Step Out of Your Comfort Zone

Welcome to the Comfort ZoneThe comfort zone can be a nice, cozy place to hang out for a while. It's safe, familiar, and doesn't require you to do anything that might make you feel too - well... uncomfortable. The freelance writing business, for some, is the entrance to the comfort zone; it's full of the possibility for writers to accept less that what they are worth, simply because we've become comfortable. We too easily settle into that comfortably routine groove. It's as if - now that you have work, you are less apt to going after something bigger and better. You're making money. 


Why fix it if it ain't broke?

Underachievement can be deadly to the freelance writing career.  Complacency will cause you to miss out on opportunities with the potential to bring in business that will facilitate your overall success.Once you've made the leap into writing part-time or full-time, you may think all of the hard work is over. Think again. It's just the start of a growing process than can be painful, frustrating, exciting and exhilarating as you grow improving your knowledge, skills and the way you operate your business. Here are some common comfort zones we freelancers can so easily settle into:

Stuck writing for low pay content sites

When you're first starting out and you land a couple of paying gigs writing for content sites, you feel ecstatic. Imagine: someone's going to PAY you to write! So say you're being paid $5 or $10 per 500 word article. You may spend end up spending several hours seven days a week writing enough articles to pay the bills each week. Ideally, you'll take this experience and quickly move on to higher paying clients, but many writers continue the cycle of searching out more of these low paying content sites instead, never really meeting their income goals.

Some writers get very comfortable with having someone bring the work to them rather than going out and finding it. If you're okay with the hours you work and the money you bring in then it's all good; but even if you are okay with it, what happens if the content site folds? It happens all the time, and the danger is even more prevalent in this struggling economy.

Fear of Marketing

This is really an extension of the previously mentioned comfort zone. I was once on a writer's forum brainstorming with others about how to get better rates. Most of us were echoing the same idea: market, market, market to more private clients. Again, you have a better chance of setting fair rates for your writing services this way. One writer honestly stated that she hated marketing, even though she was among the loudest complainers asking for someone to point her to the higher paying opportunities.For some it's really a fear of rejection. No one likes to hear "no." I think if you make peace with the fact that you will get a few "no's" or no responses, it won't seem so devastating when it happens. Stick with it and you will turn up some interested candidates.

Not Keeping Current with Industry Trends and Technology Changes

Big mistake. Now I'm not usually one to worry so much about competing against other writers for gigs; but if you're not educating yourself about trends and changes in the industry, you're doing your business and your clients a huge disservice because you can't give them what they need. Meeting your client's need is pretty much the basis of any service based business. When you get a new client and you can effectively explain how search engine ranking is achieved, sales conversion techniques or how they can benefit from  social networking sites to connect with their customers, you are further establishing yourself as an expert in their eyes. 


As far as technology is concerned, you ever come across something that's too technical for you to handle (web/blog set up and design, etc) hire someone to teach you or outsource it to someone who knows what they're doing.
Staying in the comfort zone is easy, but taking some calculated risks will net you far more rewards.

Boost Your Blogging By Borrowing Six Inspiring Ideas

Explore the Underside
If what you think you know about a subject is ALL you know about it, think again. What if you took the position of "devil's advocate", or asked a question that you think you know the answer to, but take up the opposing point of view?

Learn from the BEST
Hunter S. Thompson used an old typewriter to type out some of the literary classics... He reportedly used a typewriter to copy the books The Great Gatsby, (F. Scott Fitzgerald), and A Farewell to Arms, (Ernest Hemingway), so that he could learn how to write as great writer's did, having the experience of using the writing style, the use of language, and, of course, the feeling of using of an old typewriter to compose a great work. Although he was frequently fired from many of his early jobs as a journalist, he went on to create quite a name for himself as a freelance writer, a non-conforming journalist, and one of the more controversial authors of our time.

Listen, and Eavesdrop
Popular culture is not just about what you hear on the radio, watch on TV, or see in the movies... Pop-culture is also the made clear by listening to the conversations you find yourself privy to. You can learn a lot about what's happening in your local and national culture by listening to the everyday conversations that take place in the real-world social scene. Not everyone who's hip is linked in on Facebook or Twitter, although it may seem that's the mainstream, many more of the socially publicized biggies are not found on the net. So head out to your local coffee shop, bar, or social hot-spot, and listen in. Listen, eavesdrop, and let it permeate your mind... Soak up the conversation around you, and you'd be surprised what you'll find yourself writing about next.

Raise the Bar...
Darren Rowse (of ProBlogger), set out to become a successful blogger. He mentioned on his blog that his wife gave a time-frame in which he was to generate an adequate income, or get a part time job. According to his story, the agreement was that if he didn't succeed, he would go back to working a traditional job. His determination left him with one goal: To blog like his life depended on it. For him, it did.

