Cafepress.com is an excellent way to merchandise yourself. And your site. Thing. And a premium site would be way cool. For a long time I thought that was how this place really was and it was all an elaborate front.

one more thing: you can use a POD publisher like iuniverse (heard some good things about them) and have minimal outlay. advertise it here on your site, expand some of your essays or tell us some more about losing your job due to the blog. i think you could tell some really funny stuff about that without naming names. plus the mormon stuff, coming from a bible thumping area myself, is a riot. i wish you the best and wish i only had an 'n'th of your writing talent.

This is yet another vote cast for a book and/or t-shirts. I frequent several Flash-animated webcomics, and at least one of them pulls in enough income from the merchandising that the creators have given up their day jobs.

I really liked the illustrated Making Leta book-type-thing that you linked to a while back. I think that we, as your totally devoted readers, would embrace a several-month-long hiatus from the Doocing if it meant we could spend money on a book by you.

Cafepress.com seems very accomodating for all this. And yes, they do compile books. So you could conceivably do all this without a ton of extra investment.

Keep on rockin, babe. (And yes, you still rock. Anyone who says you don't can suck my strap-on.)

Okay...I'll confess that I have not read all of the comments that have been made for I fear that I will surely die of eye-splints. And then my little girl will have to be raised by a father that thinks he can do her hair. But I know better. He sucks ass. So, yeah, how to make some money at this...hmmm...I'd pay to read what comes out of your brain. So would most all of my pals that read this. I'd vote for t-shirts and cafepress-ish stuff so that I would be able to recognize who the other cool people are in my town. And for sure with the taglines!! 'The softer side of cynical' is one of my faves!! (and suits ME perfectly!)
How about nude pictures of Jon? Well, I mean, with his glasses on? I'm just sayin'...

"Ask and ye shall receive..."
In my best, most thundering, God-like, comment voice I can muster.

I'm not trying to get all biblical on you or anything, but as evidenced by the 300+ comments all you need to do is just ask for what you need.

If you're having a problem meeting your hosting bills, say something and BAM, you've got people willing to give you hosting. If you're needing help with a mortgage, mention it and POOF, you've got folks wetting their pants to pen a check.

How many times have you heard the "I wish there was something I could do." line when someone is in need? That's generally truthful and from the heart.

People want to help (some need to help) but they need instructions. They need a "P.S. Jon's birthday is coming up and I'm a few benjamins short..."

My vote for the new addition to your site is a "karma" link. "Doocekarma" if you will. And yes I have seen the "donate" link on your nav, but didn't know if it'd truly help out.

Oh and another suggestion is selling this huge frikin' comment section to spammers.

Good luck.

Oh yeah...I want Dooce merch...MAKE WITH THE DOOCE STUFF!!!!

I check for updates on your blog daily. You are extremely talented! I can be in a horrible mood and go read your blog and walk away in a completely different mood. I have laughed, cried and *felt* with you...as I'm sure a lot of your readers have as well. I would pay to keep reading your blog! I also like the idea of a hard copy of your blog...maybe yearly? I would even consider buying a t-shirt that said "Get Dooced" or something like that. Whatever you decide, do it for you! Thank you for allowing us all a little glimpse of your life.

I've been obsessed (the good kind, not the bad) with your site since before its hiatus, turned countless people onto it, and would miss it terribly if it went away. A small subscription fee would be a good idea, but I'm just echoing everyone else: book book book. I'd even buy it in hardcover.

I don't know of ANYONE who gets 316 responses to a post in one day, so yes I think you are due some profit out of your popularity. :)

Jesus fucking Christ! I'm like the 320th comment - let me note, that I'm ecstatic to have 5 comments at at time on my two-week old blog!

However, my one constructive criticism would be to make the archives more accessible. Those of us who are new to the Doocage find it tough to catch up.

Also, have you considered liquor ads? Perhaps next to breast pump ads? Just a thought, no matter how lame.

Furthermore, every-fuckin'-blog I've ever seen links to you. More power to ya! You should get paid, if only because I and all of my blog geek friends love you to death.

All the best,
Katie, ex-mormon and unwed mom of Kiernan, Leta's future husband (should she eventually develop a yen for the boy-type people.)
P.S. I've also wrapped spaghetti around my dog's nose. Though obnoxious, it's thoroughly entertaining. Kiernan and his dad agree, and how can three people be wrong?

I'd pay, I'd buy and I'd click. I don't have any ideas but I do think you should do what makes you happy, money and proud. So don't edit yourself and don't change. I love your writing and am a devoted reader. You kick ass.

I'd happily pay, Dooce.
(If you knew what a tightwad I am that sentence would reverberate massively)
Just a simple Paypal button with a fixed $5 payment would do the trick.

Just wanted to leave a comment about Google... they said the same thing to me, except it was the sex thread on a forum I run.

Who knew Google was "family-oriented" when you always find the best links to porn on it. -scratches chin-

On second thought - yeah, I commented a minute ago - a book would be fantabulous, topical, and so current with the blog-o-rama that some publisher's going to piss himself. Publish, publish!

Coincidentally, there's a Wired News article just out that talks about success selling ebooks on line. So, if you do want to write a book, you might consider "publishing" it as a PDF file and selling it here.

(Hopefully the link will work...)

