From the moment I officially entered the full-time workforce (and even before), I wanted freedom. Flexibility. I always wanted to make my own choices about the clothing I wore to work, when I focused on my work, and eventually-- the itch to be in charge of the content of my work became something I had to scratch. I worked 6-months of W-2 salaried employment and happily waved goodbye to that world. Just Under a Decade of Freedom (and Flexibility) In July of 2011, I created my first company and shifted to independent contractor status (with my previous employer). While there are still some [...]

I acknowledge that my list of highest-paid bloggers is slightly wonky because there are loads of blogs that make more money than the folks below. But the people I list as my personal heroes in the blogosphere are here for a reason. (Note: did you know the Huffington Post makes $40,000,000+ monthly?) Stay tuned, next month I'm anticipating earning roughly $50 million... kidding. And let me make a distinction... because "paid" seems like the wrong word. How Much Do the Highest EARNING Bloggers Make? High earning bloggers... that's more like it. Because bloggers have no boss. Earning vs. Paying - There's [...]

While there are tens of dozens of ways to make money writing online, we're going to focus on three of my favorites. But First... Coffee (and a quick backstory): or Skip the Backstory I've been a deep-thinker for most of my life. I enjoy reading, thinking, and diving into the depths of the adventure of life. I like to be creative and live free. But in 2015, my daughter was born over 3 months early (while her Mom and I were in a city 2,000+ miles from home). Amidst the fear, questioning, and uncertainty, I found myself reflecting on those big [...]

As of today, blogging has been around for at least 25 years. But things have evolved a lot. What about the next 25 years? What does the future of blogging have in store for us? Big Picture Giveaway: Jump to the Answer (skip Forrest's ranting)Practical Stuff for Bloggers: Jump to the Practicals (skip even more B.S.) Additional Reading: Some practicals for you if you're considering starting a blog. I considered titling this post The Future of Content, to immediately give away some of the goodies of the post. I want to jump in and address the difference between content and blogging, [...]

If you're ready to start blogging, and you need an experienced leader... I would recommend any of these courses below I also list several free tools, (and paid tools), and there are affiliate links included in this post-- I'm sharing stuff I use and have found helpful. Be sure to read how to start a blog, and how to write a blog post. The Tool Kit for Accelerating Progress Learning How to Blog Create and Go's Launch Your Blog CourseTracie Forbe's LearnGrowEarn courseUberSuggest (free keyword research) The Pinterest Traffic Avalanche CourseSEMRush  (Use this link for a 7-day free trial)Get Simple Pin [...]

In reality, learning how to write a blog post is easy. You just write. And you get better. What you wouldn't know about the internet if you just arrived here, a full-fledged writer with exceptional talent is how to write things people want to read. This is where Keyword Research, Search Engine Optimization, and Content Strategy come in. Open a new tab with UberSuggest <-- (by clicking the green link), and let's get started learning together. Type "how to write a blog post" into the search bar and hit Enter. You should see something like this: In this blog post, [...]