What is your worth as a blogger? It’s a sometimes tricky question to answer, and for the self-introspective necessity of going through this process, it’s a tough call to make when we’re talking about ourselves. Yet bloggers need to have a good sense of what they are worth in order to be successful if they write for publications that are owned by others.

Even bloggers that write only for their own publications could benefit from doing this particular exercise. Gaining a good grasp on the amount of money that your time is worth can give you the perspective you need in order to do your job effectively and with reasonable expectations. Knowing whether or not your actions are worth your time can help you set your priorities and better organize your time around the things you want to do.

Yet for those that often blog for others, the process of determining one’s worth is an extremely necessary task. Knowing what your worth is prior to entering into discussions regarding pay rate can put you in a better negotiating position as a blogger. Knowing the struggles of running an online publication during a time of monetizing experimentation can cause bloggers to be more sensitive to the plight of a given blog’s publisher, but knowing the expectations around these circumstances can allow for a more open and accepting discussion regarding things such as pay and compensation.

For starters, I recommend doing a little math in order to determine what your actual time is worth. Be honest with yourself, considering your personal history, current and future goals, as well as your surroundings and daily tasks outside of work. Additionally, some formulasfor calculating your worth will incorporate things like PayPal fees that reduce your net income, as well as the length of your articles.

Another variable that will help determine your worth for a specific publication is the type of content you will be creating for that blog. Factor in research time, the anticipated turn around time, the editorial process and the like. Use all of this information to see if this blog would be a good fit for your career at that given point in time.

This initial set of factors to consider can be tough calls, as they force you to take a pretty close look at what you’re really doing in order to receive payment for your content. Bloggers are a still relatively new aspect of the workforce that is often responsible for many tasks, from finding their own topics to promoting it across the web.

These additinal tasks take time, and they are often expected of contributing bloggers even if the primary blog has its own process for handling some of these tasks.

You’ll also need to look at your own work-related expenses, which come out of pocket. While tax deductable, the cost of connecting to the Internet and having a mobile data plan will keep you gainfully employed, but they will also eat into your paychecks as well.

After considering these basic elements in relation to a specific blog you would be writing for, you will be better equipped to enter into discussions with the owner of that publication. Know your worth so you can be confident in whatever negotions take place, giving you a bit of leverage to talk about expense costs. Some blogs are willing to cover some expenses, such as work-related reimburstments. Another topic to cover with a blog owner would be the editorial team and process–how much of that is expected from you or are there other members of the blog to work with you?

Being sensitive to a blog owner’s ability to afford you as a blogger is a legitimate concern, and only heightens the need for you to calculate your own worth as a blogger prior to entering serious discussions regarding your rate. Be equipped with the knowledge necessary for a mutually beneficial relationship in order to get things started on the right foot.