There's a guy called Mil Millington who wrote a column for the British newspaper The Guardian called Things My Girlfriend and I Argue About. The column then became a basis for a novel.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/
ASIN/0340821159/qid=1092474379/
sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_11_1/026-
0660827-0424418

Yes, subject to editors to some degree, but my point is that I think you could either sell volumes of old Dooce, possibly unedited, or, since you seem to enjoy writing, you could base a book on your web musings. I think novels are going to be less subject to language editing than a daily published column would be.

Not an immediate money-maker I know, but perhaps something to think of in the long term.

As for the short term, I'd buy a tee shirt!

Maybe you could post a link to a wishlist and then people who visit the site often may be obliged to buy things for you. Kind of like PBS or national public radio, only you're interesting. I've also seen sites set up links so people can donate money, through amazon.com or paypal.

You have lived here on the internet how long and you've never been accosted by the demons of hamsterdance? If this guy can build a merchandise empire based on a one-page plethora of goofy animated gifs, i think you have it made already!
The Original:
www.hampsterdance.com/hampsterdanceredux.html
The Empire:
www.hamsterdance.com
Go get inspired! And I want a t-shirt.

You can offer a program where you link to people's personal websites for a low monthly fee. Down your sidebar, a banner/image/ad provided by the person wanting to advertise their sites will link to them, in a random order, after each refresh. Idea stolen from links.net who did that for many years. And I did click several times out of curiosity. You wouldn't be paid according to the number of clicks for each person's site, but rather for something like $5 per site, and per month.
I think that could work out nicely.

Or, in order to be eligible for a program like AdSense, you could arrange a section of dooce.comto be some sort of magazine (with contributers triés sur le volet) or forum (with registered members). A place to either read more on related topics, but from various authors, or to come, juggle some ideas and see what happens with the crowd.

No offence, I've been coming back here several times a week (since chineseamericanprincess.comlinked to you), and I love your personal site, but I don't think I would pay a fee just to be able to read it.

But I would either pay for additionnal features, or guarantee you my participation in whatever program/project you launch that will help dooce.com generate regular income.

Anyway, that's fun all these upcoming changes. Must be exciting !

Best.

Count me as a potential "paying member", should you go that route.

Heather- I have always thought you would be very successful shopping around a book proposal about your pregnancy and child-rearing experience. As far as I know, there aren't any true "girlfriend's guide to pregnancy."

I don't know how profitable cafepress is because their prices are so high to begin with. But why not? It doesn't cost you anything.

My husband uses Google adsense and only gets $100 every few months, so don't feel so bad about not getting accepted. I wouldn't want to read a censored dooce site anyway so fuck em.

Myself and about 10 of my co-workers read your site. We discuss it in the hall. "Did you see Dooce's post on cabbage? Did you see that picture of Chuck?" We are all honored that you share your life with us.

I would read anything you crank out. I would buy whatever you were selling just to know that you still be generating your blog.

Cafepresss T-shirts, a "members only" section of the site with a fee, anything!

Thanks for making me laugh and cry every week.

Waaaaaay better than "Sex in the City" so why not do a "Dooce" - hey the world is into real life shows/sites - somebody has to be interested in this stuff - it's great.
My daughter is two weeks younger than Leta and loves looking at the pikkies on the site.
Love reading your comments each time I log on to the computer.

heather,
while i'd be in full support of you getting paid for entertaining the masses--which is what you do, & it's obviously a lot of work--i do have to make a pitch for bringing in advertisers & the like rather than just charging your readership. b/c while i'd love to support you financially in return for how you amuse & inspire me, i'm still in grad school & can hardly afford my own groceries, let alone yours! if we could make donations according to our ability, & i could give you pennies, cuz that's what i have, and your ubergeek corporate computer-nerd friends could pitch in a lot, i'd be all over that plan. but there are SO many "alternative" products & companies out there who'd love to reach your readership & wouldn't give a fuck how often you say fuck about how fucking great their stuff is or how fucking nasty is the poop of the day... & i hope you can find a way to connect with them!

Another vote for a book. I would not only buy a copy but I would buy copies for my friends who don't spend all their every hour at work since they discovered your site a couple of days ago, reading every word you've ever written here *cough*

I also have to agree that charging for the site will limit new comers. I love you now but wouldn't have started reading you if I had to pay. Now, of course, I'm hooked. Hey! Maybe that's an idea!! Maybe you could start selling crack on the side to make money! You could give it away first and then start charging once they were addicted!! yeah, yeah

You're a lot like crack to me now. I mean that in a good way.

And t-shirts! Definately t-shirts. Nake Chuck t-shirts!

donnaly

PS-thank you. You made me smile on days when I wasn't sure I could.

I can't remember where I read it, but someone somewhere stated that the new "computerese" term for getting fired for one's blog was "dooced" or that the person is a "dooce." I don't know whether that originated from you and your site or not, but it sounds likely.

Sooo....if someone somewhere is already using your TM name for this, you should do it as well.

I think it is a growing problem. I know of two bloggers (Sarcastic Journalist and Gut Rumbles) who have been fired for their blogs.

You could help raise awareness of this issue as it borderlines on legal and is a real detriment to our Constitution.

I agree that the site should remain free. It's a great springboard for other things like a book and products (hell, I would love a dooce shirt with the above masthead).

Good luck. I have a home office with a legit job. If you want to know more about it, email me.

I love your writings, and have mentioned before how I can relate to so much of what you're going through! I look forward to reading your next post as soon as I've finished with a current one!

