Why Are You Blogging: Money or Self-Expression?

Startup Sunday

Photo by sunshinecity via Flickr.

When I talk to people about blogging, money eventually comes up in the conversation. Perhaps they're curious about how much I make from ads on this site (not much), or they're thinking about starting a blog and want to know how much profit to expect (again, not much).

They're usually disappointed to hear my opinion: out of all the good reasons to start blogging, money isn't in my top 10.

Now, I'm not saying that well-written blogs can't lead to lucrative book or endorsement deals. And certainly the success of blogging legends like Dooce and Julie Powell tempts every would-be scribe to start throwing words up on a screen in hopes of making it big. I give the same advice to someone following this path as I would a teenager hoping to make it in the NBA: make sure to have a back-up plan.

The truth is, there's simply not a lot of money in blogging about your life, cooking, parenting or other popular topics for new bloggers. Some of the most talented writers I know do get paid for this kind of personal essay writing -- but they supplement these gigs with more lucrative work such as magazine journalism, book writing, teaching and consulting.

I should acknowledge that I am in my second year as a blogger and come to this world with the perspective of a professional journalist who's always been paid a living wage. So when I say blogging money isn't great, I'm comparing it to the salary, benefits and 401(k) I received working for various news organizations. I have nothing but respect for those who are blogging for self-expression and are happy to make an extra few hundred a month from blog ads.

In fact, blogging can lead to real money if you are smart about it. For those looking to break into freelance writing, a well-positioned blog can showcase their talents and give them practice writing on deadline. For consultants or entrepreneurs, a blog can be a valuable marketing tool. For anyone wanting to understand the blogosphere and social media, there's no better way than jumping in with your own blog.

Kelby Carr of Type-A Mom recently wrote a well-argued defense of mom bloggers' right to be paid. While I certainly agree that anyone creating content should insist on being paid fairly, I think many bloggers are asking the wrong question: how do I monetize my blog? Instead, every independent writer should ask herself: what is my unique talent and how can I best make a living? (Then ask, who do I know and how should I expand my network?)

The answer is probably going to be different for everyone. For me, it's a mix of magazine and online writing, editing and shaping CurrentMom, blogging for myself and blogging for organizations such as About.com.

What's your recipe for success? How does blogging figure into the picture -- if at all?

Comments

[Rebecca]

I blog because I love to write. However, I would like to make some cash from my writing. I use Google Adsense, Amazon.com, CJ, and LinkShare, but have not made any money from my blogs. Sigh...

[Sandie]

I blog because I enjoy it, not to make money, but I do use Google Adsense on my blog and web site. I get a small amount which pays the fee for web space for my web site. I keep a personal blog and a craft blog separately (blogger) because I assume crafters don't care that my dog kept me up or see family pictures from holidays. Family members do enjoy those things and I then have a record for myself when I need to reference something for whatever reason. I do enjoy writing also and have been published in the Christian fiction market.

[samax]

I'm a freelance illustrator and cartoonist, and self-published comicbook artist.
for me, blogging is mostly a way to engage my fan and customer base while working on projects. for that, it is very successful.

I use multiple blogs to solidify my fan base and hopefully have them all paying attention when I drop new projects.

Though making even that few hundred dollars a month you mentioned can be elusive, I still recommend blogging because having a well-designed and executed blog will help separate writers from those who CLAIM to be writers, but are really just people with ideas. Productivity brings visibility and legitimacy.

I have landed several freelance gigs and significant local media attention as a direct result of blogging, and those things have major value, even when the value is not easily quantified monetarily.

[Peggy]

Part of why I blog is self-expression, but the main reason is actually to keep a record of events. I often find myself referring back to my blog to remember when I took a trip, the name of a restaurant or store I liked, when I finished a project, the URL of an interesting Web site, etc. The origin of the word "blog" is "Web log," and that's how I use mine!