Sunday morning I submitted my resignation letter to BlogHer.
I’ve been with the site from very early on. I watched it go from a handful of unpaid enthusiasts to a sprawling sponsored network with big bucks and dozens of paid contributors. BlogHer pays better than any other network I’ve worked with — that went a long way towards keeping me committed to producing my twice weekly posts. But I was never able to cash in on the company’s growth. Because I take sponsored travel, I was disqualified from the ad network that I hear is quite lucrative for a number of bloggers. And that same travel, because it was sponsored, was off limits as a topic for posts on the BlogHer site. And in a third frustrating twist, I’ve never been considered for sponsored travel through BlogHer’s partners because I’m not part of the ad network.
I’d considered leaving the network a few times before but never quite jumped ship. Candidly, I needed the money. And this was relatively easy money; I found it fun and effortless to crank out a few hundred words twice a week on some travel related topic — round the world families, the traveler’s view on world events, how much flying sucks now, how to pack for anywhere in one bag, or just, hey, check out this damn fine travel blog. But it’s been increasingly difficult to find inspiration. And over the last few months, while bungeeing between apathy and trips that I can’t write about, I’ve shirked my responsibilities. Meanwhile, my inbox has filled with queries — “We love you to write about our destination for BlogHer.” I’ve deleted them or responded that while I’d love to do so, the editorial policy prohibits it, though if you want to have me out and are interested in coverage on my personal blog…”
Five years ago when I joined BlogHer out of boredom — it’s true, I was hanging out in Austria and feeling at loose ends; I needed something to do — I had no expectations. But I have seen the growth and I have seen the money and I have seen the opportunities. Meanwhile, I’ve sat in my corner, hammering away at my keyboard, while a growing crowd talks at once in the same virtual room. Some days, I’ve had a hard time finding posts that I’d hit publish on only a few hours before. What was, when I joined it, a community of unique voices, looks increasingly to me like any mainstream women’s magazine, Redbook, Family Circle, those old school publications with fashion tips and diet ideas and ways to perk up your relationship and oh, don’t overlook this, we do have one or two real hard news stories.
I sound, I know, like an editorial snob. And you know what? I am an editorial snob. While I think the rise of blogging is freaking fantastic and I think what BlogHer has built shows incredible business acumen, my heart isn’t with the idea of a blog or even with online community, it’s with writing. I have this tyrannical fantasy. In it I get to take over a blog network and then, I go on a heartless firing spree, kicking 90% of the bloggers to the curb. After that, I hire editors, real editors, who carefully review every single post not just for grammar, spelling, and punctuation, but for quality. I cut the number of posts down to a fraction of what they used to be so that I’m not publishing 10000 Google keywords every day, but I am publishing say, 1000 words that are loved, deeply by the writers and then, polished carefully for display by the editors. Rather than a fire hose of words backing us up against a wall, we have an exhibit, we have art, we have ideas, beautifully framed and presented and valued. Yeah, like that’s going to happen. In my dreams.
It’s been five years, can you believe that? And in any job, there needs to be growth, new opportunities, change. You can’t just sit on the bench, waiting, forever. I understand that BlogHer has made a lot of people quite successful. I envy them that, sin that it is, but I just don’t see it happening for me with their organization. It’s time to say goodbye and seek my fortunes elsewhere.
Congratulations on reaching a decision, and thanks for this post — it’s a useful commentary on this weird, wild blogosphere.
(And I agree with you quite solidly on many of the points you make…)
I think the sponsored trip policy for many publications is going to kill them. I’m glad that is something I don’t every have to worry about.
Three cheers for you, Pam! And I’d sure love to see you take over a blog network sometime, and remake it according to your standards.
Ah, I see. It’s not that BlogHer is against sponsored trips, it’s just that want to control who the sponsor is, once again proving that it really is all about the money. Argh!
I’m sure you’ll find a space somewhere between BlogHer and navel gazing, where the balance of financial reality and wordsmithing are to your liking.
I see a Nerd’s Eye View blogging network in the making…
Congrats on making a tough decision.
It must have been a difficult decision, but I hear this. I remember following the Ms. magazine going-ad-free thing in the 90s, and how that changed what they were able to do even more than having money could change it. Still, hard to get good people for less pay unless they feel personally constricted with more pay. In all cases, I’m glad you made a decision that you feel good about, and I will keep my fingers crossed that the extra free time will immediately be spent somewhere fabulous.
Totally respect and admire your decision, Pam. I’m sure you’ll do absolutely fine whichever route you choose to go down.
Thanks for this honest post as well.
In some respects, I completely hear ya. I never got the opportunity to choose in my crafts/gardening beat any method to make more money from the BlogHer connection. Those opportunities never developed.
But I hear ya about growth, the ignored little corner, the blogposts from unrecognized authors, the admiration of whomever is the “biggest/hottest” in blogging – not the best/ the feeling of becoming a commodity instead of a valued author. Those were among the reason I quit a couple months ago.
I’ll miss you voice – I fear in part that those of us who represented these small corners of the blogosphere will mean only a greater emphasis on the “mom/child/20-30 something” blogger.
