Seanna: Shextreme Best Adventure Blog
At the turn of the century, weblogs, now known as blogs, began appearing across the World Wide Web. Traditionally known to be written by an individual, blogs are less formal than prominent publications and media outlets, but that's what gives them their power. An informal voice coupled with personal insight and perspective has enabled the blog to become a relatable and captivating medium of sharing stories, adventures and advice.
Seanna's World is a wonderfully written blog about adventure, challenges, trials and triumphs, which is why it's this year's Shextreme Best Adventure Blog. Inspiring accounts from Seanna's travels are full of positivity, useful information and energy to inspire the intrepid explorer that lies within each of us. Seanna explains that the creation of her blog came from the pleasure of writing lengthy emails to loved ones about adventures and travels. "Someone suggested I make these debentures public and start writing a blog. So, I set up my site in 2015 when I was heading off to Norway solo to do some hiking and kayaking. It has evolved over the years from a journal to something that might be more useful to a broader audience, and I have really enjoyed the journey."
Whether you're a filmmaker, photographer or writer, you're communicating your creativity and perspective to a wide audience. Seanna hopes her blog "will inspire people to live more adventurously" and reach out to people who may be struggling with their mental health. "The outdoors has had such a profound impact on my wellbeing. When I was very unwell, I never foresaw myself going on adventures again. I wish I had found someone who showed me that it was possible. I would like to be that for people who are struggling themselves."
With her most memorable adventure being an Arctic Expedition in 2018, Seanna attempted to cross-country ski across the Finnmark Plateau with five other women, all with little experience. "It was really, really tough, physically, but even more so mentally. It was January so there were few hours of light each day, and it was always cold. We didn't make the full distance across the plateau, because of weather and injuries (I got third-degree frostbite!) but it remains one of the best experiences of my life." This year, Seanna is focusing on her mental health and finding her sea-legs aboard her new house-boat. But that hasn't stopped her from looking ahead and planning more adventures for 2020.
When blogging first came onto the scene, it was fairly straightforward to create a website and begin writing, however, times have changed, and blogs are becoming more professional, even acting as a source of income for some writers. Seanna provides us with some insightful advice for aspiring bloggers: "I think there's a lot of pressure on bloggers at the moment to be perfect. Exceptional writing, flawless photos and expert knowledge of SEO and social media. It can put a lot of people off of starting. My advice would be just to create. Free write, or jot down thoughts and don't worry if it's a bit rubbish to start with. My blog was so unprofessional for the first year or so, but in that time, I was able to figure out what I liked sharing and carved out a niche for it. Attend some conferences and learn some of the business side of things, and improve writing and photography through practice. You can always delete old stuff further down the road if you're not proud of it, but I keep all of my old content up as I feel like it's part of my journey."
Catch up with Seanna's adventures over on her blog, and prepared to be inspired to find an experience of your own.