What’s Stopping Me?

Today started out so well…a visit to the physio for new exercises to help my Mummy Tummy, a great walk with our best mates & play time for the girls in the garden under the Spring sun.  Then we came home.  I should have stayed out!  Little Miss wouldn’t go to sleep and she desperately needed it.  2 episodes of “Show Me Show Me” (thank God for BT Vision recordings) later and she still wasn’t asleep!  I was reduced to rocking her to sleep again after a bit of screaming (her…not me) and then I had quiet.

Where it all went wrong was with my email accounts and my blog.  I’m having my usual wobble…wondering where the visitors are and wondering if I’m good enough.  I’m trying to expand my freelance writing “career” and am working with some amazing people and PR companies but THEY TAKE FOREVER TO RETURN EMAILS!  I know, I know…who am I?  A stay-at-home-mummy who plays in the sandbox, makes slightly interesting meals and spends the day speaking to a nearly-2-year old.  I’m no high-flying client with needs and demands.  I’m no FREELANCE JOURNALIST with connections and power.  I’m just me.  But I’d really like to have a return email please and thank you so I can get along with my plans for world domination.

I’d like to take my freelance writing career further.  I’d like to work with PR’s and companies on blogs and posts which will promote their products and causes.  I’d like to be PAID for my work.  Is that too much to ask?  I need some advice…what is stopping me?  Am I too sensitive?  Don’t answer that, I might cry!  Am I not a good enough writer?  Am I not ruthless enough?  Do I not have the right connections?  Do I need to get a better laptop?  (GOD YES!)  I would love some advice from other freelancers and writers who have been able to MAKE IT.  Shall I give you my career goals so you can help me better?  OK then…

• Cafe Bebe- I always want to keep my lovely blog.  It’s my second baby…I spend a LOT of time on it and love it dearly even if not everyone else loves it the same.  I’d love for someone to want to advertise on it and pay me to do so.  Bidding is now open!
• Freelance Writing- I want to continue my Expat Magazine contributions (FREE) and my Parenting Page contribution to our local, monthly glossy mag (PAID).  I want to continue my sporadic reviewing for MadeForMums which has given me a great deal of experience writing reviews (PAID).  I would LOVE to continue to work with various PR companies to support clients of theirs through sponsored posts and/or special blogs.  I would LOVE to work with these PR’s to help them learn about Parent Bloggers and what we like/want/need.  I would LOVE to contribute to parenting magazine blogs.  I would LOVE to pitch stories to national parenting magazines and be commissioned to write them.  Of course, all of these things would be PAID.
• Now if I could just have a little bit of childcare to accompany all of these things then I could really get there!

I need advice on the items above.  What do you recommend?  How do I make these dreams a reality?  What’s stopping me?  What action can I take?  Do I have what it takes?  I would greatly appreciate any freelance/blogging advice that you’d like to share.  When I’m writing my memoires, I’ll be sure to thank you in the foreward!