So You Don’t Want To Be a Professional Blogger

I am SO MAD that I won’t hear your talk, Dorian!!! Because from where your questions are going, I NEED TO HEAR YOUR TALK.

Grr.

Here are MY answers:

WHY I BLOG:
1. It’s been interesting to watch my traffic over the years, but it’s also so depressing that if that was the reason I blogged, I would have given it up long ago.

I started blogging for a writing exercise–I’m so extroverted that a journal just wasn’t going to cut it (I couldn’t make myself do it–I didn’t care enough–something!). I’ve kept it up for the same reason.

Recently, I’ve been experimenting with some different tactics and just last night, I was mulling over the fact that I feel like I’ve gotten less authentic on my blog. Family Fun Fridays? REALLY?!? I mean, yeah, I want to sell books, I want people to buy my books (HEY! YOU READING THIS! BUY MY BOOK!), but…well, I’m not sure I’m achieving that end when I go all “obvious” about it.

I’ve read a lot about blogging and platform building and all of that. But you know, my platform was built based on friendships and honesty (or that’s what I like to think). I’ve always tried to be ME (because, honestly, otherwise I’m a drama queen or a fake or, um, not a Catholic woman I wanna know).

WHAT IS SUCCESS?
2. If success is “everyone knows who I am,” no. If success is “my blogging has led to financial gain,” then maybe. (Defining “gain” might also be in order, but I’m going to spare you.)

The fact that my publisher calles me a “popular blogger,” which sets me into fits of giggles every time I see it, probably supports a yes in this.

Haven’t really answered the question have I?

Yes, I consider myself successful, but here’s the real reason why: I no longer worry about what’s bloggable and what’s not. I no longer spend inordinate amounts of time plotting how to get more traffic or how to get Dorian Speed’s attention. (ha!) I have gained, over the years, a certain healthy distance from my baby, El Bloggo, and that has helped me a great deal.

WHERE’S MY REWARD?
3. When Julie Davis, who was among the first blog I ever read and whom I credit with my inspiration for beginning my own blog, highlighted me as one of her top blog picks a few years ago, I was over the moon.

Guess you can see that I’m more about the recognition in terms of a personal nature than the popularity thing.

But, I will remind you, my publisher says I am a “popular blogger.” HA!

(DISCLAIMER: This was written after only one cup of coffee. I am not yet awake and charitable and non-snarky. So you’d better be laughing as you read it, because that’s how I intended it.)

I blog on several platforms. I have 2 blogs of my own: a personal one (linked here) and one for my recipes. I love getting comments on either and I am thrilled that my older son (a college student) has bookmarked my recipe blog as his “cookbook” as he starts that new adventure of living in a campus apartment. In terms of my own blogs, I’m happy to get a few comments, maybe have a conversation. I love to write, and the cooking blog is a way to share (and remember) my recipes.
I also work as a corporate blogger for 3 shopping blogs, in addition to doing some SEO writing for clients. And I handle the blog and other “new” media for a local TV production company. Some of that is fun, but most of it is a job–one I am grateful to have because it allows me the flexibility I need for my family.
Am I “successful?” Well, I make some money, not a lot, but some, and it does help (Catholic-school tuition doesn’t come cheap) and, again, it’s work I can schedule around my family’s needs–that’s non-negotiable at this stage of the game. In the non-practical sense, yes, it has been a success; doors have opened, friends have been made, much has been learned.
And definitely, without a doubt, I’d rather have one heartfelt comment or email from an “internet hero” than just a number next to the share button. Writing is about connecting. Sharing is nice, but if there’s no connection following it, what’s the point?

1. If that’s not your primary focus, what enjoyment do you derive from blogging?

At some point, I may need to blog for professional reasons. I’m trying to blog without burning myself out NOW, so I don’t mind blogging for professional reasons LATER.

Also, I suck at remembering to update blogs. Seriously. I need reminders tatooed on my forehead or something.

Also, also, I have other blogs that I maintain for clients and I need to handle them on a more regular basis than my own blogs. I get PAID for that, yo. Thank goodness they didn’t hire me based on my own blogs or I’d be begging money outside the city gates at this point.

Not a real answer to your question, I don’t think. Oh well.

2. Do you consider yourself to be a “successful” blogger? In what sense?

I’m successful in that there are some people that pay me to write blogs for them. Except my name’s not on those blogs and I can’t even tell you where they are. So in that aspect, NOBODY KNOWS WHO I AM. Well, except you. Which is maybe enough.

