A bit about Heidi:

I currently work in ecotoxicology. I have been married for 7 years and I have two boys (2 and newborn). I started my blog two years ago to help people learn how to spend money wisely. Little People Wealth is about how to create wealth on a middle or class income.

1. How did you come to have your “mommy blog”? Was it planned that way or did it just accidentally sort of happen?

I started my blog expecting to blog about finance and investing, but as I gained readers I learned that many of them were moms who wanted that information plus how they can make their income stretch farther. I started writing more and more posts geared towards that. Up to that point, I never heard of or thought of myself as a ‘mommy blog’ and I still do not completely fit into that category. That said, the backlash against “mommy blogs” is silly. I blog and I am a mom and that will sometimes show up in my posts as it would with anybody who is genuinely posting about things they care about.

2. Do you work outside the home or work from home? What are you currently working on?

Both. I work in ecotoxicology outside of the home right now (biologist). I work on my blogs from home. I just launched a new blog, www.BudgetAWedding.com that teaches people to save money on their wedding without sacrificing the things they want. On Little People Wealth, I have been working on a series teaching people how to make money blogging. I am also starting an ebook on using essential oils to clean your home.

3. Do you accept advertising and sponsorship on this blog? Why or why not?

Yes. I spend hours finding deals to post for my readers, writing posts to teach them how to save money, and contacting companies to offer things to giveaway to them. I even sponsor my own giveaways. Blogging takes time and money and I need to make some money as well!

4. Do you have a blog publishing schedule or do you just spontaneously blog as the mood strikes you?

Both, I have certain posts that go up at the same time each week, but I also add posts when I feel the need. I have 1-8 posts that go up a day and usually 1 or 2 of those are scheduled.

5. Do you consider your blog a business venture or just a mommy outlet for getting thoughts out of your head? Is it both?

My blog is more of a business venture. It is not a typical “mommy blog”. I do not generally have posts solely about my being a mom or about my kids.

6. How do you feel about paid blogging and it’s impact on the mommy blogger community?

Paid blogging is sometimes okay if it is done tastefully. If I am reading something that still has personality and truth in it then I do not care if it is paid. There are lots of blogs that simply post advertisements and I do not follow those blogs. I think the greater threat to the typical mommy blogs is exactly opposite. Many mommy blogs will post advertisements for nothing, or review any product that comes their way without offering a giveaway for their readers or additional compensation. They do not understand what their true value is.

7. Do you talk about your family in any depth of detail on your blog? Do they know about it and do they read your blog?

I give them updates and my internet-savvy family follows it. Unfortunately most of my family is not so internet savvy!

8. Do you use real names and include pictures of your children on your blog? What brought you to that decision?

You will sometimes see a picture of my kiddo in the background (or on my about page), but I do not post names. I feel safe online, but knowing a kids name opens a lot of doors for a “stranger”. I don’t think anything would ever happen, but it isn’t worth the risk.

9. What really inspires you to blog?

When I first started blogging it was just to keep track of my own deals, goals, and expenditures. I started getting emails from readers saying that I was helping them out and that is what inspires me to keep going.

10. Has a comment on your blog ever made you cry?

Nope!

11. Do you read and comment on other mommy blogs frequently? Do those bloggers visit your blog and comment as well?

I try to visit and comment, but I only visit and comment as many as I can really read and leave a heart felt comment for. I actually find it really frustrating to see the copy/pasted comment that many bloggers do saying “Hi, I am such and such and you have such a great blog. I am here from such and such please come and see me” or something to that effect. if you leave a comment then say something about the post! If you are just blog hopping and copy/pasting comments on the latest post to gain traffic to your own blog then I do not feel obligated to leave a comment on your blog.

12. Name one thing about your lifestyle that blogging has changed or impacted?

I have to schedule my time carefully. Blogging takes up a lot of it, but I do not want it to take away from my family at all.

13. Has blogging led to other things online for you? (such as business ventures, job offers, additional blogs etc….)

I started a new blog, Budget A Wedding at www.budgetawedding.com, because of my great experience with Little People Wealth.

14. What mommy blogger myth or misconception annoys you the most? What do you want to say to those people, even if you bite your tongue?

The myth that being a mommy changes your blog frustrates me. It is just a demographic. I find it frustrating that mommyhood can never be separated from women in business and yet being a father is hardly ever brought up when it is a man in business.

15. Have you been contacted by media or PR reps because of your blog? Is that something you’re interested in and enjoy, or not so much?

Yes and I enjoy it. I can offer something to my readers or grow my blog business when media and PR contacts me.

16. Were the technical aspects of getting started a hurdle for you?

Not really, I learn as I go.

17. What blogging platform do you use and why did you choose that platform?

Blogger. I choose it because the drag/drop interface is so easy to use.

18. What three things do you *need* to have for your blog? (Plugins, tools, etc…)

I think you need a custom design. You begin to see the same vector graphics over and over in the blogging business. You also need a button since that is the cornerstone for advertising for blogs. Finally, you need a newsletter to keep and recruit new readers.

19. What is your favorite thing about blogging?

Emails from readers saying you helped them!

20. What advice do you have for someone that wants to break into blogging and has never done anything online before?

Start with blogger if you are new, it is easier!

I want to thank Heidi for being here with us today. Remember, you can check out her blog Little People Wealth at www.littlepeoplewealth.com where Heidi helps us save money in every corner of our lives. You can also follow Heidi on Twitter @lpwealth.

If you’re a tweet addict like myself, I’ve created a list at Twitter of all our 20 Questions with Mommy Bloggers interviewees so you can find them and follow them easily http://twitter.com/retta719/mommybloggers Of course, I’ll be adding to that as we go along and updating each week.

I hope you are enjoying the 20 Questions with Mommy Bloggers series as much as I am. If you’d like be interviewed or recommend your favorite mommy blogger for the series please send an email to retta.oliver@gmail.com and let me know.

Happy Blogging!

P.S.If you’re new to blogging and need a little help, I strongly recommend Beginner to Blogger in 4 Weeks from my good friend and fellow mastermind group member Traci Knoppe. She’ll take you step by step through the entire process from installation to creating your blog posts and she’ll even help you customize your blog theme.

What are you waiting for? Get started blogging today! Learn how to create a blog with the Beginner to Blogger in 4 Weeks eCourse

As a side note, I have been poking around the Moms Wear Your Tees Website and I’m really loving the views on social media that have framed their business model. I strongly encourage you to check it out!

Now, let’s meet Scarlet and her blog ….

I have lived all over the United States. My met my husband in college 15 years ago! I used to work as a retail store manager now I am a stay at home mother of two.

1. How did you come to have your “mommy blog”? Was it planned that way or did it just accidentally sort of happen?

I just up and decided to go for it!

2. Do you work outside the home or work from home? What are you currently working on?

I work from the home. I created MWYT Social Media Marketing.

3. Do you accept advertising and sponsorship on this blog? Why or why not?

Yes, I do accept sponsorship as it allows for lots of great giveaways for my readers. I keep it clearly labeled and do not clutter my blog with ads. I enjoy familiarizing my readers with cool companies. If I am not into the product, I don’t accept the sponsor.

4. Do you have a blog publishing schedule or do you just spontaneously blog as the mood strikes you?

I ususally blog once a day. Sometimes the mood strikes me more often, sometimes less!

