The Reality of Being a Lifestyle Blogger / Author

Telling the World All of My Secrets

By Grace K. Bianco

In today’s world, we are used to seeing everyone’s highs, and I am happy to be able to share some of my lowest lows.

I have written about this in various ways before. I love writing about my life, but that doesn’t mean it is always easy. When life isn’t going my way, I still have to write three blogs a week. I can’t just not write when things aren’t going perfect. Because when is anything 100% perfect?

I base my writing off of my life, and sometimes, that means the people in my life. I literally wrote an entire memoir of my life from age four through nineteen. Other people had to be mentioned, because they played some kind of role in my life. It doesn’t mean that if you are a part of my life, you will get trashed in my writing. In fact, I do my best to speak as positively about you as I can.

My writing is bias. I write based off of how I feel and how I think. My writing isn’t factual or based off of research. If I see something I don’t agree with, it comes up in my writing. If I see something I do agree with, it comes out in my writing.

With this many blogs a week, I take whatever I can get. Any suggestion others give me, I do my best to turn into a blog.

Writing a Memoir

My book is called “Party Pooper: Growing up with Anxiety”. It’s a memoir of my life starting at the age of four (when I began to develop anxiety) up through right now.

I had to discuss hard topics besides my anxiety like : family problems, drama with friends, breakups, struggling with self- confidence, etc. I wanted it to be raw, full of emotion, honest, but come across as lighthearted as possible. In other words, I wanted to be vulnerable, but still attempt to make the reader smile.

Publishing my book felt like publishing my diary at times. I am twenty-one years old and most people I know (plus many strangers) have read my entire life story that includes the good, the bad, and the ugly. This can definitely be an interesting thought to process at times.

The hardest part was definitely writing about people I don’t talk to anymore. It is easy to tell you about me and my own feelings. I have no problem talking about me, but when it comes to a part of my life that heavily involves another person, who’s not in my life anymore, it is quite the struggle trying to figure out how to go about it.

Writing stories with other people had to be done. There was no way around it. Each person in my book, whether it was a positive or a negative story, shaped me in some way. I had to write about it all, but it was those parts I hesitated over the most.

I couldn’t speak for their motives or feelings… only mine. I could say how it happened, but I had to be careful not to put thoughts into their head. It was quite the challenge, but I hid people’s identity as much as I could. For everyone, I tried to keep it as positive and brief as I could, while still telling the story for how it was.

At the end of the day, I did it all for a reason. Although, I had moments of worry and overthinking, I loved writing my book. No matter how hesitant I got, I never wished to turn back. I love being open about my life in hopes it can encourage others out there.

Blogging Openly

Since frequent blogging is more specific, challenges come with that too. I try to steer clear of talking about anyone. The people that get talked about the most are my husband, my best friend, and my mom.

If I give a friend advice on something, that may inspire me to write advice to you all, but I never mention the other person that inspired me. For example, if I give relationship advice, and I think something I said to that person was beneficial. I will write a blog on that advice. The other person never has to be brought up.

It is much easier to focus on the positives of other people in blogs, because if I share an opinion, I can just share it without telling the whole backstory of why I have that opinion.

The biggest challenge is writing a blog when life isn’t perfect. “What Do You Write About When You Have Nothing Good To Say?” gives specific examples on the not so pretty moments of my life and how I go about writing certain topics when I am not happy (scroll down my Medium account to read).

The hard topics are great to talk about, but I focus in on my own problems. It all goes back to, I have no problem telling you guys about me, myself, and I. I can talk about my biggest worries, my frustrations, and anything I can think about. That’s the easy part.

Final Words

In today’s world, we are used to seeing everyone’s highs, and I am happy to be able to share some of my lowest lows. Sure, it comes with a few challenges at times, but if just one person is slightly encouraged by it, I’d do it all over again a million times.

I don’t write to vent about a friend. I don’t write to send secret messages to people I know. I write to encourage. I write for fun. I want my blogs to feel genuine and welcoming. I want people with opposing beliefs to feel welcome here. I want people who struggle to see they aren’t alone.

I write about the not so pretty parts of my life to help others. I do my best to keep this a positive place for any and everyone.

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Also, check out my more personal blog newkindofliving.com ❤

My book, Party Pooper: Growing up with Anxiety, is available now on Amazon (eBook and Paperback).