Breakfast:
Today’s breakfast was this recipe: Eggless Breakfast Scramble.
See? Proof that I don’t just eat chocolate! It’s an older recipe, with terribly old photos, but I still love it. There are actually quite a few old recipes on the site that I missed when archiving the recipe page, and I’m trying to go back to find them all. It’s like a Where’s Waldo…
Tomorrow I’ll get back to the chocolate recipes.
Promise.
Today’s post, though, is a follow-up to Thursday’s Day In The Life post, since so many people had the same questions. I figured it’d be best to answer them all in the same place.
I also wanted to apologize.
In my last post, I stressed the fact that I work hard at my job; that running the website takes up a majority of the day—nights and weekends, too. But re-reading my post, I’m cringing at how it almost sounds like I’m complaining about the amount of work.
Perhaps I chose the wrong words; it was definitely not my intent to compare my job to those of people who do manual labor or spend long hours at tedious jobs they hate. I can see now how my post could’ve sounded privileged and insensitive. If you took offense, please accept my embarrassed apology, as well as my gratitude for enabling me to have this job that I love.
To answer the questions…
How can I become a full-time blogger?
To be really honest (and blunt), I think that if your goal in starting a blog is to turn it into a career, you’re going to fail. You should blog because you love it, not because you want to make money. I didn’t set out to make this my job, and I happily blogged for years without getting much (or any) pay. My goal in blogging has never been to earn tons of money; it’s just to make enough money that I can continue doing what I love. I’d still run this website if it made absolutely nothing; I’d just be forced to devote less time to it.
If it turns out—without your trying—that you can blog for a living, that’s a happy coincidence. But I think if you specifically tailor your content to become a full-time blogger, people will see through you and see that your heart really isn’t in it.
So… how many visitors does your blog get?
At first I wasn’t going to answer this question. But the truth is, I’m curious too, and I’d love it if more bloggers shared.
My website received almost 8 million visits for February and March. If you’ve ever told your friends or family about Chocolate-Covered Katie, or shared my website on facebook, I am forever grateful to you… I’d bake you a giant batch of “thank you” cookies, but it wouldn’t be anywhere near enough!
(Seriously, it wouldn’t.)
Are you going to blog forever?
I don’t know what the future holds, but I’d love to continue running this website for as long as anyone cares to read. There is something else I’m working on, and many of you already know about it because I’m lousy at keeping secrets. I’m planning to finally announce it officially on the blog next month!
How does a person make money from a blog?
I have a sponsor, Foodbuzz. Their ads are on the side of my blog, and in return they pay me. This amounted to a few dollars a month when I first started out. But if a blog gets popular enough, you can actually make a living from it. I’m sure there are more lucrative ways to make money from a blog, but I haven’t looked into it. As I said earlier, I’m not interested in making a huge amount of money—just enough to pay the bills, cover the expense of my baking supplies (I go through a lot when doing recipe experiments!), and pay the server costs for website hosting.
Can I make a donation to your blog?
I actually don’t have a donation page… I know many other bloggers do, but I’d feel weird asking for donations when there are so many charities out there more in need than my need for money for baking supplies. But if you made a donation to your favorite charity in my honor, that would absolutely make me so happy!!
Do your parents financially support you at all? Does your husband?
My parents don’t, and my husband definitely does not support me. Unless you mean my imaginary husband. In that case, yeah he gives me tons of money. 😉
How do you make friends when you work alone?
I’ve kept in touch with some of my college friends and high school friends, and I’ve made more friends through their friends; plus many of my roommate’s friends and coworkers have also become my friends. Then I also have you all! Reading your comments makes me feel like I’m getting to know you and like we’re friends. I love being part of this online community and can’t understand how a blogger could take comments for granted and ignore his or her readers. You all teach me so much, and I wish there were more time in the day to respond to every comment and to try all the recipe ideas people send me.
(2015 edit: It’s so fantastic how many real-life friends I’ve made from people who have recognized me on the street from my blog! If you see me, please do feel free to say something!! Meeting new people is one of my favorite things, and it’s one of the top reasons I enjoy living in DC.)
Mandie says
Katie, I know I’ve been asking you quite a few questions lately….but I have a quick one for you.
Have you always blogged with a web hosting site (servint) – or did you originally start blogging for free (as in WordPress.com)?
I am really trying to figure all this out (especially this and about what camera to get – as I commented in your most recent post). I must say that your blog is so clean & pretty! It is very inviting & you write your posts so well!
Thanks!
Mandie says
And I just wanted to say that it didn’t sound at all like you were complaining about your job! I can tell you LOVE it by how you write!
Thank you for doing this blog! It is inspirational! I love experimenting in the kitchen & your recipes give me so many ideas (no, not copy-cat recipes of yours – I wouldn’t do that!)
