Breakfast:
Today’s breakfast was this recipe: Eggless Breakfast Scramble.
See? Proof that I don’t just eat chocolate! It’s an older recipe, with terribly old photos, but I still love it. There are actually quite a few old recipes on the site that I missed when archiving the recipe page, and I’m trying to go back to find them all. It’s like a Where’s Waldo…
Tomorrow I’ll get back to the chocolate recipes.
Promise.
Today’s post, though, is a follow-up to Thursday’s Day In The Life post, since so many people had the same questions. I figured it’d be best to answer them all in the same place.
I also wanted to apologize.
In my last post, I stressed the fact that I work hard at my job; that running the website takes up a majority of the day—nights and weekends, too. But re-reading my post, I’m cringing at how it almost sounds like I’m complaining about the amount of work.
Perhaps I chose the wrong words; it was definitely not my intent to compare my job to those of people who do manual labor or spend long hours at tedious jobs they hate. I can see now how my post could’ve sounded privileged and insensitive. If you took offense, please accept my embarrassed apology, as well as my gratitude for enabling me to have this job that I love.
To answer the questions…
How can I become a full-time blogger?
To be really honest (and blunt), I think that if your goal in starting a blog is to turn it into a career, you’re going to fail. You should blog because you love it, not because you want to make money. I didn’t set out to make this my job, and I happily blogged for years without getting much (or any) pay. My goal in blogging has never been to earn tons of money; it’s just to make enough money that I can continue doing what I love. I’d still run this website if it made absolutely nothing; I’d just be forced to devote less time to it.
If it turns out—without your trying—that you can blog for a living, that’s a happy coincidence. But I think if you specifically tailor your content to become a full-time blogger, people will see through you and see that your heart really isn’t in it.
So… how many visitors does your blog get?
At first I wasn’t going to answer this question. But the truth is, I’m curious too, and I’d love it if more bloggers shared.
My website received almost 8 million visits for February and March. If you’ve ever told your friends or family about Chocolate-Covered Katie, or shared my website on facebook, I am forever grateful to you… I’d bake you a giant batch of “thank you” cookies, but it wouldn’t be anywhere near enough!
(Seriously, it wouldn’t.)
Are you going to blog forever?
I don’t know what the future holds, but I’d love to continue running this website for as long as anyone cares to read. There is something else I’m working on, and many of you already know about it because I’m lousy at keeping secrets. I’m planning to finally announce it officially on the blog next month!
How does a person make money from a blog?
I have a sponsor, Foodbuzz. Their ads are on the side of my blog, and in return they pay me. This amounted to a few dollars a month when I first started out. But if a blog gets popular enough, you can actually make a living from it. I’m sure there are more lucrative ways to make money from a blog, but I haven’t looked into it. As I said earlier, I’m not interested in making a huge amount of money—just enough to pay the bills, cover the expense of my baking supplies (I go through a lot when doing recipe experiments!), and pay the server costs for website hosting.
Can I make a donation to your blog?
I actually don’t have a donation page… I know many other bloggers do, but I’d feel weird asking for donations when there are so many charities out there more in need than my need for money for baking supplies. But if you made a donation to your favorite charity in my honor, that would absolutely make me so happy!!
Do your parents financially support you at all? Does your husband?
My parents don’t, and my husband definitely does not support me. Unless you mean my imaginary husband. In that case, yeah he gives me tons of money. 😉
How do you make friends when you work alone?
I’ve kept in touch with some of my college friends and high school friends, and I’ve made more friends through their friends; plus many of my roommate’s friends and coworkers have also become my friends. Then I also have you all! Reading your comments makes me feel like I’m getting to know you and like we’re friends. I love being part of this online community and can’t understand how a blogger could take comments for granted and ignore his or her readers. You all teach me so much, and I wish there were more time in the day to respond to every comment and to try all the recipe ideas people send me.
(2015 edit: It’s so fantastic how many real-life friends I’ve made from people who have recognized me on the street from my blog! If you see me, please do feel free to say something!! Meeting new people is one of my favorite things, and it’s one of the top reasons I enjoy living in DC.)
Katie, your apology is sincere, and no doubt accepted by all of you readers. Anyone that blogs regularly knows that unlike some other work, this one is tricky in terms of time mgmt. For me, with 3 girls at home, it’s always ‘interrupted’ work! And, often hard to draw the line to take a break… And when you do, you are often still there mentally.
