Blogger Behind the Blog {Mummascribbles}

Here’s this week’s instalment of Blogger Behind the Blog where I interview a blogger all about their reasons for blogging and what it means to them. This week I’m joined by Lisa from Mummascribbles.

Here’s Lisa with more about her blogging life:

Where did your blog name come from?

I remember the night I decided to start the blog, sitting in front of the computer with a notepad trying to come up with a name. I’d read so many things about it needing longevity and to check any possibilities on the social media channels for duplications. I knew I wanted it to encompass what it was – a mummy writing. I tried a few different options before Mummascribbles was written in front of me. And I immediately loved it. It felt right from the start.

When did you start your blog and why?

I started blogging in June 2014. I was a very frustrated working mum and I felt like I had all of these thoughts buzzing round my head that I needed to get out. I’d tried blogging out before with no success in continuation so I thought I’d give it another shot. I’m really glad I did!

What did you do before you blogged?

Gosh, when I think back to all that time I had before blogging! I watched a lot of tv back then and probably sat and chatted to the other half a lot more in the evenings!

What was your first post?

My first ever post was based on what I mentioned above, about all the thoughts I had in my head. I had spent a few hours on the weekend with Zach, just me and him, and it was now Monday morning and I was so sad to be back at work. I poured all of my thoughts and frustrations out into that first post.

What inspires you to blog?

My boys. Especially now that am making a living from it, enabling me to stay at home and be mum. They inspire me for content and purpose. It’s a lovely way to keep our family memories but it’s also lovely that it’s my job.

What post has had the best response, which post are you most proud of and which post did you enjoy writing the most?

Wowsers. Ok, so the post that has had the best response would probably be my one about having a weak bladder! Whenever I look in my analytics, that is the one that always features quite high and is regularly being read. I remember getting comments thanking me for being so open and honest about it which was lovely.

I am most proud of all of the posts that I’ve written about my Dad. We lost him almost six years ago and they are never easy to write, but so important to me and for the boys in the future.

Have any of your posts not had the response that you expected?

Off the top of my head, I can’t think of any in particular. I think sometimes we think we have written something utterly wonderful, only to have the same amount of page views as any other day! But that’s pretty normal in the blogging world right?!

Where do you see your blog in a year’s time?

I have been struggling a bit with the blog lately – wondering where it’s going, if I’m doing a good enough job with it, if it can keep me out of the real world work for as long as I want it to. Ultimately though, I want it to become much more informative. Still including all of the family orientated posts but also something that helps others. I’m working on it!

What is your favourite thing about blogging?…and your least favourite?

My favourite thing is definitely the community. I have met such a wonderful group of people and they are the first people I tend to go to with anything blogging or life related.

The worst thing is people not taking it seriously. People not understanding how much work is put into each post, and how a review product is not a ‘freebie’!

What’s the best blog post you have ever read?

Oh my goodness, this feels like an impossible question to answer as I have read so many! In fact, I can’t even think so I am going to come back to this question!

Ok, I am back. I don’t have a specific blog post and in fact, the blogger is no longer active, as far as I can tell. But every single post that I ever read by 23 Week Socks left me in tears. Her writing was beautiful, her empathy was incredible and her stories from inside a NICU department were heartbreaking. Her blog was amazing.

What blog do you love to read and why?

I love reading posts by Caro over at The Twinkle Diaries. So often, her writing is so dreamy, it’s just an absolute pleasure to read and take in every single word. That and her photos and just gorgeous!

Do you do anything differently now to when you started blogging?

I spend a lot more time editing the text to make sure there are no errors. Sometimes I miss them because I have looked at it so much, but most of the time, I think I get them.

Is blogging what you expected it to be?

No, it is far better than I thought it was going to be! I never imagined that I would be giving up work (even if it doesn’t turn out to be forever), and I had no idea that I would be friends with so many awesome people from blogging.

What’s been your favourite blog collaboration to date?

Oh that would be Lidl for sure. It started out with a review and ended up with me and Oscar being on their tv advert. That was epic!

Are there any brands you would love to work with, why?

I would love to work with The Great Little Trading Company. I know they obviously work with bloggers but that they have their select few each year. I adore their products though and quite simply, I can’t justify spending the money on them! I also wouldn’t say no to some form of spa weekend! Oh or a holiday abroad!

Have you had any blogging fails so far?

Oh, I am having a bit of one at the moment but I won’t go into detail about that! There have been a couple of dodgy months work wise though when I find myself questioning if I’ll need to go back to work!

What is your biggest blogging hope, dream or ambition?

It would be to remain solely self employed for as long as possible. I love being the one who gets to do the school run, who can go to school events without having to get permission to leave early or take annual leave, and I love spending all of my time with the boys, even though they do drive me mad at times (specifically between 4pm and 7pm!).

What do you do when you’re not blogging?

It is so rare that I am not either blogging or parenting, I squeeze most blogging into nap times and evenings! If I do find some nice time to myself, I would choose to have a bath with a cup of tea and a magazine!

And lastly, tell us all a random fact about yourself.

I stopped breathing when I was a few months old. My Dad and a colleague (who worked five minutes from home) rushed round before the ambulance, and the colleague gave me mouth to mouth. He saved my life that man!

Now that you know all about Lisa from Mummascribbles, make sure you go and read her blog. Make sure you follow her on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram too. Thanks so much Lisa for being involved!