Switch Your Writing Platform
This may sound silly in theory, but in reality, inspiration can often be sparked by using a different writing platform. For example, if you typically write using your blogging software, try Notepad, MS Word, or even grab a note book. Yes, even something as simple as a blank piece of paper can provide an alternative perspective, and even send a jolt of inspiration coursing through your veins... Just start writing, you can transfer it once you're finished with your work, but by simply choosing a different "canvas" on which to create your work of art, you may suddenly find yourself inspired.

Switch Your Daily Media
If you start off each day listening to the local talk radio station, or reading internet news such as MSN or AOL, switch it up... Instead, read a newspaper, watch the morning BBC news broadcast, or find another venue that is new to your life. You may find it inspiring, frustrating, benign, mundane, or you may experience a whole new set of emotions. The point is to jar something new inside your mind... something you may have forgotten, or perhaps never even thought about.

Letting out the Write Emotions

Combating Writer's Block
Distinguishing between those who call themselves writers...

Many people aspire to be writers, some even call themselves a writer. What does it really mean to be a writer? That you should have already written a best-selling fictional novel? That you are published in major magazines? Are bloggers writers? Can a novel writer blog and maintain their credibility? What is the accurate description of what it means to be a writer today?

I have been writing for years, however, I have a friend that I didn't even know was interested in writing who revealed that there was a book that had been waiting to come out for years. The artwork was done, the theme and some details had already been worked out. We found out that we each had an interest in writing, and recently engaged in an encouraging (not competitive) exchange of written material, originally intended as a tool to get us both to begin books that we have been talking about writing, instead of writing, for years.

The deal we settled on consisted of one chapter each month, or essentially every thirty days. This is so much easier in theory than in practice. The first month we were both eager to submit our work to each other. However, by the second month, both of us were exhausted, and I wasn't even sure that the subject I picked was what I really wanted to write about.

Now, being in the third month, I can honestly say this: Working with (or in friendly competition with a partner can offer a steady stream of encouraging banter, but when working on separate projects, you are still going at it alone. So what do you do to battle through the empty thoughts? To put a stop to the blank stares at a stark white screen or paper, you must be determined to fill it. Not just with words, but with something that comes from deep within. You must find that place within yourself that your emotions flow...

This is where you should start thinking like a rapper. That's got to sound crazy, I know, but just humor me for a moment. Get a handle on what I'm saying and THEN you can say what you want. By thinking like a rapper, I mean putting your emotions into your words. If you are angry about something, speak up about it. If you have overcome obstacles that make you want to share your story with others, let it out.

You've undoubtedly heard the saying that a writer should write about something they know, and it's true. You know your emotions better than anyone else, and with your flare for words and knack for storytelling, you can either use that energy towards blogging, fiction writing, a novel, a screenplay, or anything else that you can think of putting your emotions into. The point is to be passionate about the subject. Whether it is a subject you have learned, or experienced emotionally, if you have the ability to express it to others in a way that is inviting and compelling, or even rebellious and expressive, people will read what you have to say.

Let it out... Be expressive... Be emotional and raw. Don't think about what others will say, or worry about offending anyone. If you want to remain anonymous, then do so. Otherwise, proudly vent on the public... Write what you feel, and feel what you write. Put your emotions into your work, and don't hold back what you really mean to say.
Anyone can write what people want to hear... People want to read what they don't necessarily want to hear... Let go - and see where your imagination (and your emotions) will take you.
 

11 Rules for Avoiding Distractions

Avoiding distractions is just one of the many challenges that you will face as you move forward into the position of a full-time blogging writer. Whether you choose to work out of your home, rent an office, or even blog at your local internet cafe, you're likely to face a multitude of distractions throughout the day. These distractions, and how well you avoid them, will determine your success as a full-time blogging writer. Your time should be viewed the same as if you were working in a paid position. If you're serious about using writing or blogging as your sole source of income, you should be equally serious about avoiding time-killing distractions throughout the day.

