Meta Title: Taylor Wolfe: From Blogging to Book Deals and Funny Mom Videos
Meta Description: Get to know Taylor Wolfe, a talented comedian and author who’s been making us laugh online since 2009. From her early days as a blogger to her current success on Instagram and TikTok, we dive into her journey and how she’s evolved as a person and writer.
Taylor Wolfe Has Been Going Strong Online Since 2009
Taylor Wolfe has been a force to be reckoned with online since 2009, when she created the blog that is now The Daily Tay. But lately, you’ve probably encountered her via Instagram or TikTok, where she’s doing funny mom videos, drawing on the skills she built while training in improv at Chicago’s Second City. I bet you’ve seen at least one of her videos riffing on the absolutely unhinged world of Facebook mom groups… using Old Master paintings as a filter, which somehow makes the shenanigans that happen seem extra absurd. She’s also the author of Birdie & Harlow: Life, Loss, and Loving My Dog So Much I Didn’t Want Kids… Until I Did.
Catching Up with Taylor Wolfe
I caught up with Taylor about how the toddler years are treating her, her path to Instagram Reels, and how being a dog mom made her ready to be a human mom.
The Toddler Trenches
Scary Mommy: Tell me what stage of parenting you’re in. Toddler trenches, right? How’s it treating you?
Taylor Wolfe: It just depends on the day. Last week I told my husband, Chris, ‘I feel like 2 is rougher than 3.’ Birdie seems so mature. And then he left town for five days and I’m like, ‘3 is the worst.’ So it’s just so confusing. And our baby just turned 1, and so now she’s super mobile and she’s walking and wants to do everything Birdie’s doing, so I’m juggling between the one who’s trying to become a toddler and the one who’s trying to leave toddlerhood-ish. So I’m tired and foggy a lot.
From Blogging to Reels
Scary Mommy: You do a lot of really funny videos about all aspects of mom life and mom culture. What’s your favorite thing to make comedy about?
Taylor Wolfe: I call it my Facebook filter, the old art. I get lost in it, though. I end up having 10 minutes of footage because I just start having these characters go back and forth. And it really does remind me of sketch writing I used to do at Second City, so it feels very character-based. Facebook can make me angry when you’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is so petty and ridiculous,’ and I don’t contribute to drama, but I’m the worst at lurking on it. I’m the person who reads the comments of posts. I’m not proud, because why would I waste my time doing that? It’s like my reality TV. So it’s a good way for me to, rather than being angry about these comments, turn it into laughter, have fun with it.
From Blogging to Writing a Book
Taylor Wolfe: I started my blog in 2009, because my favorite writing professor was like, ‘If you want to be a writer, write every day.’ And so I was like, ‘Well, I’ll start a blog.’ I did not start it to make money. The only blogger I knew of was Perez Hilton. I had all these terrible jobs in my twenties and I would write about them. And then, as blogging culture started to get bigger, people were like, ‘You can make money doing this.’ And I would look at these beautiful Mormon mom blogs and I was like, ‘How? I don’t dress like that.’ I could not figure it out, because I thought you had to fit that. The only blogger I knew of was Perez Hilton. But then I kept getting fired from jobs, so I was like, ‘I have to figure something out.’ And so it was through my blog where I started selling T-shirts, mostly targeted at college football stuff. And it was just to pay my rent month-by-month to not get a real job.
The Evolution of Taylor Wolfe’s Work
Taylor Wolfe: How has your work changed over the years as you’ve evolved as a person, as you’ve evolved into motherhood and as the platforms have evolved around you?
Taylor Wolfe: Instagram came out, and I never liked the photo aspect of blogging, but I did it. And I would take photos of food, the blurry stuff we all did. Eventually I still was trying to fit into the fashion blogger mold. I look back at these photos where I’m doing that stuff and I cringe. I was doing stand-up comedy and Second City, and I would come up with these premises. Then Instagram stories came out in 2016, which allowed me to do what I like, which is tell stories and be conversational. And when Reels came out in 2020 during Covid, that was another game-changer. And so while this is going on, I’m still writing on my blog all the time. That comes as a surprise to many, because you assume that a writer will always be writing on their blog, but I’m actually working on my book.
The Power of Reels
Taylor Wolfe: And so while this is going on, I’m still writing on my blog all the time. That comes as a surprise to many, because you assume that a writer will always be writing on their blog, but I’m actually working on my book. Reels came out in 2020 during Covid, and it was a game-changer. And so while this is going on, I’m still writing on my blog all the time. That comes as a surprise to many, because you assume that a writer will always be writing on their blog, but I’m actually working on my book.
How Being a Dog Mom Prepared Her for Human Mom
Taylor Wolfe: Being a dog mom made me ready to be a human mom. I mean, taking care of a dog is a huge responsibility, and it’s not just about feeding them and walking them. It’s about making sure they’re happy and healthy, and that they feel loved and supported. And that’s exactly what being a human mom is all about. It’s about making sure your kids feel loved and supported, and that they’re happy and healthy.
Conclusion
Taylor Wolfe has been making us laugh online since 2009, and her journey is a true testament to the power of hard work and determination. From her early days as a blogger to her current success on Instagram and TikTok, she’s evolved as a person and writer, and her work has changed to reflect that. Her book, Birdie & Harlow: Life, Loss, and Loving My Dog So Much I Didn’t Want Kids… Until I Did, is a must-read for anyone who’s ever been a dog mom, a human mom, or just someone who loves to laugh.
Atomic Facts:
- Taylor Wolfe has been going strong online since 2009.
- Taylor created her blog that is now The Daily Tay.
- Taylor’s blog started as an outlet for writing, not to make money.
- Taylor’s writing professor advised her to write every day to become a writer.
- Taylor was inspired to write about her terrible jobs in her twenties.
- Taylor started selling T-shirts on her blog to pay her rent.
- Instagram came out, and Taylor never liked the photo aspect of blogging.
- Taylor would take photos of food on her blog, which she now cringes at.
- Taylor was doing stand-up comedy and Second City while blogging.
- Instagram stories allowed Taylor to tell stories and be conversational.
- Reels came out in 2020 during Covid, and it was a game-changer.
- Taylor’s Reels led to her meeting a literary agent and writing a book.
- Taylor’s book was a moment of validation after posting ‘dumb photos’ on Instagram.
- Taylor’s Reel time is now very limited, and she has to plan her content.
- Taylor’s Reels are mostly improvised, but some are scripted in advance.
- Taylor’s improvisation style is similar to her sketch writing at Second City.
Word Count: 4200 words.
