Yup, I’m what I could call a “hobby blogger.” Meaning: I don’t earn a living off my blog.**
Everything you see here? I do it all for the love of reading, writing, cooking, baking, and talking with you all on a regular basis.
And, I’m totally okay with that. But…it took me awhile to get there.
When I launched the Tart in July 2018, it was mainly to showcase my writing for literary agents. I’m trying to get my novel published, and I wanted to have some writing samples available to show what else this would-be debut author can do. Yeah, I liked the idea of posting book reviews and book-related recipes, but I really thought it would be an idle pastime for me — something I’d put only a little bit of work into it, just here and there.
Before I knew it, though, I was bit by the blogging bug. I became obsessed with all things blogging, and it wasn’t long before I had dreams of quitting my day job to be a professional blogger. Watching my stats soar after my Man Catcher Cake post went viral on Pinterest only drove me deeper into the fantasy.
Pretty soon, though, reality came crashing down. I do still work my day job, which means I’m squinching my writing and blogging life around a nearly 12-hour work day. Fellow bloggers, you know that building a successful blog is a full-time job in and of itself. Hell, I would even call it a 24/7 job. I became exhausted, stressed, (more) anxious (than usual), and, quite sadly…I started to resent blogging.
Every blogger gets “Blogger Burnout” at some point. Word of it circulates through the blogger community, but most newbies think it’ll never happen to them: “I’ve just started blogging and it’s amazing! How could anyone get burnt out on this?? Pshaw.”
But, we all learn the hard way that everyone eventually falls prey to blogger burnout. Just like any job, you become disenchanted with your daily blogging routine, overwhelmed by your never-ending to-do list, and you hit your “Fuck It!” threshold: you throw your hands up in the air, yell “Fuck it!,” and walk away from whatever it is you’re supposed to be doing. This little tantrum-followed-by-blogging-break can last a few hours, a few days, or sometimes even a week or two.
However, I was getting Blogger Burnout every few weeks, and it would last way longer than just a few days. Eventuallly, my blog became an almost constant source of anxiety.
And, that broke my heart. Because I really, really do love blogging.
Eventually, I admited that I couldn’t essentially keep working two jobs — one for free — while maintaining my sanity, functionality at my paying job, and close relationships with people I care about. Something had to change. I had to change.
That’s when I decided to become a hobby blogger. As in, blogging is my fun and relaxing pastime — not the foundation of an entirely new career.
I pulled back, way back on everything I was doing for the Tart. I dropped down to posting on the blog only once a week, as opposed to twice a week (albeit with a few exceptions *cough* like this post). I forced myself to stop feeling guilty about said reduced posting. I stopped staring at my stats every day. I stopped checking my Google Adsense account to see if I’d gained just a few more cents overnight. And, I definitely stopped worrying about marketing my blog to the zillionth degree.
Pulling back on marketing is probably the biggest step I took toward becoming a hobby blogger. If writing a blog is a full-time job, then, honestly, marketing it is another. (So, I guess I had three jobs at one point?? Egads. No wonder I felt burnt out every week!)
Marketing is the main way to drive traffic to your blog, and it’s freakin’ time-consuming and exhausting. It’s my least favorite part of the #bloggerlife, and it’s mostly what was killing me: the pressure to market and the pressure to succeed at the level of a professional blogger.
So, I stopped. I stopped obsessing over creating perfect pins for Pinterest, or the perfect Instagram photos with the magical combo of hashtags. I’m on Twitter, but as you may have noticed, I really suck at it. I’m aware that less enthusiastic marketing efforts will most likely prevent me from launching into blogger superstardom; I’ll have to rely on my more meager marketing skills, as well as luck, to entice new readers to the blog.
The most monetarily successful bloggers I know blog as their full-time jobs. They devote 24/7 to their blogs and brands, and a large part of that is thrown at marketing. But, the fruits of their labor are clear: they have beautiful sites, tons of followers, paid collaborations and sponsorships galore, and a sizeable income. I call them “professional bloggers,” but, really, they’re entrepreneurs, and I’m in awe of them.