1. Set specific work hours during which you will tackle your daily writing. Regardless of what time of day you choose to set as your work hours, treat your day as if you were working for someone other than yourself. 
2. Treat your blog writing as if your life depends on it. If you are making the transition from working in a traditional setting to full-time blogging, your livelihood probably does depend on your ability to set regular hours and stick to them. 
3. Set up a comfortable work space. Be sure that your writing environment is not only comfortable, but free of incoming distractions.
4. Avoid surfing the web. Be aware of the difference between research and internet distractions. It is all too easy to see an interesting link while you are researching, but avoid the temptation to click on it. 
5. Schedule specific break and meal times, allowing yourself plenty of time to get some serious work done. Once you have set up your daily schedule, stick to it! If you find yourself confused about the reasons for adhering to a set schedule, refer back to rule number 2. 
6. Periodically walk around and clear your mind. Using your breaks to surf the web, watch television, or eat a light snack can help refresh your mind, but then get back to work!
7. Turn off online notifications and social networking tools. Having instant notifications interrupt your thoughts can leave you feeling blank moments later. While sometimes being socially connected can be helpful – most of the time it will be the source of constant distraction.
8. If at all possible, turn off your cell phone, or even your land-line. Unless you are expecting an important call, avoid talking on the phone during work hours.
9. Insist that others respect your work hours. If you share a home or office space with others, let them know that you will be "unavailable" during specific hours or times of the day.
10. Value your available work time during the day. You can place a monetary value on it, or just view each moment of the day as “opportunity for advancement” in your newly developing blogging career.
11. Remember that you are your own boss - which means you are responsible for managing your time. Much in the same way a “9 to 5” boss would be paying for your time and work, think of your own time as a “valuable opportunity” to make money.

5 Little Words, 24 Hours, 100 Comments

Blogger Chris Brogan wrote just five little words on June 10, 2009. Within 24 hours, those five words had already provoked over 100 comments and counting!

What was it that created such a stir? With just those few words, Chris struck a chord that continues to resonate throughout the blogosphere, screaming - debate with me! That five-word post was thought provoking (to say the least) and had the necessary elements to stir up controversy, to explain his point of view on the subject of Facebook, and excellent marketing ability.

Brilliant, Chris, just brilliant.

Blog Tip: The Flavor Comes Out When You Stir Up the Pot

Don't Be a Blogging 'Yes Man'

Being polite and agreeable has its place, but it's not in the blogging world. While there are a plethora of eager-to-please bloggers out there circulating their sheeple shit, very few bloggers are willing to share their true opinions. Too many bloggers forget that not only do we have a voice, but with the right words - we have the ability to communicate with millions. The ability to seek truth and relay facts on an international level within minutes from the homes of billions around the world is fantastic - and yet it a completely accessible communication medium to anyone with a voice and a computer with internet.

Media bloggers pumping regurgitated news blurbs on all the major networks fail to present the burning questions of our time, let alone finding answers. The internet has turned many people into truth seekers and instant researchers, obtaining answers in just a few clicks. Some argue that bloggers are the journalists of our future; others believe that bloggers are nothing more than idiots with web access and a meaningless opinion.

The fact of the matter is, bloggers have become part of a pivotal point in our social society, as well as a major contributor to the continued success of many online businesses. Bloggers are being noticed as having the ability to create hype and fame, as well as destroy lives and spread rumors that reach millions in the blink of an eye.

So what really makes bloggers and journalists different? While many journalists pride themselves on their education and their degree, believing that their credentials cause ears to listen - their degree and reputation cause them to repress many of the truths that they once sought to expose. Bloggers, on the other hand, display a fearlessness unlike that of traditional journalists. They often have no reputation to destroy, but are often discovered based on their controversial views - and the courage to share them openly.

Don't be afraid to stir up the pot; throw in a little controversy to mix it up a little. Have the courage to share the facts you find with others. Be confident enough in your research to contradicts the mainstream media coverage of a story, or the details of hidden facts kept from breaking stories on the news. Go ahead, YOU break the story!

Blogging Labeled as Dangerous, But is it Really True?

Within the past few years, bloggers have proven that it is entirely possible to make a decent living through blogging. Many people make a good income doing it, and for a select group of blogging elites, the has even brought them fame and fortune. But for at least a few bloggers, their intense drive to be the first to blog about breaking industry news may have led to their deaths.

While the simplicity of blogging for financial gain has drawn an incredible number of aspiring bloggers to dump the contents of their minds into the blogosphere at an alarming rate, it has also created the myth that anyone can be a successful blogger. But with any amount of experience as a serious blogger, one quickly realizes that spitting out regurgitated news just simply isn't good enough. Hence, the bad wrap - that blogging is dangerous to your health.

The notion that blogging could be deadly certainly is plausible in extreme cases, as many of the most successful bloggers rarely sleep, drink meals in the form of protein-caffeine cocktails, and spend nearly every waking hour in a highly competitive news breaking frenzy with global competitors. But the suggestion that blogging could bring about the levels of stress that are experienced by commercial airline pilots, or that the amount of danger that a blogger faces on the job is comparable to that of a coal miner is a giant leap over the edge of truth.

