So You Want To Be a Rich and Famous Blogger

When I started blogging my family’s summer vacation two years ago, I had no idea that this might turn into a career for me.  I say “career” lightly because I don’t know what else to call something I work at every day of my life (other than motherhood).  I’m either writing or tweeting (or both) every day.  Every. Single. Day.

When I started “This Talk Ain’t Cheap”, my idea was to become rich and famous.  Hah!  Not really.  Well, maybe a little.  No, I’ll never become a Ree Drummond or Dooce, but I suppose, technically, I could.  Why couldn’t this ordinary woman become an extraordinary one?

I’ve changed the way I look at my blogging.  Instead of filling out school and medical forms and writing in “Stay at Home Mom” under Occupation, I’m now writing in “Blogger” or “Writer” or “Work from Home”.  I feel like I’ve earned the right to say those things.  Why?  I’ve actually been paid for blogging.  Now, don’t go get all excited.  It wasn’t much.  But… it was enough for me to think that someone out there… products and brands… actually value what I do.  And if you are paid for the work you do, then you can call it a “career”, right?

A few days ago my husband came home with an announcement… his brother (my BIL) wanted to start a blog with the idea of making tons of money off of it.  It was the kind of statement that was so laughable that I couldn’t even laugh.  So it’s just that easy is it?  Just sign up for a blog account and voila! the offers and money will just come rolling in.  Oh if it were that easy.

I have given a lot of thought to the content I wanted on my blog.  Attending Bloggy Boot Camp was invaluable in leading me in the right direction and giving me the tools to head in the right direction.  I’ve made mistakes.  I’ve learned from them.  I read every comment I get and it gives me a sense of what my readers want to see.  My readers.  Unbelievably, I have people who like to read what I write.  That’s huge.

My point? There are still so many people who have no idea what I do.  They have no idea what it takes to create a successful blog (and I am in no way whatsoever saying that I have a successful blog - it’s only something I am striving for).  It’s hard work.  It takes time.  It takes dedication.  It takes passion.

I love that I have friends who have started their own blogs after reading mine.  That means so much that I can influence people in a positive way.  Some write every day, some only write once a week.  It doesn’t matter.  I think blogging is such a positive experience all around.

So now it seems my hard work is paying off.  Some great opportunities have come my way and hopefully I’ll be doing a lot more blogging for money.  But… I will never compromise my integrity, my readers, my ethics or my morals.  Believe me, I have turned down way more proposals than I’ve accepted.  I’m just happy that some good ones have come my way.

I don’t know where this all will lead.  I can’t see the path around the corner up ahead.  I just know that I’m enjoying the journey.  Hard work does pay off.  It takes time, but it’s worth it.