Will You Quit Blogging This Year?
Will you? Should you?
[This is part of the Escaping the 9-5: My Road to ProBlogging series.]
An interesting article was brought to my attention today from Chicago Business stating that many bloggers are quitting because the “demands are high” and the “rewards are low”.
Go figure. I’m not sure who convinced these people that blogging was an easy path to riches and fame! Blogging, especially if you go “pro,” is a full time job and has the ups, downs, and everything in between as any other job out there.
It’s not all giggles and unicorns and little elf-men throwing money in your face or double rainbows – it’s good old fashioned sweat-equity.
Don’t be fooled, and not everyone will “make it”.
But to give some of these people credit, there are definitely some valid reasons for quitting:
- You’re bored.
- You were never really into it.
- Your priorities changed.
- Life happened.
- Your interests shifted.
- You died.
- You got a higher and better paying job.
- You realized that there were better and more effective ways of making money than just a blog.
These are all valid, mind you, especially the last one which I wish more people really came to terms with: Blogs are great but it’s not a cure-all type of method and strategy!
How to Not Quit:
Of course, I’m all for blogging and I love it! So, what can you do to make sure (or reassure) yourself that blogging is for you?
- Take another look at all of the Blogging Personas and see if you’re in the “right” one!
- These Blogging Personas can help you focus your content as well as target your audience.
- Ask yourself if you’ve narrowed your focus enough or if you’re covering too many topics! Perhaps your categories will tell you the truth about your focus.
- Are you still on track with your overall Vision for your blog? Read more here for some help about “vision”.
- Ask your friends if you’re in it for the right reasons and how they perceive your engagement with blogging. The truth could hurt but is valuable.
- Focus, focus, focus your content. Did I already say this? Yes. I did. And I’ll say it again!
- Or, perhaps, start a new blog with a different approach and a different content focus?
- Challenge yourself with some Short Term Traffic Goals!
- Challenge yourself to make some money this year with your blogging! Get started with some blog advertising!
- Become a true TentBlogger (find out how to know here)!
And, of course, persevere. Remember that blogging, like many things in life, is a true long-term thing: It’s a marathon! Run the race well!
So, what do you think your greatest struggle will be? How can I help you?
[This is part of the Escaping the 9-5: My Road to ProBlogging series.]
Reason #6 had me laughing my head off…but made me wonder if anyone terminally ill actually scheduled posts for down the line when they knew they would likely be gone.
That. Is. BRILLIANT. I’m so going to schedule some posts to go out when I’m dead. I mean, I know we never know when it’s going to happen, but I’ll try… oh, the possibilities…
that could be really…. weird.
I give you exhibit A –> http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1384031/Derek-K-Miller-announces-death-blog-post-grave.html
now this is fascinating.
oh…. the possibilities……… stranger things have happened online…..!
Weird, but intriguing.
Tupac did/does it, why can’t bloggers?
oh snap.!
I am really enjoying blogging right now.
Challenged myself to make more money blogging as something to push me. I have already made over that in the first month.
In the process of working on my short term traffic goals for February.
i LOVE your goal setting. you’re going places.
How to Not Quit:
#11 Check out tentblogger.com everyday for advice and encouragement.
#12 Check out mutantminds.com for a laugh. (Had to plug my site.)
Glad you mentioned Blogging Personas, that is something I really need to get a grip on to decide where I want to direct my blogs.
Thanks for all you do John, and the 8BIT team. Been checking out your other sites and have found a lot of useful information on them.
haha! thanks mutant!
I had considered totally stopping blogging this year… but then did a refocus and refining on my blog and took it in a new direction (more focused on a developing passion of mine – Photography) and its energized new life into it.
Plus, every time I change focus I change the design and that lets me practice my web-dev skills (kinda. I cheat. use templates. but still… its practice and lets me geek out
photography! love it! some of your shots are great!
I don’t know. A blog written by a dead person might be a unique niche.
Thank you for the encouragement and so glad to be part of the community here.
