2009 Planning Guide - My Gift To You!Blogging For a Blog Network: Can You Do It?
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I wanted to cover something a little different from what the Cow usually covers, as I have made money from blogging in a very different way: blogging for a blog network.
I have written for a few different blog networks over the last three years, and while some of them were small, and others rather large, they all seem to be the same, especially when you are a full time employee: they all expect amazing things from their employees!
So, say you have worked hard enough that you are noticed by a blog network. They are looking for someone new to add to their team, and you seem to fit the bill. They contact you, and after some back and forth, you get an offer for a full time salary that while low, allows you to leave your boring job, and become a full time blogger. It all seems like a dream, and happens so fast.
Most of the negotiation is done via e-mail and instant messaging. There is no lengthy paperwork or anything of that nature, and soon you are giving your notice and thinking about what you need to do to set up a home office.
The Home Office
Sure, you could work from the couch, or the sloppy computer desk you have been blogging from thus far, but will you be able to focus and get enough work done to justify your new full time career?
I highly recommend creating a quiet, bright, happy place in your home where you can escape to and write like a mad fool. Most of my blogging is done in short bursts, and I find myself most productive when I am alone, and able to get myself into “the zone”.
If you don’t have a quiet spot in your own home, look for one outside the home. You don’t need to be connected to the Internet to blog, as there are many desktop RSS feed readers you can download stories to, and desktop blogging clients you can put your drafts into while away from home. In the summer time, a quiet park can work miracles on your productivity, but you always need to find the right spots for you.
I suggest finding three or four places that you can work effectively in. Some people like the cafe environment, but I have always been a fan of working from my office as much as possible.
Getting Paid
As a blogger for a blog network, you are most likely a freelancer of sorts, or creating your own business to service the company you are working for. I have done the latter and set up a business, and business bank account to help track all of my expenses and income.
With the first company I worked for, my pay was being routed through PayPal before being withdrawn to my bank. This made for some interesting problems as there can be as much as a seven business day delay between getting the funds in your PayPal account and having them in your actual bank account.
Most blog networks have a portion of their revenues come in from Google’s AdSense, which means if the network gets paid on the 25th, and it takes seven business days to hit your account, you won’t be getting paid in time for paying rent on the first of the month.
You also need to concern yourself with bank fees. Are you going to be paying the PayPal fees, or is the network you work for going to take care of them?
Work Ethic
Every network I have ever worked for wants more time and energy from you than is easily sustainable every single day. I have worked many months where my schedule required me to be attached to my computer for no less than fourteen hours a day. This made for some incredibly stressful times, and after an extended period of time, lead to frustration, depression, and exhaustion.
On the other end of the scale, it can be far to easy to be distracted. While at home, I have game consoles, computer games, a fully stocked kitchen, movies, and of course the phone ringing here and there. Sometimes, I wonder how I get any work done.
Swiss Army Knife
I came from a very technology focused background, and so while this might not be the case for every blogger in every blog network, I was given much more to do than just research and publish articles on a variety of sites.
I was tasked with maintaining WordPress installations, coding themes, converting blogs over to a Subversion control system, dealing with minor server issues, adding and configuring a variety of plugins, networking with other bloggers, and helping manage advertising needs.
All of these skills have helped me immensely in becoming a better, and more well rounded blogger, but they were all time consuming and sometimes pushed me away from the thing I loved to do the most: write.
The reason behind this need to be multitalented is simple: support staff costs money. The more support staff that a network employs, the harder it can be to grow, and even more importantly, make any sort of a profit. Blogging for a network is really working for any other business, and while you get to work from home, set your own hours, and write about your passions. It can take hard work to bring home the milk.
If you have enjoyed this post, you can find more of the same over at eXtra for Every Publisher, written by David Peralty, a full time blogger and Head of Marketing for Splashpress Media.
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Nice post David with some sound advice.
Interesting David. Why did you need SVN ??
Good post. It must be nice to write for a blog network!
I seriously need to arrange a work desk for me to work from let alone blogging!
Definitely a good blog post.
preblogging - Subversion allowed me to keep the 40 blogs that Bloggy Network had up to date easily, and quickly. Upgrading them one at a time took forever. With SVN, I could do it in less than ten minutes. WordPres Codex Page on Updating via SVN.
Patrik - There are always downsides as well, but for the most part, yes it is an enjoyable experience. And remember, with all the blog networks out there, it can be as easy as creating a portfolio and e-mailing them to let them know you are interested and available.
Abdalia and Neil - Thanks to both of you. I am glad you enjoyed it.
Well-written article David. Many people probably never even have considered blogging for a blog network.
Thanks for sharing your experiences and insight. It was a great read.
Great Read…I think the key here is consistency..if you write for a blog network, you have to do what you say you can do…you have to have a steady work schedule.
I really dont like blog networks because a a blogger you crave independence so i believe if you have content such as my blog that someone is willing to incorporeate in their organizations means you can mae more money without them
I have been struggling with my desk situation for some time. Between all of the different tasks I do during the day having a place for everything is difficult. I have tried the work from Starbucks route but that seems to be more of a distraction than anything else. Sitting in my office with iTunes running makes me get a lot more work done.
Blogging for a network has it’s positives and negative. As for me, I prefer having more freedom…
Actually I didn’t understand what do you mean by it.
You could’ve put some examples of blog networks.
Other than that, good article.
I currently blog for a network and love it. I just have to learn how to spread my time between it and my other blog.
The best part of writing for a network is the other bloggers. I’ve learned a lot from writing for a network, most of that is thanks to the other people writing there.
Blog Badly - There are so many networks out there, that listing them would only mean leaving some out. I work for Splashpress Media (splashpress.com), and I highly recommend b5media and dailypixel.
I agree, setting up a dedicated home office space is a big step forward in being able to focus your time and energy on work. Sitting on the couch or in a coffee shop just leads to too many distractions and interruptions for me. Another bonus of having a home office is that you can deduct part of your living expense (a portion of your mortgage or rent payment) as a business expense in the USA.
Another good guest post which underlined alot of decent points too
Hmm… The rarely talked about side of blog networks! Something for the newbies to think of… Hmm…
Important job you’ve got. Hope the money covers for the work you do!