I recently received this question from a reader and thought I would respond in a blog post:
“Please could you share how on earth you find the time to do Facebook, twitter, LinkedIn, your beautiful blog and website and do the amazing work you do.
This is a genuine request as to what part of your day or week you set aside or do you have an assistant as well. We have a website, Facebook and twitter and considering a blog but very concerned about time management and costs involved.
Any tips would be gratefully accepted.”
So here are my top 10 tips to having a successful blog:
Blogging is a full-time Commitment
“You will think about your blog from the day you start writing, every single day until the day you stop”. Source unknown.
One of the courses I participated in with Landmark Education was a year long and called ‘The Wisdom Course’. This course is about increasing the level of your emotional maturity. I’ve talked before about IQ versus EQ – and emotional intelligence is something you can upgrade vs. your IQ which is pretty much always the same.
In one of the weekends they distinguished the word ‘Commitment’ which was one of the most powerful lessons for me. The leader started the conversation with a question “What am I committed to? We were asked to write it down. So mine looked something like this:
1. My Family
2. My Career
3. My Friends
4. Shopping
Then we were told the definition of Commitment and it went something like this:
“Everything I’m doing is leading towards the fulfillment of X”.
The Wisdom course leader said “Commitments take over your whole life, it’s why you can’t actually be COMMITTED to a huge list of things.”
He went on to say “Those of you that are married. Did the sun, moon and stars come together one day and you decided to be married?” No. For most of us, we simply decided to marry the person we were with at the time. Those of you who say you are committed to being married but are not married; it’s more like you’d vote for marriage if there was an election. Truth be told, if you were committed to being married, you’d be married”.
So then he said, Here are two ways to know exactly what you’re committed to:
1. Look at how your life is right now. That’s what you’re committed to.
2. It’s whatever you spend your time and money on.
Once you distinguish what you’re really, no-kidding committed to, then you can stop being upset that you don’t have certain things that you say you want. I want a vacation in Tuscany but I’m not ‘committed’ to having one at this moment (certainly inside the definition).
So why did I tell you this story? Because blogging is a serious commitment. If you want to have a successful blog and are worried about the [2-5 hour a day] time commitment? Then that simply means you have other commitments that are clearly bigger, such as being a parent, or building or renovating your home or studying for a degree to name a few.
Have you ever noticed that you make time for the things you are committed to? You simply schedule them into your life and they happen. It’s why it’s actually more authentic to say “I am not committed to that” vs. “I don’t have time for that”. Trust me, if you are committed to it, you will find the time.
So after that definition, I wrote a new list of commitments:
1. I’m committed to my family, I spend time and money on them
2. I’m committed to my career, ie. My blog, furthering my education, etc.
3. I’m committed to my personal growth and development inside of being self aware.
4. I’m committed to having a decorated and pretty house. I spend a lot of time and money on it.
5. I’m committed to looking good, I hired a stylist, I have a personal trainer one day a week. I regularly get highlights, haircuts and pedicures.
Who I am about the above list is, ‘This shall be’. The list after commitments falls into the category of wants, in other words, they may or may not happen. I would love to go to Tuscany but right now, it’s not on my “I’m committed and it’s going to happen this year” list. So if it doesn’t happen, I’m not going to walk around upset about it.
To answer the question directly:
“Do I set aside time every week to write in my blog?”
I fit blogging around my other commitments since I do it from home so if that means I need to get up at 5:00 am or stay up until 1:00 am to get a post written, that’s what I do. It’s definitely in the ‘this shall be’ category.
I could be sitting by the pool in our complex right now having a cocktail but instead I’m sitting in my office writing this post Sunday afternoon at 5:00 pm. When I’m tired and it’s 8:00 pm and I just want to relax after a long day but my post is 2 days old? Do I leave it for another day? NO. I get it done. And because I’m always thinking about my blog and what I’m going to say next I rarely sit in front of my computer looking for inspiration. There is no bigger time waster than doing that but I certainly had those days in the beginning. And I still sat there until something came to me because I was committed.
Do not look for Balance – You will not find it
“You spend 2 to 5 hours on average, every day on your blog?” one of my friends said in the beginning when she asked me how long it took? “Where’s the balance, OMG I could never do that”.
When you are building anything, a new company, a new baby, a new blog, there is no balance! I am not a mom, but I’ve sure been around new moms and there is zero balance (unless you are fortunate enough to have a nanny or two).
