Should We Consider Ourselves Bloggers or Self Publishers?
By bziebarth
@bziebarth (228)
United States
August 12, 2009 12:40pm CST
Many times, anyone writing articles through a blog are called bloggers. However, if you are building a blog network or working on multiple blogs should the term not be self publishers? I realize this may seem like semantics. I believe the difference actually affects our state of mind, at least for me.
Bloggers brings to mind a computer geek sitting at his computer writing about whatever he find interesting and hoping that someone will click on ads to make some money.
Self publisher brings to mind a person who is making a living or building a business by publishing information. This information may be in the form of books, articles, etc.
For myself, I have found that the difference plays to how I perceive my blogs. Considering myself a self publisher has made me focus more on my content and less about my articles. It has caused me to do more research on topics that internet visitors finds interesting, not necessarily what I find interesting. I have already noticed an increase in readers since changing my perception. Do you think this perception change would change your blogging?
1 person likes this
2 responses
@zed_k4 (17589)
• Singapore
13 Aug 09
Good topic. I think there's a fine line there and I think in blogging, it's more to fun and creating writings without a specific genre or it can be a niche blog. But for self-publishers, the mindset is more into making money like to market themselves so that they can get bigger projects from others. In a way, self publishers, with time, create their own portfolio so that they can use it for future references to their brand style of writing..
@bziebarth (228)
• United States
13 Aug 09
You explanation reinforces how thin a line there is between blogger and self publisher. True, bloggers do not always try to get other projects from others. However, writing articles for other sites is one suggested way to market your blogs. Which even further blurs the line. I guess this bring up another question if the internet will require people to control their own personal brand?
1 person likes this
@bziebarth (228)
• United States
18 Aug 09
Great point. The two areas are converging. Bloggers are starting to delve into the realm of self publishing to further market their sites. I have added you as a friend.
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
21 Aug 09
Hi Bziebarth, that's a very interesting question.
I consider blogging as fun, not for money, more for a place to vent.
For articles in Helium and AC, I pay more attention to the grammar and spellings. That is self-publishing because I make upfront and passive income from there.
I am in the process of recycling some writings to my blogs. Just have to re-write a bit to make it unique, then can post them in the blog. It's a waste of energy to write articles, and make just from one or two sources.