5. Do you consider your blog a business venture or just a mommy outlet for getting thoughts out of your head? Is it both?

It is a business outlet and personal outlet and I think that keeps it more interesting for the readers. If it was purely one or the other, I feel that it wouldn’t offer as much. But then, I like variety, change, and spice!

6. How do you feel about paid blogging and it’s impact on the mommy blogger community?

I feel great about it! I think it should be more prevalent. It is very hard to get paid to blog but if someone can find a topic that they want to write about and somone else will pay them to do so, fabulous. Especially if it is helping mommies who want to stay home with their kids be able to do so.

7. Do you talk about your family in any depth of detail on your blog? Do they know about it and do they read your blog?

Not too much. I am not into sharing deep secrets. I do like sharing our activities and crafts and trips though. My kids are too young. My husband and other family keep an eye on my blog occasionally.

8. Do you use real names and include pictures of your children on your blog? What brought you to that decision?

I do. I don’t see it as a big deal.

9. What really inspires you to blog?

Things I like. If I enjoy a craft we did or a product we tried, I share it!

10. Has a comment on your blog ever made you cry?

No

11. Do you read and comment on other mommy blogs frequently? Do those bloggers visit your blog and comment as well?

Yes.

12. Name one thing about your lifestyle that blogging has changed or impacted?

I devote time to it on a regular basis. We get to try a lot of great new products. We have this record of our daily lives.

13. Has blogging led to other things online for you? (such as business ventures, job offers, additional blogs etc….)

It has led to many new friendships.

14. What mommy blogger myth or misconception annoys you the most? What do you want to say to those people, even if you bite your tongue?

I am pretty laid back. I do feel that there is some concern by some about being labeled as a mommy blogger. I figure I am a mom and I am a blogger and I don’t feel boxed in by that.

15. Have you been contacted by media or PR reps because of your blog? Is that something you’re interested in and enjoy, or not so much?

Yes. I get contacted. Sometimes I love it. Sometimes I am not interested. Just depends on the news, cause, or product they are sharing.

16. Were the technical aspects of getting started a hurdle for you?

No. They make it pretty easy. I still have trouble getting the images to behave properly on occasion though!

17. What blogging platform do you use and why did you choose that platform?

I chose Blogger because it was free and easy.

18. What things do you *need* to have for your blog? (Plugins, tools, etc…)

I need the share this button. I would love the comment luv plug in if I move to wordpress one day.

19. What is your favorite thing about blogging?

I like pushing publish. I get a great feeling of creation and completion!

20. What advice do you have for someone that wants to break into blogging and has never done anything online before?

Go for it! Learn as you go. Mommy bloggers are great at supporting each other, giving pointers, sharing info, and it is easiest to learn by doing.

Remember, you can find Scarlet’s blog at http://www.momswearyourtees.blogspot.com and you can connect with her on Twitter by following @MWYT.

If you’re a tweet addict like myself, I’ve created a list at Twitter of all our 20 Questions with Mommy Bloggers interviewees so you can find them and follow them easily http://twitter.com/retta719/mommybloggers Of course, I’ll be adding to that as we go along and updating each week.

I hope you are enjoying the 20 Questions with Mommy Bloggers series as much as I am. If you’d like be interviewed or recommend your favorite mommy blogger for the series please send an email to retta.oliver@gmail.com and let me know.

Happy Blogging!

P.S.If you’re new to blogging and need a little help, I strongly recommend Beginner to Blogger in 4 Weeks from my good friend and fellow mastermind group member Traci Knoppe. She’ll take you step by step through the entire process from installation to creating your blog posts and she’ll even help you customize your blog theme.

What are you waiting for? Get started blogging today! Learn how to create a blog with the Beginner to Blogger in 4 Weeks eCourse

This week I’d like you to meet Tanya Peila of Just My Life.

I am a full time working (outside the home) mom of two, Carson who is 6 and Ashlee who is 1. I live with my husband of 13 years in Washington.

1. How did you come to have your “mommy blog”? Was it planned that way or did it just accidentally sort of happen?

It just accidentally happened. Started a blog and just found opportunities to excel my blog.

2. Do you work outside the home or work from home? What are you currently working on?

I currently work full time outside of the home (hoping to one day stay home). I am currently working on starting an on the side online sales business. To launch in July.

3. Do you accept advertising and sponsorship on this blog? Why or why not?

Not really. There are SO many options it’s just to hard to keep up with who you are sined up with.

4. Do you have a blog publishing schedule or do you just spontaneously blog as the mood strikes you?

I blog Monday through Friday and have just started having guest bloggers. I try to keep each week somewhat related to what is going on in my life.

5. Do you consider your blog a business venture or just a mommy outlet for getting thoughts out of your head? Is it both?

I am trying to start a mommy business. It is definitely something to consider in this econimic time though. I have been thinking about it for several years and think I finally found something that has not been “cornered in” on.

6. How do you feel about paid blogging and it’s impact on the mommy blogger community?

I have no issues with honest paid blogging. I have told companies beofre that either I don’t blog at all or I will give them a bad review.

7. Do you talk about your family in any depth of detail on your blog? Do they know about it and do they read your blog?

Not really. Some of them do. Not most of them though.

8. Do you use real names and include pictures of your children on your blog? What brought you to that decision?

At first no, but I have started here and there. Just did not want to spill all the details of my life on the internet!

9. What really inspires you to blog?

Getting my thoughts out and connecting with other moms.

10. Has a comment on your blog ever made you cry?

Yes

11. Do you read and comment on other mommy blogs frequently? Do those bloggers visit your blog and comment as well?

Yes and No

12. Name one thing about your lifestyle that blogging has changed or impacted?

Product research.

13. Has blogging led to other things online for you? (such as business ventures, job offers, additional blogs etc….)

Yes. Job offers but none yet that can compensate for my full time job.

14. What mommy blogger myth or misconception annoys you the most? What do you want to say to those people, even if you bite your tongue?

I try not to get caught up in the mommy blog rumors. Honestly I don’t even keep up with them.

15. Have you been contacted by media or PR reps because of your blog? Is that something you’re interested in and enjoy, or not so much?

Yes many times, and I enjoy it.

16. Were the technical aspects of getting started a hurdle for you?

No I love learning the web design side of blogging and sharing with others

17. What blogging platform do you use and why did you choose that platform?

Blogger, that is just what I started with and do not want to redo it

18. What three things do you *need* to have for your blog? (Plugins, tools, etc…)

Original content, consistent blogging, read and comment on other sites.

19. What is your favorite thing about blogging?

LOL The products! And really the great comments I get from readers

20. What advice do you have for someone that wants to break into blogging and has never done anything online before?

Take it one step at a time and ask questions!

Good advice and great answers all around, Tanya! I want to thank you for joining us on our quest to prove that there’s more to mommy blogging than moms, kids, and coffee. I encourage everyone to check out Tanya’s blog, Just My Life at http://www.tanyapeila.com/.

In addition to her blog and her etsy shop you’ll also find Tanya on Twitter @tanyapeila. If you’re a tweet addict like myself, I’ve created a list at Twitter of all our 20 Questions with Mommy Bloggers interviewees so you can find them and follow them easily http://twitter.com/retta719/mommybloggers Of course, I’ll be adding to that as we go along and updating each week.