The reality of it is, blogging is what you make of it. It probably isn't fair to say that blogging in general is very competitive, because the truth of it is, a huge population of bloggers write because they enjoy it. It is considered by many to be an emotional outlet of sorts; a place of self-satisfaction, a release of words begging to come out and speak to someone . . . anyone . . . or even no one at all.

The dangers of blogging in general aren't necessarily higher than those of other computer based desk jobs. Sometimes, in order to be successful at something, you've got to put your all into your goal. To be honest, the success that some bloggers have achieved - generally comes with a high level of stress.

But don't let yourself be fooled into thinking that you would be a great blogger because you love the computer and hate getting out of bed in the morning, it takes time and a lot of hard work to build a thriving blog and an established readership. And as with anything else you may do for a living, you've gotta love it. In fact, just loving blogging isn't always enough. Darren Rowse of ProBlogger once said that he had to blog as if his life depended on it - because it did. He has since become known as a pioneer in the blogging industry, and has achieved a great level of success and respect in the blogging industry.

2008 List of Potential Wisdom from the Blogging Writer

Over the past few months, I've had a few rough patches - and still going. But I've also picked up a few good life lessons, and they not only apply to my life, but are well worth sharing with others - especially writers and bloggers.

Follow the things that speak to you, ignore the things that you don't identify with, and if nothing on this list speaks to you - write your own list! Maybe the first point of wisdom on your new list will be, "If you want something done right - do it yourself". So here's my 2008 List of "Potential Wisdom".

1. Don't be afraid to go after what you want. If you believe in yourself enough, others will believe in you, too.
2. People only know about you what you tell them, so only tell them what you want them to know about you.
3. Don't say anything you may want to take back.
4. Always be honest with what you say. The truth is often an offense, but never a sin.
5. Take time each day to accomplish a goal - even if you have to make one up on the fly.
6. Learn to listen to others, and let them inspire you.
7. When you know that you know nothing, you are truly ready to learn.
8. Have no regrets, just learn from your mistakes.
9. If you ask ten different people a question, you're likely to get ten random answers that just don't fit your unique situation. But if you ask yourself what's in your heart, you'll get the only answer that's right for you. (Although you can always use those ten answers for a heavy brainstorming session!)
10. You can reinvent yourself at any moment. All you have to do is FORGET WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK OF YOU. Don't worry about what people will think, you are different. You can choose at any moment to be completely different, go somewhere else, or be what you want to be. Just get up, put yourself out there, and DO IT!

The Decision to Write Online or Publish a Book Traditionally

I am continually amazed to see how many writers and authors are turning to blogging as a literary outlet. For many years, I have known many people who say they have a book ready to be written, a lot of people who say they have already started writing their book, a few who have written a lot down and have a few books written, but nothing published - but only a couple who have actually accomplished the goal of becoming a published author.

At the same time, I have watched many of these very people make the switch from the monumental and often unsuccessful traditional publishing route - to the self-publishing power of the Internet. Most recently, this is taking place in the form of blogs, and suddenly everyone is a writer. The days of waiting months to hear form a publishing company while your sweat and tears lie in a pile of dusty manuscripts are gone. No more paying thousands of dollars to have your book published while you strip yourself of your ethics and dignity, and still get nowhere.

While this may sound like an open-invitation to flood the Internet with your ramblings, it's actually intended to be an inspirational tidbit to encourage you to look deep within yourself and decide whether you're ready to start now - or wait to write that book until you . . . perhaps don't even write it? Procrastination will get you nowhere, my friends.

While many people are worried about plagiarism and scraping, plagiarizers and scrapers are also looking to non-internet and tangible forms of literature to take from, in order to prevent detection. If you decide to brave the web, and whether you decide to blog your book one chapter at a time, or write informative posts or articles, just get writing! Keep your wheels turning, your gears oiled, and be inspired. Don't bury your talents any long, just do it. Write something!

The Untold Story of How the Three Little Pigs Built Their Blogs

Learn From the Mistakes of Others

Well, as we all know - learning from your mistakes saves you the time and hardship of making them again. But two of the three little pigs didn't seem to learn much from their ordeal with the big bad wolf. I don't know if you ever knew the names of the three pigs, but the one who built his house out of straw - that was Gary. Larry was the one who built his house out of twigs, and George, well - he built his home out of bricks.

Keeping Up with the Jones's

All three pigs moved from wolf's territory just after he huffed, and puffed, and blew two of their houses down. They moved out near the old information highway, which is far away from the big bad wolf. The three little pigs moved into a new neighborhood called the Web, which is now almost entirely dominated and powered by Ooogle. But the pigs weren't intimidated by Ooogle's laws of the land, and each had a plan to become part of the blogging community.

