14 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
14 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

Should I blog my journey to online success or failure?

by J.Knight
12 replies
Hey guys,

First of all, I just want to say I'm absolutely loving this forum. I don't think many people (some clearly do of course) realise just how powerful some of the info is in many of the threads created.

Secondly, I think I should make something clear. I'm not an IM or copywriting expert. I just got PM'd about helping someone with their sales copy, which made me chuckle.

However, my strength is that I am a 'perpetual student'. That is, I am always studying and reading books. Whether it's Bly's 'The Online Copywriter's Handbook', 'Triggers' by Sugarman, or Jeff Walker's 'Product Launch Formula' or whatever.

I'm glad I enjoy studying. My understanding of others leads me to believe that by being a willing student of the experts, I'm already ahead of the game.

However, I haven't developed any product to be sold online as yet. Why? Well, up until this point, I wasn't sure if I wanted to.

You see, I love my offline job.

No, honestly, I really do.

I make a comfortable income. I don't lack anything at all. I enjoy what I do, and most of all I enjoy the fact that what I do benefits others.

I'm not trying to be all soft and namby-pamby with you here, but there's nothing like helping others. I'm sure most of you have experienced that. If you haven't, what are you waiting for?

With that all said, and in spite of the fact I don't think I'll ever give up my offline job, I'm real serious about taking a stab at this online stuff in my spare time.

It's not that I think it looks particularly easy, or that I think I have the silver bullet to achieve online success...

I'm just, I suppose, tempted.

So, what I was wondering was, do you think I should blog my journey?

I know blogging can take hard work effort, but I'm not really thinking of producing a blog which will make me money. I am thinking along the lines that blogging what I'm doing and how I'm getting on, could be beneficial to others.

What do you think? Is there a negative to this I am missing, or should I just spend my time more wisely?

JK
#blog #failure #journey #online #success
  • Profile picture of the author Diana Lane
    Why don't you blog about your job, if that's your real passion?

    That could benefit others too.

    A 'journey to online failure' is not going to be seen by many people unless you make a great job of marketing it, SEO and all the rest of it, in which case you will have stuffed up quite spectacularly on the failure front anyway
    Signature

    Plot short fiction, long fiction, even outline non-fiction * Edit the question prompts to suit your genre * Easily export text and image files for use with your word processor or Scrivener.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[242167].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author CIIC
    Well, if you do choose to blog your journey, I just want to say the answer to the question in your thread title is "Success." Blog your journey to success, not to failure. Haha.

    But all jokes aside, if you're comfortable blogging about your ups and downs I don't think anybody here will advise you not to. I think it's a good idea to journalize your adventure in some form whether it's online or offline, public or private.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[242168].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author J.Knight
    I knew after I posted this, I'd made a mistake lol

    I included 'failure' because I didn't want to look like an arrogant prat.

    I have no intention of failing. If I didn't believe I could succeed, I wouldn't bother.

    On that note, does anyone know how to appear confident online without looking cocky?

    Anyway, to answer your suggestion to blog about my passion Diana. It's a no go. Primarily because blogging about my passion would not add anything to my online efforts to make money.

    CIIC,

    Thanks. If John Reese can mess up and then tell everyone about it, I think it's only right that I would too :-)
    Signature
    You Absolutely DO NOT Want >>> This FREE Report <<< It May Change Your Life!

    Like to chitter? Add me on Twitter!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[242193].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Diana Lane
      Originally Posted by J.Knight View Post

      Anyway, to answer your suggestion to blog about my passion Diana. It's a no go. Primarily because blogging about my passion would not add anything to my online efforts to make money.
      Sorry - it was this bit of the OP which confused me 'but I'm not really thinking of producing a blog which will make me money. I am thinking along the lines that blogging what I'm doing and how I'm getting on, could be beneficial to others'

      I don't think any of us can help you with your direction until you're clear about the direction in which you want to go
      Signature

      Plot short fiction, long fiction, even outline non-fiction * Edit the question prompts to suit your genre * Easily export text and image files for use with your word processor or Scrivener.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[242224].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author J.Knight
        Originally Posted by astracadia View Post

        Sorry - it was this bit of the OP which confused me 'but I'm not really thinking of producing a blog which will make me money. I am thinking along the lines that blogging what I'm doing and how I'm getting on, could be beneficial to others'

        I don't think any of us can help you with your direction until you're clear about in which direction you want to go
        What I meant was, 'I am thinking along the lines that blogging what I'm doing (in my strategies and efforts of making money online) and how I'm getting on, could be beneficial to others'.

