Thanks again to Sal for introducing yesterday’s post topic about blogging. I didn’t expect the number of comments I got, and I’m happy to see some really thoughtful discussion about when to blog and when not to blog.
If you’re new to writing, blogging can be a great way to build up some credibility and maybe even some expertise in a particular area. That’s going to allow you to transition into writing articles about that area, and then you can use that experience to sell outside the comfort zone. Nice, huh? Blogging can be great that way. However, I won’t be blogging anywhere but here (for free, mind you) any time soon.
The reason – I have a lot of work right now and I hope it’s work that will continue. Whenever the workload grows, the need for the smaller jobs wanes. I gave up a blogging gig about a year and a half ago for two reasons – one was the company’s sneaky way of cutting our workload (and our pay) without saying a word to anyone; the other was the amount of higher paying work that was landing on my desk. Time to go. Plus I’m in the fortunate position of being able to charge per hour what most blogs pay per month. If I were charging less, you bet I’d consider a blogging job.
For me the decision was made clear by the company’s lack of communication and their arbitrary way of forcing you to accept new terms without any discussion. (In order to post and get paid, you had to agree to the contract or you couldn’t get to the upload area of the site. Peachy.) For others, it may be a bit tougher to tell when to let go. I say the blogging job has worn out its welcome when any of these things occur:
– You run out of things to say
– The pay rate changes (and not for the better)
– New, higher paying projects are demanding more of your time
– You find it a chore to carve out enough time each day to post
– You just don’t like the job any longer
– You don’t feel you’re gaining anything from having the job
– The traffic to the site has remained the same and no one seems to notice or care
How about you? If you have/had a blogging gig, what’s your bottom line?
I definitely have to second a number of the items on your list. I shuttered one blog because I ran out of things to say. Pay is another big issue. If I started making less than what I felt was deserved, I’d be gone. My time would better be spent elsewhere, on a gig that was bringing in more money.
I once also left another blogging stint because getting my paychecks was like pulling teeth. If the client is more trouble than they’re worth, I’m out. I suppose that’s the case all across the freelancing board.
I am currently blogging for pay, and so far I love it. I’m sure there will be a time I will run out of things to say, but who knows? For now, I’m seeing it as a way to build my credibility in the subject, and with writing in general. I suppose if the day comes that I am overwhelmed with high-paying gigs I will have to let it go…but right now I’m back to building my client list after being offline for 6 months…so I consider it a good deal.
Seems like if you can find the golden needle in the blogging job haystack, it’s a good gig, but otherwise, lots o’ trouble.
Conditions that constitute crossing my bottom line:
– I don’t own my content (negotiable depending on how much you pay me, though).
– My pay is reduced, inconsistent, or otherwise unacceptable (amount varies according to the circumstances of the agreement).
– I have a byline but no editorial control.
– I don’t receive clear direction and have to pay for it in wasted time.
kk
Great list, Kristen. Spoken like a woman with experience in blogging. 🙂