Cliche Magazine June/July 2018 | Page 31

Cliche: What turned you on to blogging? Did you have any blogger inspirations that made you want to make your own space? Hang T Nguyen: I turned to blogging when I was still studying Computer Science in college. At the time, I didn’t have any blogger inspirations. I simply just wanted a place where I could document my life, store photographs of nature, sunsets, and my outfits. It was something that I did for fun. I had no idea that I would end up loving it so much. If you could write about one topic on HANGTW for a month which would it be and why? If I could write about one topic for a month, it would be about personal development, including how to set goals and achieve them. I don’t see it being discussed enough and I think it’s really important. You recently shared a blog piece about quitting your job to become a full-time blogger + sharing that with your mom. It was so brave and truly inspiring! What was your drive to follow through with blogging as a career? Did you have a gut feeling that this would be your path? Ah thank you so much! Honestly, I think what drove me to follow through with blogging as a career was fear. I feared growing old, looking back, and having regrets. I wanted to give myself a chance to do what I love. So even if it didn’t work out, I could truly say that I gave it my all. We absolutely adore how effortless the creation of your content is. What's the key to having fun with your job? How do you stay focused, yet remain free-spirited with it? Thank you! The key to having fun with my job is to give without expectation, having a good sense of humor, and working with great people. I like to stay focused by organizing my schedule beforehand. However, my schedule and ideas aren’t set in stone. They’re more like guidelines so I can be very flexible and go with the flow. Any tips or tricks for capturing that perfect Instagram shot? My #1 tip for capturing a great shot is natural lighting! Stand on the opposite side of the sun in a shaded area. That’ll give your shot a nice and even lighting. My second tip is to add a prop in your photo. This might be a book, coffee cup, or a Polaroid but it gives your shot a vibe. Also, if you don’t know what to do with your hands in pictures, this solves the problem! Throughout your travels, blog growth and sharing your life with your fans, what has been the most important experience you've learned? The most important lesson I’ve learned is to share with a purpose. A purpose keeps me fueled and going. I want to help others through my content whether it’s giving outfit ideas, advice, or how to take better pictures and edit them. It’s an amazing feeling when people write to me or walk up to me in person and tell me that one of my posts has helped them. What is the most memorable moment starting a blog has gifted you? www.clichemag.com This question is hard. I have a lot of great memories from the result of my efforts on the blog. It has gifted me with connections around the world and opportunities that I could’ve never imagined. But I think the most memorable moment is when I realized that HANGTW is a combination of all the things that I love – web design, development, writing, and photography. The blog has gifted me a place to be myself. What do you hope your blog and social media say to young girls and women globally? By sharing all of my personal experiences, struggles, and how I’ve overcome them, I hope my platforms can provide encouragement. I hope it screams loudly, “YAS, GIRL YOU CAN DO THIS!” My mission is to inspire them to live vibrantly, be courageous, and go after their dreams. 31