Feeding the cruising kitty by blogging/writing

[wingNwing]

Hey, curious what you guys think about a practice I’m seeing more and more - cruisers who have a paypal-type box on their blog’s websites to allow readers to make a donation to support their trip. On the one hand, that seems kinda cheap – um, if I have spare change I’ll feed my own cruising kitty, why should you be begging from me to support your dream? OTOH, if that same person wrote a book about their trip, I might buy it. So, why not pay them for their writing directly, just cut out the publisher/middleman? (Note, I’m distinguishing between this direct payment; and writing for an advertising-supported website. In the latter case, the advertisers are paying for your writing. Hope I’m not being self-justifying in the distinction!) So, what do you think? Am I being an old sourpuss, and this is the wave of the future? Or is the "wave of the future" just grubbing?

[SVAuspicious]

I must not be in the target market, because I have yet to pay for a blog or even online articles. Of course I drop on-line newspapers like a hot rock when they move content behind a paywall.

It appears that after all the puffery, L&A magazine has moved their online issues behind a paywall.

Label me old and cranky.

[WanderingStar]

Ambiguous. I'm not inclined to pay or contribute, but I certainly don't object to the effort. I think that if a blog is visited enough, it might sell advertising. Otherwise, it's a public hobby. I'd be curious to know how much money comes in.

[wingNwing]

I love calling it a "public hobby!" Nor do I object to advertising income; but the request for donations just seems like begging to me. Maybe I'm in Dave's cranky club?

[SJ34]

I am definitely a sourpuss (but Old is a relative term. Most blogs are about as exciting as watching paint dry and in those cases donating just seems like charity to me. However, I have been to sites, all had video, that were so entertaining that I started to feel obligated to donate and felt I got my moneys worth from the entertainment value.
But if cruisers are gonna post endless videos of themselves bobbing around in a washing machine, looking miserable, going nowhere slowly and complaining about how little sleep their getting or how sick they are, it's probably gonna be on their own dime.

However, I must confess a morbid fascination with a couple of cruisers who heave-to and sail way off course every time the wind blows. I also enjoyed the movie made by the yahoo (that used to be a term for morons and idiots on display) who went cruising on a derelict boat without even basic equipment and had to set 4 or 5 anchors on scabbed together cordage to stay put in a blow. Fascinating stuff.

[josrulz]

I think a donation request can be presented in such a way that it doesn't come across like begging to the reader, especially for a decent blog that's presented well. That said, I'd wonder whether or not the take rate would be high enough to make it worthwhile to ask for donations.

I wonder if another possibility is writing an ebook, which is something that the reader must purchase in order to access the content. If the content has value to people--entertainment, instruction, tips, facts, whatever--then people will pay a reasonable price for it, if they know about it (granted, that's a crucial piece of the puzzle). I don't know if one can bring in enough real income from an ebook, and of course it's a totally different model from blogging, but I thought I'd mention it because it is all electronic and one can do it without a publisher.
-J

[rockDAWG]

Originally Posted by wingNwing

Feeding the cruising kitty by blogging/writing

Why not, go for it. It does not come across as begging at all to me. People enjoy your writing and viewpoints will likely to donate. Using paypal, it the tax free. It is almost like paying under the table but absolutely legal ( I think ).

[BubbleheadMd]

Not a fan. It's just "e-begging" to me. Next thing you know, there'll be an app for that call "i-Beg".

[wingNwing]

Originally Posted by SJ34

I am definitely a sourpuss (but Old is a relative term. Most blogs are about as exciting as watching paint dry and in those cases donating just seems like charity to me. However, I have been to sites, all had video, that were so entertaining that I started to feel obligated to donate and felt I got my moneys worth from the entertainment value.
But if cruisers are gonna post endless videos of themselves bobbing around in a washing machine, looking miserable, going nowhere slowly and complaining about how little sleep their getting or how sick they are, it's probably gonna be on their own dime.

However, I must confess a morbid fascination with a couple of cruisers who heave-to and sail way off course every time the wind blows. I also enjoyed the movie made by the yahoo (that used to be a term for morons and idiots on display) who went cruising on a derelict boat without even basic equipment and had to set 4 or 5 anchors on scabbed together cordage to stay put in a blow. Fascinating stuff.

Awww, c'mon ... aren't you going to post the links here so we can laugh too?

[wingNwing]

Clarification: I'm not polling you guys in preparation to putting a donation request on my own blog - I'm nicely set already - or fishing for compliments; just looking for a reality check on what I'm seeing around me. (But compliments always accepted, donations, ah, you can surely find a worthier cause)