Being a full-time blogger is a great thing, but it comes with its own responsibilities and challenges. I would like to point them out in this post. Maybe it will be useful to those who are thinking of going full-time.
Challenges of being a full-time blogger
- You have to be consistent
- You have to be persistent
- You have to be creative everyday
- Be ready for colleague-less life
Being consistent is a challenge of its own. When you are a full-time blogger, and if you are serious about it, then sun or rain, work or holiday, you should deliver same number of posts every day – consistently. How frequently you should post is a different topic, but whatever is your own post frequency, you should stick to that and keep it coming.
Most blogs post 1-3 posts a day, some blogs post one post in 2-3 days. You should remember that you can’t post too many posts a day, because that’s the first reason why readers unsubscribe from your blog RSS. If you post too less then your blog’s traffic will be on the slower side. So keeping to one post a day is a safe choice for many blogs.
Some people get excited when they start earning some money from their blogs and quit their jobs, and go for full-time blogging. However full-time blogging won’t guarantee that you will be earning same amount of money or more, you have to be prepared for down times as well.
When these unfortunate times arrive, you have to keep going, you have to be persistent in what you do even if it does not show results. Sometimes the solution for these times (down times) is persistence. Many people give up these times, you shouldn’t!
It’s not an easy task to keep blogging everyday, you have to be creative in coming up with new topics that will be interesting to your readers. Blogging about what you love or blogging about what you are expert in will be a good help here. Just like hobbyists, when it’s something that you love doing, you can go for years doing the same thing, that is – writing interesting posts about particular topic.
I have heard stories that some people even became depressed after quiting their job, because they got used to office life so much, and that they were now lonely (with only blog to stare at). To combat this, some people even rented office rooms to get that feeling of “going to work” everyday.
Personally I didn’t experience such things, maybe that’s because I never really liked going to office. Even before I became full-time blogger, there were times when I had quit my work for up to 1 year and survive on my internet business earnings. And during these times I became so attached to this work-at-home life, being your own boss and not going to work. After that I tried to join a company again and only lasted there for a year. That was the turning point for me, so I went full-time blogger! Since then life has never been better.
So these are the challenges that I could think of from my own experience. If you have anything to add please do so in the comments. I hope it will be useful for part-time bloggers to consider these points when they decide to quit their jobs.
Thanks for the post. I am in the transition of becoming a part-time blogger who actually needs and uses the money from my blogging. I am getting a divorce and up until now my husband’s money was the prime and my blogging extra cash was saved in my retirement or put in my daughters college fund or used for vacations or whatever. Now though…I will be using it to pay the bills.
I am still going to be bus driving, but I need to up my blogging game to be able to eat well. Do you have any extra advice??
Hi Jennifer, have you thought of starting more projects/sites? I think it would be more safe to run few sites, than relying on one blog. Also if you have an established blog that would help to market your other projects.
I have Too Much Truth and Franklin Rocks both of which are not very current. I really need to spend a lot of time on both/either of them to make them at least a little profitable. I am very partial to my Ladylike4.com site though. I guess because I enjoy it the most.
I can see myself enjoying my rocks site too though. I just have to get after it. I am going to post information posts about different rocks that can be found in southern PA and interviews with different members of my club very soon here.
Hey Ades, this is really great blog. I have a couple questions.
Do you find yourself often trying to write really splashy articles everyday since you’re blogging full-time? You know, stuff that will bring lots of new readers?
Also, I see that you also have several side-businesses in your blog. I don’t mean to be nosey, but are you technically a full-time blogger, or do you earn a variety of incomes that add up to a reasonable income?
I’m very fascinated (obsessed?) with trying to earn some money from my site, so any input you have would be really appreciated.
Keep it up!
Blogging should not be the only source of your income when you want to quit your job, unless your blog is as popular as Ades Blog or JohnChow. As Ades pointed out, you should be doing some internet business together with blogging.
Also, when I quit my job, I have no blog at all and just doing freelancing jobs and some online business. I don’t like going into office ;)
I really don’t think most wannabe’s appreciate just how much work is involved, or, as you say, how lonely it can be – then again that’s a good reason to join a blogging network perhaps, at least you’ll have coworkers on IM to chat to.
Hi Jeff,
I do try to write original articles, but i do not find them so difficult to write. Something pops up to my head everyday, so I just blog about it.
I consider myself a full-time blogger, it’s my main job at the moment. I do have other projects too, but those are self-run (automated) sites. I don’t really manage them daily, maybe from time to time. So I can say I am technically full-time blogger.
