Getting started as a problogger

I was reading one of Deb’s posts, “Why You Won’t Get Famous Blogging for Someone Else” and noticed the following comment.

“I am looking to go into blogging or freelance writing to earn money and to be able to stay at home with my children. All I know is that I truly love to write and give my opinions. In between cooking and my household duties, I can spend up to 4 hrs or more a day just on FaceBook alone. Somehow there has got to be a way to make a living doing this and get paid for it. As a new blogger or freelance writer, I would love if someone could tell me how to get started.”

The major part of this comment that stood out to me was the “4 hrs” issues. I wanted to address that up front because to make a living as a blogger requires FAR more than 4 hrs a day. My typical schedule varies between 8-10 hr days and more if I’ve taken on extra jobs. Plus I get few days off. I know other bloggers who spend more time than 10 hrs a day working. If you’re working for blog clients and have your own blogs you can end up working with literally no days off as you work to get better traffic rankings and build community on your own blogs and still keep up with your paid gigs.

Still overall it’s a good question – how to get started blogging. Many people want to break into blogging and this is one of the most frequently asked questions at this blog and others like it. With that in mind, I’ve rounded up some get started posts. Back before I took a break from this blog, I actually started a series on how to get started, and following are some of the issues we talk about here…

Getting started:

• 16 things you need to make it as a problogger
• What kind of jobs can blogging skills lead to?
• How to get blogging jobs and web writing jobs – getting started
• Finding blog gigs – starting out with no clips
• What does it mean to be a community manager? – something you should know if you want to make real money in the blog venue.

Finding paid blogging gigs:

• Online resume mistakes you may be making
• How to get a blogging job – advice from b5media’s hiring editor
• How to get a blogging job – advice from Deb Ng of FWJ
• How to bomb out all the time when looking for blogging jobs
• Blog and online writing gig danger signs!

Make a living wage right from the start:

• Score high paying online writing and blogging gigs
• Which online writing and blogging jobs pay the best?
• Make living wages as a freelance writer – how to quit writing for low wages
• Avoiding the temptation of easy to score but low paying gigs
• Calculate your hourly blogging wage and figure out if a client is even worth it

Being realistic about your career choice:

• Can you avoid distractions while working?
• Maybe you’re not getting jobs because you just can’t write
• Who actually makes a living as a blogger
• Why you should not try to become a problogger

Hopefully this round up of tips will help you to kick off your blogging adventure or at least point you in the right direction. This list also might make you realize that blogging is not for you, and that’s fine; it’s better to realize this now rather than later.

If you have any specific questions about getting started as a blogger that are not answered above leave a comment and I’ll respond or try to post about it.