I think the new changes, additions and ideas you've listed are great! ...perhaps even a new post every day... ;)

I also really like the idea of getting your past writings into a book! They're wonderful, make you laugh and make you cry. I also like the idea of a subscription to your site!
Good luck!

here's my idea: get a job! i know you've had some bad experiences with editors, but i will honestly say that "dooce" is 100x better than anything i read in any paper ever. i would love it if my local paper actually carried a sydicated "waked out marrige and family with dooce" section. actually i would go so far as to say that i would buy my subscription in advance just for that! i would love to see you get a column, only b/c the world needs more dooce.

other than that, how about a book deal? i bet you could take your best 100 essay's and publish them. kind of like a "chicken soup for the fucked up soul" version! you can definately swing that.

i can't even tell you how many friends i've turned on to you simply b/c of your writing. it's fantastic, and a newsapaper column / magazine column (have you ever sent stuff in to parenting magazines?) or a book would be awesome for you! give the world more dooce!

Advertising, subscriptions all seem fine, as well as merchandising. How about a Dooce baby clothes line?

Anyone who would buy the cabbage out of your bra is just sick, but I'd buy a Dooce t-shirt anyday.

My advice is to start simple with the re-design. These past few months have been hard for you, plus just starting meds, don't get over-ambitious. Having this site must be like stripping in public. Sometimes thrilly and sometimes oh so painful. The most important thing is that you are sane and can deal with all the responsibility. Start with the re-location and a Paypal button and go from there.

I personally would not buy a Dooce t-shirt (or hat, backpack or thong), mainly because I don't believe in logo/slogan wear. I lived in Utah several years and I love your photos. I am far from those lovely mountains now stuck in a tree infested swamp on the edge of a Great (UnSalted) Lake. I would buy a 2005 calendar of quality Utah photos. Best of luck to you.

Heather,

From the first time I found this site...I was addicted. My kids are older but I could so relate to what you are going through. Also addicting were your photos and art work. I am so impressed. I work with the graphics community by providing the training they need for the creative software and your talent is truely top notch. You are so damn talented. I would buy t-shirts that have some of your art work on them. The stuffed Chuck sounds great but I am not so sure about a stuffed Little Leta....she can not be replicated. I would pay 20.00 a year to read this. I have spent many a day at my office getting lost in your site. I recommend it to all new mothers. You say what we all feel or have felt.

Dooce,

I love your website. It has saved me from countless hours of work and for that I thank you. I know I (and many others) would easily pay to see your site. I have one concern-if people are paying for content and for whatever reason you can't provide it-would that present a conflict for you? Would you be getting nasty hate mail if you didn't update your site often enough? Would it seem like more of an obligation for you and less of an outlet? Just something I have pondered. I would pay good money to see the hate mail!!! Oh, and pictures of the Armstrong cuteness.

First, I'll admit to being terrified of your idea to post Love/Hate mail seeing as I've written you Love mail that probably also passes for stalking. *Sigh* But shame is for the weak, so ok.

Second, my idea. You know what the web needs? It needs a message board for trying, to-be and current parents. It needs this so, so very badly. Of course there are already a million of these boards out there, but they are vapid and horrifying and people post Accordian and Celo as possible baby names and refuse to use the word "sex" and instead call it BD which is short for Baby Dance which, *shivers* let me tell you, that is so not on. So I suggest you do a members-only pay message board on dooce for all the parents or parents to be that think talking about cabbage in one’s bra is a decent conversation topic. I would pay for this starting today even if it’s not live for months. I’d also love to do this myself, but I don’t have the audience you have and the audience I DO have does not give a rat’s ass that I scored a BabyBjorn in Marshall’s for 1/2 off or that I just bought a 3 foot black stuffed ant for the nursery. If I say BabyBjorn to them one more time, they are going to cut me.

I think the pay for comment is a fabulous idea. Some people just can't shut the fuck up when given the chance.

As for publishing the hate mail, totally go for that so we can mock the asshats. And be sure to include their email address. I bet you'd get a lot less hatemail that way.

I could totally see myself buying swag if you go for that, or even buying an ad for a month or two, depending on price. Randy from www.somethingpositive.net asked his readership to donate enough money so that he could quit his job and they donated $23,000 or so in less than two months. I can totally see you being able to do that.

Perhaps someone has commented on this already, but I can't quite wade through 368 posts to check.
I don't know if this is possible, but if I were going to pay cashola for your site (which I'm willing to do), I'd want to be able to move back and forth through your old and most recent posts more easily. For example, if I don't read your blog one day, I'm never sure if I've missed one or not. To check, I click archive... choose the one before and look at it, but once at that post, there is no easy way to click on the more recent one. You have links to go backward, but not forward. I know it just requires that I click either the home or archive button, but it seems like more back and forth than I'd like. Is there a way to have a side window or something that is constant and has all of the posts listed, regardless of if you are reading an old one, or the most up-to-date one?
One other change that might be nice is that perhaps the posts that have pictures in them could have something to indicate the presence of pictures.
Final note, if I were going to buy a t-shirt, I'd want something like your masthead designs. I like the recent one of chuck... but 'maternal inferno' and 'my milkshake is better than yours' were both pretty clever.

Don't want to deal with a publisher who might water you down? My sweetheart currently self-published a 30-page collection of short comix and excerpts from longer works in progress for the graphic novel he's working on (graphic novel in the sense of illustrated/comics not x-rated), found a silkscreener for the cover, and is now averaging 3 sales a week without real publicity AND without the massive following you have. He's already broken even after a month, so now it's pure profit. Some of you might call this format a zine.

