Find out more on what Lynn has to say about her blogging and inspirations by reading this interview with her!
Tell us a little about your blog(s)
I started “The Actor’s Diet” 2 years ago to come to terms with a long history of eating disorders, and to explore my relationship with food. I now post about virtually every single thing that I eat, usually twice a day. The blog has everything from restaurants and products reviews, recipes, and interviews with other actors. I also talk about my life in Show Business – dealing with the ups and downs. It’s my life, meal by meal.
How did you get started blogging?
“The Actor’s Diet” started out in June of 2009. Back then it was a joint project between me and my good friend, fellow actress and holistic health counselor Christy Meyers. After a year, I took over full time.
What platform do you use for blog publishing? What made you decide to use it over the other choices out there?
I began on Blogger, but found I preferred the layout/options of WordPress.com. I use the free service because self-hosting seems a bit intimidating to me, even though you have more control. One day I’ll probably make the switch, though.
Other than your own, what are the first three content sites/blogs you check when you wake up in the morning? Why?
- Katheats.com – this food blog inspired me to start my own, I’ve been reading Kath’s site every single day for years and have even had the pleasure of meeting her.
- Thickdumplingskin.com – I am the co-founder of this blog about Asians, Eating Disorders, and Body image with Lisa Lee.
- Facebook – Gotta find out what my friends, family, and fans are up to!
Who are the five most important people you follow on Twitter and why?
- FilmingDocs – my husband. I’m kinda obsessed with him.
- The_Truck_Stop – this new Food Truck stop (which I blogged about here) is close enough to me that I want to know when my favorites show up for a quick bite!
- AngryAsianMan – one of the first blogs I started reading, almost a decade ago – all about Asians in the news. Proud to say he’s now one of my buddies too.
- WesConnected – alumni network for Wesleyan University, where I went to school. I like reading about everyone’s accomplishments!
- ActorsDiet – This is the official feed for “The Actor’s Diet” blog, where I repeat what the celebs write about food on twitter. It’s funny how often they tweat!
What smartphone apps do you find indispensable on your home screen? Why did these apps make the cut?
- Yelp – Hands down, the App I use the most. Once you bookmark a place to try, the GPS will sort them by distance, which has come in very handy on road trips. The quick tips are handy to figure out what to order when I’m indecisive.
- Scrabble – A great way to keep in touch with people! I wish every Scrabble game could be played over the course of a few weeks.
- Instagram – Makes even the ugliest photo artsy.
- Twitter – You’re able to read through from oldest to newest feeds – which I prefer – without it resetting automatically (like it does on Facebook). I also love that you can easily email a tweet to someone, which is something you can’t do on their main site!
Where do you do your best writing? (at home, starbucks, the park, etc.)
At home, in bed, first thing in the morning. But I also like going to coffee shops or library for a change of scenery.
What’s your best source of inspiration? Do you have a particular muse?
I usually just let the photos I’ve taken inspire me, and tell a story based on what I have in front of me.
What helps you the most in terms of expanding your readership?
Cultivating a community. I comment on other sites that I read, and have met some amazing bloggers through it.
Do you have any other tips for the budding bloggers out there?
Blogging really isn’t for everyone – most people try it out for a few months and quickly find it’s a drag. For me, it’s something that has become quite a passion and that’s why I keep doing it. Don’t blog for others’ approval, and definitely don’t blog because you think you’ll make any money!!!
Best burger in LA is at ____ ?
I have very strong feelings about this – the best TURKEY burger is at Umami. People will often go to Umami after I’ve recommended it, order the regular beef one, and say it’s overhyped. I agree! But if you order the turkey, you will be blown away.
Make sure to follow Lynn on Twitter @mslynnchen and ‘Like’ her Facebook fan page for her blog “My Actor’s Diet”!
