Talking About a Revolution!

Oh yeah peeps, ANOTHER guest post!

Jump back! I lined these up in the midst of 1st trimester hormones breathing down my neck and every part of my body while wondering how I was going to feed all my little chickies…YOU!  So while I may not be suffering quite so much these days, I can’t ask my friends to undo the work they’ve done, for me and YOU!

See it’s all about You!  You, gorgeous, funny, supportive, prolific You!  So pipe down, there will be more of me (quite literally), and enjoy the show.

Today’s thought provoking read comes to us from a gal that my high school self’s brain would be afraid of.  This chic is totally way too cool for school.  But she apparently doesn’t realize I’m OLD (no, damn, I didn’t say that!)…she doesn’t realize that I didn’t run in the “lets skip school and smoke out behind the bleachers.” crowd.  And don’t you tell her either!

May I present the beautiful Miss Morgan, she is a wife, mother, and domestic goddess. In between eating Bon Bons and watching Soaps, she writes about life, the adventures of motherhood, and the challenges of raising her two chicks. She is also a Senior Editor for The Baby Gizmo Company. You can read more of her at The Little Hen House.

I’m so excited the Mad Woman is having me here today because there is something I need to get off my chest. I’m just going to put it out there:
Why the hell are so many of us (bloggers) working for free? Here’s the deal: I’m sick and tired of PR companies acting like they are doing us a favor by pitching ideas to us. AND? I’m sick of all of us acting like they are doing us a favor.
Because really? They aren’t.
Here is why: We are a talented and smart group of people. We are interesting and funny and we have a lot to say. And we work really hard. We deserve respect.
Most of us don’t make a dime from blogging. Those of us who do probably aren’t making a decent living from it. We do this because we love it. We love to write, we love the community, and it feeds our souls. Many of us have careers and families and we bust our asses finding the extra time for our blogs. Our words have value. Every time we work for free, we send the message that we don’t deserve compensation for our time and hard work. I’m not saying that we need big paychecks, car service, and personal assistants (although that would be really nice), only that we deserve financial compensation or trade in the form of services and/or goods for our writing.
The reality is that too many bloggers are willing to work for free. For every one of us who demands compensation, there are a hundred waiting in line behind us who are happy to give their time, services, and talent away for nothing.

I’m not bashing anyone. I get it. In fact, I’m guilty of the same thing that is making me so angry. But, starting right now, I’m done. I’m sure there will be PR companies who will pass me up. That’s ok. I’m putting my foot down. I am not going to sell myself short anymore.

Sure I’m new in the game, but that doesn’t mean that I deserve to be walked all over. I need to set value for myself; otherwise, no one else will.

So, who’s with me?

Am I crazy for thinking this way?

Do I need to be set straight? Is all this ranting and raving a futile effort, or is change possible?

Come on, you blogging, PR working, INTELLIGENT writers?  Give us some feedback.  Can we change the system? Where do we start?  What can we do?

18 Responses to Talking About a Revolution!
  1. Tee aka The Diva's Thoughts
    November 18, 2010 | 7:21 am

    I am so totally with you! I will no longer place links of ads for companies on my blog for free. I’ve been thinking about this very thing for weeks now. Great timing.

  2. Symdaddy
    November 18, 2010 | 7:24 am

    Good points well made …. but ….

    “We are a talented and smart group of people.”

    I ain’t

    “We are interesting and funny and we have a lot to say.”

    I always get into trouble.

    “And we work really hard.”

    Weeeeeeeeeeell, I’ll have to think about that one.

    “We deserve respect.”

    You got it! Can I have some too please?

    “Most of us don’t make a dime from blogging.”

    I wanna earn pots of money … not bright enough to work out how.

    I reckon if you wanna change the how it all works ev’ryone should send me $10.00 and I’ll see what I can do …. after my holiday!

  3. Tee aka The Diva's Thoughts
    November 18, 2010 | 7:34 am

    Also….I need to know how you have the facebook comments box in your comments section….I need to have this in my life NOW!

    • Alexandria
      November 19, 2010 | 11:58 am

      I want to know too :-)

  4. Pop
    November 18, 2010 | 8:09 am

    “feed all my little chickies”

    I’m glad you didn’t say breastmilk.

