“I like to let people know that there’s a really awesome green presence in Atlanta and there are healthier choices and healthier alternatives to the conventional way that people do things here,” Jordan says. Anna Margaret Woods has been following Jordan’s blogs for over a year and values the information she receives. “Titania simplifies for me what I need to be doing. I’m very impressionable; if I read one article on the Internet about how sunscreen is harmful, I will obsess over it. Titania helps narrow down the things I really need to be concerned about,” Woods says.
Laughing at Parenting Sometimes parents just need a good laugh. Suzanne Fleet, at toulouseandtonic. com, is known for her sarcastic wit and, as she jokes on her website, “Making my kids hate me one post at a time.” “Writing is my passion and humor is what keeps me going,” she says. “I bring those two things together on my blog and, through it, get to connect with other people.” Fellow mother and blogger, Kathy Radigan, reads the blog for comic relief. “I find Suzanne’s combination of humor, heart and snark really entertaining. I think she captures the mix of feelings that motherhood and marriage bring up for
today’s educated mom,” Radigan says. There’s a misconception that bloggers are antisocial types that prefer hiding behind their computer screens to having social interactions. The 300 parenting bloggers in Georgia called the Georgia Social Media Society gather together at events as often as their parenting schedules allow to learn trade secrets, best practices, blog development ideas and, most importantly, grow friendships. Veteran blogger Krystyn Hall started reallyareyouserious.com in 2005, back when keeping personal blogs on the Internet was a fairly new trend. Hall was surprised by the community she found through blogging. “I’ve started going to more conferences and getting together with other bloggers and people really like to help each other out. I’ve even made several real-life friends through blogging and it’s really rewarding.” The collective power of parenting blogs can be credited to the simple and honest connections that form between readers and writers. As you can see, whatever your parenting style or situation, there’s sure to be a voice in our community offering valuable information to you. c Sirotin’s blog, I Am A Mess, chronicles a mother’s search to find order and happiness in her disorganized life.
7 Tips for New Bloggers Blogging expert and Mom 2.0 co-founder, Laura Mayes, shares her top tips for creating a successful blog.
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The best way to start a parenting blog is to start one. We over think these things in our quest to be perfect. It won’t be perfect; it’s not supposed to be, just start it. There are a lot of platforms; I’ve found Wordpress to be the easiest and most flexible. Think about what you want your blog to be and then make it that. For example, My friend Gabrielle wanted an intersection of motherhood and design, so she started Design Mom. That said, let your blog evolve as it needs to. If you change over the years, your blog might need to change too.
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Decide on a name that makes sense. I started my personal blog to share photos of my son with family. At the time, I thought blogs were kind of cheesy, so I called it Blog Con Queso, and it stuck...so be careful what you name it. Post regularly. If you can, post every day. It’s always good to post on a regular schedule. I write a calendar of what I plan to post about every two weeks and then I stick to it as closely as life allows. Be yourself, don’t over think it, be genuine and tell the truth. If you write about things that are interesting to you, you’ll find readers find it interesting too. October 2013 Atlanta Parent 25