Learn what you really need to know about blogging full-time from someone who knows exactly what it takes to be a blogger every day. Whether you’re looking to become a blogger, to take your blog full-time, or to learn more about the daily lives of full-time bloggers, this post shares an insider’s look into my own experiences blogging as a full-time career.
About Blogging Full-Time
a Note from jules
For background, I started this blog as a part-time hobby in October 2019, and I left my full-time job in February 2022 to focus on my blog full-time. I did have some knowledge of WordPress, SEO, and how to make money blogging.
I also want to note that this post is about my personal experiences as a full-time blogger, not a full-time social media influencer.
Learn more about how I became a successful blogger.
My Full-Time Blogging Schedule
Below is my full-time blogger schedule. I can’t say everyone’s is the same, but I will say that many, if not most, full-time bloggers I know do work full-time hours.
Monday to Friday:
I had a very regimented schedule in my prior full-time job, working about 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. at the computer, so I’m used to these hours, and that remains the schedule I keep as a full-time blogger, with the caveat that I now work before and after hours more often, as well as on weekends. This was common in my prior job but less common.
Every day is a mix of writing new blog posts, updating old blog posts, creating social media posts and engaging on social media, writing email newsletters, creating exclusive content for my members, doing business tasks like accounting and emails, solving tech problems, networking, and educating myself.
Before and after my 9-5 hours, I spend some quasi-personal/quasi-work time on social media, and here and there, I’ll have a lingering blog issue I continue working on before the next work day. I also read for my book blog for at least 1-2 hours per day.
Saturdays and Sundays:
I tend to always spend time educating myself and engaging in social media on the weekends, and I often pick up my laptop again for a few hours to tackle my inbox, a project I want to get done, etc. Again, I also try to read for my book blog for 1-2 hours per day.
Learn more about how bloggers make money (and how much)– it varies greatly.
Pros and Cons of Blogging Full-Time
Pros
First, you are your own boss.
This means you don’t have to answer to anyone but yourself, and you also don’t have to deal with petty gossip, time-wasting meetings, toxic cultures, etc. One of the first things that surprised me about being a full-time blogger was that an 8-hour work day truly produced 8 hours of work product.
Second, you can work anytime and anywhere.
This can be the most incredibly freeing feeling. I no longer have to overwhelm myself with stress about traffic, time off for illness, emergencies, or appointments, cultures where people only think you’re working if they can see you sitting at your desk, etc.
Third, you can earn a living from your passion.
You know what “they” say — do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life. Most bloggers are passionate about writing and/or the topic they blog about, so this career truly can scratch one or both itches.
Fourth, you can potentially earn more income than a “traditional” job.
This is certainly not guaranteed, but it’s possible. Your profits go directly to you — not your boss or a corporation. Your blog can also be sold at a profit if you quit blogging. I like to think of it as digital real estate.
Fifth, you learn a vast array of transferable skills.
Blogging is unique in that you master so many skills, including copywriting, coding, search engine optimization, photography, videography, marketing, public relations, social media, sales, accounting, law, and on and on. All these skills are valuable no matter what you do in the future.
Cons
First, everything is your responsibility.
Even if you have assistance, the buck still stops at you. Your full-time blog is a business, and you are the CEO.
Most of us just want to write articles all day and interact with readers. However, you still need to maintain your website like a more traditional business with the best blogging resources and deal with customer service, tax issues, etc.
As the CEO, you must also manage the long-term strategy, make significant business decisions, etc.
Second, bloggers get burned out.
Blogging can be overwhelming, requiring a certain mindset (plus good old-fashioned work) to achieve and maintain success.
I’ve found myself overwhelmed at various times, learning brand new skills for the first time, chasing algorithms and dealing with everything from complex legal issues (like trademarks and international sales tax) to complex technical problems (like hackers and things that “break” on my site).
It can also feel like various threats are looming in your business all day, every day. The future of blogging after AI is indeed unclear. Other threats include growing competition, changes to algorithms, etc. This is why it’s crucial to stay on top of everything.
Third, blogging is always changing.
It seems no blogging practices stay the same for too long, and as soon as you learn something (like a social media platform), the landscape changes, and you have to move with the tide to maintain your success, which generally requires more work and uncertainty.
Fourth, you lose some amount of privacy.
Generally speaking, at least some element of privacy is lost. The consequences can range from receiving mean comments from strangers to going “viral” in a way you didn’t intend and even physical security risks.
Many, if not most, bloggers also lose some separation of space between work and life.
Fifth, people may not take you seriously.
Comments like, “What do you do all day?” and “Didn’t you quit working?” sting more than I want to admit, mainly because I’m so passionate and proud of my work.
Since so many bloggers are women, I also think these perceptions about the job continue a historic cycle of undervaluing women’s work. I try to consider it an opportunity for discussion, but as much as I hate to say it, it’s not always easy.
Recap
It’s important for full-time bloggers to manage your content creation, social media, and business management while working beyond traditional hours. The pros of full-time blogging are excellent, and they include flexibility, income potential, and skill-building. However, you should also be aware of challenges like burnout, constant industry changes, and lack of privacy.
For somebody that has never blocked before but was interested in blogging how would you or what kind of advice would you give to that person like such as myself like getting in order for like the startup like what are you think like the the process or the steps are like you know step one do this that in the third or like you know pretty much like what that would like planning and stuff and originally for somebody that doesn’t really know too much about being a blogger but they’re interested in becoming one. What steps would you advise a beginner as like a start up guide?
Hi Harley, it sounds like you want something that’s very step-by-step. For that, I would recommend you research and take a few blogging courses. In my experience, they are the most comprehensive ways to learn blogging in a short amount of time and in a way that makes sense and is easy to digest (because there is A LOT of information out there and it can get really overwhelming). It’s hard to make a more specific recommendation because I don’t know your full background, but there are courses that teach you exactly how to set it up technically, what the best practices are, etc. When I started, I consumed as much information as possible and, to this day several years later, I still take at least one course per month on a new topic.