Why blogging isn’t as much FUN

June 5, 2015October 12, 2016 / Laura Lee Carter

I started out blogging in 2007 over at MidlifeCrisisQueen.com. At that time I loved the freedom blogging provided me as a writer. Rather than write a piece and then try to get it published somewhere, I could publish it immediately.

Back then blogging was new and free. I had over 90,000 views in my first year.

I wrote about the emotional trials and tribulations of deciding to change everything in midlife. It was a blast. I found my people, new friends from all over the world!

Then things became much more technical with too much social media involved. I learned that I needed to find somewhere else to “self-host” my blog. In other words, lots of time and money to upgrade and maintain my sites.

Then there was Facebook and Twitter and Google+ to join and post on. Then there was Pinterest and one very nasty letter from the legal department at Getty Images, charging me $800 for using one of their images by mistake.

The last straw happened last fall when an update from WordPress screwed up my main site beyond repair. After that it became impossible to post on Midlife Crisis Queen.

This week I was hacked and then charged $100 by Blue Host to clean it up…. and we’re done! I got into this gig for fun and to reach others with my writing, but the Internet is becoming more and more expensive and hacked, with less and less fun in it for me.

I now plan to maintain this site for as long as it is still fun and trash the rest of my sites. Too bad it has become such a hassle just to express yourself, because:

Freedom of the press is only available to those who own one!

Please check out my books here! I have a new one about building solar!

9 thoughts on “Why blogging isn’t as much FUN”

mercyn620

June 5, 2015 at 4:25 pm

It is a shame something new and exciting gets weighted down and difficult because of increased technical difficulties, regulations, hacking, and the list goes on. It leaves the field to the big companies with big pockets. No fun, not interesting, same old stuff. I hope that does not happen…

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midlifecrisisqueen

June 5, 2015 at 4:34 pm

So true Meryl and so well said. But what can we do?

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penpen

June 5, 2015 at 6:53 pm

The maturing process [for Internet blogging] has been a lot less than fun. I’ve been blogging since 2008–haven’t had your woes yet, but neither have I had the successes. But I have noticed more tedium–such as following through with social media outreach every time I post. Not what I signed up for. But there it is. We may even look back on these bleak days as the happy time. Now that’s a dark outlook.

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Fifty Jewels

June 5, 2015 at 7:04 pm

I can understand your frustration. It’s a shame that the hassle now outweighs the fun. Best of luck to whatever endeavor you set your sites on!
Kimberly
http://FiftyJewels.com

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midlifecrisisqueen

June 5, 2015 at 7:07 pm

Thank you all for reading and commenting! LOVE the wordplay at the end of yours Fifty Jewels!
We’re setting our sights [sites] on living peacefully in the foothills of southern Colorado in our solar home… whenever it is finally finished! Who needs the hassles of the Internet?

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A Well Styled Life

June 6, 2015 at 5:16 pm

That sucks.
I was hacked and they tried to extort money to get my blog back! Shame on Bluehost for charging you.
Good luck!!

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midlifecrisisqueen

June 6, 2015 at 6:13 pm

Well it felt like extortion from Blue Host because they charged me twice to remove the malware by their “Site Doctor” and also by Site Lock.” What a racket! And my site still does not work!

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Barbara

June 8, 2015 at 4:38 am

I had heard that Getty does that but I never knew any one it has happened to. I’m shocked and angered. I know blogging is about making money for a lot of people but for me, its just a place to chit chat. For me it is fun, sharing information, pictures, recipes, etc. I’m just don’t know what to think about whether I want to blog anymore.

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midlifecrisisqueen

June 8, 2015 at 2:37 pm

Yep, $800 on a blog that didn’t even make that much each year… Be careful out there and try to only use your own photos!

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Adventures of the NEW Old Farts

"As our inner life grows ever more luminous, the chatter of the speed-and-greed world slowly fades, leaving us with greater peace, tranquility, quiet and contentment.” — Arthur Rosenfeld

Why blogging isn’t as much FUN

I started out blogging in 2007 over at MidlifeCrisisQueen.com. At that time I loved the freedom blogging provided me as a writer. Rather than write a piece and then try to get it published somewhere, I could publish it immediately.

Back then blogging was new and free. I had over 90,000 views in my first year.

I wrote about the emotional trials and tribulations of deciding to change everything in midlife. It was a blast. I found my people, new friends from all over the world!

Then things became much more technical with too much social media involved. I learned that I needed to find somewhere else to “self-host” my blog. In other words, lots of time and money to upgrade and maintain my sites.

Then there was Facebook and Twitter and Google+ to join and post on. Then there was Pinterest and one very nasty letter from the legal department at Getty Images, charging me $800 for using one of their images by mistake.

The last straw happened last fall when an update from WordPress screwed up my main site beyond repair. After that it became impossible to post on Midlife Crisis Queen.

This week I was hacked and then charged $100 by Blue Host to clean it up…. and we’re done! I got into this gig for fun and to reach others with my writing, but the Internet is becoming more and more expensive and hacked, with less and less fun in it for me.

I now plan to maintain this site for as long as it is still fun and trash the rest of my sites. Too bad it has become such a hassle just to express yourself, because:

Freedom of the press is only available to those who own one!

Please check out my books here! I have a new one about building solar!

9 thoughts on “Why blogging isn’t as much FUN”

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I started out blogging in 2007 over at MidlifeCrisisQueen.com. At that time I loved the freedom blogging provided me as a writer. Rather than write a piece and then try to get it published somewhere, I could publish it immediately.

Back then blogging was new and free. I had over 90,000 views in my first year.

I wrote about the emotional trials and tribulations of deciding to change everything in midlife. It was a blast. I found my people, new friends from all over the world!

Then things became much more technical with too much social media involved. I learned that I needed to find somewhere else to “self-host” my blog. In other words, lots of time and money to upgrade and maintain my sites.

Then there was Facebook and Twitter and Google+ to join and post on. Then there was Pinterest and one very nasty letter from the legal department at Getty Images, charging me $800 for using one of their images by mistake.

The last straw happened last fall when an update from WordPress screwed up my main site beyond repair. After that it became impossible to post on Midlife Crisis Queen.

This week I was hacked and then charged $100 by Blue Host to clean it up…. and we’re done! I got into this gig for fun and to reach others with my writing, but the Internet is becoming more and more expensive and hacked, with less and less fun in it for me.

I now plan to maintain this site for as long as it is still fun and trash the rest of my sites. Too bad it has become such a hassle just to express yourself, because:

Freedom of the press is only available to those who own one!

Please check out my books here! I have a new one about building solar!

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9 thoughts on “Why blogging isn’t as much FUN”

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