8 Truths about being a Blogger

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Before I came up with the whole post, I first stared at these pictures for about 5 minutes. My mind is completely a blank space and I don't know what to write. Just then, I went back to view the pictures again and remembered the struggles before these shots were taken. It gave me an idea to write the experiences and the truths about what bloggers, like me, really do. I hope you'll understand and appreciate us more after reading this. :)
1. It's not what you always think it is. I don't just sit pretty. It takes a lot of effort before I construct a post. I am my own stylist + P.A. + photographer (in the absence of my brother. Hi tripod!) + beauty, fashion and lifestyle writer + editor + art director. Yes, I do all of that. I'm also one of those bloggers who wants to achieve the instagram feed goals (and I know, not only bloggers are guilty about this haha) so please understand us when we're being too O.C. whenever we take some shots of the simplest things like the food we eat, or the clothes we wear and the views that we see. Although I'm tired of  managing everything most of the time, there's never a single moment that I thought of giving up my blog. It is actually my stress reliever and my happy place whenever I'm being slowly fed up by school.
2. La la la Topics. This is one of the many struggles I encounter every time I blog. I spend most of my days in front of my laptop thinking of what topics to discuss in the blog. It's hard not to have an inspiration or let me say, have no emotions (at the moment) at all. Haha! I think it's way better and beneficial for the blog if I'm feeling sad because my brain functions well during those times and I've got a lot of relateable stories to write (lol) or either construct a million #hugot quotes for you. I always make it a point not to waste your precious time here in my little space so I make sure to make my posts interesting and worth reading. 
3. What about Sponsorships? A lot of people ask me what do I get from blogging. First of all I created this blog for a personal purpose driven by passion and commitment. I didn't expected that a number of people would give attention to it and visit it in a daily basis (knowing that I don't share it in any of my social accounts before). I remembered the time when someone contacted me for a collaboration which happened to be my first! I didn't expect that I could get some perks and freebies out of this passion. I'm not a full time blogger though since I still go to school and have more priorities that this one but every time I have free time, I make sure to update it and answer emails. To answer this question and to be honest with you, I don't get much from blogging unlike the other bloggers in the industry. I'm not famous and I don't have as many sponsors as others have. I can't even consider myself having 10% of the fame of the Enciso sisters or even Laureen Uy but I'm happy that I'm following their steps. So far, I'm thankful to the brands who keeps on coming back for collaborations with me whether it may be for sponsored posts or clothes. *kilig* In some way, I am able to sustain my lifestyle like wearing and shopping for the clothes that I want for free and travelling to places using the money that I earned from blogging. (I'm talking about my recent Palawan & Boracay trips). I promised myself that all my savings from blogging would be for travelling purposes. I find fulfillment that everytime I travel, all the expenses (from airfares, hotel accommodations down to the pocket money) comes from my hard earned money through blogging. By the way, thank you Shein for sending me this beautiful maxi dress. I really love it!
4. Meeting Deadlines. Although I don't have a boss whom I work for, there are certain brands I work with that give deadlines as to when the post shall be published. It's quite hard to juggle things in between especially if you have other works to do. But, the good thing about it is that, it taught me to be responsible enough to balance work, passion and school. 
5. What happens when we shoot photos? This is my favorite thing about blogging and the one that I always look forward to every time I receive new clothes for free. It is during these times that I have the authority to pose and act like a model. Haha! There are actually so many struggles and stories before I took all these pictures in the blog. First things first, be prepared with the stares. Posing in the middle of the crowd is no joke. Awkward kaya but I'm already used to it. Mas nahihiya pa yung photographer ko kesa sakin. Haha! A lot of people will stare and talk behind your back. Some will laugh and some will be impressed. I consider both a compliment. :) Second, bring a patient photographer. Almost all my shots here in the blog were taken by my youngest brother. There were times before when we took around 50 shots for one pose only just to capture the angle that I want. Imagine how annoyed my brother was! Haha! Third, be with a supportive team. I'm lucky I have mine consisting of my mom and brothers. In short, my family. My mom drives me to my desired shooting places, my youngest brother takes my pictures and my other brother brings my things. :)
6. Investment. One of the biggest investment that I put in blogging is my time. Running a blog is no joke. You have to learn the basics like encoding using HTMLs, editing pictures, thinking of possible topics and content, shoot pictures. In short you have to be creative. I'm not really the artsy type and editing pictures is not my forte. But when it comes to words, expect that I can write anything and everything under the sun as long as it is related to the topic. :P Not only your time should be invested but also a camera that can take nice pictures. I'm talking about a digital or SLR camera and not a phone camera. I think everyone has already his/her own because it's considered an essential these days. For those who are asking, I'm using a Nikon DSLR. :)
7. Meeting expectations. This is probably the most challenging part of being a blogger. When you're known for being a blogger, a lot of people expect from you. I know most people have this mindset. They expect you to be beautiful and properly groomed all the time. They expect you to follow the latest trend. They expect you to be witty and smart. They expect you to be almost perfect, which shouldn't be. I'm not a beauty queen nor a tv personality nor a doll. I'm not any of those. I'm just a simple human being who's trying to express myself and share my ideas in this little space of mine. I don't think, we bloggers, are entitled to meet everyone's expectations. Some people think of blogging as a competition among the other bloggers but for me, I consider it as a competition with myself alone. I look up to so many bloggers in the industry who inspires me to do better and to be just like them in the future. Blogging actually opened a lot of opportunities and ideas for me and made me realize that I'm missing a lot if I continue to stay in my comfort zone.   
8. It's still a long way to go. I've never imagined myself doing this full time because I'm more focused on preparing and working hard for my chosen career in the future as a dentist. I don't even know how I still manage to update my blog in the middle of my busy dent life but I'm pretty sure that I love what I'm doing and I'll find no excuse to quit this. I guess, my affair with blogging will never end even if I'm already 40 and have a family of my own. I still have my secret dream of ticking my goals as a blogger. The writer in me won't stop me from achieving my dreams in this passion that always excites me and introduces me to a world of new possibilities. 
If you're planning to start your own blog, I hope this post didn't let you down and, instead, inspired you to take the leap in expressing yourself to the world. I'm sure your voice needs to be heard just like mine and I hope, you'll find satisfaction and contentment through it. :)

