Confessions of a Bitter Blogger
My truth about blogging.
There is a rumor out there that bloggers make a lot of money selling advertisement. As far as I know that is not true. There are a handful of bloggers that make some money selling advertisement and maybe a few that make a decent amount. I’d love to hear how they define “a lot”.
In my case, I was never able to make money from blogging. I have sold some advertising here and there which amounts to enough money to cover the cost of hosting the site and a few coffees and maybe a meal or two (in the whole time I’ve been blogging). This money does not cover my time to blog or the cost of paying a specialist (or two) to fix my blog that got hacked.
But I don’t blog to make money. I blog for fun. I blog to motivate myself to try new things. I blog to celebrate local independently owned businesses. At least that is why I started blogging.
As a blogger (and a tweeter) I have put in lots and lots and lots of time talking about local businesses, promoting local events, organizing events that bring lots of new customers to local businesses, introducing locals, tourists and visitors to local businesses they would have never found if it were not for my blogging and tweeting, etc.
I blog for fun. I organize TweetUps for fun. I talk about local businesses that I think are great because I want to support them. There comes a time though when you give and give and give and when the people you are giving to don’t stop to say thank you, you get a little frustrated. Or at least I do. I’m not Mother Teresa. I’m someone working full time, raising 3 teenagers, dealing with family drama, repairing a house that got flooded by sewage, dealing with this blog that got hacked by a horrible pharmaceutical hack, a lesbian living in a straight world and basically just another overwhelmed Bay Area citizen. As beautiful as the Bay Area is it is also a rat race and it is not so easy to keep up here. The cost of living here is very, very high! Have you looked at your grocery store receipt lately?
I digress… the point of this post is… I don’t know where my blog is going. Right around when it got hacked, I got a little burned out. I got tired of all the gimme, gimme, gimme emails such as: can you promote this, can you organize a TweetUp at our place of business, can you feature me on your blog, can you promote my book, can you do this, can you do that? I know it’s my fault, I offered to feature businesses, organize TweetUps, etc… but the lack of gratitude has turned me in to a bitter blogger and I don’t want to be a bitter blogger! I’m generally a positive person and I’d like to continue being that way.
I’ve organized a ton of TweetUps and for the most parts the restaurants have not given me much appreciation. Some were better than others in offering the group complimentary hors d’oeuvres, welcoming us and saying thank you. Others acted inconvenienced that I was bringing 20 people to dine at their restaurant. Even though I had given them lots of advance notice.
Am I being a diva? Am I expecting too much? If I were a business owner and someone with a following was saying nice things about my business and bringing me lots of new clients I’d probably send them a little thank you note and maybe even a gift certificate. What would you do?
I don’t know what direction my blogging is going to go in but I think I’m done giving free promotion to businesses that don’t seem to understand or appreciate it. I mean if I happen upon a restaurant that is extra amazing I just might blog about it. I’ll continue to coordinate random TweetUps because I love my tweeps so much but I think I may turn this blog more in to a rambling of my thoughts around the Bay Area.
Keeping it real,
I used to be a “well known” blogger. That’s how I know Leila R. and became involved in a very small way in ABOW.
It doesn’t pay. I blogged 24/7 for what? More blogs to read, and all the truly bad books I wanted to review.
Now I blog for Psychology Today as it’s a true platform, keep up my personal blog when I feel like–which seems to be almost never but it’s summer, and am a much happier and more relaxed person.
I read books I like, not ones that are sent to me–and I count the typos though half end up on the best seller list. When I love a book I contact the author and have made some great FB friends that way. It’s a much more sane life and I don’t have to live for my stats, my stats!!!!
Your direction will come to you. Don’t sweat it. In the scheme of life it’s everything and nothing. I do know what it’s like to love a blog 🙂
I found you blog refreshing. Keep it real, lady. I think its time more people followed suit.
Really well said Sally. So many people are questioning their blogs. Pia’s comment about only writing about what I want is a good thing for me to remember. So you keep at it as long as you are enjoying it. Ya never know where these things will lead.
Thanks for the comments! Somehow I missed them. I agree only blog as long as you are enjoying it. I only blog when inspired now. I find if I blog under obligation I’m bored with my posts and so are my readers.