If you’ve an interest in human psychology and self-improvement then you’ve probably heard of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Basically this is a simple pyramid model of human needs with the most primitive at the bottom and the most advanced at the top. Whilst our lower level needs remain unfulfilled, Maslow proposed, we have difficulty concentrating on and fulfilling the higher ones. So for example we’re likely to find it easier to write our great novel if we’re not constantly worrying about money.

That’s not to say that we can’t work on higher level needs before securing the lower ones (ask J.KRowling!), just that it’s more difficult. It’s far easier to achieve our potential if we first to ensure that our basic needs are met.

It occurs to me that a similar model can be applied to blogging. There are basic primitive needs such as a working server, then higher levels such as good content and subscribers. Whilst it’s theoretically possible to have (for example) subscribers without quality content it will be very difficult - and without a reliable blog host it will be more difficult still.

Following Maslow’s original five-layer model I’d like to suggest the following five layers, starting with the lowest and most primitive:
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