One of the neat things about our community here at TentBlogger is that we have an extended worldwide family of bloggers who do not yet know that they are actually TentBloggers in the making!
You see, there’s a wide range of bloggers that are, in fact, TentBloggers (and I’ve listed out a few elements that help you know if you are one) and the moment you start thinking about monetizing your blog or using it as a vehicle to support yourself or your business financially you become a TentBlogger.
And, of course, if you’re on your way to becoming a ProBlogger then you’re a TentBlogger Pro (or Pro TentBlogger?)!
I think we can do a better job of promoting the lifestyle, the art, and the science of being a TentBlogger since more and more people are moving into this arena – and the more that join our ranks (or realize that they share community here) the more resources we have as a group to leverage and enjoy!
So when did you realize that you were a TentBlogger? How are you promoting the TentBlogger lifestyle and method?
Yay!
I think some better community development might be in order – and I’m open to some suggestions by you guys! I want to help people get closer to their dreams of having their blogs be a large and significant part of what they do online and profiting wisely and well (if they want to).
I loved being a TentBlogger and I still love being a (Pro) TentBlogger! I love this community and I want to expand it as big and as wide as possible – and I need your help!
Hope today is going really well for you guys! Blog it up and don’t quit! The world needs the content that you’re producing so don’t cut yourself short! Have a great weekend and I’ll see you guys online.
[This is part of the Escaping the 9-5: My Road to ProBlogging series.]
A good word dude. Thanks for the encouragement!
sure thing marcus!
I loved the idea you had in one of the last live chats (which I miss!) about having a way to hook the community up with each other as mentors or blogging partners – that could also develop the community a bit. But I think you do a pretty neat job anyway!
i’m going to look into this. i want to take it up a notch!
I think I realized I was a tent blogger when I did the problogger 31 days to a better blog challenge on the SITS forum. I ended up in such a great community that I finally felt like I had something to offer. I think there is still a stigma attached to blogging that needs to be overcome before anyone can make the commitment to being a “problogger”.I guess that is because it is still a career on the frontier of new media and advertising, but because of that there is also a lot of great opportunities for making income.
for sure susan! i walked through the 31 days and thought it was great!
I love what you are doing. I’m subscribed to all your feeds. I’ve read your about page. And I still don’t get the “tentblogger” meaning. Please explain!
have you read this?
http://tentblogger.com/are-you-a-tentblogger/
and this?
http://tentblogger.com/what-is-a-tentblogger/
Hey John,
Being a TentBlogger is not a bad thing to be, I guess. Just like Nathan I had to read your definition of a TentBlogger but still have a question about that. Here is a quote from your definition of a TB:
“A TentBlogger is someone who makes an income and living through blogging which is outside their normal full time profession.”
Why does the blogging have to be outside the normal full time profession? If that is not it what does it make me – a regular blogger? And since this is your full time profession now – are you still a TentBlogger?
I blieve I have said that at in some other comment before: I love your TentBlog. It’s a great resource!
Thanks.
i’ll have to clarify a bit… i’m a tentblogger and i do this full time!
you just have to make “some” income in any capacity!
Hi John,
While growth can always be good I will say that the community you’ve fostered here on the comments alone is second-to-none. Frankly it is something I hope to one day achieve on my own site.
That said, as it is all about the money, have you looked into a paid forum? What about something more “real” and hold a TentBlogger tweetup/conference/etc?
thanks chris! this community is pretty kick booty…!
i’ve been considering a forum for a while… and just got one setup… need to customize and put some work into it though!
I have been learning a lot about blogging, and trying to pass on to others what I have learned about blogging and writing. I do this through my five blogs.
My problem is that right now, all I am doing is paying my blogging bills. As of February of this year, I am “in the black.”
This is good, but unless I drastically increase my affiliate sales or create a product to sell, I am still a LONG way from being a Tentblogger.
but you’re a tentblogger because you’re doing it… period! you’ve made some income and that’s all you need. you’re on your way for sure.
5 blogs is a lot… have you thought about consolidating?