I hope you are enjoying the 20 Questions with Mommy Bloggers series as much as I am. If you’d like be interviewed or recommend your favorite mommy blogger for the series please send an email to retta.oliver@gmail.com and let me know.

Happy Blogging!

P.S.If you’re new to blogging and need a little help, I strongly recommend Beginner to Blogger in 4 Weeks from my good friend and fellow mastermind group member Traci Knoppe. She’ll take you step by step through the entire process from installation to creating your blog posts and she’ll even help you customize your blog theme.

What are you waiting for? Get started blogging today! Learn how to create a blog with the Beginner to Blogger in 4 Weeks eCourse

This week’s awesome mom blogger is Dana Adams of MrsMoneySaver.com (formerly known as FrugalinVirginia.com)

Dana Adams is married to her high school sweetheart, Ryan. She is a work-at-home mom to a spirited daughter, Sadie, and a newborn son, Jack. Dana lives in a tiny community near Charlottesville, Virginia.

1. How did you come to have your “mommy blog”? Was it planned that way or did it just accidentally sort of happen?

I started my blog as a way to share information on money saving with friends and family. It didn’t take long though to learn that I could grow it to bigger audience and also turn it into my own business.

2. Do you work outside the home or work from home? What are you currently working on?

I currently work from home, working part time on my blog.

3. Do you accept advertising and sponsorship on this blog? Why or why not?

Yes, I accept advertising and sponsorships on my blog. I offer a lot of useful information to my readers for free, but I put a lot of time into the site providing that content. In order to justify the amount of time I spend on it, I decided to earn an income through the site. I do try very hard to make sure the advertising is only a small part of my site, not overshadowing anything else I offer.

As a side note I want to say that I personally think that Dana has a nice balance as far as monetization goes. The site is not over run with ads and she points you towards things that are on topic.

4. Do you have a blog publishing schedule or do you just spontaneously blog as the mood strikes you?

Yes, I do have a publishing schedule for the weekly store deals I share. The rest of the content comes as the mood strikes and I have the time.

5. Do you consider your blog a business venture or just a mommy outlet for getting thoughts out of your head? Is it both?

Yes, I absolutely consider my blog a business. But at the same time, it also provides a wonderful creative outlet and opportunity for personal growth that I might not have otherwise. Before I started blogging, I felt like my brain was turning to mush staying at home with my baby. Not that I didn’t love being a stay at home mom, but I felt I needed something more to keep me sharp.

6. How do you feel about paid blogging and it’s impact on the mommy blogger community?

I’m okay with paid blogging as long as it’s disclosed and the blog posts are written honestly and with an authentic voice. If you aren’t writing with integrity, your readers will eventually see through you, and you won’t be able to sustain traffic. It’s a lose/lose situation for both the blogger and companies involved if the readers can’t trust your voice.

7. Do you talk about your family in any depth of detail on your blog? Do they know about it and do they read your blog?

I occasionally talk about my children and husband, but typically only when it’s related to my blog’s topic of frugality. My husband writes for my blog sometimes too, usually sharing some more details about our family life.

8. Do you use real names and include pictures of your children on your blog? What brought you to that decision?

Yes, I use real names and pictures, but I keep the picture sharing to a minimum and am very careful about the pictures I do post. I guess my thinking has always been, why not share those things? If someone really wanted to see my children or find us, they could.

9. What really inspires you to blog?

My desire to help families live well on less.

10. Has a comment on your blog ever made you cry?

Yes, occasionally I’ll get a comment that makes me cry a little. The stories people share of how my site helped them get out of incredibly tough financial situations always touch me.

11. Do you read and comment on other mommy blogs frequently? Do those bloggers visit your blog and comment as well?

I read several other mom blogs each day, and I like to join in their conversations by commenting when I have time. Some of those bloggers visit my site as well and actively participate by commenting.

12. Name one thing about your lifestyle that blogging has changed or impacted?

I think I’m more organized and purposeful with my time than I used to be, because of the increased work load.

13. Has blogging led to other things online for you? (such as business ventures, job offers, additional blogs etc….)

Yes, it has. Currently, I have teamed up with two other bloggers to organize a mom blogger’s conference scheduled for October 2010. I also have something exciting in the works that including blogging on a company’s site, but as of the time I’m writing this, I can’t share any more details!

14. What mommy blogger myth or misconception annoys you the most? What do you want to say to those people, even if you bite your tongue?

The myth that bothers me the most is that we’re a bunch of moms who are willing to work for free. While that may be true of some, most of us find our time valuable and need to be paid accordingly.

15. Have you been contacted by media or PR reps because of your blog? Is that something you’re interested in and enjoy, or not so much?

Yes, I am contacted on a daily basis by PR reps. I really enjoy that side of the blogging business. I like making those contacts, learning about their companies, and forming partnerships.

16. Were the technical aspects of getting started a hurdle for you?

Absolutely. I knew so little about the technical side of it when I started. Really, I still have a lot to learn. My husband knows much more than I do, and has helped me out a tremendous amount with the technical side of things.

17. What blogging platform do you use and why did you choose that platform?

I switched to WordPress several months ago after over a year on Blogger. It’s been a great move. I’ve found WordPress to be much easier to customize and navigate. Plus, I feel like it has a bit of a cleaner look.

18. What three things do you *need* to have for your blog? (Plugins, tools, etc…)

Feedburner, spam blocker plugin, and a stat counter.

19. What is your favorite thing about blogging?

I love being able to provide useful information to families that will hopefully have a positive effect on their budgets.

20. What advice do you have for someone that wants to break into blogging and has never done anything online before?

It takes time. First, it takes time to blog well. Lots of it, especially if you want to grow it into a business. Be sure you’re aware of the time commitment. Second, it takes time to grow an audience. Don’t get discouraged.

I agree with that 110%, blog content certainly doesn’t write and publish itself and you need a little time investment to get things rolling along.

Head on over to Dana’s blog MrsMoneySaver.com and sign up for her feed to keep up with what she’s doing and learn how to save a lot of money each and every week on your household shopping. I know I’ve learned quite a few things since I started following her blog, including how to work out those drugstore deals that everyone is always buzzing about on Twitter.

Speaking of Twitter, you can follow Dana there @MrsMoneysaver and check out the deals that she tweets as well. If you’re a tweet addict like myself, I’ve created a list at Twitter of all our 20 Questions with Mommy Bloggers interviewees so you can find them and follow them easily http://twitter.com/retta719/mommybloggers Of course, I’ll be adding to that as we go along and updating each week.

I hope you are enjoying the 20 Questions with Mommy Bloggers series as much as I am. If you’d like be interviewed or recommend your favorite mommy blogger for the series please send an email to retta.oliver@gmail.com and let me know.

Happy Blogging!

P.S. Learn how to plan, set up, and blog your way through your very own Blog World Tour from Nicole Dean.

Nicole gives you step by step guidance on how to plan your blogging tour, and to top it all off she provides you with all the resources you need laid out for you. There’s even a sample email to help you explain the tour idea to the bloggers you want to work with.

If that’s not enough this guide and planner is packed full of juicy blogging tidbits. You’ll be able to generate blog post ideas for your tour in no time flat, you’ll have an easy to use spreadsheet handy to keep you organized, and you’ll be able to build links and grow your readership like you never imagined possible.

This week’s mom is Shannon Stoltz of Living Life at Home. The musing of a work-at-home, homeschooling mom to four fun kids and wife to a wonderful, indulgent husband.

