Some of my blog friends have questioned why they blog.  So let’s think about that for a moment?  Why do you blog?

Of course, as this is my blog, and I’m selfish, I’m going to lead off and tell you why I blog.  I blog in the morning, usually when everyone is out the door.  Much like a pitcher in the bullpen, blogging is my warm up.  Before I start working on my book, I need a way to wake up my brain.  I need an exercise to get my fingers moving.  I need the excuse to actually boot up the computer.  These are the very practical reasons for blogging.

I also blog because I find it fun.  It gives me the opportunity to write about things that are on my mind, almost like someone doing morning pages.  I throw out some sort of idea or thought bottled up in my brain, and I see what happens with it. I also get to play with words and phrasing, think about new ways to present ideas. and try to be witty and clever.

Why blog instead of journal?  Because having a blogging community makes me feel like I am responsible for writing with a certain routine and consistency.  Habits can be good, especially for someone with my temperament.  And of course, when you blog you get feedback.  Do you know how many blog ideas have been generated by posts?  I have two possible ideas from yesterdays post- ideas and thought expand when you throw them out to the universe.

But that’s just me.  Why do others blog?  Now there are all sorts of reasons, but let’s talk about: money.  Some people blog because they want to make money.

Can you make money blogging?

I think you can make money doing just about anything.   Look at mood rings, chia pets, and pet rocks as examples.  But what does making money blogging actually entail?

Many people have a blogger/vlogger that they sight as an example how “easy” it is to make money doing this.  Spoiler alert:  it’s not that easy.

First off, you have to write the sort of blog that will generate followers.  To really obtain a large following, you must have a broad yet specific theme to what you are doing- just broad enough to generate large groups of readers, yet specific enough to be different from everyone else.  You must also pander to your audience: you have to try to offend as few people as possible.  Advertisers/sponsors do not like it if you offend people.  And let’s face it, that’s how you make money: sponsors.   You need a big company with a big message.

Secondly, blogging in this capacity is really hard work.  I read a lifestyle blog put out by Shannon Ables.  Her blog appears in my inbox on Friday mornings, and it’s really more like a newsletter.  She has at least 5 different sections with new and well thought out content.  She has brand names and links all over the place.  A blog of this capacity is not thrown together in 20 minutes before she has her coffee:  it is cultivated carefully and crafted precisely.  I can not imagine how many hours go into this endeavor.  She has also branched out into lifestyle books and has a podcast. I am assuming she has endless meetings with sponsors and advertisers and publishers and agents and about a thousand other professionals.  It is a full time job. (though it is actually her side hustle, as she’s a teacher)

How many hours a week do you want to put into your blog?  Seriously.  Because if the answer is less than 20, you are probably not going to make a tremendous amount of money blogging.  But then you can argue, how much money is a lot.

Can you make money blogging? Sure.

It is easy to make money blogging? Nope.

So as you work on your blog today, or tomorrow or whenever, I want you to ask yourself why you blog, and what it means to you.  And then create the blog that represents you and what you want to accomplish.

Happy blogging!

 

77 thoughts on “Why?”

  1. I would love to be able to make money blogging so I could work from home but I know that will never happen. I enjoy writing and sharing my thoughts. It’s nice to think people actually want to read my stuff.

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    1. why it is possible lol it takes maybe 3-4 years for simple peeps like us and we have to run at least 4-5 blogs with a regular content 2-3 times sharing a week. And each blog have to have probably 4-5000 followers and at least 1000 subscribers.

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      1. And…we have to reach a certain type of audience. It’s not only followers, but followers that spend money!! I think there are people that think making money blogging is easy!.,

        Liked by 3 people

    2. It does feel good when someone reads ones work…a little self validation. I would love to make money, but I know I don’t want to,work that hard.

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  5. I really enjoy my blog. I like that it makes me practice putting my words and thought together. I like that I’ve been able to connect with fantastic people. I like that it’s a space where I hostly feel comfortable sharing bits of myself and not being ‘what I’m supposed to be’. I don’t make money from it and that’s fine. The experience is its own reward.
    I also have another ‘work-related’ blog… and that’s not as fun. Lol.

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  6. Pingback: Why Do I Still Do This? | The World's Common Tater

  7. Ditto. I actually try to blog to get it out of the way in the way you describe it (warm-up) so that I can feel lighter and clearer to begin work. Also, the community is HUGE for me. The ‘real’ people in my life mostly tell me I type too much, they’re not interested in reading me.

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  10. I began Cupcake Cache in 2013 to advertise our store. I had very few followers. Many followed our business on Twitter. I don’t think customers really expected me to write about the community and some observations. I found myself enjoying the writing and the involvement. After we closed, when Michael got cancer and things imploded in November 2015, I didn’t want to get rid of the blog. I have about 150 followers and am amazed at that. I enjoy the interaction a lot with your blog. You certainly have much involvement. Ironically, I don’t think many of our original customers still follow us but one never knows. I have a constant small group I like interacting with and I find it useful to review and see which direction we are heading.

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  11. I blog to share myself with the world. Trying to make money off that would (at least, in my mind) cheapen the experience, because I would no longer be honest about sharing myself. The words would have to be crafted to cater to followers and generate more.

