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Last Spring Brooke Birmingham stood up to Shape magazine who wanted to feature her in a weight loss article. When Brooke submitted her before and after photos, imagine her surprise when the writer informed her they couldn't publish her picture because she was wearing a bikini. Learn how blogging has changed for Brooke and how her refusal to cover up landed her some pretty lucrative gigs. Bottom Line? Stick to your guns. What You Will Hear from Brooke An amazing weight loss story How she used blogging to chronicle her journey Her reaction to being told to cover up for an after shot How her story broke Where she was when she discovered it was viral The news outlets who interviewed her When Shape changed their tune How blogging has changed in terms of monetization Links and Resources Amazing Body Transformation: Woman Loses 70 lbs at 40 Seduced by the Illusion: The Truth About Transformation Photos Brooke Not on a Diet - Brooke's personal blog Why I Refused to put on a Shirt for Shape Nautilus Webcast featuring Brooke  

Allison Tait is an experienced freelance writer, blogger, speaker, and fellow podcaster. Using insomnia to her advantage, Allison gets more done in a day than Tammy and I do in a week. Listen as Allison shares freelance tips, resources, and her approach to organization. What You'll Hear in this Episode Why you have to hustle to be a freelancer The importance of talking to someone who understands the business before starting Tips on creating a perfect pitch and how to find an angle specific to you Why editors will give you a chance if your idea is good enough Why you should expect to get rejected Why it's important to craft each pitch differently for each publication The best publications to start pitching Why you can't be scared of asking questions, writing emails, and making phone calls Best social media practices for freelance writers The art of selling an idea in as few words as possible Why you can't overlook the community aspect of blogging Picking the best parts of social media that work for you How she gets everything done by prioritizing her schedule The advantages of getting paid to do what you love Links and Resources www.AllisonTait.com Maxabella Loves Alison Lee -- Writing, Wishing Vidya Sury -- VidyaSury.com Kate Sutton -- WitWitWoo Nicole Morgan -- Sisters from another Mister Styling You guest post by Allison So You Want to Be a Writer - Episode 35 of Allison's podcast Australian Writers' Centre Maxabella Loves So you Want to Be Writer - Allison's book Mapmaker Chronicles

In Episode 36, Poppy talks to Kristin Shaw of Two Cannoli about how she's writing and working her way through an ambitious list of goals that would leave most of us crying, "Uncle." Or at least just throwing in the towel and heading for the bar. What You'll Hear from Kristin How writing about her own experiences with domestic violence has affected other people How she ended up in the anthology, My Other Ex How she became a Huffington Post writer Why she doesn't care about not getting paid How disorganization is her organizational process Why she doesn't post right away What she's crossing off her list of goals How she went from reader to producer of the LTYM Show Links and Resources Mentioned in this Show My Other Ex Hands Free Mama Devon Corneal Do Nothing Sundays The Weight of Motherhood The Outlandish Companion  On Writing by Stephen King Kristin reading at BlogHer '14 Voices of the Year Brainchild American Restoration Kristin reading at Listen to Your Mother Leigh Ann Torres on Blogging Betties If you're feeling inspired to write after this episode, head on over to iTunes and put those creative juices to work on an awesome review of the Blogging Betties Podcast! We'll love you more than a couple of cannoli.

In Episode 35 of the Blogging Betties, Tammy talks to Ericka Clay of Tipsy Lit about her latest venture/adventure -- using Wattpad and social media to create independent publishing magic. What you will hear from Ericka The evolution of Ericka's online space from mom blog to launching a publishing platform Why Tipsy Lit was started How her passion for connecting with fellow writers helps her find her tribe whenever she switches platforms How 30 million people know about wattpad.com and Tammy doesn’t The benefit of being a member of the Tipsy Lit Community How an online book club moved to the publishing realm Ericka’s pipe dream which Tammy pretty much confirmed won’t come true Info on Ericka’s past books and upcoming novel to be released in 2015 Resources and Links wattpad.com tipsylit.com erickaclay.com Hope you all survived Halloween and are ready to battle Thanksgiving. Anyone taking on NaNoWriMo? Let us know how you're doing and if you have any questions or ideas for upcoming shows. Thanks for listening betties!