A Note from Shannon
Living life, fully at home with family is a wonderful, fun, and amazing journey. Not always easy, but definitely worth it. We started this journey of homeschooling when my oldest child (now 11) was preschool age – though if you ask her, she’ll say it was when she was born. Now I’m homeschooling all four of our children and never ever regret it.

During our entire homeschooling journey, I have worked at home. Early on I worked 10-12 hour days from my home office while my husband cared for the children, and then after work, my oldest and I would sit down and do her schoolwork. In fact, when I stopped working those long days, it was difficult to get her to do her schoolwork during the day. By the time my second child was ready to “start school”, I had a flexible schedule working at home as a freelancer.

I am frequently asked how I balance it all, is it really possible to homeschool and work, and more frequently, other homeschooling moms ask me how they can work from home. Here I hope to encourage others who homeschool and work in their journey, encourage those who are considering homeschooling, and share lessons and information I have learned along the way…and am still learning.

I am not a perfect individual, nor is my family perfect. But my children are loved beyond measure, and we live life together.

I pray that you will be encouraged in your journey and hope that you will find something useful here.

…Shannon

1. How did you come to have your “mommy blog”? Was it planned that way or did it just accidentally sort of happen?

I started my first mommy blog in 2004, as a way to share the details of a family trip with other family members, and it got me hooked. I played with blogging on and off for several years before I really decided what I wanted to do online. I started Living Life at Home in November 2008 as a mommy blog, as an outlet to connect with other moms out there, particularly work-at-home and/or homeschooling moms, and as a vehicle to share information.

2. Do you work outside the home or work from home? What are you currently working on?

Yes, I work from home as a communication consultant and trainer for IT firms and departments, and as the content editor for a technical magazine. I also have several web sites where I sell my own training products and do affiliate marketing for products I trust and believe will help my readers.

3. Do you accept advertising and sponsorship on this blog? Why or why not?

Currently, this is not an area I’m pursuing. Not to say I wouldn’t consider it, but my Living Life at Home blog is about sharing information mom-to-mom, like I would with any other friend over coffee or sitting around talking at a play date. I only talk about products and services that relate specifically to my audience and that I personally use, have used, or are really interested in using and believe that my audience will benefit from in their own lives.

4. Do you have a blog publishing schedule or do you just spontaneously blog as the mood strikes you?

Both actually. I have a blog publishing schedule, but because of work and family demands, I don’t always meet it (something I’m working on…). And, I do post spontaneously, when something happens with the kids, or on another blog, or that is really on my heart to share.

5. Do you consider your blog a business venture or just a mommy outlet for getting thoughts out of your head? Is it both?

Living Life at Home is both for me. It started out as a vehicle for me to share lessons learned, things that are on my heart, and challenges and praises for things that we face as moms – particularly work at home and/or homeschooling moms. But it is also one aspect of my publishing business, mostly because my hubby prefers that if I’m going to be spending time and energy on the computer that it at least pay for itself.

6. How do you feel about paid blogging and it’s impact on the mommy blogger community?

Personally, I’m okay with paid blogging, though it’s not something that would fit with my Living Life at Home blog, as that’s not what it’s about. Bloggers spend a lot of time and energy sharing with their readers, and mom bloggers in particular are taking their time and energy away from their families to share with their thoughts and experience. And I think it’s good to recognize that that time and insight has value and is worthy of compensation.

7. Do you talk about your family in any depth of detail on your blog? Do they know about it and do they read your blog?

I do. It’s a mommy blog after all and I do talk about things that are going on in our lives or that we’ve struggled with or have found really works for us. My older kids and my husband know I blog, but they don’t read the blog. My 12 yo daughter does periodically come look at something I’ve posted when I’m working, and she’s okay with it. Both my 10 yo and 12 yo blog, so they get it.

8. Do you use real names and include pictures of your children on your blog? What brought you to that decision?

Most of the pictures on my blog are of my kids, but I don’t usually refer to them by name – just by their age at the time of whatever I’m discussing. Periodically I might slip and mention my older daughter’s name or use her online pen name, but most of the time, not. I ask the kids to be careful about revealing personal information about themselves online, and I’ve chosen to back that up by not using their names on the blog.

9. What really inspires you to blog?

I’m not really sure – there’s something in me to share information. I’ve learned so much from other moms, from moms that have generously shared their heart and struggles, and ideas with me, that I feel like if I have something to share that will help someone else, then I should do it.

Lately, I’ve also be considering my oldest daughter, she’s 12 now, and entering a new phase of her life, and there’s little things that I’d like to remember to share with her, when she’s ready or needs it.

10. Has a comment on your blog ever made you cry? No.

11. Do you read and comment on other mommy blogs frequently? Do those bloggers visit your blog and comment as well?

I go in spurts. Time constraints prevent me from frequently and consistently commenting on other blogs, but I do enjoy reading other blogs and will comment if I find something particularly inspiring or useful, or if I have something to add. Often, those whose blogs I visit will often come visit me and comment too. I enjoy hearing from my readers and going out and reading their blogs as well.

12. Name one thing about your lifestyle that blogging has changed or impacted?

My sanity? No seriously…I think in an odd way it’s allowed me to do more with the kids. By blogging, and having it as an aspect of my business, I’m incorporating my “work” with “hanging out with the kids”, so I don’t feel as much of the conflict between should I be working or should I be playing in the garden with the kids… because if I’m going to blog about it, then it is work – and it’s fun with the kids.

13. Has blogging led to other things online for you such as business ventures, job offers, additional blogs etc….

Definitely. The more I learn, the more opportunities come up and/or more ideas I have. Just today I started another spin-off blog from Living Life at Home to chronicle my weight loss journey – different audience, different blog. I have to be careful though, because there’s a temptation to take on too much, because it’s fun and interesting, but that’s part of balancing all the roles that we have as moms, as wives, as women.

14. What mommy blogger myth or misconception annoys you the most? What do you want to say to those people, even if you bite your tongue?

You know, I just don’t let other people’s misconception about blogging bother me. If a person doesn’t get it and doesn’t want to, that’s where they are at and nothing I say is going to change that. I respect that they have an opinion, whether I agree with it or not. (Life would be pretty boring if we all had the same thoughts and experiences!) There’s plenty of us that do get what blogging is about and many who are curious and want to know more, and that’s where I chose to focus my energy.

15. Have you been contacted by media or PR reps because of your blog? Is that something you’re interested in and enjoy, or not so much?

Yes, I’ve had a media opportunity because of the blog. It is something I am interested in and enjoy, especially if I can share something that will help make someone else’s life or journey easier.

16. Were the technical aspects of getting started a hurdle for you?

No. I purposely chose to go with as simple and as flexible of a platform as I could, to make my life easier.

17. What blogging platform do you use and why did you choose that platform? (WordPress, Typepad, Blogger, etc…)

For Living Life at Home, I went with a self-hosted WordPress blog, and pretty much use that for all my sites now because it’s easy to use and easy to customize. When I started my first blog, I used Blogger and it was a good entry to blogging, but as I got more experience and wanted to do more I felt WordPress was a better option.

