food blogging as a career
I’ve been thinking a lot about whether or not to write this post. I suppose this is for several reasons: 1) I am not an expert in food blogging by any means (though is anyone, really, in this dynamic field? If you are, please introduce yourself so I may learn your ways); 2) I don’t feel like what I do for a living is a job as much as it is a passion and a hobby that I love in that deep-down, forever and ever way; and 3) because food blogging as a career looks so different depending on the person and his/her circumstances.
But I do sit here, today, in my yoga pants (#fancy) at my dining room table (a.k.a. “office”) and I’ve called myself a full-time food blogger for nearly two years, so I guess I’d better own it already and go forth.
In all seriousness, the reason I thought to write this post is because I often get asked what I do for a living and how I made food blogging a career for myself. It’s not like I don’t want to get another e-mail or message ever again about what I do and how I do it — please, puh-lease don’t think that! I like you. E-mail me. — but I thought it might be helpful for those who haven’t asked the question yet or, more likely, don’t want to receive an e-mail response from me to the tune of 2,000 words with a lot of “yay!”s and exclamation points (basically, I’m a long-winded tween in e-mail form). So instead, you get a blog post to the tune of 2,000 words.
Let’s do this.
1. How did you get started writing a food blog?
The answer to this question is given in more detail on my FAQ page, but basically, I was bored and unemployed and I needed somewhere to spout my thoughts and energies other than on my new husband, lest he head for the hills. I love writing and baking, so I combined my two loves into this lovely little space o’ internet.
P.S. If you’re interested in starting your own food blog, here is a handy three-step guide to help you out.
2. What is your background?
My degrees are in journalism and anthropology: journalism, because I was convinced from age 13 (yes, that young) that I wanted to be a newspaper reporter, and anthropology, because I ended up taking all of the classes for it (which allowed me to travel to Amsterdam and India during college, so no regrets). After college and a year of not-so-fun jobs at two coffee shops, I was hired as the arts and entertainment reporter for an Iowa City paper. I worked there for a little more than two years while also blogging, all the while slowly falling out of love with what I thought was my dream job (reporting) and slowly falling in love with what I discovered was my dream job (food blogging).
Not going to lie — there were many a night of ugly cries and many a morning of wanting so badly to call in sick because I did not enjoy my day job (for reasons partially related to the low-morale environment of that paper itself: reasons that are not uncommonly found in many newsrooms these days) and I just wanted to stay home and blog all day, but alas, I had to pay the bills so my husband could attend graduate school and we wouldn’t have to live in a cardboard box.
3. When and how did you transition into full-time food blogging?
To answer this question, I have to back up a bit. I started blogging in August 2009. By April 2010, I signed on with the Platefull ad network (my first-ever source of income via the blog) and was approached by Tablespoon to write for their website on a monthly basis. By the summer of 2011, I was also hired on by Betty Crocker and Pillsbury to write for their websites on a monthly basis (if I remember correctly, I found out through Platefull that they were hiring new blogger contributors and applied for a position). I maintained these partnerships, along with a few sponsored post opportunities through Platefull, through May of 2012, when I went full-time with the blog.
At the time, I was working at my job at the newspaper, writing blog posts in the evenings, and working doggedly on the weekends to develop and photograph recipes (sometimes up to eight in one weekend). It was… a lot. But I loved blogging so the extra hours of work were worth it to me.
That said, things kind of hit a critical mass in the spring of 2012: My husband was about to graduate, we were planning to move away from Iowa, my blog work was taking up more and more of my time and I was still working at the paper. So when my husband graduated, I decided to quit my job at the paper and take the plunge into full-time blogging. Loooooong story short, we moved away, my husband got a job after six months of searching and I worked my bum off/prayed every second of every day that my blog would grow into a viable career (because at that point, we were pretty broke). Between ad revenue (by now, I was with both Platefull and BlogHer), sponsored posts and my contributor positions, I was making nearly what I made as a newspaper reporter. Those of you in the newspaper business know this isn’t saying much, but at the same time, I was proud of where I’d come from and what I’d accomplished and that somehow, seemingly out of nowhere (though it wasn’t out of nowhere, hence the late, long nights of blogging, weekends of recipe development and lots of aforementioned ugly cry sessions), my hobby had turned into a profitable business.