Launching a blog on a budget has been challenging, but it has allowed me to focus on content and the community. I could have wasted a lot of time and spent loads of money “getting ready” and failed to ever execute.
Thanks again!
it’s been done before!
“giggles and unicorns” .. “elf men” I love this site, and the peeps. I plan on blogging so much more and so much better so that’s my plan. Oh, and I think that dying is no reason not to blog, I like Daniels thought, schedule out posts for as long as you can so if you did die you’d still be blogging!
awesome.
Great advice for us bloggers.
A career as a writer is hard enough sometimes that I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. But man do I love it.
Thanks for the encouragement.
MAD
i don’t even consider myself a writer!
But you are…I can’t help but see blogging as merely writing, utilizing a different medium. You are a good writer, too.
The writing, creativity and life-impact is what drives me. I don’t anticipate quitting. I think there is too much potential that I’ve yet to reach. The good thing is, I’m not placing a lot of pressure on myself to make this a huge thing right away. I just continue to focus on content and creating community.
ha! i think i still hold some more traditional views of what a “writer” truly is, despite where i sit and what i do!
Maybe calling oneself a writer puts too much pressure on. You’re at least a communicator. Can’t get around that one.
John,
I always enjoy reading your posts. I have to admit, I’m a very frustrated blogger!
I know that focus has been a problem for me, which is why I recently created a second blog. So one blog has two subject matters (Detroit sports with Detroit-related as a second) while the second blog is strictly about the world of writing/books.
Aside from writing new posts and joinging other people’s blogs (including commenting), I’m really at a loss on how to grow my audience. I don’t think I’ve ever had 100 visitors in a day!
Any ideas or links you could provide, well, I’d be really thankful.
how does focusing == starting a new blog?
talk to me here!
Absolutely fantastic blog! After one month I have yet to become the most famous blogger on the net. Crazy, I know! But I will continue to persevere and focus and move towards becoming a true pro blogger like you!
you haven’t? what’s wrong with you?!?!?!
I’ve been at it for about 13 years (before it was called blogging). I am not about to quit. In fact, I would quit my day job as CEO of Thomas Nelson first.
Wow, Michael, that’s quite a statement!
seriously, right?!
love this.
No that’s commitment!
seriously. wow.
If you could take a look at JamSmooth.com and tell me if my focus is too broad I’d appreciate. This year I’ve attacked it with new vigor and I think I’m doing pretty good. But your expert opinion would be much appreciated.
the first thing is that i don’t see your categories… so i have no idea what to expect…!
Thanks for the encouragement… Even in my short stint as a ‘blogger’, I’ve quickly realized that its a marathon-type trek. Thanks, John.
sure thing dustin!
Great thoughts. I won’t quit because I only began to write. Back then I had zero audience. I’ve only begun to realize that making a bit of money was possible in these past few months. If it works out great, but I love the writing and community.
how are you doing in terms of the financial builtup?
John,
The biggest struggle is always time management with consistency. It’d be cool to know what you do on a typical day and week since you are a professional blogger.
Love this post!
i should share how that works… shouldn’t i…! i’ll post about it!
Awesome!
It’s always good to know how people work the way they do. Might be even good for you.
eh. my methods aren’t very spectacular to be honest.
I like blogging (in French !) fortunately because my English is so poor, but I read you with attention and I learn, I learn I learn !!! many thanks.
sure thing glonadine! i like your name. what does it mean?
I absolutely love blogging, but my biggest struggle is finding the time to do it.
I need to look at what I can STOP doing to make time for what I LOVE doing!
can be tough though, for sure. sometimes the stuff that we have to do is…. well… we have to do it! we’re all in transition here, aren’t we?
Too late. I already did quit.
Though I often fantasize about a Britney Spears like comeback to the blogging world.
There wasn’t much to be done.
I’ve already decided that I will quit blogging this year. In fact I was ready to start a new blog, however I’m deciding to hang up my blogging boots before I have even started. I have decided that blogging isn’t really for me, I have started about 6 times, and failed about 6 times, so I now feel that blogging isn’t really for me.
good for you. that’s good to know.