18. What three things do you *need* to have for your blog? (Plugins, tools, etc…)

Absolute musts in my opinion are a spam filter for comments (Like Askimet), a way to back up your blog on a regular basis (like WordPress Database Backup), and a way for your readers to subscribe either via RSS or email (preferably both). And, of course, a way to web optimize images that you post on your site. Images make a HUGE difference in how appealing and readable your posts are.

19. What is your favorite thing about blogging?

My favorite thing is the neat people I get to “meet” online and learn from. Blogging also helps me share my heart in ways that I can’t often do in person – because I’m tired or distracted by kids or work. I love hearing that something I’ve written or shared has helped someone else, and I love passing on information from others that helped me and ends up helping someone else. It’s like being able to have long conversations with friends, without doing it in person or disrupting my family’s schedule.

20. What advice do you have for someone that wants to break into blogging and has never done anything online before?

Just give it a try and don’t let it intimidate you! Like anything new, there’s always more to learn, but just have fun with, be true to who you are, and know that you can always start again. If you are really want to build your audience, then don’t be afraid to comment on others blogs. And read…find others who you relate to and learn from them. But, be careful of anything that spouts that you can earn lots of money blogging – it’s possible, but not fast and easy like so many promise.

Remember, you can find out more about Shannon and follow her adventures of being a home schooling mom working towards passive income at Living Life at Home and you can follow her on Twitter @wahhmom. I think you’ll definitely enjoy her point of view both at work and at home.

If you’re a tweet addict like myself, I’ve created a list at Twitter of all our 20 Questions with Mommy Bloggers interviewees so you can find them and follow them easily http://twitter.com/retta719/mommybloggers Of course, I’ll be adding to that as we go along and updating each week.

I hope you are enjoying the 20 Questions with Mommy Bloggers series as much as I am. If you’d like be interviewed or recommend your favorite mommy blogger for the series please send an email to retta.oliver@gmail.com and let me know.

Happy Blogging!

P.S. Learn how to plan, set up, and blog your way through your very own Blog World Tour from Nicole Dean.

Nicole gives you step by step guidance on how to plan your blogging tour, and to top it all off she provides you with all the resources you need laid out for you. There’s even a sample email to help you explain the tour idea to the bloggers you want to work with.

If that’s not enough this guide and planner is packed full of juicy blogging tidbits. You’ll be able to generate blog post ideas for your tour in no time flat, you’ll have an easy to use spreadsheet handy to keep you organized, and you’ll be able to build links and grow your readership like you never imagined possible.

This week’s mom is Genesis Davies from Expat Mom. Genesis is a Canadian expat living in Guatemala with her Latino spouse and their two bilingual boys. She is also a freelance writer who works from home and enjoys cooking in the small amount of free time that she can find in her busy days.

The Expat Mom blog has been online for 2.5 years now and is full of beautiful pictures and interesting stories that only a mom can tell.

1. How did you come to have your “mommy blog”? Was it planned that way or did it just accidentally sort of happen?

I originally had my wahm blog, http://athomemomblog.com and found that I wanted to share more personal stories that didn’t really fit there, so I set up Expat Mom to be my personal blog. It was also a place where friends and family back in Canada could see updates of my daily life and see pictures of the kids.

2. Do you work outside the home or work from home? What are you currently working on?

I work at home. As for what I’m currently working on . . . there’s a lot! I have a full time writing business, but I also work for a PR firm where I blog and do client work, as well as training new team members. Those are practically two entire jobs on their own, but since I’m a workaholic, I had to add more! I also run a cooking site (thegourmetmama.com) and am currently teaching a freelance writing course.

3. Do you accept advertising and sponsorship on this blog? Why or why not?

Truthfully, Expat Mom isn’t for monetizing. I’ve put up a few small ads but they are just affiliate links or ads for a cause that I strongly believe in but receive no compensation for. I don’t aim very high with this blog, but it seems to have attracted a lot of followers.

4. Do you have a blog publishing schedule or do you just spontaneously blog as the mood strikes you?

With this blog, I do write spontaneously. There’s something to write about on a daily basis, being a mom of two rowdy little guys, but sometimes I’m just too tired to put my adventures into words that day.

5. Do you consider your blog a business venture or just a mommy outlet for getting thoughts out of your head? Is it both?

In this case, it was definitely not a business. I just wanted an outlet and since At Home Mom was my business blog, Expat didn’t need to be. I kept all my wahm stuff on the other blog and then later expanded into Gourmet Mama, as well, which I consider a business blog, as well. That one has yet to earn, but the potential is there.

6. How do you feel about paid blogging and it’s impact on the mommy blogger community?

I’m not very decided on that topic, actually. I think that some women take it over the top with paid blog posts. They rave about the product and are only positive. To me, a good review includes both pros and cons, whether or not it’s paid for. When you are 120% for a product, it gets a little suspicious and people start to wonder if you’re only saying that because you were paid.

7. Do you talk about your family in any depth of detail on your blog? Do they know about it and do they read your blog?

I talk a LOT about my family, particularly my kids. My husband and one of my sisters reads the blog. My grandmother does, as well, so she can keep up with what is going on in our lives.

8. Do you use real names and include pictures of your children on your blog? What brought you to that decision?

I do use real names and photos, mostly because it didn’t occur to me in the beginning not to. Also, I figured, since I live in Guatemala, not many people are going to be actually in the same location. Little did I know there would be a mass immigration to this country over the past year!

9. What really inspires you to blog?

My lonely life as a writer. Since I’m in a foreign country, up the side of a volcano and work from home, I don’t get out much. I do have friends, but we meet up infrequently, and since I love to talk, my blog is where I get to discuss things that I would normally talk about with friends or my sisters.

10. Has a comment on your blog ever made you cry?

Not on Expat Mom, but on At Home Mom, yes. People can be very cruel.

11. Do you read and comment on other mommy blogs frequently? Do those bloggers visit your blog and comment as well?

I visit several mommy blogs and am constantly discovering new ones. It really depends on the blogger as to whether or not they visit mine. Obviously those with thousands of readers aren’t going to be checking out my blog, but most of the smaller bloggers do.

12. Name one thing about your lifestyle that blogging has changed or impacted?

It’s made me more outgoing, amazingly. I’ve met people from around the world because of my blog. When someone is coming to Antigua, they email me and often we meet up for a coffee and to chat. It’s also helped me realize that I really love to help people . . . I get almost daily emails from people who are moving here or thinking about it or maybe already here and need advice. I really enjoy answering their questions and helping them out.

13. Has blogging led to other things online for you? (such as business ventures, job offers, additional blogs etc….)

I’ve actually had several job offers as a result of my blogging. Some of them didn’t pan out, but some did. I mention my writing on both Expat and At Home Mom frequently, so it’s no secret what I do. When someone likes what they read and needs a writer, they contact me.

14. What mommy blogger myth or misconception annoys you the most? What do you want to say to those people, even if you bite your tongue?

That we’re all just a bunch of moms with no life, ignoring our children (ok, that part is true sometimes!), addicted to gossiping online. Nothing could be further from the truth. I’m a hardworking mother who spends time with her kids, works online and shares some of her life with anyone who cares to read about the ups and downs of living in a foreign country with little kids.

15. Have you been contacted by media or PR reps because of your blog? Is that something you’re interested in and enjoy, or not so much?

I haven’t been contacted but I think I would be pretty open to media contacting me. Particularly if it related to one of the causes I’m interested in or to one of my other blogs.