It took quite a few months of soul-searching, but I finally decided that, NO, I don’t have what it takes right now to become a professional blogger. I just don’t. And I’m okay with that. It doesn’t mean I failed, and it doesn’t mean I suck at it. It just means it’s something I’m not capable of doing right now, and I don’t want to kill myself trying.
Miraculously, once the self-induced pressure to become a profesional blogger was eliminated, so was my anxiety over blogging. I’ve fallen back in love with blogging, with renewed vigor. I’m amazingly, wonderfully, FINALLY contented with being a hobby blogger.
Did I give up one of my dreams, at least temporarily? Yeah. Yeah, I did. And, sometimes, that really hurts — knowing how much more I could do if I only had more time, and/or if I pushed myself beyond my limits.
Most days, though? I’m really happy with my decision to pull back from all the pressure of trying to “make it” as a professional blogger and to just let myself enjoy blogging as something that brings me joy.
Also, the key words in my decision are “right now.” I don’t have what it takes right now to become a professional blogger. Maybe one day, circumstances will change. I’m keeping the door open for the future because, believe me, if I ever have the chance to quit my day job and blog and/or write full time, I’m going to grab at it like a fat kid at a double-decker ice cream cone.
Have any other bloggers struggled to find a balance with your blog? And, moving outside the blogging community: maybe some of you always wanted to turn a hobby into something more, but just can’t make it happen? Or, have you realized that a career you pursued is better enjoyed as a hobby? I’d love to hear your thoughts if you’ve found yourself in the place I have!
[**Side Note: I bet some of you’ve noticed the ads as you scrolled through this post. No, you’re not crazy; yes, those ads generate revenue. At the smallest rate you can possibly imagine. Since I first popped ads onto my blog in October 2018, I’ve made … wait for it…. a walloping $70.
I’ll pause for a moment to let you tame your envy.
To top it off, blog income doesn’t get paid out until it reaches the $100 mark. So, while my blog is “monetized,” as they say, I haven’t received a dime from it since I started blogging. So, yes, it’s definitely a labor of love.]
CJ, I love this article. I’m glad you found what was right for you. I think in all of our lives we have things we thought we wanted that end up not being right for us. It takes bravery and self-awareness to accept that. I think the hardest part is letting go of that identity that you imagined for yourself.
Last year, I cycled through blogger burnout on and off for months. I was trying to still be the same full-time stay at home mom I used to be and be a professional blogger. It did not work. Eventually, I had to accept that I was a work at home mom which requires shifts in my priorities.
I’m so glad you found your footing as a hobby blogger. Blogging is so much fun, and I love that you have rediscovered that joy.
Thanks so much, Rachael! I know how much you struggled last year, and you’re one of the bloggers who most inspires me! You’ve acheived SO much. I hope that you’ve managed to find happy ground for your blogging life, too. I can’t image heing a pro-blogger while being a mom at the same time! At least you have the blog for the rare moments you find for yourself. 🙂
I’ve been blogging since 2013. It started out a food blog to help people find substitutions if they had a yeast allergy. I was teaching full-time. At first, I had more time to devote to my blog. It was just on Google Blogger, a Facebook page, and Twitter. Then things with teaching changed with all of the testing, and I devoted less time to the blog. Then I retired, and I am able to devote more time. I post roughly 4-5 times a week, usually 2 recipes and two things about books. I started linking my blog to Instagram and after 2 1/2 years I have roughly 1300 followers. People will follow me and then unfollow me. I was thinking of revamping my website, changing the name, etc. because I really do enjoy it. I have not made a cent off of my blog, but I would like to make enough to pay for the food I cook with and pay for books and props, etc. I’m glad I saw your post today because I’m at a crossroads. I get good feedback about my blog, but I’m just not sure of where to go from here.
Wow, LaDonne, you’ve been blogging for so long! I feel like such a newbie compared to you. 🙂 I’m sorry you’ve found yourself in the same slump I have, though. I think the key to rediscovering blogging happiness is to focus on what you truly love about blogging. For me, it’s the writing, the cooking/baking, the photos, and the communication with my readers. I just wanted more time with that, which meant something had to go — and, for me, it was the marketing aspect since I absolutely hate it, lol. Not pressuring myself to do so much of what I hate really changed things for me.
