Bloggers Behind the Screens – featuring Mother Distracted

Bloggers Behind the Screens is a monthly interview series, where fellow bloggers come together to answer a series of questions on a specific theme. This is a chance to get acquainted with a whole range of bloggers, some of whom you may not have encountered before, and learn a little more about them!

This month, we’re talking to bloggers about the very thing that makes them bloggers. Their blogs.

1. When did you start blogging and why?
   I worked for many years in marketing for various law firms but left in 2007 to have my daughter Caitlin.  Ieuan followed less than two years later so I never returned.  Blogging initially was something to keep me sane and has now become a full time job.  It allows me to keep my marketing skills fresh too.
2. How did you come up with the name for your blog?
   At the time the film Girl Interrupted was really popular so I was going to call it Mother Interrupted but went for distracted instead.  Now I come to think about it, Interrupted would have been better.
3. What do you blog about? Has that changed from when you first started?
   Anything that takes my fancy, in all honesty.  I started off as a parenting blogger but now the kids are tweens,  family life is quite different from the hectic time of nappies, potty training and bottles.  It’s still as stressful, don’t get me wrong, but the stresses are very different.
4. Is your blog your job, your hobby or your side hustle?
   It is becoming my job – at least I think of it that way.  I think if you want to generate income as a blogger you have to treat your blog with as much professionalism as you do any employment.  Blogging is highly competitive these days and brands have plenty of bloggers to choose from for their campaigns.  You have to make sure you stand out.
5. What is the best thing or experience that blogging has given you?
   We’ve enjoyed our stays at Butlins and Bluestone, reviewed some fabulous restaurants and just enjoyed sharing our family experiences with ever more readers.  You never know where blogging is going to take you next.  That’s one of the joys of it.
6. What is your favourite thing in the whole world to write about?
   Relationship problems.  I ever wrote a problem page for a while but have taken a break from that to talk about relationship issues in more general terms.  When you are a 50 something mum of two, you have plenty of advice to share!
7. What skills (the more unusual the better!) has blogging taught you?
   I was taught to make pasta by Jamie Oliver’s mentor, Gennaro Contaldo who was a lovely man.  I think my cooking has improved (a bit) since I’ve been blogging.
8. What is your favourite post from your blog? Give us the link and tell us why it’s your favourite.
   I’ve always loved creative writing and am particularly fond of detective stories.  My take on Sherlock Holmes remains my favourite post.https://www.motherdistracted.co.uk/2013/10/an-interview-with-sherlock-holmes-my.html
9. Have you ever been on TV or radio in your capacity as a blogger? If so, what for? If not, do you think it’s something you’d like to have a go at?
   I’ve been asked loads of times but I’m still trying to muster up the courage.  I am far happier behind my laptop!
10. What is your least favourite thing about blogging? There must be something you don’t like about it…
    Not much to be honest otherwise I would find something else to spend the time.  Generally bloggers are a friendly bunch and help each other out in ways that just don’t seem to happen in other work environments.  I could do without the constant requests for free posts with dodgy commercial links though.
11. Do you have any advice to give to anybody out there thinking of starting a blog right now?
    Just start writing and don’t worry about ‘monetizing’ until you have built up a decent engaged following.  I think if you write specifically to make money you’ll find it a struggle in the early days.
12. Where do you do most of your blogging? Do you have a home office, are you on the sofa or do you prefer to be out and about when writing posts?
    Oh dear.  This is a bit of a bone of contention.  I blog with my laptop perched on a board whilst sitting in a very saggy armchair in our lounge.  I am always being nagged to sit on a proper chair for the sake of my back.
13. Be honest. How many unwritten posts are in your drafts right now? How many are likely to see daylight?
    Actually not many.  I keep ideas in my head until I’m ready to write and then posts appear pretty much done and dusted.
14. What are you most excited about for your blog in the last six months or so of 2019? Anything awesome in the pipeline for the summer or are we forever winging it?
    Winging it.  My main objective this summer is to keep plugging away at Pinterest and to possibly write some more children’s short stories.
15. Finally, what is your absolute favourite thing about being a blogger?
    Contributing to the household finances and having a job where I quite like the boss for a change.  Me!  The thought of returning to the corporate daily grind makes me shudder.  I wouldn’t call myself a digital nomad exactly but I’m certainly freer than I’ve ever been.

Blog URL; https://www.motherdistracted.co.uk

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