Blogging is the same. It’s like that line in The Devil Wears Prada when Nigel says to Andy:
“Let me know when your personal life starts going up in smoke, that’s when you’ll know your ready for a promotion”
Having a successful blog requires frequent posting. 3 – 5 times a week at minimum. I write an average of 16 posts per month which is approximately every second day or 4 posts per week.
Be interesting
The days of simply posting pretty pictures are over. There are a few high ranking blogs filled with primarily pretty pictures but take a look at how old they are. With 75,000 blogs started every day, you need to be saying something interesting as well to get noticed in the blogosphere.
Pretty Pictures are important
If you start scrolling down my blog you will notice that many of the photos are colour coordinated. Usually at least 2-3 in a row will have similar colours. It looks better when colours in photos are related, and it’s why I posted a pair of pink shoes at the bottom of this post. They happened to coordinate with the photo right above them.
It’s why we read design magazines, for attractive inspiration. So it’s a good idea to treat your blog like an on-line magazine. You’ll also be posting many of your own photos, so learning how to take good photos is key to having a pretty blog. (if pretty is what you want)
Find your Niche and talk about that
The fastest way to distinguish yourself on the wild, wild, web is to specialize. There are many readers out there so the more specialized you are the more your clients will find you for your expertise and track you down. One good tip about writing posts is about kitchens and bathrooms. Not EVERYONE decorates their home in their lifetime, but most homeowners at some point either renovate a bathroom or kitchen or tweak SOMETHING which means they will get on-line and start searching for answers to their design and colour questions. My posts about kitchens are the highest ranked for this reason.
Have an Opinion
Please if you follow no other advice in this post, listen to this one. Take a stand and stick to it. Do not write a post one week about how you love upholstered headboards and then the following week, say you’re bored of them. If a potential client starts reading your blog and you have an intelligent opinion and a great aesthetic that gets expressed over and over in your posts, someone who is reading and notices that they continue to agree with your point of view is then likely to hire you as a result. Which leads me to my next point. . .
Stop Lecturing (which I just did)
I cannot stand preachy posts or twitter feeds for that matter. I quickly get annoyed stop following and move on. I want to be educated not preached to. There’s a difference.
You can have a strong opinion about your design aesthetic without making your reader feel like they are doing something wrong.
DYI Blog or Design Blog; Which one should you write?
The highest ranked home & garden blogs often fall into the category of do-it yourself. Readers love before and afters and generally the DIY category have lower budgets as well as have the time to research on-line.
A high ranking DIY blog, makes money from advertisers or writing for other media NOT from readers who hire them to decorate their house.
Be Yourself (in other words be Authentic)
A friendly, conversational style of writing works the best for a blog. It makes people feel like they are right there talking with you.
I recently used the line “insanely talented” and immediately received an email from a reader saying that using that word as an adjective could be offensive to some people. I picked it up from another blogger who uses it all the time but it clearly suits her conversational style where it sounded odd coming from me most likely because it did not sound like me.
So be authentically you! Otherwise, someone will call you out!
Don’t give Up
It took me about a year of regular posting to start receiving a stream of consistent leads from clients who found my blog. I definitely picked up clients from my blog inside that year but it takes time to build momentum. It’s easier for a designer who is also a renovator to rely on their referrals (like one who I know) there are only so many large jobs you can take on in a year. However, in addition to the interior decorating work that I have I also conduct hundreds of colour consultations every year which means that referrals are not enough to keep me going, I also need a consistent source of leads which I now have with this blog.
So that, my lovelies is a little insider scoop on what it takes. It’s not easy, it’s definitely not ‘get rich quick’ it’s a job just like anything else. I have no idea what it looks like to just think about a weekend stretched out in front of me, wondering how I’m going to fill it, I work all the time. And I would most definitely not trade it in for working for someone else. Besides, my income has tripled from what it used to be, so writing this blog, definitely worth it. I’ll get to Tuscany very soon!
If you have any blogging tips to add, please add a comment, it’ll contribute to all of us!
If you would like your home to fill you with happiness every time you walk in, contact me.
Related posts:
Maria’s Guide to Starting a Design Blog (all my posts about blogging in one)
Happiness is. . . Having a Career that you Love
Who Says you’re not Creative?
Clients and the Law of Attraction
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Hi Maria,
I just sat down to work on this week's posts and had to stop and read every line of this. I am frequently asked "how much time does it take to blog" or "how much time do I spend on it" and people are often surprised when I say "hours each day".