Their new neighbors, the Jones family, said that almost everyone in the community has recently redesigned using the Web 2.0 model - and the pigs just had to keep up with the Jones's.
Each of them quickly began to build their blogs, each with different types of blogging platforms, different types of writing styles, and offered very different information on their blogs.

Gary's Blog Was Build from Straw

Gary actually built a pretty nice blog. The design was clean and simple, he had decent content, but his approach to getting more traffic was a little weak. Basically he just submitted to a few blog directories, trying to avoid dealing with Ooogle and the laws of the land. He sat, and he sat, waiting for visitors - but they didn't come. His traffic was close to zero, and Ooogle completely ignored his blog. He thought he could be doing more, but he didn't really know what to do. Gary would have to learn a little more about building traffic and becoming a part of the community before his blog would have the strength to stand up to Ooogle. Gary's blog fizzled.

Larry Built His Blog from Twigs

Larry wanted to build his blog quickly, so he used articles that he had posted on an old website he had. Well, one of Ooogle's laws of the land is that you never post duplicate information, so Larry's used articles quickly got Ooogle's attention. Ooogle banned him from the query results page, saying he posted duplicated information. Larry's blog fizzled.

George Gained Success through His Blog Built of Bricks

George bought his own domain right away, that way people would take him more seriously as a member of the community. He started out with great content to begin with, and often participated in discussions in forums and joining conversations by leaving insightful comments and sharing useful information on relevant blogs. He even gave away some great information for free. George's blog sizzled! Within just a few weeks, he had his first few visitors, and some even left comments! He commented back, and he visited the sites of those who left comments - leaving a comment for them as well. He was invited to guest blog on a popular blog, and a few of his posts were pretty hot on Digg! He was well on his way to becoming a valuable member of the community, offering useful information to his readers.

The Traffic Formula

Traffic, just like any other measure of success, is the fruition of the hard work and dedication you have put into your blog. If you don’t already have a steady flow of traffic, whether it’s five visitors a day or five-thousand, then you probably aren’t taking the proper combination of steps (or enough of the proper steps) to help people find your blog and take interest in what you have to say.

Quality Content

Basically, the successful traffic equation is simple:

Quality Content + Community Participation = Traffic

This is probably the most important factor when considering your traffic flow. As far as new visitors are concerned, if you don’t offer valuable information within the first 30-seconds of their visit – you’ve lost them. Furthermore, if your layout is confusing, or if your information is outdated, they might leave without reading the great information you offer. The combination of quality content and a good site layout is the proper foundation for a successful blog, and a growing readership.
As debates between the journalism community and the blogging community heat up, there is a more intense expectation of bloggers to produce quality content. Even if you are blogging about Aunt Martha’s favorite recipes, your information could either be jam-packed with useful information – or you could rattle on for paragraphs about nothing but her cat. But if readers are expecting to get a few great recipes from that aunt they never had and are instead pummeled with countless anecdotes about Fluffy – they’ll leave. They probably won’t even stick around long enough to find those delicious recipes – and certainly won’t be book-marking your blog!

Community Participation

Once you have a decent amount of information put together in an organized fashion, you’re ready to get out and socialize! That’s right – in order to build blog traffic in the quickly-evolving web 2.0 world of today, you’ve got to get out and join the blog party. This means joining social networks, forums, community memberships, and commenting within your niche. Find others that have blogs in complimentary subjects, and leave comments that offer value to the conversation. You’ll find that leaving useful and informative comments on highly-visible blogs can turn out to be a wonderful source of traffic.

On that same note, if you participate in community forums, you will find that by sharing valuable information within that community can help seat you in a position of “authority” within your particular niche. Basically, it’s a game of social survival – just like high-school, but in this game the goal is not only to become popular, but to become viewed as an authority in your niche. You want to get people talking about you, and what you have to say. I can’t tell you how many times I have seen people open their posts with, “I was just reading an article by Darren on ProBlogger”. I’m starting to wonder if the guy could just write 10 words about chocolate – and people would actually believe that there was a blogging lesson in those 10 words that they learned by visiting ProBlogger that day.
That’s the power of becoming an authority within your niche.

What You Lose When Your Blog is not Reader Ready

What are you really losing when your blog not only fails to keep visitors interested, but isn't drawing in a huge crowd of readers? You may think that you can ruin your online reputation or credibility, or your opportunity to make money, or even pushing potential customers away. And while all of the above may be true, you are also losing something much more. You are losing valuable time.

