Blogger Confessions – GG Renee

GG Renee is the ultimate Soulful Woman. Her mission to drive women towards self-discovery and owning and accepting their imperfections and experiences is something everyone should get on board with. What attracted me to GG’s blog and movement was her honesty through her words and stories, and the passion she has for helping the women discover their own inner peace. I’ve even jumped on board and will be participating in one of her many options for 1:1 mentoring. Check out what she has to share below.

Meet GG Renee.

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Quick Tidbits

Name: GG Renee
Blog: All the Many Layers
How many years you’ve been blogging: 6 years

What made you decide to open a blog?
I was in the middle of a huge transition in my life. My best friend suggested that I start a blog to document what I was going through. So, I did and I fell in love with it. First, I shared about my transition to natural hair and how it made me take a hard look at myself, how I was living my life, and how much I cared about what other people thought of me. As I branched out, I discovered a passion for exploring the complexities of being a woman and how we express ourselves – not only through our hair — but through our work, our style, our relationships, our emotional outbursts, our creative outlets, you name it. 

So what started out as nothing more than an online journal of sorts became a vehicle for me to find my calling and be a voice for women like me, who are quiet but have a message and want to be heard.

How do you decide on what to share with the world? How do you protect yourself from public scrutiny?
When deciding what to share, I think about what would be inspiring to me. Over time, I have learned who my readers are, and mostly they are women like me who are always looking for meaning and beauty in their lives. These are the women I write for.

When I decided to stop blogging as a hobby and to start treating it like a profession, I began to identify as an artist. And as an artist, public scrutiny comes with the territory. I’m not saying that I never wonder what people think of me or my work, but I don’t dwell on it. I know my work will not resonate with everyone and that’s okay.

Have you ever experienced an “Oh my God, I put this on the internet?” moment? Please elaborate.
Yes. Often. These are the moments that have allowed me to become freer with my expression. My mother has schizophrenia and I used to be ashamed for anyone to know that. The first time I wrote about it online was a huge breakthrough for me and it triggered many meaningful connections with women all over the world who had parents suffering from mental illness.

What has been one of the most difficult issues you have faced as blogger?
Comparison. There are some bloggers that seem to blow up overnight. That has not been my experience. It has taken me a long time to build a following and it has taken patience and diligence. My journey has taught me to be obsessively dedicated, to trust my instincts and to always be thankful for my readers whether there are 10 of them, 100 of them or thousands of them.

What advice would you share with new bloggers, or those toying with the idea of opening a blog?
There are tons of blogs out there. What sets you apart is you being you. The more you stay true to yourself, experiment and develop your unique voice, the more you will attract loyal readers and you will grow. Take it seriously. Do your research. Study other bloggers that inspire you. Don’t copy them, but identify what you like so you can channel that for yourself. Make sincere connections with other bloggers in your niche. That means interacting with them on social media, sending an email to let them know that you appreciate their work, and eventually try to collaborate with them. Act like a professional even if you don’t feel like one yet.

Has blogging or writing presented you with any cool opportunities?
Yes! My first paid freelance writing gig came from blogging. It was about four years ago and I was still writing my hair blog. I received an email from the editor of Transitioning Movement which is Carol’s Daughter’s blog. She found me through my blogging and guest posting.   Fast forwarding to now, I have quit my job, changed my life and met amazing, kindred spirits all through blogging.

Share 3 of your favorite posts!

I’m Not Crazy, I’m an Introvert
If You Ever Think You Are Hard to Love
Does Anyone Even See Me? The Struggle to Feel Important.

Finish the sentence:
Being a blogger means exploring your passions.
Being a blogger does not mean being narcissistic.
As a blogger I will never seek quantity over quality.
The stereotype I hate the most about bloggers is maybe that we are always taking selfies? Haha.
Top 5 things that turn me away from a blog are poor writing, blurry photos, content that lacks depth and creativity, and negative energy/gossip.

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GG Renee is an independent author, a creativity coach, a feeler and an overthinker. She writes for the crazy, beautiful, complex, free, creative, inspired, love drunk woman who relishes her quiet time and believes in miracles. Blog // Twitter // Instagram