Compile some of your best archives into collectible beautifully designed silkscreened zines on acid free paper or ebooks according to theme (pregnancy, motherhood, depression, life before marriage, best of, whatever), charge for downloading. When the orders/money comes rolling in, use that proof as leverage to get a publisher who will publish with minimum or no editing. I love you for your writing, not someone else's idea of what your writing should be.

Please don't charge for these posts. Charge for anything else, a premium service, swag, whatever but not for the pleasure of reading Dooce everyday. Ask for donations. In fact, start today!

Love Dooce!
aleksandra

Sorry for the double post. Forgot to mention - TextDrive is a wonderful host. Been with them since their beginning after I moved from Dreamhost.

look at you! you're like a friggin' rock star!!! how about naked pictures of your husband? just kidding...really..seriously though, i wish you luck in whatever it is you decide to do.

Looking forward to all your new ideas. You've a great sense of humor and I'm sure it'd be hilariouos to read your hate mail and especially your responses to it. Also, the more photos the merrier. One other suggestion: an email list to let frequent readers know when you've updated or added a new column/rant--similar to Liz Penn's thehighsign.net (where I first heard about dooce).

As for raising money, best of luck. I wouldn't mind a few fast loading banner ads, but as much as I love your site, I'd wouldn't pay any regular subscription fee. You might consider soliciting voluntary donations similar to andrew sullivan.com (I've given to him every year via his PayPal account and I'd give to your sight occasionally as well). You might also consider merchandising.

Anyway, best of luck.

John

Dooce,

WOW! seems you already have plenty of input which all are good too but here is mine.

I love your site have spent numerous hrs browsing it and always look forward to the next updates.

You are a very, very talented person not only can you design awesome stuff but you have a wonderful way of writting. You could definitely sell some of your graphics or design templates for sites just like they do at coolhomepages.com or maybe you can design pages for sites like aboutmybaby.com.

On regards to finding a new hosting service I have had wonderful experiences with the one I currently use netfirms.com

Best of luck to you! I wish I was as talented as you.

Why not do a coffee table book, sort of a timeline of all your wonderful photos? Or maybe keep the text portions of the site free, and have the 'premium' subscription be illustrated...

Anyway, you are FABULOUS, and I will read your site for as long as you have one, and would gladly pay for the privelege.

Love your site - am a complete sycophant when it comes to you (and only a little embarassed admitting it).

I like the idea of regular/premium services (mostly because I have no money right now and would hate to lose access to your warped mind). On the other hand, as soon as I got some money, I'd happily pay for a t-shirt with "the softer side of cynical" on it.

Definitely dooce gear - I will sign up to buy that! Best of Dooce? That too.

The other thing I was JUST thinking is WHY oh WHY has there not yet been a reality show based on a 'blog celebrity'?

Oh and if you go to a tiered model (some free and some premium content) sign me up as a paid subscriber!!!!!!

Yes to t-shirts! - oh please, so fun they would be...and hell yes i would pay to read you - you rock and i look forward to each new post...and leta is cute as a button, but you already know that

Yep, I'm all about the Paypal "donations" button. I am absolutely positive that your readers would willingly give you cash as payback for the pleasure they derive from this site.

Also, this has probably been said, but you should link to an Amazon Wishlist. I'd bet that people would buy you stuff, especially for Leta. This would free up some of your money for bills and the like.

Well, as usual, I'm late to the party, but I say do whatever you feel you want/need to do. I'm kinda cash-strapped, so a $500 partnership is right out, but a Dooce.com t-shirt might be doable.

Good luck!

I forgot to add...Whatever you do, please do us all a favor and give us a warning if this site is going to be down during the change. I think some of us would have a heart attack if we tried to come here and it was gone. Don't even get me started on the repercussions of Dooce withdrawal!!!

heather, i've said it before: the sedaris kids don't have anything on you! you need to write and make people laugh!

Yeah, what about a punk-rock mom site? You could call it Letafilter. Still run Dooce, but tone down the swearing for the mom site, and get Google going over there, and have membership and stuff.

Of course, that requires engineering a whole new site, and a lot of work. Boo.

Simply put: I love your writing. I love your photography. Sometimes, your picture make me drool. (It's not very pretty.)

But that being said I'd be first in the imaginary internet line to buy your photos - they could be of anything, in any size, and cost almost anything.

Same thing goes for when you publish a book - I'll be in that line.

I'd also pay you top dollar to help me design a site with as much moxie as this one - I promise I won't bug you too much after it's up and running! :)

More fan mail...
As someone who is considering the motherhood gig, your unsweetened insight on pregnancy and baby-raising is refreshing. Would I pay for access to hate mail and photos? Would I pay for dooce gear? Hell yeah. And, as reader response indicates, this could be a profitable endeavor.
Good luck, Heather

The first year baby book of what you DIDN'T expect would sell off the shelves--

I'm sure you have publisher contacts up the wahzoo but I'd be happy to pass along mine and a contact to a terrific agent too, if that helps.

Definitely set up a subscripton service-- and all the tchotke your wild mind can envison--bring it on!

I would totally buy a t-shirt with the current masthead on it. Chuck with the blanket on his head is so cute!

Good luck with whatever you decide to do, I'll keep reading, even if it means paying for the privilege.

