Wednesday, April 20, 2011

For Love or Money

Memoirs of a Single Dad has thrown down the gauntlet. Am I a blogger for the writing or for the money? That is the question. Here’s my long response that may or may not hit the nail on the head.

In the Beginning

Never in a million years when I started blogging did I ever consider where it would go (this seems to be the theme of my life). I guess you could say that when I started blogging, I wasn’t even a “real” blogger depending on who you ask.

So what was I? I was a Christian book reviewer. I had (have) such a passion for sharing good Christian reading and sharing books as giveaways that I thought Woven by Words would be the way to share that passion.

All I wanted was to read. Nothing else. I was getting free books and doing what I loved!

Then came the detour of product reviews. I figured if I could get free products and my readers could get those same free products, then we would both come out winners! I’m a winner, the company’s a winner, wouldn’t you like to be a winner too? (sung to the Dr. Pepper theme)

And So It Goes

So, I started branching out to mainstream household products and created a new blog called Marvelous Mom Reviews. It seemed a good choice to separate the personal from the products. Nearly a year I threw myself out there to company after company hoping they’d see me as a viable blogger to work with. (I have since put MMR on hiatus to try to make my life a bit more manageable.)

I wasn’t even thinking about monetization at the time. As a single mom working part time, I felt this was a great way to supplement for the things I couldn’t purchase. I did my best to stick with products someone in my home would use, be it me, the children or the pets.

What I didn’t realize was how hard it would be to get that ball rolling. I was “competing”, if you will, with bloggers who had been in this venue for a minimum of a year longer than me. They were up there in the high hundreds into the thousands for followers. I realized I had a looong way to go. The gap has grown significantly in the past year!

What’s Ahead

For me, it’s still not about the cash (probably because I’m not making any). I can’t see myself doing Google AdSense or any other type of ads to try to earn $. I just don’t see that as a viable source of income, especially when I see bigger bloggers showing how little they’re making with that option.

I’d love to connect with a company or two and become an Ambassador. Who wouldn’t. It would be somewhat of a sign to me that I’ve arrived, I can play with the big kids, the other bloggers that everyone clicks to from their RSS feeds. My blog needs more meat. Not just product reviews and Wordless Wednesday posts! I can then ask to be fit into the line up to be featured at The Secret to Success is Support (SITS) or somewhere similar. How to Blog

My hope is that I will continue to build a readership, learn to hone my “writing”, and bring you amazing products…and I do mean YOU! If I can share products with you, that would make me supremely happy! I know I’m not the only one struggling in this economy.

As my blog didn’t start out about my writing or pouring my heart and life out into my posts, I’d have to say my blog had never been about that. It’s always been about connecting with others in regards to products, whether books or . Last summer when I was interacting with the SITSGirls I realized how good it might be to add more of myself to my blog.

I’m trying.

I’m trying to find my voice. Trying to figure out how I can get my personality to spill over into the written word. It hasn’t been easy and I’m still trying to find my blogging legs. As you can see, if you’ve made it this far, I can ramble, thanks to my ADD, but I hope and pray that as I work on my writing and don’t sound so elementary, I’ll be able to connect with anyone who stops by!

By participating in this “challenge” I’m entered to win a $50 gift card either to keep or to giveaway.

This post was created before my break.

7 comments:

Memoirs of a Single Dad said...

Awesome post! I didn't think your post was rambling AT ALL. And I think your position is one that many bloggers share. We blog for both money and love. I think love always starts the process in some form or fashion. We love a topic (parenting, books, technology, sports, etc) and we love finding others that share that passion. IF we can make some money along the way then why wouldn't we want to? We don't set out to get rich off it, per se but who wouldn't want to get paid to do what they love?

Thanks SO much for entering my contest!

Angelina JoLoveless said...

I don't think you were rambling either! I think that's how most bloggers start out, by writing about what they love, finding some success, getting interested in making some money and working a bit harder towards making some extra cash while doing what they love. :)

Good luck with the competition.I've entered too! xoxo

Angelina JoLoveless
www.angelinajoloveless.com

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed this post. Not rambling, just honest and from the heart. What I love reading

Marisa said...

I think doing book reviews would be fun because reading is awesome. Great post! And it's so funny how you mention you don't want to sound "elementary" because I'm forever struggling with that little detail in my writing.

Mimi N said...

Because I'm a dork I deleted this comment by accident so I'm reposting it for Cari!

Cari has left a new comment on your post "For Love or Money":

I'm a rambler too {although I don't think you were}, we're bloggers, we enable each other's rambling. Just chalk up the hardship to finding "your voice" on the vitamin D deficiency we struggle with here in MN. And 4 kids, I am supremely impressed you have time to blog at all, Bravo!!

Diana Mancuso said...

Hello Mimi! This is one very well written and well thought-out post. I think you need not worry in finding your voice. You sound real and in my honest opinion, that is what really counts. I first started blogging in 2006 and feel like this past year has seen the most blog-related activity than in the previous years combined. Here's to keeping it real!

Thanks for stopping by Toronto Teacher Mom during UBP11. To answer your question, I love Twitter for pretty much the same reasons as yourself. It's amazing how many different conversations you can get caught up in and never realize how much time has gone by. Imagine if I started tweeting in French, or Spanish, or Italian,...

Screaming Sardine said...

Not rambling at all, Mimi. I love how you're human and your blogging has evolved. It's hard for me to stick with one focus as well, but I think it's good to offer variety to your readers anyway. :)

Cheers,
Tracy All Thumbs Crafts

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Woven by Words by Mimi B is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.