Congratulations on building a large and loyal following. And, I do believe a chocolate drizzle was waiting at the table for your scramble. 😉
Hugs…
-Dreena
hmm..are they chocolate chip raspberry cookie? maybe frozen/no-bake? some kind of red fruit is in there, I can see that. hm, hm, hm 🙂
wait, what about a chocolate chip craisin oatmeal cookie? 😀
I for one would like to say that the amount of love that you have for what you do is apparent. I would never think that doing what you do is easy and think that you are allowed to feel like it is alot of work. No apology necessary. lol And we love you just as much for all of the thought and creativeness that you put into the recipies that we, in turn, serve to our friends and family (or selfishly keep all to ourselves). Your food is healthy, beautiful and delicious, and you deserve every penny that you recieve! Anyways….I’ve been craving a good ginger cookie and since I’ve been sucked in by your site I prefer the eggless recipies with little flour! Any chance you have one of those in that genius brain of yours?! 🙂
Hmmm… I don’t! Well, unless you count my “raw gingerbread men” recipe.
https://lett-trim.today/2010/12/17/vegan-raw-gingerbread-men/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> Do you mean like a ginger snap? Or more of a soft cookie? I think I should try and work on a soft ginger cookie… or maybe even a chocolate-ginger one!
More like a soft cookie…that would be amazing! For the time being I’m gonna try the breakfast recipe with bran flakes and ginger!
That’s such a coincidence… my imaginary husband give me TONS of money too. 😉
I can’t even guess 🙂 but all I know I’d that I’m excited
I was so disappointed to see that you’re only sponsored for page views in the USA! I’m sad that my page views don’t contribute as I adore you and your site (and visit it at least once a day while procrastinating studying).
When I went home for Christmas, I even saw my dad browsing your site and I hear your sweet potato chilli is quite a hit with my family! He’s recently completely altered his diet after a triple-bypass surgery and is loving the new healthy lifestyle; thank you for contributing to that 🙂
Oh no worries! As I said, page views really don’t matter to me as much as just knowing that people are reading and trying the recipes. Money is NOT the most important thing in the world, and I love my international readers just as much as the ones in the US.
Often, y’all are the ones who leave the best comments, because I learn so much about different parts of the world (and different cultures and traditions) from you. So you’re definitely contributing!!
i agree that money is definitely not the most important thing in the world, but you should never apologize about making a living (or feel like it is unseemly to care that you make money). you created and run this blog, something that many many people read, and you should be compensated for that.
so for all you people out there (especially women who tend to make less money and to feel more embarrassed talking about money) know that your work and your time are valuable commodities! dont be shy– earn what you deserve!!
They look like cranberry oatmeal cookies to me. But the picture is so small and I have bad eyes, so I can’t really tell.
Another great post! I love getting a peek behind the scenes 🙂 Oh man, I’m excited for tomorrow’s recipe… I don’t know what it is, but it already looks delicious!
You’re honestly one of the most charming and genuine online girls I know of, and I was surprised to read your apology for the previous post – anyone who reads your blog should be aware of how kind you are and that you never meant to seem conceited. Anyway, I’m happy that you have no intention of giving up blogging anytime soon! Your blog is an incessant inspiration 🙂
Heleen said it better than I could have. I agree with her 100%. I love reading your blog and think it’s so neat that you shared how to support yourself through this job that you love! I was honestly very curious about how you made it a full time job. I wish everyone had a job that they loved. There would be alot more happy people in the world. You are blessed to have found your passion and calling in life. Your site is wonderful and I would be lost without it. I visit almost everyday and suggest your site and recipes to people all the time. I am a stay at home mom who recently started working very part time at an exercise club as a coach so recipes and eating come up alot and I share yours very often. Most women struggle with sweets and you make it possible to have them with a little less guilt. I guess somehow I missed any clues you gave to what your next “project” is, but I can’t wait to find out….. maybe a cookbook????? Katie, keep doing what you are doing as long as you love it. Keep smiling and being yourself. We wish you the best in all your future endeavors.
agreed!!
Thank you all so much. 🙂
*Huge smiles*
Katie,
You’re blog is one of few that I check everyday (even if there is no email in my inbox!). Your joy and care is apparent by all the work you put into the blog. Thanks for being such a wonderful person and I hope that you continue to gain success!
Also, darn, just realized a typo! Guess the coffee didn’t kick in this morning.