — and live in a fifth-wheel.
Cindy Brick
Cindy, are you from Baltimore, MD area, and the former owner of Brick Bodies?
It was Lynne Brick that was the owner of Brick Bodies with her husband. Now their children run it.
Thanks.
Donna,
I’d love to chat with you! I have been a fan of your writing for more than a decade. We are extremely frugal. Most of all, I’d love to meet you.
Tammy Littlejohn
What a wonderful idea!
A reader from long ago named Sonya Ann or Sonja Ann has always sounded interesting to me.
I thought of her too! Too bad she doesn’t comment anymore….hope she’s okay.
Hello Donna, I had the pleasure of speaking with you not long after you separated from the money board…. I (we) have reached our goals of retiring early and living as snowbirds.
We still live the way we got here, I.e. planning bigger purchases, but enjoy and treasure every day to the fullest.
If you need someone to interview I am yours.
You have my e-mail…
Rose
Donna, I’m immensely flattered that you’ve used my TFG interview as the “demo,” so to speak, for Meet a Reader. This gave me a boost yesterday that I sorely needed.
And I’m hoping that Lindsey (my other favorite Alaskan) can be enticed to do a “Meet a Reader,” either here or on The Frugal Girl.
I was thinking of Lindsey too. In fact I had once suggested here or on the NCA site she write a book about her experiences with living frugally in Alaska. She has a nice way of sharing her knowledge with others, I find.
I still consider it one of my favorite thrills of my life to have met up with you while my family and I were traveling in Alaska six summers ago. And then to see you again at Fincon and host you at and DF in my home; during my birthday nonetheless! I thought you rocked then and I still think you rock now!
You’re on the list, lady. Then again, you already were on the list.
And it was a pleasure to meet you and your family as well.
Count me in. Old SCCDF.
You were on my list, so I’m glad you’re interested.
I believe you have already “interviewed” me, by way of lovely conversation and coffee with your Dad – who I think of fondly every time I drive by there! I am up for a 2nd, if you need someone — but i t looks like you have many interested parties – so I defer to someone new! 🙂
Also already on the list. Stay tuned.
I’m interested in having a chat with you
I’m a fan from the MSN Money days. Trying to be frugal living in Metro Boston on a fixed income, with our adult kids!
Yikes. That is a challenge.
I would like to have another chat with you. I was happy to have met you in real life several years ago in San Diego CA.
I’m practicing your “save when you can so you can spend how you want” right this minute as we spend far too much on a deluxe hotel room for a wedding trip weekend. When we get home I’m getting free toilet paper with drug store rewards.
Also interested in being interviewed if you are looking for volunteers. I will be away on a road trip, so if you need me, put me on the list for summer or later.
Hey Donna, I so enjoy reading your blog. I also follow Frugal Girl and the Non consumer advocate blogs so see a lot of reader overlap. You are amongst some great folks!
Your writing and the icing on the cake, the comments, are something I look forward to.
I am interested in participating in meet-a-reader. I wrote a frugal blog for 2 years and developed a deep respect for bloggers! (;
Now I teach yoga to people going through the difficult process of tapering off of benzos (benzodiazapenes like Xanax, Valium, Klonopin, etc).
I think your readers would appreciate my perspective because:
I believe in “patchwork income steams” as the traditional 9-5 jobs seem to have dried up for folks like me over 50.
I am self employed and like to share a lot of what I do to make ends meet.
I have braved 2008 and current wacky economic times by using all the skills I learned in the 1990s from the Tightwad Gazette
I think we as a community really help each other learn and grow and believe that community is the key to much success in our world today (well always but that could be a whole other conversation).
Let me know if you want to talk more.
I read your ground rules and I feel comfortable with all of them.