Tuesday, April 21, 2015

WHY DO YOU REALLY BLOG?

Yep, I'm a nerd.  In fact, on any given day you'll see me either:
   1)  Holding a book
   2)  Reading a book
   3)  Discussing a book
   4)  Trying to find a book

That hobby is actually how I found out about blogging.  Most of the time I remained in stealth mode, reading funny comments, or getting inside info on exciting new authors, and it seemed...interesting. Even better, I met like-minded and opinionated people who were making a difference.  Wicked Readings by Tawania is the first Blog about romance books that I followed, and in doing so, realized that many years ago, while living in Virginia, our children had actually attended high school together.  Talk about small world!

Amazingly, according to  Blogging.org  329 million+ people actually take time to check out some type of blog on a monthly basis,  with over 500,000 posts made daily.  For some reason, I thought women blogged more than men, but it's actually the opposite, and that's surprising.

Because I read so much, friends say I blurt out a lot of useless trivia, and to stop them from having to listen to all this knowledge, they encouraged me to start a blog so I could torture perfect strangers. (lol)  As much as I love to pass on how to find a fun freebie, a cool contest, a rockin' recipe or random acts of kindness, my passion was talking about domestic violence.  Victims of domestic violence share a special place in my heart and deserve to be heard and protected.


According to this same data, 81 per cent of those who blog will never make any serious money, while 8% are those who can actually sustain a living talking about things they love. This sounds hard to believe, but 2 percent of bloggers make $150,000 or more! Wow, that just sounds unbelievable, right?  


So the question of the day is, "Why Do You Blog?"  Do you have something important to share?  What do you really want people to know about you? Does it bother you if readers comment in a less than favorable way to a topic you've posted?  Are you lonely and look forward to meeting new people?  Are you a writer, or dream of one day being a novelist? Do you write for your own peace of mind? Do you visit your Blog on a regular basis, and do you care about your numbers? Are you organized? Do you wake up every day, excited about new discussions?  Is this a hobby or do you expect to become rich and famous? Is blogging your true passion? 


Blogging is a great way to share information, but sooner or later, there will be a day, a week or even a month, when you're just plain burned out.  There will come a time when you may notice your earlier success is waning, making you need to switch gears. What if you're trying to maintain one or more blogs simultaneously?  Is there such as thing as sharing "too much" on a blog, and how do you find balance?Where will you find the time, and still maintain your sanity? 


Time permitting, I enjoy checking out different blogs in the universe and some have been totally outrageous! (lol)  I've even found some (quite by accident, of course-lol)  where there is outright nudity and sexual acts going on. The best one about cheating is Chumplady.com, and there are literally hundreds of fashion and makeup blogs to suit every taste.  Blogs about blogging, cooking, teas, travel, politics, book reviews, entertainment, health, parenting, sweepstakes, marriage, and more are all there, and many are successful.  Some, unfortunately are not. I've clicked on plenty of sites that are no longer operational.

If you want honest feedback about your blog, or various topics of discussion, there's no better place to be than connecting with other bloggers. 

So, inquiring minds want to know what made you get up one day and say, "I Want to Blog"?



16 comments:

  1. Good question, Ro. I don't have an answer for what made me want to blog. It started out with diet information and ended up with Tidbit Tuesday. I have no idea how that happened!

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    1. Hey Rob, I know, right? Before you know it, you're just out there! (lol) Hugs...

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  2. What I loved in a blog is that you can keep track of all the books you've read, but in a prettier setting than on GR, one that was chosen by me. That's all. Exchanging on books is so very good, finding you might read books that you've never heard about or ever thought you'd read someday is good too, I love learning. I never thought I could make money with my blog, never tried to, I'm only interested in the books :)

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    1. Never really thought about that, but it is a great way to keep track of what you read, and when you can make money from doing something you love, that's totally fantastic, right? Hugs...

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  3. I'm not the actual blogger, but the sidekick. However, Shari started blogging to connect with other booklovers to chat books and for me it was the same thing that made me respond positively when she asked me to help with review requests. I love meeting others and chatting books and other topics. I try to visit others at least once a week if not more often.
    I enjoyed your post and learning how you got into and the stats on blogging in general.

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    1. Hey Sophia! Being loved enough by being asked to help out with doing something that you really enjoy is fantastic, so being a Sidekick sounds totally fun. It is a neat way to meet new friends and visiting once a week is a wonderful goal. Hugs...

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  4. Wow that's crazy money. I wish mine would do that. Would be awesome to be able to pay everything I needed by just the blog! I keep the blog going because I love the interaction. I'm a bit of a homebody these days and it's nice being able to visit with people all over the world and talk about things we love and have in common :) I've been doing it so long now it would really be weird to just...not blog or visit other blogs or write reviews. ::shudders:: lol

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    1. I know, right! What in the world are they blogging about?(lol) It is a great niche, particularly for those of us who don't mind hanging out at home. Reading is a solitary habit, but being able to share our feelings about the things we've read with others is fantastic.

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  5. I like to share fun things I find. I like to share my opinions and I like talking with other bloggers.

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    1. I agree Mary. There's just something that's enjoyable about sharing things you've learned with others, and talking with people with similar interests is informational and fun.

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  6. Why do I blog? Because I like shoving my opinions on people. Because I'm practically the only person who obsesses about books within a ten-mile radius. Because if I don't talk about the books I will literally dry up and and blow up in a puff of dust. Because. Books.

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    1. LOL! I definitely love that you enjoy sharing your opinions with us. You're totally fun! It definitely makes a difference is no one neat you can relate to reading. For us, books make the world go round. BIG Hugs...

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  7. i like the interaction, finding new books and authors. i wish money could be made but that is a dream that isnt or probably will never be realized, lols. Finding new bloggers is a bonus. I dont mind heated comments as long as folks are reapectful, Im cool withh it ;)

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    1. The interaction is exciting and the ability to speak with people who share common interests is really neat. I've found out about lots of new authors simply by blogging and visiting others. Because of some of the topics I discuss, some comments are really heated, and I just roll with it. I remember on one Blog I visited, a woman admitted to committing a crime and my goodness was she bashed! Hugs...

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  8. I am the same way, if I'm not reading a book, I'm doing something bookish. :D Blogging is also another hobby that I absolutely adore and cannot live without.I've tried and it made me miserable!

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    1. I simply can't begin to imagine a world without books, and meeting people who feel the same way, brings a smile to my face. Keep on blogging. Love to see the things you write. Hugs...

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