16. Were the technical aspects of getting started a hurdle for you?

I had trouble figuring out hosting and switched from free WordPress to a hosted version on a bad host, then another bad host and finally settled on HostGator, where I’m very happy. It was a learning process because I’m not very technical minded, but there are lots of online tutorials.

17. What blogging platform do you use and why did you choose that platform? (WordPress, Typepad, Blogger, etc…)

I picked WordPress because I started on the free version and didn’t want to learn something new. As it turns out, that was the best choice I could have made! I’m very happy with WordPress and now use it for all my blogs and websites. It’s very easy to use and there are a number of templates and plugins available for it.

18. What three things do you *need* to have for your blog? (Plugins, tools, etc…)

1. Akismet Spam: Totally vital. On Expat Mom, I only get 2-3 spam comments a day, but on At Home Mom, I get upwards of 30 a day and Akismet stops the vast majority.

3. Flickr: You can upload photos to your own server, but I love Flickr because it lets me easily place photos and it also boosts traffic, since I add the URL to the photo description in Flickr.

19. What is your favorite thing about blogging?

The interaction. I love logging in and seeing new comments, it’s exciting to see what others think about what I’m writing. Also, I get a lot of advice when I post about health or discipline issues, which is great.

20. What advice do you have for someone that wants to break into blogging and has never done anything online before?

Just get started. You can always tweak later but you’ll regret it if you spend months thinking and planning. You’ll learn as you go.

Remember, you’ll find Genesis blogging at Expat Mom and you can also follow her on Twitter @athomemom to keep up to date and get to know her better. Go on, give her a shout out on Twitter, say hello, and let her know that you enjoyed her blog and her interview here.

If you’re a tweet addict like myself, I’ve created a list at Twitter of all our 20 Questions with Mommy Bloggers interviewees so you can find them and follow them easily http://twitter.com/retta719/mommybloggers Of course, I’ll be adding to that as we go along and updating each week.

I hope you are enjoying the 20 Questions with Mommy Bloggers series as much as I am. If you’d like be interviewed or recommend your favorite mommy blogger for the series please send an email to retta.oliver@gmail.com and let me know.

Happy Blogging!

P.S. Learn how to plan, set up, and blog your way through your very own Blog World Tour from Nicole Dean.

Nicole gives you step by step guidance on how to plan your blogging tour, and to top it all off she provides you with all the resources you need laid out for you. There’s even a sample email to help you explain the tour idea to the bloggers you want to work with.

If that’s not enough this guide and planner is packed full of juicy blogging tidbits. You’ll be able to generate blog post ideas for your tour in no time flat, you’ll have an easy to use spreadsheet handy to keep you organized, and you’ll be able to build links and grow your readership like you never imagined possible.

Val has had Busy Momma online since 2004. She’s been married to her high school sweetheart for 15 years and it’s been an awesome roller coaster ride with 2 beautiful kids to show for it. She describes her blog as very much a personal blog on her journey of being such a busy momma and wife.

It’s hardcore and not family friendly most of the time, but experience shows that Val’s reader’s appreciate that open honest reality. As the tagline says, “Telling it like it is and not caring if you agree!“. If you a question in real life you will get an answer that is truthful, this blog is purely Val.

1. How did you come to have your “mommy blog”? Was it planned that way or did it just accidentally sort of happen?

My blog was started in early 2004 at least. It was just used as a vent and usually still is. No direction, it was just how things hit me and I added them. People were on blogger so I went over there to check it out. I immediately fell in love with blogging.

2. Do you work outside the home or work from home? What are you currently working on?

I work from home and outside the home, but all of them are my own business. My personal training business takes me to where my clients are of course. But I really love working online even more. Virtual assisting others and working on my sites and affiliate sales.

3. Do you accept advertising and sponsorship on this blog? Why or why not?

You know, my advertising page may be up still honestly, but I don’t push it. It’s just not worth selling advertising on my personal blog. I sell advertising on other sites that the niche brings the traffic. But on my blog it’s all about me, I feel I should make the affiliate sales on things I really enjoy. The only things put up on my blog are things I’ve used and approve of.

4. Do you have a blog publishing schedule or do you just spontaneously blog as the mood strikes you?

Totally spontaneous. I will schedule posts out though at times.

5. Do you consider your blog a business venture or just a mommy outlet for getting thoughts out of your head? Is it both?

I know I have wanted it to make the transition to being business, but I doubt that is ever going to happen. It’s very opinionated and honestly it’s not even close to G rated. It’s not a touchy-feely Mommy blog. It’s not a blog helping you with mommy tips.

But I’m not sure where the difference is actually made for people. I put links up on my site. I put affiliate links up when I do recommend a product. So technically that does make it business because I do hope to make money from that link. BUT I don’t gear my posts to making said money. The links are added to my thoughts and not the other way around.

6. How do you feel about paid blogging and it’s impact on the mommy blogger community?

I see nothing wrong with paid blogging. I see a lot wrong with the fact that just like in the offline world there is too much female jealousy and this has ruined it for everyone. Disclosures and now the new FTC laws just show that it’s gone too far. Too many people tweaked out and now they won’t hope to get in on most the good deals and giveaways.

I feel that these people that complained will now never have a chance because you will need to be an established blog to be able to get the good giveaways for your readers. Those that complained really shot themselves in their foot.

7. Do you talk about your family in any depth of detail on your blog? Do they know about it and do they read your blog?

Yes, I talk about family and friend issues in depth and detail. No names and I do try to put the posts out farther than the event if I can so it’s not as connected. But, yes, again, this is my personal blog and always has been. I do not let local people know about this blog.

8. Do you use real names and include pictures of your children on your blog? What brought you to that decision?

No names, no pictures. Do I need more than pedophiles as an excuse for not posting pictures? I host my own stuff, my name and address are all over the internet. Why do I need pics of my kids out there so they know which one’s to grab?

9. What really inspires you to blog?

Just life. Everything I go through every day gives me good reason. It started out as a venting blog and it’s still there. This is why it’s not a family friendly “mommy” blog.

I’m just not saying it all pretty and fluffy like the picture of a mommy blog I have in my head. I refuse to set a rosy picture all the time. Life is hard and I am who I am, love me or leave me.

10. Has a comment on your blog ever made you cry? Easy, nope!

11. Do you read and comment on other mommy blogs frequently? Do those bloggers visit your blog and comment as well?

I do visit other blogs occasionally and no I don’t get a ton of other comments. BUT I have never set a campaign out to really promote the commenting on this blog. I really do need to focus on that.

12. Name one thing about your lifestyle that blogging has changed or impacted?

Blogging has given me the outlet to vent. I don’t normally. I keep it inside a lot. Blogging gives me that anonymity to just let it off my chest. That can be a huge stress relief at the end of the day when a lot of little things have piled up on you.

It’s always awesome to get some comments that you have helped them because they were in a situation and the post made them feel better.

13. Has blogging led to other things online for you? (such as business ventures, job offers, additional blogs etc….)

Definitely led to more blogs. And those other blogs have led to business ventures, guest blogging for others and some blog awards.

14. What mommy blogger myth or misconception annoys you the most? What do you want to say to those people, even if you bite your tongue?

I’ve never called myself a mommy blogger. I tell people I own websites because that is how I view them. I guess that could also be construed as I’m embarrassed by the term blogger and that could be correct. I’ve never analyzed that.

