Heartbreaks & Hard Truths About Blogging Journey
Because someone needs to tell you hard truths about blogging isn’t all passive income and laptop lifestyle bullshit
The hard truths about the blogging journey aren’t exactly what the “make $10k/month blogging” crowd wants you to hear.
But after years of building Blog Recode, crying over analytics, and questioning my life choices at 2 AM while editing posts, I think it’s time someone told you what really happens when you decide to become a blogger.
Spoiler alert: It’s not the dreamy laptop lifestyle Instagram makes it seem.
It’s more like voluntarily signing up for an emotional rollercoaster designed by someone who clearly hates happiness and loves psychological torture.
But here’s the thing – knowing what you’re getting into makes you stronger, smarter, and way less likely to quit when shit hits the fan.
And trust me, shit will hit the fan. Repeatedly. With impressive velocity.
The Fantasy vs. The Reality Check
The Fantasy: You’ll write passionate posts about topics you love, build a loyal following, and make money while you sleep.
The Reality: You’ll spend 4 hours researching whether “website” should be one word or two, cry because someone left a mean comment, and make a few $$ in your first six months while working 60-hour weeks.
When I started blogging, I genuinely thought I’d be making thousands within a few months. I had read all the success stories, watched the YouTube videos, and fully bought into the hype.
I was going to be different. I was going to crack the code. Blogging queen of the internet.
Three months later, I was googling “is it normal to hate everything you’ve ever written” at 3 AM while stress-eating leftover pizza and wondering if my college professors were right about my writing being “adequate at best.”
Heartbreak #1: Your First Year Will Humble You Into Dust
Nobody – and I mean NOBODY – tells you how soul-crushingly slow the first year is.
You’ll publish posts you think are absolute fire, share them everywhere, and watch as exactly four people read them. Three of those people will be your mom, your best friend, and some bot from Russia.
I remember publishing what I thought was my breakthrough post – a comprehensive guide to starting a blog that took me 12 hours to write and research. I was convinced it would go viral. It got 23 views. Twenty-three. I’ve gotten more engagement posting pictures of my cat on WhatsApp status.
The worst part?
Those blogging gurus showing their million-dollar months conveniently forget to mention they started their blogs in 2010 when competition was basically nonexistent and Google loved everybody. Now you’re competing with millions of blogs, algorithm changes that happen faster than your mood swings, and AI-generated content flooding every niche.
Reality check: Most successful bloggers took 2-3 years to hit their stride. The ones who made it faster either had existing audiences, got insanely lucky, or are lying about their timeline.
Heartbreak #2: Imposter Syndrome Will Move In Rent-Free
That little voice in your head telling you you’re not qualified to write about anything?
It’s going to become your most consistent reader. Imposter syndrome in blogging is like having a really mean roommate who never pays rent but always has opinions about your life choices.
I spent my first year convinced everyone could tell I was making it up as I went along. Every successful blogger seemed to have advanced degrees, decades of experience, or some kind of insider knowledge I clearly lacked.
Meanwhile, I was googling basic HTML while pretending to be a blogging expert.
The truth bomb nobody prepared me for: EVERYONE is making it up as they go along. That blogger with 100k followers? They’re probably googling the same things you are; they just got started earlier and got better at hiding their panic.
Pro tip: Imposter syndrome means you care about quality. Embrace it, learn from it, but don’t let it paralyze you. Your perspective is valuable precisely because it’s yours.
Heartbreak #3: Content Creation Will Drain Your Soul
Creating consistent, quality content is like trying to be creative on command while someone holds a gun to your head. Except the gun is your editorial calendar, and the person holding it is your past self, who clearly had unrealistic expectations about your future productivity.
I used to think I’d just “write when inspired.”
Cute, right?
Inspiration is about as reliable as your ex-boyfriend – shows up randomly, leaves without warning, and never when you actually need it.
You’ll have weeks where ideas flow like wine at an Italian wedding, and months where you stare at a blank screen wondering if you’ve permanently lost the ability to form coherent sentences.
Both phases are normal. Both phases suck in different ways.
The content creation cycle:
- Week 1: “I’m a creative genius!”
- Week 2: “This is pretty good content.”
- Week 3: “Is this even readable?”
- Week 4: “I should have become an accountant.”
- Repeat forever
Heartbreak #4: The Money Situation Is Complicated
Let’s talk about everyone’s favorite topic – making money from blogging. This is a very important, hard truth about the blogging journey to keep in mind.
Most bloggers make less than minimum wage for their time, especially in the beginning.
I tracked my hours obsessively in my first year (mistake #47 in my blogging journey). I made $847 total and worked approximately 312 hours on blog-related tasks. That’s $2.71 per hour. I could have made more money collecting cans from the side of the road.
But here’s the thing about blogging income – it’s not linear. You don’t make a little bit each month until you reach your goal.
It’s more like this: nothing, nothing, nothing, $50, nothing, $200, nothing, nothing, $1000, $500, $2000. It’s unpredictable as hell and will give you financial anxiety dreams.
