When Did Blogging Stop Being 'Fun'?

I'm sure you've already guessed what this post is about just from reading the title and it's a pretty controversial one at that. I love a good healthy discussion and it's not something I've ever done on my blog before but it's a subject that I've been thinking about a lot recently and I'm interested to hear other people's opinions on the matter.

When did blogging stop being fun? I'm not saying there aren't any people left who blog just as a hobby because there are tons, or even that I no longer find blogging fun, just that blogging is fast becoming big business and I'm not quite sure where this leaves me as a blogger or where I fit in. This past year has seen a sharp rise in bloggers being taken much more seriously by brands who are finally seeing the huge selling power of blogs. It's something that many bloggers have been striving for for years and I'm all for it if it means they are rewarded for all the hard work they put in.

What does this mean for the rest of us bloggers? Does it mean that fame and fortune and working with top name brands is what we should be striving for? Obviously that's something we need to decide for ourselves. Something I've been asking myself a lot recently is why I continue to blog. It started as a distraction during a difficult period of my life but now that I no longer have purpose for it in that way, I'm not really sure what I want out of it. It's a tough situation to be in, I've noticed that many of those who freely admit they want fame and fortune through their blog get looked down upon by many of the blogging community. Honestly I don't see why, there's nothing wrong with ambition, you'd strive to be at the top of your game in any other business so why not blogging.
Is there only so much room at the top? Does first come first served mean newer bloggers aren't getting a look in? Many of the top bloggers have been working hard for years to get their blogs noticed so it's only right that they should see the benefits, but with so much more competition now from other blogs than there has ever been, the divide between the two seems so much more prominent.

With this new potential for blogging as a career, does it still have it's place as just a hobby? Everything about blogging has become more business like. In this new wave of the internet celebrity, social media has become an extension of our own 'personal brand'. With that comes added pressure, suddenly it's not enough to just be a blogger, you have to master instagram, facebook, twitter and youtube too. Blogs themselves have become top quality with pictures that wouldn't look out of place in magazines. (I can't be the only one who's jealous of all these bloggers with amazing photographer boyfriends!) I'm just starting to wonder if maybe we've sacrificed what used to be completely personal and unique about blogging, a space for people to air their thoughts with other like minded people for just another thing that can be manipulated by big companies to make money out of. Or maybe I'm just being way too cynical and still no where closer to deciding my place as a blogger.

Thoughts? Let me know below!