    And great post, Morgan. I still blog for free, but I refuse to do every giveaway/review that comes my way.

  5. Coffeypot
    November 18, 2010 | 8:39 am

    “We are a talented and smart group of people. We are interesting and funny and we have a lot to say. And we work really hard. We deserve respect.” – Boy did I come to the wrong place. I am just happy being a sex god – man meat for women, and I don’t have to be smart, interesting, funny or have anything interesting to say.

    Smart…Really?

  6. Rachel
    November 18, 2010 | 9:38 am

    Woo Hoo! I totally agree, not that I’ve even been asked yet. But it doesn’t matter. I a Mom, my life is second string to poop samples. I’ll be damned if I’m going to sell out my writing and blog. It’s all a girls got left.

  7. L. Eleana
    November 18, 2010 | 9:51 am

    I just turned twitter off on my computer, but something told me to pick up my bb! This post is awesome. I’m with you. Not that I have been blogging long at all, but I want to get paid for what I do, which is why I’ve went back and forth on the PR thing. Please do a follow up and let us know how this works out for you.

  8. Lifebeginsat30ty
    November 18, 2010 | 11:05 am

    That’s why I like google’s adsense program (although have only made enough for a lunch dish) You can also link to amazon. If someone buys it through you, you get a commission! But yes, they at least have to put me in a raffle to win something!

  9. magnolia
    November 18, 2010 | 11:26 am

    i don’t advertise or monetize my blog in any way. i’m not looking for a career, or even a revenue stream. i’m a total hobbyist; i write to make friends and to keep my juices flowing in the midst of starting my legal career. so this question is just not something i consider, really ever.

    but that being said, the debate on how the internet and professional writing interact is fascinating. there are a ton of talents out there in the world who are nowhere near as valued as they should be. also, there are a ton of people who are getting paid who have no business being compensated for the drivel they put out. it’ll be interesting to see how this pans out.

  10. MommaKiss
    November 18, 2010 | 1:23 pm

    I am SO with Morgan. I got a few e-mails recently – “place our link, and offer a 10% discount to your readers.” Um. No. Better yet, Go Screw.

    I blog because I need a place to put my words. The tiny number of giveaways that have happened have been because I wanted to do them. I’ve had 2 people straight up put money in my coffee fund, and that’s the only way I’m adding a link or writing about something.

  11. Alexandra
    November 18, 2010 | 1:56 pm

    Hi, and you are so right.

    I think the very same thing..we are a special lot.

  12. Kimberly
    November 18, 2010 | 3:12 pm

    Booya and Amen! I am so with you on this sista!!!

  13. Jodie Kash
    November 18, 2010 | 8:15 pm

    A-fucking men. It’s why I stopped. Helped much when a long-time friend confirmed, “Content is worth something. Great content is worth everything.”

    And yep, I’m that good.

  14. Jodie Kash
    November 18, 2010 | 8:17 pm

    …and where the fuck is my avatar???

  15. Alexandria
    November 19, 2010 | 12:00 pm

    this is exactly what im trying to figure out. i just don’t know how to nicely say “um you need to give ME something in return” without sounding all gimme gimme gimme.

  16. alisha
    November 19, 2010 | 1:35 pm

    this is such an interesting topic to me. as you know, i don’t monetize my blog at all and the truth behind that is that i don’t want to put the time and energy that it requires. but i 100% believe that for those bloggers who choose to do that…deserve to be compensated. because it is a LOT of work, above and beyond the amazing content that is written. noone should ever be made to feel as if they are doing “big business” a favor…if we all just stopped using a certain brand, they would be bankrupt. the customer is always right and we are the customer in this situation.

  17. joana padrel
    January 28, 2011 | 8:57 am

    Oh! i’m feeling so bright, intelligent, smart, creative, imaginative ! Am i really one of those who would be paid for blogging? All right, if you insist i would happily accept a tiny bottle of jam, marmalade , whatever…BUT- I’m a successful retired woman, i don’t need no more bosses to cut of my freedom anymore.

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