Lindsay from Sugar & Something

Happy Friday all! Today Lindsay from Sugar & Something is guest posting for me. I met Lindsay late summer last year, and we quickly became friends! She has the BEST style, and is one of the nicest people I've ever met. (Seriously, I text her the most random questions sometimes, and she's always the best about it.) She has some amazing tip for starting a blog that you can use throughout your blog life- let's get reading!

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Hi there!! My name is Lindsay Emow and I blog over at Sugar & Something! I am so excited to be guest posting on Dress In Sparkles today! I "e-met" Kylie quite some time ago now and we became fast and great blogger friends! It's funny how the blogging world works and how someone who you never would have known about or met in the real world can walk into your life over Instagram. I am so thankful for it! 

I wanted to introduce myself and give some advice on starting a blog. I am sure  there are many people out there that want to start but really don't know where to even begin. I was definitely in the same boat. Four years ago I became completely and utterly obsessed with blogs and that was what I spent my spare time doing, reading, swooning and dreaming about blogs I began following. I knew I wanted to be in the writing industry but didn't really know how or where to start. I took my love for blogging and writing and decided to give it a shot. Now Sugar & Something has morphed quite some bit from the Baking and DIY blog it was from day one but it's still has the same heart. So what advice to I have for beginning your journey in the blog world? 

1. Know your brand- This one took me a really long time. I was all over the board with colors, names, logos, etc. I can honestly say it took me until very recently to find my brand. Sugar & Something was pink and sparkle covered and I sat down and really thought about my style and my personality and I realized that wasn't me at all. I am a minimalist who veers towards neutrals, blacks and whites before I would ever grab a bright pink peplum top. Once I realized how wrong my branding was it didn't take long to figure out how to make it right. So sit down and really think about the message you want your blog to give off, and go from there. 

2. Invest in your hobby- Yes blogging may just be your hobby, but doesn't any hobby deserve some investment. You wouldn't pick up kayaking and decide it was okay to buy the cheapest equipment with holes in it. So why do that with your blog? If you are a style blogger, invest in a good camera that shows off your style, if you're a food blogger invest in a good pair of pans, you get the idea. It's okay to spend a little hard earned money on something that truly makes you happy. Who knows- you may see a lot of return on that investment :)

3. Be social!- Don't be afraid to reach out to followers, fellow bloggers, brand, etc! It is a really great thing to have a solid network of people that are at your finger tips. I go to my blogger friends constantly for advice, motivation or even to grab a quick drink after work. Say thank you to followers for commenting on your photos, check out other blogger's works, look at new products from brands and share your love for their work! 

4. Don't be afraid to be yourself, and always try your best!- It took me awhile to stop comparing myself to other bloggers (I still find myself doing it sometimes) I often would catch myself saying "Her pictures are better," "How did she get to work with that brand??" "My hair will never have that perfect look in my photos" so on and so forth. We all are different people so to compare yourself and try to be someone else is impossible. Show your own colors because the more genuine and true to yourself that you are the more people will positively respond to your posts. 

Thanks for giving me the opportunity to share some insights! Happy Blogging!