What's Going on with Me
It's been quite a while since I posted here, since I never know how long anything will stay up. I notice, though, that without Persona Paper posts, I have no real journal.
I am in an in between place in my life, in transition, trying to change my career at the age of 72. I used to be a bookseller. Now I'm a retired bookseller trying to decide how to dispose of inventory in a way that satisfies the IRS that I've done it. I'm trying to transition into a money-making blogger. I know know it is feasible and that people like me have done it and are making a very nice income – better than I ever did as a bookseller. I'm taking a course that shows me how it's done taught by people I know and trust and have the proof they are doing it right. These are not the people who earn their money by collecting email addresses and then creating products and selling them through the email lists. These are people who are making hundreds or thousands a MONTH in affiliate income from Amazon and Share-a-Sale and other affiliate programs.
So, for all practical purposes I'm back in school again, taking video instruction online. Will it help? I'm sure it will if I apply what I learn. What I’m learning is that I have to break a very old habit – writing off the top of my head and getting paid good money for it. Bubblews ruined me by making me think this worked. As MegL stated in Red Riding Hood Returns , I need to make a map to becoming profitable. I haven't got it drawn yet because I'm not yet sure in what order I need to do things. Unlike Red Riding Hood, I'm not sure in what order I will pass places on the map. It seems like I need to be several places at once. For me it's more a list of priorities, not a map from here to there.
Here's my starting place. I have a house full of books and other stuff I have to get rid of. Actually, two houses full of stuff and a book warehouse. I have to finish my blogging course while still trying to get out my Paso Robles Daily Photos blog out every day. On really hectic days, I'm allowing myself to skip that. I still have one product review blog every two weeks I am committed to contribute to a group blog. I am trying to have a minimal presence on Medium as I get any photo essays that don't seem to have affiliate earning potential imported into that site from here. I have to get the stuff of daily living done – laundry, cooking, basic cleanup. And, yes, digging out a few final pieces of documentation for our accountant who's doing the taxes this year.
As I am taking the blogging courses, I'm learning some new information on images and social media that have shown me more projects I need to get done. These include renaming and reorganizing my Pinterest boards and replacing most of my pins not yet repinned with better pins. Instead of writing new material, I am looking at my old blog posts with new eyes, revising them to bring in more income and making sure I have at least one image designed for pinning at a size where Buffer will pick it up. Here is one of those images.
I have invested some money. First there was the price of the courses. Then I upgraded my Buffer plan to cover all my Twitter accounts, both Facebook accounts, and one Pinterest account. That means I can schedule all my posts and many pins at the end of the day when I'm too tired to do anything else and they will have images attached. The Pinterest images need to be about 700 x 1100 pixels, or in that vicinity. They at least need to be taller than wide. I'm learning to make them in PicMonkey, for which I bought a paid plan. I used PicMonkey to create the image above. I also still have a paid Share-as-Image plan. I still have a keyword search service I want to subscribe to, but I need to make a bit more money first.
I am not sorry I invested the money. I am learning to work smarter – not just harder. I have written quite a bit about the courses I've taken and my journey to monetizing my blogs at How to Monetize Your Blog or Web Pages . For me now, it's just a matter of continuing on this journey.
What are you doing to now that Persona Paper isn't taking as much of your time?
Image Credit »
Comments
MegL wrote on March 18, 2016, 4:44 PM
That's fantastic and thanks for the shoutout to Red Riding Hood's map home. What is Buffer? I haven't heard of that. I have a good keyword program if you want to get some keywords. You can pm me on facebook if you want.
BarbRad wrote on March 19, 2016, 3:22 AM
Buffer is a free app that allows you to share photos along with links to your posts on Twitter and Facebook and some other social networks. The So if i see a post like yours on Red Riding Hood, I can click on a Buffer button that appears on it near the bottom and a screen will pop up that lets me edit the message, add hashtags, etc. and schedule the message to go out when I want it to or I can send immediately or add to a queue. You can only add one profile for each social network on a free plan. I can add all I need (all three Twitter accounts, both Facebook accounts, and Pinterest ) with the paid plans and keep up to 100 in my queue for each. I no longer feel the pressure to have to add an image to a tweet in real time when I'm trying to write or do other things. I love it. As long as my friends put large images in their posts I can shame them with an image. I appreciate your offer on the keywords, but I think I'm Ok for now until I can afford Jaxxy.
