Why I Started Creating Websites
My Introduction to Coding
I played in the band during my freshman and sophomore years of high school (drumline and percussion). For a variety of reasons, I decided to drop band my junior year. I decided to fill my extra elective space with computer programming. This was around the time that George Lucas was releasing the upgraded versions of the original Star Wars trilogy and I thought that I would like to learn computer animation.
The computer class I took did programming through Visual Basic. I enjoyed the coding process and figuring out how to get the computer to take the actions you wanted it to take. The projects I recall are making working tax forms (based on the 1040 forms) and coding a rudimentary computer game. For my game, you had to shoot Easy Cheese across the screen into my teacher’s mouth as both my teacher’s face and the can of Easy Cheese moved across opposite sides of the screen at different speeds.
I didn’t go much further in computer programming than that class, but I enjoyed seeing the things I envisioned come to life on the screen.
Getting Online
When my wife and I were first starting our family, we started a family blog on Blogger. Many people we knew were doing the same. Like my programming class, I enjoyed creating online and connecting with people through reading their experiences and comments.
As the Blogger fad faded away, I noticed that more serious bloggers were moving to get their own domains and using WordPress to create their websites. I wanted to give it a try. The very first website I created was a prototype niche website on family law for my law firm employer. It didn’t go anywhere because we decided not to pursue family law, but the creation process hit the spot for me. It was fun and interesting.
Since then, I’ve created a bunch of websites for projects of mine that mostly did not end up getting anywhere. Here’s a list of some:
- SMBstories.com (Small Business Stories) – A website for a podcast I ran from 2014 to 2016 (with a big break in the middle). You can read about The Rise and Fall of my Small Business Podcast.
- SidekickLaw.com – teaching small business owners basic legal issues they need to know.
- DumbCases.com – Following legal cases against small businesses that I thought were very dumb cases (I only did a couple posts).
- Lucysbaking.com – A website for my daughter’s bake sale — just for fun.
- PorcelainThroneBooks.com – I was going to write a bunch of short stories that you can enjoy over a few bathroom sittings. This website still exists! — mostly to feature a novel I wrote called Buccaneer Dan: The Most Fierce and Good-looking Buccaneer of All-time in a Quest for Treasure, Part I.
- DashGardening.com – I was diagnosed with hypertension in 2020 and started trying to eat more whole fruits and vegetables (the dash diet). I also started trying to garden, starting with composting. This website was to be about gardening as a method of controlling high blood pressure. (Website still exists but not active at all…(yet?)).
- LawoftheBrand.com – I moved to a smaller city in Southeast Idaho and considered doing Trademark work. My theory was that since Trademark law is based on federal law, I could take clients from anywhere. This was my website for that. I probably made about $2,500 from this site.
- IdahoConsumerLaw.com – This website got traction right away and brought in a lot of cases for me. This is why I stopped pursuing the LawoftheBrand — this one was bringing in money. This website was my main driver of business for about 6 years before I decided to close up shop and then sold the website.
- GoSweetFox.com – I started making cheesecake during the Pandemic and I made this website to sell cheesecakes locally. (The website is still active — though I’m not selling cheesecakes anymore).
I’ve owned even more domains that never got a website. There was a time when I would just buy a domain any time I came up with an idea. I still do that, but not as much as I used to…maybe.
Bad News: Creating the Website is the Easy Part
I enjoy creating these websites. I like thinking of the concept, the branding, the feel, and all those little details. It’s enjoyable to craft it all together on a WordPress site and see it pop up live on the internet — in the real world. It feels like you’ve created a cool piece of art.
It’s also fun to think about all the possibilities. “Maybe this website will catch on and make a difference while bringing in some extra dough!” The process of starting a website and seeing the vision become a reality is very exciting.
It’s also the easy part of being online.