What about getting paid for product placements? Television has been doing it since day one, why not on dooce? You could be writing about a meal you and John are enjoying and mention the tastey beverage you two drank by brand name. Or the type of diapers you have on Leta. If nothing else, maybe that could get some free stuff.

Have you ever thought of self-publishing? It's not at all like masterbation. People do this for their family genealogies all the time.

Some companies have a certain number of books they require you to order, maybe 100 or something. I think you'd do really well.

You should check locally but maybe this site will get you started: http://www.lulu.com/browse/search.php

Honey, I have shit cooking on the stove so I can't read the 7 jillion comments to see if this has been posted but -- seriously -- put a Paypal button on your site.

I'd donate to keep the Dooce flowing. In a heartbeat.

If anyone has missed it, there's a link in the box of sections of this site that says "Donate". There's her Paypal button/link.

I love you just the way you are! Don't ever change ... :-) I would certainly pay for the enjoyment of reading you just the way you are. I did use your donate link once, but you write "you don't need to donate again". So, I didn't.

I think if you put the PayPal donate link prominently on your main page with a suggested subscription rate of $5/month, lots of us would do it. Hell, that's just one Cafe Mocha Grande at Starbucks to us, but multiplied times even 500 people, that can be real money to you. PayPal makes it SO easy.

I don't think you want to make it a required $ membership-type site. Although I'd be delighted to give you money for the pleasure you give me, I wouldn't want to be forced to. know what I mean?

Stay away from the publishers - you know what you're doing going directly to the reading public. Just ask us to support it - we need very specific directions - and we'll do it!

If you are considering a subscription arrangement, you should consider getting an ISSN number. http://tim.movementarian.com/archives/000059.html

Jesus, 419 comments already.... Idea: Charge $1 per comment.

t-shirts coffe cups and mugs are so yesterday maybe you should write a book? on parenting, or boobs. People still buy and reads books I don't know why really but they do.
Maybe a greatest hits album? You could sing a couple of your journal entries - britney spears does it all the time.
Or do something like google answer where people can ask you questions and they have to pay you to answer them.

Heather, go for it! You have my support in what ever you do. It's the least I can do for all the awesome writing, photos, and art that you put in this site.

I was only able to digest about 200 comments, so sorry if I'm being a total repeater here...

T-shirts, mugs, and especially greeting cards are all fabulous ideas.

I'm thinking that one way of attracting new readers while making the site subscription-based is to use excerpts -- a paragraph or two for everyone, and then a "[continue reading -- subscribers only]" link to the entire post might work. I'm not sure if you could set up MT this way, but if not, then I think the "daily dose of dooce" e-mail could do the same thing: offer an excerpt of today's post, with the remainder behind the subscription wall.

I would pay on a monthly or yearly basis to read your site, but it would be really neat if it were also possible to pay on a per-post basis (this goes along with the excerpt idea -- readers could pay to see the full text of the articles that interested them most. Isn't that how Lexus/Nexus works...?).

Anyway, best of luck -- I hope you're able to make this work!

Heather,

Good luck taking the step. You definitely have a good reader base.

Whatever you do, PLEASE DON'T ALLOW FOR FLASHING OR ANIMATED ADVERTISING.

Sorry for screaming.

could you perhaps gather some of your writings from the site into a book of some sort? I'd buy it. And I love the baby pics.

See, here's the thing. People would pay to read your site so I say charge people. You're funny and entertaining enough to deserve some cash in return. Whether that's setting up a site that requires a username/password for access or what I'm not sure but whatever it ends up being, I'll sign up. You're worth it.

P.S. Write a book. I'm sure lots of folk would buy it. I would.

i love the photos on your site, as well as the profanity, of course. it's what i come here for. that and the sarcasm... there's no such thing as too much of that. i'd shell out some cash to get my fix... especially if it were voluntary and as easy as clicking a paypal button.

i'd also love some doocey-type gear.

If you can get 432 comments on a post you sure as hell can get people to pay to read your site. Make it approximately the cost of a magazine subscription, except we get new material more than once a month.

The negative on charging your readers is that they will expect more content, unless the price paid is pretty minimal. Of course you won't get as many hacks reading your site if they have to pay to read it. Which might reduce the amount of hate mail you recieve.

From a business perspective, I do not feel you can get any type of advertising because then they feel they can somewhat control the content and that is not what Dooce.com is about, IMHO.

Heather, I wish you all the best. I have been reading this site for a year now and it is the most inspirational website I read. You make people think outside the box and in the process accept their difficulties and the difficulties of others. I admire where you are at in life. Thanks for sharing it with me.

I agree with those who said you should write books, you sure have a way with words.

Got some sleep, had a drink, more ideas.

I don't think that charging folks for content that's free now would work. If nothing else, it would make it very difficult to get new folks hooked on Dooce, so the user base would sink. However, charging folks for extra content might just work.. sort of on the TotalFark model (main page free, TF $5 a month for all submitted articles plus some other extras). I pay for that, mainly because I spend so much damn time on that site that I felt I really should start carrying at least a share of the bandwidth charges.

Another thing that might be a hideous idea but might bring folks in would be message boards that could be used by members. Get some volunteer mods to weed out the fucktards, then let folks rip. Might cut down on the vicious emails, too.

And the SuperMut underoos, of course.

Off topic: I saw you on the Washington Post today in the story about the Capitol Hill blogger. Good job!

Kudos Dooce!!! Great article in the Washington Post Magazine. I am sure you will come up with a money-making venture.