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  12. I originally started the blog to try to direct people to my Etsy site in the hopes of generating more sales that way. I have made a few sales but it took a while. Now I think I continue because secretly I want to be a writer but I don’t want to have to re-learn grammar and the “rules” of writing. As the tagline on my blog says, “I hope to brighten your day, enlighten and inspire you and encourage the sharing of smiles across the miles.” If I can make one person smile every day, I think I’ve accomplished something. Of course, it helps when people leave a comment so I know I actually made that smile!

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  13. I blog because when we began the Encore Voyage, it scared the hell out of me. A close friend said, “You should share your experiences with others. Surely you’re not the first one to freak out in retirement!” And because ours didn’t fall into the traditional definition of “retirement,” and Encore Voyage was born. But what keeps me blogging is the community that has developed with other bloggers both in and out of the retirement sphere. Way cheaper than therapy, and I learn so very much from these wonderful people! ~ Lynn

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  16. I started blogging as part of my challenge to myself to do some different things after I finished my career. Now I do it because I think it’s a good way of ordering my thoughts, which is a kind of therapy, and because I like to write. It’s been such a bonus to find all these interesting people writing all sorts of stuff and being able to connect with them so easily. Way above my pay grade to make money out of it, but big respect to those who do because I’m sure they work really hard for it. No pain, no gain!

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  18. I used to pen my thoughts on paper so thought why not formalise it?! And there I started..it’s basically to share my thoughts with like minded people and it’s a great release of creativity in putting a piece together! Fun as of now, lets see where it goes!

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  19. When I started blogging last month, it was really somewhere to offload the constant chatter in my head about all sorts of things, now I am not studying an unable to find work. It is absolutely great!! Time just disappears an that`s just with writing, then there is reading blogs like yours and replying to comments. I only have 20 followers but I am grateful for them all and that they have taken time too read my “ponderings”. I am also warming up to write a book..one day. But one thing I did read on top tips on blogging (I did a little research and made some notes..still a student at heart 😉 )and it was number 1… “If the main reason you are starting a blog is solely to make money, read no further and stop now “. It`s a rare few that do and I don`t think it would be all it`s cracked up to be in the end !

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      1. I am surprised after a month how much I enjoy it for just those reasons. And today another connection with you 😊😊

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    1. I love reading travel blogs! They inspire me and I love to learn about different places to add to my bucket list of travel. Your stuff is amazing!!

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  21. I blog just because I like to write, and blogging gives me a writing outlet. Plus, since people can (and do) respond, blogging gives me an incentive to write as well as I can. I’d hate to try to make money out of my blog: that would take all the fun out of it for me!

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  23. I blog because I enjoy it and I have a passion for writing even though at times I get busy because I work outside the home and I don’t generate income from my blog. Maybe one day but I am able to write about what I learn, and learn from others, even great books I read and it helps to create wonderful memories and I can even look back and see how far I’ve come as to what I’ve accomplished. What goals I set and reach, etc. etc. I learn from other bloggers to! I enjoy writing and telling others at times to what I’ve read and what I learn from others bloggers in the blogging community and give credit where credit is do! Most of all I learn so much! Thank you and great question so glad you ask! I can’t wait to read what others have said on this! I love to learn!

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  24. Being autistic, I’m not very good at expressing myself verbally. Blogging gives me a voice, albeit by the written word. X

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  26. A very interesting read, :/ I OFTEN ask myself why I blog (this is my third) and my answer may surprise you. I write an err eclectic varied WordPress because I enjoy writing however I’m happy knowing I’ll never be really popular ahh lol 😀 HOWEVER if you enjoy interreacting with other bloggers as I do, then I soon came to realise having your own sorta gives you credibility, people click on a comment perhaps only ever take one look at mine BUT it at least shows I’m here for the right reasons namely to write and be friendly lol.

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  27. I really love the name of your website by the way.
    What exactly are the parameters the sponsors look for when selecting a blog to post their content?

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    1. Thank you. Absolutely no idea. Just write something that you can get a million hits and will buy the things your sponsors are promoting

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  28. I blog for myself, mostly. It’s an outlet for creativity – but sometimes cathartic output resonates with others, and that’s a beautiful thing.

    I actually never joined any Facebook blogging groups until recently, and now that I have, i see the vast majority of them (from the group I’m in) seem to only focus on promoting brands and marketing type stuff. In my mind, it demeans the term “blogger”, because it paints this endeavour as largely just superficial fluff. And social media is already too full of that.

    But I’m probably just being over sensitive, because their idea of “blogging” and mine are worlds apart.

    I guess to each his or her own.

    That’s why I love WordPress, though: you get meaningful content from people through your reader… it’s not a popularity contest, and not a marketplace for corporate promotion.

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  29. I wanted to express my gratitude for your kind words and appreciation for TSLL. My apologies for the belated response. I thoroughly enjoyed reading your post and what an engaged community you have created. Blogging is truly a unique and amazing medium for expression and connection, and we each pursue it for our unique reasons. Thank you for sharing yours and for your mention. I am truly humbled by what you shared. Wishing you a wonderful and delicious 2019. 😌❤️

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    1. Thank you so much! I totally admit that I am completely fangirling right now!! I was reading your new book last night (brilliant by the way) and I just finished the chapter in living simply. Your words ring true to me in so many instances and I truly look forward to Friday morning when I get your newsletter!!

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