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The life of a professional blogger (or blogging couple) isn’t easy and might not even be desirable.
I think the day to day experiences and the financial situation of full time bloggers are likely misunderstood by almost everyone.
The truth is our lives are almost impossible to understand because they’re continually changing and vary drastically from one blogger to another.
It’s rather ironic that in a business which is often based upon sharing personal stories, experiences and knowledge, there is usually no way of knowing the real challenges of a blogger’s daily life.
I think the reality would shock most readers. Because it’s usually messy. And busy. And exhausting. And depleting. But a blogger who feeds his/her/their family from blogging has to keep going.
Until they don’t.
Sometimes they reach the end. Or they stop for a break.
In a most shocking twist, the HUGE blogging power couple, Sherry and John of Young House Love, have announced a break from blogging and social media.
As I read the post, my jaw literally dropped open.
One reader commented, “Are you breaking up with us?”
And I’d say, “Ummm, yeah I think they actually just broke up with the entire blogosphere.” Personally, I’ve always translated, “We should take a break” to be a break-up. Maybe they’ll be back. Maybe they won’t.
But they have it all? Why would they quit?
Well, I know exactly why they would. This blogging business is a wild ride and the bigger the blog, the wilder the ride. At some point, you might just want to get off.
Their blog and business grew so large and must have been incredibly challenging. Young House Love was an enormously successful blog with a deeply engaged readership. When you read this comment thread it reveals an audience that seemed to ask too much from the bloggers.
Their success came from having such an engaged audience, but it was also their downfall. You can’t make everyone happy and it sounds like Sherry and John tried so hard to make everyone happy that they may have been sacrificing their own happiness.
I have enormous respect for Sherry and John as well as their blogs, books and business. I can completely understand their decision and I know they will continue to be hugely successful on whichever roads they take next.
And maybe I’ll sit back for a moment and be thankful that our blog is the size it is. I want to still enjoy this ride.
Written by Susan Carraretto, co-founder of 5 Minutes for Mom
Talk with me: @5minutesformom and Facebook.com/5minutesformom
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Viviane says
I agree with Susan. I think it will eventually be a break.
Mary says
I am sad they wont be blogging for awhile, if ever again but I cant really get behind the hard working/woe as me schtick they’ve been pulling lately.. I mean, these are two people who should be putting in 80 hours of work a week if they want to call it a full time job. They dont and for that they are pretty lucky. I know no other couple that has both parents at home to go to all their kids shows at school, take them to the park in the middle of the day and get to witness every second and milestone of their childs lives. Sherry chose to miss those moments to stay home and moderate/answer comments. She is missing the moments most moms cry about not having the opportunity to witness, so my point is.. they made their bed,. They chose to share birth stories, potty training, daily pictures, day in the life posts etc… how can they be shocked when people want more? You cant write a post asking peops to STOP asking when you are going to have another baby and then the very next month announce a pregnancy and a full on Q&A post, you cannot have it both ways,. You cannot give a toddler a box of Oreos and let them eat the whole box, put another box in front of them the next day and expect them not to touch a single cookie.
Evin says
I wasn’t surprised at all by the announcement. I feel like they started to take a step back when they bought their current house and didn’t tell anyone for six months. That was a clear indication they needed more of a separation between their real life and their blog life. Then with the birth of a second child, it seems understandable they’d realise how fleeting infancy is and that the cocoon of new parenthood is not to be missed, but their downsizing of posts didn’t make the difference they’d hoped. I’ve been blogging for six years and it was daily for the first year until I realised it was no longer for enjoyment but just for consumption. I truly think they are just taking a break because as much as they may want to stay in their family cocoon, in the end their blog followers will be needed when they want to sell their second book.
Susan says
I agree that it’s not surprising in many ways. It would be difficult to keep up their frequency of detailed posts and to be continually sharing so much of themselves.
My guess is it will only be a break too.