Do It Myself Blog – Glenda Watson Hyatt

Blogging is fulfilling my childhood dream of having a regular column in which to share personal experiences of living with a disability so that readers may come to know me, the person, and to realize that I am more than my cerebral palsy. My goal is to alleviate people’s fears of those with disabilities in a non-confrontational and humorous way. Unlike writing a column in a local newspaper, blogging has allowed me to touch people from around the world. My dream would be even sweeter if I could find a way to be paid for blogging.

Charles Jolley has launched a social sponsorship experiment Blog for a Year. The aim is to find out what would happen if patrons from all over the world could come together to give one deserving writer the boost he or she needs to launch a professional career as a blogger. Blog for a Year awards one winner a year-long contract to blog full time on a blog of his or her own choosing. The award is funded by donations from participants and sponsors. The competition ends when the Blogger Fund reaches $160,000 or on January 1, 2008, whichever comes first. In either case, when the competition ends, the person with the most votes will be offered the job.

The winner will be paid $80,000 (or half of the Blogger Fund) in even bi-weekly installments, like a regular paycheque. Personally, $80,000US would keep me blogging for two or three years! The fund is currently $1350; enough to buy a bagful of pre-cut fruits and veggies bi-weekly for one year, which would save a few fingers!)

At this point, I would like to request your support in votes, please. And you can vote every day until New Year’s Day, 2008. I am several thousand votes behind the front runner, but, with your support and help in spreading the word, I am confident I have a fair chance in being offered this job.

Thanks for your support!