4. How did your blog grow into a sustainable career?
So this is a very subjective question, because “sustainable” to me looks very different than it does to other people, depending on life circumstances. But here is my situation. I’d say it took me nearly a year of blogging full-time until I realized I could make this a sustainable, long-term career. Because I had more time to devote to the blog, I was able to throw myself more intensely into improving my content, building my readership, reaching out to brands and companies I wanted to work for, promoting myself like a crazy person on social media, networking, etc. And I was seeing results. I wouldn’t say it was exponential growth by any means whatsoever, but it was enough to where I felt like all of my hard work was paying off — in terms of both analytics and income.
I’ll be honest — in those early months, I took everything I could get. I was more concerned about making money and less concerned about how I was making it, meaning I was less discerning than I am today about what work I took on, who from and how much they paid. But that was the nature of the beast — if I was going to do this full-time and really make a career out of it, I felt I had to take whatever income opportunities came my way. I know this isn’t everyone’s approach and I completely respect that. And I am able to say today that I do not take on any work that I don’t feel is a good fit for me and my brand, BUT — for me that took time.
So fast-forward another year, more paid opportunities, networking, improving my content, yada yada yada, and I am now taking in an income that is able to sustain my blog expenses, pay some of our bills and then some. And here’s the real-deal truth: As it stands, I would not be able to support myself AND my husband AND our current way of living on my blog alone in the long term. But I do make enough to give us a comfortable boost of income for expenses like groceries, restaurants, vacations, mortgage, etc. and for savings. Here’s the breakdown of where my income comes from:
1. Ad revenue (currently from BlogHer, Platefull and Google AdSense)
2. Sponsored content — that is, when I develop and photograph recipes and write posts on my blog using a brand’s product in the recipes, as well as some giveaways and reviews. You can see some of the brands I’ve worked with before in my Portfolio.
3. Contributor content — that is, when I develop and photograph recipes and write posts for brands and companies on their websites. You can see some of the brands I’ve worked with before in my Portfolio.
4. Affiliate links — that is, commissions from links I have on my blog set up through affiliate programs. I currently am an affiliate for Skimlinks, Liquid Web, Thesis Theme and Elegant Themes. I was an affiliate for Amazon before I moved to Minnesota (it is not allowed in this state).
5. Ziplist — This is the program that runs that thing called a Recipe Box on my blog’s main bar, where you can save recipes from my blog or any other blog for grocery lists and menus. I receive revenue from the ads on that page.
6. Consultant work — This is semi-unrelated to blogging, but by way of my work as a blogger for General Mills brands I was hired last year as a consultant in the Kitchens at General Mills. So every few weeks, I go to the General Mills headquarters and help with events, recipe development, etc. in the Kitchens.
5. So those are your sources of income… what are your expenses?
GOOD QUESTION. Because it’s not like I don’t got ’em. Here’s the breakdown of where I have to pay the bills, bills, bills for my blogging:
1. Server fees — that is, paying my webhost (Liquid Web) to keep my blog up and running so I don’t have a hissy fit when it goes down for like 10 minutes and call them every 2.5 seconds until it’s back up again. Not that this has happened. Ahem.
2. Groceries — so. many. groceries, you guys.
3. Props and kitchen supplies
4. Photography equipment — that is, anything from a cheapo whiteboard I got at Michael’s to my camera lens.
5. Website design
6. Taxes — I know everybody pays taxes, but I include this because when you are a full-time freelance anything, you have to keep in mind that you’ll be paying a pretty penny on all those checks you received throughout the year that had no withholdings.
6. Enough about money. How do you grow your blog?
I don’t exactly love this question because for one, I don’t blog just because I want all the peoples to read my blog. I do it because I am passionate about it to my core and I can’t imagine anything else that would get me out of bed before the sun rises every day (well, besides waffles, maybe). Also, everyone grows their blog in different ways, so my ways may not work for you. But they also might. And I also understand that a good chunk of why I am able to do this full-time is because I have a readership — a.k.a., you lovely people. Can we take a pause for a group hug?