In Episode 34, Poppy talks to blogger and freelance writer, Leigh Ann Torres of Genie in a Blog. What You'll Hear from Leigh Ann on this Show Why she started her blog How she got into freelancing What networking with other bloggers can really do for you How she approaches Twitter -- now that it's changed Which social media platforms drive most of her traffic Which posts get the most hits Why she won't let her blog kill her, but she also just can't quit it How she feels about editorial calendars How she finds blogs to read Why commenting has changed How she makes money on her blog How she made a potentially lame sponsored post into something her readers would love How she approaches work with the BlogHer Influencer Program How she feels about being on a social media platform Why she doesn't push her posts on her personal Facebook page very often What the Huffington Post can and can't do for you Links and Resources Mentioned in this Episode Free Fun in Austin This Blogger Makes Fun of Stuff All Parenting No Sew Bat Costume for the Super Lazy 14 Tips to Pass the Time on that Long Run Activities Not Meant for Introverts Introverts are Awesome Feedly BlogHer Influencer Program The Loft Literary Center UnMarketing Genie in a Blog on Facebook 7 Apologies from an Imperfect Mother - Huffington post

In Episode 33, we interview author, teacher, and design guru, Melissa Culbertson of Blog Clarity. What You'll Hear from Melissa in this Show How to figure out what blog content you can turn into a course The difference between self-paced and instructor-led courses Using mailing lists to stay in touch Using Facebook and live chat to supplement your interaction with participants What the hardest part of creating the course is -- IF you can stay organized How to decide what mix of written lessons, videos, and handouts you want to provide How to walk the fine line of marketing your course without giving the whole thing away One of the Pinterest boards you MUST HAVE How she uses mind mapping and giant sheets of IKEA paper to organize her thoughts How long you should keep courses open to participants How to prepare your FAQ and Questions of the Day Why it's such a good idea to assign lessons How much money you should charge Why you should always run a pilot course Why she offers a money-back guarantee What she thinks about creating an affiliate program Links and Resources Mentioned in this Episode Blog Design for Dummies Content Brew Media Kit Smash Pinning Perfect My Life and Kids Campfire Mailchimp Post Planner E-Junkie Affiliate WP Thanks for listening betties! If you found this show useful (or if you just feel drunk on joy and love after listening too it), please leave us a rating and review in iTunes.

Welcome to the 2nd edition of episode 32 of the Blogging Betties podcast. We had to pull the episode we originally published today due to artistic differences with our guest. Basically, she didn't like what we did and changing it didn't feel right. The timing for us couldn't have been worse. As we mention in both iterations of episode 32, Vanita is taking a hiatus to concentrate on her design clients which we totally get and support. One of the best parts of having a collaborative blog, though, is that we all bring our different strengths. With Vanita taken out of the equation, we have been trying to decide whether we even want to continue. Today it all sort of came to a head because our website got hacked at the same time we were trying to take down a post. And, look, we're still here. I guess this means we are digging deep to find our grit and desire to persevere. What you will hear in episode 32: Why we decided to scrap the original episode 32 Where the hell Vanita went We answer Neil Kramer's (Citizen of the Month) question in detail. He asked Tammy, "Is doing Blogging Betties a lot of work?" An update on the status of the Pinterest challenge We answer Jacinda Cote's question about freelance writing How you can get a copy of our very first eBook, Hot, Wet, & Steamy Blogging Tips! The future of the Blogging Betties Resources & Links Beyond Your Blog Be a Freelance Blogger BB 018: The Down and Dirty of Blogging with Neil Kramer Rekrah Creative

