I will probably be struck of the mom bloggers Christmas list because of this, but here goes….
As I lay awake in the wee small hours waiting for Tara to make up her mind if she was going to sleep or scream a little more, I was perusing the Twitter stream on my iPhone.
Someone….I am sorry, I forget who, posted a link to a post by Lindsay Ferrier of Suburban Turmoil fame called ‘The Little Blog.’
It is a nice little post. She waxes a wee bitty poetic about the hows and why’s she started her blog and what it meant to her over the years. She also talks about the growing popularity, ad deals and writing gigs that have been spawned from her ‘little blog.’
She then goes on to say how nowadays she feels so out of place at blogging conferences etc., since she was there to meet friends and everyone else seemed to be there to learn how to make money.
Yes, Lindsay, they do that because that is what happened to you.
It is because of the popularity and marketability of mom bloggers like yourself and the few ‘blessed’ ones out there, that mom bloggers around the world with ‘Little Blogs’ have started to focus on things like monetization instead of say ‘keeping it real.’
Though, I think the majority DO keep it real…I think any ‘characterization’ in their blogs may come sometimes from a need to protect themselves and their families.
Most mom blogs out there are pretty raw and honest, however I think many (myself included) do hold back a fair bunch for the sake of the respect I have for my family.
The Little Blogs are still out there. They don’t have the traffic a blog such as yours might have. They don’t have hundreds of commenter’s per post – they have one or two.
Advertising agencies are not ASKING them to join. They are asking the ad agencies if they could POSSIBLY be considered. They don’t have writing gigs or book deals. They don’t get asked to speak at conferences.
They blog. They write their mommy blogs. They keep it real. They write about their families.
They also learn about marketing. They learn about improving their writing. They learn the ins and outs of building an online presence.
There is nothing wrong with that at all.
While I absolutely LOVE the friends I have made through blogging. Feel really truly blessed by meeting these people in real life or not. I also feel truly blessed because of the knowledge about marketing, business, writing and so on that my plowtering about on the internet has given me.
And yes, I appreciate the teeny tiny amount of money I have earned because of my blog. It pays for things like hosting and any technical help I may need.
It does not allow me to travel to all the many mom-centric conferences. It does not pay my bills.
It perhaps makes me feel slightly lets guilty about the time I spend on the internet.
Suffice it to say, the Little Blog is still out there. You just don’t go there.
And all those little blogs out there want their blogs to turn into big blogs like yours.
I posted about it here on MY blog instead of commenting on Lindsay’s blog…NOT for increased traffic to mine or to start drama….but really my comment would be LOST amid the currently 133 comments already there. Instead MY readers can tell me what they think and I will be happy with that.
Amber says
I can see both sides of this argument. I have read some blogs that have no real content. They are just marketing blurbs and memes. And that is great if it’s working for you, but it’s not really interesting to me as a reader. No harm, no foul, we can all make our own choices.
But I have also read blog posts from ‘big’ bloggers that argue there IS no hierarchy, and that’s plainly not true. We ALL know who Dooce is. We ALL know who Lindsay Ferrier is. And when we see their success, it’s not so strange that we might want to replicate it. And we might use tips and tricks to help us.
We all have our own styles and strengths, and we all have to find our own sweet spot. I suppose for me the question is, “Do I feel good about what I’m doing here?” If the answer is yes, then that’s all that matters.
.-= Amber´s last blog ..Blogging Your Dreams =-.
Marilyn @ A Lot of Loves says
The Big Blog/Little Blog thing is a topic of constant interest for me. The reason for that is that the second time I started a blog (my current one) I started with the ridiculous notion that I too was going to be a Big Blogger. I had already been reading these bloggers for months (and years) and I was under the mistaken belief that anyone who started a blog would make a bundle in advertising within months. Um. No. Did not happen and likely won’t.
I’m okay with that now, I no longer think I’m going to make a bundle. I blog for other reasons – connections to people mostly.
There seems to be a lot of blog posts from Big Bloggers about how they “made it”. I know why they do it – they’re HUGELY popular to read of course. Even I read them. But they’re also a little misleading.
.-= Marilyn @ A Lot of Loves´s last blog ..Worms and Dirt: Wednesday of Few Words =-.
Carrie says
Until this post, I had no idea who Lindsay Ferrier was…but maybe that’s cause I am a Little Blog 😉
I have no illusions of being anything more than I am right now. Maybe a few more regular readers but I’ll probably never have ads, never have PR firms banging at my door. And that’s fine. I don’t blog for that reason. I blog cause I like to write, I like to share my thoughts and I need a way to keep track of my family’s amusing stories since it’s pretty clear my memory won’t cut it.
