Tuesday 23 June 2015

The power of blogging and social media

This time two years ago I did something that has subsequently changed my life.

At the time I was the proud but massively overwhelmed owner of a one year old (“I’m never having another one, not EVER!”…) and amongst the tantrums and tiredness and daily self-doubt that I was “not cut out for this shit” I wrote my first blog post. It was a little bit crap actually. I hadn't found my own style and I edited out much-loved everyday phrases like “bollocks and arse” because I just didn’t think they were allowed. Nevertheless, it was the start of something.

I set myself up on twitter and started sharing blog posts with the 100 or so followers I had begged, borrowed or bribed. And for the best part of 18 months that was all the blog was. It was the odd post here and there, shared to a handful of other mums on twitter. I had no reason to believe it would ever amass to anything more. When I reached 1,000 twitter followers I was pretty surprised - all those people reading my random mumblings about baby groups and breastfeeding and wanting to smack Peppa Pig in the fucking snout (by this point I was the owner of a two year old and I was pregnant, say no more).
“Can you send me the link to your blog, I’m not on twitter,” I was asked by a few friends. So one evening, just after Christmas last year, I decided I’d brave a Facebook page. To get the page up and running I needed to share it with people I actually knew, people I went to school with, people who god love them were mostly too polite to decline the invitation to like my page (thanks guys, I was shitting myself that the page would fall flat on its arse).
Only it didn’t fall flat on its arse. It kept growing. One night, quite early on, my husband and I sat refreshing the page likes (our evenings are wild) and were AMAZED when it hit 10,000 followers. “It’ll tail off at some point soon” we said…
And tail off it still might. But this week is the first time I have really stopped to take stock.

This week the Facebook page hit 120,000 followers.

This week the blog itself is on its way to 3 million views.

This week I have accepted (with some sadness) that I can no longer reply to all the messages.

This week is the last week before I become a self-employed author, for a while at least. I am leaving my job to write a book. Something I am only able to do because some very lovely and important people in publishing found my blog via Facebook…

And yet above all of this madness something else occurred to me this week, something more important, something I really need to thank you for.
I no longer feel like I am on my own.  

Not that I have ever been alone. But at times I have felt like other mums cope so well with the role of parent that there must be something wrong with me. I must be a total failure for wanting to hide behind the sofa with my fingers in my ears after eight hours of whinging because I just can’t stand ANOTHER SODDING MINUTE.
It must just be me, I thought.

But hundreds of you have made contact over the last six months to say “me too” and a weight has been lifted.
It is not just me.
Thank god for that.
Thank god for all of you.
Thank you.

I promise not to write slushy posts to you again, by the way, I just wanted it said. Now if we can do one of those awkward hugs and just get on with life that’d be great.
The Unmumsy Mum
If you fancy pre-ordering the labour of love that is my book (due out in Feb) you can do so here.

26 comments:

  1. Looking forward to the boom

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  2. Already preordered my copy of your book! Your posts help me keep some sort of sanity (said while number 3 shouts in my face!)

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  3. Wish you all the luck in the world.... My son is 23 now and when he was young I thought I was useless.... reading your blog I realise I was normal

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  4. Your blog is a life saver, I always thought I must be doing something wrong when looking at other mums, but reading your blog its great I'm not. Love it and looking forward to reading your book. Well done you :)

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  5. I'm new here but many congratulations on your book, your blog and your FB page! I am still struggling with my FB page but will keep at it :-)

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  6. Can't wait for the book!

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  7. Are you sponsored by haldon forest? Or at least have you blagged yourself a free car park pass?

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    1. Haha! Nope I just bought an annual car park pass too!! x

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  8. My daughter is in her twenties now, and reading your blog makes me chuckle and reminisce about just how crap it can get when they're tiny.
    Said daughter is now the proud owner of a 5 month old poop machine herself, and she also loves your blog.

    Keep being bloody awesome! :)

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  9. You are the most honest and instantly like-able blogger out there - saying what we are all really thinking! I'm sure your book will be an absolute smash, looking forward to it.

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  10. I'm not even a mum but I love your blog, it's hilarious and nice to hear the other side of the story, rather than all the people telling me I need to have a child as it's amazing. Maybe I will one day but when I do at least I'll be prepared for the reality!

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  11. Wishing you lots of luck with the book. Your posts give me a hod old laugh especially after days like today! This morning started off at 6am with a wet bed and a toddler who didn't want to talk to me coz I wasn't daddy all while the baby had taken over my bed so there wasn't any space for me. The joy parenthood. Love your blog :)

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  12. Thank you for writing as you do! I've got a 4 month old and just wish I had found your blog sooner as it makes me feel normal and pushes those "I am a shitty mum" thoughts out of my head. :)

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  13. You have come so far and you have done it purely by being you and being honest. You're an inspiration x

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  14. I'm so glad I found your blog before my little boy was born, thanks to you I went into this with my eyes open, not expecting that I have to be supermum. Thank you so much.
    Looking forward to the book.

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  15. You're fab! I'm a mum of a 3yr old and a 3month old and am relieved that there are other people in the world who say "you're fucking kidding me" under their breath when having a bad day with the pair of them. Your blogs are well written, honest and hilarious! I'll be first in the queue for the book!

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  16. Amazing story! You give hope to other mums AND other mummy bloggers :)

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  17. My husband and I are the proud owners of a very beautiful 8 week old (but born 5 weeks premature) little girl, so I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your blog as I am very much having the same oh God feelings as to whether or not I'm any good at this and the tiredness that comes with 3 1\2 hour feeds, (hence why I'm posting at this time, keeping my wee one sitting upright for half and hour after her feed so she doesn't get reflux, and trying to stay awake) you make me feel that there is light at the end of the tunnel (fuck knows how long the tunnel is, looks like a man with a torch at the minute but it's there!) and that I'm not crazy for feeling this way, plus you make me laugh out loud which has been a godsend some nights. Bless you chick xx

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  18. You're too funny! Love reading your posts, piss myself laughing at them which as a parent as we all know is just what you need when you need a laugh and to identify with others in the midst of it all. Keep going and good luck with the book :)

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  19. So, I've just pre-ordered your book! Am now really looking forward to February! The book comes out just after our family holiday, so can't wait to read it! :0)

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  20. Thank you for giving me the courage to be an honest mummy, can't wait for the book!

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  21. Love love love this blog, not least for the unfettered swearing!

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  22. I absolute love your posts and wish I had found you before my boy was umm, 6 months (or whatever month it was) you're the taboo part of parenting which has become socially more acceptable to be spoken about. Keep up the fab work!!

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  23. Thank you Unmumsy, you have made the same difference to a lot of us. I cried when I read this. It helps a lot to stand amidst the unravelling chaos and think, this is just like that Unmumsy post, insert my own expletives in my head and feel as if this might have a funny side one day. I now feel as if, somewhere out there, I am on a team, even if everybody else looks just better, Bloody well done. Can't wait for the book. X

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  24. Gosh that is amazing. What an achievement. I know you've 'made it' because my friends share your blog posts on Facebook. People adore down to earth, tell it like it is writing and you are so good at it. Your posts really resonate with so many. And they're hilarious too. Fab work! Jess xx

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