Let's hear what Eliza has to say about her blogging and writing business:
Work From Home Momma: How many years have you worked from home?
Eliza: I've been blogging for a few years now, but it wasn't until last year that I began blogging and earning money. Before that I was earning money writing SEO and articles for various websites.
Work From Home Momma: What made you decide to start a home business?Eliza: I've always been a stay at home mom, however it wasn't until three years ago that I would venture out and try to make money doing it. My husband was away in Iraq and I was bored at home exploring message boards and IMing friends. A friend told me she was making money writing small, 500 word articles, it sounded interesting to me but wasn't sure I wanted out of my little box on the net. She gave me an exercise and I had a blast with it, immediately I started making money writing SEO content. After that I fooled around in different areas on the net, from SEO, article writing to falling into the blogging world.
I wanted to stay home with my kids, at the time I had three and knew it would be ages before I worked outside the house if I ever chose to do it. But in the meantime I wanted to make money for odds and ends, ya know treat the family to a night on the town, go to a fair or buy a book I wanted. Doing a home business would allow me to answer to whom I wanted and get paid for doing what I oved … blogging.
Work From Home Momma: Why did you choose blogging?
Eliza: I began blogging as a hobby, or shall I say to give me something to do. It was a way of writing down what the kids and I were doing throughout our homeschool journey. I began getting readers and a few commented, that's when I got hooked. About a year later I learned others were doing exactly what I was but making money, I wanted in. I mean, make money doing what I was already doing and loving it.
Work From Home Momma: What is your biggest challenge?
Eliza: I think my biggest challenge is the same for everyone else, making time to do it. For me, timing is normally easy, except for when a child is sick or the school decides they'll have a snow day. My other issue is getting writer's block.
Work From Home Momma: What is unique about your blogging business?
Eliza: The most unique thing to me about the blogging business is getting approached by companies and being asked to review their products. I was amazed the first time a company sent me an email, honestly I thought it was spam but something made me read it anyways. I couldn't believe someone would want to send me something for me to keep and all I had to do was talk about it and give my opinion of the piece. Another thing was that people will actually pay to have their space on your site.
Work From Home Momma: Where do you see your business going in the next year? In the next five years?
Eliza: In the next year I hope to double what I'm currently making and find that next phase of my blogging career. In five years I see myself making $3000 a month, hubby says he'd be able to be the at-home-dad. My hope is to build my site up enough that I would be able to do weekly giveaways on my site as well as reviews and have people purchasing ad space.
Work From Home Momma: What would you tell someone who is looking at getting into blogging as a way to provide an income?
Eliza: First - it takes a long time to make money online, especially in the blogging business. Unless you have a blog that is made of gold don't just quit your day job immediately, make sure someone in your household in currently making money. I've been able to do this because my husband had a stable job, now I'm making a bit more to pay bills and have fun. It takes a while to build up a blog that makes money, but once it does it won't even feel like a job and you'll be having a ton of fun.
Work From Home Momma: Is there anything else you would like to share with the readers of Work From Home Momma?
Eliza: Yes, every year I learn something new about blogging that I believe helps me become a stronger blogger and adventurer. I try to read up on my subject as much as possible, keep in mind, those that research their field will become better than those that don't. But above all, choose something that you will love to do. A job should never feel like work, but fun.
Do you work at home? Would you like to share your story on Work From Home Momma? Contact me at Laura [at symbol] workfromhomemomma.com
Nice interview! Good job Eliza. I'm so glad you're finding the level of success that you are.
Posted by: Gayla McCord | March 12, 2008 12:44 PM | Permalink to Comment