All Change in 2010
Time for a change
Well, we are two weeks into 2010 and already I’m rearranging! Friends and family who know me well, know that I can’t stand to look at anything the same for too long. I frequently change the furniture arrangement in our lounge, particularly for the seasons. In the Spring and Summer it’s all about the out of doors so the furniture shifts to the back of the lounge by the patio doors. In the Autumn and Winter it’s all about the HEAT from the only heat source in our lounge, the fireplace. Every three months or so, I dutifully shuffle everything to different places, reorganise and enjoy the change of view. Hubby comes home from work and says “Oh no!” It’s a good thing that no one in our immediate family is visually impaired; I’d be messing with their minds on a regular basis.
I started blogging in June of 2009 and quickly got involved in product reviewing in addition to blogging. Never satisfied, I finally ended up with Café Bébé as it is today- a self-hosted, WordPress blog about my life as a Mummy and some of the brilliant things we have been fortunate enough to do and receive. The product reviewing quickly took over as the primary focus for me which is why the main address site (www.cafebebe.co.uk) became Reviews at Café Bébé. However, recently, I’ve begun to regret that decision. Joining groups like Judith’s Room and focusing more on my dream of freelance writing has allowed me to see that the most important aspect of Café Bébé is the writing. My writing has slowed down because I have overstretched myself…I need to focus on what I do best.
I’ve also seen a turn in the way that product reviewing is going in the blogging world. I want to be seen as a Mummy Blogger and Freelance Writer, not a product reviewer. I won’t claim to be perfect, by any means, however. I have used my Just Ask philosophy to get a lot of things that we never would have had access to. Little Miss’ clothing and belongings have increased dramatically this past year and that’s lovely as we are on a very limited income. But, I’ve come to realise that if people want me to review their products, they’ll come to me (If I build it, they will come). I shouldn’t need to be knocking down anyone else’s doors. I don’t want to give Mummy Blogging a bad name and for me, I’ve never wanted to make a career out of product reviewing; I’ve wanted to make a career out of writing.
So, hopefully, as of Tuesday 12 January (if my host technical support team can sort me out), Café Bébé will become a solo blog with a few pages, multiple categories and will primarily be about the writing. I have integrated my product reviews into the blog under the PRODUCT REVIEWS category (strangely enough) so they are still there in their original form. I have a few reviews yet to publish for products that I have received in the last few months and I will continue to review products if I am approached or if something happens to fall in my lap. I have the joy of continuing to review products at The Great Toy Guide , Living with Kids, and Mummy Reviews in addition to my commissioned reviews for MadeForMums website (as long as all of them continue to have me). Let me know your thoughts about product reviews? Do you do them? Are you regularly approached? If you don’t do them, why not? I’ve really enjoyed the fun of receiving products and the challenge of writing about them in a constructive way but I really think it’s time for a fresh start in 2010.
I welcome your comments as well as critiques. And of course, please let me know if you have any problems accessing anything on Café Bébé. Thank you for your support and here’s to a brilliant year!
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Good for you, it’s your blog and you should cover whatever makes you feel good!
Looking snazzy! I need to redo my blog and get it looking spiffy too. Well done you for being focused on your core objective for the blog. It’s going to be a great year for you! x
I think being focused is excellent, otherwise it is too easy to waste our energies stretched too thin and risk never really achieving anything.
I hope your changes bring you what you’re looking for lovely, and given how FANTASTICALLY you are doing with your writing I’d say you’re choosing to place you feet on the right path
I wish you every luck my dear, behind you all the way xxx
Thanks so very much Josie…your words REALLY mean a lot to me as I really respect you as a writer and blogger!
Thanks so much Mrs…I’m so happy to have found your blog as well…we’re a bit similar, aren’t we?? I’ll be in touch about your blog as well
Thanks very much! I do feel good now…
FOCUS!! I love it!! te he he!!
Reviews – I do do them, but I rarely get approached on my personal blog, I suspect its due to my terrible language ha ha! On The Bump Wear Project we do get approached and I send on things to my pregnant reviews to trial.
I personally think that you have to be more than just a review site to get any credibility, I mean no dispresct, but my RSS feed is beginning to fill up with reviews which I consider quite crap …. product wise, not writing wise. You know, cleaning products and the like. So much so, I have a new RSS reader which I am much mroe select about whom I follow. Saying that, there are some fab review sites out there, like the bambino and nest goodies sites and some great product placement (like mummytips and her products) I just think in the main, a lot of pR people are sending out crap…..
Or am I totally wrong and just suspect this to be the case, like I said. I rarely get approached and when I do, unless its a great product, I say no.
Im now getting off my soap box
xxxx
And I forgot to say, good luck with 2010! xx
Thanks Claire- I agree about reviews. I’m never going to be a Bambino Goodies or Yummy Mummy Tips so there’s no point in trying, really. And if I get approached in the future, I’ll certainly be more selective about what I agree to reviews. I appreciate your comments and thoughts and thank you for your well wishes!
Looking good! I’m trying to move my wp.com blog over to self hosted – an interesting challenge for the new year! But looking at CafeBebe, clearly worth it!
I have no issue with reviews if they are relevant, well written and honest. Like Claire I’m no big fan of them taking up too much real estate in my feed reader, but I don’t mind them popping up. Conversely, I love them when I’m looking to make a new purchase!
Good luck in the next year, enjoy your writing and your blog.
Thanks very much…good to know I’m on the right track. I highly recommend self-hosting…much more freedom with WP which is delightful!
Good luck…let me know when you’re there! 
I think it’s all about being true to yourself. I’m a new blog and I’ve done some reviews, I thought why not?
But then having said that, the products I have reviewed have all been things that mean alot to me in terms of bringing up Mo, e.g organic babywipes/toiletries/parebefree products/chemical free and safe drinking cups. It’s so easy for us Mums to get seduced by the big companies- I hate the fact that products such as fruit shoots drinks are aimed at kids and yet they contain a whole load of rubbish? So if a review get a good company a bit of recognition wheres the harm.
Having said that, I always get comments on my writing NOT my reviews, probably because I write about me falling on my ass, or Mo pooing somewhere he shouldn’t. Hmmmmmmm. Make of that what you will.
Lastly, love the site, love the blog, keep being you. xxx
Thanks Mrs…you’re very sweet! I appreciate you taking the time to comment and I think your blog is fabby. I absolutely love your sense of humour and find your stories hilarious. Never stop being you either!
Hi Karin
For what it’s worth, I love your blog best when it’s stories of your family life and Liss Miss, and the challenges you face, or the fun you have when you’re out and about.
With reviews, as you know, I think it’s important to be selective and I think at the Great Toy Guide although we do seek products to review, we’re very clear that reviews are objective, and that we will review samples happily if required. I hope that means we strike a balance between being “go getters” and “blagging bloggers”!
Best of luck for 2010 I’m sure it’ll be amazing.
Sally
x
Thanks Sally…I’m quite fond of my stories about my family as well. I appreciate you taking the time to comment!
I think you are right to re-focus on what your goals for your blog are. Whilst it is nice to receive, if you truly want to grow your reputation as a writer then I think you have most definitely made the right decision.