PS. Thank you again Shein for my maxi dress. You can check this dress out by clicking this link or you can visit their site for more choices. 

xoxo,



About Post Author

Shaira Angelique Manalo // Life + Style Blogger // Dentist in the making.

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53 comments:

  1. MONICA SORSNovember 9, 2016 at 7:56 PM

    SO true... Loved the post, thanks for sharing!!

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  2. Ben A.November 9, 2016 at 8:09 PM

    I definitely agree with you, thanks for sharing

    www.abdelkhalekleblog.com

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  3. UnknownNovember 9, 2016 at 8:42 PM

    Great post and so true!

    http://violettedaily.com

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  4. JuliaNovember 9, 2016 at 9:57 PM

    Thanks for writing such an honest post Shaira :) Blogging isn't just about pretty photos and lipstick. It takes so much time and dedication, can be cause of stress, and as you said last, there is always still a long way to go. We can learn so much about ourselves as people when we reflect on our experiences as bloggers, and that is amazing :) Oh and this Shein dress is gorgeous, these photos look amazingly professional!

    Julia x
    Last post: The Lady of the Castle | http://juliaspeaksbeauty.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/lady-of-castle.html

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  5. Jules on the moonNovember 9, 2016 at 10:36 PM

    I totally agree with you!

    http://julesonthemoon.blogspot.it/

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  6. Kathrine EldridgeNovember 10, 2016 at 12:28 AM

    This is a wonderful post! Love how you share the ins and outs of blogging. This dress is gorgeous!

    http://www.kathrineeldridge.com

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  7. GabrielleNovember 10, 2016 at 1:33 AM

    It's so interesting to hear your thoughts on being a blogger - one thing is for sure, a lot more work goes on behind the scenes to achieve the outcome, I agree! This blue maxi dress is really beautiful on you by the way and wishing you all the success for the future of your blog gorgeous girl :)

    aglassofice.com
    x

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  8. UnknownNovember 10, 2016 at 2:31 AM

    This is so true! Love your honesty girl!
    xo
    Siffat
    http://icingandglitter.com

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  9. UnknownNovember 10, 2016 at 4:24 AM

    I can relate to all your points! Being a blogger is not easy!