The money reality:
- Months 1-6: You’ll spend more than you make
- Months 7-12: You might break even if you’re lucky
- Year 2: You might start seeing consistent income
- Year 3+: This is where the real money potential kicks in
Heartbreak #5: The Comparison Game Will Destroy Your Mental Health
Social media makes every other blogger look like they’re killing it while you’re over here celebrating 100 subscribers like you just won the lottery.
Comparison is the thief of joy, and in blogging, it’s also the thief of productivity, creativity, and basic human sanity.
I used to follow every successful blogger, thinking it would inspire me.
Instead, it made me feel like a failure every single day. Bella had over 300k Instagram followers, Adam was making six figures, and Cory just launched his fourth course while I was still trying to figure out how to make my homepage not look like it was designed by a drunk toddler.
Truth bomb: Those highlight reels don’t show the 3 AM panic attacks, the posts that flopped, the months of no income, or the times they wanted to quit and become baristas. Everyone struggles. Some people are just better at hiding it.
Heartbreak #6: Technical Shit Will Make You Question Everything
Nobody warns you that blogging is like 30% writing and 70% becoming an accidental tech support specialist for your own website.
You’ll spend entire days troubleshooting why your site is loading slower than dial-up internet, why your images look pixelated, or why your contact form suddenly decided to take a permanent vacation.
I once spent 6 hours trying to figure out why my sidebar disappeared.
Six hours.
Do you know what the problem was? I accidentally deleted a single closing bracket in my CSS. ONE BRACKET. I could have written three blog posts in those six hours, but instead, I was deep in the WordPress forums questioning my life choices.
Technical reality check: You’ll need to learn basic HTML, CSS, SEO, image optimization, page speed optimization, email marketing platforms, social media scheduling tools, analytics, and about 47 other technical skills you never wanted to know about.
Heartbreak #7: Trolls and Negative Comments Will Hit Different
Your first negative comment will feel like someone just told you your baby is ugly. Even if it’s clearly from some keyboard warrior who probably hasn’t seen sunlight in months, it’ll sting more than you expect.
I got my first really nasty comment about two months in. Someone called my writing “amateur garbage that nobody should waste time reading.” I screenshot it and sent it to my best friend Diane with approximately 12 crying emojis.
She talked me off the ledge, but damn, that shit hurt.
Plot twist: Negative comments often mean you’re doing something right. You’re evoking emotions and taking stands. Bland, safe content doesn’t get passionate reactions – good or bad. You can also get ideas from those comments.
The Hard Truths That Will Set You Free
Truth #1: Consistency beats perfection every single time. That post you think is “just okay”? Publish it. Your worst published post is infinitely better than your best unpublished draft.
Truth #2: Your audience doesn’t expect you to know everything. They expect you to be honest, helpful, and human. Admitting what you don’t know builds more trust than pretending to be an expert.
Truth #3: Most overnight successes took years. The bloggers making serious money have been at this for 3-5 years minimum. Stop comparing your month 6 to their year 6.
Truth #4: Revenue diversification is everything. Relying on one income stream (looking at you, AdSense) is like building a house on quicksand. Multiple revenue streams = stability and growth.
Truth #5: Your niche doesn’t have to be your passion. Sometimes your biggest moneymaker is something you’re just competent at and willing to research. Passion is great, but paying rent is better.
The Mindset Shifts That Save Your Sanity
Shift #1: From “I need to go viral” to “I need to serve my audience.” Viral content is lottery ticket thinking. Consistent value is compound interest thinking.
Shift #2: From “Everyone else is doing better” to “Everyone else started somewhere.” That successful blogger you admire? They had 0 subscribers once, too.
Shift #3: From “I should know how to do this” to “I’m learning how to do this.” Blogging is a skill that develops over time, not something you master in a weekend YouTube binge.
Shift #4: From “This post has to be perfect” to “This post has to be helpful.” Perfection is the enemy of publication. Published is the enemy of invisible.
Why I’m Still Here Despite All This Shit
After painting this incredibly depressing picture of blogging (you’re welcome), you might wonder why I’m still doing it.
Fair question.
Because somewhere between the analytics obsession and the technical nightmares, something magical happened. I started getting emails from readers telling me my content helped them.
Real people, with real problems, finding real solutions in my words.
That first email from someone saying my blog post helped them start their own business? Worth more than any AdSense payment or affiliate commission. The reader who said my content made them feel less alone in their entrepreneurial journey? That’s the good stuff right there.
Plus, despite all the struggles, I genuinely love what I do now. It took time, patience, and a lot of learning, but blogging has given me freedom, creativity, and a business I control.
The hard parts don’t go away, but they become worth it.
The Silver Lining in This Shitstorm
- You’ll develop skills you never knew you needed. Marketing, psychology, technical problem-solving, project management, and the ability to write compelling content under pressure.