Face it, the internet is a fast moving world, and if you don't keep up - you could be left in the dust. When your site is is shambles, you might lose revenue or potential readers. If your blog is not finished, or lacking valuable content - you allow others the opportunity to do what you aren't. You not only prevent yourself from earning your potential during that time, but you could affect your future earnings as well. But worse yet, you lose the time that others are (or could be) excelling in your niche - instead of you. If you are taking too much time on one aspect of your blog, and aren't really prooving to be a success as of yet, you may be allowing others to take advantage of your slack, and take over your niche.

Be sure that you are making the most of your blog's presentation. If you are gearing your blog layout towards keeping readers interested in your reading, you will have more time to devote to producing quality content. You only have one chance to make a first impression in the real world, but thankfully in the virtual world you have the opportunity to bring back visitors that you may have had before. People most often remember the sites that they enjoy, or want to share - but typically forget sites that were not at all useful. So even if you've chased away a few visitors in the past, you can have your site "reader ready" before they arrive again!

Dress for Success - The Blogger Project

Your blog speaks to the reader before he or she even begins to read the words you have written. The feeling your readers get when your blog page first loads is what matters the very most. In fact, many people will leave your site in a big hurry if they don't like the way your site "feels". Their first impression of anything you have to say as a blogger is in your site layout. Some bloggers feel that their words speak louder than their blog's appearance - but this is simply NOT true if the reader doesn't feel like sticking around long enough to read anything you wrote.

Take those few extra steps towards building a better layout, and watch you'll get to watch your readership grow - along with your earnings, if that is a goal for you. Depending on how a visitor found your site, there is an immediate chance for that person to say, "Oh, this wasn't what I thought it was going to be." That's it - they're gone . . . just like that. Your job is to sell your site from the first glance. That's where your project comes in. (Don't worry, you can stay in your pajamas for now - this blog project is about dressing your blog for success!)

The Project

Take a look at your blog. Not just a quick glance, but a good long look. Think about what your blog is saying, and what level of professionalism you will need to attract the readers in your niche. Also take a look at your sidebars and header, are there things that you've been unsatisfied with, but just haven't taken the time to fix it? Well, wake up, because it's time to get your blog into tip-top shape now. The blogosphere is becoming more and more competitive, and there are an incredible amount of blogs being created each day. Unless you've got a really tight niche locked up, you'll probably need to have good looks, too!

Now, take a look at at least 10 other blogs, including 5 professional blogs and 5 not-so-professional looking blogs. For example, take a look at the two blogs below, both of which have great information, advice, useful links and tips for their niche, but one is much more professional looking than the other.

• Professional looking blog: ProBlogger
• Not-so-professional looking: Dummies Guide to Google Blogger Beta

The Next Step

Once you have learned what level of professionalism you want to display to your readers, spend some time thinking about what type of people your blog will appeal to. Consider your readers, and realize that you are a marketer, not just a blogger. Your readers are your consumers, and you want your blog to appeal to them, don't you? If your readers are most likely drawn towards MSN or AOL news sites, you are definitely going to need your blog to reflect a highly professional appearance. However, if you have a blog in which you post your mom's forwarded email jokes - you may not need to worry about how professional your blog looks. Remember, dress like already have the job of your dreams!

Lastly, leave a comment with a link to your new layout once you've perfected your look!

What it Takes to Earn Money Blogging and Be a Successful Blogger

No matter how you look at it, how much you analyze it, making money through your blog boils down to just one thing - traffic. Most people blog because they enjoy it. But because it is time consuming, it is only natural to want to get paid for your time. But because there is no guarantee that you will earn anything through your blogging, you're going to have to work fairly hard to achieve your goals. This means that even if you are a brilliant writer, and no matter how much time you spend on your blog each day - if no one is visitng your blog, you probably won't make any money. Sure, you may still enjoy your blogging, but even that will be less of a turn-on if no one is reading what you write.

With that established, you're either blogging for enjoyment, money, or both. The problem for many enthusiastic new bloggers with dollar signs in their eyes - is that they don't really enjoy writing. For some reason or other, they misinterpret the reasons that others began blogging in the first place. Some have even convinced themselves that because people like Darren Rowse are able to make a healthy living blogging - that they too can easily bring in a nice chunk of pocket change by setting up a blog and slapping a few Google ads on it. But, my blogging friends, this is just not so.

When you started blogging, what was your motivation? Do you have something of value or interest to share with others? Did you start blogging because you heard you could make money by sitting in front of the computer? Perhaps you have a love of written language, and the power of words. The hard part for most new bloggers to swallow is that you've really got to develop a following, or at least a consistant and steady flow of traffic to your site. Starting a blog is only the first step, then comes the real work - getting people to actually read what you've written. It can be even more of a challenge to get people to know you exist - let alone read what you write about.