Geekymummy says
You know I have never read dooce or the other big bloggers you mention, including the one who spurred your article. I tend to read other small blogs, and build relationships with their authors. For me blogging is about an outlet for my creative side and a way to make friends.
Just one small blogger who will stay small’s perspective! Thanks for an interesting post.
Lindsay says
My frustration is really that there are a lot of “little blogs” out there that by all rights should be “big blogs,” and would have been had the writers gotten started in 2005, pre-advertising, when good writing was king. Instead, the big blogs are now the ones written by women with marketing savvy. The great writers who eschewed advertising and promotion are now, by and large, gone. And the great writers who started later in the game are too often still mired in obscurity. That’s very frustrating to me. It wasn’t always that way.
cypress sun (amy) says
Whatever makes a blog-girl happy. I can’t imagine writing for a specific audience.
Texan Mama says
Yep. Ditto.
I was writing about this recently <a href="http://whoputmeinchargeofthesepeople.blogspot.com/2010/02/blog-worth-reading.html"here. I wonder how many bloggers would change their writing style if they didn’t know who was reading? Or how many were reading? Or if they didn’t get any money for it?
Just imagine it: blogging purity. Personal blogging integrity. Does it exist anymore?
That doesn’t mean we should just have Tourettes on our blog and furiously type out every thought without pausing to consider the audience. What it does mean is to write something worth reading. Write something a person is willing to give up his/her busy time in order to read.
There’s AllTop. And AllMediocre. How about “AllSmall”. No one is allowed in if they get more than 10 or 15 comments on any given post! ha ha
Great post. Really enjoyed it. Found you through MommyIsMoody, which I found through ClassyChaos. 🙂
.-= Texan Mama´s last blog ..Friendship: an Update =-.
Texan Mama says
Dude, obviously I didn’t do that html thingy correctly. See? blogging novice. sorry ’bout that.
.-= Texan Mama´s last blog ..Friendship: an Update =-.
Kellyology says
I do miss the days where the most exciting part of blogging were the comments, both giving and receiving them. And really the only time I worry about the monetary gain aspect of blogging is during conference time when I think, “Hmmm. This would be a lot more fun without the big price tag.” But for me that’s as far as the money-making aspect of blogging goes. However, I do have a little blog. Always have. I probably always will. I like it because I write what I want, when I want, and really that satisfies me more throughout the year than getting a free conference trip would. Though if anyone wants to give me a free conference trip, I’d be happy to test out my theory. 🙂
.-= Kellyology´s last blog ..A Question of Journalism =-.
Crunchy Carpets says
Texan Mama, I LOVE the idea of AllSmall! LOL
And I think blogging integrity exists if we still write for OURSELVES despite the ideas of money fame etc.
I tend to just think about writing for my friends and the rest (if any is gravy!!)
However..I do wish the AllSmalls would get more attention for the writing etc over the giants out there (not me..my writing is terrible…)but for all the amazing unsung authors out there!
Nolie says
I am new to blogging and just trying to build a group to hang out with that get “real life as a mom”. I am all for what I guess is the little blog. I will never write based on who is reading. I write based on what I want to write about. Which is my life. It’s honest and it’s me. If I don’t write for me then what is the point in even blogging.
BTW found you through MBC and subscribed. You are “real”.
.-= Nolie´s last blog ..Danone DanActive Campaign =-.
Scatteredmom says
I blog because I like to write. Period. I don’t care if two people or 1000 read it. I mean, it would be wonderful to be able to quite my job and make enough money from my blog to just blog, because writing really is my first love, but I doubt that will happen. I’m pretty realistic about it. (hee hee)
The little opportunities that have come my way have been fun, and I consider them just icing on the cake. I don’t care if fame comes my way (in fact, I’d hate to be famous).
I don’t even read many of the big blogs anymore. I don’t want to be lost in the sea of comments either.
It was fantastic meeting you on Saturday! We’ll have to get together again. 🙂
C @ Kid Things says
I am not new to blogging, but I still prefer the good old days, before advertising and such. For that reason, I have no idea what I’m doing in regards to marketing. My blog is little. It may always be little. Heck, I’m happy and ecstatic when I get 10 comments on a post. As long as someone’s reading and enjoying, though, then I’ll keep on writing.
.-= C @ Kid Things´s last blog ..It’s OK =-.