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November 17, 2014 | Blog |  No comments

After Page One: Blogging

By Robin Neidhard

A guest post to motivate, encourage, and inspire

~~~~~

I stopped writing when my third child was born. Months of sleep deprivation, nursing and chasing after two toddlers didn’t leave room for drafts and revisions. My kitchen counter, once littered with yellow post-it notes, shined amidst the stacks of unread library books and car keys. I started to feel less and less like a writer. My identity of mother-writer was morphing into just mother. I wanted my voice to be heard, thundering above the cacophony of my hectic life, so I started a blog to connect with other writers, to vent and feel like myself again.

NaBloPoMo is not a typo made by my five year old, and until I started my own blog, I had no idea what it meant. NaBloPoMo stands for “National Blog Posting Month.” The goal of NaBloPoMo is to write a post a day for an entire month. Themes and writing prompts are assigned, but participants are not required to use them.

I signed up for my first NaBloPoMo in March after a nudge from a fellow blogger who had visited my site. A mother to a special needs child, she found it forced her to sit down and write. I thought, if she can do it, so can I. I began at night when everyone was in bed. Some nights I was too exhausted to write, but most nights I stayed up late fleshing out ideas that had been languishing in my Werdsmith app for too long. Some nights I lacked enthusiasm; I’d publish a quote or opinion, something short and sweet, but I mainly tried to post thoughtful work to showcase my writing chops.

I received an uptick in blog traffic with every new post. I connected more easily with fellow writers who were also completing the challenge. We instantly had something in common; writers seeking encouragement, inspiration and accountability. A select group of women bloggers have become my biggest supporters, giving me the boost I need to keep going, day after day.

I signed up again in May; the theme was Nourish, and I confidently wrote a post a day on topics meaningful to me, smug with my perseverance. I write in the school pickup line, at naptime or when everyone is racing through the house playing tag. But mothering and writing don’t always go hand in hand. I can do one really well, but the other suffers. I can be a great mother or a dedicated writer, but not both at the same time. So I ask for help, sending the kids to Grandma’s for the weekend or to the park with Daddy. For a short while I’m banging out the words, then I’m back to being Mom.

~~~~~

Join our After Page One series. We’re looking for 300 to 500-word guest posts that motivate, inspire, and encourage other mama-writers, and we’d love to feature YOUR thoughts about getting started, getting back to a writing project, integrating writing with motherhood, reading, or having a positive attitude. The list is endless, but here are some questions that might help you get started. We’ll publish a short bio so readers can learn more about you and your projects. 

Tagged: Personal Narratives

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