Frequently Asked Questions...

By Amy

Heya!  I've been getting some questions about how things work here at S.O.M. so I am addressing them in this here post and giving a fancy little button on the side of the blog in its honor.  :)

Here's three questions that go hand in hand:

-Can I contribute a guest post to Swag on Momma?

-What can I contribute? 

-How can I contribute?

YES, I'd LOVE it if you contributed a post!  The goal of SOM is for MANY women to share their stories, advice, ideas, etc!  For the what and how of contributing, check out the "Wanna Contribute?" button...

-Who are your contributors? 

I contribute about half of the posts, and the other half are written by other ladies who have a story to tell.  They are normal, everyday, busy ladies, like you!  Sometimes, I approach a lady about sharing a story, but other times, ladies come to me with ideas for a post they could write--that is so nice for me! :)

So far, many of my contributors have been close friends and family members, and I'm SO happy that you get to meet these amazing ladies who I love, admire, and respect.  I also have some cool friends and relatives who already have their own blogs, and I will often feature one of their posts.

The only hard part: I am asking possibly the busiest group of people on the planet (moms) to sit down and type out stories, and it's hard for them to find the time!  I get it.  Some days I am lucky if I actually have time to shave my armpits in the shower, and I only have one kid!  So, the fact that these busy women make the time to share their stories, makes me so dang grateful.  I know some freakin awesome  people!

Which leads me to the next question:

-Why the intros?

Ah...the intros are one of my favorite things here on S.O.M.  It's like the opposite of gossip:  It is SO uplifting to dish on the awesome attributes of a lady and why I love and appreciate her.  It gives you, the reader, a chance to see her through another's eyes--which I love cause we often see ourselves very differently than others see us; we can be our own worst critic.  That's why I want you to see her from the perspective of someone who loves her.  I hope you enjoy reading these intros, and, when you are the contributing lady, I hope you enjoy getting bragged on: don't be sheepish! :)

-Why did you start blogging?

Well, I was a little apprehensive about starting a blog, cause there are many ladies who blog* that intimidate me.  (My fault--I can be insecure like that.)  In my eyes, they are super moms...and, I am no super mom.  I do not create Pinterest worthy meals everyday (or ever...ha) I don't hop on my sewing machine and whip up some fabulous chic outfit for me and my baby, and I do not have professional photography skills.

But...I LOVE people.  Above all else, I wanted to reach out to others: to share my stories and hear theirs in return!  So, I scraped up some courage and Swag on, Momma was born! :)

This is my dream: to create a fun, relaxed place for women to connect with each other--a place where we can talk about what matters most to us.  Many ladies want to share a story, project, advice, etc. but not everybody wants to or has the time to start their own blog...I can offer the platform for them to share!  I love it! :)

Having a baby was my catalyst...read the story here.

*And, for the record, meeting some of these super-mom blogging ladies, I've discovered they are just as human as me!  They have bad days: dinners get burned, kids are screaming, and crafts flop...but, they find joy in sharing what they love and create!  And, I've been so grateful for their help and advice, which many have freely given.

-When will new posts show up? 

I usually post one or two posts a week.  I never post on Saturdays, but all other days are fair game. :)  If I post on a Sunday, I will call it "Sunday Thoughts" and it will be a post that has to do with Faith.  So, if that's not your thing, consider yourself warned. :)

I don't have a real structured schedule, cause mommas have to be flexible (you ain't gettin nothin done when your kid is puking for three days!)  plus, some posts take a lot longer to write than others.  Also, because lots of my posts are by other ladies (yay, swaggin ladies!) I am working with other ladies' busy schedules too.  So, to never miss a post, be sure to follow along!

-How do I follow along?

