NaBloPoMo | That’s All Folks

Posted on November 30, 2013 by XT Reid

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NaBloPoMo is officially over! Even though I blog everyday, doing NaBloPoMo was completely different. I thoroughly enjoyed NaBloPoMo, but it’ll defintiely be a while before I participate in another month long posting challenge. Its one thing to come up with my original content to post about, but to have to follow daily prompts…well that was another thing. I’ll definitely do another NaBloPoMo, but it will mostly like be next Spring or Summer. I’m thinking I’ll do them seasonally, that’s about all I can handle for now. I really like posting my own content, so I did miss doing that during NaBloPoMo. Although I did post some original content, I realized early on that it was a bit overwhelming to try to post both daily. Yes, I had to play catch up with NaBloPoMo at time, but I felt it was important to finish it and finish it strong!

I can honestly say that I’m super proud of myself for successfully completing NaBloPoMo. I’m not a very disciplined person and it took discipline to stay on the NaBloPoMo train. If you haven’t ever participated in NaBloPo or any other challenge, I highly recommend it. You’ll be pleasantly surprised with the result, I’m sure of it. I sure am!

So, what you can look forward to from me going forward: Original content! Cheers to that!

NaBloPoMo November 2013

xxoo,

NaBloPoMo | The Way I Blog

Posted on November 30, 2013 by XT Reid

If you were to ask my what my first blog post was, I couldn’t tell you. I’ve been blogging since 2006, so I’ve been in the game a long time. I have had at least 4 or 5 blogs, but by far New Mama Diaries is the one I’ve dedicated the most time to and stuck with. When I first got into blogging, I was all about fashion, makeup, and beauty. I still have my fashion/makeup/beauty blogs, but they are dormant at the moment. My blogs used to serve as a supplement to my fashion/makeup/beauty Youtube videos, but I have since stopped making them. I still love makeup and all that, but just don’t wear it as often as I used to. I had to put a lot of that aside when I joined the military. I no longer wore makeup everyday or painted my names weekly. Plus, being in training, especially OCS, left me no access to technology, nor time. After a while I just kind of fell off the whole video and blogging bandwagon.

When I got pregnant with my son, I wanted a way to chronicle it. This time, I started a blog and my videos supplemented it. I could work on my blog at work or from my phone this time around, and film videos whenever convenient. Both were important, because I was chronicling my pregnancy, so that’s the passion I approach blogging and video making with this time.

I’ve had many passions over my blogging years, including baking and cooking. They’re still part of this blog, but not the main focus. The reason being, is because baking and cooking are my main focus right now. I’m focused on motherhood, marriage, family-life, and lifestyle in general. I enjoy blogging about those things, because they are relevant and important to me in my life right now. One of the main approaches I took to blogging this time, was to blog about what I am passionate about. I always say, ‘I do it until its not fun anymore’. I don’t see blogging about my passions as not being fun anytime soon.

Now, I get to share both significant and non-significant moments, no pressure, no forcing myself to write about things I don’t care about. I think its important to feel this way, because a truer voice comes across when you write about what’s important to you. When it comes to my blog, I always want my true voice to be heard. So, even though I can’t tell you about my first ever blog post…I can tell you why I post now, and that’s what’s most important to me now.

NaBloPoMo November 2013

xxoo,

Pay It Forward

Posted on November 27, 2013 by XT Reid

Hey everyone! I was recently tagged by one of my fave bloggy friends to Pay It Forward. It an awesome idea and had to participate and share it with you all. As I’ve mentioned several times before, I’m a firm believer in paying it forward and supporting fellow bloggers. Pay It Forward is an excellent platform to do this on, so read on and find out how you can Pay It Forward.

What is Pay It Forward?

Bloggers supporting other bloggers without looking for anything in return.

This was created to enable bloggers to show love and support to one another with no strings attached. We are sharing a blogger with our followers or sharing the blogger’s content because support in the blog world is awesome!

Once you’ve been tagged, in order to pay it forward, you must do the following:

1) Remember not to mention the blogger who tagged you in your blog post.

2) Select 5 people to tag that you will have to go and Pay It Forward to. (Mention these people and their blogs with a link to them in your post.). Make sure you let them know they’ve been tagged.

3) Do one of the following for the 5 people that you chose without telling everyone what you are doing:

A) Pin 3 of his or her blog posts.

