Why People Should Not Ask for Donations or Money to Run Their Own Personal Blog

Why do you run a blog? Is it to make a living, or is it a hobby? If you write from your small corner of the internet for pleasure, to meet new people, or simply for engagement, then you probably shouldn’t ask for money for it. Here's why:

First, asking for donations creates an implicit transaction, even when framed as "optional". Readers may feel entitled to certain topics, frequency, or opinions.

Second, financial incentives often (if not always) influence behavior. Writers may unconsciously avoid controversial opinions, difficult topics, or experimental ideas out of fear of alienating supporters. This certainly leads to self-censorship, where authenticity is sacrificed in favor of maintaining income. There are many examples of this among content creators out there.

Third, the barrier to entry for blogging has never been lower. Today, there are countless ways to build an online presence, and running a blog can cost little to nothing. When the costs of running a blog are minimal or nonexistent, requesting money becomes harder to justify, especially for a purely personal website.

Closing Thoughts

Running a personal blog as a hobby is an act of self-expression, and the primary goal should be sharing thoughts, ideas, experiences, and so on.

Donation requests can distort the reader-writer dynamic and may make readers feel guilt for not contributing, even if they receive nothing tangible in return.

Finally, without financial pressure, writers are free to write irregularly, change direction, or even stop altogether. At least, that is how I feel about this blog.