Facing these challenges is what makes a blogger dedicated. Conquering these challenges is what makes a blogger stand out. But mastering the solutions to these challenges is what makes a blogger successful. Which brings m e to a quote that I believe ALL bloggers should take as encouragement, I just wish I knew who said it! Remember it, say it, dream it in your sleep - but most of all, live it.

"Successful people do the things that unsuccessful people are unwilling to do."

Setting Your 2008 Blogging Goals

By now, you should already have a pretty good idea of which direction you want to go for the year 2008. If not, you've got a whole year to figure out which way you've gone. By this I mean that there are plenty of bloggers out there that spent the better portion of last month wondering why they didn't do things differently for the year of 2007, but realized they had strayed far from their original goals. For some, it may have been a successful year - but for others who find themselves pondering the waste of an entire year, all hope is not lost.

Take a moment to go over your 2007 blogging goals if you had them documented. Re-evaluate how you set your goals, and how realistic they were. If you set blogging goals for 2007, asking yourself a few simple questions may help you realize where you stand, and which direction you hope to go. If you didn't have any goals last year, or are just starting out this year, it still may be a good idea to go over the questions before you set your 2008 goals, and may help you set realistic goals that you have the ABILITY to accomplish.

• What have you accomplished that you had hoped you would?
• What did you miss out on? How many short term, attainable goals did you set for yourself, and did you complete them?
• What were your long term goals, and are you on track to complete them within the timeframe you originally set?
• How many of the goals you set seem unrealistic now that you look back at the year?
• What would you do differently this year?

Looking back at the past (as cliche as it sounds) - can prevent you from making the same mistakes. It also helps you to realize what you could have done better, how well you planned your year, and how well you stick to your goals. If you had trouble staying on track, you may do well to have monthly goals, and set a prediction of where you hope that accomplishing those goals will take you.

Try to avoid the traditional 5-year plan type of goal setting. The internet is volitle, and you may find your goals obsolete in a matter of a few months. 5-year plans work well for overall business goals, marriage, family planning - but not so much for blogging. Remember that in order to succeed in any online business, including blogging, you've got to be willing to stay current, keep up with the changes in the online world, and change with the times.

Getting to Know Yourself Through Your Blog

Through writing, people tend to get to know themselves a little better. Writing can often be a reflection of who you are, who you want to be, or even reflect who you think you are. The fact of the matter is, writing anything, whether it be a letter, an essay, a blog, or even a book, is an outlet for the inner workings of the mind, the heart, and often the imagination. Tapping into that could help you create some pretty interesting posts, however, many new bloggers hold that honesty back, or don't have enough writing experience to let it out.

As you blog, you'll most likely find things you want to blog about, but perhaps are hesitant to actually post. There usually comes a point where you realize what you want to blog about, a part of who you truly are, and the point where many bloggers begin to hold that honesty back. Some blogs are meant to be ultra personal, such as a life experience blog, or particularly business oriented; even a happy mix between the two. Yet others are purely fictional, or simply meant to be entertaining and humorous. But it's when you hold back that honesty - quite often the blog becomes stiff, boring, and lackluster.

One way to really get to know your true writing style is to write a few posts with no initial intention to publish. Really let out some of the things you want to say. Let them sit unpublished and unread for a few days, and then go back and read them. Try reading them out loud and really listen to what they are saying, giving yourself the opportunity to actually hear what you wrote - you just might be surprised. I can't tell you how many articles I have written for other people, and once I read them on their websites, I was shocked to realize what I had actually written. Amazing really, the thought that I write totally differently when I know my name won't be attached to the article. But that's also when I really get to know myself, to know what is actually going on behind who I believe I am. When I write with anonymity, my style changes, my thoughts translate into the articles and posts in a more honest way.

Perhaps the reason so many bloggers hide behind relative obscurity is so that they can really let go without fear of what people will think. Since the internet creates a somewhat permanent record of what people write, many people are very careful to only write what they believe makes them seem smart, kind, or perhaps on the other hand, they can be callous and ruthless without fear of personal retaliation from those they anger. But regardless of whether or not you write anonymously, the things you write are still a reflection of a part of yourself. Even if you hold back more often than not, it is still a reflection of your fears or your inhibitions. Perhaps even a reflection of the fear of ourselves, or what we are capable of. Maybe in some way this would be a more honest world if we all wrote our thoughts in relative obscurity, hiding our faces behind our blogs, letting people know what we really think; honesty revealed in its fullest form.

Do You Have What it Takes to Go the Distance?