Let's just say you won't be surprised that I begged my husband to find a way to connect me this week (we are in Western Kansas visiting his family) and I couldn't bear to be offline that long. Basically, because I've worked hard over the past year to be consistent and reliable to my readership.
Having a blog takes commitment (loved your background on this), time and desire. And, I think it's key to write about whatever YOU are passionate about. That's where the authenticity comes through. And, not every blog is about making money. For me, it is a true creative outlet…but the rewards have been immense. New friends (in real life) who I would have never met otherwise, access to talented people whom I would have never met otherwise and the creation of somthing I feel proud of.
You are an amazing example to me and so many others….and generous in sharing your insights and experiences.
xo Elizabeth
Hi Maria, what a great and thought-provoking post. You certainly demonstrate your commitment. I was consistent for the first 8 months or so, but then the time reality vs. other priorities crept in, and still do. I don't seek to make money from my blog, but I do seek to use it as a vehicle to show what I am capable of. One thing blogging demands is time — if you're starting a blog, you can't underestimate that! Thanks for the thoughts!!
This is Fabulous! Maria I have to say I have loved, loved what you have to say! I have learned so much from you.
My husband and I started our own business from home He is a interiror/lifestyle photographer and for me design and styling. We have 2 kids so it is busy and we work all the time. We still would not trade it for anything.
So thanks for the encouragment and for taking time to read this in your busy schedule! Keep up the great work.
Once someone saw a birthday party I did for my daughter and said, "You must have too much time on your hands." I was very offended, but it helped me begin to realize: you make time for what's important to you, like you said: if you're committed to something, you make time for it. I work longer hours than most people I know because I am blogging and color consulting and decorating and staging – but I still constantly hear how "lucky" I am. Lucky to be doing what I love. And, of course, I am, but they have no idea the level of commitment and time and effort I put into it week in and week out. There is no "down time" and I can't punch that time clock at 5 pm and be done. There's always more to do, more to learn, more to plan for. Still trying to balance – but like you explained, maybe balance isn't possible when you are passionate about something. Thank you for inspiring me and others to pursue what they love!
Dear Maria, you have been an encouragement from the start. Your words do ring so true. I started my site to promote my own art and ended up wanting to find a way to give back to others.
This is from supporting artists, interior designer, jewelry designers, entrepreneurs etc. It is the most fulfilling thing I have ever accomplished.
xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena
I have an amazing Giveaway from the Artisans at Novica. You will love it!
Maria,
I am not a blogger, but I read upwards of almost 200 blogs a week. So I suppose I am committed to something too — reading blogs! Seriously, your posts are always so brilliant an spot on, making us think! My daughter-in-law recently began a blog "Bella Soiree" and I am sending her your post to encourage her in her new endeavour.
Bless you always,
Victoria in Texas
One of your biggest fans!
Great words! I must say it also helps a lot if you love the process of doing it. I enjoy blogging..it's writing to my friends now..new, older and yet to be..and enjoy the creativity side of it and the photography and the responses. If you are looking forward to writing your blog and it's not just a task..then I think that comes through too.
You are truly inspirational by many!would love to visit your Blog-site every day and you inspire me…thanks for sharing your wonderful thoughts…More power!
Hello MK, I too spend hours writing, preparing and illustrating my weekly blog post. I am also a mum, wife, Colour Consultant and Interior Designer. It's the Colour Consulting that is my true passion and I consult when my children are at school.
As well as writing my blog, I also do all my own photography so the committment and creativity are very time consuming – but also my passion and never a chore. Each week I do a post about what's on my mind in the way of colour or design. I find it a great way of expressing my creativity as I am limited in the way of people to talk to about Colour and Design.
The other day I had lunch with my close girlfriends and I asked them if they read my blog from time to time and they replied 'no' which I thought was very funny!
Ofcourse they have no idea how much time and energy I put into it and I'm definitely not here to push it onto them to read it, as I understand that it's just 'not their thing'.
So it's wonderful that I can read and connect with other colour obsessed bloggers like you Maria.
Thankyou for being such a wonderful teacher and mentor.
xMichelle
Well said Maria! I have tried starting my own blog twice earlier..first time..though I liked what i wrote I thought it was getting very preachy…so i gave it up..
Second time i could not keep the commitment…
There will be a third try …but before that I have to make up my mind on a couple of points!
Love your blog!
