Vanessa Mallorca or "Mommy Van" is a mommy blogger who focuses on motherhood, marriage, and lifestyle. She has a loving community of nearly 450,000 mothers on her Facebook page, Mommy Van, and about 10,000 in her Facebook group, Mommy Van Mommy Community. 

She started blogging in 2018. Since then, she has been sharing her breastfeeding journey and helping fellow breastfeeding moms discover what's best for them and their babies. This can be proven by almost 600 reviews of 5 stars on her page, all who are giving thanks that Mommy Van helped them be more comfortable with breastfeeding and motherhood. 

She started with posting about facts and FAQs about breastfeeding in 2018 and branched out to other mommy topics in 2019. She started her blog, Mommy Van PH, the same year as well. 

Reading her blogs and posts, I feel like I am just talking to a friend. Her writing is personable and can be understood easily. She is also able to blend facts and her own experiences seamlessly. You can depend on her to provide you with knowledge based on science and how she was able to use that information for her own family. New mothers (and fathers!) are sure to feel at ease while reading her posts as it will make you feel that you are not alone and there will always be someone who's ready to help you out. 

 Personally, here are my top favorite blog posts of hers. 

1. “Kahit Hindi Mayaman Basta Totoong Nagmamahal” (True love is better than riches)

2. Ano ang Maitutulong mo Bilang Asawa sa Panahong Nakakaranas ng Depresyon ang Iyong Kabiyak? (How can you help your spouse who is going through depression?)

3. Ang Daming Nag-iba Nang Maging Nanay Ako (The changes that come with motherhood)

These posts helped me reflect on becoming a better partner and prepare me for what I can expect should I start planning my own family. Motherhood and starting a family is hard, but having someone like Mommy Van is comforting in my opinion.

Aside from browsing her page and blog, I reached out to her via Facebook and she willingly obliged to a mini-interview via chat, where I got to know her on a more personal level. She is indeed as friendly and down-to-earth as her community says. While I was a bit nervous to chat with her, she completely made me feel at ease and answered my questions gamely. To conclude the chat, I asked her a handful of fast talk questions social distancing style. 

I am always on the lookout for new information about the things that I like, such as blogging. So, when I saw this live stream replay on Writing Hacks Academy page, I watched it.. thrice. There was so much to absorb from the featured blogger, Kathy Kenny Ngo, that it took me a couple of times to truly understand the topic, and this post is my takeaway from that live stream. 

1. It is not for everyone. 

Even at the most basic level, we are social beings. We have the innate urge to share our stories and to talk about things we love. Especially now with social media, sharing is as easy as clicking a button, typing down what you currently feel, or even just chatting with a random stranger. Blogging is all about sharing, anyone can sign up using numerous blogging sites and start posting away. 

However, in order to become a successful blogger, the blogger must post something that readers will be interested in. Aside from page hits, the blogger must also be adept in being able to rank on Google search, be comfortable in using SEO, navigating brand and PR opportunities, and most importantly, staying relevant. 

These are all things that can take a lot of patience and time, even love for the craft. Not everyone has that, and if you do, congratulations, you are nearly halfway there. 

2. There will always be an audience for your topic. 

If there is one thing that I learned while being in this industry, it's that even the most obscure niche will have an audience. Do not limit yourself to the popular topics, or force yourself to write about things that don't really match what you want to write about. Whatever your topic is, go ahead and create something beautiful from it. 

Similarly, do not shy away from the popular topics, should those interest you. Remember, you are unique, and there is no one else like you. Your thoughts and opinion can benefit someone else. What you have to say might be what someone else needs to hear. The blogging world is never too crowded for another blogger, especially for those who are passionate for it. 

A word of advice, do make sure that your topic is well presented and honest. Make sure to review your grammar, sentence construction and always be welcome to feedback, good or bad. 

3. People will see you, and they will see your mistakes too. 

Making mistakes is not a bad thing, so long as you learn from them. Use them as your guide on improving yourself and your blog. 

Personally, I prefer keeping my not-so-okay posts, as they are a testament to how far I've come and what I have learned since then. I would rather have everything (my achievements and failures) in public than have someone reveal them for me. I value transparency very much. I want those who read my posts to be able to see my progress and growth, whether it be from page hits or post flow. It reminds me that I can always get better, refine myself, and develop further. 

4. A stagnant rock gathers moss.  

The worst enemy of a successful blogger is being complacent. There is nothing wrong with being satisfied with your work, but believing that you don't have anything else to improve is not only annoying but dangerous. 

When I started blogging a decade ago, it was all about being personal and most blogs were text-heavy, informal, and very homey. When I got back from my hiatus a couple years back, most blogs were all about lists of the most well-dressed celebrity or morning routines or top Youtube channels to subscribe to with a lot of extra fillers on the margins and homemade layouts. Nowadays, blogs are better streamlined, with well-placed photos and optimized buttons or plugins. A far cry from the yesteryears. Also, almost everyone, businessmen, companies, even celebrities, have a blog now, multiple blogs even, unlike before where only those who had a lot of free time had blogs. 

5. Do not overthink, start now.

I have to admit, the blogging world may look saturated, but like I've said earlier, there will always be a place for another blogger. Whether you are going into this with a goal to be the top blogger ever or just testing the waters, go and start blogging.

You can always learn to do SEO or craft the perfect infographic to go with your post. You can optimize your posts even after a year, add photos or relevant links. 

Go and sign up for a blog right now, write your first post, introduce yourself to the world. There will never be the right time to do so than today.