Are You Ready to Become a Full Time Blogger

Who doesn't want to become a full-time blogger? If you're reading this right now, perhaps you started a blog so that you can be your own boss and earn the respect of your followers while working in your pajamas, and watching YouTube videos all day.

That’s the dream, right?

The appeal of working on your own time, writing about the topics you want; that’s what drives you to become a full-time blogger.

But are you ready? Do you know what’s in store for you?

The dream of working on your own might just drive you to exhaustion. Before you started blogging, you had no idea how much work is involved. You jumped in before you could master the essential skills you needed – time management, money management, social media marketing.

Here is my story about how to make a full time career in blogging?

Anyway, not to worry, though. Whether or not you've started full-time blogging, you still have a shot at making it. The skills you need are learnable and doable. But specifically for those of you who haven't yet started full-time, you need to figure out if you’re ready.

1. Are you hireable as a blogger?

Let’s say you’re looking for a job, a normal job. First thing you do of course is look at the job description. To be a receptionist, you need fast-typing fingers, good communication skills, basic computer skills, and a sociable personality.

To be a full-time blogger, you also need certain skills. Marketing skills, business communication skills, writing skills, etc. Each niche would require more specific skills and a higher level of expertise. Just like cooking skills are an ingredient for a successful food blog, Tech bloggers will need to be familiar with the latest gadgets and cutting-edge software. Do a little research into what you need to master for your blog’s specific niche.

So of course, if you don’t fit the job description, what do you do? Move on to a different job, maybe? Well, say you definitely want to be a receptionist. There’s no doubt about that; it’s your one true calling. But you're not the most personable soul out there and you could be a better typist. So you take a course on typing. You socialize more, maybe take a class. Now you have the skills you need.

The same is true of blogging. Take courses, get yourself educated on the areas you know you need to work on. But of course, since there’s so much to learn to be a blogger, you also should understand that you don’t have to master-master every skill. Be competent and learn on the job as a blogger.

2. Shouldn't you have a budget?

You should be saving money first. Becoming a blogger shouldn't be a sort of last resort when you’re flat broke, especially when you need the time for courses and implementation. And of course the rent and food costs and other living expenses will get in the way when you no longer have a stable income. You'll need to invest in essentials like a professionally designed logo, a high quality theme as well as a few premium plugins to make your blogging efforts run smoothly and effectively.

3. Maybe get into a community?

An online community of professionals, whether from Google+ communities, online forums or networks like LinkedIn, can really help you loosen those hard knots along the way. Obstacles aren't meant to be tackled alone. Your communities should be comprised of individuals who have gone through what you are going through and have successfully earned a living through their blogs. With the help of your peers, you can really learn to handle and launch that new blog.

If that’s not enough, an individualized mentor can help too. Of course, you would have incorporate their services into your budget, but their advice could help you out tremendously. They have, like the communities, an expertise in the blogging field, except they can actually help you one on one. And really, you may only need a couple to a few sessions to get yourself ready for your new blogging endeavors.

So while starting a blog can be painfully difficult, it’s definitely not impossible. With the right set of learnable skills, the right budget, and the right community of experienced professionals, you can healthily and steadily stamp your internet footprint and get your ingenious ideas out there.

Be prepared for the challenges and obstacles along the way, but don’t let them ruin your dreams of becoming a full-time blogger and working as your own boss.