The Authentic Blogging Manifesto
I’ve taken over a month off from blogging. This was completely unplanned, but it has led me to rethink everything about how I have blogged in the past and what kind of blogger I want to be going forward – and even IF I want to be a blogger at all. I guess you could say I’ve been having an existential blogging crisis. Let me explain…
In the Beginning
A long, long time ago – I think it was around 2002 – some of my friends started to write these online journals on a site called Blogger. They called these journals blogs and they were simple little web pages that they would update with scintillating details about their dinners and how fat they felt on a particular day. (Some of my friends still haven’t outgrown this phase of their life.) But regardless of the subject matter, blogs were social media. People used them to keep in touch with old friends and find new ones that shared their interests.
Then, as was inevitable, somebody, somewhere figured out how to make money from a blog and the problogging revolution was born. Within 2 or 3 years of the birth of this media sites like Lifehacker, TechCrunch, and the Huffington Post started to pop up, generating huge traffic and the revenues to match. All of the “little people” saw this (and saw posts at Shoemoney and Problogger showing off 5-figure monthly Adsense earnings) and suddenly everyone started trying to make money from their blogs about their cats.
Well, that didn’t work out so well, so anyone who wanted to try to make money with a blog went out in search of a “niche” like personal development, field hockey, or underwater basket weaving and started trying to attract a “niche” audience and “niche” advertisers. They started writing lots of posts in list formats with lots of keywords targeted to their “niche.” And of course they plastered their sites with Adsense and text link ads and most people made about $0.10 a day. All of the sudden blogging wasn’t really about communication, it was about page views, RSS counts, and click-thrus. And it was into this jungle, that I decided to jump.
Bright Eyed in the Beginning
I started this blog in May 2007 after thinking about it for at least a year (I’m a bit of an over-thinker) with a couple of purposes in mind. First of all, I wanted to educate myself about this media and the whole “Web 2.0″ kind of thing. I also wanted to have a platform and incentive for continuing my education in a topic that holds a great deal of interest to me – change and all the things that go with it. Finally, I planned to use the site as a way of marketing myself and my work.
Clear enough, yes?
Some of the posts I wrote during my first few months of blogging were pretty good, like this and this. Some of them were pretty bad, the result of inexperience and unfamiliarity with the medium, but they were all learning experiences for me. Although I felt a certain amount of obligation to blog, for the most part I found it fun and relaxing.
But somewhere along the way I got off track. I started to think that maybe, possibly I just might make a little $$$ for my efforts. Because this whole blogging thing takes a lot of time. And I think I’m a pretty good writer. And everyone else is doing it.
So I started reading all of the “how to make money blogging” sites. I learned a lot of helpful things, such as ways to structure writing to make it easier to read on a monitor and how to use images in posts to make a point or break up the text. I also started to learn about marketing through commenting on other blogs, writing guest posts, and social media sites like Digg and StumbleUpon. The first time I submitted a post to StumbleUpon this happened:
At the time this was a HUGE traffic spike for this site. I felt ecstatic, like I was on a sugar high. I was hooked.
My Life as a StumbleUpon Slave
From that point on, I started writing for StumbleUpon. Not for myself, or for my regular readers, but for people doing the equivalent of internet channel surfing. I started to learn how to write for social media and posts started containing lots of lists, provocative titles and lots of attempts to “teach” and be “helpful.” Posts like this often resulted. (Boy, am I embarrassed…)
Everyone once in a while I would get a hit and a traffic spike would follow, but it never lasted. Within a day or two my traffic would always settle back down and it seemed like I couldn’t make any sustainable gains in readership. I stopped trying to connect with people who share my interests and instead did some aggressive comment marketing and found lots of ways to get more Stumbles. Eventually, however, it seemed like I started losing my “Stumble juice.” Even with many Stumbles, my posts weren’t getting much traffic. My posts were filling up with comments from other bloggers. I know some of them and know that they are genuinely interested in my subject matter, but most of them were from bloggers just wanting a link back to their sites. Obviously this was frustrating, but even worse, blogging started to feel like a JOB. I already have one of those, and I’m not interested in another. The worst part was knowing that I did this to myself!
