Nov 27, 2010 Posted by Amanda in Blogging | 1 comment

Interview: A Bloggy Mom, motherhood from my laptop and other nonsense

abloggymom A little while ago, I stumbled upon a gem while perusing the interwebs. It is called Bloggy Moms and it is an online community for Moms who blog. Naturally I joined, both because I love niche social networks and because I happen to be a mom who blogs. Quickly I found out more about its creator, Tiffany Noth and knew I had to interview her immediately! You see, it turns out she is a multi tasking online maven who makes family first and also homeschools. Love it (and deets on how she does it below). I also love that she knows what Angelfire was circa 1997. If you’re drawing a blank on this reference then just picture me and Bloggy Mom as teenagers tinkering on the interwebs before WordPress was even a twinkle in Matt Mullenweg’s eye.

Anyway, now days Tiffany runs a network of very bloggy websites, which include:

ABloggyMom.com: Her home base and personal blog.
BloggyMoms.com: A mom blog community.
BloggyConference.com: A website for the upcoming Bloggy conference, which will be held for the first time in 2011.

Check out what she is all about and join Bloggy Moms. Links to Tiffany’s social things are at the end of this post.

Here is the interview. Enjoy!

What sparked the idea to create the BloggyMoms community?

I wanted to create a place where mommy bloggers could go and meet others who share similar interest, desires, questions and struggles as well as learn and grow in the mom blogosphere. I love reading mom blogs and am disheartened when I find a really great blog and then realize it hasn’t been updated in months or years. I want mommy bloggers to know they aren’t alone and there are others who can help them in this journey.

If someone were to describe your blog (abloggymom.com) what three words would they most likely use?

Informative. Funny. Snarky. I try to provide a lot of information on ABloggyMom as well as other sites on the Bloggy Moms network. I think I’m funny, but I’m sure that’s debatable and I guess, unfortunately, I’m rather snarky…. which I actually hope comes off as funny.

How has blogging impacted your life? Good, the bad, and the ugly.

I have been building websites and blogging since I was in high school. I honestly can’t imagine it not being a part of my life. For me, it’s like breathing. It’s as necessary as oxygen.

The good: it helps to fulfill me.
The bad: I’m not sure there is a bad.
The ugly: unfortunately there are mean people in the blogosphere just as in real life. Sometimes you’ll be disliked simply for being yourself… but let it roll, it isn’t worth it.

What is the best thing that has happened to you because of your blog?

I have been able to meet some very incredible, intelligent and strong women. If it weren’t for blogging, I wouldn’t have had those opportunities.

Who are a few of your favorite bloggers or women you have met online that you can share with us?

One of my favorite mommy bloggers happens to be a Bloggy Moms member right from my hometown. We never met prior to Bloggy Moms even though our town is literally the size of a college campus. So small! Her name is Sherry and you can check out her blog City Chic on a Farm.

How do you balance blogging, motherhood, and all of the other demands life throws at you? Not to mention multiple websites.

My family is my first priority. Their needs come first. I’m not a “Quiet, mommy’s building her brand!” sort of mom. My five year old daughter knows I work on the computer but also sees that it isn’t taking away from her time.

I have always been a very organized person. If I didn’t have my daily planners, lists and agendas…. I wouldn’t be able to do it! Thankfully I have a husband who sees my joy in doing what I do… and helps me along the way.

What does a typical day look like in your world while managing the websites, family, and everything else?

I am an early riser, my day starts anywhere between 4:30 and 5:30am. I love being awake before everyone else and having a little quiet, coffee time while I review activity on the Bloggy Moms network of sites. I try to accomplish at least a handful of tasks before beginning the day with my family.

Once the family is awake, I am in full mama/wife mode! We get our day started and usually home school in the morning. I often check in online during recess and again after lunch. My afternoons are filled with observing homework, completing housework and hopefully checking things off my never-ending to-do list!

We have dinner as a family and usually spend the evening just being together. I am of course checking in with Bloggy Moms when I have a moment.

What is your best advice for brand new bloggers?

Don’t give up, you aren’t alone! Every blogger was a new blogger at first. If you have a question… the answer is out there. Hopefully I’ll be able to better provide the answers as Bloggy Moms continues to grow.

You have almost 3,000 members on Bloggy Moms (and growing), how did you feel at certain points – like getting your first member that you didnt know or hitting 100 members?

I was over the moon when the first member joined Bloggy Moms, so it’s hard to describe how I felt when we reached 100 and so forth… We are nearing 3,000 members and I honestly wish we could have a party! I would love to get to meet each and every Bloggy Mom. We are all so unique yet so very much alike.

What is the Bloggy Conference all about and what can someone expect when they go?

Bloggy Conference is for anyone involved in social media. If you feel you are a well seasoned blogger, it’s for you! If you know you need more direction in blogging, it’s for you! If you want to meet other bloggers, it’s for you!

My hope is that Bloggy Conference attendees will walk away with not only a greater sense of community but having learned something they didn’t even know they needed to know.

What types of speakers and sessions do you think you will have this year? Is it mainly moms who blog that attend or do you get a mix of all types of bloggers?

This will be the first Bloggy Conference! I am so excited and nervous at the same time. I had played with the idea of having a conference in years to come, however I had members and fans of Bloggy Moms requesting one in 2011. Their timing grew on me and here we go!

A few of the speakers currently lined up for Bloggy Conference ’11 are:

Mary McCarthy from Pajamas And Coffee
Social Media Strategist, Kadi Prescott
Joscelyn Ramos Campbell from Mami of Multiples

We will cover topics ranging from the basics of blogging to working with brands.

What can readers expect to see on your websites in the coming months?

I am in the process of launching BloggyMomazine.com, this will be an added resource to those you will find on Bloggy Moms. I am also in the process of creating more localized groups/resources for our U.S. based members.

Connect with Tiffany Noth

Facebook
Twitter

Chime In

What are your thoughts on niche social networks? Do you belong to any social networks aside from Facebook? What about conferences? Will you be attending any blogging related conferences in 2011? Post in the comments. I would love to hear from you.