Mandie says
By the way, could you tell me how you calculate WW points?
Mandie says
I’m not on WW, but was wondering how one would go about calculating the points 🙂
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
there’s a formula on wikipedia for weight watchers
Mandie says
Thanks!
April says
I just recently discovered your site, and I’m officially hooked! Broke down and purchased a food processor specifically to be able to try more of your recipes. I’m already out of dates and have already put the food processor through its paces. I love your genuine enthusiasm for all things health and chocolate! Please keep up the great work. I appreciated these glimpses into your life. I can say for certain that you have forever changed how I picture chocolate! Thank you!
BadApple says
Your page is awesome, and your recipes are amazing!!! I have been on a food creation kick for the last two weeks and I have just been so excited since I found your page!!! I was thinking about starting my own page to blog my own food journey, and I was just wondering if you have any suggestions for a free blogging website? I have never blogged before, so I need something that will be somewhat easy to work with. I tried blogger, but found it was more of a personal facebook like blog site – it wanted my real name, occupation, etc. right on the front of it. Thanks for all the hard work you do, and for sharing your magic!
BadApple says
Your page is awesome, and your recipes are amazing!!! I have been on a food creation kick for the last two weeks and I have just been so excited since I found your page!!! I was thinking about starting my own page to blog my own food journey, and I was just wondering if you have any suggestions for a free blogging website? I have never blogged before, so I need something that will be somewhat easy to work with. I tried blogger, but found it was more of a personal facebook like blog site – it wanted my real name, occupation, etc. right on the front of it. Thanks for all the hard work you do, and for sharing your magic!
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
I use wordpress :).
Guilla says
Katie, thank you soo much for sharing all your beloved chocolate recipes. You are an inspiration, I am starting my own recipe blog in Spanish, (I am mexican from Mexico City) and I have always loved cooking, so I am going to share my recipes with my friends, because they are always asking me to teach them how to cook, so I might as well share the recipes I like with them, right? Hopefully it will become a full time job as well and help me contribute to the household and ease some of the financial strain on my husband. It may take long though, but it is OK cause I will be doing what I love which is cooking and sharing with others, so… 🙂 keep you posted and if I decide to make your sugar free chocolate chip cookie dough pie (as well as you other yummy recipes), I might need your authorization for translation and posting.
Dan G. says
So I’ve become a fan — and I’m impressed by the amount of energy you are putting into this. I was a web admin of a hobby site for 4 years, and eventually just burned out. Luckily I was able to sell the site.
With 4 million visits/month, you have definitely worked your way into the big leagues. Why not add a little more advertising or affiliate links to increase your income? The easiest would be Amazon affiliate links for kitchen items, vegan cookbooks, etc. But there are gobs and gobs of other relevant affiliate offers out there that would fit in nicely. (Check a site like offervault to get a good idea of what is out there.)
Here’s another idea. What if you shot a short video everyday showing off that day’s recipe. Embed the youtube video into the blog. Assuming you have “monitization” enabled on youtube, those would definitely produce some real money as your collection of videos grew.
Just some thoughts. I hope that helps.
Dan G.
Maria says
Wait your parents don’t financially support you now, but they did up until recently right? I remember you posting about how you were just moving into an apartment and would be financially independent for the first time. So they don’t support you now, but you couldn’t have done this without them supporting you for the majority of your blogging career right? Or did you have a regular job while you were getting started with the blogging?
Carla says
Hi Katie,
I just wanted to introduce myself. Hi, I’m Carla. 🙂 I keep going back to your website and now I don’t bother looking anywhere else. Maybe because chocolate is my favourite food group, and you have other healthy meal recipes, as well. You do a great job with all of this, and I just wanted to say Thank you. So, know that I’m looking at your site, and have become somewhat dependent on your reliable recipes and seeing your smiling, beautiful face.
I live on Vancouver Island, Canada. If you’re ever up in the Qualicum area, I’d be happy to meet you and show you around. There is a great raw restauraunt in town. I’m 52, single, and ate too much over the holidays.
I have an idea for your website. It’s fine as is, but for the desperate diet hounds out there, maybe you could post an exact, yummy diet plan, that would keep us all satiated and as slim-looking as you. Just an idea.
Carla
Christal@NutritionistInTheKitch says
Hey Katie!
Reading over your answers to Blogging As A Full Time Job is super inspiring!
The concept behind your blog – desserts can be healthy (and delicious to boot!!) is awesome. I LOVE to inspire people through my own blog to make the step to healthier living through what they eat too, and the day I can turn it into a full time thing, that is my dream for sure! Thanks for inspiring me to keep at it and strive to become as huge as CCK! 🙂 You rock!!
