DIY a Blogger

This post is for the emails i received. From people asking me how to keep a blog that will, i quote them "be as popular as yours", "attract more readers", "get as many sponsors as you"etc.

Some of the recent emails i got. I don't even wanna check Facebook messages much cox EVERY single time i check, there will be people sending me customised messages to ask me to do them a favour, like their picture, share about their entry to a contest on my Twitter or blog to help them get vote, or.. To tell them how to be like me (a famous blogger) and get a lot of sponsors.

Haha. Not i say one ah. But anyway, here's the recent two emails i've gotten.

Thank you. I appreciate ALL the kind words you've sent me. But that's what people do when they wanna ask for help, they ask nicely. So thank you for asking nicely but you shouldn't have. Yeah, shouldn't have ask for me to introduce you sponsors at all.

Thank you again. My skin is from good photoshopping skills. And i hope after this post, you can pick up a thing or two, and yeah, hopefully it'd do as good as mine or better.

I LOVE JOLIN TSAI and I'D LOVE TO BE Jolin Tsai, all the pretty clothes, exploding money bank and hot bod, but i'm not gonna email her

"Jolin you rock my world, i look at your MTV all the time and i'd dance along and i really love your nose too OMG HOW DID YOU GET SUCH PRETTY NOSE. Give me the contact number of your manager and producer and introduce me to all your fans and also if you may, whatever ads you appear on, i'd like the contact person details cox i really wanna be like you thank you!!! HUGE FAN OF YOURS! ^.^ Hope i can sing on your concert the next time you have one!"

Not gonna happen ever. And no matter how people who have "public responsibilities" TRIES to be nice to everyone, you know, image thing and all, there's gonna be a point where they go "fuck this shit who does this person think she is i don't even know her lah!!!"

Maybe Jolin, Bieber, One Direction, SNSD and all don't have a breaking point for buay paiseh emails in disguise as fanmails (or maybe these fanmails or whatever mails don't reach them at all) BUT I DO. I don't earn million bucks from blogging so i guess i can still tell people off when i really have to. And i don't have a contract for code of conduct so here.

I am kinda pissed. For quite some time, about this. But i realise i don't have to be anymore.

I'd just share once and for all. So here is the post! Only for people who can accept with a good positive attitude and take it correctly to make it good for yourself if you want to be....

Famous? Popular? Known? Recognised? Rich? None of these cox these, i can't teach nor share cox i don't think i actually fit the bill for any of these words lolol. I am not rich for sure!!!

So this is simply for people who want to be.. A Blogger.

Now i'd start with the most basic of all rules.

The importance to make yourself who you want to be, YOURSELF.

It simply means, DO IT YOURSELF.

It doesn't matter if you want to be a blogger, a singer, an actress, a tennis ball player, a computer genius or a butcher, MAKE IT HAPPEN with the best you could do and think of, YOURSELF.

You must have seen quotes like these..

"Nobody said it was going to be easy, but nobody told me it was going to be this hard"

There is also a more positive version to it.

"I can't promise you it'd be easy but i can promise you at the end of the day, it'd be worthwhile" Or something like that, without grammar mistakes lolol.

YOU ALL LOVE QUOTES RIGHT.

I GIVE YOU ONE MORE.

"NOBODY SAID IT WAS GOING TO BE EASY BUT NOBODY IS GOING TO HELP YOU UNLESS YOU DO IT YOURSELF BY KILLING SOME BRAIN CELLS"

Nice or not. A bit long but at least at the end i got ya yun. You know, self and cells. Good enough.

Lol. So DO IT YOURSELF. Make it happen yourself. "Use your brain" for real. And always always always remember that if anything goes wrong, you only really have yourself to hold responsible.

But if something goes right, you can then be thankful for all the blessing and help you get from people around you =) And be thankful for yourself, be touched by all the effort you put in that paid off ^.^ Yeah, sometimes i feel proud of myself too O.O Hahaha. Anyway.

An aspiring singer can keep writing music, keep posting covers on Youtube, keep sending demos to record label companies, join singing school where the owners are recognized music producers.