Finally, in July, I had to go on a last minute business trip and didn’t have time to prepare posts for my absence. I used that break as an excuse to just stop blogging. It was a relief. For the first time in many months, I felt free. I began to think that I would give up this blog altogether, but then I realized that there must be…
A Cure For Shitty Blogging
I’ve been thinking about a “magic bullet” cure for my blogging malaise for the past few weeks and I’ve realized that this is going to be a process. To make it easy to understand, I’m going to put it into list format for everyone.
- Step 1: Stop Pretending That I Know Everything. In my quest to become an “authority” on the subjects of personal and organizational change, I have misrepresented myself. I’m no expert in the ordinary sense of the word. I’ve never led a company through a reorganization. Organizational change is not my primary work function. It’s something that I find fascinating, but I’ve gotten most of my knowledge through books and observation. So now you know.
- Step 2: Talk to People Who Know More Than Me. There are lots of people who ARE true experts in change. Some of them are consultants or academics. Some are people that have been through transformative change processes. Thanks to the wonders of technology it is easier than ever to find those people and communicate with them. So I’ll be doing more of that.
- Step 3: Share What I Learn With People Who Know Less Than Me. Even though I’m far from an expert, I do know more about change processes than the average person. Through my blog, I have the chance to share my knowledge in a way that can genuinely help people in their lives. So I’ll be doing more of that.
- Step 4: Put My Energy Into Communication, Not Traffic. While I certainly won’t object to Stumbles and Diggs in the future, I’m not going to put a lot of energy into seeking them out. Instead, I’ll focus my efforts on seeking out and communicating with people who are genuinely interested in personal and organizational change. Let’s face it, pimping for a quick traffic hit takes just as much time and sending a few emails to real people who really want to talk to me. Personally, I think it’s more fun to talk to people. So I’ll be doing more of that.
My Jerry McGuire “Mission Statement”
Remember the beginning of Jerry McGuire where Tom Cruise stays up all night writing a “Mission Statement” that he distributes to his entire company? And then he gets fired? Remember that? Well this is my mission statement:
Blogging is an activity done by people for other people. Blogging is a form of communication. From now on, I will blog for humans, not for search engines or social media websites. This may or may not result in any type of monetary compensation, but money will never be my primary motivation in blogging. I will market my blog by communicating with people who may share my interests.
So that’s what I’m going to live by as a blogger. If you’re a blogger as well, I challenge you to live by these principles, or to define your own mission statement and stay true to it. Or you can just keep pimping for Stumbles if you’d prefer.
If you’re genuinely interested in personal and organizational change processes, please connect with me. Even better, if you’ve been through a transformative change process or are an expert on change, please let me learn from you. You can find me at StumbleUpon, Digg, Twitter and by email at maria (at) neverthesamerivertwice (dot) com. If you want to see how this little experiment in blogging works out, you can follow this site through RSS or email. If you’re just looking for a quick hit of traffic, don’t bother – I’ve tried it all before and I’ll spot you from a mile away.
Thanks for listening and for any feedback you’d like to leave.
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Great post Maria – I think your story will connect with similar tales that many bloggers have to share.
Darrens last blog post..How to Choose a Topic for Your Next Blog Post
Thank you for stopping by, Darren. I hope that my story serves as a cautionary tale of sorts and helps others avoid my mistakes.
[...] Same River Twice emailed me today to tell me about her recent defining moment which she calls her Authentic Blogging Manifesto in which she describes her quest to grow her blog by writing for social media (she describes [...]
An existential blogging crisis…? I have them daily. I problog for others and sometimes I feel like what I write is drivel. Luckily, 3 out of my 4 clients are very passionate, authentic individuals. #4 wants to make a buck and my attempt at helping him sell his ebook by writing scintillating blog posts is not working.