Great post! I just bookmarked it. The theory of commitment is really good… And it made me realize which parts of my life I am not really committed to but definitely should be. Time for a shift in priorities…
Relatable Style
I love blogging to but I realized that the extra 5 pounds I've recently gained means I'm spending too much time behind the computer. I think putting it all in balance is a great point but when is it enough, one post a week, two? Like you Maria, I have so much great information to share I can easily pop out 3 a week but that would mean another 5 lbs! But I love blogging!!! I guess just double up on gym time : )
Good morning Maria, I opened my email this morning AT 5:30 after numerous failed attempts to get my 9 week old puppy to go back to sleep. As I held a chew toy with one hand to keep the puppy preoccupied and quiet, so as not to wake the children- I opened my first email-a Colour Me Happy post. Although this post was written with blogging in mind, it touched me, and so many others I'm sure, on so many levels. For me, this post hit the nail on the head ten fold. All the things I try to do, "want" to do in a day…do I really feel a commitment to them? I am a designer, I opened a retail store this year, I want to repurpose more and more furniture, I "want" to design my own fabric, I "want" to write a book, I am raising a beautiful family, I blog when I can, and then their is my own "SELF". At a time when I have been trying to stay above water, your words have been invaluable to me. I take away so much from what you wrote,in fact, I will be printing it and keeping it for quick inspiration! Your words reminded me that it's alright not to "do" evrything, it's alright to let go of the things we think we "should" do…the things we are not "commited" to! Tanya
http://[email protected]
Great post Maria. I am reading the book Emotional Intelligence 2.0 right now so this was a timely post for me. The idea of commitment is such a good one — there are things we would "like" to be committed to and things we actually are committed to. It's good to reflect on the difference. This was a very well-thought out and informative post. I really enjoy your posts on blogging.
Great post, Maria! I "started" my blog last summer, and obviously am not fully "committed"! The posts I have done have really taken alot of time! I feel very accomplished publishing a post, but don't have time between business,etc to post as often as you suggest. It was discouraging to me that a new follower (doubling my follower count!) dropped me! I am sure it is because I did not quickly have a follow up post–even though I know what I will post about, I haven't made the time to sit down and write it…Your logical walk thru about "commitment" has at least made me feel more conscious about WHY I am not posting–not that I don't like it, just that it is not a top priority to give the time it requires…right now! Love your blog!
Great post! You've said it all!
If you really want to see any positive result in this business you need to commit to it. Not an easy task at times, but definitely worth it.
xo
Luciane at HomeBunch.com
Hands down the most helpful post I've ever read. Thank you so much for the well thought out and educational information – it's evident that you care deeply about people and are willing to share your hard earned experience. Thank you , thank you, thank you.
Hi Maria,
Great post – I just love your thoughts around the idea of commitment and making time for things that you are truly committed to. So many times I have started and not finished something and it's because in my heart of hearts I was not truly committed to it. I think for me, when something becomes an obsession or almost addictive it's at that point I know I am totally committed.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, as always, so openly and candidly.
Cheers,
Sarah
You are so very generous with your advice, Maria. I am sure that many more people than the ones who comment will benefit from your experience.
It sounds dramatic to say, but blogging has changed my life. It has allowed me to combine all the things I love to do — write, study, decorate, photograph, and create new things all the time. My busy days have focus because of my commitment.
Like Michelle, many of my close friends don't read my blog. I think if you are good at something, you make it look easy, so I take it as a compliment that they don't think blogging is a big deal. I might spend 8 hours working on one post. I post twice a week, on the same days, same time. I think consistency of posting schedule builds reader confidence, just the way consistency of opinion does. (Great point, Maria.)
One piece of advice I've read on CopyBlogger is that apologizing for not posting often makes you look self-centered and out of touch. Just post, already!
I am enjoying reading the comments here today. Thanks for giving fellow bloggers this valuable opportunity.
Maria, The things you are saying are so true!! I so enjoyed this post..every morsel!
Blogging does take time and commitment. Helping people is such a strong drive in me that it keeps me blogging day in and day out. It's my passion. I think I'm just a home ec teacher at heart.
But my first priority is my family. It's a season of life. I know my blog doesn't have the traffic it could have. I could make money with it if I stepped up my commitment. But as a mother of busy teens, I cannot with integrity make my blog 'first'. I never whine or worry because I don't get enough comments or traffic. It's my own fault and a conscious decision to hold back.