Christal (Nutritionist in the Kitch)
Bree says
I haven’t read through all the comments, but I have read a lot of your website, and it is AWESOME! But in your first post about what you do, there was a LOT of chocolate. Do you ever get sick of eating (and testing) sweet things, or (heaven forbid), chocolate? Do you take time to make other types of food, and if so, what do you like? Do you like spicy foods? Pasta? Mexican? Just another curious reader. 🙂
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meredith says
You know Katie you kind of remind me of me. Well we both work from homes and although our jobs are tough we do appreciate that we can do what we love. I am an actor, mom and voice actor. Most of my day is me dropping my son off from daycare, coming home to my voice studio and auditioning or marketing myself to future clients. It is tough job that many of my friends can’t relate too. But my hard work has paid off so far. I also love working from home because I love to cook. I eat healthy and use many of your recipes! Making your waffles tonight 🙂 Good luck in everything you do!
Kendra says
HI Katie!
Im about to make your zucchini brownies, my girls and I are super excited to have healthy
desserts. Im always substituting healthier ingredients to basic recipies because 1. I know Ill overindulge 2. I am not eating sugar just xylitol and stevia But when I do it they always turn out sucky. So Im really happy to have found your blog!! You are adorable, and no need to apologize for stating that you work hard on this Blog, its beautiful!! And so are you, kudos!
Chocolate Covered Katie says
Aw thanks, Kendra! I hope the brownies turn out well!
Travis G. says
I see this post is old, but I still do want to leave a comment. You speak of the post before this one as being “privileged and insensitive”. I do not get that vibe at all. You spoke of your day and I don’t see anywhere where you were “complaining”. Of course, when someone reads his or her own words they are completely aware of what was going on in their mind at the time. This sometimes leads to second thoughts and sometimes these second thoughts are wrong. I think this is the case here. I don’t know if someone made a comment that made you think otherwise but I think that your post was a good one. I have two part time jobs and I am a full-time student. I am constantly busy. I enjoy my life though, because I know I am working towards the life I want, I am being the person I want to be. Even if the jobs are not my ideal jobs, I do them right and see them as steps to help me to the future I want. No matter the job (there are exceptions though) if a person is dedicated to it, puts effort in it, judges the good from the bad, follows a certain ethics in it, and is passionate and has love for it, then there is no cause for anyone to feel guilty for having what may seem like a easy job. I do not know your life, nor does anyone else. I cannot compare my life or my work to what you do. It all comes down to the amount of effort one puts into their work. I may come home some nights sore and tired, I stay up late some nights studying, but thats my life and it is a choice I made. I am dedicated to being a great person, to following my explicit morality, and this is what makes a person good. I do not feel guilty for it, there is no reason to. So, please, do not accept any unearned guilt. You are doing good and you know its right, and thats great.
Chocolate Covered Katie says
Thank you so much, Travis. 🙂
Megan says
Hey Katie! first, I have to say that I absolutely LOVE your website and I’m a regular visitor 🙂 I’m trying to start a blog to post all my healthy recipes on because I absolutely LOVE to cook, but I’m struggling with how to start. Do you have any tips? and what website did you use to start this blog? Thanks!
Unofficial CCK Helper says
This is a link to all of CCK’s posts with blogging tips: https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/tag/blogging-tips/
Dina Strauss says
I hope you don’t mind my asking, what do you do with leftovers, especially the ones that don’t work out perfectly, but are to good to throw away?
I like baking with my children, boys ages 7, 6, 3 (and 1 year old girl, although usually the baby doesn’t get to help). If I make a few things, I have to stop for a week until we can eat them before I have room for more. I also live in NYC and have limited kitchen/freezer room.
Haleema says
Hi Katie
I love how honest and authentic you are ☺ Your passion for cooking and this blog shows and I have bookmarked lots of your recipes for sweet treats as I have a big sweet tooth. Although I am from London, I love going to the USA and as weird as it may sound enjoy seeing (and eating) different granola bar flavours, most of which aren’t available here. In particular Annies Peanut butter and chocolate chip so I definitely love seeing peanut butter incorporated in lots of your recipes. Also to see recipes of Homemade Larabars and Lunabars is awesome and I can’t wait to make these! ☺
Haleema says
Hi Katie
I have just across this post recently and wanted to say you definitely don’t need to apologise as everyone will perceive whats written in different ways and from the people in this comments, in a positive way:) Kudos to you for finding a way to fulfill your passion and share it.
I love reading your blog! For someone with a sweet tooth these treats are just right. Recently I have enjoyed making the single lady cupcake and they have been more fluffier than the ones I make using eggs (my ingredient ratios are probably off:)
Thank you for sharing these tips for blogging as I have been wanting to start one too but have so many interests it’s where to start!
All the best from London ☺