- You’ll become mentally tougher. Nothing builds resilience like publishing your thoughts online and dealing with the consequences. You’ll develop thick skin and learn to separate your worth from your metrics.
- You’ll find your tribe. The blogging community, despite all its quirks, is incredibly supportive. Some of my closest friendships started with commenting on each other’s blogs.
- You’ll own something. Unlike a job where you can be fired, your blog is yours. Your audience, your content, your rules. That ownership feeling is addictive in the best way.
Survival Guide for the Blogging Apocalypse
Months 1-3: Expect Nothing: Focus on learning, not earning. Set up systems, find your voice, and don’t check analytics obsessively (this will save your mental health).
Months 4-6: Embrace the Suck: This is the desert phase. Everything feels hard, nothing feels like it’s working, and you’ll want to quit daily. Don’t. Push through.
Months 7-12: Look for Green Shoots: Small wins start appearing. Your first $1 earned, your first email subscriber who isn’t related to you, your first share from a stranger.
Year 2: Find Your Rhythm: You’ll start understanding what works for your audience and your niche. Content creation becomes less painful, more strategic.
Year 3+: Reap What You’ve Sown: This is where the compound effect kicks in. Your old content drives traffic, your email list converts, and you start seeing the fruits of your early labor.
Tools That Help (Not Just More Expenses) 🛠
For Sanity: RescueTime to track where your time actually goes (spoiler: not where you think)
For Writing: Grammarly Premium – because editing your own work is like trying to tickle yourself
For Analytics: Google Analytics + MonsterInsights plugin to make the data less scary
For Social Media: Buffer or Later – schedule posts so you’re not chained to your phone
For Email: Kit, Beehiiv or Mailchimp – start collecting emails from day one, even if it’s just your mom
For Backup: UpdraftPlus – because losing all your content is a special kind of heartbreak
Hard truths About blogging: Pep talk
Look, blogging is hard as hell.
It’s going to test your patience, your confidence, and your ability to function on too much coffee and too little sleep. You’re going to want to quit approximately 99 times in your first year.
But here’s what the quitters don’t get – the magic happens in the persistence. Every successful blogger you admire went through exactly what you’re going through.
They just didn’t quit when it got hard.
Your voice matters. Your perspective is unique. Your experiences can help someone else who’s struggling with the same problems you’ve faced. The world needs what you have to offer, even if it doesn’t feel that way when you’re staring at single-digit pageviews.
The hardest part about blogging isn’t the technical stuff or the content creation, or even the slow growth. The hardest part is believing in yourself when the evidence suggests you should give up.
Don’t give up. Not yet. Not when you’re just getting started. Not when the compound effect hasn’t had time to work its magic.
Parting Shot
The hardest truth about the blogging journey is that it will break your heart, test your patience, and make you question your sanity. It will also give you skills, confidence, and opportunities you never imagined possible.
The choice is yours: quit when it gets hard, or push through and see what’s possible on the other side of the struggle.
I can’t promise it’ll be easy, but I can promise it’ll be worth it.
Now stop reading about blogging and go write something. Your future self will thank you for starting, even if your present self thinks you’re crazy.
Questions You Might Ask
1. How long before I can expect to make money from blogging?
Realistically? 6-12 months for your first dollar, 12-24 months for meaningful income that might cover a nice dinner out. Anyone promising faster results is probably selling you something.
Focus on building value first, monetization second.
2. Should I start a blog if I’m not a great writer?
Hell yes. I wasn’t a great writer when I started – I was barely a mediocre writer.
Writing is a skill you develop through practice, not a talent you’re born with. Your authentic voice matters more than perfect grammar.
3. How do I deal with impostor syndrome when everyone seems more qualified?
Remember that expertise is relative. You don’t need to be the world’s leading expert – you just need to know more than the person you’re helping. Share what you learn as you learn it.
Your beginner’s perspective is valuable to other beginners.
4. What if my niche is too competitive?
Every niche feels competitive until you find your unique angle. Instead of trying to compete with everyone, find the specific sub-niche or perspective that only you can offer.
Narrow your focus, deepen your expertise.
5. How many posts should I publish per week?
Quality over quantity, always.
One great post per week beats three mediocre posts. Consistency matters more than frequency. Pick a schedule you can maintain long-term and stick to it.
6. Should I focus on SEO or social media for traffic?
Both, but start with one. SEO is long-term compound growth, and social media is short-term relationship building. If you’re just starting, pick the one you understand better and master it before adding the other.
7. How do I know if my blog is failing or just growing slowly?
If you’re learning, improving, and occasionally helping someone, you’re growing slowly. If you’re doing the same things repeatedly without learning or adapting, you might be failing.
The key difference is growth mindset vs. fixed mindset.
8. What’s the biggest mistake new bloggers make?
Giving up too soon. Most bloggers quit right before things start working.
The second biggest mistake is trying to do everything at once instead of mastering one thing at a time. Focus, consistency, and patience are your best friends.
