I found it extremely difficult to overcome the barrier that presents itself when you first start blogging. I'd say it took me a good year to get past that and write as I would if I was typing an anecdote to myself or telling a friend about something - terrible puns and over the top descriptions included.
I think it took so long for me to find my blogging voice because it's hard to open up straight away. Just like when you meet someone for the first time, you try to be the best and most pristine version of yourself but that's not what makes people want to spend time with you. It's all the things that make you different from everyone else that makes anyone interested in you and that is what your blog is - it's you and that can be hard to put on the internet for a bunch of strangers to read.
It feels unnatural to put your uncensored personality, your stories and your life on the internet for anyone to find it. It can sometimes feel intrusive and you have to decide if that is a feeling you can overcome or not. Of course writing about make up products doesn't really give all too much insight into your personal life but the words are yours and for me, I still felt the need to put up a little barrier by trying to be as vague as possible in the way that I wrote a review.
After a while of reading back through my posts I just found them boring, they had no life and I didn't want to be represented that way. So, I made a decision to let go of all the apprehension and write which ever way came naturally to me. I had so much more pride in what I was pressing publish on and I enjoyed writing so much more and I think that absolutely came across in my posts too.
I actively seek out blogs with personality because that's what is the most interesting to read. I know it is a very common cliche among blogging advice to say 'be yourself' but that is the best piece of advice I have ever received. Having beautiful pictures, a well presented blog and a million followers are obviously great assets to have but engaging with readers and giving them an enjoyable experience when they're reading one of your posts by being completely and truly yourself is much more important to me.
I wrote this in response to email I recieved the other day asking for some blogging advice. I have only been doing this 2 years and I don't have a wealth of experience or advice to give but helping someone is something that I will always happily do, so I hope this helped you in some way.
What blogging advice do you have to give?
Have you struggled with being yourself on your blog?
F I N D & F O L L O W M E O N
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