Here are ways that I grow my blog, today, as an established full-time food blogger:
1. Improving my photos and content every day — lots of practice, books like Plate to Pixel and taking online classes through sites like Alt Summit have helped a sister out.
2. Social media — Promoting my posts on social media (for me, that includes Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Google Plus)
3. Networking — This one is h-u-g-e. For me, networking has included, but is not limited to, interacting with other bloggers by commenting on blogs and sharing content on my social media feeds, as well as attending food blog conferences and reaching out to brands via e-mail or social media (or in person at conferences) to ask if I can work with them. I also like meeting other local bloggers in real life, but that’s not about growing my blog. That’s just because I like meeting other people who have a weirdly irrational love of making, taking pictures of and eating their food.
4. eCookbook! I can’t believe I haven’t mentioned this earlier. But my eBook is yet another (exciting) way I am developing and expanding my career as a food blogger and a way that many other bloggers have expanded their reach, too.
7. What keeps you going every day?
An innate, incessant passion for writing and baking gives me the most get-up-and-go. Secondly, I’d say inspiration. I truly think if I didn’t follow so many amazing food blogs every day that wow me with their stunning photos and recipes and stories, I wouldn’t feel motivated to keep this blog running. It’s not a I-need-the-competition-to-be-motivated kind of thing, not at all; it’s more of a oh-my-garsh-those-doughnuts-look-so-tasty-can-I-grab-one-through-the-screen-oh-I-can’t-so-I’ll-have-to-make-my-own-dang-doughnuts-and-oooooh-I-really-love-how-she-used-that-cutting-board-as-a-background-I-might-fancy-myself-to-try-that-next-time kind of thing. Make sense?
You can see a whole list of blogs who inspire me daily on my Link Love page, but for instant gratification, I am often inspired by: Pinch of Yum, Bakers Royale, Blogging Over Thyme, FoodieCrush, Damn Delicious, Hungry Girl Por Vida, My Name is Yeh, Take a Megabite, Flourishing Foodie, The Moonblush Baker and Top With Cinnamon for photography; Sally’s Baking Addiction, Climbing Grier Mountain, Half Baked Harvest, How Sweet It Is, Southern Souffle, Table for Two and Tutti Dolci for recipes; and Bev Cooks, Joanne Eats Well With Others, Happyolks and Orangette for writing. These, of course, are just a few examples as I could go list eleventy billion more blogs that I love and am inspired by daily, but there’s a smattering for you.
And thirdly, you guys, my readers. You are the reason I work from wake time to bed time on this blog (and if I’m not working, I’m probably sorta kinda thinking about work… that’s what it’s like when you’re your own boss). You are the reason I enjoy doing this. You are the reason I decided to even attempt going at this full-time in the first place. So thank you. I might be tearing up right now.
8. So how do I do this food blog thing?
My advice, first, is to make sure it’s something you want to do because you really really love it: not because you want to make a career out of blogging, or even make money from a blog, but because you love getting in the kitchen every day to create and you love sharing it online and writing about it. Plain and simple. If you don’t have that motivation as the bones, it will probably never work in the long term. But if you do, then I say go for it. Keep at it, even when the numbers don’t grow. They will. Keep at it, even when you think this is stupid and you’ll never get better. You will. Know what your brand is, and remember your readers. They matter. Your journey will probably look very different than mine — it may take more time, or less — but if you’re willing to put in the work (and let me tell you, it is hard WORK, even in yoga pants), you can make a growing food blog happen.
I could keep going on and on, but lawdy, I think that’s enough for today (if you’re still even with me — if so, bless you). If you have any more questions or want to chat more in-depth with me about any of this, please ask me in the comment section below or send me an e-mail (girlversusdough@gmail.com). I promise my response will be far more succinct, though no less enthusiastic. You can also visit my FAQ page for more resources.
Ready to start your own food blog? Here’s my easy guide on how to get started.
Hearts and hugs.
Disclosure: There are affiliate links in this post.
this is such a great post, stephanie!!! you are such an inspiration and have such a down to earth way of writing. i learned so much from this! a great beginning to the week.
