the mommyblogger panel

Agreed.

Word.

I agree.

Thanks for saying that Jess. I often feel a little inferior because I'm just not snarky or funny at all most of the time. I guess you could say I'm sincere, and I write about what matters to me. But I know I'm not a commercially viable commodity because of that. It doesn't really matter to me, since I'm not trying to make a living off my blog, or even as a writer, but I sometimes feel that the pervasive snarky humor is tiresome. It's like a weapon, sometimes, and the better you wield it, the more popular you are.

Not that I don't enjoy it myself, but it can be awfully similar in flavor. Like all the popular girls in high school perfecting one particular voice.

I was not at BlogHer last year, so I wasn't sure what to expect but I was surprised by the lack of structure during that session. I had hoped to hear more from the panelists - what I did hear from them was wonderful.

The ad guys - ugh. I get it. They're here for the business. We're an interesting and desired demographic, but blaaagh.

I totally agree with your assessment. And I have more to say but I have to think through my thoughts.

How are you liking this one? (she typed to the girl sitting next to her)

well said.

Oh I completely agree.

And I like that you keep getting mistaken for Fluid Pudding. (Is she there? I would love to meet FP).

I am so glad that you are there, Jess. I wish there had been time/space for you to stand up and say that during the panel.

I would venture to say that this is a "suits versus sandals" situation where the sandals are the talent and the suits screw everything up when they try to inflict their lame-ass business-guy ideas on everyone. Ad guys??? Go away.
Glas you're there and having a good time.

OH, Jess. I missed you so much. And can I just say, that if I could strike one word from the current popular vernacular, it would be "snark?" I HATE THAT WORD. When did "snark" become so desirable? I do not have any desire to be "SNARKY." Thank you.

I love you.

While i enjoy the funny writers, i also seek out the mothers who are honest and not always funny. They are real.

I think the funny Mommybloggers get a boost in popularity because they appeal to mothers, but also to people like me who don't have kids (and don't want kids). A serious blog about motherhood wouldn't really interest me because it's not very relevant to my life, but no matter the subject, a laugh is a laugh. I'd read a blog about NASCAR if it was humourous.

I only mention this because you mentioned the ad guy who was taking notes and remarking if people were funny or "snarky". Like me, the laugh-factor is probably how he can relate to Mommy blogs. I'm sure if the ad person was a woman with a couple of kids, her perspective on what she enjoyed might have been different.

As for people writing in a false voice in an attempt to gain traffic, their audience will eventually discern a lack of authenticity. I'd rather have a firm following of 5% of all blog readers of a niche subject than a wishy-washy 75% of everyone.

"I feel like the push for traffic, ads and comments is causing women to write in voices that are not necessarily their own"

Oh holy crap! That's an amazing sentiment right there.

Sounds like this weekend is rocking for you. Love it.

Thanks for writing this. I often feel...I dunno... bad? when I compare my writing to writing that is "funny." I appreciate the validation that it's okay for me to write what I want to write and if it's funny one day, good; if it's not, okay.

If I was funny every day there would be something wrong because for me, humor is many times a front to hide pain and insecurity.

I, too, found the mommyblogger session a tad disappointing, but I chalked it up to the lack of intimacy in the room (I was way in back, and as you noted, it was HOT). I also had the misfortune to compare it to last year's session, which was dynamic and full of ANGER at the way we felt we were being marginalized. Perhaps acceptance has made us boring? (Or maybe it was just HOT.)

You're not alone in feeling that the session was disappointing. *sigh*

I also agree that ads/traffic aren't worth a loss of voice... but I guess I take issue with this sentiment somehow only being the domain of mommyblogging. Lots of people sacrifice authenticity for monetary gain or even popularity. I still (perhaps naively) believe that the cream rises; that sure, some people generate traffic purely by being shocking or whatever, but for the most part, people respond to honesty. In ANY kind of blog.

Amen. Lately, I find myself trying to be someone I'm not - mostly just to entertain my readers. It's really awful to admit that, but it's true.

I guess this weekend was exactly what I needed.

Amen, sister.

Totally agree about the randomness of the panel. Despite my own outburst (sorry) I really wanted to hear what the panelists had to say and not every woman with the ability to hold a microphone.

I will say however that the people who get advertisers (and the most readers) are probably the most true to their own voices. Witty or funny, honest, or poignant, your voice is all you've got. If you write based on what you think people want of you, it always comes across as disinigenuous, at least from what I can see. It's the difference between people's personal blogs and their (ahem) club mom blogs.

I wish, wish, wish we had gone in with a more structured panel. I'm kicking myself. I wanted to allow for spontaneity in the session since last year's discussion was so dynamic, but everything was different from last year in ways I hadn't anticipated.

I am extremely interested to hear about the ad guys noting URLs in the panel. That makes me go, "Hmmm."

Peace people

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