Blogging University: Freshman Year

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Snail Pace Transformations,  began in early December 2011 when I was painting the final coat on the floors of our last renovation home (our prior home). I was praying as I was painting asking God to fill the 12 to 20 hours out of my week that I was using to renovate with another project that would bless my family financially.

He replied “write” . With that answer in mind I started reading over “how to blog” series on websites such as Blogging With Amy and Money Saving Mom.

I shared my idea with my husband who said I should go for it, which created an unexpected reaction in me, I starting bawling and all sorts of fearful thoughts starting spewing out of my mouth “What if I fail? What if I put hours and hours of time away from our family into it and I never make a dime? What if no one reads it?”

My husband responded with his usual emergency room nurse tact “just rip off the band-aid and start it”.

I then wiped away my tears and made my husband a deal. I would start January 1st and give myself no more than 2 weeks to research and then I would jump in with my first post no matter how unready I felt.

And on January 1st 2012 I did just that: I started going through Blogging With Amy’s steps to create a blog (cutting corners on few) and on January 12th I published my first post.

By April 2012 I was getting very discouraged, my readership was dismal and I was quickly realizing blogging took way more hours than I thought it would and at my current earning rates it was going to take 3 years to pay off my first year of hosting and domain fees and yet I would have 2 more years worth of expenses to add to that.

One morning while throwing a pity party for myself in my laundry room saying “God why would you have me do this if it is not a blessing to my family,  nor does it seem to be a blessing to others, perhaps my time would be better spent else where”.

When that small voice said “several of your friends just finished spending thousands of dollars and thousands of hours for years to get the job that they want, why do you think you can do it on a $100 budget with 12 to 20 hours a week spent and only several months under your belt?”

Which is when I started thinking differently. That day in my laundry room I enrolled in “Blogging University” a 4 year degree program that requires 10 to 30 hours each week on a budget of $100 to $2000 a year, depending if I go to blogging conference, or get a professional blog redesign, or do nothing but renew my domain name and web host. (this year I picked the conference).

I sat down and divided up my day and my month into times when I will write, times when I will learn, and times when I will network with other students and teachers. I set exam dates for myself, times of regular evaluation, and times of application.

Here I am 12 months later from the beginning, freshman year is over and sophomore year lies before me.

Over the next 6 days I plan to share with you what I have learned so far as a dissertation of sorts. (This post is the landing page, when the words turn blue the posts are live and ready to read)

Day 1: Tutors For Beginner Bloggers

Day 2: Getting Started With Social Media

Day 3: Beginners Photography

Day 4:  Creating A Networking: Socializing With Other Bloggers

Day 5: Monetizing A Blog 101

Day 6: Keeping Your Sanity While Blogging

Looking for blogging tips? Follow My Blogging Tips Board on Pinterest.

If you are a fellow mom trying to grow your blog into a steady income source without letting it take over your life join my Snail Pacing Bloggers Facebook Group.