Like this have to think very hard or not? No need. I typed that out in 10 seconds.

If you want to be an air stewardess, you just upkeep yourself, learn how to doll up prim and proper, keep going for interviews, learn from your mistakes, read up airline forums about how people did it, and take tips from them and keep trying at airline recruitment. Can or not? Can.

That's what i did when i wanted to be an air stewardess last time. And after 4 unsuccessful attempts, i finally made it on the 5th. If i like this slouchy slouchy still can make it, i'm sure you can lolol.

So my point is, if you actually give some thoughts about it, it is not that hard to make yourself be something/ someone you want to be.

So instead of emailing a blogger who seemingly "made it" for shortcuts and asking for them to introduce sponsors to you. You should use your brain and think about it. It's as simple as that.

And i assume you mean you wanna be a blogger who get to enjoy all the perks. And not just a blogger who owns a blog. I get it. So let's roll.

Only keep reading if you can grasp the most fundamental concept, DIY. You need to use your brain, use your hands, it's as simple as that =D

This for you, you and you, those who left me formspring questions, emailed me, Fb msged me, left me comments, to ask the same thing.. HOW CAN YOU BECOME A BLOGGER LIKE ME?

Before we go into that.

Maybe i'd share why i think people think it's great to be a blogger.

Perks of being a blogger

- I sleep anytime i want. No stress to have to wake up in the morning to prepare for work becox..

- I wake up anytime i want. Most of the days at least. Haha.

- I get to enjoy lotsa free products and services. Food, travel, makeup, skincare, haircare, clothes, more clothes, bags, shoes, hair removal services, manicure, pedicure, facial hair salon services etc

- On top of the usual free services and products, my wedding happening in Dec is mostly sponsored

- My job is incredibly fun O.O For real. I just have to stay alive, live a life and share it. Haha.

- I get invited to really nice and fun events where i usually can takeaway freebies =X Lolol! I love!!!

- I get to look pretty and all i gotta do to keep it going for my social media platforms is to snap pictures of myself. IT IS MY FAVOURITE HOBBY AND PASTIME anyway hahaha. Haiyah, you not vain then you become food blogger lah. Also very good one.

- I AM MY OWN BOSS.

I show you a summary of my instagram. It'd give you a better idea of what i do most of the time.

I shop. For food, for clothes, for makeup etc, for myself, for people i love. And then i share what i shopped on Instagram and Twitter and my Facebook page. All linked in case you haven't follow me there *stare* Lol.

I get to travel with really nice and fun and vain girls ^.^ And eat cute food in Disneysea haha.

And more cute food in Japan. Sad to say, that these cute food get more likes than my face. FYA.

And i get sponsored products. A lot of products. These are just some of it. Thank you, thank you..

Other than that, when i am not blogging, i still got time to nua at home, visit my friend de new born baby ^.^ Head Bangkok with friends and snap a picture on Tuktuk lolol. Also can go watch shows with Josh and sometimes i get to go for photoshoot and also filming of Budget Barbie and i also got time to learn Japanese ^.^ Although i pretty much suck at it. Lolol.

Becox of blogging, my wedding planner services are sponsored and she does a GREAT job all the time. My bridesmaids dresses and shoes are sponsored too. Needless to say, my gown and Josh de suit also sponsored ^.^ And!!! Wedding favour and many other stuff all sponsored!!!

And all i need to do is to keep sharing keep sharing. Like what i eat and where i eat. Lol. The flowers are spotted outside a Freshness Burger outlet in Japan. lolol. Like this also can consider update lol.

Other time when i'm free i go do my hair and my hair sponsor is so nice, they are also doing my hair for my wedding. At home i either nua somemore or i do my own nails and play with my own hair lol.

But really most of my free time is just spent with Baby Yurou or spent looking at my dogs sleep.

And the more heartwarming part.. Sometimes there are really really nice and sweet readers who will send me stuff or send me nice emails ^.^ I usually reply all of them! =D And i am very thankful that even with all these good things already happening to me, i still get paid for it O.O And is able to do stuff with my bestfriends and sisters and family with the flexibility of time.

