Interview with Midwest Mom from “Midwest Moms”

“Midwest Moms”

http://midwestmoms.blogspot.com

I have always been a writer — of letters, of stories, but never a diary writer or a scrapbook keeper. When I became a Mom, it was one of the toughest transitions I have ever made. Every time I would encounter a new challenge, I found this group of wonderful people to turn to: the Sisterhood of Moms. Still, I always feel, “now why didn’t someone tell me that sooner?” Blogging is my chance to share what I know and open up “the Sisterhood” to others. Motherhood is such an incredible journey that no one should have to walk alone.

I write about the challenges and joys of raising children. I write about the necessary tug of war that exists in a healthy marriage. I write about my mistakes and frustrations, about my garden, saving money, how to make ends meet. But my approach is always to maximize the love and humor in what I write — to encourage people to really live life fully. I think that’s the best thing I can pass on to my kids and others who read about us.

Write what you know and what inspires you. And only really write when you think you have something of value to say. Keep in mind what you are contributing and use your experiences — the good and the bad — to help other people learn.

I do. It has been valuable to me to hear people’s take on something I’m working through. Sometimes I’ve gotten wonderful notes from people, both in the comments and over email.

Yes. They do all the time.

I blog on weekdays, at home. But, when I’m not at the computer, I keep a pad of paper handy to jot down experiences and thoughts. You never know when an idea will hit you. Sometimes I go through a drought, and sometimes there will be so many ideas, I have to sort them out and make a plan to address them.

I’m a news fanatic. I read First Read, the MSNBC news blog.

I do. I keep a family recipe blog. They are all updated daily.

I have been amazed at what a supportive environment there is for writers doing what I’m doing. It has been so helpful to learn from other bloggers and to get feedback about my work. It has also been fun to see what other people are doing with their sites. It is easy to be inspired by the community I’ve experienced since I started blogging.