3. If you could choose between having a post shared 500 times, or having one of your Internet Idols send you an email to say “I really enjoyed your post,” which would you choose?

True story. A very popular anonymous blogger that I follow has a facebook page for her alter ego that you can friend. So I did. And she commented on one of my status updates. And I fainted.

500 shares would rock, too, though.

1. If [building a soapbox audience is] not your primary focus, what enjoyment do you derive from blogging?

Writing is the primary way that I figure things out — and I figure things out as a way to get by in the world, but also as a form of entertainment. I get clarity faster by throwing my thoughts out before an audience (even a tiny one), and forcing myself to organize them into a cogent, easy-to-follow argument. I sort of judge whether it was any good based on whether I get comments or not, and whether the commenters want to continue the discussion. I don’t get many comments, but I’m thrilled when a post gets (say) more than ten.

The other thing that I love about blogging is acquiring regular commenters, and not because it strokes my ego, but because I feel like I’ve “met” someone. I love, love, love that two bloggers with teeny little traffic counts can become fans of each other, such that it’s exciting, like meeting a huge celebrity, when That Really Great Blogger shows up in the combox (even if That Really Great Blogger only has a dozen hits a day.) There are maybe a dozen bloggers in the little circle of people that comment on mine, who often comment on each other’s blogs too, and to me it feels like a conversation sometimes, like we’re all in the room. Obviously those circles overlap with others I never see, but I like the impression of a closed circle of people all interested in talking about the same things.

2. Do you consider yourself to be a “successful” blogger? In what sense?

My blog does for me what I set out to make it do, and in that sense, yes. I suppose I could pursue blogging as something more than a hobby, but I have other priorities and responsibilities.

I have a secondary sort of desire for my blog, and I won’t know for a long time whether I have been successful at that. This is to preserve and develop some of my lecturing/arguing/communication/pedagogical skills, in case I ever decide to re-enter the workforce. It might be nice, someday, to earn a little pocket money in the field of Convincing People That I Know What I’m Talking About.

3. If you could choose between having a post shared 500 times, or having one of your Internet Idols send you an email to say “I really enjoyed your post,” which would you choose?

Oh, the latter. The latter, definitely.

I don’t really care about total blog traffic, but I measure my success in (a) whether anyone comments at all and (b) whether people tell me that I made sense, convinced them, or whatever. My favorite kind of comment isn’t “Beautiful post” or “Lovely writing” but “I am going to print this out and staple it TO MY FACE.”

I do like being told when I manage to be funny, though, because I think funny is harder to do than convincing.

1. What enjoyment do I derive from blogging? This is a very good question… because way back when, when I started my first blog, it was more of a hobby. And it was fun. It also was my first address on the web. It was a somewhat general, personal blog and a parking spot with links to the other places I was writing, and random posts of what I was thinking. What I enjoyed about it was my being connected to other people besides my normal milieu and the ability to share my Christian faith with other. That’s the lens of Success for me. My material compensation came from other places.

My next blog, was a testing place for me in what the new evangelization was on the web, so it was the first step toward a more find-your-niche kind of blog. Among Women, is/was a blog in support of the podcast of the same name. The Podcast was the thing for me…. it is very enjoyable and conversational in a different way than blogging. So I’ve spent more time creating and enjoying the podcast than working on the blog. What I enjoyed about Among Women The Blog was that it was a place that I could offer ideas and resources that didn’t fit into the format of the podcast each week. And of course, I enjoyed the people connections, and a place to link to my other writing endeavors, because I do write elsewhere, so the blog is not my only writing outlet.

I’m finally launching a new blog -The Back Porch- that will, hopefully be a combination of the first two… but a place where I will be more in conversation with my readers in a personal way, and offer resources of a faith-sharing and faith-building kind. Whereas Among Women was geared for women only, and a lot of my writing, including a forthcoming book, is geared for women, I’m still a catechist/evangelist at heart and my writing elsewhere on the web is for women and men… so I’m hoping some of my hardcore Among Women readership will move and join me on The Porch, and I’m hoping my new format will welcome new readers.