What a great post full of really useful advice for someone like me who is starting out. Thank you so much for sharing. Do you have any recommendations for food blogger conferences that might be good to start out with for networking purposes? I’m feeling a little shy since I have never been to one. I live in Georgia so I guess I was hoping to attend something east of the Mississippi 🙂 Thanks so much!! – Leah @ georgiapeachonmymind.com
Such a great post, Stephanie!! I loved reading this, and love what you do here in this space. You’re inspiring! Have a great week, love! xo
I really enjoyed reading this post and learning more about you and how your blog came to be (since I am a new-ish reader). I had no idea you had a journalism background… me too! I work for a food magazine and write freelance articles for a newspaper, so I’m still very much immersed in that land, but I truly enjoy food blogging and sharing recipes and eats with people. I’m not sure I’ll ever move into full-time blogging, but I love what I’ve learned and taught myself along the way, and I am always striving to make my blog better and share my passions. Thanks for sharing your path!
What a great post! It’s so interesting to see how everyone got started and how they turned it into a job.
i love your honesty here! i most often find that being personal and revealing your weaknesses to be the hardest part of blogging. your natural inclination is to always be honest, open, and sharing, but being vulnerable via the internet is an incredibly hard thing to do. talking about personal struggles, job loss, recipe failures, etc – all of it is so so tough!
thank you for your story. xo. steph
Such an honest and inspiring post, Stephanie! Thank you for sharing everything you have learned along the way!
This is a great post!! and you inspire me with each one of your recipes..
Simply inspiring! You have worked so hard and I look up to you as a savvy working mum; you had made such a career from this. I am glad you point out the realities too.
Woah, I was totally not expecting to see my name on that list of bloggers you listed off but when I saw my blog AND under your ‘photography’ category – you blew me away. Thank you, thank you. I loved this post – it’s so true, every bit of it. You HAVE to have passion to keep going and driving. Great post and truly inspiring for aspiring bloggers! xo
Love this post soooo much! You are seriously so inspiring!
Thanks for the honesty in this post and letting us know how you have grown. I appreciate you telling us that while you make money from your blog it wouldn’t be able to afford your lifestyle alone. Takes gist to tell people that. While I’m not in the recipe space, mine is more story and business related to food, I am able to take a great deal from this.
Thank you SO MUCH for sharing this. As a new blogger, these posts are extremely helpful (and inspiring!), and give me hope that one day I might turn my little blog into a career of its own. Lovely ladies like you that create beautiful spaces like this and then are open and honest enough to share your process are the reason I started blogging myself. xoxo
so proud of you. you’re an inspiration.
Such a great post with so much amazing info! So happy you decided to post it. You are such an inspiration and I learned so much form it! Thank you! 🙂
Leah — I’ve never been to it, but I hear great things about BlogHer Food in terms of networking (both for brands and meeting other bloggers). And that’s in Miami this year. But that’s a huge conference (might be intimidating) so I would also suggest the Big Summer Potluck in Pennsylvania. I went to that one last summer and LOVED it. It’s small and inviting but you still get some great networking opportunities. Planning to go back next year!
I love this! Food blogging does look so different for everyone and it’s constantly changing. I’m so jealous you get to go to Betty Crocker all the time. I was at an event at the test kitchens last fall and it is such a beautiful, inspiring place! One thing that has been hard for me in blogging is that most of the other blogs that inspire me don’t have children. I have three little ones running around while I’m trying to take pictures, and it’s hard not to compare my work and my blog to those who have unlimited uninterrupted time. I’m happy to welcome you to the baby club soon!
Thanks for sharing, Stephanie. We have some parallels in our blogging adventures, including job-related ugly cries. Isn’t it nice to have a job you love and only makes you cry in good ways? 🙂
This is such a great post. I always, always wonder how bloggers got started and these thoughts/tips are so great for aspiring bloggers. Thank you for doing what you do 🙂 Ps, is the recipe for that photo of the loaf of bread somewhere? Man it looks yummy!
Lindsay — So true — that’s a whole different ballgame of amazingness, really, to be able to juggle both. But I’m excited to be part of that club soon, too! 😉
Jennifer — Um, YES. I’m so over the ugly cries. 😉
Madison — Thank you! And the recipe is going in my eCookbook (I know, I’m being a tease) — just one more month or so to wait, though!
