Are you a blogger, like me? Do you get paid to blog by someone else, like me? Or are you a blogger that made it big when blogging was a "way to make a living"? Steven Kurutz of The New York Times explored the growth, evolution and what seems to be a burst in the blogging bubble. Granted, he didn't focus on the fashion blogs we tend to cover here, but the principles toe the same line and sentiment that other bloggers have expressed in the past few months, especially around New York Fashion Week.
The piece centers on one John and Sherry Petersik (seen above), a married couple who happen to buy houses, renovate them and sell them at a profit—a pretty HGTV-inspired venture if I do say so myself. The two of them garnered national attention for their very thorough and personable approach to documenting the home improvement process. In the last eight years, the two have flipped three houses, authored a best-selling book on the subject and even worked with Target on a line of wall hooks, all the while keeping their readers and fans abreast of the finest and funnest details. But guess what? They've tired a bit of the scene because, you know, they have fucking outside lives and a couple of kids now. When the couple posted on their blog, Young House Love, that they were taking a break from the scene, some readers revolted. BECAUSE OF COURSE. PEOPLE ARE THE WORST.
People like "Margaret" had the sheer fucking audacity to say the Petersiks shouldn't use their children as an excuse because they "make the big bucks" from their blog, even complaining about the content, saying each house was too similar and that the furniture they used was cheap. I don't know you, Margaret, but I can already tell that I fucking hate you.
Overall, the piece is a fantastic look into the psyche of how bloggers function. They may start small, but eventually garner attention, fans and good money, turning a once hobby into a full-fledged career. Naturally, there's burnout. I'm really sick of this sort of old worldview that blogging is "easy" or "not a real career." I like to make fun of bloggers for a lot of things—wack content, absurd sponsored posts, the general ethos of how they run—but if they're making money and it's their primary hustle, then that shit is as real a job as any. And, as with any job, there is a certain weariness to it all. The Margarets of the world need to get bent.
If you don't like the content, stop reading. No one is forcing you to be there.
