On 16 Nov 2006 I became a blogger by uploading ‘The World’s Ugliest Toolbox’
http://bobhooversblog.blogspot.com/2006/11/ugliest-toolbox.html
...in response to Google’s offer of free blogging space. Since then I’ve uploaded 264 others from a file of a thousand or so digitalized articles accumulated since about 1992. The material covers a broad range of interest and includes articles submitted for publication, successfully in a few cases but mostly rejected, especially so for the aviation-related material.
To provide this ‘free’ service Google attaches advertising to your material. When someone clicks on one of the ads, the advertiser pays Google, who shares a bit of the wealth with you. You are allowed to limit the number of ads and to block ads from companies you deem unsuitable. Of course, the more restrictions you impose on your site, the lower its potential income. And the thing has to generate SOME income or Google will simply kick you off.
Over the past year the blog has been visited 97,305 times. Those visitors clicked on 862 of the ads, for which Google paid me $292. That’s about 266 visitors a day and two clicks worth eighty cents, a tad shy of Minimum Wage even for a writer :-)
As soon as my blog appeared I got a few friendly jabs from fellow writers about getting rich through blogging. This message should lay their fears to rest :-) At the same time, a number of other folks asked if creating a blog was worth their time. I didn’t know. I said I would give it a year and tell them how things were going, which is what I’m doing here.
Over the course of the last year the blog has generated a fair number of comments, some of which I’ve posted. A lot of people have urged me to submit a particular article to various magazines, unaware that in most cases, I already have. If you want to see a particular type of article in your favorite magazine the person to talk to is the editor, not the writer.
Has the effort been worth-while? If you mean financially, no. But as a means of disseminating information, I think the blog has been a success.
-R.S.Hoover
-18 Nov 2007
Hello. I know you don't know me from Adam, but I want to write in response to your latest blog.
ReplyDeleteI want to thank you for your past year of tech articles.
A year ago I found your blog site when I was looking for your Christmas story. I remember it from the Type II list.
The information contained in your blogs has helped me become a better VW mechanic and has almost become a replacement to the factory service training that I wish I could have received, but, sadly, is no longer available for air-cooled VWs. Your advice and knowledge helped me through some difficult situations at my job at a local parts story/service shop, and hopefully will continue to help me as I work towards my own restoration shop.
Thank you, and please continue with the great work you are doing.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Wade Rodman
VolksWade's Garage
volkswade@hotmail.com
yea what the last guy said only not so much for me. honestly there are only 3 blogs i check regularly and yours is one of them. if adding new content requires tons of time and you don't feel it is worth it then i can't blame you for wanting to quit. on the other hand if you want to cut and paste things you have i will read them all. i got here via the kr website which advertised your sermons but are no longer up. if you put one up every day i would read every day. i like what you have to say and the way you say it.
ReplyDeletekeep up the good work, please
leon carpenter
Just a note in relation to your wildfire post: the 3M 8110s N95 particulate respirator (disposable mask) is available in child sizes (although not infant), presumably for school use as well as small adults.
ReplyDeletesPh
You seem to have the ability to let people who do not fully understand what you have written feel like they do. Some of us are able to ask better questions because of the things you post.
ReplyDeleteI very much hope you keep doing it.
Max
Hi Bob,
ReplyDeleteI saw in one of your earlier posts that you worked for Vernon Payne. I am currently building a Knight Twister and doing research on Vernon. I was hoping you may have more information that you could pass along to me. Please e-mail me at knighttwister@gmailcom.
Carl