Julie — Well it’s true — so thanks for being such a great inspiration! 🙂
Thanks for this amazing post, it was a really great read for me and made me feel a bit more like I’m doing the right thing. I’m graduating this Spring and I’ve been blogging for over 5 years and instead of trying to find a job I’m going to move into food blogging full time. It is taking up so much time and bringing in income already, and I’ve done the math with salaries and rent prices, and staying living in London to work will just make me miserable. So thanks for this post, made me feel better about something that yes I’m excited about, but I’m also really nervous about at the same time!
Thank you so much for sharing this! I am about to become a stay at home mommy and can finally put my full time job and part time job down and focusing on a baby and my blog! I don’t have the expectation to turn my blog into a career but it is something that I am so passionate about and can’t wait to actually spend a lot of time doing it. Very inspired by your post!
Seriously awesome post Stephanie! I loved everything you said about working your butt off and sharing your lessons.
Love this post! I don’t think people realize how much work can go into food blogging in general…. let alone doing it full time! Oh, and I seriously can’t wait for your ebook:-)
I loved this post Stephie! I’m currently in the process of transitioning to full time blogging. I’m working part time at my once dream-job (I SO feel ya on this one, sista!), and part time at my now dream job, blogging. Frankly, transitioning to full time is SCARY, but my husband and I both felt like I had to go full time to truly give it a solid chance at making a sustainable income. I know many people built up there blogs and incomes while working another full time job, and I respect the crap out of them. But I’ve realized that’s just not me. I have too many other commitments I care about to make both of these things work at the same time. So I’m taking the plunge and seeing what happens! This post was really encouraging. Thanks for sharing.
Courtney — It is scary, I agree — but I don’t regret how I did it one bit. You’ll know when it feels right to take “the plunge” 😉 to completely full time — and I’m here every step of the way if you need any advice/encouragement/cookies. 🙂
I always enjoy reading posts like this because everyone has a different story. I’ve been blogging for the last 2 years whenever I can and just recently am doing it more consistently which has helped!
I really appreciate your honesty, especially about the fact that you may not have been too discerning with the gigs you accepted in the beginning (been there, done that too! Sigh…) and also with your level of income. Some bloggers start out thinking that they will become kajillionaires by blogging and that it’s easy, but it’s not. Lately I feel like I’m making no money, and like I’m only good for generating massive amounts of dirty dishes and a messy kitchen, lol! It’s nice to know there’s hope, but that also I might not get a Martha Stewart-level income from this gig 😉
Keepin’ it real!
Good luck on your path. It sounds to me like you’re on track and happy 🙂
I love love love this post Stephanie. Loved hearing about your blogging journey. Such an inspiration. I’m not quite ready to make the move to full-time blogger, but am hoping to grow it to the point where it’s an option. It would be such a blessing to be able to do what I’m most passionate, every day, all day. I love that you mentioned that you reach out to companies to work with, because that’s always something I’ve wondered. Should I wait for them to come to me like I have been? Or should I seek these opportunities out? You’ve answered my question! Thank you!
I loved reading this post – very informative and totally inspiring!
All I know is that you are amazing! So glad you found something you love! And thank you for including me in your inspiration links!
Thanks for such a great read! It is so inspiring to read that you too quit your full time job and took the plunge to be a full time blogger. My husband and I recently relocated and I recently quit my job of 15 years to pursue my dream of making food blogging my full time career. Congrats on your success! There is no better feeling than doing what you love!
I’m so glad you decided to publish this post! I never tire of hearing how other bloggers got started on this journey known as Food Blogging and how they have built up their success. I feel like I’ve reached a plateau and I’m not quite sure how to leap to the next level, but this post has clarified a lot of those questions. So thank you!
I’m so glad you posted this Stephanie! I really loved reading about your journey. I’m glad I’m not the only one who will get up at ridiculous hours to bake. I put a cake in the oven at 6:45 am the other day and I thought, am I the only freak? haha. Thanks for sharing.
This is so well written and so fun to read about your path. Although we have some differences, I relate to so much of your post and will definitely be sharing it to those who ask about how I started blogging full time!
LOVE this. So true. All of it. Including the groceries 🙂
Aimee — Thank you! But seriously, those groceries.
