Today it is the turn of ghostwritermummy to take the hot seat! Here is a little more about her -
I am a mother, a wife, a daughter, a sister, a friend, a writer, a teacher and a blogger. I started my blog after realising that writing would help me deal with the traumatic birth of my son. Since blogging about my experiences, I have met many fabulous women who have been through similar experiences and as a result, I feel stronger. I want my blog to help other families who have suffered birth trauma and to raise awareness. Other than that, my blog has re-awakened my first love- writing.
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If I said I wasn’t feeling slightly honoured to have been asked to write a guest post on Mummy From The Heart, I would be lying. Seeing as the reason for this post is to help new bloggers along the way, not being truthful in the first sentence would be failing at the first hurdle. What I’m trying to say is that one of the most important things I have found since I started blogging is to be honest. It’s also vital that you have a voice, and that you remember your audience.
I have read so many blogs in the short while since ghostwritermummy began and I am lucky enough to have read some fabulous posts and articles that have inspired me to write my own. I have been welcomed by the mummy blogging community with open arms and now Michelle is opening those arms a little wider to help all of us new bloggers find our feet a little more easily. So, here’s what I think is important to consider:
BE HONEST
This incorporates so much. Firstly, Katie at Sluiter Nation (one of my most favourite blogs to read) has put this so much better than I could in her post which she wrote as part of For The Love of Blogging. Be honest about where your inspiration comes from- if another blogger has inspired you, give them credit and link them in, like I just did there. See? Clever, me. So, yes. Be honest. Link back to your inspiration and thank them. It’s appreciated.
Being honest is also about
HAVING A VOICE
Again, Katie puts this so well in her post and it really is important. If you like to write funny posts, then do it. If you feel more comfortable writing serious posts, then do that instead. Don’t worry about putting people off because once they know your style they will know what to expect and we’re all perfectly within our rights to read the blogs that appeal to us personally. BUT that doesn’t mean you should only ever write in one style. This is YOUR blog. Which leads me on to my next part...
REMEMBER YOUR AUDIENCE
I blogged about this as part of For The Love of Blogging in my post, Writing Wednesday. As I wrote in that post, it’s important to remember who your audience is- as I tell the children in my class when they sit down to write ANYTHING. Without an audience, there is no purpose to the writing. I’m not talking about obsessively collecting page view figures or subscription rates- I’m talking your audience, who you are writing for... YOU. A mummy blog, such as mine, inevitably begins as a way to put down your inner thoughts and, like mine once more, can begin to snowball once you start to get readers and comments. But I think it’s important to remember that the first member of your audience was always YOU and so you should write about what matters to YOU.
This last one goes back to the first two. Don’t write about something you know nothing about, don’t care about or isn’t honest. You’ll lose the reason why you started the blog in the first place. If someone asks you to review disposable nappies and you are a staunch believer in cloth nappies, then say no. Your blog is your online diary and only you can say if you’re 100% happy with everything in it. Don’t be tempted to write something just to please the people who read your blog or just to get lots of views. Just be yourself, write what matters to you and enjoy being your own boss.
Oh, and READ. The best way to develop your own style, angle and opinions is to read other blogs and get yourself involved in the community. There are so many fabulous blogs out there to read! I will leave you with this article by Kari Henley for the Huffington Post. Read it. She talks about the power of mummy bloggers and there are some fabulous tips on there too. Be inspired. Write.
Super advice there ghostwriter mummy, my blog was born of the need for me to be honest, hence the name Mummy From The Heart... Let me just point readers to this awesome post too where one well-respected blogger talks about why it is important to her to stay true to herself.
Tomorrow Heather from SAHM Loving It will make her guest appearance here at MFTH..., she will be talking about relationship building.
