A bit more research.

I'm shuffling backwards and forwards between the sewing machine and the computer here. Another rainy day but plenty to keep me occupied. Our cat rescue has a stall at the Barton Christmas Market on Saturday and I've got to go through my spare room and root out all the things I've been storing. Some donated, my own things, and stuff salvaged from skips, I want it gone. We will have a fully erected market stall to occupy, but exposed to the elements, so I will be taking extra sheeting and large metal clips to give us some protection from the cold. Must get that sorted out, the clips want their springs oiling as they are a bit stiff after being used in the garden all summer. The plastic sheeting is clean and folded in the outside shed. As soon as I have finished this post I must get on with it.

What did you think of the post yesterday, interesting wasn't it? Did you click on the links? I have been doing a bit more research as I find this a fascinating topic to talk about. My business head tells me I would go for this blogging for money lark, if I was twenty years younger. Done properly it could be a nice little earner. What I mean by doing it properly is stating the facts right from the start, being honest and upfront about it, and not trying to pull the wool over readers eyes by pretending to be their best friend. In a nutshell, I don't like bullshitting.

Another link for you to click on if you so wish. It's a BBC web site post in the business section.
How to make your fortune writing about stuff you love, by Lucy Hooker.

Here is a snippet from the article.

But while demand for bloggers is growing, it doesn't mean anyone can do it.

"You are going into a world where you are a public figure, where people are going to have negative comments.

And if you want to make the big time, you have to take it seriously.

"You have to run it as a business, 100%, not as a hobby," he says.

"If you approach it as a hobby and think you are going to get somewhere, that's just not the case."

There is a link in the article which takes you to a very successful blogging business. 

Kirsty and Stuart run The Family Adventure Project. 

This blog has been 14 years in the making, so you can see that it is not going to happen overnight. It takes dedication and tenacity, to do what they have done. It's about a family of four with an adventurous spirit which takes them all over the world. Yes there are some adverts, but they are carefully chosen to match the theme of the blog. In fact I would go so far as to say the adverts enhance the look of the blog. 

The articles are well written, lighthearted and chatty, the layout is neat and tidy, and the whole page appears on the screen with no side scrolling. 

There is a link at the top of the page, 'Partnering', in here it sets out the nuts and bolts of how the site makes money for them. There is a three page media pack to download which is an introduction to Kirsty and Stuart, outlining their experience and skills.

I would say this site is a good example of how a business can be built out of a blog. Readers are in no doubt that this is a blog business. No guesswork, clear and concise, it says it like it is. With such clarity I can choose to read it or not read it. 

Anyway, must get on. thanks for dropping in, I promise to change the subject for tomorrow, so pop back again if you like. Toodle pip.