2. Do you consider yourself to be a “successful” blogger? In what sense? From a writing standpoint, any time you can communicate a message clearly and effect a response in your reader, that is a success. It is the communication process at its most basic; a sender transmits a message to a receiver. If the receiver “gets” the message, without any noise distracting the message, then it is a success. Since you know I’m already using new media as an evangelization tool, you know I’d be pleased if someone grows closer to Christ and the Church because of something shared on the blog, that’s a bigger success for me…

3. If you could choose between having a post shared 500 times, or having one of your Internet Idols send you an email to say “I really enjoyed your post,” which would you choose? To paraphrase St Therese of Lisieux, “I choose all.” From my catechetical mission standpoint, having 500 shares would be great. But, again, from an evangelizing stand point, it’s one heart at a time.

I know some readers here may have blogs that have nothing to do with religion or faith, but your questions are great opportunities for us to access WHY we do what we do with a blog. Or any other time commitment in our life.

1. If that’s not your primary focus, what enjoyment do you derive from blogging?

I like to write.

I used to like to cook, but my husband is very much a meat and potatoes kind of guy, so when I put out my lentil curry, the one with all the exotic ingredients that takes all day to chop vegetables and simmer, yada yada, I didn’t get the response from him I wanted. When you cook like that, you want an enthusiastic audience at your table to say, “Yes! This is exactly what I wanted to eat. You nailed it!” You feel like you’ve met some sort of unspoken need—like the Holy Spirit has made some sort of contact with the souls of your eaters via every peeled carrot and ounce of turmeric you’ve artfully arranged in your pot.

Maybe my expectations for cooking were too high. I don’t know.

At one point in my life, I thought I was supposed to be a seamstress, because I like the idea that I can weave something out of nothing–but cloth did not prove to be my medium. Nor did music. Nor did art.

I’m more likely to get enthusiasm for my efforts, both from my husband, and whoever else is paying attention, when I write. I feel like I’ve gifted a little bit of myself, and it’s not so much about readers saying, “Yum, that was good”–but that it’s also nourished them in some way to receive what I have to give–Even when I know that most of what I have to give is marshmallow fluff. Whatever. It’s calories.

In any case, my expectations for writing are probably much higher than they were even for my cooking, which is sort of how I know it’s what I’m supposed to be doing with my life rather than baking bread, say. I consider writing–not specifically blogging–as a sacramental.

Blogging’s sort of like a sacramental minister—not quite as good as going to Mass, but it’s better than nothing.

2. Do you consider yourself to be a “successful” blogger? In what sense?

No.
When I started blogging, I considered it a stopgap on my way to a novel, or a book-length, published work. Blogging (by my own poor discretion) distracts me from other writing I wish I were doing, in the same way I’d rather eat cookies than vegetable soup.

3. If you could choose between having a post shared 500 times, or having one of your Internet Idols send you an email to say “I really enjoyed your post,” which would you choose?

I like both. But both are temporary lifts that tend to leave you feeling deflated when you can’t maintain the high.

I’d rather write something (and this does sometimes happen with blogging, though rarely) that I believe to be really good, something that feels worthy of connecting to a printer and saving for the kids.

Hey. So after cluttering up Facebook with goofy, high-profile blogger Sarah Reinhard, I thought I’d better participate here.

1. I blog because it’s fun. I have no expectations, so …
2. I count it a success if I achieve #1 above…fun. Btw, I do, and you’ll see why later when I throw down with Sarah.
3. 500 hits or fan mail? I have an ego, I’ll take both, or either. But mostly, I’m in it for the entertainment.

Now, reading blogs is a different thing, and I’ll be starry eyed on Friday when I meet you and others

My blog started out with a readership of four, all of whom were known to me personally, and one of whom was related to me. I loved those quiet early days when I could write whatever I wanted and know that no one but these four would ever read it. Yes, I was naive. At this point, though, I would prefer a smaller to a larger readership, and I think my readership is dwindling, which I can only see as a good thing.

I have no desire to gain anything from the blog; it’s a way for me to work certain things out in my mind and to express my love of the beautiful and of Christ’s mercy, and, in blogging, I hope that I will be kindling or connecting to that love in someone else. In this sense, my blog has been successful beyond my wildest dreams, because I’ve met some kindred spirits whom I would never have known in real life, and consider now the truest of friends.

As for the last question, I’d much rather a blogger I admired responded to me personally. I would prefer this even if the couple of times that a post I’ve written has been picked up by a much-more-widely-read venue hadn’t been extremely negative and uncomfortable for me.

