Hannah Alper, 10-Year Old Blogger!

Hannah Alper is just 10 years old, but she's already a professional blogger who has been interviewed various times and even covered environmental issues for the JUNO Awards.

She got her start with a 3-hour WordPress workshop at The Digital Family Summit last year, and the rest is history.

We interviewed Hannah Alper about what she's accomplished in a year with her blog, and about what inspires her to write!

Before attending the WordPress blogging workshop last year, Hannah Alper didn't ever think she would have a blog so early in her life. Both of her parents were already very involved in social media and wrote blog posts, so she had a lot of exposure to that environment.

"I was interesting in blogging but I wasn't expecting that I would have a blog at the age of 9," she explained.

Even at a young age, she was able to identify what would make a good blog. She found inspiration in many places.

"Sometimes I see news or a story on a website or in the news and I decide to write about it, share my thoughts and spread the word," Hannah said. "Sometimes I read books and I want to share it with my readers. I also like blogging about my experiences like camp, events and other things that I am doing."

For Hannah, blogging is a multi-step process. First, she picks a topic and takes notes on what she has to say. She then writes her posts and looks it over a few times before showing it to her parents, who edit and proofread what she's written.

Hannah Alper explained that editing isn't easy.

"Editing takes a long time because you have to make it perfect and the best you can," Hannah said. "Sometimes I need to do some research on what I want to blog about and that also takes a lot of time, but it's always something interesting to me."

Another important step is including relevant pictures, graphics, or videos in the blog post, she said. She uses photo editing sites like Picmonkey to really make the pictures pop.

"At school I have always loved when we write stories, reports and journals," Hannah said. "I put lots of thought into the story and like to be creative."

She is also an avid reader, and loves both fiction and non-fiction books. Lately, the non-fiction stories have really piqued her interest.

"I believe the more you read the better of a writer you are," she said. "I also develop my skills as a writer by being inspired and passionate about what I'm writing about."

Hannah's blog, Call Me Hannah, recently became a year old.

"I have done so much in the past year," Hannah said. "It was awesome looking back at my experiences, my learnings, my accomplishments and my memories. My blog has changed my life and I have learned so much about the world and why it is important to be a global citizen."

Because of her blog, she's been able to meet incredible people and repeatedly be inspired by them.

"I can't imagine how different my year would have been without my blog," she said. "I am grateful for all the people that have encouraged and supported me this year."

The title of her blog, Call Me Hannah, was inspired by Carly Rae Jepsen's hit song "Call Me Maybe."

"When I first started my blog the song Call Me Maybe was really big," Hannah explained. "It was always on the radio and my family and I always sang to it in the car."

When Hannah and her family were returning from The Digital Family Summit and were trying to think of a cool and catchy name, the song stuck out.

"We kept hearing the song and we thought that Call Me Hannah was catchy and would be a great name," she said. "Then came the tag line, it was perfect. It sticks because it's fun and everyone knows the song. When they read my tag line, it always makes them smile.

Not long after creating her blog, Hannah got to meet Carly Rae Jepsen at the 2013 JUNO Awards, Canada's Music Awards.

Hannah was there as the JUNO Awards' on-the-ground eco-blogger. At the awards, Carly Rae took home awards for Single of the Year, Album of the Year, and Pop Album of the Year.

"I asked her the question what advice she has about not giving up and following your passion," Hannah said. "She gave an inspiring answer – if at first you don't succeed use that as motivation to keep going. That is a really good answer for someone who has a big dream."

Hannah was also able to share her business card reading the tagline of her blog, "Hey I just met you and this is crazy here's my blog, read it maybe?"

"Carly loved it!" Hannah said. "After she read it all the writers that were in the press room with me applauded. It was fun. It was awesome to meet her."

She also got to meet Josh Ramsey from Marianas Trench, who co-wrote "Call My Maybe" with Carly Rae.

"He also read my card and gave me a fist bump for it!" Hannah said. "It was so awesome!"

One of Hannah's passions is protecting the environment and being an eco-blogger.

"I have always loved animals and I realized that they rely on the environment and they rely on us to take care of the environment," Hannah said. "They can't pick up litter. Only we can. They don't pollute, we do."

Hannah Alper felt a personality responsibility and decided that she had to do something. She wanted to make a difference.

"I think that there is always something that everyone can do to be more eco-friendly," she said.

In the past, Hannah has visited eco-beauty markets with her mother, where non-toxic makeups and personal products were sold. She said that many products are made with caring for the environment in mind, and it's a good idea to invest in those products.

She also recommends other easy eco-friendly choices including using reusable water bottles, turning off electronics and lights when they aren't in use, and being very aware of your impact on the world.

"Everything that we all do adds up to make an impact," she said."

Outside of writing, Hannah has a lot of hobbies. She loves karate, swimming, biking, reading, cooking and baking. She also loves art.

" I also really enjoy drawing and colouring," she said. "I have a cupboard full of art supplies and when I have time I love to get creative."

Hannah is a purple belt in karate, and has been studying the martial art since she was just 7 years old. She earned her purple advanced belt after just 3 years, and set it was a lot of work to get so far so quickly.

"I go 3 times a week and I focus on what my Sensei is saying, I focus on my moves, my balance and my power," she explained. "I put in as much effort as I can and I try to learn quickly after each new belt. This is a big interest of mine, it helps me listen, focus and find my power, discipline and balance."

At the age of 10, Hannah Alper has already made a name for herself as an established blogger. She thinks that other girls could do the same thing.

"My advice for aspiring bloggers is to follow your passions and to find your voice," she said. "Your voice is the most powerful thing you have and can make a big impact. Find your spark and ignite it. When you start something, finish it. Say "yes" to opportunities. Find role models and people that inspire you. You have no idea what you can accomplish until you put your mind to it."

Are you interested in starting a blog of your very own, just like Hannah Alper? Sign up at Sweety High and create a Fan Club, where you can blog to your heart's content and include images, videos, and polls, as well as text!