MegL wrote on March 19, 2016, 6:49 AM
Had a look at Buffer, think I will get that, it looks useful.
jiangliu1949 wrote on March 19, 2016, 7:15 AM
I have had problem accessing the Mylot since they changed their layout ,so I spend more time on here than before .The other day I went to http://barbs-writing-life.info/ and used your link http://www.tsu.co/BarbRad to log up tsu where so far I don't know how it works .As for http://blogjob.com/ ,I was told that "User registration is currently not allowed",when I clicked "create an account".
CalmGemini wrote on March 20, 2016, 3:40 AM
Thank you BarbRad for these updates.Glad to know you are as busy as ever.
crowntower wrote on March 20, 2016, 6:42 AM
I hope you guys can put an organization that can help us people like me who wants to set up our own blog but can't and clue less.
Wow I wonder what kind of books you have there. I think being a book seller is a cool business adding up a little restaurant with your books.
But it is so great to know you are courageously shifting a career.... Me? I can't still decide.
Thanks for the buffer info. God bless all the works of your hands.
BarbRad wrote on March 20, 2016, 8:16 PM
I'll look for you on tsu and message you there on how to use it. I actually have written quite a bit here about how to use tsu. Here's one from here: http://www.personapaper.com/article/21354-ten-tips-for-getting-started-at-tsu. And thanks for signing up. BlobJob stopped accepting new members write after I wrote that post. I also have advice for starting your blog at http://barbs-writing-life.info/should-you-start-a-blog/. Look for messages on tsu later today or tomorrow.
1BarbRad wrote on March 20, 2016, 8:19 PM
Here's what I wrote on on how to start your own blog. http://barbs-writing-life.info/should-you-start-a-blog/. Just browse around the rest of the site for more information, since I don't put everything in one post. As for the books, most are books for education -- workbooks for students K-12 and resource books for teachers of all grades up through high school. I also have fiction and books on many subjects of general interest for children and adults. Most a new, but some are used.
lookatdesktop wrote on March 25, 2016, 1:09 AM
You have been very busy. Probably more so than I. Keep up the good work.
WordChazer wrote on March 30, 2016, 4:19 PM
I have just followed you on Twitter, honey. You sound like you could be as good a contact there as you have been on here and you were in my short time on Tsu. Don't want to lose touch with you, you have so many good ideas to pass on.
BarbRad wrote on March 31, 2016, 6:49 PM
I am busier than ever. Finishing up a blog for theme day tomorrow that is also my first post in an A-Z challenge I found out about from a blogger in my tribe at Triberr. Wish I knew how to keep my Z key from sticking. Probably refraining from eating sticky stuff while working would help. Best to you in future endeavors. Doesn't look like many of us are left here.
BarbRad wrote on March 31, 2016, 6:51 PM
Thank you for the follow. I haven't had time to check my follower profiles yet to decide whom to follow back. I hope I'll recognize you. I'll try to check that profile tonight. What account did you follow, and what is your user name? Maybe it's on the list Meg made.
lookatdesktop wrote on March 31, 2016, 9:54 PM
Not many as most will sadly only write for pennies, not for free. This is not always the case and some like myself will write for free and for money. I like writing. Keep it up and enjoy life. It's not a contest. It's self expression.
WordChazer wrote on April 1, 2016, 2:19 PM
I followed with the same user name as here, your BarbsBooks account. Haven't seen the list Meg made yet - need to have a dekko at it to see who else I need to follow.
BarbRad wrote on April 3, 2016, 3:09 AM
It's OK. I found and followed you.