However, it is definitely SECOND. That means that I blog 3-5 times a week, work hard to take great photos and write instead of relax in front of a movie many evenings. I think about my blog A LOT. I have big plans for improvements. I take digital photo classes on line and read CopyBlogger all the time to improve my writing style. I never have to wonder what my next post will be. I have material stored up ready and waiting to go. Ah..so many wonderful posts and so little time. Sigh… :o)
We know I'm on the verge of the empty nest and my husband feels this is going to be my big mission in life and then Comin' Home is going to go full swing! Yippee!!
My only advice for blogging is to BE REAL. Your blog needs to reflect your passions. If you try to make a blog just to build traffic for a company that you are not in love with.. or to make money or to be 'like' someone else's blog, you will not be able to muster up the commitment or authenticity needed. You would have to start doing things just for the sake of blogging. Exhausting!! I have never seen a homemaking blog like mine..though I'm sure there are other blogs in that field.
It will make you feel torn between your blog and real life. They need to be connected. Then blogging will be easy. It's just overflow from your life–who you really are and what you love.
I love you Maria! You are just FABULOUS. (As Ellen would say. )
xo
Donna
PS. My comment was way too long so I deleted half of it and am sending it in an email. You just got me on my bandwagon with this post. LoL!
I feel validated. Thank you. A recent post that I did on Hollywood Regency took me about 10 hours to fully research and write. Yet it continues to get hits everyday. Same with Spanish Colonial and I did that post almost 3 years ago.
My readers know that they are never going to get a slap up job from me.
Last Friday's Grace Kelly post~ 15+ hours.
One thing I would add is make sure you write for you and what you love. Otherwise you just come off as half hearted.
You definitely have the right on this. I have still not become rich—and probably won’t, but I am still blogging. Five a week for over three years now. I have stayed consistent with my own views and my own philosophy. It’s all about kitchens and baths and about being positive. I personally do not care for negative blogs and will not write them. But what I’ve found for my own writing is that the world is a fascinating place, and there is always something to write about that gets my heart pumping pretty fast. And you’re right about the amount of time it takes. A lot!
Wow, that's very thorough, very insightful and very helpful and interesting.
Thanks,
Hi Maria,
Goodness knows I have been at this awhile. Several years to be exact. I didn't start reaching out to other bloggers, commenting and such until around January. Things have been picking up but my followers numbers are still very low. I feel like I've worked really hard to get every one. I think my blog has some great meat to it. It really says what I want to say to my future clients. It gives some design education, lets clients know how I work, what all is involved in working with a designer, and a little about what this business is about. I need some bigger numbers to stay encouraged though. I look at some blogs with hundreds of followers and content that is just lame and wonder what I'm doing wrong. I know I don't post as often as I should, but I work way over 40 hours a week as it is and must fit blogging into my "off" time.
Would you ever consider doing blog consultations? Taking 30 min to read my blog and then having a 30 min phone conversation?
As a new blogger, I love your honest advice. It is so refreshing to hear 'real' experiences from others. Thank you!
Boy, Maria, you told it like it is. As a paid blogger who writes for others I would add that one of the hardest parts of blogging is getting noticed…it takes a tremendous amount of time to read blogs, comment and follow up. But once you accomplish this it becomes one of the biggest advantages of blogging..new friends who offer new ideas etc.
As I said, I write for designers and online retailers who do not have the ability, desire or time to write themselves. These people already recognize what you so eloquently pointed out and that is the amount of time it takes to write regular blog posts.
I would caution new bloggers to always proofread and correct typos etc. I am so turned off by poorly written blogs. As you said, be yourself, dont plagiarize because, if you are truly committed to your niche then ideas will come. While there is no such thing as a new idea, adding your own spin will make it seem so. And have a sense of humor. Dry, lecturing blogs will not be shared.
Thanks for a great post.
A million thanks for this insightful and thoughtful post, Maria!!
Maria, posted this morning, but wanted to add, that I have shared your insightful words with some colleagues and friends-they loved it and thanked me for sharing your words with them! Tanya
STYLESTUDIOLLC.COM
To me, blogging is just another part of business. For me it's more about fun than it is about business (my personal blog that is), but I enjoy it. But I don't see it as any different from my "real" job, where in recent years I've had to take on managing Facebook and Twitter, and ad proposals and social marketing strategies and about 10 other things that didn't used to be in my job description. Other parts of the job description don't fall away. You do it because you do it and because it needs to get done. Sure I think about all the extra time I would have if I didn't have to do all that stuff at my 60-hour-a-week job, or spend time writing my personal blog, or being very hands-on with our ongoing house renovation and really the only thing I come up with is that I'd get to see my girlfriends more often and I'd actually use my gym membership. But that's not where I am in life right now so I work and I blog and I just do it. I guess that gets to the heart of the commitment part but I don't really think about it like that.
