Do You Have The Guts to Become a Professional Blogger?

Do you have the guts to quit your day job and pursue your dream as a professional blogger? Get Rich Slowly writes a nice article which breaks down the process of doing just that…

Quitting the day job scares me. My web income can support my lifestyle, especially if I’m frugal. But I had developed grand plans of accelerated savings, of paying off my mortgage in just a few years, of traveling around the world. When I quit the day job, I’ll be sacrificing:

* The second income.
* An additional retirement plan (about $5,000/year).
* Daily contact with co-workers and colleagues.

I’ll be trading these sure things for an uncertain future. What guarantee do I have that Get Rich Slowly can continue to produce enough income to support me? What guarantee do I have that I’ll still want to do this three years from now? There are no guarantees.

Then comes the plan….

And so I am making a leap of faith. Or, more precisely, several “hops of faith”. In order to provide myself and the business a smooth transition, I’m going to reduce my hours gradually over the coming year.

* Beginning 01 January 2008, my Tuesdays will be spent working on Get Rich Slowly.
* Beginning April 1st, I’ll drop Thursdays at the box factory.
* On July 1st, Mondays will be spent writing.
* Next October, I’ll be down to only Wednesdays at the day job.
* Finally, on 01 January 2009, I will be an official real-life full-time blogger.

I’ve always wanted to be a professional writer. I just thought I’d write science fiction novels. Or the sorts of short stories you find in Harper’s and The New Yorker. I never imagined I would one day make my living by writing about personal finance.

Read the full article >>

(ht - problogger.net)