Definitely a tough decision, but it sounds like you made the right move in the end. I had to do something similar a few months ago with a place I was writing for (also over press trips). I look back on the decision happy that I did so as more opportunities opened up afterward.
Another great post Pam. See you at TBEX.
Andrew
Hear you and agree 100%. When you take over a blog network, let me know; I’d rather write for someone like you than someone like BlogHer. 🙂
I completely understand your decision, Pam. While it’s all fine and well to be part of a blogging community, I think one of the things that most appeals to independent bloggers is having some control over what we write and how we go about our blogging. I don’t think any network should have the right to tell you who you can and can’t accept sponsored trips from. Too bad–for them, because they’ve lost a great blogger.
Actually, the decision to leave wasn’t that hard. It’s been the decision to stay, to keep hoping that something would shift at the office that would give me the room that I needed for my gig to be “more.”
There are people out there who LOVE BlogHer, are rabid fans. For me, it’s always been like that person you dated who you think you ought to adore, but can’t quite get there, you know? You think, “I SHOULD love them,” and then you feel bad because you don’t. Make sense?
It’s all trial and error these days, isn’t it? We will figure out where we belong someday. And yeah, I’m all about the writing, too. And that doesn’t make life easy.
@Gray/MJ: When I first ran afoul of the policy, I was still in the ad network. The response to my inquiries was, essentially, rules is rules. I get that. You set a policy, you apply it. We’ve all hashed over the “if you can’t pay me enough to cover my travel, you can’t penalize me for taking sponsored trips” argument — this really hits home in travel and BlogHer couldn’t figure out how to deal with that issue. You open it for travel, you open it for everyone, right?
i’m sure you already know i’m not surprised by this decision, nor by the fact that you have my complete support in making it. i had such great hopes for BlogHer five years ago…but it quickly seemed to morph into the very thing i never hoped it would. i think you nailed it with the mainstream women’s magazine comparison. i only take exception with one thing in this post: why take over an existing blog network? why not start one of your own? i’ve fantasized plenty of times about you doing just that…because i think you’d be swell at it…and i think you’d make it a very inclusive place that could be about so much more than just the almighty corporate dollar.
Well, I suppose you can blame me. But, I couldn’t help myself! BlogHer/we/I needed you!
My evangelism aside, I respect your decision, Pam.
Your fan and friend,
GraceD
And end of an era. I remember I first “discovered” you with your column at BlogHer and I decided to set up an account there (which I never did much with).
I hope you do pursue your fantasy and don’t take over a blog network but start your own so you can set the right emphasis on quality writing from day one. I think the pendulum will swing back and there will be a demand for quality over quantity. Good luck!
Congratulations on your decision, Pam. Here’s hoping for your own blog network in the future. Not only would I read, I’d love to write for it!
What a ridiculous policy for a blog network. Is it run by ex-newspaper people? You can’t go halfway: either pay expenses and forbid sponsored trips (all of them, not just from ones that don’t do tit for tat advertising) or don’t pay expenses and allow sponsorship. Anywhere in the middle is hypocrisy.
Hey, you’re always welcome to submit to Perceptive Travel again. We allow sponsorship, but have high standards and integrity, so it works out fine. Imagine that. http://www.perceptivetravel.com/
In the end, you’re better off owning what you write anyway, not contributing to someone else’s eventual IPO.
Good for you, Pam. If you ever start your own network, I’d love it if you raked me over the coals as an editor. Tough editors make good writers great. Go, Pam, go…
I followed a link through Deb Roby and Grace D.; yea for me! lol I appreciate what you are saying about BlogHer. While good information can be found there, at times it reminds me of watching the popular girls table in high school. Not always an inclusive feeling. 🙂
Discovering your blog is exciting for me simply for that one word at the top of your page: seattle. I relocated to Seattle a year and a half ago after a 16 year absence and am thrilled to be back.
I look forward to reading about your adventures!
Tam
Well well, look at Tim’s comment. One post about your resignation and already the new job offers are coming in. 🙂
Seriously, though, I feel a bit wistful about your being over working for BlogHer: The very first time I “online met” you was through your BlogHer column, and I liked you right away. I guess I can keep on liking you, but it certainly is the end of a chapter. See you at TBEX.
Good for you, Pam. It’s always best to get the heck away from anything that’s draining your creativity. Personally, I find illogical rules are always draining.
And maybe I’m dreaming, but I think that all this keyword- driven, lowest common denominator crapola has a limited shelf life. Well, let me re-phrase. LCD will always be with us, but I think that smart people will eventually figure out how to make meaningful money on high quality writing.
I second the quality-based blog network idea. The pendulum has swung way too far in the other direction in that respect, and eventually search engines are bound to recognize that content quality isn’t dependent upon website age or incoming links, but upon the skills of the particular author who crafted it. Or can we hope that readers will recognize that?
Congrats on coming to terms with a decision that sounds like it has been a long time in the making!
I look forward to seeing all the awesome stuff that happens with this new found emotional/keyboard freedom of yours 🙂