Blog trotting – From Mischieviousmum to Blog Tour!

This week, I am blogging for the Karmen Lizzul Blog Tour.

When my friend Krishna Everson (Sunshine Coast’s Marketing Extra-ordinaar), contacted me and asked me to join her blog tour, I felt very special, and rather honoured.  Krishna has a heart for women in business. Earlier in the year, I signed up for a couple of Krishna’s workshops online (Passionate Marketing, and Get-it Write Empire Builders Mastermind).  I learned quite quickly that Krishna has the gift of teaching on her life, and the innate ability to know what her clients need – sometimes, even before they realise what they need.  If you would like to read what Krishna is up to at the moment, you can read her blog tour piece here.

The four questions I will be answering are:

What am I working on?
How does my work differ from others of its genre?
Why do I write what I write?
How does my writing process work?

So, here is my response to the Karmen Lizzul Blog tour.

Almost two years ago,  Mischieviousmum – the blog was born.  Little did I know, the personal journey I would go on.   In many respects, I can’t believe two years has gone so fast, but it has.

‘Mischieviousmum’ started out on the wordpress.com platform, but didn’t last long at the wordpress.com address.  I made the decision soon after to self host Mischieviousmum.   Over the course of time, I embarked on the adventure of learning as much as I could about ‘all things WordPress’.    The more I learn, the more I like it – and the more I want to know about it, and keep improving Mischieviousmum.

I must admit that when I first started Mischieviousmum.com – I never really had a plan.  All I knew was that I loved to write.  I loved to write about life, what I was thinking, sometimes what I was struggling with, but most of all – I wanted to be real.   I know there are many ‘mummy blogs’ out there, but I made the decision early on that I was not in competition with any other blog.  I didn’t really care if anyone read it, all I knew was that it was mine, and it was about finding Me.

And then I discovered people were reading Mischieviousmum.    What a surprise!   Many would comment, or send me messages like ‘oh my goodness, I hear you.   I feel the same way.  I thought it was just me!’     It seems I have struck a cord with other mums, I read many blogs – and Mischieviousmum isn’t like other mummy blogs.  My main goal is to keep its individuality and write from my heart – I’m really not trying to be like anyone else!

1.  What am I working on?

a) Mischieviousmum.com is my primary concern outside of family life.   I am working on planning my blog posts, keeping a diary of ideas, writing blog posts more often.    I have been reading a lot about planning blog posts.   I really want to be more disciplined in this area.

b) Nine months ago, I started a facebook group called Sunshine Coast Bloggers Unite.  We have 82 people in our group at the moment, and we are growing continuously.   We have a group of really talented writers – From Caboolture to Gympie.   We are about to have our second meetup, and possibly a writers retreat later in the year.    I love blogging, bloggers, and networking with like minded people.   We have so many really talented people in our group, and from all walks in life.    I am always learning from our bloggers.   We have truly inspiring people in the group.  I love encouraging them and linking their work where ever possible so that others can read it too.   The more they post their blogs to the group, the more we all benefit.   Did I mention how great our bloggers on the Sunshine Coast are??

c)  Some time ago, before I knew people actually read Mischieviousmum.com, I made the decision that I wanted to really understand wordpress, and social media marketing. I read alot!  I am determined to keep learning, and keep improving Mischieviousmum.com.

2.  How does my work differ from others of its genre?

While there are thousands of ‘Mummy’ blogs out there.  I’m me.   God threw out the mould when He made me,  so my blog is unashamedly about my journey as a mother, but also my journey as a woman – and sometimes the chaos around family life.   My blog is about my thoughts, my plans, my aspirations.  My ultimate goal is to also be authentic and original, so there may be many who write a mummy blog – but no one writes like me!  🙂

3.  Why do I write what I write?

Firstly, I love writing.  I love pulling together a story about whats happening in our life.  My blog encourages me to get out of my own way and to live life to the fullest.  It helps me identify what I do want in my life, and what I don’t want in my life.  I don’t know where my journey in blogging will lead me – but what I do know is that the journey will be an interesting one.    All I know is that I want to live my best life, and I hope that this comes through in my writing.

4.  How does my writing process work? 

I tend to write notes about what I am thinking about. Lots of scribbled ideas in notebooks, iphone notebook, ipad notebook, sometimes I email myself ideas to blog about.  These notes usually becomes the basis of my next blog post. Sometimes I accidently lose notes, and re-find them at about the right time I am supposed to chat about them in my blog.  I really have to get myself a better system.   Sometimes I can be lying in bed, when the ideas start to flow.  Sometimes I am in the car, or when I go for a walk.   It can be frustrating at times if I don’t have paper.   Inspiration for the next blog post can be anything – the kids often provoke the next blog post, or a friend may say some random sentence, and there is the next idea.   Occassionally I get ideas from just whats happening around me – sometimes a news report or a television program.    I’m learning that the more I write, the more I need to keep a notebook nearby.     I have recently found this app on my phone where I can speak my thoughts, and the app will convert it to a text message for me.

I have chosen two bloggers to carry the torch for me.  They are awesome bloggers.

I’d like to officially introduce you to…

Bruce Devereaux – Big Family, Little Income.
If you have ever read family man Bruce’s blog ‘Big Family, Little Income‘  you will always leave with a laugh.  Bruce and his lovely wife are on quite an adventure with 7 children. Bruce’s stories will lighten your day.

Bek Mugridge:  Bek Mugridge – A Happy Healthy Life.
If your interested in Earthy Cooking, organic gardening, or Healthy living, then Bek’s blog is one of the coolest blogs to read.   Bek is the author of ‘The Pram Diet’ book, and is one of the most authentic people I know.   Bek has been seen on ‘The Great South East’ cooking up a storm – showing locals how to use local produce.   Check out Beks blog here

Hope you have enjoyed my response to the  Karmen Lizzul Blog Tour.

The torch has been officially passed.  🙂

Happy Blogging. xoxo