    XoXo,

    Tamara - LoveofMode.com

    ReplyDelete
  10. Eli DouNovember 10, 2016 at 5:20 AM

    Love this post! Agree on everything though it's so nice when you have a new collab, you receive so many nice comments from your readers or you improve the level of the blog ;)
    xx

    Eli


    www.acurlystyle.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  11. UnknownNovember 10, 2016 at 7:02 AM

    Loved this post!! it speaks my mind and is so true. The struggles of a blogger ;) Love the pictures too, you look gorgeous!

    x Caroline
    www.silverstories.dk

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  12. SauniyaNovember 10, 2016 at 7:14 AM

    Ha I completely agree with all your points. i don't know if there is such a thing as part time blogger because I do spend a lot of time on my blog lol. It can be a lil tough to juggle especially when you have other obligations. I love it though.
    Thank you for sharing.
    xo
    Sauniya | Find Your Bliss ♡

    ReplyDelete
  13. ALLIE NYCNovember 10, 2016 at 8:55 AM

    Yes blogging is a lot of work and not always easy, but rewarding. Yep I work full time and maintain a blog, though I like it!

    Allie of ALLIENYC
    www.allienyc.com

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  14. CarlaNovember 10, 2016 at 10:27 AM

    i completely agree with everything you just said babe. hands down to us! haha
    and you look lovely in this dress!

    xo, Carla
    www.carlaviolet.com

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  15. Reckless diary by Anya DryaginaNovember 10, 2016 at 10:49 AM

    Wow! Wonderful post and lovely photos!
    Have a nice Thursday!
    www.recklessdiary.ru

    ReplyDelete
  16. KatherineNovember 10, 2016 at 11:59 AM

    I just started blogging and I can see how everything you say is true. You look great in the photos by the way!

    http://www.myclusterofthoughts.com/

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  17. busyandfabNovember 10, 2016 at 12:42 PM

    Such a good composition about blogging, I also admit I am in it for the love of this craft. Lovely photos girl.

    www.busyandfab.com

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  18. Lux G.November 10, 2016 at 1:19 PM

    Totally agree. Especially the struggle of coming up with a topic. That's why when thoughts enter my head, even when during the wee hours of the morning, I have my notepad ready. Because when I say I'd remember it later when I'm in front of my laptop...poof! Gone.

    We have a long way to go, but we are far from where we started. Right? :)

    Keep blogging!

    ReplyDelete
  19. YasminNovember 10, 2016 at 3:23 PM

    Such great tips! It takes a long time to gain all this knowledge as a blogger. Love the dress on you!

    xx Yasmin
    http://banglesandbungalows.com

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  20. AnonymousNovember 10, 2016 at 4:43 PM

    True! Brainstorming and thinking of what to write about a certain topic or example, the sponsored posts! Posing for a nice photo isn't easy too.

    Kai
    http://kittyjournal.com

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  21. Jojo GeneviveNovember 10, 2016 at 4:46 PM

    These are all so true! People take a lot of these things for granted but it is indeed a lot of work but it doesn't seem like that because we just love what we're doing.

    Joyce | Joycentricity

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  22. YiotaNovember 10, 2016 at 6:19 PM

    The best and worst thing about blogging for me, it when I take photos! It's the best when I am creating a flatlay and organizing the products to create a lovely picture and the worst since I am always struggling to find the perfect lighting before the sun goes down and how to edit them to look nice! x

    PS. love your dress, so beautiful!