Why, thank you for asking! :)  I'd love for you to be part of our community--it's so nice to be part of a fabulous group of ladies!  So, when you are talking your husbands ear off and his eyes glaze over, just come talk with us!  Ha!  The more ladies, the more perspectives and input we get. :)

You can
#1) Like the SOM Facebook blog page (using the button on the right side of this blog) to get updates on your Facebook feed when I or another contributor posts... But, I have to tell you, that over half of the people that "Like" any blog's Facebook page won't see their updates!  It's something that Facebook has cut back on, so if you only follow this blog through Facebook, you'll miss quite a bit.  Lame, huh? However, since I'm sure you don't want to miss a thing, (wink, wink) go to the S.O.M. Facebook page (type it in the search box, or click on the name when you see it in your feed), hover over the “liked” button, and click “get notifications.”  Voila!  One or two times a week, you'll get a notification whenever I post something.

#2) Click the "Join This Site" button under the "Come Join the Party!" tab.  This is my favorite way to follow blogs; I see all the posts from the blogs I love when I sign onto my Google account.

#3) Follow this blog by clicking the Bloglovin' icon at the top right of this blog.  It's the + sign.  (If you don't have a Bloglovin' account, it's an easy way to see all of the new posts on your fav blogs in one place.  Super handy and pretty easy to set up.)

#4) Follow by email. (Also found on the side of this blog...just enter your email into the box and you're good!)  Some people prefer this, but I never follow blogs by email, cause then I don't get to see their pictures!

The nice thing is, because I'm not a daily blogger, you'll only get post notifications 1 to 3 times a week or so I won't flood you with a bunch of stuff.

For all of you readers who are already following, I appreciate you so much!  "Insert high-fives, hugs, bones, booty bumps, etc...ok, maybe not the last one.)  Thank you for supporting me and all the ladies who have contributed here.  You are the coolest of the cool! :)

-Did you draw the pic at the top of your blog?

Yep!  I love to draw!  (I am an art teacher...but not a hippy one who wears colorful dresses and has long, flowy hair...though that sounds pretty sweet!)  I draw faces like this EVEYWHERE.  Sometimes, my husband finds faces on his homework. 

-What makes me do a happy jig? (Ok, I have to admit I made up this question, nobody asked me this...)

COMMENTS.  On my posts and especially on posts by one of the guest contributors.  I want everyone who posts here to have a good experience--to feel heard and appreciated.  Plus, it kinda defeats the blog's whole purpose of connecting, when there is no conversation started.

When I read a comment like, "Wow, this reminded me so much of my experience with_______. Thank you for sharing!" I start dancing the happy jig!  (Alright, occasionally I do actually dance--cause I am a spaz--but I always smile and feel warm and fuzzy!)

So have fun reading others comments and comment yourself! :)  A BIG shout out to the ladies who already take time to comment and show support!  You are the BEST! (Said in a Nacho Libre accent)  :)

-What about advertising/sponsors?

This has been a difficult question to me.  I didn't start this blog as a money-making scheme.  However, I do put many hours a week into keeping this party rollin.  Don't get me wrong, It's been SO much fun, but, it does take a lot of my time and effort.  Every day, I write and respond to emails with many awesome ladies about guest posts.  I read and edit those posts and format/enter them into Blogger.  Along with that, I spend a good chunk of time writing my own posts, as well as sharing on Facebook and responding to comments.

So, if there's any way for my labors to help my little fam financially, then I would be super grateful. (Cause we're living off student loans while Patrick is in school!)

I'd like to give a platform to regular ladies like us, who've started their own businesses.  (Like an Etsy shop!)  We can help you get some exposure and traffic!

So, are YOU interested in advertising on this blog?  Sweet!  Send me an email about your products and company (amy.the.graham@gmail.com ) and we'll talk.

Don't worry, I'll never have advertising for Billy Bob's Car Parts or some crazy weird diet pills.  I will only allow products that I can feel good about endorsing here on my little blog home.

Well, I think that about covers it!  I love all you swaggin readers.  Keep it real, and swag on!
-Amy

P.S. What did I miss?  Any other questions?

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