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The BlogCatalog Interview

November 15, 2009 By Mom Spark 10 Comments

I really wasn’t going to bring this up, because I didn’t want to promote this particular BlogCatalog post in any way. It now seems appropriate and relevant since I have experienced something similar with the LA Times.

Here is the story.

I was approached by Julia Kelly by DM on Twitter, who asked me to be a part of a “BlogCatalog” spotlight.  Here are our exchanges, which take place on Twitter & email.  I do not have text from my DMs back to her because they go weeks back, but I do have copies of her DMs to me that were in my gmail archives.

MidwestMoms (Julia): Amy, I write spotlight pieces for BlogCatalog and wonder whether you’d like to be interviewed for a piece I’m writing to go up next week. (twitter)

MidwestMoms (Julia): (cont) I’m interested in your thoughts on blogging and corporate relationships. Also, I’m intrigued by Mom Made That! and blog promotion. (twitter)

MidwestMoms(Julia): If you’re interested in the spotlight piece, would you email me? my address is *removed*. Thanks! (twitter) [Read more...]

Product Reviewers are Bloggers, too.

October 22, 2009 By Mom Spark 59 Comments

This issue has been boiling inside of me for a few months now, and was reconfirmed, again, when I attended the Type A Mom Conference town hall meeting, and heard the same conversation ignited.

Product reviewers.  Giveaways.  Apparently, it is a HUGE deal.

Product reviewers seem to be looked down upon, or considered the “bottom rung” of the blogging ladder.  Why?  Maybe because it doesn’t fit inside the blogger mold?  Some would even dare to say that review and giveaway bloggers are not real writers.  But, then, what is a real writer, and can bloggers only be real writers?

I think the underlying issue is that, to some, review and giveaway bloggers are not bloggers at all, so this raises a very important question-

What is the definition of a blogger? [Read more...]