I don’t think it’s my writing.
Regardless, I think your post brings up much larger questions about authenticity in general. If another “internet marketing guru” attempts to sell me a workshop, dvd or ebook, I’ll scream. (Who ARE these people?)
Too much is being made about making money on the Internet! Yes, I have a few ads up (making literal “ad-cents”), mostly as an experiment. Luckily I simply haven’t had the time to make this my full time venture. I’ve had to write (and I still wonder…am I just cluttering the Web?)
Your post is AUTHENTIC and well timed and I’m thankful Darren (who’s book I own and enjoyed) Twittered it for me! I anticipate that your success (however YOU define it) will increase now that you’ve refocused.
Very well said.
Kelly
Great Post!!
I love step 1 of your manifesto “Stop Pretending That I Know Everything”
So many websites talk about promoting yourself as an expert in your niche … but honesty must prevail!
I’m so grateful Darren wrote about your manifesto and twittered about it, because that is how I found you too. Which is the beauty of all this back-and-forth communication. Your words wing their way into the awareness of people who need them, somehow. I have been ruminating over “monetizing” my blogs, but your thoughts here help me realize that money to take care of my needs will come somehow, but pushing for it through something that is enjoyable and helpful to even a few is not the right approach for me. Thanks for sharing your insights!
KrisCs last blog post..Is Your Child Chic? Bento Designer Lunches Rule for School!
Hi Maria,
As you may know authenticity is dear to my heart.
I’m at a similar stage of frustration with StumbleUpon – the traffic just doesn’t seem to stick, so I’ve not bothered trying to write to get more traffic from there. Though I do submit a post a week to it (it’s very little effort and who knows it may even lead to a littlf benefit).
Others who I think are interested in authentic blogging (and who you may already know) are Kimberly Bock at LearningSEObasics and Paul Piotrowski at How to Make Money Doing What You Love.
As I was thinking through the whole thing about providing something worthwhile and getting traffic and not just writing for money and traffic and so on I arrived at my own manifesto:
I will become wealthy by making friends (not just networking or making contacts) and providing great value. If I can’t make money from blogging this way I may as well wash dishes or something.
For me personal change is about healing the splits – an integration not a trade off. An excellent person on organisational change is an Australian called Bob Dick. He is quite email friendly and I can give you his email if you send me an email (I wouldn’t want to give it out on a blog). He’s got some good stuff on high reliability organisations and what is happening to bureaucracy.
Thanks for an excellent post. Looking forward to where you’re heading with this blog.
Evans last blog post..Embracing our Fragility
Truly the BEST blog post I have ever read. No kidding! I’m sure many bloggers can relate. About 3 months ago I dumped a blog I worked very hard on for many of the same reasons. Thank you for this post. Perhaps if every Blogger reads this post, the blogosphere will be a better place!
Tims last blog post..Rainbow Magic Magical Flight
That was a FANTASTIC post. Really. I couldn’t agree more. I post once a day M-F. On each one of my posts, I have someone I’m talking to; my wife, my dad, my children. I always write like that. My jokes and message are specifically for someone; as though we were having coffee and conversation. It keeps you really authentic. Good luck. I’m subscribing. I would love to hear your voice.
Writer Dads last blog post..Crabs Don’t Walk Straight For a Reason
Maria, thanks for posting this. I’ve only been blogging for a few months, and your mission statement will help me stay focussed on what’s important.
Debra Dalgleishs last blog post..Are You Ready for Metered Internet?
Maria,
Well done, posts such as this will naturally get the digg and stumbles.
I have to say that it is very easy to get caught up with the money making shenanigans. I fine i have to catch myself many times.
Also I have never liked the idea of lists posts, and hate some of the ones i’ve seen. Much of it dont add value except to compile things, worst some are list posts of list.
The other touch point you highlighted is being passionate about your niche that together with communication is the key. Money is secondary and will come naturally.