For those who love to hear Poppy and I take potshots at one another while Tammy looks for an opening to snag the spotlight for herself referees, it's time for another "All Betty Podcast"!  As if that's not exciting enough, in today's episode we're talking Pinterest tips and sharing how you can join us in increasing your blog's traffic by bettering your Pinterest presence. What You'll Hear in this Episode The backstory on the extremely organized and professional way (ahem) we came up with the Pinterest Challenge Tammy once again making something simple sound very, very complicated How we can help you find lots and lots of Pinteresting friends What we say to alienate an entire segment of the population (except for Vanita who has class) How Poppy wishes she could use sex to get out of doing stuff for the podcast Advice from some expert bloggers (not us) on how to update your Pinterest profile Links and Resources from this Show Jennifer P. Williams -- Blog and Pinterest Page Alison Lee -- Writing,Wishing and Pinterest Page Poppy's Pinterest Page Tammy's Pinterest Page Vanita's Pinterest Page Put Some Punch in Your Posts with PicMonkey Episode 9: Blogging with the (Wonder)ful Woman, Kelly DeBie Quick and Easy Legolas Costume…for Girls! So who's in? Learn how to join us by visiting our Don't Be Afraid Of Pinterest Blogger Challenge! post.  

In Episode 30 of the Blogging Betties, we talk to a blogger who really needs no introduction -- Jill Smokler of Scary Mommy. In six years, Jill has used her no-nonsense view of motherhood to amass a whopping 15 million blog visitors a month and almost a million followers on Facebook and Twitter. Jill is as funny and candid to talk to as she is on her blog. Having her on the show also gave us a great excuse to hear the story of Poppy's newbie blogging faux paux over at the Scary Mommy website. And we'll tell you who won our giveaway of Jen Mann's new book!   What You'll Hear in Jill's Show What's happening with Jill's latest book Why she's so pissed off that she's been sleeping Why "not working well with others" may have been the best thing that ever happened to her What she misses about her blog when it was small If she thinks there's room for any more giants in the mom blogging world Why she used to stick her nose up at coupon bloggers How she sees herself as a loner What serendipitous events led to the site doing so well What she thinks about writing for free How she came up with the idea for the Scary Mommy Confessional The time she had to send the FBI to a reader's  house Why the you can't be mean on The Confessional How she got herself in trouble for saying she was glad she never had a C-section Find out what Vanita thinks you should do for free and why breast enlargement emails may not be spam Links and Resources Mentioned in this Podcast Blog Clarity Illustrated with Crappy Pictures People I Want to Punch in the Throat -- People I Want to Punch in the Throat: Competitive Crafters, Drop-off Despots, and Other Suburban Scourges RekrahCreative.com Jacinda's Etsy Shop Scary Mommy Nation -- Jill's Thanksgiving Donation Site 6 Things I Wish I’d Known About Having a C-Section Would Your Kid Survive in a REAL(ish) Mommy War? Beyond Your Blog -- interview with Jill Smokler How to Throw a Kick-Butt Harry Potter Birthday Party: Part One The Strategic Mama Thanks for listening betties! Do us a solid and share us with your pals!  

Three years ago Anna Whiston-Donaldson was a family and DIY blogger who used a pseudonym to protect the identity of her family. Ironically, the internet became a huge comfort to Anna when she was catapulted from anonymity following loss. After the death of her 12 year old son, Jack, the blogosphere rallied to her site to give support and offer condolence. Anna's following has continued to grow in the days, week, and now years after Jack's accident because of her raw honesty and poignant posts about both grief and faith. Celebrating the release of her first book, Rare Bird, Anna once again has the love and support of the blogosphere. With the book publisher focused on traditional marketing, Anna has leveraged the support of her many fans, friends and followers through a blog book tour and successful Thunderclap campaign. What You Will Hear from Anna How long she has been blogging and her original focus The irony behind her decision to blog anonymously How the support of the internet became a survival mechanism The shift and growth of her tribe since her son's death At what point she decided to write a book Why she chose to write a book about early grief rather than a tribute to her son Why "closure" is a crock The timeline of publication Why she took book promotion social media in her own hands The reach of her Thunderclap campaign Why she doesn't get bogged down by any negativity Why she doesn't want to write about grief forever Resources and Links mentioned An Inch of Gray - Anna's personal blog AnnaWhistonDonaldson.com Rare Bird Thunderclap Alison Lee of Little Love Media - Blog book tour organizer Washington Post article Scary Mommy bloggingbetties.com/episode28    

In Episode 28 of the Blogging Betties, we’re talking with veteran blogger Cecily Kellogg of UppercaseWoman.com. With 10 years of blogging under her belt, you can bet she’s seen the good, the bad and the super ugly sides of writing on the internet. Join us, feel outraged and take away some great tips to keep you writing even […]The post BB 028: Cecily Kellogg on Writing Even When the Internet Sucks by Vanita Cyril appeared first on bloggingbetties.com.