After that comes the slog of trying to get any attention or make any connection with anyone out there. Once the excitement of creation wears away, it gets very old, very fast to speak into the void. So if being online is mostly a practice in chasing hits of endorphin (like it probably is for me), it’s easier to move on to the next creation than it is to feel any sense of meaningful success online — which would mean achieving some level of engagement or monetization (or both).
And that’s why I’ve created so many websites. To continue my art analogy, I like the process of painting the picture but so much the process of trying to sell the art.
My Rating for Creating Websites
Using my Hobby Rater System, I came up with these results:
Creative Expression — Score: 10
How satisfying is this activity as a creative outlet?
You can be as creative as you want to be online. The only limit is the amount of time you are willing to spend to figure out the right coding. I’m can get by with adding custom CSS or HTML here and there, but not much else.
I’ve thought about trying to make a website from scratch using only AI as a guide, but I haven’t done that yet.
Cost of Participation — Score: 10
How satisfied are you with the costs of the hobby?
It’s pretty inexpensive. Getting a domain is about $12/yr. Webhosting can be pretty inexpensive as well. I have used a shared plan through HostGator for years.
Intellectually Interesting — Score 10
Learning new things or stretching the mind.
There is always something new to learn or some puzzle to figure out.
Challenging/Learning Curve — Score: 10
Are you satisfied with the level of challenge this hobby brings?
Building a website is similar to putting together a website. You just have to find the right pieces (ex: theme or plugins) that have the feature you’d like to implement. The coding required is enough to be challenging but you don’t have to be a computer programmer.
Stress Level — Score: 10
Is this hobby adding or taking away stress?
As I mentioned, creating a website is exciting because it feels like you are entering a world of untapped possibility. It’s an exercise in optimism.
Time Commitment — Score: 10
Are you satisfied with the time required for this hobby?
It can take a while to get a website up and running, but I enjoy the time I spend doing it. When I did the website for the Puyallup Valley Community Band, I worked on it for a good chunk of a Saturday morning and a bit on a Sunday afternoon. I enjoyed it.
Once things are set up, you can always find things to tinker on or find tiny issues that need to be cleaned up. But fixing these things generally do not require a large time commitment.
Fun — Score 10
Are you having fun doing this hobby?
Yes, it is fun to create online. I’ve said this before, but to me it’s like a fun art project.
Escapism/Recharge — Score: 10
Does this hobby help you recharge or escape so you feel more ready to take on life’s challenges?
Creating a website provides a form of recharge because to me it comes with a sense of optimism. “I can create this and it will make a difference out there!” The reality check comes later, but at the creation phase, the world is wide open for the taking.
Sociality — Score: 9
Are you happy with the amount of socialization that comes with the hobby?
Creating a website probably feels more social than it is. It feels like you are creating and writing for people who are going to want or need what you are providing. There are some actual social parts — troubleshooting issues with people or seeing how people like designs or layouts — but, again, it probably feels more social than it is. But I like it either way.
Payoff — Score: 10
When you are done with the hobby, do you step away admiring your accomplishment?
My favorite part about creating online is when you get to step back and take in that you created something in the world that wasn’t there before. You have created this piece of digital real estate that can turn into anything you want it to become.
Overall Score for Creating Websites: 9.9
Here is how a 9.9 fits on the Hobby Rater scale:
1 – Terrible fit
2 – Not a good fit
3 – Probably not good for you
4 – It’s alright, I guess
5 – Very mixed feelings
6 – It’s pretty okay
7 – You like it!
8 – You really like it!
9 – You love this hobby!
10 – Bruh, you know this is the best hobby ever!
Based on this scale, I’m giving Creating Websites a score of “Bruh, you know this is the best hobby ever!”
Keep in mind, though, that this is just the creation of the website. This is the fun and exciting part about being online. I’ve not really been able to crack the code for the remaining part (except for my local service business with idahoconsumerlaw.com).
If you have a hobby or website that you want to see come to life online, let me know. I’m willing to help people get started.
