We aren’t? Are you sure? We’re what??? GROWN WOMEN? Wow…could have fooled me! As many of you know there has been LOADS of drama surrounding the PR Blackout started by my dear friend Trisha from MomDot. Why was the PR Blackout started? How did it get started? Many of you have probably already read some “great” posts by “professional” bloggers/journalists etc. and so on, but until you have read about this from someone who was actually there the night it was first talked about and knows what’s actually going on then you haven’t heard the truth.
If you are coming here reading this post and looking for drama then look away…you won’t find it here and I won’t be responding to anyone who acts like a child on my blog. I already have three children…I don’t need anymore. I hope that from this post you come to understand the true meaning behind the PR Blackout and why some of us think it’s a good idea.
When I first started out as a blogger it was my way of venting after a long day with my kids by myself and to make some friends. A fellow blogger/friend told me that I should go and become a member of a great forum community that she belongs to called….drum roll please….MomDot! MomDot was only my second forum that I had ever really belonged to and “hung out” at and it quickly became my blogging community home. The ladies there are beyond amazing. And by amazing I mean there is nobody there to jump all over someone for grammar or punctuation mistakes. There’s nobody there putting someone else down to make themselves feel better. Everyone there is so incredibly nice, generous, supportive and welcoming. I have been on MomDot almost since it started out and have to say that I have never in my life met such a wonderful group of women…EVER!
Trisha started a party night once a week that we would all hang out and chat together about the ups and downs, fun times, new ideas, experiences, tips and more about blogging; called FNL. We all get on Stickam or BlogTalk Radio every Friday and have a great time together. One of our main topics for that evening was bloggy burnout and how it was making some of us guilty, overwhelmed, unsuccessful or stressed. Now I know a lot of people have said, ‘well then don’t take so much….you’re getting free products…you need to know when to say when….you’re greedy….‘ it goes on and on. BUT as a review/giveaway blogger I can tell you that yes, I could/should say no more often but feel most of the time that if I do I will loose a great opportunity to work with a great company and/or a great company rep or that I will not be giving my readers all that I can. These reviews and giveaways take a long time to review, post, link and promote. HOURS as a matter of fact! There are so many times when I don’t even have time to blog about me, my life, my kids, my current situations, thoughts, feelings, etc. THOSE things are what my blog was originally for. Not the free (because in the end that’s what they are, free) reviews and giveaways. For what? A $15 – $50 product? For all the hours it takes to actually review, post, link and promote that would be me receiving $1.50 – $5 an hour. Really, if I wanted to make money doing something I could get a job at McDonald’s and get paid more. I do this for my readers and for the great companies, especially parent inventors, that are looking for a great way to promote their products and site.
PR Blackout was not meant to hurt, annoy or piss off anyone, especially companies. It was all set up for one week, ONE, to support each other and get back to the main reason most of us started blogging to begin with. It was also meant mainly for the members at MomDot, not the entire blogging community. It’s a way for us to let loose, become free of stress and obligations and learn more about each other for ONE week. It has turned out to be a huge online “treat” for those bloggers that do not agree, want to pretend like they’re back in middle school with all their mudslinging, are looking for a great (and popular I might add) link to post on their site to get more traffic or just have nothing else better to do with their time then pick on someone because everyone else is. Classy!
If any of them knew Trisha and MomDot, and I mean really knew about her and her site, then they would know that Trisha does all she can to support, educate, help and be a friend to each and every person on there. She has been more than generous with her time, work, promotions, donations and so much more. She started Bloggers Give where we would all get the reps and companies we were working with to donate one or more of their product or promotion code proceeds to The Center For Courageous Kids. Together we all gathered over $12,000 in products to that charity to help kids that are either terminally ill or have major health issues. Yeah, she does sound like a bitch huh? She also started Pitch Bloggers and the ONN (Online Opportunities Network) to give out all that she has received when it comes to reps and great PR opportunities so that all of us could help more companies and get more out to our readers. WHAT was she thinking? Wow…very self centered and rude! OMG…how will I sleep at night?
As easy as it for someone to tell me to stop being greedy, learn when to say when and to stop whining about receiving free products in order to do a review, I will say right back at them that if they do not agree with the PR Blackout and think it’s a bad idea for them, then don’t do it. There is a little ‘X’ on the top right of your screen, if you don’t like it, click on it and see ya! But really when it comes down to it, either you’re in or you’re not. There’s no need for hateful words, name calling, mud slinging, picking apart pieces of a post (or entire blog) and making snide comments about it. Get over yourselves! The blogging community is huge, if you stumble upon a site that you don’t care for then click that little ‘X’ and go away. Don’t go away mad….just go away. All this childish bullshit needs to stop. Behind the screen of MomDot is a person. A person with feelings, a person with a life on and off her blog and more importantly a person who has touched the lives of so many people. I am so proud to say that I know Trisha and am one of her friends. She has been such a huge part of my blogging life and I feel blessed to know her.
