If it was ten years ago, the concept of blogging would have needed an introduction. I don’t remember anyone who introduced themselves as a blogger then. But today, it is very different. Blogging is an industry in itself and being a blogger in the true sense is a big deal. Contrary to the notion of general public, blogging is not all about fashion and glam and it takes lot more than perfectly edited pictures to maintain a successful blog. It requires organic content that the readers can associate with, consistency that can attract readers to the blog regularly and simplicity that can influence the minds of the readers. Now that’s why I call it coding the skill of blogging. And one who aces this skill, is a true influencer.
As an amateur blogger myself, I know how hard it is to run a blog and that too as a side kick when it requires so much time and effort. But when I met Surekha from Dreaming Loud, I was pleasantly surprised how she managed an extremely informative blog with a full time job, managing her household chores and of course being an amazing dog mom to Bagheera.
So, it is my pleasure to share my talk bytes with one of my favorite bloggers, Surekha.
Tell me something about yourself that not many know (it may be hard as a blogger).
Hi! My name is Surekha (aka Suri). For a blogger, I am awkwardly social shy and introvert. I missed few opportunities of attending events and magazine editorial because of this.
When did you start “Dreaming Loud” and how did you come up with that name? Also, tell me about your journey of “green and glamorous”.
I started Dreaming loud in Feb 2016. The name was an obvious choice for me as my life revolves around “MY DREAMS”, I am a big believer of dreaming big and working my ass off in achieving them. My first and foremost reason for starting the blog was to share my love for fashion and show women all around that they can look glamorous everyday while sticking to their comfort zone and respecting their culture. But, the year I started my blog, I also switched to all natural. I started making my own skin care products with Essential oils which lead me to the whole new idea of green living- reducing plastic waste, planting trees, and being mindful of my choices.
What inspired you to start blogging? What was that moment you decided to be a blogger?
My first job actually. A year into it, I was bored. I was looking for something (like a hobby project) to feed my creativity. I started sharing my outfits occasionally on my personal Instagram page and was getting some attention. Soon, I discovered the world of fashion blogging through Pinterest. I took the leap and started my blog immediately.
Can you tell me about your professional background?
I have a master’s degree in computer science. I enjoy writing code and building applications as much as I enjoy blogging. In fact, the thought of not having either of them scares me. I am going to hold on to both as long as I can.
To me you are full time software professional and a full-time blogger. How are you able to manage this and most importantly balance it?
Well when you like something, you find a way to do it. That’s how I blog. I make time which sometimes mean over working. No matter how meticulously I plan my day. Creativity is something you can’t push. I blog on-a-whim, an idea pops up, and I work on it. Sometimes it takes a week to complete a blog post, and sometimes an hour is just enough. What keeps me going is the process. I enjoy the grinding, accumulating my clumsy thoughts and refining it into something meaningful. It gives me tremendous joy whenever I hit the publish button.
How were your early days of blogging and how it evolved? What are your favorite topics to write about?
I won’t lie and say it was easy because it wasn’t. I never was born a great writer. And to be honest, my writing was among the worst. I struggled a lot to pen my thoughts especially with outfit posts. I wanted to write beyond “I bought the dress because I loved it”, but actually explain why I like something and how it embodies my personal style. My writing has definitely evolved over time. I present my ideas and thoughts more clearly and succinctly now but I still have long way to go. My favorite topic to write is of course “how to style and different ways to style a particular item” , lately I have also been enjoying writing personal posts.
Do you have tips for budding bloggers or young women who is looking to dive into blogging?
Definitely, I have a few blog posts on it, here and here. In brief, here are my tips. Be Yourself (Don’t write or wear something you don’t believe in), know your audience, be consistent, enjoy blogging (don’t do it just for the money), and know your worth (Be a badass when it’s needed. Ask for worth when you are not given. Learn when to turn your blog into business)
Do you want to quit your job and do full time blogging (or do you enjoy this balance in your life)
I had to take a break from my day job a year ago and blogged fulltime for almost 3 months. While it was fun to work for myself, it was lonely too. I don’t plan on blogging full time until I am in a position to create jobs for others. Then I won’t be working alone.
Has social media ever feel overwhelming to you? (At phases at least. If yes, how did you overcome that?
I feel overwhelmed when I am pressured to do something. Like when Instagram rules out a new feature or a new social media trend comes out and I feel the need to get onboard that’s when I am usually overwhelmed. But I don’t usually give in, I take my own time to get used to it. I prefer keeping it real rather than faking it. It’s not until recently (after 3 years of blogging) I really started sharing my personal life in my IG stories. Apart from that, I am pretty good at taking breaks when I am stressed or tired.
Lastly, what is up with Bagheera Chronicles?
Bagheera is my one year King shepherd pup. He is the best gift my husband has ever given me. I wasn’t ready for a pet (or probably ever will) when we bought him home but now he is a major part of my life. He is my teddy bear and my number one stress buster. My favorite part of the day is walking him with my husband. That’s the most quality family time we spend as a family away from internet and television.
If you follow Surekha, you will instantly feel she is a ‘girl next door blogger’, someone you want to follow because she seems to be like YOU. In a world where we label pictures as insta worthy, she has gracefully balanced the glam of social media but being genuine with her content. She inspires me every day to keep up the spark of blogging especially by balancing many other things. Suri will bring out the OTHER YOU to life. Go say hi to her here.
-Signing off
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