In Episode 27 of the Blogging Betties, we talk to Jen Mann of People I Want to Punch in the Throat. Jen became an “overnight sensation” in 2011 when her Elf on the Shelf post went viral. It all sounds so easy, right? Great post leads to fabulously popular blog which leads to best selling […]The post BB 027: Punching People in the Throat with Jen Mann by Tammy Soong appeared first on bloggingbetties.com.

Using her blog as a platform to launch her message of teaching kids respect, responsibility and resilience, Doctor G (Deborah Gilboa, MD.) has locked down her brand. Consistent and focused content creation helped her land a regular television gig, become a sought after public speaker, and get a book deal. A lot of us dream […]The post BB 026: A Lesson in Perseverance and Serendipity with Doctor G. by Poppy appeared first on bloggingbetties.com.

Pass the Asti Spumante, baby, the blogging betties have reached 7,000 downloads. It might seem like a random number to be celebrating, but we are thrilled to be growing. In looking at our numbers, it turns out, you really like our random banter. Our all betties podcast are some of the most popular episodes and […]The post BB 025: Solving the World’s Problems with Ethical Blogging (And Tabloid Headlines) by Poppy appeared first on bloggingbetties.com.

In this episode of the Blogging Betties, we talk to Norine Dworkin-McDaniel and Jessica Ziegler of Science of Parenthood. At first glance, these two are sort of the most unlikely looking pair. Norine is practically big enough to fit in your pocket, and Jessica towers over you like one of Wonder Woman’s friends from that Amazonian […]The post BB 024: Finding the Perfect Equation with Science of Parenthood by Tammy Soong appeared first on bloggingbetties.com.

Lance Burson is a content machine. Preferring a number 2 pencil and spiral notebook over a keyboard, he produces up to 6 posts a week. Lance writes on both his personal blog, My Blog Can Beat Up Your Blog, and his professional blog, Lefty Pop. He is also the author of 2 books and has […]The post BB 023: Whoring it Up with Lefty Pop’s Lance Burson by Poppy appeared first on bloggingbetties.com.

So how do you provide an audience great content and help bloggers get the credit [and traffic] they deserve? You build a fabulous online magazine of course! Learn the secrets behind the success of Bon Bon Break with Val Curtis. What you Will Hear from Val in this Episode Why an online magazine The inspiration […]The post BB 022: Inside Secrets from Val Curtis to Get Featured on BonBon Break by Poppy appeared first on bloggingbetties.com.

Back by popular demand (in our own heads at least!), it’s time for another “All Betty” podcast. This week we are answering questions from listeners, actual friends, and people we picked up on the street. The questions range from technical to personal and you know how much we love to talk about ourselves…. What You’ll Hear […]The post BB 021: Answering Listener Questions and Talking About Ourselves by Poppy appeared first on bloggingbetties.com.

In Episode 20, we talk to Alexa Bigwarfe. If you take a look at her current projects, it looks like Alexa has never met a blog she didn’t like. Or at least didn’t want to start. During our fast-moving chat, she tells us how she juggles them all without going completely bonkers. Oh, and books — […]The post BB 020: Juggling Blogs with Alexa Bigwarfe by Tammy Soong appeared first on bloggingbetties.com.

Tracy Morrison of Sellabit Mum is a busy mom of 3, marathoner, and overall kick-ass chick (I might be gushing) who can teach all of us a thing or two about blogging. Tracy, a veteran blogger, challenged herself at the beginning of the year to post daily which resulted in a phenomenal blogging year. Though […]The post BB 019: Recharge your Creativity by Blogging Daily with Tracy Morrison by Poppy appeared first on bloggingbetties.com.