DTs last blog post..The Lifecycle of a Designer: Part 1
[...] subscribe to ProBlogger and got Authentic Blogging in the mail. That post leads to The Authentic Blogging Manifesto which is a great post that I can relate to. Maria Gajewski tells about how she got hooked on [...]
It’s a tricky problem though. My blogging seems unprofitable at the moment, but I continue because it’s communication that I probably should be doing anyway. Should I try to write more commercial articles, try to find better commercial syndicate/affiliate deals, or just keep hoping that authentic blogging will be rewarding eventually?
MJ Rays last blog post..MyDNS-NG 1.2.8.3 May Solve “out of memory†Problem on OpenVZ
Thanks for this post. I am a new blogger and I can’t help but check out all of the how to make money sites even though I know that I should develop my “voice” which is just as important as finding a niche. Thanks.
C. Muhammads last blog post..The Blogosphere Has No Boundaries; Apparently
Great post. I like to think of myself as an authentic blogger in the way you describe. I’ve found that by writing what I know and getting into conversations with experts in other areas, my blog has grown – and it’s a lot of fun, too
Sharon Hurley Halls last blog post..Five Essential Questions For Freelance Writers
I came to this post via a link in Pro Blogger and I’m so glad I did. As a newbie to blogging, I was starting to get lost in the how-to-drive-traffic aspect of blogging and your post put things back in perspective. Thanks…and, you’re right, you are a very good writer!
Great post, and good luck on the “reset”.
Scott Marlowes last blog post..When To Stop Listening, Part 4: Audiobooks
Thank you everyone for your thoughtful comments! I’m truly overwhelmed by the incredible response to this post.
Just to clarify, I’m definitely not against monetizing blogs. What I AM against is all of the blogs out there that offer little or no value. Unfortunately, this blog was in danger of becoming one of them!
@Writer Dad – that’s a great tip. I’m going to “borrow” that technique and see if it helps me write more in my “true” voice.
Nice to read your take on all this! I am glad you will continue writing as I enjoy your voice.
I have not quit entirely but our busy season in the gallery has run over me like a freight train this summer and I have slowed way down on my blog.
Some of the traffic dropped off, the Stumbleupon stuff as I have not been working it, but comments seem to have gone up. Nice thoughtful comments at that.
It is more fun to engage with real people than chase traffic stats…
Lexi of Creative Energiess last blog post..How to Get Unstuck from a Long Term Pattern in Life
Funny how it goes, I’ve been pondering much the same lately. Working on my mission statement has also been key for me to focusing on what I really started out to do, rather than focusing on the technique and how to build a blog stuff.
Just this morning as I was writing, I was asking myself what I could do to take it to the next level, beyond just putting the info out there to ‘add content’, but to really make a difference. That’s what it’s all about in the end and it is so easy to get offtrack in trying to ‘do it right, paint by number’.
The first place I will be looking for guidance from now on will be inside of my heart.
Jan – queenofkaoss last blog post..6 Steps to Increased Productivity for Your Online Business
Hi Maria! I accept your challenge, to run my blog by the principles that you have outlined, as well as defining a few of my own.
I’ve only been blogging a couple of weeks, and already I ask myself daily, Karen, what are you doing? Exactly what point are you trying to make?
Honestly, I’m still not sure exactly what my point is. I’m learning as I go, and reading your post has warned me of certain pitfalls along the way. Thanks for your honesty. I’ve subscribed to your feed, and look forward to more great posts.
Karen Braswells last blog post..The Brick
Great post. I try to follow the same rules at my own blog. Yes, I have Adsense ads, but I’m not making a penny a day on them, and I don’t care either. It’s about writing and communicating, just like you said above.
eps last blog post..Geometry Wars 2 rocks hard
Maria,
I congratulate you on focusing your thoughts and your energies regarding blogging, and sharing it with so many others has certainly added value to the blogosphere, so, you’re on the way!