I thought I was one of the few who took hours to create a post–I like to research a bit and link other posts.
But then again, I blog because I want to remember things I did, thoughts I had. I also don't do any negative stuff because my blog is my happy place. Reading it back makes me learn more about myself in the process–what I like, and what I'm drawn to. It's easy to see a pattern when everything compiled together.
Come to think of it, if I blogged about my business, I wouldn't be half as interested to post, or to read it! That proved to me that I wasn't 100% committed to the industry I was in. My blog theme showed me that my interests lay elsewhere. For that alone, it was eye-opening.
If my blog attracts other people, that's a bonus.
Thanks for your thought-provoking posts. Appreciate it!
Maria, I always get a lot out of your posts and love all your tips.
Because you are always careful with giving credit on your photos and info, I wanted to mention that stating a photo source as from Pinterest is not giving just credit to the photographer. Each Pinterest photo has the attribution directly underneath it. If I took a photo of one of your lovely room designs and gave the source as say "google images" the vagueness would not give due credit.
I intend no disrespect.
María
He leído todos los post de esta nota y creo como la mayoria que tus aportes seran de gran ayuda, gracias por compartir esto dieferente , esto permite también ver y leer los blogs desde un ángulo distinto
carinos.
Hi Maria, Rebekah and I just watched Julie and Julia over the weekend..
It's very insightful into the life of a blogger. :o) I had been planning to write about blogging on my Tuesday Tea chat and I did.
I wanted to let you know that I wrote a whole paragraph referring to your post. My article is coming from the other side..when blogging becomes a problem for those of us who don't 'need' to blog…but do it more for 'fun'.
Your article was a great example of how to have a successful blog for those with a business. It really is very good!
xo
Donna @ Comin' Home
Maria, Thank you for this post. I just got my web site up and running. Now I want to blog and I am more than a little bit scared. Your posts give me strength to begin a new journey. Thanks for being honest, I know more about what I am getting into. I am also excited to challange myself. So… onward and upward I go. Nadine Carter
Maria – Thank you for sharing such an insightful and informative post. I too, spend hours writing, creating, and editing each of my posts. As a new blogger, a great deal of research goes into everything I do. Building a 'following' takes time and exposure – or so I've learned! For now, I'm focusing on the 3 Ps: Patience, Perseverance, and a Positive Attitude.
Thank you again for so generously sharing your knowledge and talent.
Wendi
Maria,I just started blogging. Although I am late to the party I read this post twice and found it so insightful and helpful. I also forwarded it to 3 different friends who all want to start blogging but are on the fence. Thank you so much for sharing this info.
Maria I just stared blogging and this post came at such a good time. I read it twice and then forwarded it to two different friends who both are on the fence about whether to start blogging or not. Thank you for sharing this great insightful content.
Maria,Thank you so much for this post. What you said about commitment is so true! It helped me take a fresh look at how I use my time. I am fairly new to blogging, but love it. I so agree that posts should be interesting (as yours always are!). I want my posts to be of interest and helpful to my readers, and worth their time to visit. Interior design is my passion (and profession), helping people live in homes they love is my commitment. Blogging is one way to live up to that commitment. Many Thanks for your inspiration!
Maria,
Ok, now not only do we know that your know your colors but you also know a ton about blogging too.
Will you offer courses on blogging? I think you could and make enough money to buy a vacation home in Tuscany. Really! You are always spot on with your tips.
I for one am glad that my new kitchen….is gray and white and that my blogging has also helped with my own momentum with my artwork, connecting to other people who enjoy creating, designing and living an artful life.
You know there is even "gray" nail polish!
pve
There is a good discussion on Garden Web's Home Decorating forum about many former readers opinions about what your blog has become. Oh, and I have a seminar to sell you, because that never gets old.
I just read about that over on Garden web! I agree completely about what most are saying. Where is the helpful information? Why should I read a blog just to have to pay for ANY kind of decorating help?
