Nile Flores- WordPress designer, developer & WordCamp Speaker
There’s not much I can say about Nile Flores you do not already know.
- She’s been working with WordPress for over a decade and has been blogging for even longer.
- She’s an anime fanatic who’s username has been covered in Wikipedia under the InuYasha fandom.
- She was a top 10 Yahoo! Club founder. She ran 3 of the top 10 largest clubs in Yahoo!
- She used to play a lot of sports while growing up, and was a huge tomboy.
- She has a background in journalism and was co-editor of her high school and college newspapers. She was also co-editor of the literary publications (people submitted short stories, illustrations, and poetry to be published in a monthly or quarterly volume) in both high school and college.
So maybe there were a few facts up there you did not know :-p
Nile has been working with WordPress for over 12 years, and has been speaking at WordCamps since 2010. If you’ve read about her journey with WordPress, and ways it has changed her life, you know that Nile is a strong and inspiring person.
Nile was kind enough to oblige me by answering a few questions this week, and here’s what she had to say.
You’ve been blogging for nearly a decade and half. How have you grown as a blogger? In what ways has the experience changed you as an individual?
I definitely know I’ve grown as a blogger. It comes really easy to me to write, and I’ve become resourceful over the years because of my drive to learn more. Blogging has become a way to share a bit about my experiences and hope others find those experiences useful for their journey.
Based on your knowledge and experience, what factors contribute to a website’s success?
The content and voice of a blog, as well as how it is organized, are huge factors in how a website can become successful. Your content, must be unique and exude the blogger’s voice in it. This is something people really have to feel they can connect with. Aside from that, organizing the website so your visitors can easily find what they need is important. Sure, you can slop together a bunch of things on your website, but if you’re not making a clear path, no one is going to find it… well, except you.
What according to you are the qualities that separate great web designers from the good ones?
For myself, I think a web designer with an open mind, who is aware of trends, but also willing to take a few risks, separates a great web designer, from a good one.
You also have to listen to your client. If you can’t listen to them, then they probably will throw out the proofs you send their way until you really listen to what they want. It’s okay to want to be artistic and try to throw in your own style, but I think being flexible is also important.
Confess one WordPress fail (of yours) and how you dealt with it.
One WordPress fail that I’ve done is allow a family issue to get in the way of producing content. It’s tough when you have a dying family member who means a lot. I’ve missed out on some great opportunities to blog on some time sensitive issues because I let it get to me. Thankfully, I’ve had a lot of support to kick me in the pants. So, I’m gradually building up to the blogging machine I’ve been known to be.
How do you stay updated with the latest developments in WordPress? Are there any blogs that you regularly follow?
I’ve been using WordPress since the b2 cafelog days. I follow the support forums and blog at WordPress.org. I use to go to the Web Blog Tools Collection. I still visit WPTavern.com. I’m a member of several Facebook groups, and I also run All About WordPress on Facebook. Aside from within WordPress, I keep my ear to other niche that fall within what I cover on my own website.
What is your take on contributing to the WordPress community and 3 things you like best about being involved in WordCamps?
The WordPress community is really supportive. I’ve met a lot of people online, and in-person throughout the years. They’ve helped me through their emotional support in my rough times, and have even helped me financially.
As for being involved in WordCamps, I love helping to plan them. I also love to see all the attendees, and hear about what they learned, or how they believe something could be improved. One other thing that I like about being involved with WordCamps, is seeing my friends.
It’s one thing to talk to them via email or Facebook. It’s another thing to actually see them in person.
If you weren’t a blogger/web developer, you would be….
I have a degree in English Literature. So, if I had never gotten into blogging, I would’ve become an English Literature professor, or a journalist or editor with some newspaper.
Nile, thank you for your time, and for talking to us.
For more from Nile, you can connect with her on Twitter or @blondishnet or subscribe to her blog- Blondish.net where she shares her WordPress, SEO, Web design and Social Media knowledge.
And before we sign off, a question from fellow Manga fanatic Akshay to Nile:
Akshay: With the popular rise of good Manhwa and Chinese webcomics, do you feel Manga needs to up its game with better stories and art?
Nile: I read just about anything, and collect a lot too. I don’t feel Manga needs to up its game at all. There’s a ton of great works. If that’s not enough, you can turn to the hundreds of thousands of fanfiction and fanart pieces that are free and online. 😉
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