It’s funny that the more we learn about marketing and making money, the more it keeps coming back to the basics of providing value and building relationships. It’s funny because that has been the key to success since long before blogging!
Aaron – Today is that Days last blog post..The more things Change the more they NEED to Change!
I found your site at Darren’s blog and I admire your positive outlook in blogging.
While traffic is what makes a blog alive, we must take into consideration that it is humans who really read our blog posts, search engines only help it to spread.
This is not an easy thing to do as we tend to be impatient to get the returns of our hard work.
If we will be blogging for humans only, our blog may grow slower than those who maximize SEO but then the effect will be in the long run and that is what matters more.
guardian angels last blog post..The Seven Deadly Sins in Blogging
Maria, would you believe I was just thinking about authenticity when I found this post through ProBlogger? I think it’s fantastic that you’re making these changes, and you’ve made me an instant subscriber.
BTW, in your about page, is it supposed to say “at least 3,000 years?”
What a great post. I feel as though I am losing track of what I am doing with my blog. Posts from other people like this are so useful, especially your steps to cure a shitty blog – time to remember what blogging is about!
Maria,
I want to thank you for a post that was like a fresh breeze on a this hot summer day. Its hard to step back and look at our selves and what we do with clarity … and finding something we dislike, to then step forward with focus and new direction. Great post … I’m not big on subscribing to blogs but I just did to yours.
This is an amazingly helpful article. Thank you so much! I’m new to blogging myself, and have already gone through some of the things you mentioned in the beginning, and I could absolutely see this happening to me– if not for reading this today. I appreciate your perspective and am looking forward to reading about the next leg of your journey.
I like this because it is authentic for you. Each of us needs to dig deep and find our blogging purpose, from there we can set an intention that focuses our writing. I’m so pleased that you’ve been real about your dilemma and your solution. It’s inspiring, thank you.
Tom Volkar / Delightful Works last blog post..Starting Over
This is a wonderful post offering a great deal of wisdom about life and blogging. I would call it a metamorphosis..thanks for sharing.
I’ve already been a subscriber and must say that this is the best post I’ve read so far!! I’ve had the same experience. I started blogging some 2-3 years back and learned a whole bunch of crap. In the end, I realised that being authentic is more important than “pretending” to be an authority in niches.
Nowadays, I don’t pretend to know it all. I also share honestly that I’m on a journey.
Evelyn Lims last blog post..How To Build Intuitive Awareness For Inspired Actions
Excellent post, and thanks to Darren for pointing us too it.
And I get that having money or traffic or hits be the sole reason for blogging doesn’t work.
Thanks again. Look forward to more from you.
Andrews last blog post..Of Geese and Men
[...] Same River Twice emailed me today to tell me about her recent defining moment which she calls her Authentic Blogging Manifesto in which she describes her quest to grow her blog by writing for social media (she describes [...]
Awesome post! Awesome purposes! Awesome awareness!
I congratulate you for your honesty and well meaning.
As Aaron said, with this post you have already added much value to the blogsphere!
As Lexi said, I enjoy your voice.
And wholeheartedly I tell you that my life is much much more interesting since I’ve met you and the whole crowd we keep in contact with, thanks to our blogs. Our blogs have become some kind of “virtual living-rooms” where we meet to talk about interesting and important stuff. That’s the value all this has to me.
Thanks for sticking to blogging!
Have a great weekend.
Patricia
Wow! Let me just say again that I am overwhelmed at the response to this post. Thank you everyone for your encouragement. I look forward to communicating authentically with all of you.
Maria… WOW!
You read my thoughts and spoke to my heart. *Thank You* for the wake up call to being human.
Here’s to freedom from slavery to StumbleUpon!
