When I started writing “Blog Along with Me” posts, it was my intention to include at least one post per month, making this a series. My mind is always working faster than I can type. And, like most of us, I could use a few more hours in the day or survive on no sleep! I decided today it was time to revive this series. Every day does not bring a new post to Domestic Deadline. I tried that route when I first started blogging and I think it’s what made me lose steam. There is way too much happening behind the scenes of a blog for me to write a new post daily. So, today I thought I’d share a “behind the scene” view and how I’m trying to manage it all.
Always Learning
The biggest thing I learned from my first attempt at blogging is that it’s a lot more work than just writing. It’s more than actually doing the work of the projects I share too.
Wait, let me stop and say if you want to write just to write, or as a hobby or way to let just your family and friends know what you’re up to… then it is just writing and the projects you share.
But, I have always been an entrepreneur at heart and would one day love to be able to say I earn a nice income as a blogger.
So, since I don’t think readers want to just pay me for reading the things I write, I have to learn how to do that (but if you do, I’ll gladly give you my PayPal info!).
A blog is successful and profitable because of readers. This means there is a ton of blog marketing that goes on behind the scenes.
I find the marketing can take me longer than writing or even creating a project to write about! This is why I post two to three times a week and one of those is the weekly Home Matters Link Party.
Finding A Guru
And take their course.
But, you might ask, why do I have to pay them to take their course? Can’t I just learn it all on my own for free?
Yep, you sure can. If you don’t burn out before well before your blog earns any money.
Which is exactly what happened to me. Ok, I was making a small amount, maybe 10 cents an hour if I was lucky.
This is why I suggest finding a guru and taking their course. Not only will you learn from all their experience, you’ll learn faster and be more motivated to keep going.
Plus, you’ll learn how blogs make money without charging their readers. And, that course (or courses) is a tax write-off for your blog business. (Disclaimer: check that with your accountant, I, am not an accountant nor do I want any legal responsibility for “but Emily said…”).
Extra bonus… when your 10-year-old son says, I can’t wait to be a grown up so I don’t have to learn anything anymore… well, let’s just say we constantly are telling him how daddy has a Ph.D. and still does training to learn more about his field and I choose to learn more about what I enjoy doing by taking courses.
Now, I bet you are wondering where you find this guru to take a course from?
This is easier than you’d think. Find a blogger you like and see who they recommend.
And, if the blogger you like is me… first, I’m honored. Second, I’d love to share my guru with you!
Broke My Own Rule
I made a rule that I would find one guru and follow only them. There’s only one problem with that, my guru only opens up her course one time a year. And, while the course is, in my opinion, the best out there, it’s an investment. Her name is Ruth and the course is the Elite Blog Academy (or EBA). If you want to know more about her course, send me an email and when I know about her next one, I’ll share that info.
So when I noticed another favorite blogger of mine and fellow EBA student, Crystal, had launched a series of blogging courses, I decided it was worth breaking my rule.
What I really like about Crystal’s courses is you only purchase the specific course you want. While EBA is incredibly inclusive, meaning if it pertains to blogging, there will be information in the course, I realize that not everyone is ready to dive in that deep or invest serious money like I was.
Crystal’s course, Your Blogging Mentor, is customizable. You pick the course you want, when you want them and only pay for the ones you want.
So, if you haven’t started a blog, See How You Can Set Up a WordPress Blog in 15 Minutes at Bluehost.com.
Then, check out some of the great course, here are a few I recommend starting with:
And Keep Learning
As I continue to work through my blogging course, I still keep learning. Sometimes I have to go back and revisit a section, or even look further into a subject. Thankfully with EBA, I have access to tons of bonus features and lessons.
A final tool I really have found useful for learning more about blogging is The Genius Blogger’s Toolkit. This is another program that is only available during certain times. I’ll try to share about it when it is available!
Blogging is like many careers, when we learn the best way to do the job, we can excel at it. For me, taking a blogging course was the difference between a hobby and a business.