Woh, I knew this site was hot but g'damn, 440 comments on a single post is a bit overstating it :)

Basically, most people who say they'll pay to read the site are lying. They think they will, but they won't. Lots of sites go out of business this way. Attracting new customers is of course a huge problem when you require subscription.

Look at the site as an advertisment for other things. What are those things?

Well, merchandise is the best suggestion by far, as long as it's well-thought-out and well-designed, which I'm sure it would be given your formidable skills in that area. However, places like CafePress.com take their pound of flesh so it tends to be prohibitively expensive and also low-profit for end seller.

Pay-per-use areas are good, but don't generally pan out. Meighan.com tried it, and a few other high-profile blogs, and it usually doesn't fly -- unless it's porno, of course.

I think the book suggestion is a great one. Definitely shop some publishers, or self-publish. Wil Wheaton got a book deal beacuse 5000 copies his self-published book sold out in a record two weeks.

Been reading your site for years. Love it! I, too, agree with the book deal/print comments - huge seller, I would think.

While I would probably buy a t-shirt, mug or mouse pad, I really like the calendar idea someone suggested earlier. Could offer several versions - one with Leta, Chuck, Jon and Dooce pics and maybe one with your beautiful Utah scenery photos. I'd buy that.

Maybe a subscription only postcard section of your photography?

Nope. Not lying. I don't lie. I would pay to read dooce.

P.S. I think you should focus potential merchandising concepts on babywear. I don't wear a lot of t-shirts but would put a "Softer Side of Cynical" T on dd (7 mo) in a heartbeat.

I have no problem with the idea of paying for my daily dooce fix. However, being a poor student, I probably wouldn't be able to afford the $50 someone mentioned above. Depending on the amount of work involved, a book would be just the thing.
Best wishes to you & yours!

I want a fucking Dooce.com T-Shirt right NOW!!! And another that has a picture of a bra on it.... with cabbage sticking out of it.... GO DOOCE!!!

Please don't make this a pay site. With the kind of traffic you get, you should be able to sell advertising space for a good sum instead. And the merchandising idea is a good one too. Of course, you could always just ask your readers for donations a little more prominantly then you do now. I am much much more willing to give money as a donation rather than by force (subscription.)
Thanks for the rant.

I'd totally buy a dooce book, wear a dooce t-shirt, and drink coffee from my dooce coffee mug.

You know though, if you charged us nominal fee of, like, five bucks a year, you'd be an instant squillionaire.

But.

I want a dooce t-shirt so screw that nominal fee idea, k?

Honestly, I check your site way more than i should--i'm probably a big part of your bandwidth problem. I'd pay to get specialized content--maybe an email newsletter with columns just for the paying masses? you might also consider selling ad space to BYU--i'm sure they'd jump on it. :)

P.S. An RSS feed so I can check out what is going on in this neck of the Blurbodoocery woods from my mobile phone would be great too.

I have to agree with Keith. I am probably a huge part of your bandwidth problem... I go through withdrawls every time you don't post for more than four days.

P.P.S. A book on your pregnancy and birthing and rearing of Leta would be a keeper for prospective parents and couples... Yeah I am Mormon, still single, and waiting to go on a mission, but I would pay $30 for a "Dooce Guide for First Pregnancies" for when I get married. Some of the posts were real eye openers, but I don't think I ever looked forward to having a kid more than this before having read them...

I will shut up now. Sorry.

Heather,
I like the idea, and I will definitely pay you to keep writing! But, for a monthly fee or something like that, I sadly wouldn't do it.
I just had this brainstorm of having a yearly fee of a minimal amount - say $20 or so. Only those that pay or have a password can access it. Also, if you go that route, you could offer a certain day preview period - to entice newcomers...
Let us know if you shut down during redesign!

Goodluck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Virginia

Like everyone else has said...shop yourself for a book deal. You already have the content. Someone will pick it up and they will make a lot of money.

Don't be satisfied with just a compilation of blog entries. Pick the best pictures and have them printed on photo paper inside the book. Have the -ing's in the book to give a nostalgic way of giving timeframes. You can create a whole new idea for a book with this.

I'd pay $40 for it. And I'd buy it for friends. And I'm a broke college student.

I hope this doesn't sound mean, but I and about 3 million other bloggers fantasize about your popularity. If I got the traffic you do, I'd do anything to sustain it. I don't understand much about marketing, but I can't imagine a single banner ad (like Drudge) wouldn't take care of bandwidth and give you a generous bit of pocket change. If it's fee only, I'll find another parent to commiserate with. Good luck.

Yep, I am also one of those who also read your site - from the caribbean, and have never posted before - and would be willing to subscribe or sponsor merchandise,just to keep reading your blog.

As for the ongoing t-shirt idea (hey, lots of people are already in line for them!), I think you have some wonderful entries which would make great quotes and could have your dooce.com adress printed somewhere. Like Annie comment #458!!!!
lots of luck!
claudia

I like ALL of your ideas for the site. I don't see anything wrong about trying to make a living at it. I would suggest maybe attacking it from a lot of angles with as little risk as possible and hope for the best. As others have suggested:

1. Ask for a yearly donation from readers. I think you'd have better luck getting a low fee from a lot of people rather than a higher fee from fewer people. Just a thought. Maybe a page that lists the name of donors with links to their blogs.

2. T-shirts
3. Ads

How did mighty girl's T-shirts work out? Maybe she would be someone to bounce some of this stuff off of. Good luck.

