I should also point out, that while I don’t really get paid for most of my writing, (at least, not yet), a fair amount of reviews that I do on my clownlink site I get free tickets for, with the expectation that I will write about them. There’s an unspoken quid pro quo. I only write about things i like, so if I don’t like a show, I generally won’t write about it, unless it’s got some object lesson to learn.

And there you have the Mars/Venus of Mommy/Daddy blogging.

“there is another part of me that starts to wonder about the authenticity of bloggers who are CONSTANTLY getting paid for their sponsored posts.”

Bloggers are no longer bloggers. What used to be story telling and support and community, is now just an ocean of contest playing and ‘what can I get for free’ writing.

Maybe chicks dig contest playing, I yearn for the days of actual content creation instead of advertorial regurgitation.

But what you say about Walt is absolutely true, and the model that should be pursued. Be paid because you create great content, dont be paid because of the content you’re creating.

There is no line between editorial and sales in these small-time blogging empires. They do both.

I explore the notion more here: http://www.buzzbishop.com/blog/2011/12/13/to-disclose-or-not-to-disclose-that-is-the-question/