You are amazing and I’m so glad you shared this! XO
Great post. I love when you blogger folks let us in the loop. Your passion for food is contagious. Thanks.
This is such a fantastic and informative post, Steph! I’m often asked the same questions and have many of the same answers that you demonstrated here! So happy that you’ve been able to make a career out of doing what you love. Keep goin’, girl! 🙂
Great post! Still kicking myself for not realizing I was in the same BC kitchen at the same time…doh!
Stephanie, I really needed to read this post at this time. I love blogging so much (how else would I have gotten to know amazing people like you?) but it’s so hard to keep at it with a full time job (50+ hours a week, not mentioning commuting time), a husband and puppy to feed and love, a house that I just moved into and am renovating…the list of “real life” things to do goes on and on. I’m not crazy about my profession and would love to blog full time but I can’t let go of job/salary security. But like you said, so long as I’m passionate about this, keep going. I love baking, taking photos and writing. I love getting to know other bloggers and readers. Numbers will come, a career of it will come (if that’s what’s meant to be). I’m so glad you took chances and followed your heart. I love your blog – you are phenomenally talented. I can’t wait to see your ebook! Thanks for sharing all of your thoughts and experiences.
Fantastic post! I always love reading about how other bloggers got their start and became successful. Really inspiring!
Gerry — Haha, me too! Next time. 😉
Nancy — Oh, thank you so much for your kindness! Yes, just keep following that passion. That’s what matters most. 🙂
I’m so glad you decided to post this. I’ve learned so much from it!! As a newbie, you have no idea how much this means. Thank you!! You are such an inspiration 🙂
What an amazing story! You have worked so very hard to achieve your blogging goals! Your candor and insight is very much appreciated!
This is such an incredible post and I’m so glad you wrote it! So many nuggets of great advice. Thank you for the link love too! xo
Wow! Enjoyed reading about the background info that goes into food blogging. Many thanks to you for finding your niche that so many of us benefit from!
Stephanie, this is a GREAT post. Your path to full time blogging has been very similar to mine. When you mentioned “many a night of ugly cries and many a morning of wanting so badly to call in sick because I did not enjoy my day job,” I could just totally relate. I used to work in advertising, and would cry on my way home from work. I finally quit, went to culinary school, and never looked back!
You are a true inspiration, lady. So excited to continue watching you grow! (Not in a creepy stalker way. Promise.)
Love, love, love every single word of this! You totally rock for being so transparent about your love of blogging and how you got started! I really enjoyed reading this – and will likely come back to this time and time again for inspiration! 🙂 Yay YOU!! 🙂
(I laughed out loud at one point because I think I write like a ‘tween on too much caffeine’ sometimes! Soooo many exclamation points!!!!!)
What an incredibly amazing, informative and truly inspirational post. As a starting out food blogger I love reading and learning how successful food bloggers got where they are. A true Thank You from the bottom of my heart for sharing all this!!!
Thanks for posting your experience with blogging over the years. It’s a great inspiration to hear how hard you’ve worked and how you’ve made your dream job a reality. Thanks for sharing!
I love you and I love this post! Thank you for being so incredibly open and for sharing your story with us. It is inspiring 🙂 <3
This is one of the best + most honest posts I’ve ever read on this subject – you’re such an inspiration!
This post just made me want to hug you HARD (but not too hard because, baby). I am so happy that you have made this work and that we met because of it!! Such an inspiring story. 🙂
Also, you mean you actually get off the phone with LiquidWeb when you’re site is down?! I insist that they stay on the line with me until it’s back up. But I”m a crazy person.
This is a wonderful post, and helps me get inspired all over again about why I love food blogging!! I’ve been terrible about actually getting a good advertising network on my blog, but I think I’ll apply for some because some extra cash is always nice 🙂 thanks for the lovely post – so helpful and informative.
This is such a great post Stephanie! I loved reading this, you are such an inspiration to so many food bloggers and I love how open and honest you are. Thank you so much for sharing with us 🙂
Thank you for posting this Stephanie. I’ve had these ‘I’m-working-my-butt-off-and-for-what’ thoughts about my blog lately. I really needed to hear all this. Thanks.
