Don't Monetize Your Joy

I have had a blog for nearly 12 years. I have loved to write my whole life. In the past few years, I have invested energy into trying to improve my writing. However, I have been disappointed to find that much of the advice I read online focuses on turning a passion into a business.

I would divide most blogs into two categories - a small niche audience that reads for family updates, and a wider audience that reads for a narrowly targeted purpose. My blog and writing are decidedly in the first category. But I would still love to improve and strengthen what I am writing. And yet much of the advice in the world of writing and the Internet focuses on "monetizing your blog" (such as including targeting ads) or "writing an e-book to capture new customers" (such as writing a book, but with the primary purpose of developing a mailing list to use in advertising).

I am fortunate to have a "regular job" I love. I am not counting on starting a new side business. I think forming a small business or part-time job or full-time job from an activity that brings you joy is a valuable, fulfilling, soul-expanding endeavor. But I am interested in developing my passion so it brings more joy for me - not necessarily the world at large.

So why does our culture emphasize that the "next step" of any hobby or joy or passion should be to figure out how to make money from the activity? Can we want to improve without wanting to enter a monetary exchange for our passion? Why is accepting sponsored posts as a blogger seen as the next logical step for growing a platform? Why, when I took a local class on writing, was the focus on the target demographics of different sectors of the publishing industry seen as more important than the quality of writing itself?

I think why I have resisted developing a more focused blog or seeking out a wider audience is because writing in this capacity is for me. It brings me joy. It fulfills me. And worrying about what kind of writing would sell or bring in more clicks depletes the very passion it gives.

I realize this will not be everyone's perspective. But I think monetizing our joy comes with real trade-offs. So paint that picture. Sew that quilt. Write those words down on paper. Perhaps no one would pay money for these outcomes. But your joy is enough.