Blimey, we're more than half way through May already. It's unbelievable. (and ten days since I last wrote, bad girl!). When I decided to set up this blog I had a bit of a half formed idea about why I wanted to do it. As a PR I naturally thought about the PR opportunites it opens up but I've now decided to take a much more relaxed approach and just see what comes out of things.

In fact my last newsletter was about blogging as a PR tool- the fact that it works beautifully for some, and then sees more like a chore for others. This morning I opened up my outlook express to get two very different messages. One from a woman who has just started her own business and finds blogging a very grassroots and effective way to promote her home-made soaps, and another, a coach, who finds the whole discipline involved gives way to a feeling of guilt when she doesn't manage to keep her blog up to date.

I've also come across a PR company that is going to offer its clients a blogging service - where it blogs on your behalf. Whilst blogging can be effective as PR, I find this idea absolutely bizarre. I'm very much a believer that blogging has to come from the heart and not the wallet!

Paula Gardner of Do Your Own PR is the author of Get Noticed: Boost your small business profile in 30 days or less.