Moving On: When Blogging No Longer Pays the Bills
I blog today with a heavy heart. As you know, blogging has been my passion for three years now. I’ve been making it work for the most part, but it’s no secret these last few months haven’t been very profitable. After much soul-searching and conferring with my family I have decided to return to publishing. It’s not what I want to do, but it’s the best decision for my family.
I’m still going to keep many of my blogs going as I’m too addicted to give it up entirely. You can also count on me to participate in discussions here so I’m not disappearing entirely. You see, FWJ will soon be under new ownership. For the past couple of months, James Chartrand has been trying to convince me to sell FWJ and after February and March’s dismal numbers, I gave in. Besides, James made an offer I can’t refuse. I hope you’ll understand my difficult decision.
James promise he will pay Jodee handsomely to continue to bring you leads, and that I can guest blog anytime I want. In the mean time, he’ll offer thought-provoking blog posts and, if I know James, lots of controversy. I do hope you will continue to come by and support James and Jodee.
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Tuesday, April 1st, 2008 at 3:31 pm under
I’m sorry to hear that, Deb. I wish you well in finding that financial balance. Hopefully, you’ll be able to return in full force on day! Your passion will wait for you.
April 1st, 2008 at 3:50 pmAre we in April Fool mode today, Deborah
April 1st, 2008 at 3:57 pmYou’re daily presence on FWJ will be missed, but we understand your decision. Welcome to James - it’s been a pleasure following his comments! And glad that Jodee will continue her work.
Best of luck!
April 1st, 2008 at 3:59 pm[…] Freelance Writing Gigs has become part of the Men with Pens fold. It’s an excellent blog with a large following and we’re very proud to be the new owners. Deb Ng has been facing some tough financial times, and her family needed her more than her community. […]
April 1st, 2008 at 4:02 pmAs someone who has been a lurker for quite some time and as someone who checks the leads every day, I truly am sorry to hear this Deb. I have grown attached to this place and it proved to be a great source of information and discussions.
April 1st, 2008 at 4:07 pmBut I also know you would not have come to this decision without a good deal of thought and unless it was absolutely necessary.
I wish you all the best in your endeavors and as Alice said that you find your financial balance very soon.
April Fools??
April 1st, 2008 at 4:36 pmSorry to hear it, but completely understand. Your jobs leads and comments are so very helpful.
April 1st, 2008 at 4:47 pmWendy, that just occurred to me too… I’m blond so I am a bit slow on the uptake…
April 1st, 2008 at 4:51 pmAssuming it’s not an April fool’s joke, I’m sorry to hear that Deb but I wish James the best of luck. It’s a great blog he’s taking over so I’m looking forward to seeing what happens now.
I do hope you come back often enough to feel like you haven’t really gone.
And if it is an April fool’s joke: :-P~~~~~~~
(bertas, I’m blond too!)
April 1st, 2008 at 5:11 pmDeb,
I just wanted to say thank you from a very very green freelancer who has greatly benefited from your site in gaining confidence for going forward. I wish you joy and success in all you endeavors!
Very truly yours,
April 1st, 2008 at 5:23 pmKristen
April Fools was my guess right away but I didn’t want to spoil the fun so soon (maybe because I was already in that frame of mind–the kids & I sent the husband a ‘hard boiled’ egg filled with salt & glitter in his lunch this morning). I can believe Deb might step back from the blog, but I can’t believe she’d return to the world of publishing!
April 1st, 2008 at 5:33 pmI don’t know if it’s an April Fools… but have I missed something Deb? I know several months ago you were debating whether to take on a full time blogging job… please correct me if I am wrong.
If it didn’t work out, I’m really sorry to hear this but I do feel for you because blogging is your forte. Come on advertisers please bring in a very lucrative blog job for Deb… there are a few out there we’ve just got to find them.
You know something Deb, some months back there was a web article writing gig going for something like $1,400 per month (for one article). It gives you food for thought… I hope everything works out well for you. We’re sure going to miss you… but please visit often!
April 1st, 2008 at 5:57 pmHoping this is an April’s Fool joke….
