Name: Tina F.
Age: 28
Location: Woodland Hills, CA
Blog Address: www.theteethingmom.com
What made you decide to start blogging? I needed an outlet to puke out the toxic emotional build-up that inevitably comes with being a first time mom, and Facebook wasn't cutting it. I'd post snarky status updates about motherhood almost everyday and got ignored a lot, and I was in need of somebody, anybody, who'd talk to me and somehow relate to the shitty stuff I've been going through as a new mom.
Between everything going on in your life where do you find the time to blog ? I've said this before, but it really helps when you know how to sleep with your eyes open. That gives me a lot of time to blog, instead of wasting it on trivial activities like sleeping and taking a shower. I mean, really, I ask myself, Self? Do you really need to shower every week? No? Then, blog away, dear, blog away.
But seriously, I changed my blogging philosophy from compulsively posting everyday, to posting only when I have time and really feel like it. I find that I become bitchier when I'm driven by my neurosis to post something every. fucking. day, so now, I take breaks in between to come up with content that means a lot to me.
What do you think sets your blog apart from the rest? Nothing, really. I am no different from the mommy blogger who writes about cloth diapering than I am from any other mom blogs out there. I just write on this blog they way I'd bitch to a friend who'd pretend to listen, and by some weird freak of nature, it turns out that a few people out there tune in to listen too. Maybe it's because I post a lot of random shit I find amusing, and people don't know what kind of atrocity I am bound to post again, so my blog becomes a guilty pleasure of some weird sort. Or maybe they think I'm the one who's atrocious, I don't really know.
What are some tips that you can share with the newer members of the mom blogging community on getting traffic and not getting burned out? The most important thing is to harass all your friends and family to follow your blog, because that will make you appear to have some semblance of a small following. Also, accept that success doesn't happen overnight. That Dooce girl ain't gettin' paid shit loads of money now if she didn't invest a million years trying to build her brand. Networking with other mommy bloggers who share your niche is also a key factor, and I'm not talking about following a thousand people so that they would follow you back, or leaving your link like bird poop everywhere. They key is building real relationships with these people, and eventually forming your own little niche posse, because as long as you've got their back, they'll always have yours. As far as burnout is concerned, I am still a mess myself, so no help there. I guess, just don't kill yourself trying to come up with something to post. When you find yourself ignoring your screaming child and wanting to choke slam your husband for interrupting your thoughts, it might be a good time to pass on posting something. Know that it's okay, and that other moms will live to see another day, with or without a post from you.
There are so many things that you put out there about yourself when you do a blog. Are there subjects that you keep off limits strictly for those closest to you? Other than our social and credit card numbers, I hardly ever hold back. One thing I love about my blog is the fact that it frees me to write about anything i want, because I am like this, and this is me. Judgments from anonymous mofos will always be part of it, and that's something I learned to accept the moment I decided to put myself out there.
2 comments:
My partner and I really enjoyed reading this blog post, I was just itching to know do you trade featured posts? I am always trying to find someone to make trades with and merely thought I would ask.
I don't normally trade featured post but sounds like it could be interesting. Let me know what your thinking send me an email and we can talk about it.
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