This is a fantastic post! Thank you for sharing this. I wish more full-time bloggers took time out to share their knowledge and experiences. It’s pretty inspiring 🙂
Thanks Stephanie, I started blogging a couple of months ago, because I had to talk about food, but I am already thinking about where this ends. You write because you have something to say, you want people to read it, or why bother publishing? I want people to take my recipes and make delicious food, and at the same time, I want my friends, family and extended blog population to know what’s happening in my life, especially since I am overseas. Blogging can be a lonely affair, writing it all down, with little interaction. I love this because you teach me where I could end up if my dreams come true. Unfortunately, I’m the breadwinner for now, same as you were, but who knows down the line. My current work life is brutal too…
Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou! Thank you for writing and sharing this! The full-time or part-time food blogger posts are SUPER interesting and informative for me, and understanding how you make it all happen is completely motivating, inspirational, and helpful! I <3 you and your full-time blogging career and had a blast reading this. All your hard work and tears has paid off, lovely lady! Cheers to many, many years of awesome food blogging to come!
P.S. I can't wait for your E-book!!!!!
Thanks for sharing! Very informative!
Thanks for all of your insight, Stephanie. Great post with honest opinions and ideas on how to really grow a blog and readership!
This is awesome advice and so motivational and inspiring! I have stuck with this only to see others fall away. But it is something I love that has branched out into writing for magazines as well. Then branched out to craft beer. If you are open to it there are amazing opportunites and detours along the way!
Thank you so much for sharing! I am so happy my co-worker sent this over. Definitely gives a girl hope for the future!
Britkitch — I’m sorry to hear your work life isn’t so great right now. 🙁 But keep at it — if blogging about food makes you happy, that’s what matters most. You never know!
Thank you for sharing all this great information! I recently launched my food blog and this post gives me hope and inspiration. I’m definitely at that point where I’m struggling with what to take and what to pass on. Thanks for providing some thoughts on that.
Fun to learn about your journey. Just followed you all over the place.
Cheers,
Janine
Wow, Stephanie! I’m not sure we’ve ‘met’ before (I’ve passed by your blog before for sure but I’m not sure I’ve left a comment), but let me tell you this post is INSPIRING – yes, I needed those capital letters there to convey how much! I can’t believe you were thinking of not writing this. As a blogger who’s just started this year, I can already relate to so much of what you say and you probably don’t realise how valuable it is to read such a candid account of your past few glorious years of blogging (with a few not-so-glorious moments thrown in, by the sounds of things!) I loved the practical info, realism and most of all the passion that came across here and will no doubt refer to this again many times in the future. This is most definitely bookmarked … and thank you so much! 🙂
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I LOVE THIS. And you, for sticking it out and making this happen all on your own. What you’ve done is incredible and such an inspiration for all of us just setting out on this journey. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience with us — and I’m so thankful to have “met” you through our respective blogs the last few weeks! <3
Also, that cake = droolworthy.
I’ve followed scores of food blogs for years and perhaps I’m just attracted to her dramatic style but the best food blog photographer I’ve seen by far is Nancy http://www.spiciefoodie.com.
Thank you SO much for sharing all that! I’ve been blogging as a hobby for almost two years now (where has the time gone?!) and to get see/read what someone I look up to has to say, it’s wonderful. Thank you for being such a wonderful inspiration 🙂
Very cool, lady. So glad to call you friend and neighbor! XOXO!
Oh my goodness!! STEPH!!! I am so honored to have been mentioned in that list. You are a constant source of inspiration to me as well. I love your sense of humor and writing style.
This is an amazing post and resource. Thank you so much for taking the time to share it with everyone! 🙂
Wow, what an awesome post! Life as a food blogger is definitely hard, and totally worth it. I love it…most days. 😉 It’s inspiring to see how other bloggers make it work. Now that I have found you, I will be following along (from Cedar Rapids!!).
I am not sure how I haven’t come across your blog before– it is beautiful. I am your newest fan and know I’ll learn so much about blogging, photography and food from you. Thanks for taking the time to write this post!
Fantastic advice and information, especially to someone new to blogging. Thank you! 🙂
I love your style. You are so honest and passionate in a contagiously fun way! It’s so fun to hear how successful bloggers got started. Thanks for sharing!