    Yiota
    PinkDaisyLoves

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  23. Nina KobiNovember 10, 2016 at 10:25 PM

    This was such a great post to read, and of course I agree with you about everything you mentioned, Blogging is not a joke , it takes so much time but it is worth it. xx
    Nina
    Nina's Style Blog Giveaway __ Enter to Win $100

    ReplyDelete
  24. UnknownNovember 10, 2016 at 11:56 PM

    I always find posts written by bloggers about blogging so interesting and insightful. A lot of the things you spoke to are very relatable but the beauty about reading these kinds of posts is to also read about the different motivations or struggles one blogger may have compared to another. Are you able to financially live from just blogging? And good luck with becoming a dentist that is amazing! Hope there will still be some room left for blogging!

    Rae | Love from Berlin

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    Replies
    1. Shaira ManaloNovember 14, 2016 at 9:03 PM

      Hi Rae! I'm still a student and I don't really consider blogging a job. It's just a bonus to work on my blog and get freebies and save some money from it which I use to support my life style instead of asking money from my mom. :)

      Delete
  25. awhiteNovember 11, 2016 at 12:49 AM

    SO true- and a great read for both bloggers and non-bloggers. :)

    -Ashley
    Le Stylo Rouge

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  26. UnknownNovember 11, 2016 at 2:39 AM

    Loved reading this. Please check out my ultimate guide to visiting a hairdresser!

    Kisses xo | From Aliona With Love

    Instagram @alionawithlove

    Twitter @alionawithlove

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  27. TaylorNovember 11, 2016 at 3:04 AM

    Love this post and your dress!
    xo.
    www.itswhatsin.com

    ReplyDelete
  28. AnonymousNovember 11, 2016 at 3:30 AM

    I really hope that your blogging goals are going to come true!

    LUXESSED

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  29. AnonymousNovember 11, 2016 at 4:10 AM

    Meeting deadlines can be so tough! Especially with a full time job! :)

    Xx
    Molly
    www.trendychickadee.com

    ReplyDelete
  30. Lu VieiraNovember 11, 2016 at 5:59 AM

    I totally agree with you about meeting expectations. It can be a little boring tho. But it's something we have to deal with :)

    she-loves-clothes.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  31. Nevena KrsticNovember 11, 2016 at 6:46 AM

    You look beautiful in this dress! :) xx

    ReplyDelete
  32. ToksNovember 11, 2016 at 7:42 AM

    Nice post and so, so true. Many people think that blogging is just taking a few photos and uploading them and, as you say, there is much much more to it than that. Lovely dress btw. Thanks so much for your visit and comment. xoxoxo

    http://www.toksblog.com

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  33. RosannaNovember 11, 2016 at 5:17 PM

    Loved reading this and I definitely agree with all the points!
    Have a lovely weekend :)
    Rosanna x
    Rose's Rooftop

    ReplyDelete
  34. Lady_MyxNovember 11, 2016 at 6:28 PM

    We will always have that writer's block when we really want to post something. But then, nothing's really there to write about. But its nice that we make ways to have something. Oh, lovely family, they're really very supportive.

    Me, I always envy others for the blogging niche. I don't have that. I just post random. But still, I am not a quitter. I just post what I want, and that's satisfying. Myself is my own enemy.

    Myxilog

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  35. AdrikaNovember 11, 2016 at 10:12 PM

    you look great :)

    NEW BLOG ! please follow me : YOUNG BLOG

    ReplyDelete
  36. KitNovember 11, 2016 at 11:50 PM

    I agree full-heartedly with this! I'm just starting out and besides all the fun, it is definitely a lot of work! I love your style and posts btw, would love to do a collab or something in the future! :)

    xx,
    Kit | THINGS SHE LOVES

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    Replies
    1. Shaira ManaloNovember 14, 2016 at 8:54 PM

      Wow, thank you Kit! I'm looking forward to that collab with you :)

      Delete
  37. What Would V WearNovember 11, 2016 at 11:57 PM

    Great post, dear! Like you I blog full-time and a lot people do not realize how much work it actually is! You have deadlines like any other business and you learn a whole lot about finances too!: :)

    Have a great weekend, love!
    xoxo, Vanessa
    www.WhatWouldVWear.com

    ReplyDelete
  38. Aly In WanderlandNovember 12, 2016 at 1:17 AM

    Hahaha ang cute ❤️ Ikaw nag self portrait photoshoot? Awesome..