Lyman Reeds last blog post..Free Audio Books from LearnOutLoud.com
thanks to Darren (Problogger) i found your blog. and thank you for this wonderful post. i also stopped blogging years ago because i had no time. i came back this month and was shocked that almost everyone has a blog and most of them wants to earn money from it. i got caught up by all the money-making tips & tricks. and i started envying other popular blog sites. then i realized, i don’t have to keep up with them. i’ll just continue doing what i love, which is sharing my thoughts, my life, my ideas with the world. i know that if i continue thinking about monetizing my blog, i agree with you, it’ll feel like a job and it won’t be fun anymore.
so i’ll continue what i’m doing. i’ll post what i want to post and just hope that someone with the same interests as i do will stumble upon my blog and read it.
again, thanks to this post.
I loved this post (thanks to Darren for Tweeting it!). I have never quite understood all the StumbleUpons and ads and such. I want to blog just to share and build relationships. But all too often I read the same stories about people making money and wonder why I couldn’t make a little money.
I’d started down the road you traveled and now I’m going to stop and rethink that. Thanks so much for sharing your heart and experience here!
Lisa B @ simply Hiss last blog post..A Letter to Public Education
This is brilliant. Truly brilliant. Thanks for sharing your experience. I have had one very similar to yours.
[...] The Authentic Blogging Manifesto. (@Never The Same River Twice) One of the better posts I have read in awhile on why the author got into blogging, what happened to her over time, and how she is changing her blog life by getting back to the reason why she started to begin with. Excellent post! I bookmarked it for future reference. [...]
This post really gave me a great perspective on what blogging is really about.I’ve tried just writing for Digg or StumbleUpon and it takes the life and blood out of blogging. This isn’t to say one shouldn’t write for social media but there must be a balance. Wonderful post!
[...] sortir de cet phase négative elle a mis en place un Authentic Blogging Manifesto très pertinent que l’on peut résumer ainsi et peut être s’appliquer [...]
[...] window without reading the post. But I’m glad I resisted that urge and encourage you to read The Authentic Blogging Manifesto by Maria Gajewski at Never the Same River [...]
I think people forget why they started blogging in the first place. For me it wasn’t about search engines and clickable ads, it was about creating something and learning more about web publishing and HTML code. So many bloggers get all wrapped up in SEO and money making they pretty much stop blogging and what they do post is useless rubbish. What does it matter if you have a great rank on some site like Technorati and StumbleUpon if people come to your blog and think it’s junk. No one is going to come back for one. Plus, you have accomplished nothing, the blog you wanted to create does not exist.
Great Post Maria!
My blog just had it’s 1 year birthday this month… For me it has been a year of great fulfillment!
I had been contemplating starting my website for a long time before I ever got to it.
Why is that? Because I was out there for awhile with other domains chasing the dollars. While there were some dollars – it was not fulfilling!
Last August – I let that all go and decided to follow my inner voice – to be my authentic self and to share that with other’s.
My goal was and is – to connect with the people who resonate with me and to share with them all I have learned and am learning on how to utilize the Law of Attraction….
And… it is working!!
No – I am not making a gazillion dollars – but I get emails from people who tell me how their lives are changing from some experiences I have shared with them… And that is worth much more that a gazillion dollars!!
I have to be honest and tell you I still don’t understand most of the social sites — I have signed up with some of them… and rarely do I go back to them again. I do try to stumble a post I have read if it resonates with me…. as I am then being my authentic self.
Being Me — Being Authentic – has been such a wonder-filled journey… Those that “hear” what I am saying will stay around – those that don’t will go where they need to go…. It all works perfectly and I don’t have to coordinate it!
Being Authentic = Being Free!
Every now and then I see that stumble spike and yes it can get addicting — when I find myself wanting to cater to that spike – the question I ask myself is “What are you Being right now Ellie” – That question always gets me back on track!
Thanks for your authenticity and for starting a great conversation!
Ellie Walsh – Living the Law of Attractions last blog post..Law of Attraction Carnival – Appreciation | Gratitude #40
I am painfully aware of your #1: Stop Pretending That I Know Everything. because my goal is not about any given topic but instead of moving into a new country and culture. Experiences that will help anyone who might find themselves in my shoes.
gisluiss last blog post..Alisitos Campground
Hi Maria,
Thanks for stopping by and commenting on my blog!
