Sheesh, talk about taking the wind out of my sails! I started blogging just a few weeks ago (though I've been writing professionally for most of my adult life), and I am definitely dancing with unicorns. I feel excited, motivated, determined to succeed. Your questions are provocative - I realize that I need to establish a better sense of focus, and I have to zero in on the issues that fuel my fire, and I there is a dramatic learning curve that I have yet to overcome, and I barely have 200 Twitter followers, and I probably have to write another 5 million blog posts before I find my true voice, and I have at least 7 trillion more hours to work on my blog and website and master the countless plugins and widgits that I can barely understand....phew....now I'm burned out. Thanks!

Hi Frank, my blogging has defintely changed over six months and 70ish posts. And I do agree thats it''s work - requiring 360 degree focus. Around the 4-5mth mark I hit the typically dark, shadowy patch and had many self doubts about my writing, which was totally bizarre given that is my profession. But out of that self doubt I learnt a lot more about myself, my readers and also my voice. As mine is a blog that helps people turn their business writing from boring (just does the job) into something that's brilliant and works (that's the plan anyway)...so my tone varies from instructional to conversational, depending on the topic. However, after the black hole I changed my post and headline style and redefined my mojo with readers, and they have responded with a warmth and interest that was always there, but I hadn't quite managed to tease out before. Shame I hadn't figured it before....but that's the learning of blogging I suppose.

Frank, my target audience is bloggers who have been blogging for more than 6 months, who need inspiration to go on, because this is the time when you have hit that stage where its just too easy to throw up your hands and give up. I almost did it and I know its really hard. Bloggers are conused with their purpose, they are not seeing much results and they almost join the majority of bloggers who leave, disgusted with everything. They are not really to pay hundreds of dollars for blog critiques, or monthly payments to blogging clubs. They write because they love it but find it really, really hard to gain likeminded readers. They just need some inspiration, some hope and lot of real advice. These are the people I am currently writing for. Does it make sense?

Frank, awesome questions. Especially the third one is much ignored by many bloggers. As I can pretty much relate to the "urge" in making money, many bloggers fail to pay attention to the actual source of money - their targeted market. Excellent heads up.

Asking myself these questions on a consistent basis really gives me more leverage to write better content for my readers. When I understand WHO my target audience is then I understand how to write the content to present to them. Instead of writing what I feel they should know I let them tell me what I should research and explain to them better.

My latest conversation: Interview: Christian Hollingsworth Founder Of Smart Boy Designs

Before I even began blogging, I knew who my target audience was, what tone i wanted for my blog and pretty much what it wold be about. I keep my blog ()hopefully) very conversational. I talk about my past, and lessons I have learned.

I blog because I love it - writing is the one thing that keeps me sane.

My blog is very thought provoking (some days) and on other days it is just fun. i try to keep it balanced, but very human and always me.

My target readers are not just other bloggers, but people who need someone who has been where they are. I say my blog is about "hope and the pursuit of happiness" and when my readers sometimes leave me comments about how much inspiration they draw from my blog, I sometimes cry from gratitude.

Just wanted to say as a 120-day old blogger how much I appreciated this advice! I particularly appreciated #3. I am a prof who is blogging about student-professor communication. Essentially, a twist on the very broad area of college success. There have been times that I'm tempted to write more generally about college; however, I keep reminding myself about my audience. Students and their parents can receive general college advice anywhere. I need to stay true to my spin. Thank you for this reminder! Ellen Bremen, M.A. @chattyprof http://chattyprof.blogspot.com

Keeping the passion alive for blogging can sometimes be muddied by events in our lives. You raise 3 important questions. It's important to focus on the positive aspects. Our support system, whether it's family, friends, or the blogging community, can be a great source of inspiration, motivation, and help us stay on track with blogging. Thanks for these great questions :-)

Great questions, Frank, and thanks for asking us so politely to get our act together! Creativity and spreading positivity are my "why" for blogging. As you outlined, right out of the gate I was gung ho, then realized it requires work. I can live with that....

Over the years I have from "instructional" to "conversational" and I only every write for my friends. When I write my posts, I visualise which one of them I am having a conversation with and write the post just for them. Those posts do far better than any other posts that I write.

I think you are wrong about blogging being work though... ;)

You must always understand why your blogging..and I hope its for making money and growing your community.

"Black Seo Guy "Signing Off"