BLUNTmoms was started on a whim. I had a post rolling around in my head. I wanted to get it out in the world, but it wasn’t a good fit for my own blog. I figured surely there must be others like me, who write in a particular style and for an audience we have come to know and value. The post I wanted to write would have been jarring on my blog, so I needed to do something and create an outlet.
The idea of BLUNTMoms and the site itself was conceived New Years morning, 2013. I grabbed a URL, had my fab designer friend toss in a theme and then gathered some friends.
Within 3 days we had a dozen posts and over 150 fans on Facebook.
We were something different online, an anonymous voice that appeared in a sea of pretty food, happy families and perfect mommy blogger lives.
We obviously filled a void.
A big void.
Suddenly we were no longer just a website, but a community, and our community was forcing us to define ourselves. Our content went from edgy and risqué to passionate and honest. We were no longer just a NSFW website, but a comforting place to come and find others who were talking about the things you needed to hear.
For it’s first few months the site was my baby. My needy, desperate infant. In our 2nd quarter it became an unruly toddler that needed a firm hand to pull it back in line. Our direction arrived in as our editorial board was formed and suddenly our site, while still gawky and growing, had a resemblance to something that may one day become responsible.
Now, 18 months in, BLUNTmoms is a strong, confident being. She has gone her own way, developed her own passions and, while every now and then I see a hint of the baby I created, mostly she is what she is because of the community of readers and writers that formed her.
Today we proudly celebrate a landmark, our 1000th post. One thousand different stories from women (and some men) that reach out to different parts of the community. With authors from Asia, UK, The US, and Canada, we are a bustling 24 hr community. It is a site full of life, tears, joy and friendship, all because we share our stories.
While as a follower of our frantic and fun world, you get to read the results of our work, it is what happens on the inside of our writer group that is equally important. BLUNTmoms became something impossible to comprehend. A gathering of women of all walks, all beliefs and all stages of life. Our author group became a support system for friends around the world, and an absolutely amazing online “one belt too many” party place. Along with the carrying on, our author group works hard on their writing and our editorial support is something that makes us all better. You truly can create something magical from inviting people to come and play.
I still stand back and look at this beautiful beast we created and am amazed. Amazed at the talented women in our community. Amazed at the stories they passionately share on our site.
And amazed that one tiny whim of an idea, created this.
BLUNTmoms started with only one rule, and it is a rule I have continued to make a priority to this day: “We are inclusive”
Simply put, we are a voice for all women, and share all views and values. We are of undefined race, religion and country. If you have a story to share, or a point of view that needs expressing, we will welcome you.
Find the words to put your thoughts onto the page, in a honest and eloquent way. . . it is amazing what can happen when you open discussions.
And as a last note as you close this page and move onto post 1001, if you have an idea, no matter how small or undefined, try it. Share it. Plant the seed and see what grows!
Julie Nowell, Founder. Find out more about Julie and our leadership team: our amazing leaders.
14 Comments
“This. must. be. just. like. blogging. in. paradise,” to paraphrase a little David Lee Roth. All the love and high fives to us!
A great story Julie! So glad that you followed your whim – look at what a unique and powerful place BLUNTmoms has become! Congratulations.
Sooo I take it that means us fur moms can join the party as well? =)
Congrats on 1,000 posts!
Of course 😉 And thank you for reading!
Julie here- we have always been open and inclusive. We want amazing content that speaks to our readers, and that does not always HAVE to come from someone who IS a mother, as long as it speaks to our audience.
The tribe has spoken and voted ourselves another self congratulatory drink.
Fine writing and a clear voice are the hallmarks of BluntMoms. We love shared joys and sorrows, and the occasional scrap in the back room when we have gotten into the strong stuff. Nothing like a good hug and slug to bring out our best writing.
As the duly elected Mother Bear of these fine females, I can tell you they are brilliant and fierce. My favourite kind of chick.
Thank you for sharing how BLUNTMoms came to be. As writers, whether we seek author credit or choose to remain anonymous, it’s place to find catharsis and that’s so important – we have to get those stories out somehow. And there is something to be said for the camaraderie found in places like this, where there is no judgement for having the balls to be open about what’s really going on inside our heads – even (and especially) when those thoughts are not pretty – because all of us can relate in our own way.
Thank you for that.
Thanks Alison,
We see the most incredible stories from our community of cadre and wannabe writers. Women’s lives are complex, and this site is a place to tell those stories, heal our pain, and celebrate our victories.
Welcome, and thanks!!
Magnolia
As a wannabe who will see her first post go up this week, I’m thrilled to congratulate you on your 1,000th post. Thank you for creating a space for us to say what we think and feel without the filter often expected of women. I don’t have that filter, never have, never will. Hope to see my name more on this page, and not just in the comments section.
Raise those glasses, Magnolia!!
Thanks Jenny Sunshine….
We BluntMoms love and value our reader base. We like interacting with you and are thrilled with how responsive folks can be. Sometimes we hear pretty quickly when we have stepped over the line, but mostly we just move the god damn barrier and party on over it. Filters be damned. We don’t believe in the ideal that women must speak gently and be nice when it is time to be loud. Our words are direct and our love is fierce.
Thanks for tuning in, and I know your post will be a hot ticket.
Magnolia.
Damn it I love that photo.
Congratulations, and thank you for the back story. To have created a place where we can all swear, curse, yell about vaginas, and bemoan our mothers, well, it’s a slice of heaven you’ve created here.
I’m honoured to be a part of this group and continually thankful that I was pulled under the wing of this place so I can grow and learn. I love you all.
I’m hooked on this site after only reading a few of the posts! I definitely consider myself a BLUNT MOM! I believe that us moms should be able to express our deepest and truest thoughts without judgement and stigma. I would love an opportunity to contribute my perspective. Please advise me on how I can do so. I went to the Submit a Post page and didn’t see a specific place to out my post. I look forward to joining the Blunt moms community!