Last month, I had the chance to interview 5 Famous Filipino Bloggers via Facebook chat. I had to admit, I've always wanted to interview these people ever since I started blogging but I was too shy (I can be very timid sometimes you know. Sometimes lang!)

Anyway here's a recap of how everything happened, our dreaded research paper came in and our professor asked us to choose any topic we want so I thought of why not choose "blogging" as a topic. I mean it has always been a passion of mine (even if deep inside I only want the topic so I could have a "good" reason to interview my fave. bloggers. Lol!) Now you know what topic you should go for. HA! kidding aside... But other than that, I wanted to learn more about blogging, perhaps, its deeper meaning and how it actually works.

And so I asked David Guison, Aisa Ipac, Seph Cham, Mariel Wagas and Shai Lagarde these questions: What do you get from blogging? Aside from the usual perks like the freebies from online shops, access to different events, all expense paid trips etc. Do you think it improved your marketing skills, social relation and logical thinking?

"Blogging really made me a better person. It made me dress better. Yes, I know it's a style blog. But honestly, if I didn't have a blog, I probably wouldn't care about my outfit. It improved my writing. I'm an an arts student so we don't really do writing in that course, but with blogging, I really try to read books (something I really hate haha) and I even considered enrolling to a creative writing class. It also made me more adventurous. Because of blogging, I'm always in the lookout for "blog-worthy" things to try. So that I can share it to my readers. It made me more confident. Something I don't have when I didn't have a blog. I can really say I improved a lot. I used to be very shy and awkward. I still am, but I can say that I improved a lot because of it. " 

"(1) Blogging becomes a milestone for me to improve in: First is the way I dress, since fashion is something that grows and continuously changing as years pass by, I learned to adopt on these changes and to try new things. In this manner, I was able to offer new fashion ideas to my readers, which also made my blog unique from the others –since I blog different fashion styles and ideas.Second is in socializing, before I’m a kind of guy who has no courage to start a conversation especially with someone that I just met. But now, because of the continuous invites coming from different brands or companies, I started to learn to mingle with different people in the crowd.

(2) For what I believe, blogging is also part of marketing, since it is one of the ways where I market myself and my ideas in fashion and styling. And just like in a standard company or business, competition also involves in blogging that challenges me to do better and to market myself in my own way. And since doing something different is what I always wanted, I tend to think more strategies to reach my goals that practices me to think analytically, to improve my marketing skills (since these strategies are part of marketing) and also, to improve my social relationship (because to get more ideas, I usually ask some advice to my friends or even my readers)."

MARIEL WAGAS

"Blogging doesn't really have all the perks especially when you're asking about the monetary compensation. I enjoy benefits like sponsored clothes, products they send for reviews, and all the things that online shops send me.I've learned marketing first prior to blogging and it has helped me harness my marketing skills because my blog is a proof that I could proudly show to my future clients. Social skills? Of course it has! Being an introvert like myself, I've learned overtime how to interact and greet readers/online friends whenever I see them during bazaars and events."

"What I get from blogging other than the commonly-known perks are that I get to express myself not only in terms of fashion and personal style, but more so in terms of individuality. It is always a challenge to try and stand out from the rest, because there are just too many bloggers these days. In that way, you learn to exercise your creativity and yes, your marketing skills. You also learn to be more sociable. In my case, I've always been a shy girl but blogging has helped me come out of my shell. I do hosting now, and I post videos on YouTube. It's interacting with readers and hearing how they support me that's encouraged me to be myself. So I guess the best thing blogging has given is that it has made me realize it's okay to be myself—and that I can use my blog and my being true to myself to inspire others"

"I think it made me confident and it made me believe in myself more. I also got more contacts and a wider network plus work opportunities. Most of all i get to meet amazing people that share the same passion as mine."