April 1st, 2008 at 5:57 pmWOW, what a surprise. The blow was eased by who the new owners will be.
Wishing you tons of success in your future endeavers. Life is all about change, so we may as well embrace it.
I’m picking up an out of office supplement job myself this week. I so relate.
But thanks to Deb and Jodee I have a nice stable blogging gig and I am most appreciative.
Take care, and welcome to the Dynamic Duo at MWP.
April 1st, 2008 at 6:00 pmMary Ward Says:
April Fools was my guess right away but I didn’t want to spoil the fun so soon (maybe because I was already in that frame of mind–the kids & I sent the husband a ‘hard boiled’ egg filled with salt & glitter in his lunch this morning). I can believe Deb might step back from the blog, but I can’t believe she’d return to the world of publishing!
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Mary, you are naughty
April 1st, 2008 at 6:00 pm@ Shell
Yes, but this will be SO GOOD if we get him with it because this is the second time we’ve pulled this! The first time was 2 years ago & it worked like a charm. He works construction, but that time he was eating in the office so he still had to clean a mess! We didn’t do it last year, and he’s one who doesn’t tend to think about the date so we’re hoping it works again! I guess this will be the last hurrah for this joke, though; it’s doubtful we’ll get him a 3rd time.
April 1st, 2008 at 6:11 pmThanks Deb, for offering a wonderful community. I’ve learned alot here and wish you the best. I’m looking forward to having James kick up some controversy!
April 1st, 2008 at 6:14 pmHappy April Fool’s Day!
April 1st, 2008 at 6:15 pmDeb, you’re wonderful and I’m happy that you made a decision that’s best for you. I’m sure James will make you proud… or else he’ll have writers after him!
Stay in touch!
April 1st, 2008 at 6:21 pmAs someone who just started their freelance writing business and their first blog - www.financegourmet.com — Quite frankly I have already become greedy enough to decide that even as I start working on this dream it isn’t dreamy enough and I hope to run a blogging empire as an ultimate goal. This is a major bummer.
After all, if a site like this one can’t make it, then the rest of us are going to have to work 20 times harder than we thought.
Good luck.
April 1st, 2008 at 6:22 pmI’m willing to bet this is an April Fool’s Joke. Don’t be so gullible people! Deb would NEVER return to publishing!
April 1st, 2008 at 6:24 pmAnyone happen to notice it was up suspiciously early and Jodee is so far nowhere to be seen either? I’m sure James was carefully chosen for this too–who else here could evoke the maximum amount of controversy & opposition?
Come on…we all know Deb has a warped sense of humor
April 1st, 2008 at 6:28 pmCome on Deb, this has to be an April Fools joke for sure. I come here everyday and I know a life’s passion when I see one.
See Ya Tomorrow
Alex ~D~
April 1st, 2008 at 6:32 pm@ Shell
Yes, but this will be SO GOOD if we get him with it because this is the second time we’ve pulled this! The first time was 2 years ago & it worked like a charm. He works construction, but that time he was eating in the office so he still had to clean a mess! We didn’t do it last year, and he’s one who doesn’t tend to think about the date so we’re hoping it works again! I guess this will be the last hurrah for this joke, though; it’s doubtful we’ll get him a 3rd time.
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Tee, hee
April 1st, 2008 at 6:35 pmOk..now that I have recovered from my heart attack
I’m seriously hoping the trend of thought is right and this is an April Fool’s joke. I had forgotten about it entirely! OK…off to phone my husband and tell him the water heater is leaking…hahahahaha!
April 1st, 2008 at 6:39 pmLOL…Both Deb’s & James’ highly unusual (especially for James!) silence on both blogs tells the truth, huh ?
Good one.. had me going for a sec!
April 1st, 2008 at 6:59 pmThis is an awesome April Fool’s Day post.
April 1st, 2008 at 7:06 pmYeah–and now Jodee comes all non-chalant and posts gigs without a word about the ’sale’?
Methinks maybe Jodee isn’t very good at poker…:)
April 1st, 2008 at 7:06 pm@ Dana - Actually, I was just busy fielding a TON of emails.