I mean 2 years ago, i am not sure if i enjoy going out as much as i do now.

Going out = Spend money. Confirm one. So i didn't quite enjoy going out. Let alone going overseas.

Before, i've never travel far / often.

But now i've learnt to just ENJOY life and then only, it'd get more enjoyable.

All the perks i stated probably apply to the rest of the more known bloggers so it's not just me so you also cannot say i hao lian becox all the other bloggers also have it going for them but everybody very shy never say only lolol. Or they very competitive don't want to invite you all to join hahaha.

Kidding lah! I am sharing becox i am getting quite annoyed by people who think i am OBLIGED to help them. No, i am not. But i think to myself, instead of me keep ignoring their questions and get pissed everytime they ask (angry at the no-shy ones not the sincere ones), why not i share once and for all, for the nicer ones who are really keen and then get it over and done with.

Now that you know it can be quite fun to be a blogger and i've shared why i think people have been asking me how to how to how to be a blogger like me..

I have one answer for you.

JOIN NUFFNANG.

You live your life, leave the rest to the pro.

They have offices in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, China, Philippines, Australia and Hong Kong.

End of story. Good bye.

Hahaha! Say real one!!! When i joined Nuffnang 2 years ago, i had about 3k unique readers daily.

Today i have 12k unique readers daily. Slow but steady growth =D

It's all Thanks to Nuffnang for promoting and managing me =) Thank You to Josh for helping me snap nice pictures for my blog. Big fat Thank You to Wendy who is ever so generous and sharing and helpful to her friends (me included haha). Thank You to Mich and Zhen for going to events with me ^.^ Thank You to Sophie and Yutaki for helping me spread my post ^.^ Especially Yutaki always very kua zhang one. He'd go like MUST READ!!!! When usually it's just a boring pictorial post hahaha. Also my sisters please!!! Haha. They always share my post in their Facebook and NiaoNiao always help me retweet although her Twitter account..... Hahaha but it's the token that counts!!! Haha!

Thank You to everyone who have helped me. The Nuffies for helping me handle and solve any issues pertaining to my blog. From technical stuff to the contents and advertorial scheduling etc

So this is what i mean by you do your best and somehow, the rest will work out. Just don't harbour evil thoughts about people who help you, be nice back, i think you will do fine.

I say join Nuffnang becox when i think about it.. In this short period of time, through Nuffnang and their help to liaise, i've been to Hong Kong, Genting, Japan (3 times this year!!!) and Taiwan.

And bridal makeup for myself and for my bridesmaids will most probably be sponsored thanks to Nuffnang's help!!! And also my hen's night, i also got my manager to help me out.

They give you a more professional approach than just to put out your hands and ask for things. I guess they know how to sell you and your blog as a effective channel for advertisers in return.

And also they always organise blogger outings, with Glitterati-Plus members and you get to meet other bloggers and advertisers etc. So i guess this is what you call social-networking? O.O I don't know, i'm not in to these stuff but when my manager tell me i have to be somewhere at a certain time, i'd be there lolol. I JUST HOPE THAT.... It will not be in the morning. Hahaha.

From those events, most of the time you will get free products, free services etc.

And if you're really good and talented at what you do, soon you'd be receiving product reviews and advertorial!!! And you get paid for those!!! Voila~!

And also ah, i know of bloggers who get their blog banner and layout (simple kind lah) done up with the help of their manager at Nuffnang so as to make your blog look more.. Pro? Clean? Marketable?

My point is.. Most of the perks you get to enjoy as a blogger, you can already get by joining Nuffnang, whether or not you are a known or less known blogger.

I notice some people leave comments on other people's blog. Like they'd leave a nice comment and then add "Read my blog!" or like "Latest post! Whatever content. Visit!" Seriously.. How many percentage of the people who reads blog will read all the comments. Lol.

And how many of those who read the comments will be bothered to click on your blog link.

Some people simply email / tweet other bloggers and ask for them to share their post. Yes i got such request before. This brings me to another thing i feel strongly about.