Hi John, I think wannabes should know the reality before they start full-time blogging.
Great post! I am just taking baby steps in the world of blogging so I guess I am what you would call a part-time blogger. It would be absolutely amazing if I could make this a full-time occupation (what a wonderful goal!).
Anyway, I am really glad I found your blog and will be back again for sure.
Budget Babe xoxo
ps. I don’t enjoy going to an office everyday either. Not my cup of tea!
Thanks for stopping by BudgetBabe, I hope you will become one of the regulars here. Good luck with your blog!
Very nice post. Was always curious about pro-bloggers lifestyles. The “colleague-less life” would be a challenge for me because I enjoy meeting new people.
Great post! I’ve been considering jumping in the blogging ring, and it’s nice to hear someone elses opinion. Thanks!
Nice post!I have been thinking a lot about becoming a full time blogger,of late and your post really helped me a lot.No job is without risk and I have decided to do the same in the near future.Thanks for sharng the post.I loved it!
Maybe I’ll try becoming a full time blogger in the future. Thanks for the added information..
im part-time blogger…but i think im going to full-time blogger.
why? because i think blogger can make enough money for me to live.
and also become successful affiliate marketer ;)
maybe about 1 to 2 years later.. LOL!
anyway, nice post Ades!
Hi Ades Design
How do you bill clients for blogging.
I StumbleUpon any time inspiration lags. It never takes more than a few clicks until I have more inspiration than time to write.
The easy bit is writing a list like this. The hard bit is to implement the ideas!
If I ever become successful at blogging I will only have it as something on the side. I would not like to spend my whole day on my own. It would give me flexible work hours but I don’t think that would be the main thing I need.
John
Does colleague-free end up turning into friend-free or maybe even family-free?
I’ve got to hold my hands up and say I am addicted to everything pc and internet. I need to go to work to socialise!
It depends, if only friends that you have are from office then you might find yourself alone.
Being a full time blogger sure is not easy, but imo not everyone can blog to the same level. Those who has been successful bloggers are people who like to read and share their experience and most of the other blogs are just wannabes of the big blogs.
consistency, persistence, creativity, all essential components of the big picture !
its a nice post. but blogging, be it part time or full time is not the same experience for everyone!!
Its easy to be all those points in the begining, what do you do to keep your own interest going once it becomes boring and monotonous? I seem to be in a rut these days.
Hi Eva, one of the success factors for the full time blogger is “persistence”, so keep going! I am sure it will pass and you will get your energy and enthusiasm back.
P.S I am struggling to keep up my pace too. So much things to do these days.
Thank you for sharing with us on what it is like to become a full time blogger and the challenges that come with it. I agree that you should be consistent in writing, never pass a day or two not blogging. Of course in writing, there should be persistence, most especially, there must be creativity. You must also show your uniqueness in writing.
Nice post
I expect really tough times tracking the entire web about my blog topic and giving the best to my readers
I’m still a part time blogger currently because my earning from blogging still lower than my job salary.
My target is on the next 2-3 years, It will be greater than now and I hope I will be a full time blogger at that time. Just like you…
agree. that what i always did at my blog. :)
Just wondering, for the ordinary blogger mortals, can you actually earn enough moolah from just plain Google Adsense advertising payouts that you can actually quit your job? I want to analyze the business model around it.
I saw a one woman who wrote a very simple article at Assorted Content about the risk of getting cancer from overcooked meat (something that was already published in Yahoo before), and yet she got 1 million hits in just about 3 months and must have earned a lot of dough. It’s almost like just trying to catch someone’s attention to get the hits thingy.
Also, the way I surf, I almost never have clicked at any Google Adsense advertising on a website. I’m presuming almost a great majority of web readers simply scroll pass the ads and just read your content, then split. I think it is tough to earn money waiting for people to click ads.
Great post, I can relate consistent, persistent, and creative.
i agree. Thats really tough and i admit its really hard unless you persistent and focus. If not, its more better if you find others work.
I like going to office … I guess I could not be a full-time blogger
Some excellent advice there. 1 post a day seems more than enough as you don’t want to overwhelm your readers. I think full time blogging would be a great business venture!
You raised some interesting points. The idea of “working from home,” “being your own boss,” etc. sound great, but your post raises some important considerations that people often overlook.
Another concern is the unpredictability of Google and the subsequent affect on your financial income. I’ve heard horror stories of Google turning its favor from one website to another. Moving from the #1 rank for a popular search term to the #7 position can reduce traffic to a website by 90%. When this happens, it can dramatically alter your revenue stream. Diversification is the only way to reduce the risk of these consequences.