B) Stumble 3 of the blogger’s blog posts. (Using stumbleupon.com)

C) If you are on Google Plus, share 3 blog posts.

D) If these people are on Instagram, give them a shot out (one by one) asking your followers to follow them on Instagram.

Below are the first 5 bloggers that I am tagging:

Tamara @ Tamara Like Camera

Natasha @ Epic Mommy Adventures

Michelle @ A Dish of Daily Life

Elena @ Cropped Stories

Jhanis @ Vanilla Housewife

*You don’t have to actually be tagged in order to participate in Pay It Forward. Simply take the explanation and the rules, select your 5 people to pay it forward to and create your blog post. This will start another ripple effect in the blogosphere.

xxoo,

NaBloPoMo | Why I Blog What I Blog

Posted on November 18, 2013 by XT Reid

I have plenty of blog posts that I’ve yet to publish. I use my handy dandy editorial calendar to schedule out all posts. The bulk of my editorial calendar is full of drafts. Looking at all my drafts, I honestly don’t see any that I would post. In taking a look through my archives, I can’t think of a post that I feel I shouldn’t have posted. I tend to stay away from controversial issues, but occasionally, depending on the subject matter I have written on a few stirring topics.

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What I’ve Learned From Daily Blogging

Posted on November 10, 2013 by XT Reid

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I a few days late on this prompt, because I decided to post some original content instead. However, I really wanted to do this prompt, because it is so applicable to me and the way I blog.

Before starting this challenge I posted pretty much everyday, so it hasn’t been a huge transition. I know there’s a lot of debate in the blogging community about post frequency. Some say you should post often, some say not so often, while others say just be consistent. I agree with the latter. Whether you post daily like I do, or once a week, consistency is key when it comes to what your readers expect.

I post daily, because it keeps me on track and disciplined with posting. However, if I don’t have anything good to post, then I don’t. It doesn’t bother me supremely to miss a day, but I know myself. It’ll start off with missing one day, then two, then three, and next thing I know I’ve missed an entire week.

Blogging is fun for me, as well an outlet. So, I honestly don’t see it as work, even with a newborn. I don’t have as much time to blog as I did when I was pregnant, because I’m constantly engaging or catering to my son, but I still make time to do it. Its those few minutes I can steal away for myself, to do something for me. As a mother they come few and far between, but I appreciate them. I love blogging and I’m so excited to see my blog grow and where it takes me.

What about you? – How often do you blog? Do you see blogging as an outlet or more as a task?

xxoo,

My Writing Space

Posted on November 4, 2013 by XT Reid

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My writing space is usually anywhere in my house that I can get comfortable. Most of the time that means on the couch in my living room. I do the bulk of my writing on my laptop, occasionally on my iPad, and seldom on my phone. However, I have the WordPress app on both my iPad and iPhone in case I need to create a draft for a post idea or make a quick post. When I write, I typically have the tv going in the background or I’m carrying on a conversation with my husband. Since having my son, this has changed a little, because I’m having to cater to his needs. Fortunately, but unfortunately he sleeps during the day, so that’s my prime for writing.

You may think why I wouldn’t choose a quite, serene space away from everything and everyone. Well the thing is that I just don’t operate that way. I like noise, light, and at least someone around at all times. While I do enjoy alone time, I’d rather have some around, even if I’m busy. I’m the ultimate multi-tasker that way. I like to be stimulated visually and verbally, and on my couch in front of the tv, looking out my windows into the Virginia Highlands treeline behind my house does just that for me.

So of my best ideas come from what’s on the tv, a conversation with my husband, or gazing out of my living room windows. I have a little bit of nature, some human interaction, and some entertainment value all in my writing space. Its simply what works for me. – What works for you? Do you have a dedicated writing space or alone space that you go to in order to get your thoughts out?

NaBloPoMo November 2013

xxoo,

Are You Consistient With Your Quality Posts?

Posted on October 21, 2013 by XT Reid

Do you have a publishing schedule for your blog posts? If not, you should! It allows you to remain consistent and gives your readers a routine of when to expect your posts. Its debatable in the blogging community how often you should post, and a lot of the time it comes down to consistency. So, whether you post once a week or seven times a week, consistency is a must. It is so easy to get overwhelmed and un-motivated trying to keep up with posting. Continue reading →