Thanks to everyone for the warm (and not so warm in places) welcome. Deb’s done a great job here and she’s built a wonderful community that makes it easy for me to step into.
I do promise to continue providing valuable insight here at FWG and also do promise that my tone and style will remain… well, as it has been. Mover and shaker, which is often a good thing.
Deb’s presence won’t be missed, though. She’ll still be around and help me not set fire to the blog.
Again, thanks all.
April 1st, 2008 at 7:08 pm@ James
I still don’t believe you guys. But here’s to your tenacious spirit!! Cheers!
April 1st, 2008 at 7:12 pmI don’t believe it either! Deb took a full-time blogging job knowing full well what the salary was. She wouldn’t have taken it if it wasn’t great.
So funny.
April 1st, 2008 at 7:15 pmI think James will do a great job running FWJ and he’s right, you won’t miss me. I still have lunch hours and evenings for blogging and you can bet I won’t stay away.
April 1st, 2008 at 7:16 pm@ Kara - Buying a blog isn’t free.
@ Deb - You’ll still have to keep me in line.
April 1st, 2008 at 7:24 pmI’m kind of hoping that this is a clever April Fools that you’ve been setting up in your last few posts…
April 1st, 2008 at 7:25 pmWow, this has just got me confused, it’s better than CSI…can’t wait to see how it will turn out in the end!
April 1st, 2008 at 7:41 pmSorry to see you go, but understand it. About every four-five years business seems to get to a point I think about going to an office, but then I see friends there get laid off. I almost took a part-time job a few times, but didn’t have to go down that road.
I also know people who have left teaching due to financial considerations.
Best of luck.
I’m glad you were able to sell it to James. Though I may disagree with some of his comments, I always find his input insightful.
April 1st, 2008 at 7:54 pmWell, if it’s true then I will really miss Deb. It will be sad to see her go. If it isn’t then I must say it was a pretty good joke. Horrible to do to all of us, but good none the less.
April 1st, 2008 at 7:59 pmI think this is an April Fool’s joke as well.
Can we get a comment on that, huh?
James?
Deb?
April 1st, 2008 at 8:02 pmI’m thinking this is an exercise in creative writing…I love a good April Fool’s!
April 1st, 2008 at 8:13 pmI was just over at the Consumerist where they’ve posted how “Conglomerist” has purchased their Web site and will be running it effective immediately. Makes me think that posting about takeovers must be the April Fool’s theme of the year.
April 1st, 2008 at 8:30 pmJames - I don’t get your comment to me about ‘buying a blog isn’t free.’
My point was, Deb made it CLEAR earlier this year that she was taking a full time job with an “offer that was too good to be true” so I find it hard to believe that she’s been “forced” back into publishing.
April 1st, 2008 at 8:53 pm@Kara - Actually the full time gig didn’t last long. My client realized he couldn’t afford to pay me what I needed to earn to survive on a freelance basis. So I agreed to take a cut in pay to do a couple of post a week for him and began aggressively freelancing.
April 1st, 2008 at 9:03 pmThank God. I’m so tired of having to compete with you and I know James will run it into the ground within a week. This RULES!
And if it isn’t an April Fools Joke, I will miss you.
April 1st, 2008 at 9:10 pmHaha, I’m so confused! Part of me is taking this seriously and part of me is conscious of today’s date. Actually, most of me is conscious of today’s date!
April 1st, 2008 at 9:12 pmJohn - I don’t view any of my fellow writing bloggers as competition. Only friends, colleagues and people to defer to when I haven’t a clue.
April 1st, 2008 at 9:12 pm@ John - Your faith in me is inspiring. One week, eh?
@ Kara - I phrased that poorly. What I mean was that buying a blog isn’t free and that people pay money for the honor of becoming a new owner. This leaves recipients free to do as they wish for a time. Pay debts, get things back in order, take a vacation…
April 1st, 2008 at 9:23 pmI wish you all the luck in the world, Deb. I mostly lurk here, but I’ll miss you.
April 1st, 2008 at 9:32 pmIs this happening because I didn’t put you in March Blogging Madness? I meant to. I’m still trying to figure out how you got left off my list.