Regarding colleague-less life, bloggers need to remember the internet has gone mobile, to avoid depression get out of the house or office once in awhile. Choose a new place to blog every once in awhile. Maybe a beach or lookout. You may also find other local bloggers to mingle with be using twitter and other socail networks.
i want to be a problogger in future. Right now, i’m struggle my best to do that. I hope i can do better and never ask my father for money.
I’m a full time internet marketer, but also own several blogs that I maintain. I agree with the point about being consistent and the colleague-less life. Especially in my field, you keep things hush hush, or you get screwed.
Consistency is the key, along with quality. If you can do 1 good quality post a day, you will acquire readers, its that simple. Then if you start doing more then that, you should see the benefits start stacking up.
no…it’s better go to work…have normal week-ends…be a normal guy
many things that must be done in order to become full-blogger, I agree with you, my dream has a lot of money from the internet
Hi Ades, you mentioned that you have self automated site…does that really bring traffic?
Good to hear that you are full time blogger, I am trying hard to be one as well :)
You do not have to write your blog posts all by yourself. You can outsource some, so you can free up a part of your time for other projects.
I kinda think that I would be sad if I didn’t have at least one person to say Good Morning to, yet working at home does have it’s advantages.
Hello Ades.
Great blog and you have dwelt with all the key issues.
Appreciate if you could enlighten us on the following issues:-
a) tell us more as how you manage to write splashy articles everyday since you’re blogging full-time. You know, stuff that will bring lots of new readers.
b) I noticed that you also have several side-businesses in your blog. Perhaps you can shade some light in this aspect.
I’m trying, very hard, to earn some money from my site, so any input you have would be really appreciated.
Thanks and look forward to hearing from you,
I am full time blogger, I even leave my office job for not getting time for my blogging, I really happy with my blogging work, I really feel bore by office job, so I start my full time blogger life.
You have pointed some nice information here. The first point that you mention here is really noticeable. Consistency is very much important for blogger.
I notice that when I did not work one day, my blog traffic gone decrease next day. So I can realize the consistency.
i really hope i can become fulltime blogger soon. Just doing my best now.
i really appreciate you to share your thoughts about what’s full-time blog running like. like i mentioned before, i run a couple of blogs, but this is not full-time for sure.
I too am trying, very hard, to earn some money from my site, so any input you have would be really appreciated.
Many Thanks and look forward to hearing from you,
its hard at the begginingto be a fullday blogger but if make royal readers than no problem for you to be successfull :)
As a full time blogger I am enjoying lot. I do not when I can earn from my blog. But I am enjoying what I am doing.
Who have full free time:) In my free times I am triying to write articles 2 or 3 is enough for me
Great and useful tips. Thanks for sharing.
As almost a full time blogger, I am enjoying and keep on sowing and strongly believe the harvest will come one day. You must have faith in something you are venturing in. Persistence and consistence will assure you to get what you want.
I will work out of my home some, so to keep focused I have created an office. I use to work all over my house and all throughout the day, but now set myself hours, go to my office and try to be much more structured.
My concern is money, as I’m a part time blogger, a part time student and full time worker. Since I can’t make a passive income from blogging, and I need the salary from full time job to pay my University fees, so I couldn’t be able to quit my day job right now.
But I believe that if I have more time doing my blogging and online thingy, I could make more money. Perhaps I’ll consider about it in future after my University life for another 3 years.
Cheers,
Lee
Full time blogging is a cut throat game unless you have mastered the skill. While blogging and earning some pocket money is easy, blogging for life is fun and difficult. You need to be ahead of competition on a daily basis.
Very nice post. Was always curious about pro-bloggers lifestyles.
its hard at the begginingto be a fullday blogger but if make royal readers than no problem for you to be successfull :)
one thing you can do is go back to school you can evenRent Textbooks now a days
Its funny you are talking about this my mother in law always trys to get me to get out of the house (converted garage office) and go see people or meet people, but I am actualy quite content at home without “going to the office” because that can be a pain.
Are you a full time blogger Ades ?
full-time blogger is not necessary but sometimes i think i am wrong thinks
i forgot to say to ades
i think you are full time not only blogger every internet choices
tutarl?l?k, kal?c?l?k, yarat?c?l?k, büyük resmi tüm gerekli bile?enleri!
Full time blogging isn’t college-less its just you have to go outside of your house and get into other organizations that support your industry. I am currently organizing a Barcamp and Social media club which relate to full time bloging but are not directly related.
Very inspiration post and it’s a dream for many working people. Thanks for sharing your full-time blogger life to us.