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I work more in one week then most people work in 2 weeks….all to make $1000 from blogging each month. That’s poverty level income. Which is more then most bloggers online make so it sounds petty to even say out loud negatively. But isn’t it pathetic that I am not the only one doing it? We get excited over a $50 add on our web pages…for a month. A MONTH.
I have a college degree. A family. I’m (please don’t take this wrong) brilliant. I have been at the top of every company I have ever worked for. I wonder sometimes if I am undercutting my own potential by chasing the next idea, the next dream, the next post.
The biggest impact I am making is constantly being judged by statistics, numbers, other women, which contests I am running, and how many people commented on something I had to say for the day.
Where did all this go wrong? I wanted to start a community to help people, to grow, to have fun, to let moms advertise their own boutiques and blogs together. It just seems that everyone is so individualized and trying to get the next trip, the next comment, the next PR rank, the next big story, and I am not sure I can tear people away from being so overly consumed with all of that to even BE a community.
In a world where people so badly want to be accepted, involved, and part of something bigger, its ironic that we are so self absorbed in our own situation, me included, that sometimes the actual reason we began traveling to a destination, gets lost in the journey.
~trisha
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To echo what some others have said, DON’T EVER DOUBT that you have done what you have set out to do, at least as far as the community is concerned. What we have one the forum is UNIQUE and no one but you could have set it in motion. NO ONE.
Here comes the Trisha love-fest again…
You ARE brilliant, one of the most intelligent, well-spoken, creative people I know. Rome wasn’t built in a day, as they say, and changing the tone and attitude of mom bloggers across the web is not an overnight process, but trust me, YOUR IMPACT has sent shock-waves across the blogosphere, but the reaction to it – c’mon these are women – has been catty and childish and more. (wow that was a run-on sentence).
I don’t disagree that you are worth way more than $1,000/mo but don’t you EVER think that you have not made an impact and that your goals of community have not been realized. And the thing is – it will grow even still from what it is.
You have a group of women who would pick up sticks and storm the streets in defense of, not only you, but each other. THAT, my friend, is an accomplishment in itself that would not have happened without you.
Wow, $1000. Can you pls help me how to make $1000 for blogging? I am pretty new to my blog. I earned nothing. I actually dont know how other bloggers earn some bucks for thier blogging. I want to earn just like them. Greatly appreciate your help.
Martha wrote:
What she said. HUGS… Wow $1000!! Teach me how to do that plus less u forget all your wonderful perks of great products to try and making others so happy when they win your giveaways and all the great blogging friends you’ve met. Your richer than $1000 dollars a month can’t u see that?
Trisha!! I recently commented that our husbands must be related, based on their…”questionable” behaviors (man, it took me a long time to come up with that adjective. LOL). And now I’m totally relating to your feelings here. I have a Ph.D., a great blog, kids, a job, and a need to feel appreciated, successful, rewarded. Feeling good about dispensing valuable or entertaining information is fine and dandy. Enhancing reader’s lives is wonderful. But it still ain’t going to pay the bills. And THEN when you start comparing your “brilliant” work to others whose work doesn’t seem to compare, but is better ranked, you can’t help but think – WHY am I doing this, and WHEN will it literally pay off?
You’re making $1000/month. I don’t even have ad spots up on my blog yet! It’s a goal that keeps being delayed by ALL the other things I do as a novice in this arena: posting, guest-posting, tweeting, contacting sponsors, responding to sponsors, running weekly giveaways, building traffic, researching how to build traffic, blah, blah, blah. People are amazed that I’m not getting paid. Yea, well, so am I.
And I didn’t even know all this mattered when I innocently entered the blogosphere a few months ago. Like you, I just wanted to help moms. Now I’m wondering if the next post will be as loved as the preceding one. And if comments will be left. And how many visited the site.
I’ll have to remember this post, and all the reader comments, when I’m also feeling lost on the journey.
Trisha, I love your honesty! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve struggled with these same thoughts. I have 4 degrees, spend hours working, and get paid hardly anything. Of course I don’t blog for the money, but like you, I’m super excited when I sell an ad, or even when why make a few bucks through affiliates! (don’t think most of my old friends and family understand this) I’m happy blogging- much happier than when I was “successful” in the business world. But I understand that there are bad days- I just want to let you know that I appreciate you! I love how you are so honest, and tell it how it is. I look forward to seeing what new insights you have posted about each day. Hope tomorrow is a better day!
I love coming to MomDot everyday as well as checking out the forums. I truly do feel that there is a community here and you should be proud of making it happen!! Don’t get down on yourself… you are doing an awesome thing and even if the money isn’t where you would like it to be, you are making a difference!
I’ve been pretty self absorbed lately…
I am a new reader and enjoy your posts and insight very much. I don’t do the stats counter thingie, have no ads, a giveaway if I want to give something away, and it works for me!! I don’t judge others and actually really appreciate the reviews and so love the giveaways. People who are so judgemental are insecure. I like blogging, met some great folks, and won some sweet stuff. What’s not to like?? Thanks for all your hard work, I wished you made more money at it.
