Hi everyone! I hope you're all fine and dandy. Today I'm doing the 'Confessions of a Blogger' tag after seeing it over on the lovely Jessica's blog here (go and check her out, she has a fabulous blog). I thought it was a really fun tag and I thoroughly enjoyed reading her answers so I thought I'd give it a whirl myself. Tags are a great way to get to know each other so I hope you enjoy finding out a bit more about me and my blog.
All of the questions are related to blogging so its something you can all get involved with, no matter what kind of blog you write! So without further ado, here are my confessions of a blogger:
When did you start your blog?
I started my blog in November 2011 (the 18th to be precise) which means I've been blogging for just over one year and three months. I can't quite believe how quickly its gone - it feels like yesterday. As the saying goes, time flies when you're having fun!
Have you had any past online presence before (Other blog, YouTube)?
No I hadn't done anything like this before and it was never something I intended to do. Blogging was a very spur of the moment decision for me after reading lots of other blogs one night. My creative juices began to flow and the next thing I knew I'd created a blog. I did start my blog on Wordpress originally but I found it too complicated to use so after faffing around for a few hours with no success I moved over to Blogger.
Why did you start a blog?
I started a blog like I said earlier very spontaneously and very spur of the moment. Before starting my blog I always looked online for reviews before purchasing a new product. I was going through a bit of a MAC stage and was always looking online for swatches and this is how I stumbled across blogs. It was Belles Boutique that I discovered first and from there I just couldn't stop reading them. It came as a bit of a surprise to me as I genuinely didn't know this blogging world even existed but as soon as I clocked on to it, I knew I wanted to become a part of it. I've always been interested in the beauty industry and have had an unhealthy obsession with makeup and all things girly from a very young age. It seemed like the perfect creative outlet for me so I just thought 'sod it' and started my own. Very nervously might I add.
When did you become serious about starting a blog?
As I just said, I never intended to start a blog so I was never 'serious' about it so to speak. I'd always had a passion for beauty but because I didn't know blogs existed, I never started my own with a 'serious' goal in mind. I never once thought any would actually read, let alone enjoy my rambles, I just did it for my own enjoyment because I was writing about what I loved. It probably wasn't until the comments started to appear that I thought 'ooh, people actually enjoy reading what I have to say' which then gave me the motivation to continually improve and develop as a blogger.
What was your first post?
Oh gosh, my first post is quite cringey but I'm still proud of it and it makes me laugh to look back at older posts and remember how clueless I was. I had no idea what I was doing or that anyone would ever read what I had to say so I was essentially writing to myself like a total loon. I remember feeling excited and nervous when I published my first post as I was putting myself out there for people to judge. I deleted Facebook shortly after starting my blog too as I found it quite a negative place and I knew various people would judge me for 'having a blog'. I decided to completely remove myself from any negativity and do what I wanted to do which was the best decision I've ever made. I was never ashamed of my blog but the fact I was putting myself out there for people to criticise was certainly nerve-wracking. If you want to have a laugh at said cringey first post, click here to have a read (and probably a little chuckle!).
What has been your biggest challenge about blogging?
This a really tough one for me as I can't think of anything that I'd class as a challenge. I absolutely adore writing my blog and if I thought it was a challenge, the chances are I wouldn't be doing it. I guess the only thing I can think of would be ensuring my blog is constantly updated with new and interesting posts. Like all bloggers, I want people to enjoy coming to my blog for a read so my biggest 'challenge' would be making sure nobody gets bored and that I'm always thinking of new and exciting things to blog about. However, this is a good challenge as it allows me to be creative.
Where do you see your blog in one year?
Well I certainly see myself still blogging this time next year but where it will be in terms of readership and new opportunities, I have no idea. I'm very happy and overwhelmed by what I've achieved this far with my blog and anything else will just be a bonus. I certainly don't have any big plans in mind as like I said earlier, I write this blog for fun, not because I plan to conquer the world with it haha!
What is the most rewarding thing to you about blogging?
The most rewarding thing about blogging by a country mile is meeting like-minded people (some I would now class as friends) and reading all of your lovely comments, tweets and emails. I can't express how much it makes my day when someone says something nice about my blog or I receive an email saying I've inspired someone to start their own. The amazing support and feedback I've received in just over a year of blogging is outstanding and to everyone reading this now, I can't thank you enough.
What is the most discouraging thing that happens to you?
There isn't many things I find discouraging about blogging but if I had to pick one teeny tiny pet peeve it would be people stereotyping a blog due to the number of followers it has. I really dislike blogs being referred to as 'big' or 'small' based on their follower count and I really wish people would forget about numbers and enjoy blogs for what they really are, a reflection of someones personality and a fun, creative hobby. I also think its important to remember success is earned, not handed out on a plate. If you want your blog to be a success, make it happen. Be inspired by other bloggers, give it your all, put the effort in and it will pay off. You have to remind yourself that everyone starts off somewhere and forget about the follower number. I follow a massive variety of blogs regardless of their readership size and I value and enjoy them all equally. I think we should all appreciate the effort other bloggers put in a little bit more and stop being so consumed by that pesky follower number!
What's your lasting inspiration or motivation?
My blogging motivation is 100% other bloggers. Following on from my last answer, I read a lot of blogs and am inspired by each and every one of them. I love seeing what other people have been buying and which products they're currently loving. I enjoy reading about other peoples day to day lives and it excites me finding out about a new product release. I often get inspired to improve and develop my own blog after reading amazing posts from fellow bloggers or instantly feel like I 'need' to buy a product after reading another glowing review. I probably spend more money on beauty products now that I ever did before I started blogging but I don't mind, that's all part of the fun right?
I hope you enjoyed reading this and learnt a few things about me and my blog. I'd love to read your answers to these questions so if you decide to do this post, leave a comment below with the link so I can have a read. Happy blogging!
Lots of Love,
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