This is the 1009th post on Successful-Blog and soon I will celebrate the one-year anniversary of my first post here. A lot has changed since then. I’ve grown up as a person and as a blogger with this little blog by my side.I’ve met so many dear, and deeply close friends in that time. We’ve made each other better.
I love every reader who takes time to comment and every reader who simply reads what I write. I look forward to coming here every day to see what happens and who will stop in to say something.
I love this little blog. I remember the first post I wrote and every post after that. This blog has grown so much it’s now half my life. It’s part of me, and I’m part of it.
Now that a year’s coming to a close, and I stop to breathe. I look around at where things are, at what I see. I realize that sometimes folks make a big deal about this blog and me, but truth is, I’m just a working writer — supporting my family and a big university.
I’m finding that as a only one person, who writes for a living, to be fair to my family, and to be able to keep doing what I love so much, I need the time spend on Successful-Blog to be earning for me.
So after much thinking, I’ve decided to add some affiliate products to the sidebar. I want you to know how I’m going to choose them. The products will only be those that I would personally use or buy to give to my friends. End of story.
I value my name, and if a product is there, my name is on it.
That is the what, the why, and the promise behind my doing it. There will be no sales pitch. If I write about a product, every word I say, as always, will be what-I-would-say-to-my-best-friend true.
Of course, you can always hire me, too. I am the nice one. ๐
There are many blogs out there that seem to focus on one thing, ads. Even some so called A-Listers seem to be writing for one thing, get traffic for ad money.
When I first left a comment or emailed you. (I can’t remember which) I said I know a bullshit artist when I see one. You are not one. You have original material and write from true life experience. It’s obvious to anyone who reads your blog you care about your readers and write from the heart.
You have every right in the world after a year to make a little money from your blog. You have proven to your readers what’s important to you.
Hey Roy,
Thanks for saying that. You don’t know how much that means to me. ๐
Hey Liz,
What Roy said…
If anyone deserves to make some money from Blogging, it’s you. Your readers have always come first, now it’s your turn, no one will fault you in the least. More likely, they will support your decision. Believe me.
Joe
ps My 1 year anniversary is coming up very soon too. ๐
J.
Hey Joe,
That’s cool that you’re gonna be one year old. ๐ My writing blog was one this summer. It didn’t want a party though.
Thanks for your words up there. You know I value them, like I value you.
Heck Liz, by all means, make a few bucks – we need you out here! You wear your integrity on your sleeve for all to see, and that’s a darn good thing my friend. Oh, and sometime down the road we’ll talk about that little book editing job……
All the best!
Thanks Starbucker,
I don’t know what I’d do without a dance partner every now and then. ๐
I’ll figure out how to make this blog-baby keep on going. ๐
Liz –
If I were wealthy I would support you myself in the tradition of the masters – you would of course have to write books only for me!
So it’s much better this way – we get to share you.
Good luck!
Ann
Ann,
If I had to write only for you, would that mean I would be writing content management system proposals and documents? I’m not very good at that . . . ๐
No, no, no – your writing would be my escape from all that :-)!!!
Whew! Ann, What relief! Then I’d write serenades to your dogs!
A – Talent is a tool, and a wonderful gift to have.
B – Passion is a tool, and a joy to express.
C- Money is a tool, and a great one to have access to.
Whenever we can use tool A and tool B to attract tool C, we create abundance all around us and true happiness in our lives.
Seems to me that’s what you’ll be doing, and I think it’s awesome.
Tony Clark,
You are a lovely thinker and I think that’s a lovely thought that you just put together there!
WOW, 1000+ posts. In just 1 year! That’s incredible Liz, and I bet they are all as good if not better than what’s to come in the next year or 10 of your blog ๐
Hey TechZ,
I hope they’re only going to get better and better. But then I’m getting older and older by the second. Whoops! I just got a second older again!
Liz,
It’s a wonderful idea. And besides, a growing number of people these days expect to make a little something off their blogging efforts, if only to cover costs. You deserve to have a GRAND return for the time you put into this wonderful community.
Good luck!
Thanks, Cat,
I appreciate you saying so. It’s a great place here and I want to keep it that way as long as I can. ๐
If any blogger out there deserves some return … it would be you.
Thanks for the year-long education and for having contributed greatly to my knowledge of readin’, writin’ and blogmatick.
Aw Mike,
You’ve been here for all of it. Thank you for that. Thank you for everything.
You mean you’re going to try and monetize this blog to some extent – I’m shocked, horrified, staggered and well … it’s about bloody time ๐
How dare you keep writing all this quality stuff and not getting some monetary rewards for it.
But what you really need Liz, is a product(s) with your name on it.
The workman’s worth his wages, Liz. You give more value than you’ll ever receive back in income here. With everyone else, I say good on you!
Only our bodies are getting older. We’re just along for the ride.;-)
Hey Martin!
Thanks for your awesome shock and horror. I’m getting those products with my name on it going! Honest!
Hi Rick,
Thank you!
I’ve just got to make some packages that folks will think they want to take home with them — for some money.
Liz … check out my link above.
It’s what I’m doing now that I sold everything behind ePubDaily – this is my true passion and what I’ll be doing for the next few years. I’m settling on this as my thing.
It’s a work in progress, but you know who to contact once this thing gets rolling (1 Nov) if you’d like to publish something.
Congratulations on the sale, Martin! That’s so very cool. I knew you wanted Kickstart going. I’m so happy it’s going to be a reality for you. Let’s email. ๐
Obviously, you haven’t got me on your rss feed – I posted this on the 20 Sept – Big News at ePubDaily (or why Iรยขรขยยฌรขยยขve been slacking off)
Trust me, we’ll talk. I think you’ve got a fan base to make anything you do a success – just got to pick a good topic and target.
Thank you, Martin. Let’s have that conversation. ๐
Give me 2 weeks – as you can see, the site is still fleshing itself out.
Let’s talk a bit before that. So I know what you’re thinking.
I’ll email you tomorrow with what my plans are (it’s nearing midnight here).
Thank you, Martin.
That would be fabulous!
1000 posts in a year? Holy cow, you are pretty darn prolific Liz! You go girl! And if you’re choosing something, we can be assured it’s only because it’s battle tested by you, not because you’re shilling for dollars!
Oh Phil,
You are right about that! I just couldn’t do it any other way. That would creepy. ๐
Yay. ๐ I now go to scheme.
John, I’m not sure what you’re scheming about. ๐
Oh, but you will…
Oh, I’m smiling . . . this sounds like it could be fun!
Happy anniversary Liz! I love the way you write; funny, real and warm. Here’s to another sparkling year!
Thank you, Alvin.
Please send money. ๐