        The blog itself won't make money, but I'll write about how I'm building my list, how I'm creating and marketing my product, etc.

        Sorry for the lack of clarity. Maybe I'm too tired. I appreciate the feedback though.

        JK
        Signature
        You Absolutely DO NOT Want >>> This FREE Report <<< It May Change Your Life!

        Like to chitter? Add me on Twitter!
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[242229].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author Diana Lane
          Originally Posted by J.Knight View Post

          Sorry for the lack of clarity. Maybe I'm too tired. I appreciate the feedback though.

          JK
          No worries. I've not had much sleep either. I don't think your post is the first thing I've read upside-down this morning
          Signature

          Plot short fiction, long fiction, even outline non-fiction * Edit the question prompts to suit your genre * Easily export text and image files for use with your word processor or Scrivener.
          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[242234].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author mjbmedia
        I started doing the exact same thing.
        Three blogs later I realised that i was leading people in circles (if anyone was reading) .

        eg first off i was going to use one html editor, then i used another so had to reproach the previous blog, then something else changed and if anyone had been reading it, theyd likely have decided to skip it until i knew what the hell i was doing .
        though it may have been reassuring to see other people (me) 'struggling' with the initial set up etc whywould anyone take notice of anything a newbie was doing until they were clearly on the road to some success, then people may want to read the back issues.
        But unless youve got a clear cast iron plan in place that youre gonna follow you may want to keep it more private in diary format and then 'release' it when youre succesful as theres certainly a market for 'how a successful person started' rather than(or i should say as well as) whats on offer now ie ' how a succesful person got more succesful'
        Signature

        Mike

        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[242236].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Stanley Tang
    Go for it. In fact, thats how many of the authority internet marketing blogs got their starts - shoemoney, johnchow, tylercruz. They just simply started off by blogging about themselves.

    In fact, this is exactly what I'm doing right now with my latest project. I'm documenting the journey I'm taking to become the youngest #1 best-selling business author using the power of the internet.
    Signature
    eMillions: Behind-The-Scenes Stories of 14 Successful Internet Millionaires
    Get Your Copy of The #1 Best-Seller Now At Amazon For $13.57

    http://www.emillionsbook.com
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[242293].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author bgmacaw
    No, you should not. The "My journey to make money online" thing has been done to death, mostly by people who don't have a clue as to how to make money online. You can find these useless blogs all over the Internet, most of them abandoned within a few months due to the lack of money and visitors.

    But, if you're interested in creating one that will get visitors, and maybe money in the very long run, I wrote a semi-satirical how-to on creating such a blog and making it a success a little while ago called The Secret Guide to Social Blogging Success.
    Signature
    Product Reviews | Earn Online Cash | Free HTML Templates
    Free WordPress Themes: Boring Memo | Dateless Mini-Site | Info Magazine | 100 Twenty-Ten Niche Headers
    Discount Templates, Graphics and Scripts: Templates for Website
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[242393].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author athena08
    Well it certainly won't do you any harm to write such a blog. Since you're not concerned about making money with it whatever you do should be fine.

    I'm sure you will learn as you go so it will have the potential to help newbies as well. That seems to appeal to you so I would go forth and do it if I were you.

    This forum IS fantastic. Like you I love learning and this is a great place for that.

    Enjoy your blogging.
    Chris
    Signature
    Natural Healing Remedies
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[242423].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author BuySellSites
    You should do it, if for not other reason that to keep yourself accountable.

    Use the blog to document everything you are doing with your other websites online, the successes, the failures, the tests, the struggles, etc.

    Even if nobody reads the blog, it will be a great way to keep yourself motivated and on track.

    If you do become successful and are in the position to be able to help others down the road, then you will have a product already built, sort of a blueprint to your success.

    If your venture flops, then you just let the blog die and move on with your life...

    Max
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[242454].message }}

Trending Topics