Disclaimer

APlusWriter Disclaimer:

For some reason a lot of folks discover this web site and believe I’m writing material  entirely for the income, that I’m distributing something or attempting to contract people up for some baleful and narcissistic intent.

On one stage I understand this – there is a lot of ballyhoo and spin out there in the ‘make money online’ arena and reviewers are well apprised to be guarded and a little incredulous about what they read. On the other hand nevertheless it is hard when you do have attested motives to know how to communicate them.

Daily readers of APlusWriter acknowledge that I’m not just in it for the ‘revenue’ – I share what I experience as openly as imaginable. Everyway I know to ameliorate a blog’s operation goes onto the blog at some point or another – it’s all in my archives for free.

Having said this – I do ‘get’ affairs out of this blog (including revenue) and want to announce it up front in the hope that it could give you a more concluded image of my motives from asseverating APlusWriter.

So What do I get out of APlusWriter?

I believe in being crystal clear with one’s blogging so as part of that I prefer to tell you what I acquire from this blog up front. Here’s what I incur from APlusWriter:

Revenue – Yes I do make a small money from this blog – at present its at close to $5 (updated September 2008) or so per day from Adsense and has the casual associate sale through amazon or clickbank (I try to mark all affiliate links with an (aff) after them – let me know if you find one that’s not as I try to be crystalline but occasionally they get through when I’m posting late in the nighttime).

I as well have sold infrequent advertising spots to related companies/bloggers. These attempts are more about bearing for the costs of running this site than making me rich. They also exemplify some of the methods for making money that I talk of in my posts (after all this is a blog about making money from blogging).

I have other blogs that make significantly to a greater extent more than this one (the topic of blogging for money just isn’t that profitable) and if I was propelled purely by amassing money I’d centralize more on those. I do not and have never linked to anyone in my posts in exchange for money or other incentives. On one occasion I have done a sponsored post but clearly marked that as being sponsored and would do the same in future (although that’s not really my style of blogging).

Profile – This blog has without a doubt lifted my profile in the blogging (and wider) community. Talking about money gets a reaction out of people – for some it’s positive, for others its not. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t hoping to build a profile through this blog. Whilst I’ll never be an expert in all aspects of blogging I’m committed to learning whatever I can about how people make money from blogging and in sharing what I do hope to carve out a niche for myself on the topic.

In doing so I do have the goals of writing a book and freeing up more time to do consulting work in this area. These of course are ways of making money so in a sense there is some financial gain to be made through this blog in the long term.

Satisfaction – I enjoy this blog. I enjoy writing the content and I enjoy meeting and helping readers. This is a genuine motivation for doing what I do here. People often ask me why I give my ’secrets’ away for free – to be honest I just can’t seem to keep them to myself – I like to help people.

PR for my other Blogs – Something else I’ve attained since beginning APlusWriter is that in doing so I’ve actually raised the profile of some of my other projects. To be able to declare a new project or to highlight what I’m doing on another blog actually brings attention to my other work which is of benefit to my overall success as a blogger. I do try to keep in check the amount that I promote my other work (it’s not good business sense to perpetually advertise my own work here). When I do (and it is rare) it it’s almost always to illustrate a point I’m making in a post and I make it clear that it is my own blog that I’m linking to.
What does this Blog Cost me?

If I’m being transparent about what I get out of this blog I feel I should also be see-through about what it costs me (it only seems fair). Part of my philosophical system of blogging is that an truthful characterization should always be given – I don’t want to paint ProBlogging as only a positive, easy, rewarding thing – this would be dishonest. I want to paint a realistic picture in order that readers make an informed decision of whether blogging for a living is something that they want to pursue.

Time – I expend more time composing posts for this blog than any of my others. The posts here are commonly longer, better researched and more sensible than my other blogs. I also get a lot of commentaries at APlusWriter (it isn’t unusual to have moderate 200 or so per day) as well as many emails from readers asking enquiries and wanting feedback on their own blogs. Although I can’t answer to all of them I do strive to help as many as I can (it’s getting harder and harder these days) – this acquires an accretionary quantity of time and vigor. Blogging is grueling work most days – I put in longer hours than I’ve ever put into any other job.

Capitalistic Edge – In blogging as openly as I do here at APlusWriter I disclose many of the secrets that any smart business person would not reveal. Several of my readers (some who I’ve given free personal coaching to) have started up blogs in direct competition with my blogs in addition to that some have used my designs, stolen content (I carry action on this – thieves beware), even used the same names for blogs as mine. To be honorable I have assorted feelings about this. On the one hand I think it’s eminent and know that some of these blogs link back to my own blogs and have good working kinships with me. I don’t have a monopoly on any given topic and don’t prefer to stop anyone starting any blog that they choose to – merely, at times I palpate rather ripped off and used. I guess this is the downside of offering any service for free and I’m willing to accept that – it’s just some days it’s easier to accept than others in all honesty.

And so I Blog

So blogging here has it’s benefits and costs. Some days I’m aroused by it and couldn’t think of too much I’d rather do for a job – and separate days I am influenced to close up shop because it appears to take more than it gives. In the long run though the goodness far outweighs the bad and I so I blog on.

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