I’ve been blogging a long time–since 2001. People ask me about starting blogs all the time. Here’s what I usually tell them.
- It’s easy to start a blog. If you can use Word, you can blog.
- It’s better if you are comfortable with web sites, icons, the Internet, and your computer isn’t scary to you.
- It’s better if you know the basics of HTML and CSS and understand images. However, if you’re a musician or an artist and don’t want to think about those things, you can still have a blog.
- You need to be sure you have something to say and are burning to say it. You need a reason to keep coming back week after week to produce new material. It doesn’t matter what your thing is, but you need to have a passion for writing about it.
- You have to commit to it. It takes constant time, effort, and work. If you don’t have the self-discipline to make a long-term commitment to a writing project, don’t do it.
- You need to be a decent writer. You need to enjoy writing. You don’t have to be a literary genius. But you need to be willing to spell check, grammar check, proofread, edit, refine, rewrite, and make an effort to write well. Within that restriction, be yourself. Use your own voice, your own tone, your own style.
- Don’t expect a miracle. There are millions of blogs but only a few people are famous bloggers who make a living from a blog. Do it because you want to say something, not because you want to get something.
I’m curious — who makes a living from a blog and only a blog?
Thanks for asking, Georganna. There are examples. Heather Armstrong at dooce.com is a well-known one. I haven’t seen any stats on it, but I think Brian Clark at copyblogger.com makes a living blogging. There’s Darren Rowse from problogger.net. A few others in that top category would be icanhazcheezeburger, boing boing, gofugyourself, and perezhilton. Some of them have more than one writer involved.
“It’s better if you know the basics of HTML and CSS and understand images. However, if you’re a musician or an artist and don’t want to think about those things, you can still have a blog.”
Wow. As an artist myself, I was glad to hear I can still use the internet box machine like all of you high lernin’ folk.
What makes you assume that artists and musicians are computer illiterate. Most artists and musicians UTILIZE the internet to get their creative media out into the world. Thanks for assuming that we just sit around all day in fear of the glowing box that sits on our desks.
You should work on your own terrible blog before attempting to instruct others. Perhaps take your own advice and learn CSS. Your website looks like it is from 1999. I am sure you get a whopping 20 unique visitors per month though. Fascinating.
I don’t even know why Stumbleupon brought me here. I probably did something wrong because I am so bad at the computer. Anyways, I guess I am off to pound some rocks together or maybe smear mud on the wall. I am an artist after all.
@Random Sheesh, take a chill-pill! No one is dragging on artists or musicians.
Point is, if you don’t care for geeky, technical things, don’t sweat it – you can blog!
How’s that dissing artists/musicians? That’s right, it isn’t!
BTW, a ‘pretty’ website is NOT a prerequisite. I could name MANY sites that might appear dated that do very well.
In blogging, it’s the content, relevance & personality of the blogger (and perhaps guest bloggers) that creates the following.
Anyway….
7 great tips. Yet, it’s #7 that grabs my attention and prompts me to comment.
Whether blogging or Internet Marketing in general, too many people jump into the arena believing it’s EASY to make money (aka “a living”) online.
One guy I work with pulls in a cool $11,000+ /month from Adsense. Go figure. His sites are bland. Content is okay.
Another guy I know is controversial but very giving with his info – definitely his info helps people make money. He has a BIG following and also reviews products. Only then will he endorse and offer advertising.
His cost per visitor is a whopping $8.00.
Many models for making money “blogging.” I don’t know if straight blogging affords a living. Wait, I do know one girl who is a corporate blogger (info only) and earns a living. Don’t know exactly what she makes but it’s a living.
Aside from my own Sarasota real estate team’s lead gen, I manage lead generation for a few other real estate people throughout the US. I create A TON of real estate-type content and distribute it far & wide.
Granted, blogging by itself is not making the living, but blogging great content (+ vblogging) results in visitors>>leads>>customers>>commissions.
Hope this helps. Thanks for the list.
Mike