1. If that’s not your primary focus, what enjoyment do you derive from blogging?

The first question to ask is how did I get here in the first place. As a Protestant, I loved speaking and teaching about the faith (at my local church). When I converted to Catholicism, I wanted to continue that passion. But speaking requires a platform and credentials, and what better “creds” can one have than a published book? So, I began to write. Well, successfully writing a book is one thing; selling one is another. What’s next, of course? I decided to build a marketing platform for my speaking adventures and for the book – in comes Waking Up Catholic.

The site has taken on a life of its own. Of course, it’s not a traditional blog, but it’s not a traditional website either. Truly, it’s just a bunch of basic information about Catholicism and my rants on various Bible Verses. My goal was to build a large readership as a platform for other ministries. Now, I realize that my site has become my ministry; anything else that comes from it is just gravy. My true enjoyment, then, (as sappy as this sounds) is just sharing the faith. Also, my geeky side just likes playing around with new gadgets and functions for the site.

2. Do you consider yourself to be a “successful” blogger? In what sense?

I set out on this journey to help others converting to Catholicism find the basics about the faith. With all of the great resources out there, I struggled during my own conversion process to find basic Catholicism-101-type material for myself. This led me to start a site where people could find what they needed in one spot.

A year and a half ago, when I started, I would have measured success by a published book and a full schedule of speaking dates. Now, whether that ever happens or not, I feel successful every time I get an email from someone who appreciates what I write. I wanted to make an impact through speaking and the printed page, but found it instead on a web page. That’s good enough for me (but I’m still going to pursue the other two, as well).

3. If you could choose between having a post shared 500 times, or having one of your Internet Idols send you an email to say “I really enjoyed your post,” which would you choose?

Either of those would be great; they show a true legitimacy to what we are trying to accomplish. As great as those are for me professionally, I really enjoy getting comments from people whose lives I have helped to change. A comment from someone famous or 500 shares shows how well you impress people, but I’m more worried about how I impact people – on a deeper level (but don’t get me wrong – I love feeling that my goals are legitimately possible).

Well, you really might have finished your talk by now! But here are my replies anyway:

1. I started blogging 4 years ago to be part of an online baking group. After food blogging for a while I realized that while I liked blogging, I didn’t want to focus on food! So I started a new blog to better reflect my interests. Writing is not a particular area of strength for me – I’m much more drawn to the visual. In my current blog I focus mostly on visual content in my areas of interest: art, history, travel, and my Catholic faith. My blog gives me a way to organize and present some of the zillions of photos I take.

The blog is a tumblr, and the way it has evolved is not actually very well suited to the tumblr format, and I’m not able to do many things I’d like to do, structurally. I’m hoping to switch to wordpress and better organize my posts. At the same time, I’ve developed a small “following” on tumblr, and my posts get regularly “reblogged” or “liked” by fellow tumblr-ers. Many of these not particularly religious so I’m hoping my posts will light a little spark. I don’t look at blog statistics, so aside from my tumblr followers I don’t know how many people even visit the blog!

In my previous blog, I enjoyed the friendships I made in reciprocal visits to comment boxes. I haven’t made those kinds of connections through my new blog, and I have no idea if it will build or not. Regardless of the community or lack of, I still enjoy crafting a post; I always learn from the research, and love working with my photos.

2. Yes and no. My goal in blogging lies somewhere between entertaining and teaching (myself and the mythical others). I find blogging to be enjoyable because it is a creative outlet and something that I can pursue in small blocks of time. At the same time, I have other creative endeavors that I pursue at varying levels of intensity: I paint icons and also make (self-published) photo/travel/ancestor books for myself, family, and friends, so at times my blogging detracts from more permanent (real?) creative endeavors.

3. 500 shares, assuming I’d know about them, would be a hoot! An email from an online person I admire would be very rewarding. Either would have me questioning if it’s really my blog we’re talking about!

1. – I like the idea of being a professional blogger. But I lack the fortitude. Also, I used to blog more reliably and had a (ever so slightly) larger audience than I do now (which is my one friend). But I started to blog for the popularity of it and it started to consume me in a not so good way. I’m starting again because I miss it – blogging. I’m trying not to obsess over why I miss it and am hoping its not for the wrong reasons.

