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“You’re still doing that blog thing?” an acquaintance recently asked me,her eyebrows shooting up to her hairline in genuine surprise.
Yes, I am still doing that “blog thing.”
There was a time, when I first started blogging, that I was always having to explain “what” a blogger was. Now, (nearly a decade in) I think people finally know what it is, they just can’t their head around the fact that someone would want to do it as a career. And, almost ten years in, I still love blogging as much as I did on Day One.
There are many, many reasons that I am still so committed to the craft of writing/blogging.
MANY…
To start, one reason I blog is that I love the freedom. As a business owner and service provider, I need to always be mindful of what I say and maintain a respectable level of professionalism.
Basically, my blog is like my Treehouse. Franticmommy; Queen of The Kingdom of Tired is a place I can go and just let it all hang out.
My Blog/Treehouse gives me a place to laugh at myself, be crass, mouthy, snarky, and even tell a good poop story. I can be “raw and real” without repercussions of my daily life (hopefully). Alter-ego? Maybe. A really kick-ass alter ego ?
My blog also gives me a venue to write, share, and tell my crazy stories. Blogging enables me to do that beyond the boundaries of my friends, family, co-workers, and community.
It has helped me find my voice. My rhythm.
It has helped me define the path I want to take for the second half of my life. It has supplied me with a skill and a credibility that not many in my community have.
But it’s not all about being zany and mouthy (well…actually, yeah it kinda is. I love being mouthy).
I love my blog because I love the writing freedom. I can capitalize what I want, say “screw it” to proper punctuation, even eff bomb (if I so chose) and still have a good story. There’s no Editor rejecting my story because “I don’t like your angle” or “it doesn’t match our vision.”
I love my blog because I can write what I want, when I want. Me no likes to be told what to do.
I love my blog because it gives me an amazing platform to help people. We all live in such a unique and wonderful community, full of unique and wonderful people. My blog has become the messenger for cool stories, strong women, and organizations that deserve the spotlight. I am one of those people that, when I see something really neat or ..I want to tell the world. Gratefully, I am at that point now where my readership is excellent and readers are coming back again and again.
Me and my blog have a “thing” because its given me a place to hone my craft. When I look back aaallllllll those years ago when I first started blogging, reading those old posts is as awkward and embarrassing as looking at photos of myself from back in the ’80s.
But I can also see how far I have come and yet another beautiful thing about blogging is that it forces me to write and get better. Practice makes perfect, so to speak. Though I am far from perfect, I think I’ve become a pretty darn good writer.
I love my blog cuz’ I “heart” My Tribe!
The fact I even have a “A Tribe” is mind-blowing. This misfit, misunderstood, quirky and ambitious person (me) now has a world full of new people that “get me.” Now I know I.Am.Not.Alone. Dang that’s a great feeling.
I love my blog because it is an excellent tool to show my own kids that, if they want to, they too can learn to blog and discover this awesome way to find their voice and grow their world.
I really, really hope that one (or both) of my kids delve into this uber fantastic world that has helped shape my into the person I am today.
I am so lucky.
Frustrated because maybe you are just starting out with your blog, but you want to earn $$ like the big guys? Here’s a super affordable answer to your prayers.
Carol Tice is the creator of Make a Living Writing site and she is a wealth of info. Carol just came out with a new e-book called, Small Blog, BIG INCOME and it is a treasure trove of amazing blogging info that will help small to mid-sized bloggers make money with their site.
In the SMALL BLOG, BIG INCOME ebook, Carol lays out the exact step-by-step formula she used to launch and build her Make a Living Writing blog, which now earns multi-six figures each year.
I too enjoy writing my blog and connecting to an on-line community. I’m following through on your recommendation and have ordered the book! Thanks for the suggestion.