Simple Blogging Tips (for beauty bloggers)

Simple Blogging Tips : The ugly side of beauty blogging and how to deal with it

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As much as I’d like to tell you that the beauty blogging community is friendly and welcoming and that we sit round a campfire, holding hands and singing kumbaya (some of which is true) the truth is, there is also ugliness behind it all that I think is worth talking about. Be warned and all that.

ugliness in beauty blogging

No one will talk about it. It’s always about how much fun it is. But then, you’ve come to expect this of me, haven’t you? 😉

I’ve experienced them all at one point or another, so I’m not talking through my hat. Almost 7 years of blogging brings you a wealth of experience that isn’t always wonderful. Yet, I can say that it has been educational for me to observe social behaviour and to see that stereotypical or not, having a group of women together isn’t always a good thing.

So, you could be a new blogger or you could be an experienced “old-timer” but I’m sure you will, at some point have thought about, or noticed or experienced one of these ugliness in beauty blogging. So, share if you will, or don’t if you’d prefer not to. Just don’t kid yourself that it isn’t happening 😉

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Simple Blogging Tips: How do you handle negative comments or feedback?

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The dreaded negative comment.

It’s bound to happen to us at one point or another. Sometimes sooner, sometimes later. Sometimes, when it slips in amongst the happy, positive vibes it can really jar. Like biting into a sweet juicy apple and finding half a worm. All you can see is that one black dot on a white canvas; that dead pixel in the middle of your LCD screen. It rubs at you like a blister.

And if you’re not careful, like a blister, it can fester and hurt.

dealing with negative comments

I half-kiddingly chalk these negative comments up to a mark of success. I don’t understand why success is equated with having to deal with negativity, but it seems to go hand in hand so let’s learn to take things in our stride.

So, how do you deal with these negative comments? Do you explode in a tirade of your own? Do you marshall up your supporters and get them to tear the aggressor apart for you and boost your own self esteem? Do you ignore and pretend it never happened? Do you delete the comment?

Well, there’s no right or wrong way to deal with a negative comment. It is really how YOU deal with problems. I’d like to hear of how you would deal with a negative comment or negative feedback. This is something where we can learn from each other 🙂 As for me, I have some guidelines I follow.

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Simple Blogging Tips: Do you blog with your real name or a pseudonym?

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Just recently, it was revealed that J.K. Rowling of Harry Potter fame had written a crime novel under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. Quite a few reknowned writers have done that actually. Actors and actresses quite often adopt a stage name or screen name which is catchier or easier to remember or just sound better than their real name. And this got me thinking.

blog using a real name or pseudonym

Do you use a real name when you blog or do you too, use a pen name or pseudonym? Should you use your real name?

I’m one to talk aren’t I? No one in their right minds would think I was really named “Paris B” LOL! 😀 My parents just weren’t that imaginative thankfully! I might have been laughed out of school and developed a complex. Or I might have been the coolest kid in school. Darn! 😛

But “Paris B” is what I blog under and the nom de plume I have been using ever since I set up my first blog over 7 years ago. It was a little more elaborate than this before, but Paris B will do for now 😉 There were reasons why I chose to adopt a nom de plume and why I will continue to use my nom de plume which I’ll share with you. There is no right or wrong way. Just your way.

So, I’d love to hear the story behind your blogging identity and whether you have chosen to use your real name or adopt a pseudonym 🙂 Here’s why I use a pseudonym.

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Simple Blogging Tips: Beauty Blogging making you broke? Do you need PR Samples to blog? 8 Ways not to overspend on your beauty blog

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I’d like to share some thoughts on this one today because I’ve seen many people fly out and buy lots of new beauty items or the latest releases or the full collection “for the blog” and later feel burnt out or their wallet starts hurting, and they think of giving up. I’ve also been asked by people point blank how to get hold of PR people for free products so they didn’t have to buy them.

For the former, if you have a nice big budget and feel that the newest violet lipstick is something you’d wear everyday, then please don’t let anyone stop you! For the latter, I think they have a really skewed perception of blogging. You don’t start a blog for purposes of getting free stuff; you start a blog because you want to share your views and knowledge. Less common these days, but still, there’s hope.

Fact is, most of us who blog are just beauty buffs wanting to share our thoughts and views on products and on beauty in general, and not all of us have those sorts of deep pockets or PR connections. Quite often, I see blog sales happen with products that are brand new or barely touched and it does make me feel a little sad because the product doesn’t quite go to waste, if the new buyer wants it, but for the large depreciation which never covers your costs. It’s basically a waste of money on the part of the blogger. I’ve even heard of people putting up PR samples for sale – the biggest faux pas that can happen. Putting yourself on a no-buy only makes things worse sometimes. Its like going on a crash diet. You’ll bounce back worse.

beauty blogging making me broke

You see, blogging about beauty or beauty blogging isn’t just about the latest, the newest and who can buy the most. Its about having a passion for beauty. Quite often, I warn new bloggers who ask, that you have to have a passion for your subject and you have to be a beauty buff to start with. You can’t set up a blog to blog about beauty and then start thinking of what stuff to buy to blog about, or then hope that if you have a blog, PR companies will send you lots of freebies. Yes, I’ve been asked this too.

No, there are no tips for what to buy to start a blog, you either have them or you don’t. Sometimes the PR thing happens in which case, good for you! But these days, the field is getting more crowded so lean times are ahead and fact is, we’re pretty much on our own.

So, what does a beauty blogger do? Does she go broke buying everything she sees so she has something to review? Does she buy a new lipstick every day or every week? Does she kiss ass with PR so she gets showered with freebies that she could never use up nor even like? Does she have to do massive shopping hauls and share them with her readers?

Well, no you don’t. Do it if it makes you happy and doesn’t send you to the poorhouse. Don’t, if it will or if you feel it places unnecessary pressure on you and your finances. Here are some ways to get started if you don’t already have a large beauty collection, or don’t want to fall into the trap of crass consumerism 🙂

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