    <3 | X ALY | Aly In Wanderland | New Post

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  39. UnknownNovember 12, 2016 at 5:14 AM

    What a great post. And very true! Plus, taking photos is only 10% of it. I spend 90% of my time working on the back end and marketing to get my name out there. But at least we love it right?! Beautiful photos btw :)

    Love, Lindsey
    http://thenomisniche.com/

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  40. Carina VardieNovember 12, 2016 at 5:28 AM

    You look gorgeous and I can relate to all these truths.

    xo
    www.carinavardie.com

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  41. angieporelmundoNovember 13, 2016 at 12:05 AM

    estas preciosa, bonito post, y precioso outfit

    ReplyDelete
  42. Jointy&CroissantyNovember 13, 2016 at 2:22 PM

    Beautiful pictures and you look perfect in that dress!:)
    Very true about blogging.

    jointyicroissanty

    ReplyDelete
  43. Rina SamanthaNovember 13, 2016 at 3:55 PM

    Loving this very thoughtful and honest post. A lot of people don't quite understand the time and commitment it takes to run a blog and get caught up in the glamour side of it, thinking out of pure luck brands and businesses "gift" us items. In actuality it's a lot of hard word and a big passion to continue to do what we do. Thanks for sharing!

    xoxo Rina
    http://www.andshedressed.com

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  44. Amra SofticNovember 13, 2016 at 7:59 PM

    Amazing post ! Finaly someone found time to tell everyone what a blogger does. <3 Thank you <3

    http://makeyourperfectstyle.blogspot.ba/

    ReplyDelete
  45. AnonymousNovember 14, 2016 at 2:38 AM

    Thank you for your honesty and for sharing all these with us. Blogging is tough, but it's always made by passion.

    Xoxo,
    Daiana

    www.ChezDaiana.com

    ReplyDelete
  46. IzabelaNovember 14, 2016 at 6:17 AM

    I agree with everything you covered. Blogging is not easy but it's rewarding.

    www.mydailywear.co.uk

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  47. Leila D.November 14, 2016 at 10:22 AM

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Xoxo

    Www.leilaandvanya.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  48. louNovember 14, 2016 at 6:35 PM

    Love this article!! I feel the same as you! This is a beautiful post and I definitely can relate! I also really love the dress that colour is my favourite ❤️

    www.thefacelessstyle.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  49. StellaNovember 14, 2016 at 8:13 PM

    What a great post Shaira! I can't agree more with your points here! Actually no one would think that a blogger has to deal with all these matters and that he/she works really hard to achieve a presentable result. Most people think we take some photos and that's all! As for you my dear, you look fantastic on this beautiful dress! Such gorgeous pictures! Bravo to you, and your brother! :) You are so lucky to have such a supportive family!
    Thanks for sharing and have an amazing start to the week!
    Kisses!
    Stella
    www.stellaasteria.com

    ReplyDelete
  50. UnknownNovember 14, 2016 at 8:20 PM

    Beautiful! Deep blue like a ocean!

    Iuliia,
    http://lookonblog.com/

    ReplyDelete
  51. Ann CatherineNovember 26, 2016 at 9:27 AM

    I hope you will read this, I DO FEEL YOU GIRL EVERY SINGLE WORDS LOL!, I am also by my own, love reading this blog post, i actually did the same post in my blog last month just to expres "the struggle is real" hehe.

    http://itsbeyondimaginations.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete


About me

Shaira Angelique Manalo
Fashion | Travel | Dentist
Collaborations and Sponsorships
shairamanalo@yahoo.com


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