Freelance to Succes

Josh Marshall is a motivational success story for journalists. Quitting his job at The American Prospect, Marshall decided to become a freelance journalist. I don't know if I would have the confidence to quit my job without another one lined up, especially at a time like this. The early 2000s were a different story though, I guess. Since the blogosphere was just taking off, bloggers were learning how to succeed from each other. Wanting to cover the primary in New Hampshire, Marshall needed the means to do so. His idea came from Duncan Black, who asked his readers to send him money for a new laptop. I honestly still find it hard to believe that readers so willingly donate money to bloggers for their personal needs. It shows how much of an impact bloggers, such as Marshall, have on the Internet. If it wasn't for the following that Marshall had built, Talking Points Memo would not be in existence. After he raised thousands of dollars for his trip to cover the primary, Marshall went on to ask his readers to help him hire journalists to assist him with TPM. This is when the site really took off.

Advertisers are a big source of revenue for blogs, but readers play an even greater role. Building a loyal following is everything, and Josh Marshall is the perfect example of someone who utilizes all that the Internet has to offer to maintain success.