It’s hard to believe that I have been doing this whole blogging thing for a year now! It’s really amazing what can be accomplished in just 12 months of focused intention and action. Looking back on the past 60 blog posts, it feels like I only just sat down to write most of them. And yet, there is something really rewarding about seeing the progress being made and my skills starting to build a bit. One thing I’ve tried to do from the start was make this blog a resource to you, and not just my personal diary. So today I want to share with you 12 things I’ve learned in these past 12 months of blogging in that hopes that it will help you in your creative endeavors too!

1. Work on Your Vision

Having a clear vision for your blog (or ‘brand’ for you Girl Bosses) seems like an obvious thing but is harder said than done. It’s important to get clear on what you’re trying to say through writing and photography . The way you say it is more open ended because people like reading things that are informal and relatable on a platform like this. You don’t have to be an amazing writer to have substance behind your ideas. Some of my favorite bloggers are the ones who have a clear and unique voice and present their ideas in a well thought out way.

2. Practice Makes Picture Perfect

Photography is just as important as words, in conveying your message. This does not mean that they have to look professional from the start. One of my most popular posts has photos that I took after work in about 15 minutes and was really unhappy with. But they served the purpose of illustrating the post and I could look at them later to see what to do differently. I studied photography in college and have practiced it for many years so I know my way around a camera, but there were still new skills I had to learn to be able to photograph and film myself, and I’m STILL learning! There was also figuring out how to direct my boyfriend to take my pictures (he’s no photographer), how to pose, scout locations, and do all of this in public too. I know it doesn’t sound like much but it was really hard for me to feel comfortable enough to bring this hobby from the privacy of my home out into the real world and rope other people into it as well. Practice truly brings a lot of confidence with it and now I can work with a photographer (or Kyle) and feel happy with what we’ve accomplished at the end of the day.

3. You Need Passion (And Patience)

It’s no doubt, blogging and social media takes a lot of time and effort to reap any reward. And like most worthwhile things, the more you put into it the more you get out of it. It can get hard to maintain the level of consistency needed to become successful in this saturated field so you absolutely need to feel passionate about it to be able to put in the work without any reward, or else you will eventually burn out. In fact, you might be really passionate about it and still burn out so you’ll need to reignite the fire sometimes and get back to why you LOVE what you do to make it happen. But if you’re really excited about something for a long time then it’s probably worth the work.

4. Create First, Edit Second

A piece of advice that I really stuck in my mind from the beginning is, “Done is better than perfect” which was so hard for me to take to heart but now I’m truly a believer in this! Creating and editing are two separate processes that can’t really happen at the same time, so take some pressure off of yourself to create the finished product on the first go. And the best way to get through a creative block? Force yourself to create something, anything! I wrote an entire blog post about it because I was in one and instead of focusing on what I couldn’t imagine, I ended up with a post that I really love and can refer back to in the future.

5. It’s a Conversation

While blogging and taking endless selfies can seem pretty narcissistic, at the end of the day it’s not enough for this blog to be the Jessica Show. It has to be useful to the people I’m creating content for. And knowing what people want to see is about having a conversation and seeing where our interests overlap. Obviously, I can’t blog about subjects that I have zero interest in but if I love writing about capsule wardrobes and I know that people who follow me also care about that then I’m going to have much more authentic, enthusiastic and creative content to share. And if you’re just starting out and it’s still a one sided convo right now, just create around what you would want to read or look at online and you will attract like minded people. Oh and leave a comment if you’re ever so inclined because it genuinely makes my day!

6. Set Yourself Hours

One of the most important tips I can give in terms of productivity is to get organized. Sticking to a weekly blogging schedule or daily social media schedule can get overwhelming really quickly because it feels like it literally never ends. But planning ahead and setting aside certain days and times to work on what’s coming up will make it 100% more manageable in the long run. I really benefit mentally from routine so knowing what I have to do in advance and knowing I have time set aside to do it is a major stress reliever. And it’s just good practice to sort out your schedule from the start so that when more opportunities arise, you will feel ready to take them on.

7. Promote Your Work

I love what Emma (of What She Styled) says about the 80/20 rule; that you should be creating content 20% of the time and marketing it 80% of the time. This is so true in my experience, and now I spend a lot of my time “working” on my Instagram and Pinterest, marketing the content I create here and on YouTube. What is the point of sharing if nobody ever sees it? Well, probably the cathartic creative process but that’s not the point. We want people to see what we’ve created because we’re proud of it and it’s not for us anyways, remember?

8. Only Invest in What You Love

I am guilty of thinking that fashion blogging meant paying into the constant cycle of trends. What I didn’t realize is that I don’t like reading blogs or following people whose wardrobes are mass produced every season so why should I become one of them? This blog has been so instrumental in shaping my views on my personal style and examining my shopping habits. Now when I see something trendy that I like, I really ask myself if I would wear it everyday, not just in front of the camera. If the answer is no, then I can move on with no regret. And as someone who still feels the desire to shop a lot, I try to think about the investment items I can save for instead of spending money every time the thought enters my mind.

9. Be a Cheerleader

I’ve become a bit obsessed with finding new bloggers and creatives to follow on Instagram. I find so much of my inspiration and drive comes from seeing other people creating and sharing their passion on a regular basis. Passion is addictive! I especially love finding great accounts with fewer followers because I feel like I’m finding hidden treasure. It’s a great feeling to be able to support someone through a like, comment or share and sometimes to receive that in return too. If someone I admire actually likes what I’m doing, that’s a big indication that I’m doing something right! So I try to share and vocalize my support for others as much as possible because I know creatives appreciate the feedback.

10. Take it at Face Value

Seeing photos of myself so often, it can be easy to focus in on the negatives, the things I don’t like about myself. When I start getting self conscious about my physical features, I try to just nip that thinking in the butt before it can go any further. To everyone else who sees pictures of me, it’s just my face, my hair, my body, and that’s that. I don’t need my insecurities to get in the way of creating what I want. It also helps to examine what images you’re consuming daily. If I feel conscious about my hair because I can’t achieve perfect beachy waves then I probably need to seek out more diversity in imagery to remind myself that there’s more than one type of beauty.

11. Seek Out Face Time

Getting out of your comfort zone and networking is such an important part of being a creative. My introverted side just doesn’t want to accept this but it’s true, Jessica! There are so many resources for bloggers out there to connect irl. And if you live somewhere where there aren’t then build your own network of like-minded creatives. If there’s not another fashion blogger in a 100 mile radius, chances are there’s a photographer, artist, graphic designer or someone out there that you can connect with. And if you’re a true introvert like me and networking is an anxiety-inducing word, just getting yourself in a room at the right time can put you in the path of people more extroverted than you.

12. Constantly Reassess

if you’re pouring your heart and soul into your passion project, then do yourself the kindness of reassessing your goals and approach from time to time. The nature of the online world means things are constantly changing and we have to be adaptable and sensitive to those changes and learn to adjust. This starts with getting clear on your goals, big picture stuff, and then being able to keep yourself on track, two topics I’ve written about before. It can seem like a time consuming thought exercise but it will bring you a lot of clarity and allow you to act with intention.

Outfit Details: Dress: & Other Stories | Bag: Woven Finds | Shoes: LoQ | Ring: Mejuri | Short Necklace: Mejuri | Long

Necklace: Missoma | Earrings: Mejuri

Well that was a meaty post but this has been 12 months jam packed with learning and growing so I had a lot to share. I’d love to know where you are on your creative journey and what hard-won advice you have to share. As always, thanks so much for reading! xx Jessica

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Photos by Evelyn Collier

12 Things I Learned In 12 Months of Blogging