I loves this post. I feel like I learned so much! I feel like in this career you are always learning because it and the internet/social media are constantly changing as well. Thanks for putting that great pic if the three of us in! Keep doing what you’re doing girl! You are a source of inspiration and hunger pangs for me!
Thank you so much for this post. I’m pretty new to this food blogging world and had a doubt now and then if I can do it. Your post gave me an encouragement and inspiration to get going.
Thanks for writing this! (and can I get an amen to “so.many. groceries” SO TRUE)
Loved reading about your journey and workload. So interesting!
Great post. I agree wholeheartedly if one thinks they are going to hop into food blogging and make a quick easy buck…fergetit! The passion for food, fellowship, grocery shopping, cooking, baking, cooking, baking, counter wiping, and so on and so forth and what have you has to be there. I just did my taxes…erhumm I think I made like 10 cents an hour! LOL. But is that stopping me…no wayy. I love this good blogging and all that comes with it and it allows me to be at home with my kiddos, and feed them well ;). Best to you! Thanks for sharing, Sheila
Sheila — Thanks so much! And OH YES, the counter wiping (and the dishes)… that alone is like 50 percent of our job, haha. 🙂
What a way to share your story for all the world to see. I commend you for being an inspiration to food bloggers, both those in existence today and those to exist tomorrow. Thank you for this post!
I’ve been saving this post all week, so I could give it some time. Loved it! Also, you totally inspire me…so there’s that 🙂
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Way to go girlie! Loved hearing your story & I hope to meet you soon at a Fortify event! 🙂
Shawn — Thanks so much! Hope to see you at an event soon, too! 🙂
I just started reading your blog. I love baking & your recipes are great!! Could you please tell me where I might find the recipe for the bread pictured at the top of this post. Thank you so much & Happy baking!!
Kim — Thank you! The recipe is actually not on the blog… it’ll be in my eCookbook, which is coming out in April. Sorry to make you wait ’til then 😉
Thanks for the quick response. I look forward to the eCookbook.
What a truly amazing post, Stephanie! I’m so inspired by your story, and it gives me heart to know that stories of following your passion do exist and are successful. It’s midnight now, but all I want to do is bake! (:
What is that yummy-looking thing (log?) with the peach slices on it at the top of the post?
Mark — It’s a peach quick bread that will be in my eCookbook coming out next month!
I can not wait.
This sounds so much like me. I grew up wanting to write for newspapers (like my Dad, who still freelances, mostly doing restaurant reviews). My degrees is in journalism/communications. But now I work a boring day job when I really want to cook fun new foods all the time hahaha
Thanks so much for sharing such your candid post. It’s quite inspiring!
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Fantastic post! It’s so refreshing that you put it all out there, the good, bad and everything in between. Most of all, you shared your success for us other food bloggers trying to make a name for ourselves. Thank you for your honesty and compassion toward the craft!
not a food blogger but another former journo… but i still work full-time just in the corporate world. but i love your blog & these tips!
well said
Thanks for all of your efforts on this post! It was very inspiring to read. I’ve had my blog for about a year and had no idea how hard all of this was going to be. (working in yoga pants sounded sooo easy – but it’s actually hard work!) I truly do love blogging and reading something like this gives me a little push to keep going when the going gets tough!
Dee — So glad it was helpful for you! And at least we can do all the hard work in our yoga pants. 😉
Stephanie! I found your blog googling “food blogging full time”, because it’s a path I’d like to take sometime in the future – and thank you so much for sharing these great & practical tips with us. I understand that for food blogging to be a career it really takes a lot of time and effort and patience – I’ve been blogging for the past three years, am at a point where I’d really like to grow past where I’m currently at.. Hustle, patience, hard work! One recipe and post at a time!
Felicia — Thanks so much for stopping by! I’ll be rooting for you as you seek to grow your blog! 🙂
Stumbled upon this after searching, “Grow Food Blog”. So happy I did! This was tremendously helpful and informative. 🙂
Kelsey — Oh, I’m so glad! Thanks for visiting! 🙂
Thank you so much for the nice post !!! 🙂