All I can say is that when I started writing babieswhobrunch (on Louis' behalf, I might add) all those months ago back in DC, lonely was exactly what I was feeling as I knew precisely no one in Washington. Blogging was a way for me to chat with friends and family back home, and to keep them posted on what Louis and his then mom were up to. Now I'm home, I like to write mainly for my lovely American friends, who I miss more than words can say. And yes, I still find it fun. Harder to squeeze in, now that I'm writing for a living again, but fun nonetheless.
But judging from the comments my piece has elicited I now realise that many mummy bloggers take themselves far more seriously than I could have ever imagined. No wonder mummy blogs are such a PR magnet: blogging mummies clearly wield serious clout, within the mumosphere at least.
I, for one, am not knocking it, whatever some of my readers might have thought. All power to the citizen journalist. Even if they'll eventually put me out of a job. I know one baby who'd be pleased.
PS: Thought it might amuse bwb's US blog fans that despite the ructions I seem to have inadvertently caused the mummy blogging community, babieswhobrunch was named blog of the week on the British Mummy Blogging forum! That's something I'd never have imagined all those long, lonely months ago in our poky flat in Dupont Circle. I think Louis' profile is causing some confusion though. I guess there just aren't that many blogging babies out there.
16 comments:
Hi there sweetie! It can all get rather heated actually, can't it. I think too much oestrogen is never a good thing. I started blogging because I was lonely and had no life, but now everything is simply fabulous (sigh). It is so very therapeutic to escape online... at times, have you ever been on net a porter(ohmygod!!!)?
Mwah x
Your article certainly was the launching pad for quite a show. Can't wait for you next one.
PS -- must have been amazing covering the Obama election.
I blog because I have nobody else to listen to me, or at least nobody who feels they can tell me to be quiet without being denied clean washing and a decent meal everyday...
I blog to rant (get something off my chest as the 2 year old just doesn't quite make the conversationalist just yet) or to keep the rellies and friends abroad up to date.
I think we all have our different reasons why we blog, personally mine was because I wanted to write and somehow plug my book which I'm writing!
I'm often a lonely mummy, even though I'm surrounded by noise.
CJ xx
It was a good debate over there!
I blog because I like to write. Freebies, readers and so on are all just lovely extras. But it doesn't surprise me that some mummybloggers want to make money, just as some write to update family, some like to write, some like the community that blogging provides. There's room for everyone I think.
Louis is a handsome young chap!
I've been hiding behind the sofa waiting for people to stop talking about 'that article'. 'Indie Gate' has certainly caused a bit of a stir
I've been shocked and stunned and was going to write a post on the whole thing but I'm glad to read your side of things! Tee hee hee - how does it feel to stir up such a nest? Glad to see you felt the heat (in the nicest possible way) because all in all it became quite a shocker! Do more please ;-))
Most of my blogs are just ramblings, but at the moment I'm hoping my blog might help my son get the vital operation he needs.
I never realised I was a flipping 'mummy blogger' until someone told me. I obediently accepted the label and with a rueful shrug accepted the nice freebies and the trip to Disney (lots of lovely mojitos). If this is being a mummy blogger, I figured, count me in!
I think that whatever you wrote on the subject of mummy blogging would have started a heated debate - I think it's unavoidable as there are soo many mummu bloggers, all doing it for different reasons and objectives!
Thank you for the mummy blogging coverage - it's good to see recognition for what mummy bloggers do!
It's funny but I think that those who've been blogging longest might be happier to accept the loneliness was at least part of the incentive to start the whole thing than those who've done it more recently. Personally am happy to admit that it was a way of reaching out when being home with my kids and with little adult interaction during the day was driving me slowly crazy...
Now it's much more than that of course. But I've posted about that before so won't bore you with it here! Great article in any case - you know I actually hadn't joined the dots up and registered that it was you who wrote it? Must pay more attention, PM.
Thanks for all the comments! Glad to have provided something to chew over. Can't quite believe how many mummy bloggers there are out there. I certainly had no idea I'd be joining you when I started writing bwb last October. Nice to have met some of you now though! I'll certainly be clicking on all your blogs. Better get on with some writing that actually pays though.....
I can't say loneliness was a primary motivator to blogging for me - I never imagined anyone would actually read what I spewed out onto the screen let alone like it/respond!
But now I've got going I do admit that the social aspect is a nice bonus. Although free stuff is definitely not that appealing to me - I have far too much crap already.
Well done on the article! If nothing else the fall-out was quite entertaining...
I'll come out there and say it, lonlieness was (who am I kidding IS) a real factor in why I blog. I don't have a network of other Mummy friends at the moment, I don't have anyone I can pop over to see at 3.30pm on a Tuesday for a cup of tea, change of scene, bit of something different.
Blogging has proved to be a real life line for me. I'm not a writer, not a PR person, not media. I'm not looking to write a book. But I do enjoy the writing part of it so very much.
The thing that i like about blogging is that anyone can do it. You don't need to be part of the media/PR group to have a go.
Like Modern Mother says - the article was quite a show. Give us some warning next time!
Like Fraught Mummy, I'll admit I was lonely before I started blogging. I'd moved to a new area and didn't know anyone. Also I had two babies within a year and found it difficult to take them both to groups. I have met some people now 'in real life', but I don't feel part of a community yet.
The Mummy Blogging community on the other hand is, almost without exception, friendly, supportive and welcoming.
I am enjoying writing, although I'd love to be better at it. I love reading about other people's lives, it satisfies my nosiness!
I felt disproportionately upset by the comments on your article. I took all the negative ones personally. I even considered stopping blogging because I felt belittled and silly. I'm over it now of course. I blog because I enjoy it. That's the most important thing, isn't it?!
Looking forward to reading more of your blog too. Sorry I've taken up loads of your comment space :-)
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