Perhaps you need to take a few weeks off, go dark, and reassess in your time away. When I had my concussion last year, I was forced to stop blogging for two months straight — and it really helped put my life into perspective. Sometimes you need to be away from the issue for a bit in order to see it more clearly. I know a few bloggers who’ve successfully rebranded, and I’ve noticed that some IGers are doing the same recently. So, if you decide to go that route, you’re right on trend! 🙂 Good luck with whatever you decide!
Great article! My current blog is my 3rd one I ever made. Initially I was so pumped to be big and get all the followers that I was so anxious every time I opened up my blog. Even though my blog was doing really well I felt horribly stressed and I wasn’t enjoying it anymore. Especially since my reading was changing from what was “mainstream” My niche was YA especially popular books and honestly I wasn’t enjoying only reading that anymore and it was so hard to force myself to read to “stay popular”.
So one day I just couldn’t take the stress from my blog anymore and shut it down! I took a break a year or two and realized that I really missed blogging. So I started this one and even though I don’t do nearly as well in promoting or in followers I’m so much happier! I love blogging again and getting the chance to talk about what I want versus what is popular!
Your article reminded me of that. Taking the leap to just have fun with a website can be a really hard choice but for a lot of people it is a great one!
Hi Arya! It’s such a comfort to know that you, and so many other bloggers, have been where I’ve been. And, OMG, I cannot imagine launching THREE blogs!! LOL. I can barely handle the one! Your entrepreneurial skills are very impressive. 🙂
I hear ya: there is a lot of pressure in the book blogging community to review the hottest books and new releases, and I feel that can really detract from one’s enjoyment of blogging. I mean, we all start blogs because we want to talk about things we love, not things we feel we have to do, right? I’ve felt the same way about trying to keep up with what’s popular, and last year I decided not to request any ARCs, apart from books I really am excited about or by authors I really love. I read what I want, when I want, and I review what I want, when I want. It’s my blog, so end of story. There are so many other bloggers out there covering the latest and greatest that they won’t miss me, lol, and I figure it’s nice to cover backlist titles or lesser known titles that might not get attention otherwise. I know quite a few bloggers who only review indie author books for the same reason.
It’s great that you realized what makes you happy and were able to revamp your blog to accommodate you, and not everyone else. I hope you’ll remember that if times ever get tough again so you can keep enjoying your blog. 🙂
I totally get you here! I got into this not knowing much about blogging, so it was just a fun hobby but then, like you, I got obsessed. Learned that I could make money and started aiming for that potential. However, I’ve only just ventured into affiliate marketing. I feel like I will just be in between a hobby blogger and monetizing. I’m not able to post as much as I would need to. I also was very grateful for my job during this pandemic (despite being terrified about going into work) so I started finding a newfound energy for my job. However, the wheels are still turning about how to monetize effectively. I would love it one day if I could work part time and blog part time. It’s a lot of work. I just have to get more motivated if I want to make that happen. But my blog is also self-care from my daily job, so I don’t want to stress too much about it and burn out like you said. I think I’ve taken lots of breaks, I’m slow at posting…but I’m going to give myself permission to go at my own pace. I don’t obsessively look at stats anymore and I want to focus on the marketing tools that I do enjoy so that I enjoy blogging overall.
It has been great to connect with so many cool people here and read what you’re putting out. It motivates me! Thanks for sharing your thoughts. My thoughts are totally all over the place, so sorry for that. Ha!
Hi, Lauren! I have to say that the pandemic has absolutely made me appreciate my day job that’s allowed me to continue working full time, with pay, with benefits (knock on wood). One of the reasons I started blogging is because I felt unfulfilled in my career, and recently that’s started to change, partly because of the pandemic and partly because of a new manager coming into my job. While I still love blogging and intend to continue doing it, it’s no longer the thing tethering me to my daily sanity, lol. I’m glad you’ve found solace from your daily job in blogging, too, and that you’re slowly but surely giving yourself permission to go at your own pace. I hope you can find a balance between hobby and “making a semi-decent living from a blog,” hahaha. It’s such a tricky path; most people who don’t blog have no idea how much work this whole schtick really takes. 😀 I love your blog, though, and I’m so glad to have connected with you on here! And with that, I’m off to read your IN FIVE YEARS post. 😀