2. No.

3. I maintain two blogs, actually, one (linked to from this comment) is a more personal and pointless blog. On that one I would rather have one comment from a friend. Don’t really care about the blogging heroes commenting. The other blog is a children’s book review site. On that blog, I would prefer to have 500 shares. But again, I start to become obsessive about it, so I purposely back off. I mean, at some point the kids need to eat. And, oh yeah, we homeschool – so I’m pretty sure I’m supposed to be helping them learn something.

1. What enjoyment do I derive from blogging?

I have to laugh here because I didn’t even know what a blog or blogging or anything close to bloggy-goodness was before I met Dorian Speed a year and a half ago! I still don’t even think I’m a blogger. I think what I have goin’ on is actually a website that I write a column or poem on once a week with the hope of inspiring others with little sips of sunshine. I say “column” because I have a ridiculously difficult time making it short! Just. Cannot. Do. It. I LOVE writing and I love how words have the unique ability to change lives.

What I enjoy most is the thought that the words people read in my column (uhem, blog post) might be just the words they needed that day – just the right words they needed to hear (er, read) to take that next step, or be more patient, or to enjoy the precious present moment, or be a better version of themselves.

Also, because I don’t keep up with my children’s scrapbooks anymore, I think it’s a great way to document some of our memories. “Hey, kids, look – Momma WAS listening to all those silly things you said!”

2. Am I a successful blogger?

Successful in what terms? If you ask my aunt, she’ll say yes, but then again, she’s the only one who ever comments on my posts No, seriously. Successful as far as numbers? Probably not. But, then again, I have NO idea what stats really mean or where the stats even are if you want to know the truth. Is 20 visits a day good? Is 200? I have no clue. As you can tell, I am WAAAAAY not in the loop of the blog world, but that’s okay. I’m sure Dorian saw that I clicked on this post a few times before coming back to comment? Clueless, I am, clueless.

If success is measured in “paying it forward,” then, I think my blog is successful. I love when a friend, family member or stranger drops me an e-mail or Facebook comment and says that my story or poem made their day and that they shared it with someone. Oh and wouldn’t it be great if Facebook had a “love” button? Then, I’d REALLY feel successful! I also love when my post gets “liked” or “repinned” on Pinterest on the Board – “You’ll-be-so-super-duper-ooper-glad-you-pinned-this-post!”

I love that my children get excited after I write a post and ask me what title & picture I chose to go with it. They know I love to write and I’m glad that they see me making time for something that I love in between the laundry, volunteer stuff, and cooking. I’m also thrilled that my husband thinks I’m talented and will send me a quick e-mail to comment on a post (this is dreadfully painful for him since he HATES computers, so it means even more…)

I also realize that I may never know (in this life) who will be affected by the words on my blog. However, I do get giddy when someone says they enjoyed my post and I didn’t even know they knew about my blog. Woo-hoo! I have to admit one thing here – I am NO GOOD at regularly following blogs. There are so many wonderful writers with beautiful and witty words – where would I even start? I think I could easily be THAT girl – you know, that girl that says, “I’m just three blogs, five posts and one comment away from CRAZY – Bwaahaahaa!!!” I don’t want to be THAT girl. So, I will just take baby blog steps and read a few posts here and there – for my sanity, you know. Nothing personal.

3. Would I prefer 500 shares or one heartfelt response?

Hmmmm. Can I say both? One heartfelt response would keep me writing week after week after week, while 500 shares would too. The bottom line is that I’ve touched someone – I’ve struck a chord – I’ve made a tiny difference. If that one person shared it and then that person did, too, and it ends up being 500, then I would feel content, just the same. Counting to five hundred still starts at one. But, I have to end this in a laugh – who am I kidding?! I wouldn’t know if my post was shared once, twice or 500 times anyway! Ignorance is BLISS!! Yippee-kie-yie-yae!

1. I love the Gospel and the Church. I want to share that love with others and, in so doing, grow in that love. I enjoy the art of crafting phrases and words, as did my favorite poet (the inspiration of my email address and the new name of my blog, if I ever make the jump). I appreciate the blogosphere as a medium for sober-minded evangelization and for lighthearted self-expression.
2. I have long contended with the demon of comparison. Under its shadow I would not consider myself very successful. In the past few months I have been working harder at blogging (consulting, reading, regular posting, coherent writing), but I recognize the payoff on such things is slow.
3. I prefer 500 heartfelt responses. (“I choose all!”)