You’re making me glad I’ve avoided social media for the most part (though I’ve made lots mistakes in other areas
.
I think the biggest problem with social media is most people Stumbling or reading Digg are really just looking for entertainment. Whereas people utilizing search engines are looking for specific information on something and are more likely to buy a product or sign up for a newsletter or some such in the end.
I started making ye olde article-based websites before I started blogging and focused a lot on SEO and keywords, but the site (blog) that brings in the majority of my income today is much more about just writing on what interests me (and ideally interests other people). Blogging and the community aspect does seem to lend itself better to that style.
One of the hard things for us writers is deciding whether it’s about making money or whether it’s about, as you say, being authentic and following our heart. It’s a rare few who are able to walk the line and know deep down that they’re doing both. I think there are a lot more of us who have gone commercial (whether through blogging for money or writing how-to books on dieting) who can’t help but feel a bit that we’ve sold out.
I enjoy learning about marketing (more because I’m fascinated by human psychology than selling products) and writing my blogs (and love the lifestyle freedom I’ve gained by being a “pro blogger”), but when I’m really and truly writing for the love of writing, I write stories few people will probably ever see.
Anyway, I hope your epitome has your mind going in new directions that you’ll find satisfying in the long run.
…And, for the record, it took me four+ years to figure out what niche I even wanted to be an authority in (and I’m still refining!). You can make it being a reporter (researching and sharing what you learn), too, especially if you choose more of a magazine model blog. Being an authority probably opens more doors as far as creating your own products and building longterm wealth, but it’s certainly possible to make a living just from running ads alongside what you write.
Lindsays last blog post..9 Success Secrets from a Part-time Blogger Earning a Full-time Income
Now that’s what I call a manifesto. That is a great post Maria. Honestly, if you been in the game for awhile you go through the phases that you have chronicled above. I wish I would have read this when I was starting out. Good Stuff!
Rick Vaughns last blog post..Ways of Establishing Credit
Hi there Maria – I hope you don’t fire yourself for writing your mission statement!
As for the money thing, I see blogging like other activities – if it makes money, you’d still do it if it didn’t (if that makes sense).
What a great article! Um… thumbs up
Robins last blog post..Insects Versus Mother Theresa
I have only been blogging for a few months, but have already gone through much of what you describe in your post in terms of focusing on traffic and ads. In fact, I found your blog today after taking my very first dip into the StumbleUpon waters as a way to increase blog traffic! I do hope to make money from blogging some day, enough to maybe cut back to a part-time job or even to work completely from home, but your post reminds me that the key is to write good content that connects with other people – the money will follow from that.
Thanks!
Lizs last blog post..I’m not a fossil yet!
I think at the time you wrote this post you had to be several months ahead of me. I just got my first major (for me) Stumble, and it truly is an adrenaline high. Nothing like it. I’d go check my stats even before my first cup of coffee in the morning, and that IS a sacrifice! And I hope that excitement doesn’t wane.
But I’ve found, much to my surprise, that I LIKE TO WRITE. Who wouldathought. So, yes, I want to quit my day job and make lots of money, but I wanted to be a probasketball player once, too, and that didn’t pan out either, for some reason.
I think all we can do is keep tossing bread into that always changing river and hope a few ducks drop by for a visit once in a while.
Thanks for saying what I’ve been thinking. G.
[...] of his great guest posts over at Zen Habits. This is a great post about being authentic (something I’ve struggled with [...]
Maria,
You write good stuff! Stay the course you have set and all will be well.
You wrote what I have been thinking. (Is that preemptive plagiarism? Nah, I guess not.)
Many of the comments I see here reflect that many of us share your thoughts. Good for you for being the first to put them on the web in the form you have chosen.
I cannot resist subscribing.