Writing holds high appeal for many people because they mistakenly “glamorized” this career. Blogging involves writing. It’s no wonder then that some people see becoming a blogger as a glamorous way to make a living or put writing talent to use as well.
According to Career.com, “The future outlook for most writing and editing jobs is expected to be competitive because many people are attracted to the occupation.
The draw?
The “unenlightened” individual associates writing with the luxury of working from home in their bunny slippers; being their own boss; traveling to beautiful cities on book tours, and late-night appearances on popular talk shows.
Think about it. Even in movie portrayals, writers lead such fascinating, interesting, colorful lives. They’re invited to posh cocktail parties and cool celebrity gatherings.
If only that were true.
A Reality Check Can Lead to Real Success
Yes, “storybook” success does happen to some writers and bloggers. But it’s unlikely they will happen to those who operate wearing rose-colored glasses or focus on delusional thinking.
Be forewarned: Fictional expectations hinder your progress, cause confusing detours on the road to publishing success, and contribute to early burn-out. It’s better if you see the reality of what it takes to achieve writing and blogging success rather than a false picture of life after you achieve that goal.
Writing and blogging, like any other profession, has its share of “work-related hazards.” The best way to go the distance as a blogger and writer is to prepare properly–and realistically–for the journey.
Delays, Detours, and Disasters on the Way to Blogging Success
With this in mind, let’s explore some of the most frequent delays, detours, and disasters on the way to your writing and blogging success. Doing so will help you survive and thrive in this career.
Delays
Contrary to popular belief, “overnight success” is rare. If you’ve been struggling for years to develop a blog readership or to get a contract with a literary agent or publisher, don’t despair. You’re in good company.
Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind was rejected over 38 times before being published.
Gertrude Stein submitted poems for 22 years before one got published.
Darren Rowse of Problogger.com revealed in an interview on this blog that it took about a year and a half for Problogger to grow to the point where it provided him with a full-time income.
Sometimes a “no” or a small number of blog subscribers is simply a temporary delay to your dreams. Stay the course.
Detours
With so much information disseminated online and varying schools of thought maintained by “experts,” you can lose sight of where you want to go and the best route to get there. It happens.
One way to better navigate the writing and blogging journey is to hire a coach. Their expertise and industry knowledge can help shorten your learning curve, save you time and money, and provide needed direction to reach your goals sooner with less trial and error. For instance, you could hire a blog or blog-to-book coach.
Disasters
Computer glitches, crashed programs, and lost files are quite common occurrences for today’s writers and bloggers. A few years ago, in fact, I experienced a virus attack on my computer that wiped out some important client files and months worth of progress in the process. Needless to say, I felt stressed to the max. With the help of my tech guy, thankfully, I was able to recover most of what I needed and continue my writing and blogging.
But, I learned a valuable lesson along the way—one worth heeding: Have a backup plan. Whether it’s in the form of cloud storage, an external hard drive, or hard copies of critical documents, you want to backup your hard drive often. And don’t forget to save frequently as you write and blog. As the adage goes: “Better safe than sorry.”
Consider any one of the numerous cloud storage options available today.
Publishing success is within your reach. Armed with realistic expectations, hard work and some professional guidance, you could very well write a happy ending to your story. Maybe you’ll even end up on one of those talk shows to discuss your successful blog and bestselling book.
How do you navigate your way to writing and blogging success?
About the Author
Jennifer Brown Banks is a veteran freelance writer, relationship columnist, ghost writer, award-winning blogger and author. Her work has appeared in various online and print publications including:.ProBlogger, Men With Pens, Write to Done, Tiny Buddha, Women on Writing and the Well-Fed Writer E-zine.
Banks is the managing editor of Coffeehouseforwriters.com, where she also teaches creative writing classes. When she’s not at the keyboard, she loves cooking, reading, “Jeopardy,” music, and shopping.
Find out more about Jennifer here: Penandprosper.blogspot.com/
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