Meet Layla Todd | Blogger & Content Creator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Layla Todd and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Layla, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
I started my blog, Nin Chronicles, five years ago as a place to share a poem a day with the online writing community, but it soon evolved into a space where I share writing and blogging guides alongside poetry and prose. When I started out, I did not have a set blog schedule and worked on creating content and posting content whenever I had time. Over time, this became stressful and, not wanting stress to take away from my love of writing, I decided to create a blogging schedule.

Maintaining a schedule and committing to a couple of blog posts a week, as well as posting to social media at least twice a week, made my task load much more manageable and reignited my love of blogging and interacting with my online community.

However, once I started University last fall, my once-efficient blogging schedule was rendered useless. Once I adjusted to life as a student, I created a new blogging schedule that fit organically into my new life.

Readjusting my schedule as necessary and remaining flexible has helped me maintain balance in my life and helped keep my passion for writing alive.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I have been writing for the past twelve years and actively share poems, prose, short stories, and articles on my blog, Nin Chronicles, a creativity site where I share what I have learned about writing and blogging during my writing journey alongside samples of my creative work.

My work tends to focus around themes of self-acceptance and healing and integrates historical references and evocative imagery to create emotions unique in each reader. However, the act of simply writing constantly pushes me in new directions and inspires me to step outside of my comfort zone in search of creative sparks, and the more I learn, the richer my writing becomes.

One of the biggest challenges I have faced is establishing a work-life balance as my life has gotten busier, but allowing myself flexibility even with a working schedule has been a big help in keeping my passion for creativity alive.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I moved to Tucson from Virginia to attend the University of Arizona last fall and there are so many hidden nooks and gems here in the city I have come to love. While I believe that people fall in love through personal experiences in a place, there are definitely some spots here in Tucson that would warrant a visit from me and my best friend.

Several of my favorite spots include the Mercado San Agustin, where a cold horchata from Seis Kitchen is a must on a hot day, The Monica, where brunch is delicious, the University of Arizona campus, because I am a student there, and Sabino Canyon for the views.

Finally, there are an amazing number of small, local markets here in Tucson and browsing these delightful events is a wonderful way to get to know local makers and artists who create stunning goods.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to my family, but especially my parents, without whom I would not be who I am today. Growing up I had so much freedom to pursue and more fully fall in love with what I am passionate about, voice and develop my own opinions, and more fully discover who I am. That was invaluable to me and my past experiences continue to inform my growth today.

Website: https://ninchronicles.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/nin_chronicles/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ninchronicles

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ninchronicles