I'd buy a tshirt or a wonderfully designed coffemug. Can't you link to cafepress or something like that? I'd donate (like on thenorm.com. I'd ignore the ads.

Whatever you do - don't stop - write more. You write what I feel and don't have the brains to put so eloquently. I Laugh out loud all the time reading your blog. Just call me "dooced"

I would not like to see you leave the site on the side of the info highway, I don't know what I would do. I might even go to some high bridge and see if I can spot any jumpers, then come home to my cozy chair and remote and watch for the replay on TV.

1. Amazon.com book store links. You get money when poeple buy books through your site.

2. Ebay items for sale. My sister, raising 3 young boys has made of $2k in one month spare time since I got her hooked up on ebay back in 99.

3. Sale Phote prints and framed prints. You've got some nice ones.

4. Auction off argument you will start with Jon without his knowing it and then post the response. Think of it as "Reality Blogging".

5. Become a member of Elance.com and develope websites out of the home. Big expensive ones. Get the grunt work done in India for $10/hour, you charge $90 and Project Manage and QC the work over on this end.

Let me know how things go and good luck. Don't shut down Dooce.com

Bill

sorry..i'm an ass i didn't read the other suggestions to see 20000 other people already suggested cafepress

Heather, I agree that selling ads to small businesses for prices they can afford is the way to go. Just take a look at the fabulously successful A WORD A DAY daily email post to its world-wide list of subscribers. There are always several small paid text ads at the bottom of the daily-new-word email post, and the ads are humorous, tempting and interesting! They must be making money for the advertisers, because their ads Don't Go Away!

Seriously, target businesses that sell baby-related items to start, items that have made a difference in your family's life, and more inspiration will follow!

And remember to create your Federally-required business bookkeeping system, and treat the venture as your sole proprietorship business, paying quarterly income taxes, right from the start. That will save needless headaches later. The bookkeeping system needed for such a small business is simple and straightforward. Be sure to save all your receipts, as you will be deducting all of your expenses.

Also, I would pay an affordable small fee to be a "premium" member of your site, if expanded content were there.

You are an inspiring and honest writer and a voice that our society needs to hear . . . uncensored!

Evelyn
in West Suburban Philadelphia

Heather,
I just want to say how much I love reading your site. I think it would be an awesome idea to take some of your posts and bundle it into a book. In fact, I got hooked on your site when a friend of mine found your site and how you were talking about being pregnant (like she was at the time) and told me to read it. Why don't you bundle your memoirs of being pregnant? It would definitely sell!

Anyway, keep writing. I look forward to your posts every morning when I get into work. I wish I could be even half as funny as you are!

I'm not positive, but at this moment in time, I feel I don't feel it's the right to make readers pay for blogs. If it's necessary for a second income, probably better to get a regular job as a staff writer, or get a book deal based on your blog stories. And if you would like to continue your blog as your fans would hope, perhaps just writer fewer entries so that you would have time for them and not have to close the blog. Perhaps a once a week blog. For some reason in my mind I don't have a problem buying a book of NEW stories, but I don't feel right paying for online blog entries. Don't know why. Maybe because a book is tangible, I can read it when I want, I can re-read it, it won't dissapear, it's just more enjoyable reading real books than online, etc... You could be the next David Sedaris! Your site has a refreshingly simple, clean, uncluttered, non-flashing look to it; I'd hate to see it all mucked up with stuff/ads. I love your writing though and would hate to see it go away. Your baby is so cute. She will have a full appreciation of her mother one day when she reads this. Not many people get so much insight into their parents, or get to think of them as "real people". I think it's neat. Thanks, cpr.

Hurray for finding a way to do something you love while still being able to be around to raise your baby! I don't have any new ideas, but I'm hoping that one of them works out for you.

Ooh, I'd be really glad to see the old posts come back. I want more Dooce! Vintage Dooce!

If you get more bandwith does that mean I'm no longer going to have to turn of my enire computer security system (which I do gladly, though it freaks my computer out) to view the seriously cute Leta and Chuck pictures?

Add me to the list of people who would gladly pay for a premium Dooce service, especially it included stupid emails. I love stupid emails.

Great news, can't wait to see the redesign and new features. How about adding more of this though, more opportunities to feedback...might not be a good idea cos of all the arses that send hate, but I'd love to be able to tell you how awesome and inspiring your blog is more easily!
As for raising money, I could suggest a subscription area, but I know new visitors wouldn't like it...maybe just make a bigger deal out of the fact we can donate to your paypal. Well anyway, good luck. Love to the family (especially Chuck xxx)

It will work. You're site has been a place me and my friends have come to many times for it's cutting humor and "realness". But I think you should go one further - forget about writing for a paper. You need to put this stuff in a book! There are so many people (women especially) who can relate to your life and histerical anecdotes. Your style of writing
would be a breath of fresh air in the publishing world.
Especially, with your experience as a new young mom - look at books like the Nanny Diaries, How does She Do It and Bridget Jones Diaries. Do the "enhanced" website - I'd pay for it - but I want to see a book(s). I think it would be a huge success!
All the best.

How about creating a YABB forum for doocies? They who follow the cult of dooce?

I'd SO be a part of it. In a blood heartbeat. I'd pay for it too.

I think what someone mentioned above was a great idea, and that was to sell your photographs. Frame them, put them on mousepads and mugs, calendars, whatever- they're beautiful. Throw a dooce.com logo on there, and you're golden.