I started developing my blog last week and I’m just about ready to start adding some glorious content. Big thank you to the resources and info that you left.
I don’t care what all the others say about you John, you’re alright in my book.
In regards to developing your community, you might want to take a look at the forums at http://nerdfitness.com/community/
Steve has done a great job at fostering a tight group. I heard him on a podcast talking about how he developed it, not that I can remember which podcast it was…..
I’m sure if you go down the “forum route” you could learn a lot from what he’s done there.
love it jamie! i’m looking at vbulletin myself. any thoughts on making it paid access only?
My first impression was, no. But then I thought, “you know, John already has a free community forum through the comments.”
Honestly I think a paid service would be a great idea. There would have to be a great incentive obviously. Ramsey has his total money makeover forums which is a paid service and it works really well.
He has great content there along with some great tools to get yourself out of debt…. it works by the way
I think if you had some great incentives like maybe a blogging webinar once a month or a community blog highlight for a week for a member etc.
I have a few more ideas but you get the picture.
You would have to see how the community would feel about it as a whole but honestly I’d pay for it.
My hope in joining would be a serious community of bloggers who are passionate about increasing their influence and helping each other member in the process. If that was the environment, you’d have a real winner.
teehee!
check this out:
http://tentblogger.com/community-forum/
some mixed reviews, for sure.
I’ll email you directly with a response. Look for the subject title “Tentblogger Forum”
i appreciate you. a lot.
I became a Tentblogger a few days ago when I found this site!
Thanks for putting together a great site full of useful, understandable and honest information about blogging.
sure thing justin! glad you’re here!
I’m working towards being a tent blogger what does that make me??
a tentblogger.
Ive read many of your posts and want to say thank you! You’re always positive and encouraging. My blog is very young (started a couple of weeks ago) and I still can’t decide what to focus it on, but Iguess the important thing right now is just be writing on a regular basis. Thanks again for all that you share
have you read this?
http://tentblogger.com/focus/
It would be cool to have a place where the community can communicate with each other. I am super interested in finding people who also have travel blogs so we can trade guest spots and features.
I’m definitely not in the black so far with my blog, but since I just started I am going to cut myself some slack. I’m doing everything I can to get more page views, but like others have said, I really want to establish a community that feels like this one. Thanks for setting such a good example
kristin,
most bloggers have to go out of pocket when they first start so you’re not alone… but do you have a plan to optimize and get in the black?
http://tentblogger.com/black/
My site is two months old and what is keeping me busy aside from my 9-5 job is blogging. I have a partner in this venture and we are hooked to blogging. Well of course we want to make it big someday and make huge waves online to finally quit our day job and be full time bloggers. Who doesn’t right?
So I guess I am TentBlogger, a very new one at that. Hopefully the tentblogger community will grow worldwide. Thanks for the encouragement John!
sure thing! and why is your name “googler”? makes me think you’re a spammer…!
Dear Mr. John Saddington
We are the “Chinese Christian Network Development Association”. Our office is in Taiwan (R.O.C.). We are a non-profit organization and our vision is to Link and share. Generally, We hope we could (1) link the resources of Chinese Christian society, (2) link the actions of Chinese church, (3)link caring groups, prayer groups and communities, (4) share the resources of Christians everywhere, (5) share the love of Christ on the internet, (6) share the faith of Jesus Christ.
The main reason to write this letter is because you have many good articles on “CHURCHLEADERS.COM” and we really expect we could share these articles with Christians who use Chinese as main language. Therefore, we really hope you can authorize the copyright of articles on “CHURCHLEADERS.COM” to us, then we could translate these articles into Chinese.
If you would like to know more about us, you can go to http://www.ps194.net (this is our forum on the internet) and http://www.facebook.com/CCNDA (this is our main page on the facebook). If you have any further questions, you can contact me. I am Timothy Chiang, the representative of “Chinese Christian Network Development Association”, and my E-mail address is slingshot.tw@gmail.com. Thank you.
Always rejoice in the Lord
Timothy Chiang
ah. thanks timothy!