April 1st, 2008 at 9:38 pmI’m holding out for the April Fools thing.
April 1st, 2008 at 9:40 pm@ Mary: I’m just waiting for everything to settle down, trying to figure out the best way to suck up to my new boss….who will be paying me handsomely, after all!
April 1st, 2008 at 9:57 pm@ Jodee - Handsome? How kind of you. Thank you, yes I am. Continue the flattery. Works wonders
April 1st, 2008 at 10:01 pm@ Jodee
Uh, huh. SURE Jodee. Don’t know that I’d be cashing any ‘Men With Pens’ paycheckes any time soon. I’m still not biting! (But wasting an awful lot of working time following this conversation today:)
April 1st, 2008 at 10:04 pmDeb, I wish you hadn’t taken that full-time post after all. It’s such a shame it never worked out. I remember how you felt pulled both ways and wasn’t sure what to do for the best. In the end, you thought the pay would really benefit you and your family.
That’s the thing we don’t really know how things will pan out. However, you have had a great offer from James by the sounds of it.
Good luck to Jodee too
Here’s good luck to everyone!
April 1st, 2008 at 10:06 pm@ Jodee - Handsome? How kind of you. Thank you, yes I am. Continue the flattery. Works wonders
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OK Deb, here’s the game plan… it seems flattery works wonders… “James is one cool dude isn’t he?”… now gisa a job!
April 1st, 2008 at 10:12 pmAw, I’m sorry to hear you need to let this go… I am glad to hear that the blog will still exist, though.
Best of luck on your new adventure!
April 1st, 2008 at 10:33 pm@ James: Cross my palm with silver, and the flattery will definitely continue!
April 1st, 2008 at 10:40 pmLet’s gather the evidence…
1. Deb posts in the wee hours about selling this blog. We’re lucky if we get an article from her by 3:00 most days. Up early for the new job Deb?
2.With much fanfare Deb and Jennifer chait launch a brand new blog geared towards network bloggers. Why launch if starting a new career?
3. Nothing against James but Deb chooses the most outspoken and controversial member of the community to sell her blog to?
4. Deb is the most prolific blogger I know. How many blogs do you do now? 12? 15? That doesn’t sound like someone who is flat broke to me.
I do believe we’ve been had. Good one guys.
April 2nd, 2008 at 12:42 amWe had such a scare last year on April 1, too. Is it for real this time?
April 2nd, 2008 at 1:24 amHmmm… I’m not entirely convinced, just yet. Deb did post an article on web writing verses published pieces. May be that was the run up to this topic. She also mentioned James in the article, so perhaps discussions have been taking place.
Don’t forget times have been hard here too. I can’t believe she would deliberately mislead us, even if it was April Fools… but I could be wrong!
April 2nd, 2008 at 1:28 amI can’t believe you guys are buying this!! It’s an April Fools’ day prank! It’s the trend to blog about acquisitions, it seems.
Good one Deb, but you’re not fooling me.
April 2nd, 2008 at 2:16 am@ Mary: I am a lousy poker player, BTW!
April 2nd, 2008 at 3:31 am[…] not the best timing for this announcement, but today Deb Ng formally announced that she has decided to sell Freelance Writing Jobs to James Chartrand of Men With Pens. I’m shocked. I’m saddened. And I’m also […]
April 2nd, 2008 at 6:39 am@ Jodee
I don’t even try, I’m so bad at it!
April 2nd, 2008 at 7:32 am[…] Deb Ng Quits Freelance Writing Gigs […]
April 3rd, 2008 at 1:57 amWow, this is incredible news. Deb, I’m very sorry to see you fading away here. Your posts are always indicative of a thoughtful, caring spirit. Your presence here will be greatly missed. But you couldn’t have left it in better hands.
I don’t know you James, but I’ve lurked about some of the places you land on the blogosphere, and your insight is always great. Your blog is wonderful, as well. I wish you much luck here, and may the force be with you…
April 3rd, 2008 at 5:43 pmI was so burned.
Glad you’re just joking, Deb. You guys are soooo good!
April 4th, 2008 at 12:10 am