So tell me Cybermummy, will mummy bloggers take over the world?

Will Mummy bloggers take over the world?  Are they just riding a zeitgeist that will fade out? Will anyone ever write anything new about being a mum?  Can they solve the catastrophic debt problem we are in?  Does anyone actually care?

Just some of the questions I heard today.  And I don’t know the answers (although I suspect no to the debt question).  But I do know that I met a lot of the people behind the blogs today at Cybermummy.  The first UK conference for mummy bloggers, and it was one hell of an experience.  Without exception they were all very lovely people. 

I was looking at this room of people, I was thinking to myself how extraordinary it is, yet also so incredibly logical that all these women (and one man, hello Tim) are all here because we write about our lives as parents and thanks to the internet we have a public voice. 

I was thinking isn’t it bizarre that people want to read about our lives and isn’t it apt that the modern day ‘housewife’ is so powerful that brands (some of them my clients) have spent money to sponsor this event.  A veritable marketing orgy for brands 'targeting' (as we so kindly say) mums.

It follows of course that if you are a parent you have new material to write about everyday.  Children inspire us, amaze us, frustrate us and reduce us to tears (happy and sad).  So frankly it’s completely logical that we would choose to off load this daily sensory overload onto a blog.  Why not, its free and therapy’s bloody expensive and time-consuming.

So why do people and brands find these mummy blogs interesting?  What are we doing that is worth the effort?  

There are many excellent blogs out there;  many that have specific themes or competitions or beautiful writing.  There are also blogs like mine I guess, just a splurge of impulsive writing on a page.  Hit and miss.  Good and average (never bad though – if it’s worth writing, it’s not bad). There is the flow of consciousness, the ‘overshare’ (a favourite of mine as you know), the bearing of souls, the forthright opinions, the honest product reviews.  Many many different styles that all come under the banner of Mummy Blog.  And many that would rather not be called Mummy Blog at all, just blogs.  

I believe the reason they are interesting is down to their power to influence and provoke reaction.  But what makes them interesting?  Most of them are written for the sheer hell and enjoyment of doing so.  Apart from a small few who seem to be able to make a living out of it, being a mummy blogger is about honest, truthful content.  As Josie George said so eloquently in her panel session, and I paraphrase, it's because we provide a window into our lives.  Warts (episiotimies, post natal depression) and all.

There was a session called the Crowdsourced Keynote in which bloggers, myself included, were asked to read a post. 

I read a post called Number for Bloggers Anonymous Anyone? that I wrote back in January.  A lighthearted look at life as a blog-addict.  I enjoyed writing it and I enjoyed reading it, maybe you even enjoyed listening to it.

But it was just a very small warm up act for what would follow.  The at times unbearably emotional, throat constricting, rawness of some of the posts read by Sandy Calico, Carol at New Mummy,  Modern Dilemma, Mum at the Mad House and the eloquence of VegemiteVix.

This stuff really hit me over the head with the stonking great realisation that there’s a shed load of utterly incredible writing amongst mummy bloggers.  I mean really bloody amazing.  And when you actually see the person that wrote it, speaking it directly from their heart; it really knocks you for six.

I admit to being floored by these posts.  They reminded me of how much I love my girls, how much I miss my Mum, how much I love being the person I am.  Happy and sad all rolled into one.

To be honest for me, it was all a bit much.  I started to feel the familiar onset of a cracking headache - too much coffee 'to keep warm' - that air conditioning was fierce - and actually I wanted to take a step back and think about why I'm blogging, what it all means to me.  It is a huge part of my life.  Yes I know probably a bit over analytical after such a celebratory occasion but sometimes I like to do that sort of thing. 

Well done Susanna, Sian and Jen.  This was an incredible inaugural event.

Oh and by the way, I would have loved to have gone to the Gurgles awards, I was nominated afterall and clearly it was a great honour, but I'm just too shattered.  I'm sure that will be/was a great event too.