Things I've Learnt About Blogging
Even though I've only been blogging on Julia Speaks for a year now, my history with blogging is longer than that. I've had a blog some years ago, in which I posted mostly makeup reviews and favourites. I also have a style blog in French with a friend of mine, which mostly consists of outfits of the day. I can safely say that I've been writing blogging for a good while, and that I'm still loving it just as much. Julia Speaks is my first personal, long-term project. Ever since I started it, I've been learning new things, and I know I'll be learning more and more as time goes by. This post gathers all the little things that I've picked along the way, and that I wanted to share with you!
1. Blogging is a time-consuming hobby
No matter how fond you are of blogging, how much time you're ready to put in it, the whole process in itself will be more time-consuming than you'd expect. I think some people don't realise the hours that go into blog posts: finding inspiration (which can be the hardest part!), taking photos and editing them, putting the post together, writing and proof-reading... All of this requires time, and even though the result is always worth it, sometimes you might get a bit carried away and without even noticing, you've spent two hours straight editing photos and uploading them, your eyes glued to the screen of your laptop!
2. You can be very influenced by other bloggers
Once you get in the world of blogging, you'll find yourself reading dozens and dozens of new blogs all the time. This is great because it makes you discover new people and new ways of expressing creativity, but the negative side is that you'll read so many great posts and see so many awesome blog themes that the temptation to do just the same will be strong. All of us always want to improve and imitate what we think is the best way of doing things, but it doesn't work out the same for everybody. My favourite blogs are those that reflect the personality of their owners, I personally don't like heavily 'branded' blogs that don't seem to have a person behind them. What I'm saying is, stay true to yourself and do things the way you like to, not just how everybody else is doing!
3. The writing part matters just as much as the photography
While some people might disagree with me, I think the writing is really important as to the quality of the content of a blog. I never bother with blog posts made of photos only, I feel like the person doesn't really care about it all and just wants to show all the pretty outfit photos they took. I think there is nothing more personal than a style of writing, and when you start recognising a blogger through their words, it feels like you know them better and step into their world even more as you're reading their posts.
4. The people you interact with are the joy of blogging
On
my first blog, years ago, I only blogged for myself. I didn't
interact with other bloggers, I never left comments on other blogs,
and I actually didn't read blogs that much! The whole process was
just a personal experience I guess, I loved writing about nail
polishes and foundations but just for the sake of it. But really, the
best thing about blogging is that you get to meet a lot of amazing
people you'd never have known if it wasn't for your common interest
in blogging! It's always nice to see familiar faces and names
commenting on your blog and interacting with you, and I'm sure people
love it when we do the same!
5. It is okay if your blog isn't perfect
I
am never completely happy with how my blog looks, or the content that
I make. Every time I publish something new, I'm afraid that nobody
will be interested in it... Which places a lot of pressure on my
shoulders! However, as I've been reflecting on my experience to write
this post, I've come to the conclusion that the little faults you
find in your content, in your photos or in the appearance of your
blog are not meant to stop you. There is no need to worry about every
little thing that you think is not right about your blog. Blogging is
meant to be fulfilling, and no matter how imperfect your blog may
seem compared to others, you should be proud of it because there is
so much hard work going into it and so much of you in it, that it is
actually a pretty awesome thing to be the owner of!
What are the things you learnt through blogging? Are there any tips you'd like to share with other bloggers?
Lots of love,
Julia x
Lots of love,
Julia x