Honestly I stopped reading this blog way back when the whole, "my sister has to pay ME for MY time to help her decorate her home" post. I only came on here today to pop through the last couple posts and see if her attitude had changed at all. Nope! Still being selfish and money hungry! All this advertizing about these seminars is really old. How about this? Give your readers want they want. Good advise about decorating and COLOR and stop trying to sell every single thing. If they want to hire you they will but not because they feel forced too.
The above 2 comments bring up a point I missed in this post:
A blog is a point of view, you are entitled to yours and I have mine. Most people like blogs with a strong personality behind them. That's reason number 11 that I have a high ranking blog.
I receive countless emails from homeowners thanking me for all the FREE information in my blog that enables them to have a home or kitchen that they love.
As Simon Sinek says "People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it" I write to make a difference, to be a contribution and to share my love for design and colour. I love what I do and this blog is my platform for my business too.
I have spent approx 2400 hours of my FREE time writing posts and if 1% of my posts sell my workshops so that I can continue to write quality FREE content, I don't apologize for it.
Maria
I've often wondered about the tone of my blog… and you just stated something making me wonder even more – "You can have a strong opinion about your design aesthetic without making your reader feel like they are doing something wrong." When I worked for a company for 16 years, I got feedback – knew when I was doing something right, and to keep on doing it (but keep making it better) and I knew when I was doing something wrong and I'd strive to change it – to do it better. But the only feedback I seem to get from blogging is noting followers and comments. And if neither are happening, I feel like must be doing something wrong.
It kills me to take the time to plan, take photos, edit them, write a post, tweet it, fb it, and have it show on LI, but not get any comments? After a year & a half of blogging, it's starting to get very discouraging – esp. when I see some others suddenly take off. But like I was told in the begining – "Keep On Blogging"… and so that remains my focus.
Thank you for sharing such a thought provoking post.
xo Lynda
Really enjoy reading your blog, as a beginner stylist I feel your advice about colour has helped me tremendously.
Loved your advice about being yourself and keeping your voice intact. I’ve had a blog for almost 5 years now and it does take a lot of hard work and finetuning.
Best,
Julia
x
Great, great post. I am about to launch a decorating business and blog, and this is such good advice, as always! I had one of those moments yesterday, when I realized that yes, I am truly committed and motivated to do this because I was even spending hours and hours reading the IRS website and boring books to make sure that I set it all up correctly and it becomes a reality! Your blog is truly a standout one, and inspirational! Thank you!
Hi Maria,
Thank you for taking the time to share this post with us. It is honest and refreshing ..and as I have only recently discovered..very true!
From the outside, blogging seems ..well…effortless.
At least the great blogs do. But IT IS NOT, and it is very time consuming.
I guess we could describe it, not unlike “Shrek” does life: It is like an onion; it has many layers to it and the more time you spend and dedicate to it, the bigger the rewards.
Each comment, each new follower, is like eating a great apple pie after spending all summer on a diet.
Nothing makes me happier…
As I am sure the wonderful comments you have recieved to this post, is a true sign of all of our appreciation to you.
…but, like Donna Frasca wrote: those extra 5 (?) pounds from spending so much time in front of the computer are killing me!
Thank you, and keep posting!
Jennifer
Maria,
thank you for beeing so generous with your experience and share it with us. I gained so much by reading your article.
I am a very excperienced interior designer in Greece (23 years of interiors commercial and residential).
Due to crisis, there are no jobs here, so i started an onlinedecorating bussiness and a blog to support my site. I never thought how much i would love blogging
My blog is in english which is not my native language, as you can see, so i have to prepare each post and mail it to an american blogger to correct it. I have to pay for each post, 30 US dolars, so it is costy too, and I have to try more than others but, i love every minute of it 🙂
It excites me thinking of, what my next post will be. My family though, is nagging that i spent so much time with my blog and neglect other things i must do.
Today, yes today, was the first time that i thought of quiting my blog, because my followers are only 6, after 5 month of blogging (2 posts a week). Almost 1 follower a month heheheh
And then i visited your page. It is the first time i visited you and i am commited to your side from now on.
After reading your article here, I found out that other bloggers have same problems as mine (time problem) And since blogging is not a job, it’s a passion, I should give it another chance, using some things i have learned from your post here.
Thank you Maria for helping me reconsider my blogging and giving me some ideas how to make it better and please exuse my spelling and grammar mistakes :))))
Thanks again, i will visit your side often to see your new posts.
Renia