Feel free to skip this blog post. I’m getting defensive again and if that sort of thing isn’t your cup of tea, I won’t be insulted if you ignore this post completely.
Reprinted with Permission:
Dear Deb,
I see through your agenda. Why don’t you tell everyone why you really blog? You just want to make money and that’s it.
Sincerely,
SJL
I published this letter because more and more people are writing to ask me about my “agenda” or why I blog. I’m blasted publicly and privately just about every day for earning money from this blog.
The truth is, I blog because it’s what I like to do. If you had a chance to talk about your favorite subject every day and get paid for it, would you? Then why do you blame me for doing it too? It’s like telling a best selling author he should write his book but he’s a whore for wanting royalties or an endorsement deal.
For two years I published only job leads. As the leads posts led to some interesting comments, I realized I enjoyed talking and creating discussion topics about writing. This blog wasn’t a marketing vehicle and it certainly wasn’t a money maker. It was something I liked to do.You can’t land a job with a blog filled with lists of writing leads. Don’t get me wrong, I landed clients as a result of this blog, but that wasn’t the reason I set out to do this.
Up until about six months ago, I didn’t even pull a profit with this blog. When I first hired Jodee to find leads because I was too busy with client projects, I paid her out of my pocket. Eventually anything I did earn went into the running of this blog or paying the bloggers. It wasn’t until last February or March, when I started treating this like a full time business, that I began to draw a salary. Don’t get me wrong, I worked hard to build this blog into what it is today, but that’s because I enjoy it so much. When it looked like this blog could be something special, I did everything possible to make it so.
Do I have an agenda with this blog? Considering it’s my primary source of income, I’d say making it profitable is high up there on the list. Honestly though, I blog because I like talking about writing. What’s wrong with that? Why do I constantly receive letters or read forum or blog comments blasting me about this or hinting of some hidden agenda? It’s not a vehicle to sell anything, I’m not constantly pimping projects (though for transparency sake, I do have stuff in the works), I’m not shoving my latest ebook or project in your face all the time. I do this because it’s what I love to do.
This blog did turn out to be more than I expected. It turned into a career. It turned into consulting projects and speaking engagements and more. Do you see me promoting those businesses here? No. No I don’t. Those are cool perks that come with writing about writing.
What’s wrong with writing about writing because I enjoy writing about writing?
This isn’t a big kumbaya. I’m not looking for a bunch of “you so rock, Deb” comments, so please don’t go there. What I don’t understand and would like to discuss is why this freelance writing niche is filled with so many people who are so worried about what other writers are doing that they stoop to insulting, finger pointing and flat out nastiness. So you don’t like what I do, I respect that. I don’t like what Anne Coulter is doing but I’m not sending her hate mail either. What’s up with all the animosity?
Here is my agenda, people. I blog about writing because I enjoy it. I like discussing issues that affect writers and sharing tips with a community. I simply enjoy what I do. There. I admit it. That’s my big agenda.
That is all.
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