Gratuitous Eye Candy
Remember the old adage?
Be careful what you wish for.
Truly. I’ve had a few unexpected large expenses lately, and wished for more work so I could earn the money. Well, I got it, and haven’t had a day off in almost a month. And we’re not talking nice, comfy, eight hour days in a cushioned chair, no. We’re talking mostly 12 to 15 hour shifts, chasing after an 11-month old, a 23-month old and occasionally a 4 year old. Fun times.
Sometimes.
Please don’t misinterpret me; I love being a nanny and need the extra hours to pay for the x-rays, the busted car, the new glasses, the dying phone, and save up to replace the computer I’m convinced could byte the dust at any minute. So when I got an offer for an extra 15 to 20 hours a week for the next three months or so, I was all for it. But I’m tired too.
And I laugh at myself that the worst part is not having nearly as much time to blog! Of all things! When did this sneak up so high on my priority list? I guess that proves another adage, something my dad used to say:
Find something you love to do, then find a way to make money at it.
Sorry Dad, I haven’t quite gotten that second part down, but this is something I love to do. I love tatting, and I love teaching. I love sharing what I know how to do and learning from others in turn, and am inspired by sharing in a community of people who are all making the world around us more beautiful.
So, I guess I’m asking for some input here. I’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback from people who find my tutorials helpful, and I will definitely keep up the series. (That’s series, plural, which looks remarkably like the singular in English, but belies the fact that I have a lot more planned for this website.)
Whether I’ll keep blogging is not a question, but it does come with hosting fees, software to edit the videos, donations to programmers for the widgets I use, et cetera, et cetera. It would be nice if the blog would at least pay for itself.
Because I Like Pics
Before you get worried that I’m going to fill up this blog with ads, don’t worry, I will NEVER do that. I HATE ADS, AND WILL NOT INFLICT THEM ON ANYONE, on this website or on my YouTube videos.
Before you get worried that I’m going to ask you for a donation…well, maybe. I guess what I’m asking is if I can ask you for money. Would you hate me and go away and never talk to me again? Would it be awful and terrible of me? Or would you be happy to contribute a few dollars so I can do this without feeling like it is a financial burden?
Please let me make one thing clear. If you don’t want to contribute, or simply can’t, that is 100% okay with me. I love getting stuff for free, and love giving stuff for free too. I also like to contribute to the programs and widgets I use on this site because I know people have put a lot of time into making them. Both sides are wonderful.
What are your thoughts? I’d really like some feedback on this.
Thanks for taking the time to read this and to share your thoughts. I won’t make any judgments. Promise. I’m really looking for advice from people I consider to be my bloggy friends.
Hmmm…should I be careful of what I wish for?
Wow… what a post. I will have to give this one some thought as it is a perplexing dilemma. I sympathize with your struggle, having had similar situations along the path of life. No answer right now, but will ponder.
Any way that you can reduce the cost of the blog? I am not sure why you have to pay for widgets and for the hosting fee – or is that to WordPress? I’m sure you have considered all angles, but I am curious.
Fox
Hi Fox, WordPress is free but I much prefer to host it on my own domain. It allows me the freedom and flexibility to do what I want, and I don’t have to wait for them to change something and screw up my site.
Again it is a personal thing, but when I use a widget I like to contribute a few dollars to the programmer as a thank you because I know how much time goes into making those things work.
I hear you on independent hosting. I’d *love* to move my blog to a host where I can have complete control, so many things are fixed at wordpress. I did not know when I started… So, if I ever find a way to pay for it, I’ll switch…
Have you ever been to the Knitting Help website…..she started with free videos that you could access on line but also sells CD’s that contain the videos…..I purchased the CD because it allowed me to access the videos even when I could not log on to the internet (which happens to me when I go to our home in the mountains) and as a way of supporting her site. Have you considered something like that.
Now to answer your question, yes, I would contribute. Your have thought out your lesson very carefully and I love your lesson notes and videos.