DON'T ASK FOR HELP FROM JUST ANYONE.

Nobody is obliged to help you lah, really. Especially if you are just a stranger to them. To me it's like, not as if you super love me. The last time someone ask me to introduce my sponsors to her, and want me to share with her how she can be a popular blogger (she say one not i say one ah) like me, i went to check her Twitter account and she's not even following me. BURN. Lolol.

And then when i was going to Japan for the first time, i tweeted and share about how excited i am etc. And then i have 3 request from people to ask me to buy stuff from them. By people i mean strangers.

And then i have request from people asking me to help them buy things in Singapore and mail to them. Say real one, i am free but not THAT free. My time can be better spent with family and friends.

Why must help you go buy things, wrap proper and then go post office to arrange for it to be mailed to your doorstep. Hallo? You tao nao pai?

So anyway. Back to HOW to be blogger like me.

I'd say you made a good choice thou. To be a blogger like me =X Hahaha. Becox it's achievable. If you want to be a blogger like Wendy it would be quite impossibru becox i can't even explain why but you can only try. And also i say you made a good choice becox i think i quite likable lah HAHAH. I mean there ARE bloggers out there, known, but for all the wrong reasons.

You really don't wanna head there becox you just don't want to. And those kinda fame doesn't last. I mean just look at how many of them has gone down and out.

Just be yourself, be hardworking a bit more and then hope for the best for yourself and the people around you. Don't need to be magnanimous and hope for the best for people who are against you.

I WANT TO RUN THEM DOWN *ROAR* I can be nice but only if you are.

Not sure if you spotted it but i just mentioned "be hardworking". Becox althou most of the time it looks like this..

Hanging out and look pretty with fellow chio bloggers (lolol yeah i conveniently group myself in also), meeting Japanese celebrities at event, dining at some awesome view restaurant in Japan and being arranged to stay in nice hotel etc..

When you get back home..

At some point of time..

When you are done lazing around..

And recover from the post-holiday daze..

You still have to face it..

And get down to..

BLOGGING.

You think?

Sorry to bring you back to reality but it's more like..

5am, me on the computer chair and my waist cushion guard cox my backbones is very likely crooked + spinal cord maybe splitting soon. Lolol. This one is true story. Ah, my neck also. Maybe breaking tomorrow or the day after. Hahaha. I am in life-danger ALL THE TIME, just by blogging hahaha.

So yeah, it can't be these posts got typed out and these pictures upload themselves, all photoshopped and looking good enough for thousands to see. So you have to do your part and i honestly doubt kissing products is good enough if you wanna make the cut to be a good blogger.

I rambled a lot. So here's a summary

- Try to THINK and DO IT YOURSELF before anything

- When you're done thinking, you should have figured that you need to join Nuffnang lolol. Biased opinion obviously lolol but you're asking for MY advice.

- Attend and accept invites and reviews through Nuffnang

- Tweet, blog, instagram, facebook, youtube WHORE YOURSELF OUT babeh. Lolol

- Keep blogging good posts or at least good-looking posts

- Be thankful

- Update your blog often. But then again.. Wendy updates her blog like once every blue moon so what am i talking about hahaha!

Alright! Like they always say.. Do what you love and you'd love what you do!!! Having the correct attitude will bring you a long way whether you wanna be a blogger, a whatever or a whatever.

I am not sure what you want to be, but no matter what, i wish you good luck!!! ^.^

Unless you dislike me. Then i wish for all the great things you want to go to someone else ^.^

Hahahah. Someone you dislike preferably.

Okay lah good luck!!! Oh, and remember to have goals in life. Good goals. Good for yourself and for people you love. This will bring you good motivation. Good bye.

And, hope to see you some other time at blogger events ^.^ 到时候你可以叫我师姐 LOLOLOLOL.

Actually no lah, say seniority i really not that senior but whatever, i pass this 武林密集 to you so yes, 叫我师姐. Lololol. You see, i have this problem, i talk too much even when i already said bye bye.

BYE!