This post may not exactly contain the encouragement some new bloggers are looking for, but at least you'll get the truth upfront and decide if blogging is something you're really ready to do. It's not just about putting up a few blog posts, setting up some ads, and watching the money pour in. Actually, it's quite the opposite, working hard and facing the possibility of not seeing any money for months to come. If you've ever watched the MTV hit show "MADE" then you already know that what you dream of doing and what you're actually willing to do could be two different things. Most people who dream of being a professional blogger actually don't have the drive and determination to stick with it long enough to see any real results.

Aside from your level of determination, the subject you choose to blog about could actually set you up for failure. How well do you really know the topic you want to blog about? Some of the most successful bloggers are considered experts because they've been blogging about their chosen topics for several years, or working in their niche field successfully for quite some time before setting up their blogs. Even with a great deal of knowledge in a certain subject, you could end up needing to do some serious research to push out a great blog post. But even being an expert may not be enough if you're not ready to push yourself to produce regular content.

Would you continue to blog even if you knew no one was reading your posts? If so, you just might have what it takes. In the beginning, chances are - you won't have many, if any, readers. But you can't let this discourage you, or even slow you down. Many blog readers would like to know that you've got enough content to keep them interested. That means quality information as well, otherwise, even if you have a ton of posts, your blog may not be interesting enough to keep them reading, or to stay on your site. Take a moment to check out your past history with following through with things that are often harder than you thought. Would you categorize yourself as a quitter? Your past history would offer a great deal of insight into how far you're willing to go, and whether or not you're willing to go the distance.

Why Do You Blog?

Some blog for money, some blog for fun. I'll admit, I just blog because I'm a geek, and I get pretty severe withdrawal symptoms if I don't blog about something. I run several blogs, as well as have a few paid blogging positions that I write for quite often. When I'm not blogging, I'm reading other blogs, writings emails, and writing advertisements for the business we run from our home. But it's when I'm writing that I am most at ease with myself.

As with a lot of people who really love their job, I wake up each morning eager to go to work. Even though I work for myself, there are days when I hate my boss. But since I'm in charge, I can decide to take a longer lunch break, take a day off, hang with the kids, or put in extra hours without bothering anyone. I'm a bit of a work-a-holic, and often have to push myself to take time away from what I love to do. I've been reading and dreaming of writing since I was a child, and over the past few years, have been working to turn that dream into a reality.

Why you write can determine how long you'll stick it out. Those who are purely in it for the money may not last long, especially when the money doesn't roll in during the first few months. But those of you who write simply because you love it may contine to write even if no one is reading your blog. Although interaction is great, and turning a blog post into converstation is a very rewarding experience, it is not the main reason many bloggers write. Whatever your reasons are, you should also enjoy what you do. Even if you don't have a large following, if you're blogging and you're having fun doing it, keep going. Eventually, if you're interesting or have interesting information to share, you'll develop a readership that will encourage you to do what you love.

Avoiding Distractions While Blogging

Blogging can lead to some very time consuming distractions. Other than reading blogs, which can be a good thing, many bloggers struggle to stay on task while using the internet. If this is you, consider what your distractions are, and set aside some time for those things when your "work" is finished.

Most new bloggers are distracted by the idea of making money. They often get lost in the world of advertisements for affiliate programs, and lose sight of creating content for their blog. While making money can be a great aspect of blogging, without quality content - you may find that your pockets remain empty. Here are a few ideas to keep you on track:

• Make a list of daily activities that you wish to accomplish. Read over the list several times per day to make sure you are keeping your goals in mind.
• Start your day off by tackling a few of your major activities, the earlier the better. Once you have completed them, you will find that you have much more time during the day to dedicate to other projects.
• Save any projects that could distract you until other tasks have been completed. This way, if you do find yourself distracted, you will not be neglecting more important activities.
• Answer any emails you receive right away, which can prevent a major "responding" project later on.
• Set aside a certain amount of time each day towards monetizing your blog, and stick to it.
• Don't check your stats every day, which can be a major distraction for some bloggers. Concentrate on providing content for your blog, which will keep your blog up-to-date and fresh, bringing in more traffic.

Pushing Through Blogging Slumps and Writing Blocks

If you're like most bloggers, you've got a file full of unfinished posts. Writers sometimes have a file of things they have started, but never finished. This is a great starting point for those days you want to write, but are stuck for a topic. If you don't already have a file of this sort, start one. Everytime you don't finish a post, put it in the file for later use.

When you get to the point where you need a topic, and if you keep up on your blogging - you probably will get to that point, take a look inside the file. Read over some of the posts that you've started, and chances are one will speak out to you. Finishing up on older posts is a great way to work your mind, get writing again, and perhaps inspire some new ideas.