15. Have you been contacted by media or PR reps because of your blog? Is that something you’re interested in and enjoy, or not so much?

Yes, I was contacted by the handbag company I reviewed and asked to do another review for product. That was fun and I would do it again. People would ask me about my purse and I loved telling them I got it for free and where to get it. That I’d done a review on my site and they gave me the bag to review.

16. Were the technical aspects of getting started a hurdle for you?

Not at all. I started on blogger which is beyond easy, then moved easily to wordpress. I’ve learned more as I’ve gone, but at this time I think of myself as pretty much a wordpress expert.

17. What blogging platform do you use and why did you choose that platform? (WordPress, Typepad, Blogger, etc…)

I used wordpress and that is for control reasons. I never liked the fact that blogger could delete your account and blogs at any time. Yes, I have control issues. lol Plus with fantastico hosting it’s super easy to install and update.

18. What three things do you *need* to have for your blog? (Plugins, tools, etc…)

Goodness, keeping it specifically too this blog it was a hard question. There is nothing I “need” except for the wordpress itself. I love having the spam karma plug in to filter out all the tons of spam the blog gets because it’s been online so long.

I also love the subscribe to comments plug in so that I end up having conversations with some commenters on a post. Comment Luv plugin is awesome because I then also become regular visitors to other blogs. It brings repeat commenters since I also visit their blogs.

19. What is your favorite thing about blogging? Interaction. It’s an ego thing and I’m not afraid to admit it!

20. What advice do you have for someone that wants to break into blogging and has never done anything online before?

Blogging is the best way to get online and get used to being online. Blogging is an easy format to learn and from there you will probably move on to writing products or putting up your own craft sales on etsy or ebay.

Make sure that you put your personality in your posts. If your posts are dull they can read that anywhere, if you toss a little personality in there they will remember you and come back.

Those were my questions for you, but do you have anything to say about the concept and community of mommy blogging that perhaps we did not cover already?

Just a little extra. DO NOT FORGET TO BACK YOUR BLOG UP! I lost many posts because when I started I didn’t back up my site. I just didn’t know how important it was. So my blog has been around for even longer than my posts say and I lost some posts.

When it’s a personal you also lose those memories you blogged about. It was heartbreaking to lose them. So I always like to make sure everyone knows to back up their blog. I haven’t worked in blogger for years, but I know in WordPress it’s just two clicks to save it to your computer once a month or so.

There you have it. You can check out Val’s personal blog at BusyMomma.com and you’ll also find her on Twitter at @busymommaval.

I hope you are enjoying the 20 Questions with Mommy Bloggers series as much as I am. If you’d like be interviewed or recommend your favorite mommy blogger for the series please send an email to retta.oliver@gmail.com and let me know.

Happy Blogging!

P.S. A review blog might be just perfect for you if you like to talk about the products you use and love.

Just Add Sweat offers advice and information on starting your own home business with a review blog, click here to find out more.

You’ll get a 34-page eGuide, a SweatStory Success interview, audio blog tips, and a Blogging Calendar, all for a great price.

Anne is a 30 year old mom from Wisconsin who started over again. After being a single mom of 2 for 7 years, she met and fell in love with Alex, got pregnant, got married and welcomed her 3rd child into their life. She is currently a happily married; full time stay at home mom, student, Twitter addict and emerging blogger.

1. How did you come to have your “mommy blog”? Was it planned that way or did it just accidentally sort of happen?

After becoming addicting to reading other mommy blogs all the time, I figured why not give it a shot! So it was and wasn’t planned but I am pleased with the results thus far!

2. Do you work outside the home or work from home? What are you currently working on?

I have not worked outside the home since losing my job in September 2006. After long discussions with my then fiancé, we decided it would be better for the kids and also for our family financially if I were to remain at home. When we learned we were expecting our youngest child, it was a no brainer when we looked at how much money we would save on daycare costs.

I am currently working on getting my AA in Information Technology and Web Design and am also working on completing my eBook.

3. Do you accept advertising and sponsorship on this blog? Why or why not?

I do accept both advertising and sponsorship on my blogs. For me, I view my blog as a job and I am the President and CEO of the company. I am however very picky about what I will advertise on my blogs and what products I review.

4. Do you have a blog publishing schedule or do you just spontaneously blog as the mood strikes you?

For the most part, I attempt to blog daily at Forever A Younger and From Our Table to Yours. My Mommy Reviews gets updated every time I have a new product to review which has been frequently lately.

5. Do you consider your blog a business venture or just a mommy outlet for getting thoughts out of your head? Is it both?

I consider all of my blogs to be both a business venture and an outlet for me to get things off my chest. I have been known to fly off the handle in regards to many things in my personal life on Forever A Younger and I never hold back.

6. How do you feel about paid blogging and its impact on the mommy blogger community?

I haven’t really been affected by the impact that paid blogging has had on the mommy blogger community. Personally, I am all for making a little extra cash here and there to help support my family and if I can do it by blogging (which is something I love) then I’ll do it.

7. Do you talk about your family in any depth of detail on your blog?

So far, there is not much about my family that I haven’t shared. When I began telling the Tales of My Shady Past, I prepared myself mentally and emotionally to share secrets in regards to myself and to my family.
Do they know about it and do they read your blog?

Everyone in my family is aware of my blogs and I know that my mother and my sister are both regular readers.

8. Do you use real names and include pictures of your children on your blog? What brought you to that decision?

I do not use anyone’s real name other than my own. Each person in my story has their own little nickname and story to go with it. I do use real photos of everyone including my children but I do place my web address across each photo so that it cannot be used by an unauthorized parties.

I decided to use nicknames for everyone because I found it easier to talk about my past if I didn’t point fingers and name names. As for my family members, it just started that way.

9. What really inspires you to blog? Honestly, what really inspires me to blog is my everyday life.

10. Has a comment on your blog ever made you cry? Not that I have read to date.

11. Do you read and comment on other mommy blogs frequently? Do those bloggers visit your blog and comment as well?

I read over 50 different mommy blogs daily (if they have been updated). I leave comments if I have something to add to what they said or if I want to compliment them for the courage it took to share a story or where I stand on certain viewpoints. There are quite a few mommy blogs that I read that I do see stopping by my blog every now and then.

12. Name one thing about your lifestyle that blogging has changed or impacted?

Blogging has changed the way I make purchases. I am not at a point that before I purchase something for myself or my family, I am searching through mommy blogs to see what they thought of it and really look into things before just running out and buying the next hot item.

13. Has blogging led to other things online for you? (Such as business ventures, job offers, additional blogs etc….)

So far blogging has not led me to any real business ventures other than product reviews, which I love doing, but I am hoping that somewhere down the road (after I graduate) that it will lead me to other places.

14. What mommy blogger myth or misconception annoys you the most? What do you want to say to those people, even if you bite your tongue?

I absolutely hate that people think that when we accept a free product for review that our opinion is swayed and that we have to say we actually like the product. I am brutally honest when I do a review. If I don’t like something, I will definitely let you know. I would love to tell those people that if they don’t think what I said is what I honestly thought then they can stop reading my blog.

15. Have you been contacted by media or PR reps because of your blog? No, this is something I have not encountered as of yet.

Is that something you’re interested in and enjoy, or not so much? I would enjoy it, especially since I dedicated my blog to Breast Cancer awareness for the entire month of October.