I am a former school teacher (taught on line for a while and was actually trained as teacher/moderator for online education) and I think your lesson are great.
Louine, that is an interesting idea. I’ll definitely look at that knitting site; thanks for the tip.
Thank you too for your kind words on my tutorial series. I am working on my teaching credential and will hopefully be in a classroom in a year or two.
Well, that’s a sticky wicket, isn’t it? There are some educational sites that I use with my classes where one can choose to donate. I do, but I’m not sure what kind of income that generates.
You have a brilliant product here. I love to read it and refer people to you (twice now) but I’m afraid if there were a fee associated, I wouldn’t do it because I don’t need the help, our budget is tight and if I said to my dear, sweet guy that we needed to pay for something I already know how to do, well, you can imagine.
I’m teaching myself Italian through http://www.learnitalianpod.com. Parts of it are free and parts cost money. I think that would be ideal.
Good luck in whatever you decide!
To clarify, I am not proposing to make anything on here a fee-based or subscription service. I’m just thinking of adding a donate button, for those who would like to contribute a little as a thank you for value received. Nothing else.
I would probably contribute because I love your videos and I am having $$ problems as well 🙂
I think the idea of making a dvd or an ebook to download with all of your lessons in one place is excellent. I purchased Liat Gat ‘s Knit Freedom series and I would purchase it again because it is an excellent reference.
I would also like to tell you how much I appreciate that you keep your blog ad-free!
eBook versions, if there’s some way to make them available to iPad/Kindle/nook users would be something to consider, I agree. You *might* even start to reach a wider audience that way. And there are services that will make and/or ship them for you (like Amazon, they have some sort of burn-to-order service for DVDs that I’ve seen, so maybe they have something?).
I know how you feel about hosting WordPress yourself, because I do it, too; I self-hosted years ago, then wound up starting my main blog on the dot com and around the beginning of the year moved back to self-hosting because it gives me so much more freedom. Given the content of that blog, I have put a single adbox in the sidebar for Project Wonderful, but that’s the only one I have on it.
I’m not opposed to a donate button, not at all, and if I have money to spare I generally try to donate.
I too think that offering the option of your lessons on CD as well as free on youtube might bring in a bit. often it is easier to run a CD/DVD again and again to get something right, then it is to do it with youtube, especially for those with a limited connection speed. our rural area just got dsl from the local phone company before that it was dial up. and I am sure that there are many places where the connection speed just isn’t up to snuff and the CD/DVD version might be in demand. as for the donate button, go right ahead. no one needs to click it if they don’t want too, nor do they have to let it annoy them. just put it on your side bar and it is there.
Sharon Briggs originally offered her tatting design classes for free, until it became too much as far as time and resources. she explained the dilemma to her students and they now pay a small fee for the classes and materials. I see no problem with getting paid for your expertise and services. So, go ahead and add the donate button, and check into selling your video lessons.
p.s. I have already made plans to demonstrate tatting at a 4 day festival in our area next year, and your website is going to be on the list of places to check out in the handout I prepare.
I’m a retiree and living on social security so extra funds are hard to come by. That being said, I also own a long arm and am beginning to get quilts in to quilt for pay. I would use a donate button in a heartbeat because of the information you present and the clarity with which it is presented. I have already referred another new tatter to this site. I can’t promise a set amount but certainly a fair amount as often as I have extra to share because the information I have gained is so valuable to me.
Thanks everyone, you’ve given me a lot to think about. The CD/DVD is a great idea, and I might be able to get started on that early in the new year. Right now I’m kinda swamped. 😉
I would be glad to make a donation, having my own website, I know it costs and takes time.
I have so enjoyed your website and have learned so much!!!!…. I take lessons, and after I go there, I get on your website and practice practice…. Thanks for bloging your heart …. its hard to put that out there… I hope you keep up this website… Let me know where I can make a donation, alot of people do thru PayPal
Thank you also to everyone who has recommended my blog to others! I greatly appreciate your support and contributions in this way!
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