OH I get you, sista! That is why I took some time off to realize what I really want and got re-focused!
I love your site and all you do, I know it is not money in your pocket but at least you are recognized for being smart and working hard for others. I started a blog last year and it was a disaster I had no idea what I was doing, then when I started up again this year I found momdot right away and would never be even a tenth as confident and have ANY of the opportunities I am getting if it was not for momdot!
@ Trisha-admin:
I’m not offended at all!!! I was just trying to help you feel better by putting it into perspective. I’m sorry!! I totally know what you mean though about us working so hard and getting paid little for it. We get taken advantage of sometimes.
I just hate to see you feeling down b/c you do so much for so many of us!!
I love ya!!!
@ Miss Blondie:
You know me well enough to know that i think bloggers should be paid, absolutely. Thats not what i meant. I meant that we work SO SO SO hard for so little, kwim? I think maybe i should go back to my blog being just a place to talk about my life and less about selling ads, and working w/ PR, etc.
Its really just me venting…didnt mean to offend you miss blondie. I love ya.
trisha
I think that the forum here is a GREAT community. I think that you have achieved your goal of creating a community. I love the fact that I write a weekly article for Momdot, it makes me feel part of it. It’s hard not to feel competitive and judged about our stats when so many people talk about them and base their decisions on them. To be honest, I don’t even pay attention to my stats. They continue to grow every month and each month i hit record numbers (for me) but that’s not why I blog. I have big numbers but thats only because of the contests. I don’t compare myself with any other bloggers because we are all in different places and have different goals. I think that part of being a community is that people are going to be consumed with themselves but hopefully genuinely happy for others as well.
I don’t think its pathetic at all that we get excited over getting paid for ads. I don’t think of blogging as all “work”. I do it because its fun and its my hobby. I enjoy it. And if someone wants to give ME $50 to put an AD on MY blog…my silly little webpage. I am honored. Basically I’m getting paid for something that I would do anyways, and I think thats how we all need to think of it.
I think that once it stops being fun and more like a stressful job, then maybe it’s time to re-evaluate and put things into perspective.
This is kind of why I had to take a semi-break from the forums. I am nowhere near in stats or trips or giveaways as most of the girls there, and I started feeling as if I wasn’t good enough to be here, because I don’t focus my blog on giveaways and reviews. I just like to write. It has taken me almost 2 years to grow my blog and it’s frustrating when I compare myself to those who’ve just started out yet are raking in the numbers I’d love to see. Yes, this is a “poor me” whine, but like you, I just get too caught up in blog stats and I was never like that when I first started blogging, so I have to step back alot because I don’t want to be that way.
Trisha, you don’t even need the giveaways or gimmicks. I read iTrisha…it was hysterical. You also know the right way to steer people trying to succeed at blogging and your wealth of info is just amazing. I could really see blog consulting as your calling. And you don’t even charge for it in the foums.
I get it, I really get it.
This is how I always feel. Life is to short to get caught up doing one thing we want. Sometimes we have to take a step back and realize what we are worth and why we are doing them.
Hi there,
Saw this site thru “I am Harriet”. Just read your post
believe me, i envy mommies like you who can earn from home I never realized though that its hard work as well. You see i wanna be able to spend as much time with my kiddo, and earn at the same time. I am such a geek in blogging that i dunno how and where to start.
Well, m glad i came across this site and m sure i’ll learn from you a lot. Hang in there!!
God bless.
I understand life can be frustrating; obviously you are talented, driven, and ambitious. As I said in my tweet, while monetary compensation is nice and often needed, do you feel you have helped people? Is the world better for your existence and what you do? Obviously there are other avenues that are more monetarily rewarding, and possibly if the finances are tight, something else just to pay the bills is in order. But reviewing what you do…are people happy you are here? Motherhood is the least appreciated of occupations, but don’t forget, good mothers sculpt the future generation, society and culture. hey desrve (monetarily wise) more than the richest CEO, because their contributions affect their future family and society. I am glad mothers are here, and hope everyone can and does appreciate their hard work. Twitter ID is DamasoD, in case you don’t know. Keep up the good work. Your contribution is appreciated, by me at least, and many of those around you.
You’re doing something great. This site has a wealth of information that I am finding very helpful and it’s the first “blog community” that I’ve ever felt was ACTUALLY a community. That’s something to be very proud of.
We do get caught up in our own lives. It is hard not to.
I loved the line in your last paragraph
“sometimes the actual reason we began traveling to a destination, gets lost in the journey.”
You’re so right!
I hear ya! I think every mom who does what we do feels that way lots of times. Even though we ARE running a business, I find it helps to forget that little detail and just focus on having fun, doing what we love. I make meetings with myself to check in on the “business” side of things. But other than that – I just play. I need to do that to maintain my sanity.
You are doing great, don’t let the frustration get to you. Just focus on having fun feeling the joy of what you are doing – you are creating something wonderful. {Sorry to be all advic-y, I say the same things you just said all-the-time. This is just what works for me.)\