16. Were the technical aspects of getting started a hurdle for you?

For the most part, I was able to figure things out. Whenever things got difficult I would contact Lisa Martin, from My Thoughts Ideas and Ramblings, for assistance and she was always great about helping me out.

17. What blogging platform do you use and why did you choose that platform? (WordPress, Typepad, Blogger, etc…)

I use WordPress and chose that platform since I found it to be more user friendly and it has so many options for add-ons.

18. What three things do you *need* to have for your blog? (Plugins, tools, etc…)

Plugins, plugins, plugins! I have 3 that I have to run on each of my blogs and they are WordPress Thread Comment, Sociable and Akismet.

19. What is your favorite thing about blogging?

My favorite thing about blogging is getting to make new friends and listen to their stories.

20. What advice do you have for someone that wants to break into blogging and has never done anything online before?

Network, network, network. I can’t say it enough. Make friends on Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, message boards etc. The people you meet online will be the ones that are there to help you along the way. I found this to be the most valuable lesson I’ve learned and the most priceless tool I use.

Anne is also currently in the process of writing a completely uncensored eBook based on The Tales of My Shady Past series she has been running on her blog since July that has found a very strong following. Anne is not afraid to air her dirty laundry for the entire world to see and hopes that some of her experiences and tales will help others to step outside the box.

A big thanks goes out to Anne for taking the time out to do this interview. I actually came across Anne when we were both interviewed over at Murray Newland’s blog earlier this year, and I’ve been reading her ever since. You can always read more about Anne at her blog, Forever A Younger, and you can follow her on Twitter @anne54304

Happy Blogging!

P.S. A review blog might be just perfect for you if you like to talk about the products you use and love.

Just Add Sweat offers advice and information on starting your own home business with a review blog, click here to find out more.

You’ll get a 34-page eGuide, a SweatStory Success interview, audio blog tips, and a Blogging Calendar, all for a great price.

Firemom happily describes herself as a wife and mom, currently working from home as a freelance writer and editor, who has been blogging in various forms since 2001. Right now she is successfully managing and maintaining five different blogs.

1. How did you come to have your “mommy blog”? Was it planned that way or did it just accidentally sort of happen?

This incarnation of the blog was planned to be a mommy blog. We chose a different URL from our previous, rather successful blog because it contained our last name. We had some privacy concerns with the other site. The previous blog accidentally became a mommy blog as we had the site for our wedding planning, left it sit for a bit and then began utilizing it as a mommy blog when we became pregnant with our first son.

2. Do you work outside the home or work from home? What are you currently working on?

I previously worked outside the home in our local news station. I am currently working from home as a freelance writer and editor. I’m working on a myriad of projects that keep me rather busy!

3. Do you accept advertising and sponsorship on this blog? Why or why not?

I do accept advertising and sponsorships. Why? To be honest, every little bit of incoming cash flow, however small, makes a difference in this economy.

4. Do you have a blog publishing schedule or do you just spontaneously blog as the mood strikes you?

On this blog, I publish daily on weekdays, though I’m starting a new Saturday series. On other blogs, it’s more spontaneous.

5. Do you consider your blog a business venture or just a mommy outlet for getting thoughts out of your head? Is it both?

I fall under both categories. As a freelance writer, everything I write, from a personal blog to a commissioned article, builds my reputation. So while this site may be more of an outlet, it also helps get my name out there for others to notice.

6. How do you feel about paid blogging and it’s impact on the mommy blogger community?

Paid blogging as in “pay per post” or reviews? I don’t have a problem with much of anything as long as bloggers are being transparent. I always have been and I expect the same of others.

7. Do you talk about your family in any depth of detail on your blog? Do they know about it and do they read your blog?

I do talk about my family, my parenting and our trials as a fire family. Our extended family also reads the blog. That means, however, that you won’t find any in-law rants or complaints about my own parents. That’s not prudent!

8. Do you use real names and include pictures of your children on your blog? What brought you to that decision?

I do not use our real names. We did on our previous form of this blog, including our last name. It didn’t feel safe. As such, we have pseudonyms. I am not against sharing our names with readers via email but I do not wish for my children to be Google-able.

9. What really inspires you to blog? Life. Writing makes me tick.

10. Has a comment on your blog ever made you cry?

Not on this particular blog. On our adoption blog, yes. Trolls can be nasty.

11. Do you read and comment on other mommy blogs frequently? Do those bloggers visit your blog and comment as well?

I do read and comment almost everyday. I love other blogs. My readers are quite loyal with comments as well.

12. Name one thing about your lifestyle that blogging has changed or impacted?

I have met some of the most wonderful people via blogging. In fact, my husband and I met via an early form of blogging in 2001. That said, my initial jaunt into freelancing came via my blog writing. Without that initial bump, I don’t know if I would have had the courage to branch out on my own and start working from home.

13. Has blogging led to other things online for you? (such as business ventures, job offers, additional blogs etc….)

As I said, yes, my initial step into freelancing came from blogging.

14. What mommy blogger myth or misconception annoys you the most? What do you want to say to those people, even if you bite your tongue?

I hate being told that I’m not a real writer. I was writing before blogging and I’ll be writing long after my children are grown and living lives of their own.

15. Have you been contacted by media or PR reps because of your blog? Is that something you’re interested in and enjoy, or not so much?

Yes, I have. I enjoy it when the PR reps know what they’re talking about, when it is obvious that they’ve invested a moment of time in my blog. When people pitch me via my OLD blog name, it is obvious that they have done no work and don’t really value my writing style. Otherwise, I mainly love working with PR reps for products that my family actually uses.

16. Were the technical aspects of getting started a hurdle for you?

No. I have been coding sites since high school.

17. What blogging platform do you use and why did you choose that platform? (WordPress, Typepad, Blogger, etc…)

WordPress, self-hosted. I knew I wanted my own URL because of the freedom it brings (for customization) and the respect it brings (because you own it).

18. What three things do you *need* to have for your blog? (Plugins, tools, etc…)

Your own URL (for aforementioned reasons), good writing technique (grammar!) and a good Spam plugin (Akismet).

19. What is your favorite thing about blogging? The challenge.

20. What advice do you have for someone that wants to break into blogging and has never done anything online before?

Be yourself. Don’t let the drama weigh you down. Reevaluate yourself every six months. If you’re not where you want to be or writing what you want to be, set goals.

Those were my questions for you, but do you have anything to say about the concept and community of mommy blogging that perhaps we did not cover already?

If you are writing about anything controversial (adoption, WAHM vs. WOtHM, controversial news stories), be prepared for backlash. By be prepared I mean: be prepared for very nasty things to be said about you, your choices, your character, your family… and be prepared to ignore it all.

Nasty people exist and the anonymity of the Internet brings out the worst in people. As such, be the better person. Don’t ever resort to name calling or lashing back at someone for their comment or a reply post on their own blog. Be the bigger person. It will serve you well.

I think that’s very good advice for any blogger online. I hope you’ve enjoyed chatting it up with Firemom as much as I have. I know you’re going to enjoy her blog, her wit, and especially her photography. Her pictures are going to rock your socks off

Make sure you visit Firemom and subscribe to her feed at StopDropandBlog.com, and for all you Twitter addicts out there you can find her on Twitter @FireMom as well.

Happy Blogging!

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