Hello,

I really don't know what I would do if you stop writing! I will pay to keep reading!!!!!! Like a few others have said, I came upon this site by accident and I am hooked. You really do give me inspiration. Tell me where to send my money!

I won't repeat any of the ideas above, many great, but as a designer, I'm sure you know better than to listen to the well-meaning suggestions that you design sites or ads for people as a way of having a low-stress job while bringing up baby. Client calls, inane requests (Why can't it be blue?) billing and other requisite joys will make you long for the day when it was only Leta screaming in your face.

i think the idea of a cafe press store is great. i would definitely buy t-shirts with dooce designs and choice slogans -- for myself and all my friends. postcards, posters, bumperstickers... your humor, your design, your personality -- perfect to wear around the world. even with the word "fuck"

i like the 'fan/hate mail' section. also like the photo a day idea.

this sounds very promising. if the membership fee is affordable for me, i'd definitely sign up!

another idea would be to have a dooce forum but... perhaps that's something to consider later down the road.

it would be a lot of work and you would need to assign people to help moderate the place.

good luck!

Hopefully you're still reading the comments. :)

Hey, can you trademark the "softer side of cynical" line? I love that and would buy a t-shirt with DOOCE and that slogan on it (or a shirt with either/or).

You definitely have a ginormous web presence as you're linked on every blog I've seen (including my own--which isn't working/being updated at the moment due to my own dumbassery). You'd make some money off DOOCE wear/wares.

As a side note: I think you're doing well. PPD sucks ass (BTDT three times--still there w/my third who was born two weeks ago) and even without it, being a mom (esp. for the first time) can be the worst best thing ever. It's cliche but true: it will get better. Until she turns three and is a mini version of what she'll be at thirteen. ;-) Hang in there. I can't promise a lot of sunshine and roses, but it does (eventually) get easier.

I would totally pay money to read this website. Heather, I've been reading dooce.com for 3 years and have loved seeing your photos (especially the Utah posts - I think the west is beautiful) and reading your posts. Your site makes me laugh and I look forward to reading every new post.

I'm a student. I'll be graduating soon and I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do and figure out how I would support myself, ideally doing something that I like or don't mind so much. I love reading your site because you've done things (some that I wish I could do like graphic design or live in the west) and you'll tell me about them. I don't know if you see it this way, but it's a little bit hopeful for me.

I've been thinking about donating to your site recently because I don't think you should have to pay to have me read your writing and look at your pictures. I think making money off of this site or covering the costs of it is totally reasonable and a good idea.

Also, dooce gear would be great! Stickers! Mugs! Mousepads!

One problem I thought of:
How do you continue to get new readers if they have to pay to read your site? I saw someone suggest as subscription for extra stuff, maybe some form of that?

Thanks for posting.

Appending here because I wanted to try to convey that I don't agree at all with censorship of any kind and the profanity isn't an issue for me personally. Perhaps you can have two versions of your writings... Leonardo Da Vinci often painted two versions of his paintings, one was always a bit toned down to appease the buyers.
You have more talent and a gift worth sharing that goes beyond selling mugs or t-shirts or accepting paypal donations. You are past that! and I agree with anyone who suggested book-deal(s), magazine or newspaper columns. If I were an editor I would not bleep you.

I had another idea that hopefully hasn't been mentioned.. you could do banner advertising.. only not by some dumb companies but your readers could pay to have their banners on your site?

I'm for a Dooce.com book. I believe that'd be a pretty big seller (I'd buy one for $20 or so) with not only content from the site, but also tips and tricks of online Doocery. I'm part of the group that wouldn't mind seeing ads on the site, but think there shouldn't be a cost associated with blogs. But I'd be first in line to buy the book.

Oh, and chalk me up for dooce.com and blurbomat.com shirts. XL, please.

I can't imagine how expensive it must be to maintain this site, and I appreicate that you take that burden on each month. I feel that if you were to charge you would no doubt keep your current readers and lose out on potential new ones. If I had been asked to pay to read when I first started, I would have moved on and, ultimately, missed out.

Thank you for the laughs.

A few things: 1) Charge a monthly subscription fee. This will provide steady revenue and let you keep out the idiots who send you the hate mail. 2)Get thee to a book company -- a compliling of your archives would make a great book (REALLY!). 3)When people give x-tra donations because they appreciate your work so much, write them back.

Anything of value is worth paying for. You're right to be thinking this way. We all need money. It's not a sell-out. It's a non-sentimental way of taking care of what you care about. Yeah for that!

Dooce,

It seems to me that charging would make you loose a lot of your audience -- so much content is free on the web that putting yours under lock and key would slow the growth of your readership.

I say go with advertising. With the loyal audience who return daily and eat out of your hand (me included), advertisers would love space on the site.

Also, on editors: they may have sucked before, but having proven yourself a funny, wry, compelling writer with a wide appeal, I think they'd be more likely to let you take liberties. Especially when you are the subject of your writing -- you and your style are inextricable, so it seems they'd be less likely to try to dampen it.

Thank you so much for this site. Its one in a million.

I just love your writing. The peanut allergy had me peeing my pants. I can't say that I would pay to read your site - only because I don't do the online shopping thing. But as a former marketing and publicity consultant, I can tell you that you can make oodles of money here for sure. You are filling a niche - reality AND honesty. Look for advertising that isn't afraid of either and then run ads. I would sift through 20 ads to get to your good stuff lady! ;)

love ya