Comments on: How I Prepared To Be A Freelancer Problogger

By: Smarty

Smarty — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 17:25:20 +0000

Congrats! It’s something I also want to do in the near future. Keep us posted. I would definitely like to hear about the progress. How is the lifestyle/workstyle/income compared to your previous full-time job?

By: Pinyo

Pinyo — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 02:58:14 +0000

Great article Jim. There are so many useful advice here. Although you didn’t mention that many bloggers work well below minimum wage for a long time before we get to where we are.

Anyway, I’ll keep this one as a reference for the day when I go pro — if I go pro at all.

By: Crystal H.

Crystal H. — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 14:22:28 +0000

Thanks Jim! I am going to start using Problogger for tips on how to improve my new service site for teachers. You article was very helpful to me!

By: Funny about Money

Funny about Money — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 15:36:58 +0000

This is extremely interesting…’specially since I’m about to get laid off from my job.

Does it make sense to try to monetize a blog that’s always been a kind of hobby…not meant to be a money-maker at the outset?

At this month’s meeting of a book publishers trade group I belong to, two speakers talked about the use of blogging to market books. One of them went off topic to hold forth about how she makes money blogging for others. She administers a couple of blogs for corporations, and she “ghost-blogs” a seemingly private blog for a CEO. One of these outfits pays her a thousand bucks a month to do fairly lightweight work.

Is this reality, or is the lady speaking to us from Never-Neverland?

By: Sarah

Sarah — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 20:51:35 +0000

Hello, Just like Madame X I’m curious to know about the time management. Are you finding this is requiring more time than your previous full time job?

By: Frugal Dad

Frugal Dad — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 17:22:18 +0000

I really enjoyed this one, Jim, as I’ve been toying with the idea of writing full time. My income is still not quite there, and I’m trying to diversify by picking up a freelance gig here and there, and by building up a couple other blogs.

My family situation is a little different, so I have to take that into account as well. My wife is a full-time mom to our kids, so I am the only income earner and health care provider. We’ve investigated paying COBRA until she finds work in the next year or so, but that’s an expensive option.

Even if it takes me a little longer, at least I now have a great blueprint for exiting the rat race! Thanks for putting this together.

By: Tyler

Tyler — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 03:33:25 +0000

Jim,
I am interested in what the cashflow situation is like versus your previous full-time gig.
I agree with the emergency fund, but the monthly cashflow doesn’t yet equal what the 9-5 job does, so I am trapped.
I also happen to be fairly good at what I do 9-5, even though I’d rather be blogging. It makes it hard to quit the 9-5 when I’m finally staring 6 figures in the face this year.
So, what percentage of your full-time regular job income did you achieve before you felt comfortable taking the plunge?

By: Dana Wilson

Dana Wilson — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 20:02:41 +0000

Jim,
Intriguing and helpful article! Like Eden, I also wonder whether you had saved up a year’s worth of income before you became a problogger. The idea of quitting your job to do something truly pleasurable to you is a heady thought!

Thanks again!

By: Patrick

Patrick — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 18:28:33 +0000

Jim, great insight. I’ve looked at the possibility of this in the future, and though I am not earning enough at this point, I know it is a possibility. For now, I am working on the Hustle 2.0.

By: Lori

Lori — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:04:53 +0000

I am quitting my job next week and jumping in. I am a single mom, but my daughter is in grad school and is now on her own, so I guess this is the time to start. I’m going to shoot for freelancing. I’m excited and a bit nervous about it. I have been considering getting a part time job just to help make ends meet while I get things going. Thanks for the informative article.

By: Jackson

Jackson — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 01:26:07 +0000

Great analysis and article. Like others, I’m also curious how much your lifestyle has changed to accommodate all this.

Also, I would love to read some of your opinions and ideas on reducing business taxes and taking advantage of your corporate structure

And for others who might be interested, here’s a quick run through on how to incorporate a company in Maryland (link to my blog, hope that’s OK, Jim. If not then please remove it).

http://blog.jumptree.com/2008/how-to-incorporate-in-maryland/

I actually incorporated last year, but I’m sure the information is still valid (though the fees might have changed).

By: Start-Up

Start-Up — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 20:07:37 +0000

Very informative post.

I just started a blog and am trying to balance a 9-5, a self-employed tutoring company and now my blog. Sometimes it’s tough since I love my TV, but that’s why DVR was invented!!!

By: Connie Brooks

Connie Brooks — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 19:51:51 +0000

Jim,

You are absolutely, 100% percent correct when you say:

“You have to enjoy your project so much that you’d rather work on it than watch TV or play video games. If that’s not the case, you shouldn’t become a problogger.”

When I started blogging, we canceled our cable tv subscription. I haven’t touched my world of warcraft account in over a year.

It’s probably also reasonable to note that there was always a bit of guilt to relaxing. There is always something I could be doing, emailing, promoting my site, writing new articles, researching better ways to monetize my site, I mean the list is endless. Sometimes knowing what to do is not the problem – it’s knowing when to stop for a while without feeling guilt.

I’d say that’s the number one thing that changed for me when I first started blogging- I no longer had any spare time.

It’s actually easier (or at least it was for me) once I quit my full time job. Now I can work and still fit in some free time. For a while there, it was dicey!

By: Laura

Laura — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 17:18:02 +0000

Good article. I agree with Madame X, I would love to see how your schedule your day/week for your blogging activities. I tend to do some work in the early afternoon and then another stint in the late evening hours.

By: Matt @ Steadfast Finances

Matt @ Steadfast Finances — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 15:05:57 +0000

Nice post. As a new blogger, it’s nice to know others are struggling or have struggled with keeping up the blogging schedule while keeping the regular day job. As a full time trader, I’m generally watching news 14+ hours a day so it leaves little time to write. Congrats on joining the freelance world.