Thank you Trisha, for being a mentor, friend, supporter and blogging companion! I love you and MomDot! xoxo
*Oh and please notice how I didn’t include any links to anyone here. If I need a good link for a post or topic I’ll do it in good taste.*
About Stefanie
that was very nice, thankyou.
I can also say that if i were a rep, i would not want to work w/ mommy bloggers period after all the way bloggers conducted themselves regarding this. I would be blacklisting BLOGGERS off of the immature pettiness big time.
I have seen many that would not be repping my company…but hey, thats just me.
Oh I agree Trisha! I wouldn’t want someone like those who have been so incredibly snarky and childish to promote anything for me or my company.
What a fantastic post… very positive and fair with no mudslinging on either side. I can tell a mature adult wrote it. I don’t get into drama and everyone is entitled to follow/subscribe to whatever blogs they want, but it’s obvious that a lot of the posts are for traffic. I am a review blogger who has wonderful relationships with the PR people I work with and don’t feel that I need time off right now, but the idea behind it was nothing like what is being portrayed. You know how they say moms need “me” time so they can refresh and come back a better mom? Well, I feel that is what this is. After a little break, those bloggers that need it, will come back refreshed. They will be better bloggers (and reviewers if they choose to do that) and that will benefit not only the blogger and their children (most importantly) but also companies and PR companies. The blackout, from what I can tell, had no intention of shunning PR or companies… it was just a little refresh time, a break, for bloggers to examine why they blog and then come back stronger and more true to themselves. I hope that everyone who comments here will do so in an adult manner.
God bless you, girl for writing this.
Thanks Shannon! And yes, you nailed it! That’s exactly what the PR Blackout is for! But more importantly in this post I want to show people, companies and reps that these bloggers are picking on someone for something they know jack about! Makes no sense to me! NONE!
Stef, you are so right about all of it. The worst part is not just the disagreement about the IDEA of the PR Blackout, but the personal attacks that have been slung on Trisha unprovoked. She responded, but only after having mean and childish things said about her.
There IS a great misunderstanding about it, yes, but an intelligent, well thought-out and researched argument is one thing – responding to something based upon false premises and not having all the facts is just irresponsible.
Very true Kim! That’s what pisses me off the most. Most of these bloggers don’t even know what the hell they’re talking about.
Very well said.
Excellent post!
Great post Steph. I am not doing the blackout, but I certainly have no bad thoughts on it. I support you all completely. I listed to the FNL show and read all the threads on it. In general I think people make judgements before they know all of the facts, which sucks. You guys know the truth, and that’s all that matters.
)
Awesome post, Stef. Very well written. you told it like it is and didn’t sling any mud. Funny how that happens when you’re an adult, huh?
Please come and link this one up on my post. I want to have all the support for Trisha and MomDot that I can get in one spot other than the forum/MomDot.
http://mylastshredsofsanity.blogspot.com/2009/07/pr-blackout-would-you-like-some-cheese.html
I really don’t get what all the fuss is about-basically your blog is all about you and how you choose to run it. For me, I mix it up with family stuff and a review or giveaway here and there-as my time allows. I do admire those that do multiple reviews, I often wondered where they get the time to do so and I see where the potential exists for burnout. When they stop being fun and start becoming more of a chore maybe it is time to step back and take a break. Whether it be a break from blogging altogether or just a break from the grind-whatever you decide to come up with. Sure, the freebies are wonderful and working with great companies is also a plus-and if you have done a great job for them in the past I am sure they will understand if you have to tell them you are unavailable for a review. They also have families, and take vacations-and just need a break from their jobs too. I seriously doubt that you would be placed on a shit list for saying no. At work, I take my breaks when I need them, no one tells me when to do so. In blogging, it is pretty much the same. I won’t be participating in the week of PR blackout, but I agree with the concept that if you are getting burnt out-take your break! Write more about yourself, your family, or don’t write anything at all. Spend the day in front of the TV watching soap operas in your housecoat and eating chocolate bon-bons if that is what makes you happy. If you want to keep writing, doing more reviews and giveaways-go for it. Sure, I love visiting and winning giveaways and that might have been how I originally found your blog in the first place-but I also go back to visit your blog as time allows because I also like what I have read there in the past. I might not always leave a comment, but it doesn’t mean I haven’t been there. I think what has shocked me most are the comments people are writing about each other. I don’t know any of you all personally, and this reminds me of grade school-I really thought as adults we had grown out of that. It makes me wonder how you all act towards each other when you are in the same room at some sort of bloggy function. C’mon ladies, respect each others opinions, agree to disagree, and move on.
I agree with you Michele. Thank you for being respect in your comment!