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.)
Hi Katie. Personally I don’t think an apology was necessary since I understood what you meant and it in no way sounded entitled.
On another note, I understand the principle of not wanting to “ask for donations” and that there are charities in need, especially if you feel you are doing well for yourself, but at the same time, you work hard and there’s something to be said for giving value to what you do with dignity and principle as well.
I’ve seen blogs put up a small, discreet tip jar with something like “To treat me to a coffee click here” and I never think it comes across as tacky or “asking for donations”.
If you consider your blog readers like friends/co-worker, well that’s what friends/co-workers do, treat each other to cups of coffee or lunch here and there! 🙂
I know what you mean when you say you think of your followers as friends. I’ve been amazed at how connected I feel with those who follow my blog–how supportive they are to me in my book project and life, and how much I truly care about them and everything they’re doing!
Hi Katie- I just want to say I’m a huge fan and visit the site daily. I try your recipes all the time and they are always fantastic.
I appreciate you explaining your life as a blogger – it is definitely busy!
I would like to start off by saying that I am anorexic (being treated) and I am very aware of calories. I was wondering how you take in enough calories throughout the day because you go for an hour run, plus walk and eat low calorie. I walk a lot and usually eat low calorie but need to supplement with 3 nutritional bars at night to get enough calories. Do you have any tips or tricks that you do to consume enough calories daily? I would rather not eat the bars and eat actual food. : ) Thanks!
Love Annie’s suggestion. OSG is a great site (and a very sweet blogger as well!).
To add to her suggestion, here are two posts that will hopefully be somewhat helpful!
https://lett-trim.today/2012/03/01/my-high-calorie-diet/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> https://lett-trim.today/2012/03/04/my-high-calorie-recipes/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Awesome! Thanks Katie!!! Those will be very helpful along with Annie’s suggestions! Thank you!!! : )
Thanks for sharing your thoughts about full-time blogging! 8 million hits, congrats! I hope I’ll get to be there some day. I just have to keep enjoying the process. 🙂
I got what you were saying from the previous post.:)
I followed you so long ago. It is so great to see your success!
I remember when your FB page was created and it was at 1,000, then 2,000 and look at it now! Good lord and CONGRATS To YOU!
xo.
Great post, I don’t think you have anything to apologise for either. I’ve loved learning about blogging as a full time job.
I know a couple of people have already said this, but I’m also dissapointed you don’t get any money for people reading your blog outside of the USA! You must have lots of international readers. I’ve been reading your blog for a couple of years from the UK and have recommended it to lots of people. I imagine you have a big international following 🙂
Haha I DO think I have a ton of international readers. And please do not feel badly at all… as I said to the others, I love you guys!! 😉
Katie,
In your expert opinion, do yoiu think that a magic bullet is a sufficient substitute for a regular sized food processor? My mini food processor is on its last leg (and also too small) and I’m debating which to get, and I would love your opinion.
p.s. keep in mind I will be making many cookie pies with it 🙂
I’ve owned a magic bullet and I have to tell you it is not nearly as powerful. I suggest a Ninja, which is what I have now. It’s even powerful enough to make the ice cream
I love my bullet. But for the cookie pie it MUST be a food processor, not a blender of any sort. I highly recommend a Cuisinart, because mine is over 8 years old and still works terrifically! 🙂
Dawn and Katie,
Thank you both so much for your input! I have decided to go with the cuisinart 7 cup food processor. Now I won’t have to process my cookie pie in multiple batches!
What about health insurance? Are you covered?
Foodbuzz does not give insurance.
Just stepping in here, but maybe some smoothies with things like almond butter,a full banana, and chia? Ohsheglows.com has a pretty good range of recipes that hit a decent calorie mark (a lot which are hopefully not too high to turn you off) – and she has a really enthusiastic atitude towards food. Good luck, it sounds like you are making progress.
Thanks so much for for your thoughts and ideas! I really appreciate it. The smoothies are a good idea – calories with little bulk – i didn’t even think of that. And thanks for the website info, I will check out! Thanks again!!!
Annie, thank you so much for suggesting that website! It is truly inspirational and will really help me with recovery!!! Thank you!! : )
Sure thing. She is a very inspirational blogger. (like Katie).
Hi Sweetie – I think you do a fab job of your recipes and photos and all the work that involves. I am sure that while you love it it does take a lot of patience and time. I really appreciate the work that you do. I’m just sad that as I’m in Australia my following/visiting of your blog doesn’t help support this! Sorry!
ps I made the flourless choc cookies the other day and was REALLY, REALLY impressed. I am glad that your recipes generally make small amounts of delicious treats… because the entire result of these cookies I consumed in less than 12 hours….. my not so secret shame! Thank you! xx
I am so so glad you liked them!!